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Detective Ruby Preston #1
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Twenty years ago you were forced to give your daughter up. Now she’s back. Or is she?
Women who’ve had to give up children for adoption are being killed. A knock at their front door begins a nightmare from which they will never wake up.
East London Detective Ruby Preston and her team must hunt down a disturbed individual before someone else is taken. But when bodies start turning up, staged in perfect, domestic scenes, it carries the echo of a memory in Ruby's mind. The tinkling of a music box. A mother and child reunion...
Then just as Ruby thinks they've made a breakthrough, she receives a sinister email, and the case takes a terrifying personal twist.
Can Ruby catch the killer before they strike again? Or will her troubled past catch up with her first?
Previously published as Love You To Death
Women who’ve had to give up children for adoption are being killed. A knock at their front door begins a nightmare from which they will never wake up.
East London Detective Ruby Preston and her team must hunt down a disturbed individual before someone else is taken. But when bodies start turning up, staged in perfect, domestic scenes, it carries the echo of a memory in Ruby's mind. The tinkling of a music box. A mother and child reunion...
Then just as Ruby thinks they've made a breakthrough, she receives a sinister email, and the case takes a terrifying personal twist.
Can Ruby catch the killer before they strike again? Or will her troubled past catch up with her first?
Previously published as Love You To Death
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2016
1096 people are currently reading
1934 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Mitchell
48 books2,126 followersNew York Times, USA Today, Washington Post and International #1 Bestselling Author. Shortlisted by the International Thriller Awards for best ebook 2017 and the Killer Nashville Best Police Procedural 2018.
** See all my books in order here: https://caroline-writes.com/books **
**Join my writing course here: https://www.caroline-mitchell.com **
Now available:
Amy Winter thriller series: https://geni.us/AmySeries
Slayton thriller series: https://geni.us/Slaytonseries
Jennifer Knight thriller series: https://geni.us/JKSeries
The Islanders psych thriller: https://geni.us/TheIslandersCM
The Village psych thriller: https://geni.us/thevillage
** See all my books in order here: https://caroline-writes.com/books **
**Join my writing course here: https://www.caroline-mitchell.com **
Now available:
Amy Winter thriller series: https://geni.us/AmySeries
Slayton thriller series: https://geni.us/Slaytonseries
Jennifer Knight thriller series: https://geni.us/JKSeries
The Islanders psych thriller: https://geni.us/TheIslandersCM
The Village psych thriller: https://geni.us/thevillage
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
May 8, 2017
WOW!
All I have to say is that Caroline Mitchell is one brilliant author. This is the first book in the Detective Ruby Preston Series.
Caroline brings us a gritty, head-messing thriller which will really get under your skin. It is not for the faint of heart.
Ruby Preston is a cop with a past, well actually, it's not so much a past, it's more lingering on the peripheral, just there, ready to bring her world crashing down at any moment and this adds such an intensity to the book and to Ruby's character.
Ruby is brilliant, she has heart, she has passion and she is gutsy.
"I’m not your mother. You’re a monster. I don’t want you’
Women who gave a child up for adoption are being killed. A knock at their front door begins a nightmare from which they will never wake up.
When Ruby receives a mysterious communication from a woman calling herself ‘Lucy’, she begins to fear that the case may be a little too close to home. Her personal life is already complicated enough, but Lucy threatens to ruin it completely, forcing Ruby to confront a part of her life she thought she had walked away from for good.
I loved Caroline's writing, she really knows how to bring the characters to life and twist a plot so thick and devious that you will be left utterly breathless. I found myself unable to put this down, unable to stop turning the pages and completely shocked by the ending! I cannot wait to see what else Ruby and Nathan get up to, the future is really bright with this new series to look forward to!
I was so excited about this book that I had to dive into the second book Sleep Tight right away and devoured it before writing this review. I am working on that review right now.
I recommend this book to readers who are Serial Killer Lovers and love a dark gritty read.
Fans of Robert Bryndza will love this book. The writing is very similar. You don't want to wait on this one.
All I have to say is that Caroline Mitchell is one brilliant author. This is the first book in the Detective Ruby Preston Series.
Caroline brings us a gritty, head-messing thriller which will really get under your skin. It is not for the faint of heart.
Ruby Preston is a cop with a past, well actually, it's not so much a past, it's more lingering on the peripheral, just there, ready to bring her world crashing down at any moment and this adds such an intensity to the book and to Ruby's character.
Ruby is brilliant, she has heart, she has passion and she is gutsy.
"I’m not your mother. You’re a monster. I don’t want you’
Women who gave a child up for adoption are being killed. A knock at their front door begins a nightmare from which they will never wake up.
When Ruby receives a mysterious communication from a woman calling herself ‘Lucy’, she begins to fear that the case may be a little too close to home. Her personal life is already complicated enough, but Lucy threatens to ruin it completely, forcing Ruby to confront a part of her life she thought she had walked away from for good.
I loved Caroline's writing, she really knows how to bring the characters to life and twist a plot so thick and devious that you will be left utterly breathless. I found myself unable to put this down, unable to stop turning the pages and completely shocked by the ending! I cannot wait to see what else Ruby and Nathan get up to, the future is really bright with this new series to look forward to!
I was so excited about this book that I had to dive into the second book Sleep Tight right away and devoured it before writing this review. I am working on that review right now.
I recommend this book to readers who are Serial Killer Lovers and love a dark gritty read.
Fans of Robert Bryndza will love this book. The writing is very similar. You don't want to wait on this one.
February 7, 2017
Don't believe the hype on the front cover of this book. Love You to Death by Caroline Mitchell is not an absolutely gripping thriller with a killer twist. It is not even a moderately gripping thriller....in fact, gripping does not enter into it. And the killer twist? I must have missed it.
Love You to Death has all the ingredients to be what it is promoted to be. We have women being abducted, tortured and then their bodies 'staged' for discovery in upmarket homes. These women all have one thing in common - they have all given up daughters for adoption. As has Detective Ruby Preston who is investigating the case.
But something is missing from the writing. There was plenty of scope for tension and OMG moments. It just didn't happen. Not once did I feel the quickening of my pulse as I read. Not once did I feel 'involved'. In fact, it was all pretty bland.
A very forgettable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a digital ARC of Love You to Death by Caroline Mitchell for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Love You to Death has all the ingredients to be what it is promoted to be. We have women being abducted, tortured and then their bodies 'staged' for discovery in upmarket homes. These women all have one thing in common - they have all given up daughters for adoption. As has Detective Ruby Preston who is investigating the case.
But something is missing from the writing. There was plenty of scope for tension and OMG moments. It just didn't happen. Not once did I feel the quickening of my pulse as I read. Not once did I feel 'involved'. In fact, it was all pretty bland.
A very forgettable read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a digital ARC of Love You to Death by Caroline Mitchell for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
October 9, 2016
4.5 strong stars.
Thanks to Elaine's review for pointing me in this author's direction. Really enjoyed it. I do love my Romance and sexy books but lately I have been delving into more Crime and Suspense books, especially British Crime books. First time reading this author but it will not be my last.
I really was hooked from the first page. Very intriguing and interesting and it did not let up for the whole book. I would have read it in one sitting except it was a busy weekend for me.
We had an Irishman - always good. Especially if it is done right! You know me and all things Irish. I can be a critical fecking bitch. You have to have the odd "feck" or two in there.
DOWNES
I loved Ruby. She loves her job, but her past means sometimes she is teetering on the edge of right and wrong. Cannot wait to see where it is going with her and Nathan.
RUBY
NATHAN
I was guessing until the end. Who was it? Who was the bad guy?
I know my review might be a bit vague but you are better off just going in and experiencing it without knowing too much of the tale.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thanks to Elaine's review for pointing me in this author's direction. Really enjoyed it. I do love my Romance and sexy books but lately I have been delving into more Crime and Suspense books, especially British Crime books. First time reading this author but it will not be my last.
I really was hooked from the first page. Very intriguing and interesting and it did not let up for the whole book. I would have read it in one sitting except it was a busy weekend for me.
"This is all I fecking need," he muttered. "If this involves a local businessman, Worrow will be crawling over it like a fly on shite."
We had an Irishman - always good. Especially if it is done right! You know me and all things Irish. I can be a critical fecking bitch. You have to have the odd "feck" or two in there.
DOWNES
I loved Ruby. She loves her job, but her past means sometimes she is teetering on the edge of right and wrong. Cannot wait to see where it is going with her and Nathan.
RUBY
"I'm not the sixteen year old you shacked up with, Nathan. I'm thirty-eight years old. I have a good job and I run a tight ship."
NATHAN
I was guessing until the end. Who was it? Who was the bad guy?
