Unfortuanately when I requested this book, I did not realise that it was part of a series.

I often find it hard to read a book when it is not the first in the series.

This is my fault.

Overall, the book was enjoyable. It was easy to follow and I didnt feel like I need to read the previous book to understand what was going on.

The writing was good and the storyline kept me intrigued.

If you haven't read the first book in the series, you should read it as soon as possible.
Don't look down is another great book by the author and a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the pages.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions and banter, it felt so much like an Law and Order episode or any CSI one because it's a well written story with so many twists and turns that will unfold one by one and I was thinking that I may know who the blackmailer is but apparently I didn't knew anything because the author has the ability to make you guess until the end of the book.
A very good suspenseful and criminal procedure story that many will enjoy.

I was approached by the author to read this book which is the second book in the Shadows of New York series. I haven't read the first book and thought that it might affect the read of this book but it didn't. I will have to read the first book, One Small Sacrifice, at some point though.

The story didn't initially grab me, it was a slow burn and quite slow placed which normally I don't like but I didn't mind it with this, in fact I think it added to the thriller feel.

Jo Greaver is a successful businesswoman but she harbours a secret that she is being blackmailed for. She goes to the blackmailers run down address to pay him off and they both end up getting shot with the police now looking for Jo. Detectives Sheryn and Rafael are given the case to unravel.

The story takes you on so many twists and turns and from the slow start it turns into a gripping page turner. I loved the dynamics between Sheryn and Rafael and really liked Jo's character. In fact all the characters are really well written you get a clear image of them in your head and by the end of the book feel like you really know them.

I don't read that many thrillers but this is well worth the reading and I look forward to reading more of Hilary Davidson's books.

Thank you to Hilary Davidson and Netgalley for the ARC.

Don’t Look Down began with a bang and absolutely hooked me. We primarily follow the points-of-view (POV) of Jo, who is being blackmailed; and detectives Sheryn and Rafael who are investigating the situation Jo’s found herself in when the novel begins. The book starts with Jo arriving to the prearranged spot for a blackmail drop. Things go bad and shots are fired. There are twists and turns throughout the book, and nothing is as it seems.

Jo is a great character whose emotions grabbed me during the very first scene. Her fear and related behavior made sense, and the more you learn about her the more her terror and beliefs are reasonable because of her life experiences (our reactions are all a culmination of so many events). The author does a good job during Jo’s POV chapters of demonstrating she’s suffering from PTSD.

I also particularly enjoyed Rafael. He was seriously injured in an explosion that occurred prior to this book. He is back at work though his injuries remain disabling, causing mobility problems that require a cane, ringing in his ears, fatigue, and pain (I’m probably forgetting something). His partner, Sheryn, is not happy he is there and it’s clear she feels he is slowing her down. Yes, she cares about him as a person but ultimately she’s not pleased to have to make concessions to accommodate his physical status. As a disabled woman, I was delighted the author gave Rafael his own POV chapters so that abled readers could get a taste of his experience, both how he has to work to function in an abled world and how even his friend/partner isn’t happy or particularly interested in accommodating his different abilities. Rafael was doing his job on top of fighting to function within a system that is not made for him. He is getting better and may not have these same functional issues forever but I hope the author will consider having the character not get back to 100%, because that is the reality millions of people deal with in this country and others.

I also love that Rafael and his husband have a happy, supportive relationship. Sheryn is happily married with kids and we see her dealing with the terror of having her son get involved in a protest. Racism is not the main focus of this book but it is addressed from the perspective of a mother wanting to support her son in being a good citizen, but recognizing that, as an African American male, he is at risk.

This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I had no trouble jumping in here. I’m looking forward to the next!

If you choose to look at the content warnings below (spoilers), you’ll see there are several serious subjects discussed in this book. However, I do not believe they are treated in a gratuitous way.

Content Warnings: <spoiler> child porn; rape; abuse; sex trafficking </spoiler>

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #DontLookDown #mystery #policeprocedural

I loved this book! The drama, suspense and thriller aspect I couldn’t put it down! I had to know what happened and stayed up way to late finishing my last book of the year! The twists and turns and police procedural work just play out begging you to read more! The dynamic between characters is well written and I liked all even the bad guys! I hope there is a 3rd book I need to know what happens next!
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for gifting me an advanced ebook copy!!!

At first, this book took me awhile to get thoroughly vested in it. But after some 50 to 60 pages, I became totally engrossed in it. So before my review. I want to tell future readers of this book, to give it a little time because it was an excellent mystery novel. Jo Greaver seems to have it all, a thriving business and a wonderful boyfriend. But Jo is being blackmailed for something in her past. This book has all the ingredients of a great mystery, lies, secrets and murder, There are so many twists and turns in this mystery and great procedural work by the detectives in this novel. The suspense begins to really heighten as we get closer to the truth. Without giving away any spoilers, towards the end of this book there are so many suspects till the truth is revealed and the real cutprit is exposed. Once I became totally vested in this book, I couldn't put it down till I found out who the true culprit was. I received this book by net galley and the publisher Thomas & Mercer for the ARC I received for an honest review. If you a reader who likes a great mystery novel with twists and turns. I highly recommend this book.

