Member Reviews

Obsessed with this series. I absolutely love Bloom. Like the other titles, this is cleverly written and paced brilliantly to keep you guessing and firmly on the edge of your seat. I’m a fan!

Was this review helpful?

This was an interesting read by an author that I was not familiar with having never read their work before. I always enjoy a new to me author and I wasn’t disappointed.
I found the characters interesting and really had a depth to them with lots of details described for me to portray them in my mind and really get inside them.
The story line took me to a place I wasn’t expecting and kept me intrigued right until the end.
I would recommend to anyone interested in this genre and will be reading more.

Was this review helpful?

I love the Augusta Bloom series so was looking forward to this next instalment. Add in the fact this book involved a cult and I was hooked!!

I loved the whole premise of this and seeing how manipulated people in cults can be. It was refreshing to read a book where the protagonist feels drawn in by the cult, despite doing her best to anticipate everything that would crop up! The inner workings of the cult were described brilliantly and there was something quite claustrophobic about it when you read it!!

Seraphine Walker is as brilliant a character as ever!! Although she is the ‘villian’, there is something quite funny and likeable about her and reading the parts she is in are brilliant!! Another great book by Leona Deakin and unlike most of what’s out there on the market. Looking forward to book 4!

Was this review helpful?

I love this series! But I'm not really a fan of cult reads ....
I loved catching up with Bloom & Marcus again and seeing what they got up to.
& Cannot wait till the next one!

Was this review helpful?

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Was this review helpful?

I had originally decided this book wasn’t for me however having read the previous two I decided I’d give it another try which I’m really pleased I did.

It did get better after the 50% mark and I felt it had a lot of great layers to the side storyline.

Brilliant book

Was this review helpful?

3rd book in the Augusta Bloom detective series and this is just as gripping as the first two!!!

Love Bloom and her partner Jameson working the psychological cases together.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this book and the plot. I didn't realise that a) it was part of a series and b) I actually have another part of the series and have read them out of sync but I didn't feel it mattered. This works fine as a standalone. Lots of tension and a very interesting premise. Looking forward to reading more from the author!

Was this review helpful?

I have been a fan of this series since I first read Deakin’s debut “Gone” and always look forward to reading more from the unlikely but well balanced due Marcus Jameson and Augusta Bloom.


The order of this series is as follows:


1. Gone
2. Lost
3. Hunt


Personally “Lost” has been my lest favourite so far, and whilst you can read these stories as standalone for the main plotline, I feel it’s much better for the reader if they are read in order to understand the characters better and the sub-plot surrounding the nature of our darling Seraphine Walker.


Very much hoping there is a new release in this series this year and I look forward to reading it.


4 Stars – Recommended Series Read!


Publication Date: 16th September 2021


Thank you to #NetGalley, #TransworldPublishers, #RandomHouseUK and #LeonaDeakin for an ARC of #Hunt in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The 3rd book in the Dr Bloom series.
Carrying on from the previous 2 books, tracking psychopath Seraphine Walker.
All three books are well worth the read and all are very enjoyable and scary.

Was this review helpful?

After reading the first two books in this series, Gone and Lost, I couldn't wait to get stuck right into book 3.

The story is opened with a young girls suicide, questions need answering and the need for these answers immediately draws you in.

You are then introduced to the Foreigh Secretary Gerald Porter who is being questioned and detained by the police under the Terrorism Act but refuses to talk to anyone but Dr Bloom. His niece has gone missing. What does he know? What is he hiding?

An interesting turn is taken when Dr Augusta Bloom and her team start looking into Artemis, an organisation that is not what it appears to be.

Knowing she has to get deep inside the organisation to get the answers needed, Dr Bloom goes undercover. Will she be able to find let alone save Scarlett.

An action packed, fast paced read that has the perfect climatic ending.

A tale of police corruption, manipulation and mind games.

Side note: personally I think this series needs to be read in order to get the full backstories of the characters.

Thanks to netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Hunt is book 3 in the Detective Bloom series, following on from Gone, and Lost. After reading books 1 and 2, I couldn’t wait to jump straight back in to the action and excitement of Bloom’s life, and Hunt certainly didn’t let me down!

The story starts with a heartbreaking scene of a young woman’s suicide, and the reason why she has decided to make such a devastating decision. This immediately creates questions, and gives you a need to read on. The story quickly then jumps to Gerald Porter, the Foreign Secretary, who is being questioned by police but refusing to talk. But he will talk, and all the police have to do is let him talk to Detective Bloom.When Bloom agrees to take on his case, and to find his niece, she had no idea at the severity of what she was really getting herself into. Nothing could have prepared her for what was to come.

Not long in to the story, we are reintroduced to Bloom’s partner, Jameson. Their relationship isn’t in a great place after previous events (that you will have to read the other books in the serious to find out about), but they are clearly both trying to build bridges and get back to the way things were. Their relationship is definitely an interesting one, and I personally love them as a pair. They compliment each other perfectly in regards to work, and their friendship is just so genuine. Even when they’re not in the midst of an exciting case, the way they interact is so enjoyable to read.