The dead did not bother her.
It was the living that played on her mind.
As Ruby drove away, she wondered how much longer it would be before all her secrets came tumbling down around her.
I know my review might be a bit vague but you are better off just going in and experiencing it without knowing too much of the tale.
But there were no guarantees in a world where God did not listen.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
November 13, 2016
Wow. Wow. Wow. That may give some indication of how much I LOVED this book. I have read every book this author has written and in my opinion this is her best work yet. Evocative, thrilling, dark, twisted and pacey. Pretty much everything I look for in a crime novel. Ruby Preston is a character that I will follow anywhere. She is dedicated and passionate but not without conflict. And boy do I like her conflicts, especially her relationship with her ex Nathan. This character has some serious mileage in her and I will definitely be following her story. The novel itself is so creepy that sometimes I found myself reading from between my fingers. Don't look - must look, kind of thing. Lucy is a true work of art and a character that captured my imagination from the word go.
The story motors along at pace leaving very little chance to breathe and more than once I had to remind myself to do so. It is superbly written with the perfect mix of description to action and characterisation, with a good helping of psychological suspense thrown in.
If you have not read any of this author's work I suggest you read this one. I actually would like to go back and read it again to savour the clues and expertise that leads to the final, explosive climax.
I am now eagerly awaiting the next instalment of what promises to be an addictive crime series.
The story motors along at pace leaving very little chance to breathe and more than once I had to remind myself to do so. It is superbly written with the perfect mix of description to action and characterisation, with a good helping of psychological suspense thrown in.
If you have not read any of this author's work I suggest you read this one. I actually would like to go back and read it again to savour the clues and expertise that leads to the final, explosive climax.
I am now eagerly awaiting the next instalment of what promises to be an addictive crime series.
April 1, 2018
I’d been given the third book in this series last year through netgalley. I really liked it and vowed to go back and start at the beginning. I’m finally getting back to read the first book in the series.
Ruby’s team is handed a homicide that initially appears to be a domestic. But then the wife also turns up dead.
We hear from both Ruby and the killer, so we know more than Ruby. I appreciated that for once, the murderer is a woman. Lucy was given up for adoption as a baby and is searching for her biological mother. She has a list of potential women. She wants a reunion and a future with her real mom, but if a woman doesn’t measure up, she’s killed.
From reading out of order, I was already aware of Ruby’s history with Nathan, the head of a crime family. But this book gives you the background of their relationship. Ruby is well developed, flawed but caring. Trying to do the right thing but forced to sometimes bend the rules.
Good sharp writing, well imagined scenes and a good creep factor. Looking forward to reading book two.
October 30, 2016
I discovered the writing of Caroline Mitchell on Net Galley in March 2015 when I read 'Don't Turn Around' and was hooked and since then I have eagerly awaited every book she releases. Her writing is a consistently high level and with its fast paced story-line grips the reader and draws them in.
This book 'Love you to Death' is due to be released on November 11th this year and is sure to be another success. Fast paced, great lead character and twists and turns, what more could you ask for.
This is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Ruby Preston who like most good characters has lots of history and baggage. In this book a serial killer is killing women who have given their children up for adoption and pretending to be their long lost child. On kidnapping the women she acts as a small child which ends up in their murder. Detective Sargent Ruby Preston leads a team who face a race against time to find the serial killer before more women die. The story takes a twist when Ruby receives emails allegedly from her daughter implying that she is the killer, a child she gave up for adoption at birth when she was a teenager.
I did enjoy the book and think that it will lead to an excellent series but if I am completely honest I didn't feel it was quite as well planned as previous books, but maybe I have been spoilt by the others.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
https://worcestersource.wordpress.com...
This book 'Love you to Death' is due to be released on November 11th this year and is sure to be another success. Fast paced, great lead character and twists and turns, what more could you ask for.
This is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Ruby Preston who like most good characters has lots of history and baggage. In this book a serial killer is killing women who have given their children up for adoption and pretending to be their long lost child. On kidnapping the women she acts as a small child which ends up in their murder. Detective Sargent Ruby Preston leads a team who face a race against time to find the serial killer before more women die. The story takes a twist when Ruby receives emails allegedly from her daughter implying that she is the killer, a child she gave up for adoption at birth when she was a teenager.
I did enjoy the book and think that it will lead to an excellent series but if I am completely honest I didn't feel it was quite as well planned as previous books, but maybe I have been spoilt by the others.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
https://worcestersource.wordpress.com...
April 29, 2017
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Those of you who have followed me here, or on my blog for awhile probably notice that I tend to hop around from genre to genre quite a bit. I find that it keeps things fresh, and keeps me from feeling like I'm sliding into a reading slump. I've become more and more interested in the suspense/thriller genre, especially over the last few months blogging and when I found out about this series I knew I had to give it a go.
There was a lot to love about this, but the thing I probably enjoyed most were the various characters, each of which were unique and memorable. I've spoken before in my reviews that nothing kills a book faster for me than when the characters all speak in the same voice, or feel flat. Have no fear of that here, because Mitchell's characters are full of personality and life.
Ruby in particular is something special. I enjoyed how layered she was. A lot of books I've read have tended to shroud their main characters in protective bubble wrap, to keep them shiny and new, but that wasn't the case here. Ruby is flawed, and haunted by choices made in her past.
But she's also strong, smart and driven - and these are all characteristics I can totally get behind in a lead character. That's not to say that the surrounding characters aren't great as well though. Many of them have totally unique voices and roles to play in this diabolic game of cat and mouse they find themselves in as they hunt for a killer.
I don't want to speak too much on the killer themselves, because I don't want to give anything away. However, I will say that there are a number of sequences told from their perspective too, which added a fun layer of tension to the mix and helped flesh out their reasons for what they do - even if they are totally twisted.
I had a lot of fun reading this. To explain why I'm bringing it down one star without spoiling anything is difficult. I will say that I took slight issue with some of the ways characters came by information. For the most part, this is expertly plotted and really fast-paced. There was one instance in particular though that felt a bit cheap to me, as though there must have been a more subtle way of introducing this crucial bit of information into the story.
Otherwise, this was great fun and I'm sure fans of the crime procedurals and thrillers would enjoy this. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Ruby finds herself in for book 2!
★★★★✩ = 4/5 stars!
__________________________
So I got approved on Netgalley for an arc of the sequel to this book. While I know that crime novels usually have self contained storylines for each book, I'm a completionist and making my way through this first!
Those of you who have followed me here, or on my blog for awhile probably notice that I tend to hop around from genre to genre quite a bit. I find that it keeps things fresh, and keeps me from feeling like I'm sliding into a reading slump. I've become more and more interested in the suspense/thriller genre, especially over the last few months blogging and when I found out about this series I knew I had to give it a go.
There was a lot to love about this, but the thing I probably enjoyed most were the various characters, each of which were unique and memorable. I've spoken before in my reviews that nothing kills a book faster for me than when the characters all speak in the same voice, or feel flat. Have no fear of that here, because Mitchell's characters are full of personality and life.
Ruby in particular is something special. I enjoyed how layered she was. A lot of books I've read have tended to shroud their main characters in protective bubble wrap, to keep them shiny and new, but that wasn't the case here. Ruby is flawed, and haunted by choices made in her past.
But she's also strong, smart and driven - and these are all characteristics I can totally get behind in a lead character. That's not to say that the surrounding characters aren't great as well though. Many of them have totally unique voices and roles to play in this diabolic game of cat and mouse they find themselves in as they hunt for a killer.
I don't want to speak too much on the killer themselves, because I don't want to give anything away. However, I will say that there are a number of sequences told from their perspective too, which added a fun layer of tension to the mix and helped flesh out their reasons for what they do - even if they are totally twisted.
I had a lot of fun reading this. To explain why I'm bringing it down one star without spoiling anything is difficult. I will say that I took slight issue with some of the ways characters came by information. For the most part, this is expertly plotted and really fast-paced. There was one instance in particular though that felt a bit cheap to me, as though there must have been a more subtle way of introducing this crucial bit of information into the story.
Otherwise, this was great fun and I'm sure fans of the crime procedurals and thrillers would enjoy this. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Ruby finds herself in for book 2!
★★★★✩ = 4/5 stars!
__________________________
So I got approved on Netgalley for an arc of the sequel to this book. While I know that crime novels usually have self contained storylines for each book, I'm a completionist and making my way through this first!
November 11, 2016
5 Plus 
On a hot September, Christmas tree lights flicker. Opposite sits a woman on a chair.
A girl is watching her with excitement, she asks......
"My name’s Lucy. Are you my mummy?"
You see Lucy is looking for her fairytale and that fairytale is finding her mother.
