Having been given this book by Netgalley to review I absolutely had to go back to the beginning and read the first installment in psychologist Cyrus Haven series. Good Girl, Bad Girl left me gasping. Thus, I was hoping, really hoping for a happy ending in the next book.

Well, some hopes are left hanging… Happy end there is none or not really…

Evie is still a broken, damaged, shuttered… Whatever word you can come up with, it will fit. Haven is still broken, damaged, shuttered… They both have so much pain and secrets inside, they are like twins some times. Twins created by evil humans inflict on each other.

When She Was Good takes you on the journey into the dark and dense forest literary and metaphorically. Evie’s story is investigated and proded. Evil is disturbed and is fighting back. Cyrus finds threads and pulls at them.

The story made me shudder. There is no end or limit to human evil. There is no end or limit to human weakness. And there will always be some monsters who can play on both to their own advantage.

When She Was Good disappointed me in humanity once again. The book is so dark, intricately woven, detailed and graphic, one is left gasping for air or rushing to shower.

With all my love for Michael Robotham, I do not think I can survive any more of his books any time soon.

When She Was good gives us wonderful roller coaster of a ride, with thrills and tenderness beautifully interwoven to satisfy mind and heart. The explosive plot that brings seemingly unconnected people and forces together unfolds with relentless pace, and a rising sense of threat for the main protagonists. But the masterful plotting is heightened by the sensitive interplay between Cyrus the psychologist and Evie, one time traumatized child,, now a savvy teenager battling to put her past behind her.. With his keen eye for telling detail and gesture, Rowbotham is a master of "show, don't tell" who gives us a satisfying tale with just enough loose ends left over to keep us wondering long after we've turned the last page. Echoes of the events surrounding Jeffry Epstein's arrest and subsequent death are eerily present.

I really loved When She Was Good (Cyrus Haven #2)!! I really liked Good Girl, Bad Girl (Cyrus Haven #1), but I absolutely loved When She Was Good (Cyrus Haven #2). It was a thrilling read and it continues the story of forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven and seventeen year old damaged, brilliant, angry and lonely Evie Cormac.
Starting a few months after the end of Good Girl, Bad Girl, Evie is still a highly disturbed teenager back living in a secure children’s institution, while Cyrus is hoping that Evie might one day be able to come back and live with him. Cyrus and Evie have a special bond, both survivors of childhood trauma. Years ago, Evie (Angel Face) was found hiding in a secret room in a house where a brutal murder had taken place. Her real name or where she came from has never been discovered. When a retired ex-cop has his murder staged to look like a suicide, and Cyrus finds out he’d been investigating one of his old cases which has links to the Angel Face investigation, Cyrus decides to dig a little deeper. Evie is a girl with no past and Cyrus is determined to help Evie, to delve into her past even though she’s told him to stay out of it. Evie’s past is something even she doesn’t want to remember. Digging into this ex-cops death puts Evie’s life in danger and makes it dangerous for everyone around her. Evie is the girl with the face of an angel and a thousand invisible scars...

I was so excited to read this after finishing Good Girl, Bad Girl recently and it definitely did not disappoint  - I could not put it down! Michael Robotham has once again created an exciting thriller with well written characters who you can't help but become invested in. The story is fast paced (I love short chapters!) which has you hooked from start to finish and I loved once again getting to see the story unfold through both Cyrus and Evie's eyes. Although this is a sequel, I think you could definitely still read it as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading both books in order like I did so you don't miss out on some of the key aspects of the storyline. I hope this isn't the last we see of Evie and Cyrus!

