This was a brilliant read although confusing at the start with no clear reasons for what had previously occurred to DI Hunter.
It has me totally engrossed with the difference in characters totally engaging.
This is definitely worth a read.

I have had this title on my list for a while now - why did I wait so long? It is great to be in at the beginning of a new series. There are two definite themes to this tale - the search for a violent murderer and the return to work of DI Eve Hunter, who is trying to deal with her guilt, her return to work, her demons and her damaged leg which hampers her mobility. The history of the unknown protagonist, the history of DI Hunter's angst are drip fed with clever misdirection. DI Hunter's team welcome her back with varying degrees of acceptance - there is a great deal happening in this thriller which races to a heart-stopping conclusion.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Deborah Masson/Random House UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Was a bit concerned about reading a new author for the first time. But no worries, this is an brilliant first novel. The storyline kept me guessing from begining to end. A strong, hard hitting book, with a great characters. Let's hope this is the first in a long series. Highly recommended.

Wow - what a edgy read this was. The first chapter was gruesome, yet compelling, tense and creepy - safe to say it sent tingles up and down my spine and made the hairs on the back of my arms stand on end.
From the serial killer's chilling motivation, to the lead detective's troubled past and the secrets she held, I was hooked.
This was a tense, unpredictable serial killer novel that took us down many false leads before the climactic end - and what an ending that was.
Throughout the novel I was on high alert and emotionally engaged. There was so much to like about this, from the wobbly, traumatised lead detectiove, Eve Hunter, to her quadrplegic friend, to the ingenuity and horror of the deaths to the blinding denouement . 5 well earned stars from me

This is one of around 50 books I read during an imposed 3 month quarantine. DI Eve Hunter is a wholly believable professional who uses intelligence and wit to solve a series of horrifying murders - even when she is numb with pain and grief. Back story skilfully woven in so it does not slow the build of tension. Several good twists - only one of which I saw coming. Recommended.

Not for the faint of heart, lots of gore but brilliant writing, really enjoyed this book. Great twist, really likeable main characters and wonderful story. Highly recommended and would welcome more from Eve and the gang

Eve Hunter has been through the mill recently and is now returning to work as a DCI with the police in Aberdeen while there is a serial killer on the loose. Not only does Eve have to try to catch the killer, she also needs to get her team back on side and prove to lots of people, including herself that she can solve this case.

This was a real page turner and found that there was just the right about of detail. There are far too many authors out there that seem to be in some kind of competition with each other for who can include gratuitous scenes for the hell of it.

I look forward to reading more by the author and of learning more about Eve.

Eve Hunter has just returned to work as a DCI in Aberdeen Police after a traumatic series of events. She walks into the onslaught of a serial killer who seems to always be just outside their grasp. Can Eve reunite her team & solve the puzzle before the killer reaches their bloody conclusion.
An exciting hunt for a serial killer in one of Scotland's best known cities.

Amazing book. Gripping throughout. Kept me guessing. A real page Turner. The characters storyline were all relatable and well written. Details of scenes were very thorough and the story had a brilliant flow. No boring dull bits

I requested this based purely on its cover design which is something I've fallen foul of before and doesn't work out for me as often as I'd like.
It did this time. The first in a series I hope will be continued, this book is twisty and gruesome with just the right amount of grit to keep you believing. A decent debut which left me looking forward to more from this author.

I'll be looking forward to more books in the series if this one is anything to go by. I've read a lot of thrillers, and this one still offered something was different. Bravo.

Superb crime/police thriller. Great characters, intriguing story line- I was totally gripped and really enjoyed it. I would love to hear more about the main protagonist Eve. It would make a great tv series.

An excellent book. I enjoyed the characters most of them were quite complex. The plot was clever and kept you guessing for a large proportion of the book. The climax was exciting.

This is the first novel featuring DI Eve Hunter and I hope there'll be lots more in the series!

Returning to work after another incident left her with not only physical injuries but also mental ones, she's thrown into the thick of police action with a set of particularly gruesome crimes where it soon becomes fairly obvious that there's a link to her. The perpetrator of the crimes keeps the reader guessing to the end and there are lots of twists and red herrings in the plot.

Eve Hunter is a likeable DI, her relationships with her colleagues gives an insight into her and them and it'll be interesting to see how they progress as the series advances.

Predictable and nowhere near as gruesome as it claimed to be. No thanks. I would not recommend this author personally.

Thai was a great debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
DI Eve Hunter is called to the murder of a young woman. She’s been brutally attacked and there is a newspaper cutting attached to her body. Can Eve and her team work out who the killer is before he strikes again?

Introducing DI Eve Hunter as she returns to work following a terrible incident which had a massive impact on her, a colleague and her team.

Set in Aberdeen we follow Eve as she not only tries to reestablish herself at work whilst hunting a serial killer who leaves notes and cuts out tongues.... talk about being thrown in the deep end on her first week back!

The plot is fast paced and I never guessed 'who did it' until almost the final reveal!

Characters are well developed and interesting - I enjoyed the dynamics, both good and bad, between Eve and her team. I will be looking forward to getting to know them more in future books.

It only loses one star for me as in many places it felt like this was the 2nd book in a series and I had to check to see if I had missed something! However, no, this is definitely they first in a series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review :-)

Hold Your Tongue is an enjoyable start to this new detective series featuring DI Evie Hunter.

The plot is interesting but fairly easy to follow, with some of Evie’s past revealed and a definitely ‘gritty’ Aberdeen as the backdrop to the spate of killings which are under investigation.

Evie is a detective who has yet to get over the guilt of a previous mistake involving her colleague, and in many ways she’s a typical ‘troubled’ detective. This sometimes felt for a me a bit of a cliche, but I did warm to her as the book continued.

Hold Your Tongue features some other characters who feel realistic and interesting. Although Mearns seems like a difficult character at first, she has her own strengths, and there are plenty of other people on Evie’s team who offer an interesting array of personality traits and quirks. I like Deborah Mason’s character development in this novel and look forward to seeing how Evie and her team develop as the series goes on.

Overall this is a good read but I don’t feel like it would make my list of favourite police series (not from this novel alone yet, anyway). I will be interested to read further releases from this series though.

This was a gripping police procedural with a great premise and a super creepy villain. I really enjoyed this read and would definitely pick up another book by this author.

Although this book was a little slow for me in parts, the overall plot had me on the edge of my seat wondering who the murderer could be and why he was targeting all of these seemingly random women. Eve was a likable character even though her guilt was a bit excessive as we were reminded of it practically ever chapter.
I particularly enjoyed the little snippets from the murderer's point of view which allows the reader a bit of an insight into his life and why he became who he was and I had absolutely no idea who it was until it was revealed at the end of the book.
The book is full of misleads and twists to keep you off the scent and overall I enjoyed it.
*I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*