OMG....This book. This series. This author.

Where the hell do I begin. Well I am a bit late to the party and once again I have listened to this on audio. Once again Carol has totally wowed me. In fact she has totally blown me away and knocked me off my feet with this beauty.

We follow Natalie on a fast paced totally engrossing read on the hunt for the killer after the twins bodies are found on a nearby marshland.

The author takes us on a roller coaster ride, keeping you on the edge of your seat the hole time. All I wanted to do was to find out want was going to happen next. 

I have to admit I wasn't expecting that...Jesus Carol what have you done to me. This is an outstanding read which I highly recommend. If you haven't read any of Carol's books yet then you are missing a treat, that's for sure.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Oh my, oh my oh my! I feel totally emotionally floored, but in a good satisfying way.

This is one if not THE best book in this series so far.

Natalie Ward is so dedicated to her job, her and her team no matter what case they’ve taken on they are going to give it their all. No stone unturned. But......this comes as a sacrifice to her own personal life at times and we see the human side of Natalie and her struggles.

An absolutely engrossing read.

I think this could be read as a stand-alone but, to reap the benefits I’d say start at book one

This was my first read by Carol Wyler and I am officially a fan and can't wait to read the other books in the series. While I would have benefited from reading these books in order to have a better understanding of Natalie and her backstory, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the mystery which was well-written and engaging and had lots of suspense and tension.  While I did guess the killer, the ending had many shocking elements I did not predict. A great thriller series!

I started reading this on the relatively brief train journey to Dundee the weekend before Christmas, but it wasn’t until Christmas Eve that I finally had the opportunity to get properly stuck in, before finishing it before I got out of bed Christmas morning. No spoilers for The Blossom Twins here but there may be some minor spoilers for earlier books.

The Blossom Twins finds Natalie investigating a young girl who disappeared from an open air concert and was found dead not long after. When a second murder occurs it becomes harder for Natalie to ignore the similarities between the current cases and a past case from her time in Manchester that haunted her terribly. Throw in a former colleague sent to assist she was rather wasn’t there, and a marriage that’s fallen apart, it makes for a tough case for DI Ward

I found The Blossom Twins took me a little longer to get into than some of the previous books in the series but once I was hooked that was it! I stayed up later reading Christmas Eve and then finished it Christmas morning. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again but I love Carol’s way of adding in throwback chapters, whether that’s a chapter explaining the killer’s past or explaining what really happened leading up to events we’ve already experienced. It really makes for an interesting read for me, she definitely knows how to hook you in! And those twists at the end?! I’ll say no more on them for now

It’s no secret that I really like Natalie as a character, and she really was front and centre of this story. Once again it was interesting to see her trying to balance her personal and professional lives. Trying to figure out a way to tell her children that the marriage between her and their father is over, while still living in a house with a man who seems determined to not make things easy for her. All at the same time as trying to deal with a case with serious similarities to a previous case that left her requiring therapy. After the ending of this book I’m not sure what’s next for Natalie on a personal or professional level but I’m looking forward to finding out.

Natalie’s family also feature and it was nice to see Josh being to grow up slightly, deciding to look for work, and to see Leigh so happy on her return from their trip with their grandparents. Ugh David, have I mentioned enough in past reviews how much I don’t like him? Safe to say he does absolutely nothing in this book to change my opinion of him. In fact I think I dislike him even more. On the other hand more Mike in the next book please!

With the focus so heavily on Natalie in this book I missed some of the secondary character development. Ian’s back working with the team, but is dealing with a very strained relationship with his ex, and limited access to his baby daughter, I would have loved a little more of this. Lucy is another character I really like, I’m hoping with the birth of her first child getting ever closer we’ll get a little more of Lucy’s life outside of work in the next book. Then we reach Natalie’s new boss Dan, I’m very torn on him currently. He seems very results driven, potentially to the point of not really caring the cost of obtaining them. He seemed very quick to go against Natalie, although maybe I am a little biased… The ending of the book may make him question himself slightly, I’m curious to see how he deals with the fallout in the next book.


Final Thoughts
Well Carol’s done it again! Another gripping instalment to the Natalie Ward series. After that ending I’m intrigued to see what’s next for Natalie, safe to say she won’t be the same again!