We return to Cyrus and his former foster-child, Evie Cormac, some months after the final events of Good Girl, Bad Girl, as a result of which Evie has been returned to secure child unit, Langford Hall. Daily visits from Cyrus, often accompanied by her beloved black labrador Poppy, are the highlight of her life.
Cyrus, despite Evie's repeated entreaties to desist, is trying to disentangle the sparse clues to Evie's past, and establish her true identity. He's finally tracked down former Special Constable Sacha Hopewell, who found Evie, hidden behind a secret panel in the house in which Terry Boland was tortured and murdered. Interwoven into the unfolding present day narrative are harrowing glimpses from Evie's perspective of the horrors she faced as a child.
Meanwhile, Cyrus's friend and mentor, DCI Lenore "Lenny" Parvel, calls him in to consult on a gruesome suspicious death of a former Detective Superintendent in Manchester. When Cyrus uncovers a potential link to Evie's own past as the mysterious "Angel Face", the tension escalates, as a nefarious stranger with piercing blue eyes and a scar above his eye repeatedly shows up, with violent deaths following close behind. It seems that Cyrus's investigations, despite his best intentions of helping Evie come to terms with her past, have in fact led a very dangerous group of powerful men directly to her, men who will stop at nothing to silence Evie forever.
When She Was Good is a worthy successor to the excellent Good Girl Bad Girl (Cyrus Haven #1), further developing the complex characters of Cyrus and Evie, and delving into greater detail of each of their haunting personal histories. I read Good Girl, Bad Girl immediately prior to launching into When She Was Good, and would strongly recommend that other readers approach the books in series order to optimise their reading experience.
Robotham's writing is assured and richly evocative, without ever becoming convoluted or bogged down in detail. His plotting is well-paced and structured in such a way as to maintain tension to the final crescendo, leaving a satisfying number of loose ends to be followed up in subsequent instalments. As always, Robotham's character development is superlative, not only as it relates to the central duo, but also the strong cast of supporting characters - DCI Lenny Parvel, often hamstrung between her fondness for Cyrus and her duties as a police officer, small-minded case worker Adam Guthrie, who regrets ever having introduced Cyrus to his client Evie, and Cyrus's mysterious high-flying patron, former Mayor Jimmy Verbic. Special mention must be made of Cyrus's friend and tattoo artist, the multi-talented Badger, who I hope we'll see more of in follow up titles.
Overall, an enthralling and compulsive read, although the subject matter of child exploitation and abuse will make When She Was Good a difficult proposition for some readers. Highly recommended for those seeking a tightly-written and multilayered psychological thriller.
My thanks to the author, published Hachette Australia and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this title prior to publication. #WhenSheWasGood #NetGalley

When She Was Good is the second book in the Cyrus Haven series by Aussie author Michael Robotham and so far it’s a wonderful series.

Evie Cormac is a character that will have you intrigued right from the beginning and you will be wanting to know more about her straight away. In this book we begin to find out a bit more about her troubled and disturbing past, a past that will proceed to haunt her.

Once again, Mr Robotham has kept his readers turning the pages looking for clues that might lead us to discovering the answers about who Evie really is. This was another superb read and one I have no hesitation in highly recommending. You could read this as a stand-alone, but I advise you read the first book, Good Girl, Bad Girl to give you a better understanding of the storyline.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy of this book to read and review.

Evie Cormac was in a secure facility where she would be safe from those who were determined to find her. Evie’s life had intersected with forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven (in #1 Good Girl, Bad Girl) and he wanted to help Evie; wanted to keep her from harm – but he also wanted to find those who had traumatized her so badly, so she could live without fear.

In the many years since she’d been found, Evie still had nightmares; still felt the terror of being taken again, and probably killed. And when she suddenly heard that voice, she knew they’d found her. So Evie did what she did best – she ran, and not even Cyrus knew where she was. Cyrus had no idea who he could trust as it was obvious to him the rot began at the top. What would happen to the young teenager who was only one of many who’d been terrorized? And could Cyrus keep Evie safe as he’d promised her he would?

When She Was Good is the 2nd in the Cyrus Haven series by Aussie author Michael Robotham and it was excellent! Such a great follow up from the first. Fast paced, filled with twists, (the big twist at the end was particularly satisfying) gritty tension and chilling thrills, When She Was Good is an intense thriller which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette AU for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

When She Was Good is a sequel to Good Girl, Bad Girl and is a continuation of a horrific but compelling story. When I found out there was to be a second novelI waited with eager anticipation and....I was not disappointed.

The story of Evie, Angel Face, and the forensic psychologist, Cyrus, continues on in an incredibly thrilling pace with lots of unanswered questions slowly revealed. The story continues into a dangerous future while we also find out more about the past. Truly a page turner with heart stopping moments and unexpected twists.

Michael Robotham is a talented storyteller and holds a readers attention from the start to the end. When She Was Good is an excellent psychological thriller with a story that is terrifying in being so believable and possible. The characters are well developed and believable; even though several of them are obviously psychologically damaged they still come across as realistic.

