When a baby is snatched from its mother and thrown into the Thames aboard an inflatable unicorn, off-duty police officer Lacey Flint gives chase in her kayak. It soon becomes clear this terrifying incident is to be the first of many. DCI Mark Joesbury has been following the trail of a group of women-haters who have been communicating through the dark web, and had known that something was about to happen. Now he and his team know that the men involved are planning a campaign of terror, directed at women. And by getting involved in this first incident, Lacey has made herself a target…

Wow! When Sharon Bolton is on top form, there is no one to beat her. And she is most certainly on her top form in this one! Of course it’s a pleasure to meet up with Lacey and Mark and the rest of the regulars again, and to see how their lives have developed since we last saw them, which seems like a very long time ago. Dana and Helen are now the proud parents of a son, and this makes the whole terror campaign even more frightening for Dana since these men realise that one of the best ways to frighten women is to go after their children. I don’t want to reveal much about Lacey and Mark, since there may be people reading this who haven’t read the rest of the series, so I’ll just say that their running on/off relationship continues to move forward in this instalment. And Bolton continues to use her chosen setting of the Thames to brilliant effect, with Lacey still working in the Metropolitan Police’s marine unit.

The storyline is both fantastic and terrifyingly possible. It’s based on the idea of incels, which has become one of those words that gets bandied around these days, usually as an insult. However Bolton shows them not as a trivial group of disgruntled men who can’t get girlfriends, but as the basis of a seriously misogynistic movement with the aim of removing the hard won rights of women and returning them to a position of subservience within a new patriarchy. She does an amazing job of showing how feasible such an organisation would be, and compares their aims to the kinds of strict patriarchal regimes that already exist in other parts of the world, which makes the whole idea seem considerably less unlikely than it might do on face value in our (supposedly) liberal world. (As I was reading it, The US Supreme Court was in the process of removing the right to abortion, while in most of the West a heated debate is underway on all aspects of women’s rights, with many things that we have fought long and hard for suddenly seeming to be under threat amid attempts by extremist activists to silence women’s voices. Johnny Depp was suing Amber Heard, and whichever side you’re on in that one I suspect we would all agree that the sexualised abuse and death threats directed at Heard daily on social media have been a real sign that misogyny is alive and well, and very often propped up by women.)

Bolton also uses the idea of the dark web to great effect, showing it as a place where all kinds of organisations can group and recruit members, spread information and disinformation, and conspire to commit all kinds of criminal acts under the noses of the authorities but with them unable to identify the names or locations of the people involved. I don’t know whether this is true or not, having no experience whatsoever of the dark web, but I found it scarily believable.

However, Bolton knows how to get the balance right between this all too believable background and the main thriller elements that keep the pace hurtling along. There are aspects that aren’t wholly credible, but I didn’t have time to stop and think about them as my need to keep turning those pages was too strong. I did guess who the baddie was quite early on, but because this is more of a thriller than a straight mystery that didn’t matter – the tension comes from fear of what will happen in the future rather than from discovering the culprit.


Sharon Bolton
I do like the way Lacey has evolved over the series. Bolton has done it slowly and naturally, so that it feels realistic. She’s now less of a loner, beginning to let her guard down a bit with the people she has come to think of as friends. This makes her more likeable than she was in the beginning, and from my perspective that’s a good thing – I always prefer a likeable central character. And no spoilers, but the very last line left me gobsmacked – I did not see that coming! Unfortunately, or that should really be fortunately, you’ll have to read the entire series in order to find out what I’m talking about – my advice would be to start now… 😉 Great book, great series! Keep ‘em coming, Ms Bolton!

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Orion via NetGalley.

Fantastic and one of my favourite adventures featuring Lacey Flint. The novel brings to life the worrying power that incels and the dark web have on society today. The opening scene of a baby being kidnapped and the attempted escape was an incredible introduction to the book.

Firstly, why did I leave this on my netgalley shelf for so long and how have I not heard of Lacey Flint before?

Whilst I was reading this, I immediately wanted it to be the start of a series, so was delighted to realise that I was late to the game and it’s already a series! 🤦🏼‍♀️

I loved everything about this book, the characters, the plot, the settings and the oddities which are incels.

In my library I will be having individual shelves for favourite authors/book series, I will now be getting the back catalogue of the authors work so she can have her own.

I couldn’t recommend this book more, easily one of my favourites of the year!

A baby is taken from its pram and cast into the River Thames, but luckily an off-duty Lacey Flint is on hand to save the day and the baby. But why would someone want to carry out such a heinous crime?

As Lacey and Mark Joesbury investigate they get sucked into the murky world of ‘incels’ (involuntary celibates) that hate women and want them to be taken back to the dark ages by committing a number of terrorist acts. Can the police delve into the dark web and find the people behind the acts before more of their plans come to fruition.

This case was very personal to Lacey and she fears her history will be revealed. Overall this is a good read and it deals with the potential threat of incels, however at times I felt it needed more pace and should have been a shorter book. If you have read the other Lacey Flint books this takes the storyline forward.