As always the author delivers a story that grips from the first. Page. Completely brilliant this is fast becoming one series I love

I received a free e-copy of The Blossom Twins (Detective Natalie Ward #5) by Carol Wyer from NetGalley for my honest review.

I have read this entire series and they just keep getting better. Absolutely love, love, love this series.

The murder of a young girl at a concert venue brings Detective Natalie Ward into her next investigation. Natalie recalls a case from the past that bears striking similarities to the crime scene.
Twin sisters are found murdered and Natalie feels certain that the 'Blossom Twins' killer has returned.

omg what can i say. This book was brilliant. could put it down and then had me in floods of tears. Really didn't expect that to happen.

Well written book, tense and great storyline with well developed characters. Just what I’ve come to expect of this fabulous author. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and Netgalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for a unbiased review of these works.

Huge fan of Carol Wyer and after every book i think yes thats the best in the series, then she creates the next and I am blown away again! I rea this in 1 sitting obsessivly I HAD to know the ending and the twists hit me hard! I will say this is the best yet for now! 5 stars all the way!

Love this series by Carol Wyer.  This one is brilliant a page turner all the way through and the ending is very emotional and unexpected.

This is already the fifth book in the detective Ward series, and having read all of the previous books, I can honestly say, they just get better.  Natalie has to deal with a killer that targets young girls in a specific way.  I will be honest and say that I did begin to suspect the identity of the killer by the end, but was still entertained with the reasons for their behavior.  I did not like the ending of the book, for various reasons (no spoilers), but feel that it makes a good starting point for some more drama in Natalie's life in future.
Highly recommended.

The Blossom Twins is the fifth book in the Detective Natalie Ward Series. The entire series has been quite a roller-coaster. Each case seems to be getting more complex and addictive. Just when I thought the series couldn’t get any better, Carol Wyer decided to give us the most complex case yet. This one was dark, emotional and quite personal. I couldn’t stop turning the pages even though each new chapter filled me with anxiety, the good kind that comes from dark reads.

In this case, a series of murders take place. The victims are young, teenage girls with no obvious connection. However, our lead detective does make a connection with an old case. What is interesting though is that the old case was solved. So, do we have a copycat? Or are old ghosts coming out to haunt the living?

Needless to say, the story had me at the edge of the seat. The stakes were high and I couldn’t wait for the detectives to catch the baddie. As with previous cases, catching the baddie wasn’t going to be easy though. Red herrings abound! There were a number of suspects along the way and in the end, the identity of the baddie was a total shock. It wasn’t someone that I suspected at all until the final chapters.

The Blossom Twins is fast-paced, dark, captivating and surprisingly heart-wrenching. I was hooked from the first to the last page. As with the rest of the series, the character development was quite well done. I really like Natalie and she is one detective whose personal life is as interesting as the cases she works on. I must admit that I was surprised by the direction that the story took towards the end. The author made a bold decision but I have come to expect nothing less from her. Still, the ending did turn this into a much emotional read than I was expecting.

Like the other books in the series, this can be read as a standalone. However, to better enjoy the book and get to know the characters, I recommend reading the entire series in order. I can’t wait to find out what book six has in store for us.

I absolutely loved this book however it was emotional and traumatic so be prepared to feel them emotions!! I thought I knew what was going on and then came the plot twists and they were unexpected and shocking.. this is the first book in a while that I couldn't put down so it show it was an amazing read. Carol has written, again, an amazing book which keeps you engaged throughout. I am ready to read Book 6 in the series but I hope it isn't as heartbreaking as this one!! Can't wait to see what DI Ward has to combat next.

This is my review of The Blossom Twins by Carol Wyer. It’s the fifth book in the DI Natalie Ward series which is set in Samford, Staffordshire, a fictitious town not too far from Whitmore which appears in the Domesday book.

DI Ward goes into work on a Saturday morning to hear of the death of a young girl. She had attended a concert with her sister the evening before. Kerry had left her for about ten or fifteen minutes but when she got back, she had gone. She hunted for her but there was no sign of her at all, she had vanished.She contacted her parents at 9.30pm, then the parents contacted the police.  The girl’s body was discovered early this morning, in the kitchen garden under some bushes.

Isabella’s body had rose petals scattered all around where she lay under some scarlet rose bushes. It looked like she had been throttled and considerable force had been used too. One petal attracted Natalie’s attention, it was on the girl’s hair. It reminded her of her first murder investigation. No, it couldn’t be. Could it?

