Carol Wyer has created another fabulous, feisty and realistic heroine for the second book in the DI Natalie Ward series. The minor police characters also have their own stories that I’m looking forward to finding out more. I love police procedurals and this is a beautifully gripping example. Plenty of suspects and motives. I highly recommend.

Detective Natalie Ward and her team out of Samford Police are called to the scene of a vicious murder. Charlotte Brannon was beaten to death while her baby slept in the next room. The word, "Why?", is written in her blood on the wall. Charlotte's husband, Adam, finds her body and the police learn that he's no stranger to violence and has a criminal history. Though he has an alibi, Natalie discovers that he and Charlotte have quite a few nasty secrets between them. The investigation puts pressure on the entire unit forcing them into long hours of work which puts a severe strain on Natalie's shaky marriage. There are many suspects and no one seems to be telling the truth about their relationships with each other. Motives abound. Then another woman, Samantha, is stabbed in front of her child with the word, "Who?", painted in blood on the white fridge. It looks like the police have a serial killer on their hands...one who knew both women. Then a third woman, along with her child, calls the station telling the detectives that she is fearful for her life. NO SPOILERS.

This was a book I couldn't put down as the case and the activity surrounding the investigation were so compelling so I read it in one sitting last night! Lots of procedural details with interviews and seeking out information about all those involved. Natalie and her fellow detectives are all over the city hunting down the suspects and sifting through the few clues and the many lies. As a main character, Natalie is quite interesting and has a personality similar to most of the women described in novels of this genre plus she can't seem to keep her home life anywhere but on the back burner as she works ALL THE TIME. Her issues with her husband notwithstanding, I wonder if her compulsion at her job is really normal for all detectives or just the female ones! Sure I get that it's a major murder investigation, but these people rarely sleep, almost never eat anything but crisps and coffee (or tea), and all of them must have relationship problems! And don't get me started on how the women go from deep sleep to work in 15 minutes. But, I digress. I really did like the book and the plot was complicated enough to hook and reel me in. The writing is top-notch and I do hope that Natalie can be more supportive of her own family as she moves up in the ranks at the police.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review. I can't wait for the next in the series!

I missed the first Natalie Ward book but after reading this one, I definitely plan to go back and read it. Detective Natalie Ward is hard-working and dedicated to her job, but she also has a family that demands her attention. Her case in this suspenseful novel is to find a twisted serial killer of moms, before he strikes again. The first victim is Charlotte Brannon, murdered horrificly in her home while her baby Alfie is left alive sobbing. It seems that this particular killer only wants to kill the mothers, and the question is his motive. The suspects are numerous; the turns in the book kept me reading late into the evening, and my guesses were wrong. Nevertheless., this was one of the best suspense novels that I have read recently. It was full of the twists that are the foundation of this author’s writing and it held my attention well. In fact, I can’t wait until book #3 comes out!

This is the second book in the DI Natalie Ward series and I absolutely LOVED it!

I thought that the plot in this book was superb, I was hooked and I loved seeing the story unravel the further I got towards the end, I was completely engrossed I the story, the author really drew me in and it held my full attention right to the superb ending!!

The characters were brilliant and I loved getting to find out more about Natalie and her team and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, she is becoming a firm favourite for me and this series has become a MUST READ for me!

Five stars from me, brilliantly written – very highly recommended!!

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Last Lullaby’ by Carol Wyer in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Charlotte and her husband Adam Brannon are out celebrating her parents’ anniversary. On their return home Adam takes their babysitter, Inge, home while Charlotte goes to bed as she’s had a lot to drink and has become argumentative. Charlotte is awoken by a noise coming from baby Oscar’s room and when she reaches under the bed for Adam’s baseball bat she’s struck on the head with it and left to die in a pool of blood. The killer uses Charlotte’s blood to write the word ‘Why?’ on the bedroom wall. Soon after another woman, Samantha, is stabbed to death and the word ‘Who?’ is written in her blood on the fridge door.

DI Natalie Ward and her team are tasked to investigate these deaths, find any connection between the two women and arrest the killer before he can claim another victim, but her job isn’t helped by the suspects telling lies to cover for each other, and the two youths seen in the vicinity of the Brannon’s house disappearing.