Thanks to the publisher, author and Net Galley for a review copy of the book in exchange for a fair, open and honest review.

My first Sharon Bolton book and it won't be my last.

SYNOPSIS:

"When a baby is snatched from its pram and cast into the river Thames, off-duty police officer Lacey Flint is there to prevent disaster. But who would want to hurt a child?

DCI Mark Joesbury has been expecting this. Monitoring a complex network of dark web sites, Joesbury and his team have spotted a new terrorist threat from the extremist, women-hating, group known as 'incels' or 'involuntary celibates.' Joesbury's team are trying to infiltrate the ring of power at its core, but the dark web is built for anonymity, and the incel army is vast."

MY THOUGHTS:

🌑 The premise of this book is terrifying so that makes this a terrifyingly good thriller.

🌑 A good 'ol police procedural.

🌑 Lacey Flint (my first encounter) is a brilliant main character.

🌑 A strong cast of supporting characters.

🌑 A gripping page turner.

🌑 Anything about the Incel movement / the terrorism of women / dark web I find scary but thrilling to read.

🌑 The final twist albeit a complete surprise, wasn't at all what I epxected.

This is the fifth book in the series featuring police officer Lacey Flint and it was another gripping read from the first chapter. There is a car at a notorious suicide location. One female occupant is dead and the other one is contemplating driving the car off the cliff. But when a youth turns up threatening to do the same that changes everything. Fast forward to the present day and we find that Lacey is still working as a police constable in the Marine Unit after relinquishing her detective role. A baby is snatched from its pram and thrown into the river. Luckily Lacey is there to rescue it. Lacey is still in an ‘on/off’ relationship with DI Mark Joesbury who is working with his team monitoring a network of dark web sites and have realised that they are up against a women hating group known as incels. It soon becomes clear that the snatched baby was the first of many violent attacks planned by them to terrorise women and Lacey rescuing the baby a is soon all over the dark web. One of the men in the group recognises Lacey and realises that she has been hiding her past and that he could expose her secrets putting her career and personal life into jeopardy. This book has a fast moving plot with tension building in each chapter. I hope we don’t have to wait too long to read the next book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the 5th book in the Lacey Flint series and it works exceptionally well as a stand-alone. The synopsis for this book doesn't really give much away but it does take a route that has an almost dystopian feel to it, it is an amazing psychological thriller that I absolutely adored.

Lacey Flint, a police officer for the Thames River Police. She lives, works, plays and essentially breathes on the Thames. It isn't a shock when she happens to be on hand while off-duty with fellow work colleagues when a baby is snatched. The full repercussions of this crime are not known at this point and an elaborate search for the hidden and secretive members of a male-only group. The group is organised on the dark web, it takes experts within the department to try to uncover who they are, what their motives are and how they organise themselves. The limelight is on Lacey though as she is the one responsible for rescuing the baby.

As the investigation proceeds, it becomes more twisted and Lacey, DCI Mark Joesbury and the rest of the team are up to their eyeballs in trying to work out what is going to happen next. The threat is real, they have already proved their intentions. The online group are going viral, their message is heard and it is being acted upon by many. They are men that hate women, they are happy to threaten and scare women, and they are getting bolder. Women should be at home, they should support the men and be subservient, and they should not hold responsible jobs!

the author has taken a brilliant approach with this storyline, actually, it is more than one story and these have been brilliantly twisted and incorporated into each other to provide a thrilling and addictive story.

As I have not read any other books in this series I found this particular book to be a good one to start with as it does take the reader back in time to the main protagonist, Lacey. An event in her past provides something that the author has linked and connected to the present-day setting.

There is a large psychological aspect to this story as the theme of males hating females and then acting upon it and being led by online content becomes very believable. As the group gains momentum it becomes even more believable and the sad thing is that there are occurrences of this type of violence in the news on a regular basis along with many other forms of hate crime.

This is a thriller that is fast-paced, following Lacey's story, the investigation, the increased threats and how things progress is brilliant. Everything is linked but how that eventually plays out took me by surprise. There are subtle hints along the way, but I didn't realise this until I had been led to the fabulous conclusion.

Brilliant read, addictive, thought-provoking and with some great plot twists. I really enjoyed this one and I would definitely recommend it.

I'm sad to say that as much as I'm a big fan of Sharon Bolton's, this one didnt really do it for me. I wasn't really rooting for any of the characters and it didn't have the complexity and depth that some of her other novels have had - this was much more standard police proceedural.

However I am conscious that this was written in lockdown where it was bloody impossible to do anything so to complete a book is a miracle. If I hadn't read Bolton's other work, I'd probably have rated it more highly. Its still a good solid page turner.

Wow oh bloody wow!! What a read this has been!! I don’t know if I have the words to review this one.