As soon as I started Caroline Mitchell's new thriller, I was totally enthralled by the story from reading the first chapter. It then just got better and better.
This had everything I would be looking for in this genre and more. Twists and turns throughout the book made it impossible for me to put down. You know.... when you can't wait to get to the end but don't want it to finish.
Detective Ruby Preston has been assigned to investigate the murder of a women. Without any real clues they think its a case of domestic abuse but when another person is also found dead Ruby needs to look into their past.
And with a new woman now missing it seems that the only connection is that they have given children up for adoption.
I really like Ruby, she loves her job but she also has a past that could threaten her career and she is determined not to let that happen. She's not your standard police officer and that just makes her more interesting.
Nathan Crosby Is on the other side of the law, trying to clean up the bad things but he's held back by his brother Lenny and his mother.
Nathan was another fascinating character, dark, moody but there's one thing in his life that he can't let go......
Lucy is terrifying, desperate to find herhappy ever after no matter what happens.
The author has turned this thriller into something totally different. It was moving, scary and exciting all at the same time and I loved how we really got to know these characters and what lay in their past to make them the way they were. The writing is excellent and I think this book will put Caroline Mitchell up there with the best of the best.
Definitely one of my top favourites for 2016
Complimentary copy provided by Caroline Mitchell in exchange for an honest review
On a hot September, Christmas tree lights flicker. Opposite sits a woman on a chair.
A girl is watching her with excitement, she asks......
"My name’s Lucy. Are you my mummy?"
You see Lucy is looking for her fairytale and that fairytale is finding her mother.
As soon as I started Caroline Mitchell's new thriller, I was totally enthralled by the story from reading the first chapter. It then just got better and better.
This had everything I would be looking for in this genre and more. Twists and turns throughout the book made it impossible for me to put down. You know.... when you can't wait to get to the end but don't want it to finish.
Detective Ruby Preston has been assigned to investigate the murder of a women. Without any real clues they think its a case of domestic abuse but when another person is also found dead Ruby needs to look into their past.
And with a new woman now missing it seems that the only connection is that they have given children up for adoption.
I really like Ruby, she loves her job but she also has a past that could threaten her career and she is determined not to let that happen. She's not your standard police officer and that just makes her more interesting.
Nathan Crosby Is on the other side of the law, trying to clean up the bad things but he's held back by his brother Lenny and his mother.
Nathan was another fascinating character, dark, moody but there's one thing in his life that he can't let go......
Lucy is terrifying, desperate to find her
The author has turned this thriller into something totally different. It was moving, scary and exciting all at the same time and I loved how we really got to know these characters and what lay in their past to make them the way they were. The writing is excellent and I think this book will put Caroline Mitchell up there with the best of the best.
Definitely one of my top favourites for 2016
Complimentary copy provided by Caroline Mitchell in exchange for an honest review
June 16, 2017
Love You To death by Caroline Mitchell was not the read I thought it would be the hype over this one was high but for me it just didn't cut it while you have a strong premise woman being killed, tortured etc I just couldn't follow it as the chapters kept jumping from one thing to the other.
Although I liked the character of Ruby Preston she was a strong main lead but she had to many flaws, also I could not connect to her team at all don't ask me why? I am not sure if I want to continue with this series was a big letdown.
Although I liked the character of Ruby Preston she was a strong main lead but she had to many flaws, also I could not connect to her team at all don't ask me why? I am not sure if I want to continue with this series was a big letdown.
December 10, 2016
Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston is the kind of detective you’d want on your side, a woman who yearns for justice and tries to do the right thing, even if her methods aren’t always by the book. Unfortunately, the love of her life, Nathan Crosby, is on the opposite side of the law and they have a very tangled past and current relationship. I have high hopes for their future, but I’m not sure how things will work out given their circumstances. There were many POV’s throughout the story, the main one being Ruby of course, but I appreciated getting Nathan’s thoughts as it added another layer on their relationship, making me root for their romance even more than I would’ve without it.
Ruby is currently working on a case where women who previously gave up a child for adoption are being brutally murdered. It’s clear, from having the POV of the killer, the person they’re looking for is truly disturbed!
Love You to Death had me creeped out and eager for this deranged killer to be caught! My guesses at the killer’s identity were completely wrong, but I do think that was partly because the author didn’t let us in on some of Ruby’s ongoing observations. If I have any complaints I think that would be it. I enjoy a good crime procedural, and this one set in London brought me back to the days I was addicted to the Brit series Prime Suspect, however, I found Ruby far more likable than Helen Mirran’s character. I’m looking forward to picking up the next installment, eager to see how Ruby’s complicated personal life plays out and for her next case!
A copy was kindly provided by Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted on The Readers Den.
Ruby is currently working on a case where women who previously gave up a child for adoption are being brutally murdered. It’s clear, from having the POV of the killer, the person they’re looking for is truly disturbed!
Love You to Death had me creeped out and eager for this deranged killer to be caught! My guesses at the killer’s identity were completely wrong, but I do think that was partly because the author didn’t let us in on some of Ruby’s ongoing observations. If I have any complaints I think that would be it. I enjoy a good crime procedural, and this one set in London brought me back to the days I was addicted to the Brit series Prime Suspect, however, I found Ruby far more likable than Helen Mirran’s character. I’m looking forward to picking up the next installment, eager to see how Ruby’s complicated personal life plays out and for her next case!
A copy was kindly provided by Bookouture via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is also posted on The Readers Den.
November 14, 2016
This is a very chilling thriller with a very creepy murderer! The first in a new series, introducing Detective Ruby Preston. Brought up in the rough side of town and in love with childhood sweetheart, Nathan Crosby, son of a well known crime figure, she's a very different sort of cop, but one who understands people and their motives, using her instincts to solve crimes.
Women are being murdered and their bodies moved and staged in a specific pose, dressed in a specific ways that seem to make no sense. At the same time a young woman called Lucy, adopted at birth is looking for her birth mother and targeting women who gave up a baby girl for adoption. She wants to play a special game with them, one they must play by the rules and say just the right things.
Well paced and plotted, this was dark and sinister and downright creepy in places. Ruby's secret relationship with Nathan and his criminal brother Lenny threatens her job and her good intentions of staying on the right side of the law and I can see these relationships generating interesting dilemmas for Ruby as the series develops.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a digital copy to read and review
Women are being murdered and their bodies moved and staged in a specific pose, dressed in a specific ways that seem to make no sense. At the same time a young woman called Lucy, adopted at birth is looking for her birth mother and targeting women who gave up a baby girl for adoption. She wants to play a special game with them, one they must play by the rules and say just the right things.
Well paced and plotted, this was dark and sinister and downright creepy in places. Ruby's secret relationship with Nathan and his criminal brother Lenny threatens her job and her good intentions of staying on the right side of the law and I can see these relationships generating interesting dilemmas for Ruby as the series develops.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Bookouture for a digital copy to read and review
November 11, 2016
This is the first in a new British crime series by Caroline Mitchell.
As Detective Ruby Preston and her team are chasing a killer who targets women who have given up a child for adoption, Ruby's close connection to a local crime family and secrets from her past push Ruby to walk a fine line between right and wrong.
Caroline Mitchell does a very good job of introducing all the relevant people for this new series and provides enough details to make these into fleshed-out characters. There is a lot going on in this first fast-paced installment. So much so, that I was wondering at the end where she could possibly take these characters in the follow-up to keep this fresh and keep any character development going. So that will be interesting to see.
Going by all the glowing reviews so far, this will no doubt be another successful series for Ms. Mitchell, but I have to admit I wasn't as wowed as other readers. My main problem was the character of the serial killer. There were times when I felt I was reading a satire. Rather than making me feel unnerved, I felt the killer was comical. When their identity was finally revealed (I had been convinced it was somebody else), it just didn't fit, and as far as the police procedural aspects are concerned, it was all rather too convenient.
Just prior to reading this, I finished a fantastic book about a female detective who starts a relationship with somebody she shouldn't, so it was difficult not to compare, and maybe I would have liked this more if I had read it at a different time. As it was, it was difficult to warm up to Ruby, and some of her decisions were hard to understand (e.g. contacting Nathan's brother??).
All in all, this was an okay read and as I said, I'd be interested to see how Ruby and Nathan's story progresses, but I'm hoping for a more chilling and believable adversary next time.
I received an ARC, chose to read it, and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
As Detective Ruby Preston and her team are chasing a killer who targets women who have given up a child for adoption, Ruby's close connection to a local crime family and secrets from her past push Ruby to walk a fine line between right and wrong.
