This was a solid read.
I wish it had been clearer that it was part of a series, but can be read as a standalone.

Another great read from Lesley Thomson. Plenty of twists and great characters. I couldn't put it down and didn't predict the ending.

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

This was a fantastic read, kept you guessing until the end, quite a few heart in mouth moments, I'd definitely recommend to anyone who loves a good crime and mystery, I'm going to be looking out for more from this author

Rachel Cater was having an affair with her boss, Chris Philips, an auctioneer. It was, she told her mother, love at first sight. Her mother was more sceptical and wondered why, if it had been love at first sight, it had taken him so long to do anything about it. Still, more than anything, she wanted her daughter to be happy. That was what Rachel wanted too and it was why she went to the Philips' family home, determined to have it all out in the open. Instead she was stabbed fifteen times. Her lover was convicted of her murder.

Nearly forty years ago there was a playground where two children had been murdered. The youngsters, Danielle Hindle, Robbie Walsh, Sarah Ferris, Lee Marshall, Nicola Walsh and Kevin Hood all played on the roundabout, the swings and the slide in varying degrees of harmony. Two of them would die: the first was initially thought to be an accident. The second was obviously a murder and it was to be Terry Darnell who would eventually realise that the killer was one of the children.

Terry Darnell's daughter, Stella, is doing well in her businesses. She's branched out from Clean Slate, her cleaning company and now has a detective agency too. Jackie Makepeace has moved over from being Stella's PA to front this up and her place has been taken by Trudy Wates. OK, she's not Jackie, but Stella's not unhappy with how it's working out, even though Trudy does seem to be moving over to the investigation side of the businesses. Stella's happy in other ways too: her relationship with Jack Harmon, train driver and investigator is going well. At fifty three it seems as though Stella's met her man.

Then Carrie Philips (rather bluntly) asks Stella to investigate the conviction of her father for the murder of Rachel Cater. She believes that her mother was responsible. It's all rather convoluted, particularly as Clean Slate is called in to deep clean the crime scene.

I can't believe that's it's six years since I read The Detective's Daughter but luckily I did remember that if you're presented with what seems like a cast of thousands and you can't see a connection, then you just need to relax. You're in safe hands with Lesley Thomson. The connections will be revealed to you gradually. You'll realise that people are not always who they seem to be and that childhood trauma leaves a long shadow. Thomson handles it all superbly.

It's the plot you want to know about though, isn't it? You know you're going to meet the regulars - although I have to say that I was relieved that there was less of Jack Harmon's more mystical qualities, which had - occasionally - annoyed me, in earlier books. The plot, though, is brilliant. The threads gradually unwind themselves and then begin to touch before becoming one, whole, glorious solution, which absolutely blew me away. It's complex, but not to the extent that it's difficult to follow - although you do wonder about the mental contortions which must have been necessary to think up a plot like this. It's a book to read - and then read again to see how it was done.

The book is highly recommended and I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

You could read The Playground Murders as a standalone, but it's worth reading the series in order to get the best out of the books.

I have only just found out this was part of series. Having said that you can still read it as a stand alone. I quite enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of her books.

I was really sorry I could not get into this story, I was really looking forward to it. I think it probably had something to do with the fact that it was switching in times and I could keep track of what year we were in. Maybe if I had a book I could have gone backwards and forwards but its a bit harder on a kindle as then I have a habit of losing the place i was in.

A top-notch thriller dripping with menace, terror and danger, Lesley Thomson’s The Playground Murders is an ingeniously plotted and fantastically written crime novel from one of the genre’s finest writers.

Stella Darnell is a professional cleaner with an interesting sideline in solving crime. A woman who is as adept at clearing up mess and restoring order to chaos as she is at getting to the bottom of perplexing mysteries that leave the professionals stumped, Stella is a woman who understands human nature and who has a talent for solving puzzles and for understanding what drives an individual to murder. Her latest case initially seems to be mainly concerned with deception, infidelity and revenge, but as Stella begins to dig deep, she is baffled when her investigation leads her down an even darker and more dangerous road of an infamous case that goes back four decades.

When Stella was asked by the daughter of a man who was accused of murdering his mistress to clear his name and exonerate him of the violent crime he was accused of, she had rolled up her sleeves and began to untangle a twisted and tangled web of lies, blackmail and danger, however, even Stella is shocked when she uncovers a link to the murder of Sarah Ferris, a six year old child who was murdered forty years ago in the shadows of an empty playground. Stella cannot help but wonder what could possibly link the two deaths. What connects the murder of a child forty years ago to the killing of a mistress all these years later? This case looks to be the toughest one yet for Stella and as her investigation deepens, shocking revelations and scandalous discoveries are soon made that have serious repercussions for the people involved.

