I’d like to thank Legend Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Evil Intent’, the fourth of four books in the DCI Helen Lavery series written by Jane Isaac, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The discovery of Shauna’s body, strangled and mutilated, is just the firsin a series of bodies to be found in rural Hamptonshire laid out by water in a ritualistic pose. Given a limited time to close the case, Acting-Detective Superintendent Helen Lavery realises she’s putting herself in danger but knows she has to act fast to find the killer.

‘Evil Intent’ is a well-thought-out police procedural thriller with an action-packed plot, suspense, drama and twists and turns that’s kept me absorbed from the beginning. I’ve enjoyed catching up with Helen Lavery whose private life comes into the story as she’s shocked to discover that the half-brother of local gang-leader Chilli Franks is living nearby. It’s always a pleasure to read a novel by Jane Isaac who brings a strong gripping story and believable characters to them. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this thriller which I’ve read in twenty-four hours and can recommend it without hesitation.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book. Although this was my first book I’ve read in this series, I was able to follow quite easily.
I did enjoy this book, but it didn’t have anything different than other crime solving books I’ve read. The main character was likable and I feel the character development with her was quite good.
It was an easy and enjoyable read but not remarkable for me.

Another engaging instalment in this series with the return of several characters and a gruesome, twisty plot that will keep you guessing.
I just wish the trend of making the lead character a target would stop

This was quiet a good read with a good plot, loads of bits that jumped out at one and one was kept guessing until the end ..

My first book by this author and it will not be the last. I loved this story, full of read herrings but their was too much filler. In my opinion this was not needed. A good police procedural and and all in all a good read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

So atmospheric!

! It was great curling up in my bed while doing online school and just getting sucked into the characters’ world and their relationships

Acting Detective Superintendent Helen Lavery faces one of the most disturbing cases of her career in Evil Intent, a suspenseful, tightly plotted police procedural. A beautiful young woman is found strangled and deliberately posed nude with a pentagram carved into her chest. Helen begins her investigation by painstakingly researching spiritualism and devil worship while looking for clues in the woman’s history. However when another body, posed identically to the first, is found, Helen realizes that this case has to be solved quickly. Pressure is added by an audit which must be completed during an ongoing investigation. As the violence escalates, Helen becomes dangerously involved. Will she find the Pentagram Killer before he finds her?

One of the many reasons that this is such an excellent series is the way the reader sees Helen’s struggles between her career and her private life as the mother of two boys. She’s always seeking a balance but her career, with its temporary promotion, must come first. Well developed characters, especially Shauna’s parents, and a gritty look at a tedious police investigation combine to make this a compelling read. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Legend Press and Jane Isaac for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Legend Press for the eARC.
DCI Helen Lavery has probably the toughest case of her career. Young women are found murdered, garrotted, totally nude, with an upside down pentagram cut into their chests. Each body is posed near water. Helen and the team are totally stumped, the killer has left absolutely nothing for them to go on and they can't find any links between the women, except that they look very alike. The higher cups are, of course, champing at the bit for a resolution.
I love Jane Isaac's books, she writes an excellent police procedural, as well as you get a decent look into not only the life of the detective, but also the family left bereft by the murder of a loved one. I'm always excited when the author has a new book out; I've read all of her books. Highly recommended!

Thank you Legend Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before it's published.

This was my first book by Jane Isaac, so I was jumping into the DCI Helen Lavery series a bit late. However, there was enough context that any reader could pick up the book and enjoy the story without needing to read the three books before it.

THE PLOT: In this police procedural, DCI Helen Lavery is on the hunt for a twisted killer after a series of bodies are discovered with Pentagrams carved into their chests. Is it the doings of a Satanist? An occult member? Lavery and her squad relentlessly hunt down the killer when she finds herself a target. What happens... Well, you'll have to find out yourself ;)

MY OPINION: As I mentioned, this is my first Jane Isaac novel, but immediately her writing reminded me of Alafair Burke. The storyline was full of twists and turns, with a surprise ending. An easy read for a lazy afternoon.
I was captivated by the opening scene; a woman running fearfully for her life. It really set the tone of the scene and kept me reading.

Ok, so why 3/5 stars? Mostly because I felt there was too much filler text... By that I mean descriptions/scene that didn't do anything to advance the plot. It felt like the author was trying to meet a word count minimum at some points. However, I do recognize that a lot of people like these longer drawn out scene and descriptions because it connects them with the characters. But personally, I'm not one to care what the characters look like, or what they had for dinner, or if they have kids, because I'm all about a juicy plot.

Would I read another DCI Helen Lavery novel? I'm open to it.

PROS AND CONS
Pros: FANTASTIC opening scene, straightforward police procedural that's believable and intriguing, solid amount of twists and revelations
Cons: Unnecessary fluffy text (again—a personal preference)

Thank you again for the opportunity to read this book before publication.

Great book! This book definitely gave me the chills!! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, and a great who done it! It was a great murder mystery! It had some great police work too! I will definitely recommend reading this one! Its well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!