Highly recommended read.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher, Hachette Australia, for a copy to read and review.

Outstanding!

This is a follow on from Good Girl, Bad Girl and we pick up with Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. Cyrus is a Forensic Psychologist who is still working to help Evie, a victim of a violent crime who is unwilling to reveal anything about her past. Cyrus believes that helping her to unlock the past will set her free and Evie believes that anyone who helps her will end up dead. The events of her past have only confirmed this. The story begins with Cyrus seeking answers from an unwilling source and a murder dressed up as a suicide. Cyrus is immediately drawn in when an obscure clue draws straight back to Evie.

It would be possible to read this one as a stand-alone, however I would advise that reading Good Girl, Bad Girl will give a greater understanding of character development and motivations, and the backstory.

I wanted to read this one slowly. I did not. I wanted to take my time to enjoy the tight writing that I have come to expect from Michael Robotham. I could not. So good is the plotting, and the build-up of tension, and the action, and the pacing of the puzzle pieces you are given to unravel the mysteries, that from the first page I was hooked. This was an eagerly awaited sequel for me, and I could not sleep until I had finished it!

I have two relatively minor issues (which do not impact the enjoyability of the story), firstly, I have some lingering questions about Evie’s ability to know a lie when she hears one, but that isn’t an issue that leaves you wanting or in the dark with regard to the story, perhaps there will be further explanation or a future plot line in a third book? Secondly, as with the first book, I do wonder about the investigative authority of Cyrus, but really anyone can investigate anything they want to, and this case is personal for Cyrus. For me, neither of these issues negatively impacts the story or requires further explanation.

This story is not a ‘pretty’ one and in terms of trigger warnings readers should be aware that there is reference to (whether overtly, or alluded to) kidnapping, child exploitation, sex trafficking, suicide, self-harm, torture, murder, domestic violence and rape.

This was another psychological thrill ride and I am thankful to Hachette Australia for the opportunity to have read it and, ultimately, Michael Robotham for writing it.

This book by Michael Robotham is the second in his Cyrus Haven series. The book does not disappoint, and was as compelling as the first in the series Good Girl, Bad Girl. It continues the story of Haven, a forensic psychologist, and his dealings with Evie Cormac, the girl dubbed by the press and police as ‘Angel Face’ The characters of Haven and Evie are very well drawn, and Keep you interested and invested in what happens in the story. The novel goes at a good pace and keeps the reader guessing until the end with numerous twists and turns. Michael Robotham has another winner on his hands. Thanks to Hachette Australia and Netgalley for an advance arc of this novel

After reading quite a few poorly written mystery/thrillers in a row, Robotham and his brilliance was just what I needed.

When She Was Good is the sequel to Good Girl, Bad Girl which was clearly a 5 star read for me last year. Whilst I instantly fell in love with Cyrus, the criminal psychologist lead, in that first title, I wasn’t exactly won over by the other lead character, Evie, the young mysterious girl he is called upon to assess for a court ruling. However, given that this sequel is basically her backstory explained, I really enjoyed When She Was Good -- maybe even more than Good Girl, Bad Girl.

I just love how Robotham has a knack of making everything seem absolutely real. His descriptions of people and places are flawless. No two characters are the same and I could picture them all so easily. And even though Robotham’s characterisation is excellent, the plot is in no way secondary.

The first book featured more than one murder mystery plot and this time again, even though the focus is on Evie’s past, Robotham keeps Cyrus and co busy. Intricate threads, some introduced in the first book, some new, weave together to form a tense thriller that had me on the edge of my seat.

A lot of content is pretty disturbing; the baddies are members of a paedophile ring who also dabble in some kidnapping, torture, rape, murder, and human trafficking on the side. It’s difficult reading at times. Luckily there's enough humour and heart displayed by the characters that you get a slight sense of hope now and then.

I glanced at a couple of reviews just then, and a lot of people mentioned they thought it would be advisable to read Good Girl, Bad Girl before this one, but I would disagree. I think it would be easy enough to pick up most of the relevant details. (Not that I don't think you should read that book, only it's not essential if you can't.)

Even though there is a distinct ending to the book and the plot and characters definitely move forward, I was impressed with how Robotham left enough of the storyline open ended to hint we’ll be treated with a third in the series. I will definitely be lining up to read it when it's released.

