Cover Image: The Lucky Ones

The Lucky Ones

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Member Reviews

This was the second of Mark Edwards' books I've read and I enjoyed it greatly. The plot was fast-paced with plenty of twists and turns. I felt like I'd been kept guessing until the end of the book.

The Lucky Ones is gripping and I found myself staying up late to complete the book. I would recommend it to fans of thrillers and crime fiction.

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Mark Edwards has done it again. Was absolutely enthralled with the premise of this book. Who on earth thinks things up like this. So our protagonist is under the impression that he is doing his victims a favour when he kills them when they are at their happiest and buries them where they were most happy! A very original plot line and I would wholely recommend this book.

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Full disclosure - I am Mark Edwards fan and had read a number of his novel prior to reading The Lucky Ones.

The author has a tendency to write books about ordinary people who endure horrific ordeals, this book differs slightly in that it is still based on ordinary people in ordinary locations but that it comes with a whodunit twist. The reader experiences parts of the story from different perspectives with the backdrop of a police investigation rumbling on in the background.

As ever the plot thickens gradually throughout and yet again what I believed to be the answer, the key to all of the strange and often chilling goings on was wrong - I was caught out once more by the author's ability to spring a surprise and keep me guessing.

One of the things that I always like about Mark Edwards is the protagonists that he creates feel real, flawed people with personalities and problems that the reader can relate to. It is not an easy read in the sense that you find yourself being drawn in, if you're looking for a relaxing book to sit and read by the pool, this isn't the one for you. However if you're looking for British crime/Thriller then you can't go far wrong here.

There is potentially scope for a sequel here and it is one that I would love to read.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was excited to receive this book, as any new release from Mark Edwards is always highly anticipated.
However, I am disappointed to say that this book left me a little deflated.
It was well written and introduced some colourful and memorable characters but I felt that there was less of the psychological thriller aspect than I have come to expect from Mark Edwards and the story was told more from the perspective of the police investigation. It was leaning more towards a police procedural novel than a thriller.

I did finish the book and it was enjoyable and tense in parts but I am pining for the darker writing I love Mark Edwards for.

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The story starts with a woman's body being found in the grounds of an old priory. Her eyes are open and she seems happy. A smile is on her face and she seems to be in a state of bliss.

Ben Hofland has moved back to the sleepy village he grew up in to be nearer to his mum who is dying from cancer and as a new start after splitting up from his wife. His son Ollie is finding it hard to settle in. He's looking for work and feels optimism when freelance work is offered with lots of perks. Ollie seems brighter also.

Detective Imogen Evans and the team is trying to find a connection and motive for the killings and they believe a serial killer is at large... A fast paced and twisty story which I really enjoyed.

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Another great read by Mark Edwards. Full of suspense and edge of your seat drama and storyline. I've yet to read a bad book by this author. Highly recommended.

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*4/5 Stars*

The story is about a serial killer who has a unique way of murdering his victims - the lucky ones. Dead bodies begin to pile up, and DI Imogen is compelled to identify the pattern used by the murderer, that is resulting in corpses with eyes open and smiles engraved on their faces.
The author takes us on a journey of cat-and-mouse games between the killer and the detective.

I think what I regretted the most after reading this is that I have never been able to bring myself to read Mark Edward's work before.
The actors in the book are worth reading about. My favorite character is Ben's, because of how relatable the author made him; he's drowned in multiple life problems. He lost his job, his home, his wife and he can't help but feel like a failure. However, he hopes his efforts will make things right again. Though, it doesn't really turn out as he wishes. Nevertheless, it is only when they do, that other predicaments that are out of the ordinary begin to merge from out of nowhere.

PROS

Mark Edwards throws you into the mind of a serial killer; how he works and how he thinks. His carefully plotted methods.
The way it ended is what struck me, because it is only when I thought it was all over, a twist happens. It was jaw-dropping. It becomes that kind of just-one-more-page read.

CONS

None.

The Lucky Ones is perfect for fans of Beukes' The Shining Girls and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.

*Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for kindly offering me an advanced reading copy of the book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.*

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As always another superb book from Mark Edwards.
Everyone wants to die happy... Don't they?
Nothing is as straightforward as it seems in Marks latest offering, and this book will keep you guessing right until the end.

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Another brilliant book by Mark Edwards. The storyline in this book is totally different to anything I have read. The idea of killing someone when they are at their happiest makes this novel a compelling read. This book is definitely a real page turner. It is a case of sit on the sofa and forget the outside world for a few hours. The short chapters really add to the suspense and it all flows together beautifully. I would definitely recommend this book and will be looking forward to more books by this author.

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Another gripping page turner from Mark Edwards. I thought I had it sussed but as always he delivers a twist which I never guessed at all. Really enjoyed the main characters and the little romance they developed. Will be recommending to friends as I always do.

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Very good story.....Would recommend. Looking forward to reading more by this author.

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Another great one by Mark Edwards. He is definitely one of the best psychological thriller writers out there! A story of a serial killer whose victims seem to die happy. Ben a lovely man who has moved back to his home town from London following a divorce with his young son who is unhappy. Things then pick up and Ben is feeling very lucky. However, through various events Ben seems to be getting more and more connections with this horrific case. A fast moving, head messing, terrifying thriller...

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⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars. This was an enjoyable and easy to read crime book.

