Member Reviews
This is a very good crime novel debut by the author. It features CSI Ally Dymond, a crime scene investigator in Devon. It's well written with excellent, unique characterisation and an interesting plot which flows really well. It did slow down in the middle and the dialogue became a bit repetitive between Ally and Holt, the OIC. There is a good bit of character analysis, as well as crime investigation, and plenty of suspense leading up to an ending which feels a bit unreal but overall, it's a good read.. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
Did not finish. I am struggling with this one. Found it hard to get into. I will come back to it and try again at a later date.
This is a really good debut book which has the potential to be an exciting new crime thriller series.
A story filled with twists and turns that leaves you eager to finish it.
Highly recommend and look forward to book 2 in the series.
What a brilliant book ,a great debut crime story .I was completely gripped from the beginning ,CSI Ally Dymond is a great character working in North Devon .A killer is at large and Ally is determined to catch him especially when her own daughter is attacked .Fast paced gripping ,compelling with an excellent ending I look forward to reading more books in this series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.
Thoroughly Engaging…
The first in the Ally Dymond series finds Ally, a CSI, dealing with mainly petty crime following her exposure of criminality and corruption within the ranks. When a body turns up Ally’s skills are needed but will anyone want to listen to her? Swiftly moving and immersive with a credible and realistic cast, a crime novel with a difference in that the perpetrator is known to the reader early on. A thoroughly engaging read.
This book was just an ok read. Implausible in parts . A CSI would just not act the way Ally did . Characters unlikeable.. Unconvincing ending. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.
A new author and the start of a new series and I can't wait to read more.
This is a fantastic crime thriller/police procedural which I found impossible to put down. This book has everything, a serial killer, very strong and some nasty characters with more than a few touches of psychological. So highly recommended and an easy five stars and a MUST READ!!!
Ally Dymond is, much to her mother’s disappointment, a CSI in Devon. Although she now works less serious crime scenes she was once a vital part of the Major Investigations Team and in an emergency finds herself called to work the beachside location of a recently discovered dead body.
Gradually aware there is something more happening than meets the eye at two suspicious death scenes Ally is dismayed to find no one else shares her concerns. Certain only her evidence gathering can prevent a miscarriage of justice she becomes obsessed with discovering who is actually responsible until sidelined by circumstances she can’t control. Still Ally is determined to finish what she started if only she is allowed to.
This is T. Orr Munro's debut novel and for that reason alone I really wish I could love it. Any book is undeniably deeply personal, time consuming, and totally immersive for the writer and although well constructed it unfortunately jarred a few too many times for me. It's clear the author, an experienced ex-CSI herself, knows her stuff when describing the crime scenes and procedures to follow, but the main characters pushed against reality a little too often.
Ally is not, in any way, likeable or, to me, realistic. Her behaviour in the second half of the storyline doesn't ring true and the ending was difficult to believe. As for the killer, whose identity is apparent from the start, I have no doubt there are similarly despicable individuals out there but the total lack of anyone questioning their behaviour rather than remaining mutely acquiescent didn't sit right even in a fictional setting. This is however, as mentioned, only the first in a new series, and I will definitely read book two as maybe, if her personal situation has improved, Ally's overall demeanour and behaviour will have too.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This won't be for everyone, some readers will love it while others, like me, will have reservations.
Really enjoyable police procedural/thriller.
Well put together premise of a character who’s past colours how people treat them now which ultimately means people don’t trust their opinion and leads to them hunting a killer alone.
Well developed characters and paced well.
Although I got caught up in the start of this book, I soon ceased to take any pleasure in reading this. With all the horrors going on in our world today, I just can't enjoy reading novels about such awful characters and their deprived ideas. This was not a book I wanted to go to sleep on having read so I sadly didn't finish it all.
A fantastic crime novel! I really enjoyed the blend of serial killer thriller with strong character driven and psychological elements. The author is a former CSI and the experience and knowledge shows. Recommend.