Caroline Mitchell does a very good job of introducing all the relevant people for this new series and provides enough details to make these into fleshed-out characters. There is a lot going on in this first fast-paced installment. So much so, that I was wondering at the end where she could possibly take these characters in the follow-up to keep this fresh and keep any character development going. So that will be interesting to see.
Going by all the glowing reviews so far, this will no doubt be another successful series for Ms. Mitchell, but I have to admit I wasn't as wowed as other readers. My main problem was the character of the serial killer. There were times when I felt I was reading a satire. Rather than making me feel unnerved, I felt the killer was comical. When their identity was finally revealed (I had been convinced it was somebody else), it just didn't fit, and as far as the police procedural aspects are concerned, it was all rather too convenient.
Just prior to reading this, I finished a fantastic book about a female detective who starts a relationship with somebody she shouldn't, so it was difficult not to compare, and maybe I would have liked this more if I had read it at a different time. As it was, it was difficult to warm up to Ruby, and some of her decisions were hard to understand (e.g. contacting Nathan's brother??).
All in all, this was an okay read and as I said, I'd be interested to see how Ruby and Nathan's story progresses, but I'm hoping for a more chilling and believable adversary next time.
I received an ARC, chose to read it, and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
November 9, 2016
Detective Ruby Preston and her team are trying to solve the case of a new serial killer on the loose. Young women who had given a child up for adoption are being targeted and murdered by a young girl who claims she is the baby that they gave up years before. Ruby however has her own secrets that may end up tying into the investigation.
Love You to Death is the first book in the new Detective Ruby Preston series by Caroline Mitchell. I've read a few other books by this author before and they seem to be a bit hit or miss with my tastes. For me this first book wasn't necessarily a miss but I didn't love it quite as much as other reviewers seem to.
My main problem with this story really seemed to be that things just happened to sort of fall into place all throughout the book. It just seemed awfully convenient to have the main character have the back story that she had in the book. And I also didn't fully become a fan of this detective, she has a sort of sordid past that she's clinging to and while I enjoy a strong lead that will go off the books to solve a case I don't care for one that is toeing the line of right and wrong just for personal reasons as much.
Overall, this one was just an OK read to me but I seem to be in the minority as most reviewers seem to love this one so if you enjoy a good police procedural then this one might be right up your alley.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Love You to Death is the first book in the new Detective Ruby Preston series by Caroline Mitchell. I've read a few other books by this author before and they seem to be a bit hit or miss with my tastes. For me this first book wasn't necessarily a miss but I didn't love it quite as much as other reviewers seem to.
My main problem with this story really seemed to be that things just happened to sort of fall into place all throughout the book. It just seemed awfully convenient to have the main character have the back story that she had in the book. And I also didn't fully become a fan of this detective, she has a sort of sordid past that she's clinging to and while I enjoy a strong lead that will go off the books to solve a case I don't care for one that is toeing the line of right and wrong just for personal reasons as much.
Overall, this one was just an OK read to me but I seem to be in the minority as most reviewers seem to love this one so if you enjoy a good police procedural then this one might be right up your alley.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
November 29, 2016
So disappointed with this one, especially as the author seems someone I'd like. Figured out some of it but still believe giving the detective information not shared with the reader is breaking the rules of the genre. Lucy's First Christmas is apparently not a real movie so bogus as a clue. If you like straight out read once & discard thrillers with little real sleuthing, you may like this. Personally I hope the author returns to her paranormal stories. These are much more interesting & original. Also found Ruby's simultaneous relationships with a gangster & with a fellow officer shallow & meaningless. As the relationships matter much more than the thriller stuff for me, Ruby flunks her entrance exams fot my personal detective squad. Jennifer Knight, however, is stll very much in contention so I hope Caroline Mitchell will resume her true metier.
October 21, 2016
A serial killer is killing women who have given their children up for adoption in the past. Knocking on their doors and pretending to be their long lost child, the killer kidnaps the women and try's to enact the perfect Christmas with them posing them as her mother as she acts like a small child. The enactment ends in disappointment and ultimately murder.
Detective Sargent Ruby Preston and her team face a race against time trying to find the serial killer before more women die. With little or no leads being left by the killer, things take a dark twist as Ruby receives some emails purporting to be from her daughter and intimating she is the killer, a child she herself gave up for adoption at birth when she was a teenager, a child she had created with her life long sweetheart but in many ways her nemesis Nathan. Nathan's family are gangsters involved in major violent crime in London, raised by his very violent father, himself and his brother grew up and took over his fathers criminal empire. As Ruby and Nathan's paths went in opposite directions, their careers could never be reconcilable and they spend their time mostly estranged. Can Ruby stop the killer before any more lives are lost? Is it really her daughter committing the acts and if so does she want to hunt down her own flesh and blood and arrest her?
She keeps all this secret from Nathan and from her team as she tries to figure out what to do as the lines between police work and mixing and working with criminals become blurred in her search for the truth.
This is the first book in a new series from Caroline Mitchell to feature Ruby Preston. The good news is that Ruby is a pretty interesting character. Not all sweetness and light, she's a flawed character that walks on both sides of the law at times to get the job done. Her team are well rounded characters too and there's a good dynamic amongst them. Also her relationship with Nathan, the back story of their families is also very interesting and well fleshed out and looks a very interesting storyline to explore further in her future books.
The main problem I had with the book was the serial killer, the plot and motive around the serial killer and the ending. The serial killer part of the story just wasn't that interesting or engaging for me. I found the serial killer character extremely one dimensional and nearly comical at times, despite being a very nasty character. It was a character that just felt clumsy and clunky as did the motive and reveal towards the end. I just wasn't buying any of it or engaged by it. I found myself thinking the character and storyline were bordering on silly at times.
It's a shame because Ruby is a great character as is Nathan and their story and dynamic was the most interesting part of the book. Her team as well as are interesting and memorable,so all the ingredients are there for a good and interesting series of books. It's just the serial killer and storyline for me just didn't have any depth or hold much interest, and as I said earlier bordered on silly at times. This, being such an integral part of the book took away a lot of enjoyment from the reading for me. I'm slightly frustrated because, despite my misgivings, I didn't hate the book. I quite enjoyed it mostly. I was interested in Ruby and Nathan and Ruby's police work. All the characters are there for a good series of books and it's a nice introduction to them. It's just that serial killer and storyline that let it down. Hopefully in book two there will be a case to solve and "baddie" that holds the same depth as Ruby and her team. I still had enough interest in them to find out how they get on when the second in the series is released.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Sargent Ruby Preston and her team face a race against time trying to find the serial killer before more women die. With little or no leads being left by the killer, things take a dark twist as Ruby receives some emails purporting to be from her daughter and intimating she is the killer, a child she herself gave up for adoption at birth when she was a teenager, a child she had created with her life long sweetheart but in many ways her nemesis Nathan. Nathan's family are gangsters involved in major violent crime in London, raised by his very violent father, himself and his brother grew up and took over his fathers criminal empire. As Ruby and Nathan's paths went in opposite directions, their careers could never be reconcilable and they spend their time mostly estranged. Can Ruby stop the killer before any more lives are lost? Is it really her daughter committing the acts and if so does she want to hunt down her own flesh and blood and arrest her?
She keeps all this secret from Nathan and from her team as she tries to figure out what to do as the lines between police work and mixing and working with criminals become blurred in her search for the truth.
This is the first book in a new series from Caroline Mitchell to feature Ruby Preston. The good news is that Ruby is a pretty interesting character. Not all sweetness and light, she's a flawed character that walks on both sides of the law at times to get the job done. Her team are well rounded characters too and there's a good dynamic amongst them. Also her relationship with Nathan, the back story of their families is also very interesting and well fleshed out and looks a very interesting storyline to explore further in her future books.
The main problem I had with the book was the serial killer, the plot and motive around the serial killer and the ending. The serial killer part of the story just wasn't that interesting or engaging for me. I found the serial killer character extremely one dimensional and nearly comical at times, despite being a very nasty character. It was a character that just felt clumsy and clunky as did the motive and reveal towards the end. I just wasn't buying any of it or engaged by it. I found myself thinking the character and storyline were bordering on silly at times.
It's a shame because Ruby is a great character as is Nathan and their story and dynamic was the most interesting part of the book. Her team as well as are interesting and memorable,so all the ingredients are there for a good and interesting series of books. It's just the serial killer and storyline for me just didn't have any depth or hold much interest, and as I said earlier bordered on silly at times. This, being such an integral part of the book took away a lot of enjoyment from the reading for me. I'm slightly frustrated because, despite my misgivings, I didn't hate the book. I quite enjoyed it mostly. I was interested in Ruby and Nathan and Ruby's police work. All the characters are there for a good series of books and it's a nice introduction to them. It's just that serial killer and storyline that let it down. Hopefully in book two there will be a case to solve and "baddie" that holds the same depth as Ruby and her team. I still had enough interest in them to find out how they get on when the second in the series is released.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2016
This is the beginning of a brand new series by author Caroline Mitchell. LOVE YOU TO DEATH introduces the reader to Detective Ruby Preston.