This is the second in the Detective Sheryn Sterling series and I think it’s even better than the first. Jo Greaver, a successful businesswoman, is being blackmailed for her sordid past. She gets involved in a shootout and winds up the prime suspect when someone is found dead. There are plenty of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The big reveal at the end was surprising yet satisfying. I enjoyed the dynamic between Detective Sterling and her partner, Rafael Mendoza. Suspenseful, compelling, and skillfully written.

From the first page, I was immediately pulled into this action-packed, non-stopped drama that didn’t let up until all was said and done. Jo is on the run with a blackmailer on the loose. But wait, the author set the stage where nothing is as it seems and every scene had me engrossed in all that was happening, with a complex web of deceit that had no clarity until the pieces fell into place and I was like whoa, how did I miss all of this. Written with great aplomb, the author captured the essence of the story being told enveloping me in all aspects as I felt what Jo was feeling, I watched and followed the steps that Sheryn was taking to sort it all out to find the person responsible for the nefarious mayhem. The author had me completely invested and I couldn’t escape if I wanted to. A great follow-up to the first book in the series and I can’t wait to see what the next case holds for Sheryn and Rafael.

4 star For Don’t Look Down! Set in New York, Jo is an up and coming successful business owner. But everything is not as it seem! Someone is blackmailing Jo for her her past and now she has figure out who and how they got this information.

This was a great mystery and police procedural! There was a lot of twists and turns, so many people could to be to blame. Sterling and Rafael were a great team of detectives, I really like their banter. This is the kind of mystery where you know no one is completely innocent or are they? but you can’t put your finger on who did what or are they truly innocent!


Thank you to Hilary Davidson for copy for honest review!!

Jo Greaver has made herself a very successful life. But she has secrets she wants to keep buried. She receives a blackmail threat and when she shows up to the location Jo is shot, now the police are looking for Jo. There is a murder and Jo's blood and her blackmail pictures are the scene. detectives Sheryn and her partner Rafael have to untangle all of the lies and get to the truth. This is the 2nd book in a series but reads well as a stand alone. I enjoyed the characters and the mystery kept me guessing until the very end! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Jo Greaver has a hard childhood. Her sister has left to live in NYC, she says she is a top model so an under age Jo goes to NYC to join her. Her sister is not a model but working in the sex industry. She makes Jo join her to pay her way. Whilst working Jo also goes to college and leaves to start her own beauty business. She finds a good friend who backs her and the business thrives. Then her past catches up with her and she is being blackmailed. Jo decides to pay off the blackmailer and goes to his apartment, in a very run down block. She takes a gun with her for protection. She hands over the money and the blackmailer pulls a gun on her. Jo shoots him, then runs leaving the money behind. The NYPD gives the case to detectives Sheryn Sterling and Rafael Mendoza. Everything points to Jo but Sheryn does not believe it, it does not add up. This leads to a very interesting case.

Talk about a nail biter! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading this book. I pretty much read it non stop and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. And, the ending???? All I can say is, you just have to pick up a copy of “Don’t Look Down!” Talk about a complicated story!
If you are in the mood for a intriguing, police procedural, this is the book you need to pick up.
Hilary Davidson is a new author to me and I look forward to reading more from her. I did not know this was book two in the series. I really need to read book one now!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author, Hilary Davidson for the privilege to read and give my honest review of “Dont Look Down.”

After reading the first book in this series, One Small Sacrifice, I knew I had to read this follow up. While this book can be read as a standalone, some background information from the first novel will give insight into the main character's actions.

Don't Look Down begins with a shoot out and keeps the momentum going throughout. Jo is being blackmailed with her past, and shooting her blackmailer does not help matters. Detective Sheryn Sterling is assigned the case and must uncover the truth before it is too late.

Told in multiple POV, this story will keep you guessing from the first page until the last. While I did guess the one big reveal, I did not see the ending coming. I truly enjoyed this novel and I would recommend it to anyone who was a straight forward mystery/thriller to start out your year.

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for my advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Don’t Look Down follows the case of Jo, a highly successful beauty company owner who is being blackmailed by someone. When she agrees to meet the alleged blackmailer, she finds herself in a shoot out where she takes someone’s life. She is thrown into turmoil as she is tracked down by detective duo Sterling and Rafael. The story follows the case against Jo and gets to the bottom of why she was being blackmailed - and by who.