That evening, two sisters were camping in their back garden. They were thirteen years old and they were looking forward to this night. The next morning when their mum went to wake them, they had disappeared!

Late on the Sunday afternoon, DI Ward is called to a murder scene. The twins have been found in a similar position to a case she has worked before. It brings back terrifying memories. Did she get it wrong all those years ago? The following day, Natalie receives a note saying, ‘I’m back.’ It sends a chill down Natalie’s spine. It can’t be the same murderer can it? A copycat?

Natalie and her team work really hard on the cases to try and find the murderer. Natalie is attempting to sort out her home life too and misses what is happening there with her children. But more importantly, she misses the fact that the murderer is toying with her and is after not only her attention but her daughter Leigh…..

This series just gets better and better. It is like being on a roller coaster ride full pelt and then being dropped from a great height, a fantastic read! Just absolutely adore this series. So well written, great characters and vivid descriptions. Looking forward to the next book.

From my blog: Always With a Book

This is the fifth book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series, and somehow each book seems to get better and better. Carol Wyer sure knows how to write an addicting and thrilling series for sure - I was a huge fan of her DI Robyn Carter series and I am loving this one just as much. 

While I won't say that you necessarily have to read this series in order, as each book contains a self-contained case that is solved within the book, I do strongly suggest reading it in order for the character development. And to me, that is where this series is so strong. There are so many threads that have been carried through from the start of the series that really play a factor in understanding Detective Natalie Ward and if you like that part of the series - the character development - then do yourself a favor and read the books as the author wrote them.

In this latest installment, you will feel the tension right from the get-go, it is so palpable and it lasts all the way through. Natalie's marriage is all but over, she just needs to find the time to tell her children that she is going to be moving out. On the work-front, half her team is on vacation so her boss calls in for backup and that leads to an old foe coming to join her team, and the case that they land is eerily similar to one she worked on years ago.

What I love about this book is that we see Natalie trying ever so hard to balance work and life and sometimes it just doesn't happen. And we see the stress get to her. She knows that she sometimes put work above all else, including her family and she feels the guilt and it doesn't help that right now the issues with her husband are adding fuel to that fire. When the case takes a personal turn, things at home are only going to get worse and that is only going to make the guilt that Natalie carries increase.

While I was shocked when the killer was revealed, at the same time I wasn't, if that makes sense. I think somehow, I intuitively knew that was who it was going to be. But I was devastated over that final victim and I cannot imagine how that is going to play out...it's completely emotional and yet at the same time, it oddly works. 

This book is intense and kept me glued to the pages. As soon as I had an inkling of who the killer was, I could not stop reading. And then when the worst happened, I thought for sure it would have a happy resolution, only to end in a nightmare. I cannot believe that Carol Wyer went there, but then again, sometimes a writer has to take that chance. I will be reading the next book ASAP to see how it is handled! This series just got real!!!

Wow, what an emotional read. I love the Natalie Ward series and this one was no exception, it was brilliant.
Whilst her sister goes to get drinks., teenage girl goes missing at a local music gig, and is later found dead. 
Whilst Natalie and her team are investigating this case, twin sisters disappear whilst camping out on their garden overnight.
When they too are found murdered, Natalie notes some frightening similarities between this and a previous case she worked on dubbed the Blossom Twins, in which sisters were murdered and discovered covered in petals. She wonders if she has the mental strength to bring up the nightmares of the past.
DCI Tasker drafts in DS John Briggs who worked with Natalie on the previous investigation. Someone she doesn’t like and certainly doesn’t trust his judgement. John resents Natalie for getting the promotion he felt he was entitled to and goes all out to make himself look the better officer.
When Natalie’s daughter Leigh and her friend go missing, could they have fallen foul of the murderer or has Leigh run away because of the situation between her parents? 
Running alongside the story, is the ongoing marriage struggle between Natalie and David. Does she have the strength to leave her family home and start again with Mike?
The final twists blew me away. Roll on book 6!

Out of both of the Carol Wyer Detective series, this novel, The Blossom Twins has been by far my most favorite read of hers. This novel was filled with anxiety and the hope/fear that a killer would be caught. 