Someone is killing mothers who at one time has given up a girl child for adoption. When a young female shows up at their door announcing that she is the long-lost daughter ... begins a nightmare... a nightmare that leads nowhere except death.
Ruby and her team have few clues .. but four mothers have now been killed. Something about they way the bodies are staged nudges at Ruby's memory.
What secrets does Ruby have? She is in love with the son of a criminal family. She's having an affair with a member of her team. Her mother is in a home for Alzheimer's patients. And her past and present are about to collide.
This is a great beginning to a new series. Ruby is a great character ... full of flaws, not knowing who she can trust with her secrets ... worried that her job will disappear when her secrets are known. Nathan is the son of a deceased crime lord. Love can carry you a long way .. but a criminal and a cop have literally no chance at a future together.
The story premise is excellent. Lots of twists and turns and you never see the ending coming at you like the speed of a freight train.
This is definitely a series to follow.
I chose to read LOVE YOU TO DEATH. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and unbiased. Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley.
Someone is killing mothers who at one time has given up a girl child for adoption. When a young female shows up at their door announcing that she is the long-lost daughter ... begins a nightmare... a nightmare that leads nowhere except death.
Ruby and her team have few clues .. but four mothers have now been killed. Something about they way the bodies are staged nudges at Ruby's memory.
What secrets does Ruby have? She is in love with the son of a criminal family. She's having an affair with a member of her team. Her mother is in a home for Alzheimer's patients. And her past and present are about to collide.
This is a great beginning to a new series. Ruby is a great character ... full of flaws, not knowing who she can trust with her secrets ... worried that her job will disappear when her secrets are known. Nathan is the son of a deceased crime lord. Love can carry you a long way .. but a criminal and a cop have literally no chance at a future together.
The story premise is excellent. Lots of twists and turns and you never see the ending coming at you like the speed of a freight train.
This is definitely a series to follow.
I chose to read LOVE YOU TO DEATH. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and unbiased. Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley.
November 5, 2016
3.5 stars. Women who gave up their child for adoption are being killed. Their nightmare begins when they get a knock at the door and someone pretending to be their long lost child.
Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston and her team have to race against time to find the serial killer.
The killer leaves hardly any clues behind. Ruby starts getting emails saying that they are the killer and the child Ruby gave up when she was a teenager. Can Ruby catch the killer before another woman loses her life?
This is the 1st book featuring Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston and I look forward to reading more of this series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Caroline Mitchell for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston and her team have to race against time to find the serial killer.
The killer leaves hardly any clues behind. Ruby starts getting emails saying that they are the killer and the child Ruby gave up when she was a teenager. Can Ruby catch the killer before another woman loses her life?
This is the 1st book featuring Detective Sergeant Ruby Preston and I look forward to reading more of this series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Caroline Mitchell for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2016
All reviews published to my blog http://thebookreviewcafe.com
I’m a huge fan of Caroline Mitchell’s Detective Jennifer Knight crime series, so when I saw the author was writing a brand new series featuring Detective Ruby Preston I must admit I had some reservations, the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” sprung to mind, but I knew if anyone could pull off a new crime series it would be Caroline Mitchell (she’s not one of my favourite crime writers for nothing), and I’m thrilled to report its a book that will grab you by the throat and keep you in its clutches until the very last heart stopping page.
With a highly original plot and a spine chilling antagonist called Lucy who gave me the heebeegeebees, this is one character you don’t want “knocking” on your door! She really is one very disturbed and twisted individual. Lucy’s motives for killing go beyond chilling, her reason for her crimes will send shivers down your spine. Caroline Mitchell describes Lucy’s thoughts with such conviction I felt I was looking into the darkest corners of her mind, she really is one very twisted scary individual, the author certainly knows how to create a complex but intriguing character that’s for sure.
As for Detective Ruby Preston I loved her character she’s very original compared to most fictional women detectives, as she has a personal relationship with crime lord Nathan, this added an extra dimension to her character. It’s also a relationship that I feel could compromise Ruby’s career and cause her numerous complications, which for me added another intriguing thread to the plot, and one I hope will be further explored as the series develops. Ruby is audacious, daring and hotheaded, but don’t think for one minutes she’s your usual crime book stereotype Detective, oh no Ruby’s highly original and the author has created a character who I am eager to learn more about.
I’m not going to say much about the plot as I want the reader to enjoy every dark and deliciously disturbing chapter for themselves, but what I will say is Love You To Death has the most unnerving prologue its brutal, chilling and creepy as hell, and from then on in the pace is relentless. This book is full of heart in your mouth moments, I became so engrossed in the book every little sound literally made me jump out my skin.
Expertly plotted and truly terrifying, I love the way Caroline Mitchell’s descriptions bring the book to life, especially the crime scenes, they are so vivid you feel like your there amid the horrific scenes, so much so my stomach was churning. It’s dark and very sinister, the authors writing gives this book a constant sense of unease and malice . I found Love You To Death to be disquieting and very disturbing and that’s why I loved this book so much. Although I am pondering Caroline Mitchell’s state of mind as this book is so damn twisted. Would I recommend this book? Hell yes I certainly would, this is a book not to be missed.
I’m a huge fan of Caroline Mitchell’s Detective Jennifer Knight crime series, so when I saw the author was writing a brand new series featuring Detective Ruby Preston I must admit I had some reservations, the old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” sprung to mind, but I knew if anyone could pull off a new crime series it would be Caroline Mitchell (she’s not one of my favourite crime writers for nothing), and I’m thrilled to report its a book that will grab you by the throat and keep you in its clutches until the very last heart stopping page.
With a highly original plot and a spine chilling antagonist called Lucy who gave me the heebeegeebees, this is one character you don’t want “knocking” on your door! She really is one very disturbed and twisted individual. Lucy’s motives for killing go beyond chilling, her reason for her crimes will send shivers down your spine. Caroline Mitchell describes Lucy’s thoughts with such conviction I felt I was looking into the darkest corners of her mind, she really is one very twisted scary individual, the author certainly knows how to create a complex but intriguing character that’s for sure.
As for Detective Ruby Preston I loved her character she’s very original compared to most fictional women detectives, as she has a personal relationship with crime lord Nathan, this added an extra dimension to her character. It’s also a relationship that I feel could compromise Ruby’s career and cause her numerous complications, which for me added another intriguing thread to the plot, and one I hope will be further explored as the series develops. Ruby is audacious, daring and hotheaded, but don’t think for one minutes she’s your usual crime book stereotype Detective, oh no Ruby’s highly original and the author has created a character who I am eager to learn more about.
I’m not going to say much about the plot as I want the reader to enjoy every dark and deliciously disturbing chapter for themselves, but what I will say is Love You To Death has the most unnerving prologue its brutal, chilling and creepy as hell, and from then on in the pace is relentless. This book is full of heart in your mouth moments, I became so engrossed in the book every little sound literally made me jump out my skin.
Expertly plotted and truly terrifying, I love the way Caroline Mitchell’s descriptions bring the book to life, especially the crime scenes, they are so vivid you feel like your there amid the horrific scenes, so much so my stomach was churning. It’s dark and very sinister, the authors writing gives this book a constant sense of unease and malice . I found Love You To Death to be disquieting and very disturbing and that’s why I loved this book so much. Although I am pondering Caroline Mitchell’s state of mind as this book is so damn twisted. Would I recommend this book? Hell yes I certainly would, this is a book not to be missed.
November 22, 2017
Death Note by Caroline Mitchell is the first book in the Ruby Preston series. And, I liked it, it's a good first book. I especially liked Ruby Preston and her quite difficult home situations with her affair with a colleague and her on and off affair with an old flame on the wrong side of the law.
Now, I have to admit that the crime in this book, the abduction of the women that had given up children for adoption years ago did not thrill me that much. Sure, I found the book interesting enough and I was never bored. However, there is just something that stopped me from truly enjoying the story. Sometimes it's hard to truly explain why a book doesn't work 100% and this is one of them. It could be that we got to follow the perpetrators POV and I prefer to be kept in the dark instead of getting the killers POV. That works now and then for me, but in this case, well I was not totally enjoying the killers POV chapters. I much preferred following Ruby's investigations not to mention her problems on the home front. She has some secrets that she tries to hide, but it seems that someone knows about them...