This book literally has it all- a gripping opening which will submerge readers into what can only be described as a dark, tense rollercoaster. The book has incels present, something which is so current and relevant. We have lies, deception and some very dark attacks taking place in this one.

Bolton has literally created a masterpiece and I have devoured page after page of this one in just one sitting. I have been completely unable to work out who to trust and who not to trust. This has been completely unpredictable and unputdownable.

I have loved that we revisit Lacey in the pages of this one. She is a character I have loved. The journey through this one has been a complete rollercoaster. I’ve had my heart pounding and felt the tension.

Bolton really takes us to a darker place with some of the actions of the incel group in this book. I have been shocked yet completely gripped by this. They have been completely realistic and things that could easily be reported.

As always, I have been transported by this one. I have felt as though I have been watching the events play out in front of me. This has been a completely explosive read and I really have loved every second of this one.

This is a book that is definitely going to be in the top of 2022 for me. I absolutely recommend this fantastic read.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Thanks for allowing me to read this book.

I enjoyed this. I like the author and have read other books of hers and this was also another fab read. Kept me gripped until the end.

I always enjoy Sharon Bolton’s books because they’re very well researched, fast paced and well written - and this one is no exception. The characters become like old friends and are all realistically drawn. I think the premise of the book with its sinister uncovering of the incel movement is very timely and could actually happen - hopefully not. Call me greedy but I’m already looking forward to reading Sharon Bolton’s next one.

Sharon Bolton is a favourite of mine. This book did not disappoint it was a fabulous read. I did however find there was a bit too much description on the surroundings when I wanted to get back to the plot.

4.5 stars

Another fabulous Lacey Flint story. Gripping, fast paced and easily devoured in just a few hours. It was wonderful to be back with the characters again.

The action is compelling, believable and terrifying. There are have been a few books about incels recently, but this is the most disturbing - perhaps because the author is female and can really relate to the impact for women.

Lacey Flint is at first yet another flawed policewoman with a troubled past, refusing to acknowledge her feelings… the usual. And yet, I still want to read about them. Hers in particular is an interesting one, due to the relationship with her ‘friend’ Victoria - an excellent character that we meet in the only other Bolton book I’ve read.

My only bugbear with this book is the last line… as with many stories, pregnancies are always thrown in almost casually, especially when characters do not want children or are not ready for a real relationship with their partner, let alone a baby. It’s a shame that so many authors use this as an arc.

However, others will love this twist and it would be unfair of me to remove a full star

Wow. Sharon Bolton is a genius. I finished this book in one sitting - it was *that* good, such a riveting and engaging read.

One draw to this book is that I feel it would be better to read the other books in the series to fully grasp what is going on - it wouldn't be a necessity, but I still think it would assist your understanding of the storyline a bit.

Sharon Bolton never fails to create a brilliant read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This is the first book I have read by this author; there are some details of previous events provided at the beginning of this book but I think it would have been better if I had read the series in order. This particular case centres around a current topic with links to cyber crime and the dark web. I enjoyed the mix of relationships and characters woven through the thrilling crime events and thought the plotline was very clever and exciting. I completely recommend this book and am interested in reading the rest of the series.

This is my first book from the Lacey Flint series. I felt a bit late to the game and whilst other reviewers have said that they did not feel that they needed to have read other books to enjoy this one, I don’t agree. I didn’t understand who other characters were and had to re-read to get it. This took away my enjoyment. Lacey is suffering from anxiety – I didn’t understand any of that either – again, you would have needed to have read previous books to have got it.

I got about 25% through and DNF due to this. It’s a shame as reading the other reviews, it sounds as though it’s a great book. Maybe I will give it another try.

I rate it 3 stars from what I have read so far.

Brilliantly plotted twisty thriller, I couldn’t put it down.

Doesn’t reinvent the wheel but who needs to when the writing is this good-keeps you on the edge of your seat, an excellent example of the genre.

Welcome back Lacey Flint, and what a comeback!

We are pitched into this story about incels and their rising popularity and as usual the heroes of this series hold the thin blue line. Cleverly plotted and thrilling we are pulled into the investigation via canoe rescues and high speed chases.
What I loved about this book was the insight we got into Flint's background and the way in which her life had been shaped.
Highly recommend

This was my first read in the Lacey Flint Series and I didn't need to have read the earlier books to enjoy this one. Sharon brought me up to date with who's who without it feeling like a recap. Lacey and the surrounding characters were written in a way that made them seem very human. The storyline was so gripping that I felt like I was in an episode of Luther!! I'll definitely be going back to read the first four in this series and Sharon Bolton is firmly in my followed authors.

I'm sad to say I have to DNF this book about 20% in.
It is just too triggering for me to read at this time, not a reflection of the mastery of the author or the book itself.

So far, it seems like it would have been best if I had read the previous book in the series, I would be a little more 'into' what's going on, relationship-wise at least, as they are clearly pre-established by this point and there are a lot of names to keep in mind.

Just not the book for me, sadly.
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!