I've read a few other books by the author which were more psychological thriller types (follow you home was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book and highly recommended!)

However this one was more police procedural and less thriller, so for me less enjoyable

For others though this may be your thing?!

The writing as ever was great and keeps u turning those pages.

Not for me but maybe for you?!

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I always enjoy Mark Edwards novels so when I was offered the opportunity to read his latest book 'The Lucky One's' out on the 15th June I had no hesitation.
As expected this psychological thriller was to the expected high standard and an exciting read. Full of good characters and many a twist and turn the book had me guessing to the very end.
When a woman’s body is found in the grounds of a ruined priory, Detective Imogen Evans realises she is dealing with a serial killer. But this is a serial killer with a difference, a killer whose victims appear to die in a state of bliss, eyes open, smiles forever frozen on their faces.

A few miles away, single dad Ben Hofland believes his fortunes are changing at last. Forced to move back to the sleepy village where he grew up following the breakdown of his marriage, Ben finally finds work. What’s more, the bullies who have been terrorising his son, Ollie, disappear. For the first time in months, Ben feels lucky.

But he is unaware that someone is watching him and Ollie. Someone who wants nothing but happiness for Ben.

I really enjoyed many of the characters in this book, Detective Imogen Evans is an excellent character who is facing a new life having moved from London after the death of a colleague. I also liked Ben Hofland who after a troubled few years is now facing up to a new future.
Another excellent novel by an author who is working his way steadily up my favourite authors list with every book I read of his. I read lots of psychological thrillers but I always find Mark Edwards novels fresh and certainly gripping.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Thomas Mercer for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

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Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me a pre release copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Moving slightly from psychological thriller to more of a police procedural thriller, there is no doubt in the ability of Mark Edwards to write an absolute stonker of a book. Other reviewers have said Mark's work gets better and better with each book he publishes, and I'd like to echo those sentiments.

About the book; there's a serial killer running around the sleepy villages of Shropshire and the police really don't have a clue - thanks to the killer's ability to clean up after himself (or herself!?!) and leave absolutely no evidence. We follow the fortunes of Ben and his son Ollie who have returned to Ben's childhood home in Shropshire from their life in London following the breakdown of his marriage to Megan. While it's clear that Ben is scheduled to be the next victim, what's not so certain is when. And as we wait for the killer to start his end game, the bodies really start to mount up.

This page turner is by far one of the best books I've read so far this year. And also one of the best by this author. The story just flows out of the pages urging you to carry on reading, even when you know it's getting late and you've got an early start in the morning you feel compelled to keep reading. And there are more twists and turns than the country lanes of the villages in which the book is set! From about half way in, the evidence that the police have points to a suspect. But I couldn't help feeling that it was too easy so I was pretty convinced that was a red herring. Indeed, I had my own thoughts on who the killer was pretty early on.

If you want a book that's going to keep you guessing and keep you reading, then this is absolutely the book for you.

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What a fantastic read from mark Edwards. I love all his books, they are always full of suspense and take us on a journey where everyone is under suspicion right until the very end, and this was no exception. Would highly recommend.

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Wow. I was one of the lucky ones to be approved for this book in Netgalley. I have read all of Mark Edwards books to date but this is by far the best. A great plot, fantastic characters and an ending that will keep those pages turning.
It is out now for pre order (release 15th June). I would highly recommend it. Thanks Mark

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Wow! Still reeling after finishing this book last night. A serial killer 'The Viper' is on the loose in Ironbridge, England. A beautiful part of the world. Detective Imogen Evans has been moved down from London and is investigating. Father to Ollie, Ben Hofland has also moved back to the area. He grew up here but moved away and had lived in London.
Some pretty major twists and turns await you. The best type of psychological thriller that there is. I can see and only hope that Imogen Evans will return with more cases to solve. Highly recommend. My thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy of The Lucky Ones a standalone set in modern day Shropshire.

Ben Hofland has returned to his home town of Ironbridge from London to lick his wounds after the breakup of his marriage. In the meantime DI Imogen Roberts, also a refugee from London, is hunting a serial killer, nicknamed The Shropshire Viper, for his method of injecting his victims with morphine.

Despite his phenomenal success Mr Edwards is a new author to me and I was interested to read his work. The Lucky Ones has a clever plot - several times I was sure I had identified the perpetrator, only to be wrong every time so the ending came as a surprise. I like a well disguised killer as the novel then holds my attention. I was less keen on the narrative style which has first person accounts from Ben and the killer and a third person for Imogen and the police. I think this is a wrong choice as a first person narrative from Imogen would have given the novel more immediate impact and a third person narrative for Ben would have cut out much of the tedious detail of his failed life, which, while germane to the overall plot, takes a lot of ploughing through to get to the "action". I have absolutely zero interest in the killer's viewpoint and regard most of it in this novel as fairly pointless until later on in the novel.

The characters are sufficiently well drawn for a plot driven novel like this but I never felt I got to know them or was able to empathise with them, even with Ben's first person narrative.

The Lucky Ones is an easy way to pass a few hours.

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I am a huge Mark Edwards fan so I have been waiting not so patiently for this book and it definitely delivered. It had me hooked right from the very beginning. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who is responsible basically whodunnit but on this occasion I was stumped. Lots of twists to keep you turning the pages and a plot that will keep you awake at night. Absolutely brilliant

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