Nevertheless, I don't want to be a total downer. I really liked the Ruby and her team. Sometimes the characters around the main characters can be a bit bland and hard to pick apart, but I enjoyed getting to know them and I'm looking forward to the next book much thanks to that. Ruby has as I wrote before a very interesting home situation and that is one of the aspects that I truly enjoyed about this book. That and the surprising ending. I have to admit that I did not see that ending coming.
Great first book in a new series and I'm looking forward to reading book 2!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Now, I have to admit that the crime in this book, the abduction of the women that had given up children for adoption years ago did not thrill me that much. Sure, I found the book interesting enough and I was never bored. However, there is just something that stopped me from truly enjoying the story. Sometimes it's hard to truly explain why a book doesn't work 100% and this is one of them. It could be that we got to follow the perpetrators POV and I prefer to be kept in the dark instead of getting the killers POV. That works now and then for me, but in this case, well I was not totally enjoying the killers POV chapters. I much preferred following Ruby's investigations not to mention her problems on the home front. She has some secrets that she tries to hide, but it seems that someone knows about them...
Nevertheless, I don't want to be a total downer. I really liked the Ruby and her team. Sometimes the characters around the main characters can be a bit bland and hard to pick apart, but I enjoyed getting to know them and I'm looking forward to the next book much thanks to that. Ruby has as I wrote before a very interesting home situation and that is one of the aspects that I truly enjoyed about this book. That and the surprising ending. I have to admit that I did not see that ending coming.
Great first book in a new series and I'm looking forward to reading book 2!
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
December 27, 2017
A serial killer is targeting woman who gave up their babies for adoption by pretending she is their long lost child.Detective Ruby Preston and her team are on the case but then she receives an email that gives this whole case a personal menacing twist . Will Ruby be able to capture the killer on time and at what cost to her professional and personal life ?
Detective Ruby Preston is a flawed detective in love with Nathan ,of criminal background , and sleeping with her boss.Somehow Caroline Mitchell makes the character work in this fast paced gritty police detective novel.Even though the end did not work for me I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next one in the series
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
Detective Ruby Preston is a flawed detective in love with Nathan ,of criminal background , and sleeping with her boss.Somehow Caroline Mitchell makes the character work in this fast paced gritty police detective novel.Even though the end did not work for me I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next one in the series
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
November 16, 2016
All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com
I’m thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Caroline Mitchell’s latest book, Love You To Death. This is the start to a new series featuring Ruby Preston and holy hell, this series sure started off with a bang! The tension was so palpable that I was holding my breath and had to remind myself to just breathe!
I throughly enjoyed getting acquainted with Ruby, she’s a character that can most definitely carry a series, she’s hotheaded, determined, and I absolutely loved her, flaws and all. I really liked that this book immediately delved into her personal life. Often in a series you have to wait for that, and I appreciated digging a bit into her background straightaway. Besides juggling the responsibilities of being a police detective, Ruby has a mother in a care home and a twisty and tangled love life. Her relationship with her ex, Nathan was fascinating especially as they’re on opposite sides of the law. There is much to explore here as the series continues, and plenty of juicy material to work with as Mitchell dropped some interesting hints and peeks into their past.
Onto the case; women are being murdered and not just any women, but those who gave a child up for adoption. I’ve mentioned plenty of times how much I love a good female serial killer book, and though I’ve read some really fantastic books featuring them, I think Lucy takes the cake for being hands down, the most menacing and nuttiest of the bunch. My God she’s creepy as all get out and for those of you that have already had the pleasure of reading this, you’ll understand why I’m not quite as eager as I was previously about putting up my Christmas tree. I think I’ll be reminded of Lucy whenever I look at my tree, which scares the daylights out of me, maybe I’ll try to think of Mitchell instead, that’s a far more pleasant option. Really though, Lucy is a brilliantly twisted individual who will stop at nothing to act out a sick fantasy that she’s created.
This was so fast paced that I felt like I was traveling at break neck speed. Mitchell’s superb writing style and ability to create complex characters with engrossing motivations is unparalleled. Ruby��s personal connection to the case added even more depth and tension to the plot making it truly unputdownable. I know that’s a word that gets thrown around quite a bit but it really is fitting here. I cannot wait to see what is in store next for Ruby Preston and team and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series.
I’m thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Caroline Mitchell’s latest book, Love You To Death. This is the start to a new series featuring Ruby Preston and holy hell, this series sure started off with a bang! The tension was so palpable that I was holding my breath and had to remind myself to just breathe!
I throughly enjoyed getting acquainted with Ruby, she’s a character that can most definitely carry a series, she’s hotheaded, determined, and I absolutely loved her, flaws and all. I really liked that this book immediately delved into her personal life. Often in a series you have to wait for that, and I appreciated digging a bit into her background straightaway. Besides juggling the responsibilities of being a police detective, Ruby has a mother in a care home and a twisty and tangled love life. Her relationship with her ex, Nathan was fascinating especially as they’re on opposite sides of the law. There is much to explore here as the series continues, and plenty of juicy material to work with as Mitchell dropped some interesting hints and peeks into their past.
Onto the case; women are being murdered and not just any women, but those who gave a child up for adoption. I’ve mentioned plenty of times how much I love a good female serial killer book, and though I’ve read some really fantastic books featuring them, I think Lucy takes the cake for being hands down, the most menacing and nuttiest of the bunch. My God she’s creepy as all get out and for those of you that have already had the pleasure of reading this, you’ll understand why I’m not quite as eager as I was previously about putting up my Christmas tree. I think I’ll be reminded of Lucy whenever I look at my tree, which scares the daylights out of me, maybe I’ll try to think of Mitchell instead, that’s a far more pleasant option. Really though, Lucy is a brilliantly twisted individual who will stop at nothing to act out a sick fantasy that she’s created.
This was so fast paced that I felt like I was traveling at break neck speed. Mitchell’s superb writing style and ability to create complex characters with engrossing motivations is unparalleled. Ruby��s personal connection to the case added even more depth and tension to the plot making it truly unputdownable. I know that’s a word that gets thrown around quite a bit but it really is fitting here. I cannot wait to see what is in store next for Ruby Preston and team and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series.
November 28, 2016
There is a serial killer out there who does not like women who give up their children for adoption, and he is determined to make their lives hell. Detective Sargent Ruby Preston is assigned the case and soon she is receiving emails supposedly from her own daughter who she gave up for adoption when she was young. This young women implies that she is the murderer, now the hunt is on to find out what really is happening. This is another great book by Caroline Mitchell, the story is action packed, fast paced and takes you in and keeps throwing in twists and turns to keep the excitement going. Thank you to Netgalley , the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2016
OH MY FREAKING GOD........ what a book!!!!
April 20, 2017
What a crazy book! It's a quick read that keeps you hooked. Very interesting plot, really interesting case. A little reminder: not everyone is who they claim to be.
There's a knock on the door. It's opened. Not long after, you're dead. Someone is targeting mothers that have given up their children for adoption. Misled into believing their surprise visitor is their daughter, they end up meeting a terrible demise. Lucy has convinced herself she is trying to find her mother. But no one passes her tests. No one is good enough. So they don't deserve to live.
Detective Ruby Preston and her team are on the case, and it strikes a chord with her. She too gave up a child for adoption many years ago, a part of her past that very few know. The killer starts contacting Ruby, and she knows things that only her own daughter could possibly know. Did her daughter grow up to be a serial killer? Did her father's genes, a man Ruby still seems quite in love with despite the fact that he's a criminal, lead her that way? Ruby is still in contact with her child's father, but a relationship between a criminal and a cop could never go smoothly. They try to cut ties again and again, but can't seem to stay away from each other.
I'm giving this a four because the ending felt rushed to me and I'm not the biggest fan of the relationship between Ruby and Nathan, it's just too much for me. That will not be a problem in the slightest for many other readers and I am positive this will continue to get five star reviews. It's a strong four from me and I look forward to hear Caroline Mitchell does with Ruby next.
Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for allowing me to read and advanced copy of this book. As always, my review is honest and unbiased.
There's a knock on the door. It's opened. Not long after, you're dead. Someone is targeting mothers that have given up their children for adoption. Misled into believing their surprise visitor is their daughter, they end up meeting a terrible demise. Lucy has convinced herself she is trying to find her mother. But no one passes her tests. No one is good enough. So they don't deserve to live.
Detective Ruby Preston and her team are on the case, and it strikes a chord with her. She too gave up a child for adoption many years ago, a part of her past that very few know. The killer starts contacting Ruby, and she knows things that only her own daughter could possibly know. Did her daughter grow up to be a serial killer? Did her father's genes, a man Ruby still seems quite in love with despite the fact that he's a criminal, lead her that way? Ruby is still in contact with her child's father, but a relationship between a criminal and a cop could never go smoothly. They try to cut ties again and again, but can't seem to stay away from each other.