I thought ‘The Birthday’, the first book in the series, to be pretty amazing but ‘Last Lullaby exceeds my expectations. It has a cleverly written and complex plot, lots of excitement and suspense, twists and turns, and the tension increases as the clues mount up. I very much like the character of Natalie who works hard and expects the same from her team, gaining the respect of all those working with her. I’ve found it interesting to read more about her marriage to David which is hanging by a thread due to his gambling addiction. This is another excellent thriller by a very talented author and I can thoroughly recommend it.

Another successful suspense filled mystery for Carol Wyer. A heartbreaking murder with the only suspect being the husband, made for a slower start, which it was not a full five star. A quarter of the way in, the waters got murky and the unknown of who did it, who was in on it and why got exciting. The wait for plot twists and suprise turns are what I live for reading mysteries, especially procedural ones. Last Lullaby has cemented the fact that I am not done with the Natalie Ward series and will be impatiently awaiting the third book.

Last Lullaby, the second police procedural to feature DI Natalie Ward and based in Samford, turned out to be just as arresting and engrossing as the first book, The Birthday, and although part of a series it works perfectly as a standalone. Written in an accessible and eminently readable style it's a fast-paced, easy story to get through. The two murders take place quite a way apart, and although you may think this would lead to a lull in the intensity, the time in between them is the part I actually enjoyed most. This is because the secrets and blatant lies start to come to the fore and once they do everything just unravels and one by one we discover the deceit and duplicitous behaviour right alongside DI Ward and her team.

It is mainly told from DI Ward's perspective, however, there are some chapters detailing the conversations between the unidentified killer and their therapist which really intrigued me and added further interest to the storyline. Although there was not a lot of evidence for the investigators to go on, Wyer does a fantastic job of keeping you on the edge-of-your-seat from the first to the last page. DI Natalie Ward, like many women with both a career and a family, is juggling many different balls. She's a very capable investigator who gets along with everyone due to her affable nature, but she has been dealt a bit of a bad hand when it comes down to luck. This is captivating crime fiction with a distinct feeling of realism to it and plenty of thrills and spills to keep even the most discerning reader entertained.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

This is the second book in the series and I loved it!
Carol Wyer has the knack of drawing you deep into the story and really makes you care who the killer is.
I love trying to work out who it is, but was completely wrong in this case.
Two women have been murdered in front of their tiny children and writing is left in blood on the walls.
Natalie is unsure what the words relate to and the partners of the women have no idea either. Natalie and her team soon face a race against time to stop a third murder.
We also learn more about Natalie’s personal life and the problems in her marriage.
This book was left on a cliff hanger so I hope it’s not too long before the next book is out.
This is a great series that I would highly recommend to any crime fiction reader.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Last Lullaby by Carol Wyer is the 2nd in the Detective Natalie Ward series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Series Background (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books):
Natalie Ward is a strong female detective, but also a woman who is trying to juggle her job and her home life. Her husband had a gambling problem and lost all their savings. Then he lost his job, and he is now working from home. He is feeling inadequate, and Natalie finds herself constantly having to massage his fragile ego. Although she tries, she feels like she is neglecting her two children, even though they know that if she is on a murder investigation, it has to take precedence. She is often torn.

My Synopsis:
Charlotte Brannon, a prolific fashion blogger is brutally murdered, while her 6-month old little boy lay in his crib in the next room. Charlotte’s husband Adam is the prime suspect. He had motive, means, and opportunity. He also insists he is innocent. His alibi is questionable, and his past is troubled.

As the case evolves, Natalie finds that her investigation is being hindered by lies. Everyone they question seems to be lying or omitting details that could help them solve this murder. Even the baby-sitter is hiding something. Everyone has an alibi, but the team isn’t sure if those can be trusted.

When another woman is murdered in front of her young son, Natalie fears they may have a serial killer on their hands. But there are connections between the two murdered women.

Meanwhile, a psychiatrist is trying to interpret the dreams of a patient who seems to be enthralled with blood. But are they dreams?

My Opinions:
I am really enjoying this series. The writing is great, and Wyer is really building on the traits of her characters.

The pace is fast, and therefore a very quick read. The twists kept coming, so that I was sure I knew the perpetrator, and then I didn’t….

I admire Natalie, and her dedication to both her job and her family (although I think she should give her husband a kick in the butt). With this second book, we are seeing her team work closely, and we are learning more about their lives. This makes us crave the next book….that and the ending.