The book was well written and held my interest and is great for a debut. It centres around Ally a forensic investigator who is given the cold shoulder by her colleagues after exposing internal corruption in the department. She struggles with her own moral code and how she deals with the issues. At times the book is a little far fetched but is a change from the usual books I read.
This was exactly the book I needed over the last few days. A really juicy, police procedural/thriller with a fantastic protagonist. The news has been awful over this week and I fully wanted to escape and this was the perfect way to do so. The characterisation was on point, the a wonderful, flawed lead with wonderful, flawed relationships but without ever disappearing into cliche. The villain was great (and I loved that we knew who he was and saw the world through his eyes) and the tension was maintained throughout. Hope this is the first in a series.
I read a lot of crime genre books, but this has really blown me away. I love the fact that it is on the side of the CSI to discover who the murderer is, but that we the reader are aware from the beginning exactly who it is, and are privy to his thoughts feelings and plans throughout. An excellent debut novel, can’t wait for the next one.
I thought this novel was engaging and very well written. It's difficult to keep the reader engaged when you reveal the serial killer's identity at the outset but Munro manages this 'cat and mouse' type narrative with ease and that is largely down to her well-crafted plot and authentic characterisation. I think the tension could be ramped up a bit but otherwise it was very enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to her next novel.
This is quite a good read, but very implausible. I know it’s fiction but it stretched credibility too far. The best relationship here is mother/teenage daughter which really did ring true. The other interactions between characters feel flat. Very good for a debut and I was pleasantly shocked by the ending. I have to say I’ve never been a fan of the killer’s POV in crime books as it always seems like justification for their actions. I didn’t get this here though, the man didn’t have any redeeming features. The most unbelievable thing though was that he was never caught out on the nasty untruths he told his team mate; in my experience words always come back to bite you.
Breakneck Point is the first book by T Orr Munro and it is a promising start to a potential series with a good underlying storyline although I did find the pacing slightly uneven at times.
The main characters were all clearly drawn which helps the reader follow the storyline as it progresses towards a dramatic ending.
I look forward to future books from this author.
CSI Ally Dymond is called to give evidence on a case and when questioned, admits one piece of evidence was planted. The defendants gets off and lead investigator jailed instead. Ally is shunned by colleagues and sent on all the unwanted, implausible cases. Until one day she is called back to the major investigation team when a young lady is found dead. Ally suspects foul play but the police do not want to listen. Then things take a personal twist when Ally’s daughter is attacked. She is determined to use science and any other means possible to find out who is behind this as the police are not interested.
An enjoyable read and really feel for Ally who has done nothing but stick to the rules. There is no mystery as the killer is outlined early on. But the suspense is there, willing Ally to identify this individual and trying to get the police to listen. I’m hoping there will be a series for Ally following this book.
This was a really interesting mystery/crime thriller. Interesting in the sense that most books of this nature are whodunnits which keep you guessing until the end with some twists/red herrings along the way and at the end.
This is not a whodunnit novel, we find out quite early the perpetrator is and, in fact, the story is told from the dual perspective of the police and the perpetrator.
This is a risky choice - taking away a key element of mystery means that the story/writing/plotting need to be spot on....and it is.
I wasn't sure how this would play out but Munro writes it perfectly, removing the element of guesswork allows the reader to become involved in the psychology in this story and allows the reader to understand both characters - complex in their own, but very different, ways.
An excellent novel and definitely an author to look out for. Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
A crime novel written from the point of view of a CSI made for an exciting and convincing story. I really liked Ally , the heroine, and felt very connected to her throughout the book.
Almost from the start we know the identity of the villain but this does not detract from the suspense. It’s a real rollercoaster of emotions as Ally gradually starts to realise what is going on but is thwarted at every turn as she tries to convince the police that her theories are correct.
At times I did feel that the narrative could have been a little tighter as occasionally the plot twists seemed to slow down the pace somewhat but I would be very excited to read more from this author and certainly another novel featuring the resourceful and feisty Ally would be very welcome.