I'm giving this a four because the ending felt rushed to me and I'm not the biggest fan of the relationship between Ruby and Nathan, it's just too much for me. That will not be a problem in the slightest for many other readers and I am positive this will continue to get five star reviews. It's a strong four from me and I look forward to hear Caroline Mitchell does with Ruby next.
Thank you to Net Galley and Bookouture for allowing me to read and advanced copy of this book. As always, my review is honest and unbiased.
November 18, 2016
Having read and enjoyed Caroline Mitchell's spooky DC Jennifer Knight series (I highly recommend that btw), I was so excited when the author and publisher announced the release of 'Love You to Death', and even more so when I was sent an ARC. Set in London and without any supernatural element, this is the first book in a brand new thrilling crime series by this brilliant author.
"My name is Lucy. I'm your daughter."
We've all read about or seen real-life documentaries about parents being reunited with the children they had given away for adoption many years previously. These are usually happy ending, heart-warming, tear-jerking stories.
Well, this book's story runs along similar lines, however there are no fairy-tale reunions here. The tears shed in this book are not of joy, but out of pain and horror. This is a hair-raising book harbouring one of the creepiest serial killers I've ever read about. Caroline Mitchell has created a monster!
Every story deserves a happy ever after and that's what drives Lucy's warped mind forwards as she searches for her mother. Finding her mother has become an addiction and she soon starts ticking off a list. But when possible candidates fail short of her expectations, well, that spells nothing but trouble for the poor mummies!
The heroine of this book is DS Ruby Preston, from Shoreditch Serious Crime Unit. It is her task to try and identify who this Lucy is and stop her before she murders more victims, but this won't be easy. And when Ruby is personally contacted by the killer, she realises that Lucy is very close, much closer to her than she had thought...
All characters in this book are very realistic and complex. The author has given them features, depth and background. I could imagine them in flesh and blood as if they were old acquaintances, though I wouldn't want to meet Lucy in real life! I liked Ruby. She's not your classic police officer. She's a bold, strong-headed sergeant who's not exactly whiter than white and that makes her all the more realistic. Her background (not short of pains) and her close ties to the notorious Crosby criminal family do not exactly show her in a good light at work. But she doesn't give a damn and is not afraid to bend the rules in order to achieve results.
Lucy is a character right out of classic horror films and books. She has evoked all sorts of emotions in me. She's creepy, dangerous, unpredictable and terrifying. She's like a cobra that strikes unexpectedly when you're least expecting it. But is it possible to feel sympathy for a serial killer?
In this book, and especially with Lucy, I think the author has shown more than ever her superb ability in creating original lifelike characters and breathing life into them. I could almost feel Lucy's menacing fingers grazing my face as she reached out to me from the words I was reading. Yes, it felt that realistic!!
With excellent characterisation, a clever, pacy plot full of twists and turns, terrifying nail-biting scenes and a breathtaking, heart-pounding finale, this is another compelling thrilling read by Caroline Mitchell not to be missed. Roll on book 2!!
With massive thanks to the author and Bookouture publishers for an ARC of this book.
"My name is Lucy. I'm your daughter."
We've all read about or seen real-life documentaries about parents being reunited with the children they had given away for adoption many years previously. These are usually happy ending, heart-warming, tear-jerking stories.
Well, this book's story runs along similar lines, however there are no fairy-tale reunions here. The tears shed in this book are not of joy, but out of pain and horror. This is a hair-raising book harbouring one of the creepiest serial killers I've ever read about. Caroline Mitchell has created a monster!
Every story deserves a happy ever after and that's what drives Lucy's warped mind forwards as she searches for her mother. Finding her mother has become an addiction and she soon starts ticking off a list. But when possible candidates fail short of her expectations, well, that spells nothing but trouble for the poor mummies!
The heroine of this book is DS Ruby Preston, from Shoreditch Serious Crime Unit. It is her task to try and identify who this Lucy is and stop her before she murders more victims, but this won't be easy. And when Ruby is personally contacted by the killer, she realises that Lucy is very close, much closer to her than she had thought...
All characters in this book are very realistic and complex. The author has given them features, depth and background. I could imagine them in flesh and blood as if they were old acquaintances, though I wouldn't want to meet Lucy in real life! I liked Ruby. She's not your classic police officer. She's a bold, strong-headed sergeant who's not exactly whiter than white and that makes her all the more realistic. Her background (not short of pains) and her close ties to the notorious Crosby criminal family do not exactly show her in a good light at work. But she doesn't give a damn and is not afraid to bend the rules in order to achieve results.
Lucy is a character right out of classic horror films and books. She has evoked all sorts of emotions in me. She's creepy, dangerous, unpredictable and terrifying. She's like a cobra that strikes unexpectedly when you're least expecting it. But is it possible to feel sympathy for a serial killer?
In this book, and especially with Lucy, I think the author has shown more than ever her superb ability in creating original lifelike characters and breathing life into them. I could almost feel Lucy's menacing fingers grazing my face as she reached out to me from the words I was reading. Yes, it felt that realistic!!
With excellent characterisation, a clever, pacy plot full of twists and turns, terrifying nail-biting scenes and a breathtaking, heart-pounding finale, this is another compelling thrilling read by Caroline Mitchell not to be missed. Roll on book 2!!
With massive thanks to the author and Bookouture publishers for an ARC of this book.
October 14, 2016
"My name's Lucy. Are you my mummy?"
Starting with a strong and intriguing prologue, this thriller book will keep you hooked from start to finish because it just keeps getting better as the story goes. This is about the killer's horrible quest in finding her happy ending with Mother who sent her to foster home. Mothers who gave up children into adoption were taken by the 'door-knocker killer' to let them play their part perfectly or it will turn into a bloody ending if they screw up.
At this point, this is the 16th rating and still a perfect one. It's not really surprising - all the elements for this to become an effective thriller was there. The characterization was shown clear, I loved every character presented. The building of horrific image of the killer was also perfect, that even though I know that she was just a lonely girl who wanted to experience mother's love before the Christmas time comes, it successfully impart enough terror inside me that I find myself chilling under my thick blanket while reading this. The plot was executed perfectly and the thrill? Ohmygosh the thrill is all over the place, not just on the killing parts, chasing and figuring out, but it's all around DS Ruby Preston as she was suspecting that this has connection with her past. How far is she willing to go to solve this case as she braces herself for a possibility of an ugly truth?
I'm so excited to see how this series will go. This is my first Caroline Mitchell read and it won't be the last. Seeing the blurb of her other books, I knew that I found another crime thriller author to be watched. It won't be surprising if I go and binge-read all her works in the next days because it all sounds equally good.
I'm so much thankful that I survived because it felt like I will have a heart attack here. In my mind I wasn't just reading, I was with the characters and watching everything that's happening. God, I'm such a scaredy cat. Lol. I'm pretty sure I won't get over this book soon. It's just that good, beyond perfection.
**Thank you so much Netgalley, Bookouture, and the author for an ARC of this awesome book in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2016
With thanks Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
This is the first fiction book I have read by Caroline Mitchell. I enjoyed her first book Paranormal Intruder which was the true story of a scary entity that terrorised her family. When my favourite publisher Bookoutre announced the release of Love You To Death I knew I would enjoy it.
The prologue reeled me in especially because it is the festive season. Emily Edmunds was tied to a chair and gagged. She was in a dark room with a large christmas tree that twinkled on and off. A young woman called Lucy comes into the room in a Victorian long dress with a white apron and calls her Mummy. Emily screams that she's not her mother and then everything went black....
Then we are introduced DS Ruby Preston and her boss DI Jack Downes. Ruby and Jack are having an affair, however she really loves her childhood sweetheart Nathan Crosbie. However Ruby and Nathan cannot be together because he is part of a notorious crime family. Ruby and Nathan cannot give each other up and you can feel the sparks coming off my kindle. Her Mum has Alzheimers and is in a old peoples home. Unbeknownst to her Nathan is a silent partner in the care home and told the manager Ruby's mum must be well looked after.
Love You To Death was at times dark but thrilling. I think Ruby Preston is up there with my favourite female detectives Kim Stone and Erika Foster.
This is the first fiction book I have read by Caroline Mitchell. I enjoyed her first book Paranormal Intruder which was the true story of a scary entity that terrorised her family. When my favourite publisher Bookoutre announced the release of Love You To Death I knew I would enjoy it.
The prologue reeled me in especially because it is the festive season. Emily Edmunds was tied to a chair and gagged. She was in a dark room with a large christmas tree that twinkled on and off. A young woman called Lucy comes into the room in a Victorian long dress with a white apron and calls her Mummy. Emily screams that she's not her mother and then everything went black....