As old sins and long-buried secrets are brought to light after all this time, Stella is fully aware that dredging up the past could be extremely dangerous. However, an evil criminal is watching her every move…and they are not done yet! As Stella gets closer and closer to discovering what really happened to Sarah, she wonders whether the truth that has lain hidden for so long will finally be revealed…or whether someone will do whatever it takes to prevent her from uncovering their secrets – even murder…

A consummate storyteller who grabs her readers’ attention from the first line and keeps them on tenterhooks until the final full stop, Lesley Thomson is an outstanding writer of crime fiction who is in the same class as Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid. A fantastic novelist who understands the dark and twisted side of human nature, Lesley Thomson in The Playground Murders has written a sinister, terrifying and captivating tale of innocence lost, devastating betrayals and dangerous secrets that readers will struggle to put down.

Lesley Thomson writes with understated elegance, style and vigour and in Stella Darnell she has created a fantastic sleuth who is one of the crime fiction’s most interesting and charismatic characters.

A first rate thriller fans of the genre will love, The Playground Murders is everything crime fiction should be and so much more besides.

Great crime read! I only wish I had discovered this author earlier . . .

Stella Darnell runs a cleaning company; she is an expert at deep cleaning crime scenes. As her father was a detective, Stella has an interest in solving crimes and that's exactly what she does - cold cases, to be exact. Along with her 'boyfriend' Jack, she tends to find herself embroiled in working out what happened long ago, and her new case is no different except there seems to be a link to a recent murder.  Can Stella and Jack get to the bottom of things?

This is both gripping and suspenseful; the investigation proceeds step-by-step and kept me riveted all the way through. Did I work out who was the murderer? Nope, didn't see that coming! I only wish I had read previous novels as it seemed fairly obvious that I was playing catch up with Stella and Jack's relationship, and had missed some history. However, that didn't spoil my enjoyment of an extremely well-plotted and intense novel which was carefully structured with plenty of clues but keeping the mystery alive until the final pages. An excellent read, well worth a full five stars.

My thanks to publisher Head of Zeus for my copy via NetGalley, and to Victoria Joss for inviting me to take part in this Blog Tour. All opinions stated are entirely my own.

This is book seven in The Detectives Daughter series. I did something I don’t like doing and I jumped right into this book without reading the previous books. The blurb sounded so good I just had to read it. Having said that I don’t feel as if I lost out reading this as a standalone.

Stella’s dad investigated the murder of a six year old girl forty years ago. When Stella finds a link between the murders and a recent murder she’s about to open a can of worms.

I liked the story of Stella and Jack, with Jacks twins Millie and Justin.

I found this to be a slow starter but a good read also. I’m hoping to read the previous books in this series as soon as I can.

I requested this book THE PLAYGROUND MURDERS not aware that it was part of a series, namely The Detective's Daughter. However, it can be read as a standalone in my opinion as it reads quite well as one, and I didn't feel I was missing anything by not starting from the beginning.

Of course it was the storyline of the original murders forty years prior and the mystery that surrounded them that grabbed me from the off. The fact that it had dual timelines was a mega plus for me, as that is my favourite style. I always love how the story flips between the past and present with the mystery unfolding between the two.

So the story begins forty years ago, in 1980, with the murder of not one but two children. It is no mystery from the beginning who killed the children, and even before the first tragic death, the reader is given a dark and twisted perspective of one of their own. It is more than obvious that something is definitely not normal with this child. No remorse, no conscience, no real emotion. It is clear that has this child been an adult, they would be diagnosed as a psychopath. But the dark and twisted tale of this group of children and the self-imposed glue that held them together was something extraordinary that kept us turning the pages.

At the time of THE PLAYGROUND MURDERS, Stella Darnell had been 14 and living with her mum Susie. Her father DCI Terry Darnell was tasked with investigating the murder of one of the children, 6 year old Sarah Ferris, who soon found himself armed with the help of self-imposed detective Danielle Hindle, the 10 year old daughter of career criminal Eddie Hindle. And everyone knew to steer clear of getting on the wrong side of the Hindles. Terry didn't see much of his daughter during this time as being a teenager Stella was wrapped up in her own world of hormones.

Now it's 2019 - Stella is 53 and her father Terry has been dead 8 years. When a young highly strung young woman waltzes into Stella's detective agency claiming her father was innocent of the murder of his mistress in their house, Stella gathers her team to hear Carrie Phillips' story. The woman is emphatic that her father was innocent and yet he was sitting in a prison cell awaiting trial for his mistress' murder. But who does Carrie think killed Rachel Cater? Her answer will surprise you and even moreso, the true identity of that person!

As Stella sifts through the evidence and interviews suspects, she discovers a link between Rachel's murder and that of little Sarah Ferris 40 years ago - a case which her father Terry had investigated and solved. Stella feels uneasy digging up the past of an already solved case, but in doing so she begins to feel a connection to her father once again and with it comes the regrets of not having seen him before he died.

Terry's DC at the time of the 40 year old investigation, Martin Cashman, has risen in the ranks to Chief Superintendant and is an old flame of Stella's - a fact which continually riles her business partner and love interest Jack Harman. I have to admit, the constant appearance of the green-eyed monster in Jack over Martin drove me crazy. Did he really not trust Stella? Was he that insecure in his relationship with her? I found it annoying and a constant bone of contention throughout the book. As we discover, Jack comes with his own baggage. Having not read the previous books in the series I am unable to comment on the growth of their relationship, but I am not a fan of mixing romance with mystery thrillers. For me, I think it gets a little messy, as it appears to with Jack's jealousy over Martin Cashman and Stella. It is that, I feel, that lets it down. Just investigate crimes. No need to jump into bed with each other!