A woman's husband finds her dead body in their home. Detective Natalie Ward is on the scene, and soon begins questioning everyone in the murdered woman's life. The woman, her husband, and everyone connected to them seems to be keeping secrets. When a second woman's body is discovered, and connected to the first crime, the field of suspects starts to narrow. Meanwhile, Natalie's home life with her husband and kids is deteriorating, especially as she spends more time working.

This is the second book in the Detective Natalie Ward series by Carol Wyer. I have read the first book in the series, The Birthday, but this one could be read as a standalone novel. The crime in this novel is completely separate from the crime in the first book, but there are continuing story arcs involving Natalie's family and work life.

Well developed and intriguing characters. Dark and gripping story. The mystery is complex enough that it is not obvious who is behind the murder. I love when a story keeps me guessing. Overall, a great read for fans of crime thrillers.

I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you don't know how much I love Carol Wyer's thrillers, I can only suggest you have been living under a rock. This series featuring Detective Inspector (DI) Natalie Ward is still in its relatively early stages, but all the characters are so well developed, I feel as though they are like my own friends. Natalie has a fascinating back story, with a husband who has a gambling addiction, teenage children and an estranged sister, and Wyer gives us just enough information to leave us wondering what will happen next . I have a feeling it will become explosive very soon and I cannot wait!
The investigation itself was full of twists and turns. With the turn of every page, the plot thickened and I discovered that nearly everyone, including the victims, had secrets. The plotting is brilliant, and I loved all the connections between the characters that left a web of lies for the reader to untangle. I didn't get anywhere near, but I really enjoyed trying to solve the puzzle myself!
I also enjoyed the scenes between the doctor and Patient X. Their identities are not revealed straight away, but it gave me some insight into the mind of the twisted individual that Natalie and her team are trying to catch, and added some extra intrigue.
Last Lullaby is incredibly fast paced, nothing more so than the ending, which becomes a race against time to catch the killer. It was very tense and I could not rest until the killer was brought to justice.

Who could possibly be deranged enough to brutally murder a mother right in front of her baby boy? And follow that up with another bloody murder, once again leaving a young child without a mother? Figuring that out is the task of Detective Natalie Ward and her team of police officers in Samford, U.K. The only clues are the words "why" and "who" written in the victims' own blood - and, partly because they're written out of the usual who-what-where-when-why journalistic sequence, they don't provide much help.

There is, however, no shortage of suspects - ranging from first victim Charlotte Brannon's dicey husband, Adam, to Adam's ex-con friend, a couple of young thugs, a teenage babysitter, a rock star and an estranged sister who triggers unpleasant memories of Natalie's relationship with her own sister. But every single one denies committing the crimes, and several have seemingly ironclad alibis. Or do they?

Later in the book, readers get a glimpse at what's on the culprit's mind through interactions with a psychologist. And as if she doesn't have enough on her plate, Natalie is wondering if her husband David, who is becoming more morose every day since losing his job as a practicing attorney, has gone off an all-too-familiar deep end from which, this time, there may be no recovery.

Well-developed characters, a fast-moving plot and plain old solid writing make this - the second in a series - a don't-miss book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy. I'm already looking forward to the next one, reportedly due out early in 2019.

Wyer has done it again! I have, yet, to be disappointed in any of her books! This one is filled with lies and deceit. Natalie has her hands full as she and her team investigate the murder of Charlotte. Her husband and family make it difficult to get to the truth. Spinning Natalie in all different directions. Seems like Charlotte wasn’t very innocent. As tensions mount and another murder happens, Natalie gets increasingly frustrated. Especially when her own home life spins out of control. This will keep you guessing from start to finish! Love Wyer’s books and look forward to a new one already.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A really good fast paced thriller. This is a really good series. I enjoyed this book as much as the first. I like the fact that Natalie and her colleagues have back stories which are developing as well. There is a lot happening in this book. There is a lot of action and a lot of suspects. This is definitely a page turner.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I received a free e-copy of Last Lullaby (Detective Natalie Ward #2) by Carol Wyer from NetGalley for my honest review.

First off, I absolutely love the first book, "The Birthday". This one was just as awesome. A great murder mystery with an amazing plot and lots of twists and turns that will keep you guessing till the end. Carol Wyer is a compelling writer that will forever be on my reading radar.