Then we are introduced DS Ruby Preston and her boss DI Jack Downes. Ruby and Jack are having an affair, however she really loves her childhood sweetheart Nathan Crosbie. However Ruby and Nathan cannot be together because he is part of a notorious crime family. Ruby and Nathan cannot give each other up and you can feel the sparks coming off my kindle. Her Mum has Alzheimers and is in a old peoples home. Unbeknownst to her Nathan is a silent partner in the care home and told the manager Ruby's mum must be well looked after.
Love You To Death was at times dark but thrilling. I think Ruby Preston is up there with my favourite female detectives Kim Stone and Erika Foster.
October 16, 2016
WOW..
Caroline Mitchells writing is like fine wine.. it just gets better and better with every book.
Love You To Death is a hard hitting 'psycho'-logical thriller that is pacy, gripping and just simply, brilliantly terrifying.
Ruby Preston is a cop with a conscience, she knows what right but in order to do her job, she knows that she might sometimes have to cross a line.
I loved Lucy, her disturbing and fragile mind gives her an edge and that made me feel for her. All she wants is her mother, and in trying to find her and get her to love her, results in a gripping and twisty and bizarre nightmare, for her victims and for Ruby.
This is a book that I really enjoyed just reading unhurriedly. whereas I normally want to jump to the end to see how it ends. The smooth and skillful plot unfolds beautifully, with a tenseness that is deliciously moreish.
Love You To Death is exciting and intoxicating. It's a one sit read and one to be devoured and with an ending as dramatic as the beginning I think Love You To Death is going to be riding high in the book charts.
I can't wait for the next one.
Caroline Mitchells writing is like fine wine.. it just gets better and better with every book.
Love You To Death is a hard hitting 'psycho'-logical thriller that is pacy, gripping and just simply, brilliantly terrifying.
Ruby Preston is a cop with a conscience, she knows what right but in order to do her job, she knows that she might sometimes have to cross a line.
I loved Lucy, her disturbing and fragile mind gives her an edge and that made me feel for her. All she wants is her mother, and in trying to find her and get her to love her, results in a gripping and twisty and bizarre nightmare, for her victims and for Ruby.
This is a book that I really enjoyed just reading unhurriedly. whereas I normally want to jump to the end to see how it ends. The smooth and skillful plot unfolds beautifully, with a tenseness that is deliciously moreish.
Love You To Death is exciting and intoxicating. It's a one sit read and one to be devoured and with an ending as dramatic as the beginning I think Love You To Death is going to be riding high in the book charts.
I can't wait for the next one.
December 17, 2016
Thank you Santa's Elf for the awesome gift! xx
4.5 stars! This was an outstanding murder mystery, very well done! The characters were terrific, layered and complicated. The scenes with the murderer were quite freakin' creepy, and the plot was superb, kept me guessing all the way. I never saw the bad guy coming at all. The pacing was perfect for whatever was happening and toward the end, I couldn't read fast enough!
I know this is terribly vague but you need to let this one play out on it's own, the less you know up front, the better!
I enjoyed this so, so much and look forward to more in this series! Thank you thank you to Santa's Elf for the wonderful gift!! :)
4.5 stars! This was an outstanding murder mystery, very well done! The characters were terrific, layered and complicated. The scenes with the murderer were quite freakin' creepy, and the plot was superb, kept me guessing all the way. I never saw the bad guy coming at all. The pacing was perfect for whatever was happening and toward the end, I couldn't read fast enough!
I know this is terribly vague but you need to let this one play out on it's own, the less you know up front, the better!
I enjoyed this so, so much and look forward to more in this series! Thank you thank you to Santa's Elf for the wonderful gift!! :)
November 14, 2016
Can Ruby catch the killer before they strike again? Or will her troubled past catch up with her first?
My review…
I have read the previous series by Caroline Mitchell and thought they were great, very well written even though I’m not normally a fan of anything with a “supernatural” tag. So I was intrigued when I became aware that she was writing a new crime series, this time with a new woman detective who sounded right up my street. And you know what, she is! In fact, I think this could end up being one of my very favourite female detective series as I absolutely LOVE Ruby!!
To be honest though, as much as I loved the character of Ruby, she isn’t the easiest of people to get to know here. She has her faults which make her all the more interesting for us and she is also a far from perfect police detective! The plot here involves married women being approached by a young woman called Lucy who says she is the daughter they gave up for adoption. But this woman has murder on her mind and when Ruby gets involved in the hunt for this twisted individual, the case starts to take a very personal turn for her. And THAT is when is when this book became totally unputdownable for me! Thank God for insomnia! I was not putting this book down till I had finished it and when I did…WOW!
Both the strong female lead characters made this book for me. Lucy, the adopted daughter was just a terrifying creation-to take advantage of those poor women who had had to make the heartbreaking decision to give up a child for adoption was a henious crime! I wanted to feel sorry for her as she had obviously not had the best of starts in her life and circumstances had channelled her feelings of abandonment into a rage I wanted to understand but just couldn’t. Her quest for a mother’s love was so intense and full of impossible expectations. She really scared me!
But Ruby definitely stole the show for me and weirdly enough more so in her personal life where she was facing her own demons than in her hunt for Lucy, even though it becomes obvious quite early on that there may be an overlap into her private life whilst working this case. Sometimes in the first of a series, it’s all about the police work when we first get introduced to a new character but here we are straight into Ruby’s background story as well. Her relationship with her previous lover was a bit of a shock really, the head of a crime family who had been a childhood sweetheart but he was such a sympathetic character and I really felt their connection and the spark between them whenever they were on the same page. But I also loved the way Ruby behaved when she was with her present lover-their friendship seemed to make her a calmer and more pensive person instead of the passionate volcano she could be at other times.
Caroline Mitchell has done an impressive job here in introducing a new woman detective who is troubled, rather apathetic and unapologetic in her actions but is interesting and captivating at the same time! There were lots of surprises here for me both in the plot and in how much I enjoyed it! And I definitely won’t be using the phrase “Love you to death” to anyone in my family ever again!
I physically can’t wait to read more about Ruby after this brilliant start to the series and am looking forward to finding out what she’s going to do next. Consider me hooked!
My review…
I have read the previous series by Caroline Mitchell and thought they were great, very well written even though I’m not normally a fan of anything with a “supernatural” tag. So I was intrigued when I became aware that she was writing a new crime series, this time with a new woman detective who sounded right up my street. And you know what, she is! In fact, I think this could end up being one of my very favourite female detective series as I absolutely LOVE Ruby!!
To be honest though, as much as I loved the character of Ruby, she isn’t the easiest of people to get to know here. She has her faults which make her all the more interesting for us and she is also a far from perfect police detective! The plot here involves married women being approached by a young woman called Lucy who says she is the daughter they gave up for adoption. But this woman has murder on her mind and when Ruby gets involved in the hunt for this twisted individual, the case starts to take a very personal turn for her. And THAT is when is when this book became totally unputdownable for me! Thank God for insomnia! I was not putting this book down till I had finished it and when I did…WOW!
Both the strong female lead characters made this book for me. Lucy, the adopted daughter was just a terrifying creation-to take advantage of those poor women who had had to make the heartbreaking decision to give up a child for adoption was a henious crime! I wanted to feel sorry for her as she had obviously not had the best of starts in her life and circumstances had channelled her feelings of abandonment into a rage I wanted to understand but just couldn’t. Her quest for a mother’s love was so intense and full of impossible expectations. She really scared me!
But Ruby definitely stole the show for me and weirdly enough more so in her personal life where she was facing her own demons than in her hunt for Lucy, even though it becomes obvious quite early on that there may be an overlap into her private life whilst working this case. Sometimes in the first of a series, it’s all about the police work when we first get introduced to a new character but here we are straight into Ruby’s background story as well. Her relationship with her previous lover was a bit of a shock really, the head of a crime family who had been a childhood sweetheart but he was such a sympathetic character and I really felt their connection and the spark between them whenever they were on the same page. But I also loved the way Ruby behaved when she was with her present lover-their friendship seemed to make her a calmer and more pensive person instead of the passionate volcano she could be at other times.
Caroline Mitchell has done an impressive job here in introducing a new woman detective who is troubled, rather apathetic and unapologetic in her actions but is interesting and captivating at the same time! There were lots of surprises here for me both in the plot and in how much I enjoyed it! And I definitely won’t be using the phrase “Love you to death” to anyone in my family ever again!
I physically can’t wait to read more about Ruby after this brilliant start to the series and am looking forward to finding out what she’s going to do next. Consider me hooked!
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