This novel has a back story that I was totally excited about and here for. A killer from Natalie's past who the police task force thought they caught back then. Someone did the time for those crimes, and that person also took their life when they stated they didn't kill the Blossom twins all those years ago. Natalie had a gut-wrenching feeling that this could have been a copy cat until one morning a message is left on her desk saying, "I'm back."

The Blossom Twins had the perfect amount of suspense, thrill, anger and devastation. With all those feelings, I read through this book pretty quickly. I am a reader who doesn't have a ton of time during the week to read since my mind is always focused on school and my classroom but this book took over my home life. I was consumed and when I got to the end I was shattered. Being a new mom, growing my daughter in my belly, I never saw this ending coming and I wish I could have un-read it. 

One thing throughout the Natalie Ward series is that at the beginning of these books I wasn't a huge fan of Natalie. But each book that I read, I become more fond of her and the choices she makes to better herself as a person, a mother and a detective. Even if some of those choices means that she may hurt the people she loves most in the process. There comes a time where the focus on yourself needs to be a little more clear so you can be the person you need to be for the people you love around you. 

I am VERY excited for the 6th installment called The Secret Admirer. I just requested it on NetGalley from Bookouture and Carol herself and cannot wait to see what Wyer has come up with this time.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for allowing me to read The Blossom Twins for an honest review!

Wow....this was an arresting, emotional story.  I have not read any of the other books in the series but will do so now.  It was very well written with mounting suspense.   
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

OMG...WOW! WOW! WOW! This isn't just one of the best books in the series...it is THE BEST book in this series! THE BLOSSOM TWINS is the fifth installment in the DI Natalie Ward series and I think it is the best one so far! What can I say that I haven't already done so? This is one of my favourite series and it just gets better and better! As soon as I see one pop up on NetGalley, I don't hesitate in requesting. But this one...is something else!! So where do I start to even begin to give this book justice?

The story opens with 17 year old Kerry accompanying her 14 year old sister Isabella to a free concert in the grounds of a stately home. The boy band, Blasted, is a favourite of many a teenage girl and is the featured act. So when there is a break between performances, Kerry goes to the drinks tent for some refreshments for her and her sister...with Isabella remaining by the arch to keep their place.

But when Kerry returns, there is no sign of Isabella. A search of the area reveals her sister is nowhere to be found and now frantic with worry, Kerry abandons the concert in search of her sister. She finds her phone abandoned in the grass. Something is wrong. Isabella, like any teenage girl, is surgically attached to her phone and would not misplace it so carelessly. So where is Isabella?

The next day, DI Natalie Ward receives the call that the body of a teenage girl has been found in the kitchen garden in the grounds of the estate where the Blasted concert had taken place the night before. DS Lucy Carmichael accompanies Natalie to the scene in the absence of DS Murray Anderson, who is on a well deserved holiday in Australia. When they arrive, Natalie is immediately reminded of a previous case she'd investigated several years before in Manchester - the case of the Blossom Twins. The positioning of the body and the rose petals scattered on and around her are all strikingly similar. But there is one difference...there is only one body, not two.

Still, Natalie feels sure the cases are linked. But how? The killer of the Blossom Twins was caught, arrested and sent to prison where he later killed himself. A sign of guilt? Maybe...except that the killer retracted his earlier confession stating he was innocent. Natalie didn't think anything at the time, but now...she's not so sure.

When 13 year old twins Ivy and Erin Westmore camp out in their backyard one night, it is an adventurous act on their parts considering the girls have never shown any interest in camping before. Still, they bid their parents goodnight and settle in giggling and sharing secrets into the night. The following morning, thinking the girls were having a lie-in, their mother unzipped the tent to wake them. But she found only their bedclothes stuffed into their sleeping bags...with no sign of the twins.

A missing persons investigation is underway lead by the same detective who searched for Natalie's daughter, Leigh, when she went missing earlier in the year during an investigation into missing teenagers who disappeared after accepting a dare online. When Natalie heard about the missing twins, she immediately thought of her own investigation and that of the Blossom Twins. There HAD to be a link.

And then Erin and Ivy's bodies were found in marshland...on their sides facing each other, holding hands and covered in petals. Natalie knew then without a shadow of a doubt the cases were linked. If this wasn't a copycat of the original killer then they had put an innocent man away for the Blossom Twins. And he is back with a vengeance.