This book got off to a really strong start. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to get to the bottom of the case. But, I found in the middle it got a little bit slow and repetitive but eventually picked back up again.

Overall, I enjoyed this. It was engaging and I was invested in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eBook in exchange for a review.

This is a strong, complicated police procedural following the blackmailing of a suspected murderer, a young self made cosmetic company owner. The two investigating cops are interesting characters but the plot meanders in the middle and rushes to a conclusion in the last few pages. The first third grabbed me but I felt there were too many repetitive scenes.

An interesting mystery with lots of twists and turns. The characters seem real and likable. It is a book that was hard to put down.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Ok Read

Jo is being blackmail even though it's not really clear why she being blackmail but as she on her way to pay the blackmailer. Things goes terrible wrong when the blackmailer is murder and Jo blood at the scene. Jo she made a good life for herself even though life gave her hard times.

This book had a lot of stuff going on and I was dreading to finish it don't get me wrong the first book was good I read right through it but this had everything I want in a mystery thriller set of lies betrayal, and murder! but it got boring and I was more interest in detectives Sheryn and her injured partner, Rafael trying to unravel the mystery then really caring what the mystery was. I'm still looking forward to the next book because I like the detectives and I can relate to Jo everything she went through she became this strong women because of it.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did.

Plusses: I was able to finish it and be moderately entertained.

Minuses: The character of Sheryn read just like she was a clone of the Epatha Merkerson character in Law & Order. Right down to her appearance and family life. Why can't the black female cop be gorgeous and a hot mess with a string of broken affairs throughout the department? Why can't the white woman cop be conservative and have a stable family life that she frets about balancing with a doting husband and brilliant children that she worries about their boldness? There were zero surprises in how her character reacted to anything. And the interplay between her and Rafael and the endless musing about his accident got old fast.

Nothing of note happened until halfway through the book. The reveal when they showed Andray's pic to Jo was good. Other than that, it was an episode of Law & Order. And I knew who the killer and the killer's handler were the microsecond they were introduced.

It just read sort of blah throughout. It was a nice diversion but I won't be looking for the next in the series. Don't mind me, it'll do really well, and be nommed for all sorts of awards on the sheer value of the author's name. But I was disappointed.

This tightly woven thriller-slash-police procedural is set in New York City, and like that city, the pace does not let up, from first page to last. It opens with Jo Greaver, a young cosmetics magnate, on her way to meet her blackmailer, toting a huge bag of cash. To the reader it’s not clear why she’s being blackmailed or who is doing the blackmailing, but it’s very clear something is very wrong and that very definitely something will go wrong.

It does, and it’s a cascade of wrong things, things that string poor Jo up tighter and tighter. There’s a shootout at the blackmail meetup, leaving Jo injured. She attempts to get through her day pretending she’s fine but the pain finally kicks in. There’s a dead, or at least seriously injured person, at the blackmail meetup. And the police have a bag load of evidence tagging Jo as the murderer.
This novel is told through Jo’s lens, but also through the lenses of Detectives Sheryn Sterling and her injured partner, Rafael Mendoza. Sterling and Mendoza are very good detectives and as they unravel the occurrences in the tiny apartment where Jo left her money, they begin to doubt their initial conclusions.

This is a rare thriller in that, along with telling a story, the reader is also given insight into the situations of the characters. Jo is being blackmailed, yes, but why is she being blackmailed? The reason leads to a rift between her and her boyfriend and the reason is also painfully powerful. It’s hard to judge Jo the more you discover what she’s gone through.

To a lesser extent, Sharyn’s situation is also a part of the story. An African American woman, she isn’t encountering discrimination on the job (as has been the case in so many female led police novels through the years), but out in the world, something brought into sharp focus when her son is arrested at a demonstration. It colors her thinking in the best of ways: it makes her more empathetic.

The dynamic between these two women powers the novel as much as the plot, which is a beautifully constructed mechanism of well-tuned gears. This book was very difficult to put down, but it was also difficult to stop thinking about it after I finished reading it. If you’re a fan of smart thrillers, pick this one up.

I love a good mystery. This was totally engaging and Sheryn Sterling is a fine hero who manages to untangle a series of murders with intelligence and compassion.

Young Jo Greaver is being both blackmailed and set up to take a murder charge. Her sad story unwinds and Sheryn becomes her advocate as she figures out who was behind the initial crimes. The bodies begin to pile up as Sheryn and her partner Rafael are able to connect the crimes to the perpetrators, despite their society backgrounds.

I like everything pulled together at the end and Davidson provided a perfect climax.

I found this to be a real page turner. I had no idea there was a previous novel with Sheryn as the heroine. I’m hurrying to get that one too. This is a really enjoyable read. Many thanks Netgalley.