Book two in the Natalie Ward series . Whoop ! Whoop ! This is a deliciously intense and addictive thriller with a chilling and gruesome plot that keeps you guessing till the end ! I loved this book ! Carol Wyer is a brilliant storyteller !! Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! #Netgalley #Bookouture #LastLullaby

In this second episode of Carol Wyer's new series introducing Detective Natalie Ward, I feel that we're getting to know her better and see what makes her tick. She's a dedicated, hard working cop who looks after her team and struggles to spend enough time with her family. Her husband has recently lost his job and resents her putting her work before her family while he struggles to work part time from home. Natalie's team - Lucy, Murray and Ian are also starting to develop real characters through their personalities and actions.

In this case Natalie is called in to investigate the horrific murder of a young mum, Charlotte Brannon, clubbed to death while her baby is asleep in the next room. Natalie and the team have their work cut out chasing up suspects and clues. There's Charlotte's husband, a seemingly reformed ex-con, his shady mate Lee who's clearly up to something and then there are the two youths seem running from the house at the time of the murder. Charlotte is also not all she seems and has a secret from her wild youth that she had threatened to reveal.

The tension starts to ramp up in this well written thriller as Natalie and her team stumble across many roadblocks and bend in the road. When a young woman and her child are kidnapped, the pressure is on to solve the case quickly before they have another body on their hands. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series

An excellent follow up to the first in this new series, following Natalie Ward and her group of detectives.

This second book follows the investigation into the murder of a woman in her home and there are plenty of red herrings and dead ends. I certainly couldn’t guess whodunit!

We get glimpses into the private lives of the detectives, but the story’s main focus is on the victims, the families and suspects. I sense that there may be more focus on Natalie and her marriage in the next book, which I really am looking forward to - I sense unfinished business and an attraction still existing between Mike and Natalie.

Thank you to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This second installment of the Natalie Ward series does not disappoint. Natalie is faced with a murder mystery that has more than one person of interest. As is Wyer's usual style, the books bounces between Natalie's perspective and the internal dialogue of the real murderer. It is not until the end that the surprising identity of this voice is revealed. I hope there are more Detective Natalie Ward books to come!

With thanks to Netgalley and the fabulous Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Carol Wyer is one of my go to authors, I loved her DI Robyn Carter series and DI Natalie Ward Is becoming a firm favourite.

New mum Charlotte Brannon had returned home from her parents anniversary dinner. After a row with her husband, ex boxer Adam drove their teenage babysitter Inge home. A little bit worse for wear Charlotte checked her son Alfie was asleep and went to bed herself. About two hours later Charlotte heard noises outside her door, Adam was still out so she went to pick up his baseball bat from under the bed when her killer struck.....

Adam returned home to find Charlotte dead, Alfie was crying in his nursery but he was unharmed. The word `why` had been written on the wall in her blood.

Natalie was on such much needed annual leave when she got a call from her boss calling her back to work. Gym owner Adam said he went to the pub after dropping off Inge. Natalie was suspicious though because he did not want to see Alfie, preferring to stay in the office of his gym instead. The landlord of the pub confirmed he saw Adam and his friend Lee having a drink. However why was his car not picked up on CCTV? A neighbour saw a two young lads with lead piping near the Brannon`s home on the night of the murder.

Then another young mum Samantha Kirkdale was found murdered in her home with the word `who` written in blood on the wall. Samantha`s ex husband knew Adam and had sponsored a couple of lads from his gym. Natalie and her team have to catch the killer before he finds his `where` and `when`. We also get the POV of the killers mind in transcripts of interviews with a dream expert.

Natalie and her teams personal life is just as interesting as their investigation. Natalie`s husband David was upset because his father had a girlfriend. David felt jealous because his father praised his girlfriend`s son and had started logging on to gambling websites again. DS Lucy Carmichael was looking forward to the birth of her partners baby. The baby was fathered by her friend and fellow colleague Murray Anderson through a sperm donation. Ian was upset because he had split from his partner who had recently given birth to their daughter.

I enjoyed The Lullaby and found it hard to put down. The plot was neatly woven and I felt Natalie and her teams frustration every time a lead came to nothing. I read a lot of police proceduals but I had absolutely no idea who the killer could be. I recommend The Lullaby and Carol`s Robyn Carter series. The last line in the book told me Natalie will have more problems to follow, I can't wait.