As Stella pieces together the past with the tragic death of Sarah, she begins to make connections that threaten to bring danger to all Stella holds dear. And it isn't long before she is drawn into tale of jealousy and the end of innocence. As we get to know the killer, we can see the consequences the past can have of all who are involved.

THE PLAYGROUND MURDERS takes off slowly as the story shifts between the past and present, building to a twisted, complex, dark and disturbing tale. With a little twist at the end. It is not a fast-paced thriller but has more of an atmospheric feel to it. Tension is definitely rife throughout.

An enjoyable read as a standalone or in the context of the series. As I've not read the series, I thought it rated well enough to be a standalone.

I would like to thank #LesleyThomson, #NetGalley and #HeadOfZeus for an ARC of #ThePlaygroundMurders in exchange for an honest review.

Strange story with lots of twists and turns. Too long drawn out, good characters but not great dialogue.

This series of books grows on you as you get more familiar with the characters and the quirky way they think and see the world. The atmosphere is an intrinsic part of the book and Lesley Thomson is a master at bringing to life certain parts of London. In this book Stella and Jack once again have to delve into one of the past cases of Stella's father that involved a child killing two other children in a playground. As we get to know the unrepentant killer, we also see the repercussions the past can have in the lives of all families involved. At the same time Jack is beginning to understand what it means to be a father to his precocious three year old twins yet unwillingly he puts them in danger. The book takes off slowly but is interesting enough to keep you going and it definitely has a little twist at the end. A very enjoyable read, but it's best read in context of the whole series.

The Playground Murders is the seventh book in The Detective's Daughter series which following protagonist Stella Darnell, an amateur investigator who was drawn into the crime world after looking into her father's death at an earlier point in time. This is definitely more of a slow-burn mystery than anything fast or frenetic and it feels very atmospheric, almost like the works of Ms Christie. This particular instalment is twisted and complex, not to mention dark and disturbing and the contrast between the children's murders and the happy-go-lucky time Stella spends with boyfriend Jack Harmon's young twins, Millie and Justin, goes to show that life deals bad hands to some and winning hands to others.

Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.

It's not a bad book but it wasn't my cup of tea.
I wasn't able to be involved by this book and it fell flat.
Many thanks to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is the 7th in Lesley Thomson's The Detective's Daughter, set in London with an unusual protagonist, 53 year old Stella Darnell, who is an expert cleaner with her own firm, Clean Slate. Stella got drawn into becoming a crime investigator when her father, Frank, died and she looked into his death. She works on her cases with Jack Harmon, underground train driver with intuitive abilities that complement Stella's more logical and rational approach. Stella and Jack are finally in a relationship with each other, Jack is the father of young twins, Millie and Justin, with his artist ex-girlfriend Bella. Stella and her crew are engaged in a crime scene clean up at a manor in Winchcombe, the scene of the murder of Rachel Cator, who was having an affair with her wealthy married antiquarian boss, Christopher Philips. Philips was convicted and imprisoned for Rachel's murder. His daughter, Carrie Philips, an accomplished lawyer, wants to hire Stella to prove her father's innocence.

In a story that goes back forth in time, 40 years ago in 1980 the drama of a group of children unfolds, this includes Lee, Nicola, Robbie, Sarah and Kevin, who congregate around the playground. The leader is unquestionably the 10 year old Danielle Hindell, a bright, cheeky, charismatic girl who is rather fond of getting her own way. Tragedy hits when Robbie is found dead at the playground, assumed to be an accident. However, this is followed by the discovery of 6 year old Sarah's body, and she has clearly been murdered. Leading the murder hunt is Stella's father, Frank, and there is nothing worse or more traumatising than hunting for a child killer. This proves to be true for Frank in one of his most challenging and disturbing cases that is to follow him to the grave. In the present, Stella has acquired a new PA, a remarkable efficient and effective Trudy whilst Bev concentrates on the detective agency. As Stella and Jack follow the leads on Rachel's murder, they find themselves making connections with the long ago child murders, connections that threaten to bring desperate danger to Stella and to all those that she loves.

I love this series so much, and this is a particularly brilliant and twisted addition, complex and complicated, dwelling on the most unpalatable of murders, that of children. This is brought home with the sharp contrast provided by the delight that is Jack's children, Millie and Justin, as they begin to form a strong bond with a Stella, who cannot resist them as she gets to know them. This is a story of betrayal, deceit, jealousy, murder, and mental health issues. There is something so poignant as Stella learns more and more about her father, more than she was ever aware of when he was alive. This is dark and unsettling crime fiction with characters that have become familiar to me and who have grown on me, I adore the chalk and cheese Stella and Jack and how despite everything, some how they work. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.