In light of her previous boss' retirement she now has a new one, Supt Dan Tasker, who is rather unpleasant and is all about statistics rather than helping the community. He brings in DS John Briggs to assist in Natalie's investigation, as she is a DS down. However, it turns out that Briggs is good friends with the Superintendent and she wonders if her authority is constantly being undermined by the two men. It's clear that Tasker has a favourite and it isn't her. But Briggs is no stranger to Natalie. They had worked together on the original Blossom Twins investigation and no one else knows the case as well as he does. But Briggs is an arrogant player constantly questioning her or going against her. She has no room for someone like him on her team...but she has no say in the matter.

On a personal level, Natalie has her home life to deal with. Her husband David has consistently lied to her and she has had enough. After he had gambled away their savings, he continued to visit gambling sites, betting shops and even bought scratchies. Natalie doesn't have the strength to continue this daily battle especially as her work life is tough enough. Now sleeping in the attic, she has decided that her marriage to David has come to an end...but each time she intends breaking the news to their children, Josh and Leigh, something comes up preventing her from doing so. Is she having second thoughts? Should she leave David or can they make it work? Does she love him enough? And how can she remain connected to her children if they were to separate? And then there is Mike. Her friend, confidante, colleague and now potential love interest. However, both have agreed to put their feelings on hold until she has sorted out the mess that is her marriage. But will Mike wait for her?

Despite all the things thrown at her on a daily basis, Natalie is determined to get to the truth. Is the Blossom Twins killer back? Did they imprison the wrong man? If so, why did he stop for several years? And why is he targeting twins? But nothing will prepare Natalie for the truth when she uncovers it...

That ending...OMG! That ending!! While I began to piece together the puzzle when the truth came out I was still shocked, despite the sense it made as I pondered it at the time. But that wasn't the only shock to come. My goodness!! I was left speechless...breathless...completely stunned! So much so it has taken me nearly a week to write this review. And even then, can I do it proper justice?

Carol Wyer really took a brave step in this book and as I tweeted her my reaction upon finishing the book, she was thrilled that had it generated the response she had been after. All I can say is...WOW!

Natalie and the killer share the primary narration in THE BLOSSOM TWINS. Aside from the investigation and Natalie's personal life, we are also given a glimpse into earlier snippets of the killer's life and ultimately what became the signature of his kills. And then we are given even more in the form of first Isabella's and then Erin and Ivy's brief narratives as to what happened in the lead up to their deaths...given that they had just disappeared and no one knew how or why. It is both intriguing and clever. This was a brilliant touch by Wyer.

I really thoroughly enjoy this series and love all the characters. Each of them shine in their own way in THE BLOSSOM TWINS. But I especially love how it's not dog-eat-dog where everyone is trying to one-up the other. I find those procedurals less endearing. Whereas Natalie and her team all complement each other and work together well. That is what I like to see...not constant angst between the ranks.

There is, of course, plenty of angst on Natalie's home front so she doesn't need it at work too. Her children, Josh and Leigh, have their moments as teenagers but overall are good kids. David is problematic but every so often I see something of what Natalie must have seen in him in the beginning, but the fact that he has consistently lied again and again shows he cannot be trusted and if you can't trust your husband, what hope does your marriage have? I have gone from liking to hating to tolerating David over the course of the series. But I really do believe their marriage has run its course...and particularly now at a time when they will all need to band together and support each other, I don't think their marriage is strong enough to do so. I see it crumbling even more in the next book.

THE BLOSSOM TWINS is a jaw-dropping, heartwrenching, edge-of-your-seat thriller of a police procedural. Just when you think everything has fallen into place, we are sideswiped with a shocker twist! Definitely one of my favourite reads of the year!!

A complex, nail-biting, cleverly written thriller, THE BLOSSOM TWINS is intense and fast-paced from beginning to end. Although you "could" read this as a standalone, I do recommend starting at the beginning of the series to appreciate the characters and their roles and development throughout. Although I did came late to the party, starting at "Last Lullaby" (Book 2), I fully intend on going back and reading the first book when I have the chance. But THE BLOSSOM TWINS is by far the best of the series and I look forward to seeing where Book 6 takes us.

1 - The Birthday
2 - Last Lullaby
3 - The Dare
4 - The Sleepover
5 - The Blossom Twins

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheBlossomTwins in exchange for an honest review.