I am so glad that a certain other character from the series resurfaced (I will not name them as I don’t want to spoil things), but this character always brings so much more to the story. They complicate things, they bring a tension, and a danger, and I absolutely love when they are involved.

The story takes an extremely interesting turn when the team begin looking in to Artemis. The organisation is certainly not what it makes itself out to be, and from the moment Bloom decides that the only way to learn the truth is to go undercover, you will not be putting this book down. The organisation was actually quite an eye opener, because this sort of thing really does happen, and we just don’t see it. The manipulation, the mind games, and the brain washing. It’s horrific! But in a fictional story, it certainly makes for great reading.

As the story progresses, it becomes more intense by the minute, leading to an exciting and action packed climax, that was really the perfect way to round things up. There were certainly aspects that I would have never seen coming, which made this ending all the more satisfying.

Leona Deakin has truly created a series with characters that you just can’t wait to spend time with, who you grow to love, and find yourself completely attached to. You know that every time you open a new book in this series that you’re about to dive in to a world of chaos, and excitement, and that you’ll be completely hooked immediately. Fingers crossed that there will be more to come in the Detective Bloom series, because I can’t wait to read more.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Transworld for my copy, in exchange for an honest review.

I give Hunt a 4 star rating!

Was this review helpful?

This is another great episode in the series involving Augusta, Marcus, and Seraphine. The story follows on from the previous two books. There is a lot of twists and turns and some surprises. But also, quite intense and felt quite claustrophobic, when Augusta visits Artemis and she loses all contact to the outside world. 4 stars from me.

Was this review helpful?

Firstly I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of the Ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was yet another cracking read from the author. I just absolutely love the Bloom series – she is such an incredible and intelligent woman it is so hard not be in awe of her.

However, this time someone stole the show for me and I’m actually quite embarrassed to admit that I kind of started enjoying Seraphine Walker in this book. She is equally as intelligent but knows how to get the job at hand done.

This book definitely had me sat on the edge of my seat, just when you thought things couldn’t get much worse. THEY DID!! just when you thought it was over, the end … whoever needed to be caught was caught, killed was killed!! Then BAM!! The author throws in a curve ball that you really was t expecting.

Another fantastic read and I can not wait to see what comes next for Bloom and Jamieson.

Was this review helpful?

I found this story hard to get into and follow. This being the third in the series, I felt I was missing their backstories, which would have helped understand the relationships in this book better.
A lot of characters were 8ntriduced quite quickly in the first chapters and it felt a bit disjointed.
I think if I had read the first 2 Augusta Bloom books I would have got more from this one.

Was this review helpful?

A tense third installment in the Dr Augusta Bloom series. The Foreign Secretary has been detained under the Terrorism Act, he'll only co-operate on the condition that the crime psychologist tracks down his missing niece Scarlett, after she got involved in a women's group. As Bloom starts to investigate she suspects the group may be a sinister cult and it's charismatic leader may have deadly intentions. To rescue Scarlett, Bloom will have to go undercover. A dark and complex page-turner that will keep you gripped.

Was this review helpful?

A very gripping, twisty story with very good plot. I enjoyed this novel immensely. I will definitely be recommending this to family and friends.

Was this review helpful?

What a book! Another crime thriller book that had me continuously questioning what was happening at the end of each chapter. I was completely fascinated by Doctor Bloom from the start, being a psychologist - I love crime thrillers that involve characters other than Police detectives, I think it gives them so much more relatability and intrigue. I loved the story line, trying to work out how the two stories of the Foreign Secretary and his niece interwove but also trying to work out whether Artemis is a positive organisation or a glorified cult. The mystery and intrigue in this novel was fantastic and I genuinely recommend getting yourself into this series! The only thing I’m annoyed about is that I hadn’t read the previous two books - I think there are references I’d like to have understood a bit more

Was this review helpful?

I’ve read the previous two books in this series, so was interested to read the third instalment.

Bloom and Jameson are back! This time, they’re trying to find a woman who hasn’t had contact with her family for years. She’s joined this feminist group, but its motives are much more sinister.

I found I was drawn into this story and wanted to find out what was going to happen. It was quite gripping at times and you get a sense of the oppressiveness of the group.

I did feel the books are becoming a little predictable and formulaic in that Bloom and Jameson investigate a case and inevitably the same baddie turns up and is involved somehow.

However, it was nice to see the relationship between Bloom and Jameson get back on track after the last book.

I noticed the previous cases are mentioned briefly, so if you haven’t read the other books it fills you in a bit more on the background.

Looking forward to the next book from this author.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thanks to Penguin Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for a copy to review.

Was this review helpful?

Loved the book, fast paced story, Let me wanting answers to lots of things going on, but i really enjoyed it and enjoyed the story lines for the characters.

Was this review helpful?