As usual, Robotham is a cut above most of the other authors releasing books at the moment and I highly recommend When She Was Good. In fact, the only negative I can think of with the book is its title (I also didn’t like the Good Girl, Bad Girl title) and the horrible US cover (I don't get with why it features a Nicole Kidman clone).

Definitely I'll be popping this into the list of my top five reads of the year, 5 out of 5

Book 2 in the Cyrus Haven series published 2020

To quote an Australianism “what a bottler”.

Cyrus is still searching for the truth and Evie is still as enigmatic as ever.
Since the traumatic end of the last book Evie has been living in a secure residence for challenged teenagers. Still not overly happy with her situation Evie has learned to tolerate her life. She is still not forthcoming with her early life or of the things she has seen and endured. Cyrus, a Forensic Psychologist, feels that the only way forward for Evie is to unburden herself and in so doing get to the root of her troubled life. As hard as Cyrus tries Evie remains tight lipped.
But when threatening men with familiar voices start making enquiries about Evie at her supposed secret address Evie becomes very anxious. So when people close to Evie start dying it’s time for her to do a runner, yet again.

Cyrus is frantic with worry over Evie and with nowhere else to turn he asks a tech-savvy friend to do a search on a few names he has found. Now armed with more information Cyrus does some follow up interviews and discovers something very sinister involving some of society’s elite. This is never a good scenario.

Before this story ends we will get to know a bit more of Evie’s early life but before we get there, there be more killing, of both good and bad alike, and Cyrus and Evie will be taken to the very brink.

As I said earlier “what a bottler” this is the stuff of short nails and sleepless nights and when going to the toilet becomes an inconvenience.

So if you are interested in short nails and sleepless night this is the book for you.
5 stars all the way.

Thanks to Hatchette Australia and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and give an unbiased review of this book.

‘She said, “Nobody can protect me.”’

Did retired Detective Superintendent Hamish Whitmore commit suicide? Criminal psychologist Cyrus Haven does not think so. He thinks that Whitmore was murdered, and he thinks that the murder was related to an old case which Whitmore was unable to close. There’s a tiny notation in the corner of Whitmore’s whiteboard: ‘Angel Face. London. 2013.’

‘They don’t know the whole story. The real story. How it began …’

Six years ago, after a brutal murder, Evie Cormac was found hiding in a secret room. Nothing is known of her past, and her real name is unknown. Cyrus Haven wants to help her recover the past: he is convinced that it will help her. But the past is dangerous for Evie: she is the witness to events that people would kill to keep secret. Evie is in Langford Hall, a secure children’s home, waiting to be released. But she finds that nowhere is safe, and she runs away.

‘There is no such thing as forgetting.’

If you have not yet read the first book in this series ‘Good Girl, Bad Girl’, I suggest reading it first. This book builds on the story established there, and (ultimately) will provide some answers to questions raised there. Who is Evie? And how did she end up behind the wall? Is Cyrus Haven right: will uncovering the past help Evie?

‘I survived, that’s enough. I’m the proof.’

This novel is action-packed and (at times) almost heart-stopping. I vacillated between wanting to know exactly what happened and wanting Cyrus Haven to stop meddling. Evie has been damaged by her experiences and cannot trust anyone. In Evie’s experience, some secrets must be kept. And the ending is brilliant!

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

I really enjoyed the first book (Good Girl Bad Girl) and found the characters so intriguing so I was super excited to be granted an ADR from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I LOVE the start of the book and how it picks up almost straight from where book 2 left off. It's not often an author can get such a seamless transition whilst simultaneously making it a book you could read without having read the first. Without repetition.

The way Cyrus and "Angel Face" continue their relationship and the sweet bond that is developing tugs the heart strings and I feel like you can really relate to the raw emotions of the characters, the storyline was excellent and suspensful, genuinely everything you could want from a thriller.

An outstanding follow up by Rowbotham and I am already longing for book 3!

When She Was Good by Michael Robotham

I was so happy to be reading book 2 of Cyrus Haven. I loved book 1 Good Girl Bad Girl and I loved book 2 too

I enjoyed learning more about Evie’s background as we finally find where she came from and what happened in her past. As well as more about Cyrus’ family.

I could not put the book down as the story kept me on the edge of my seat. The story is fast paced and exciting.
The drama and suspense are excellent.
I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This page-turning, sensitive and haunting thriller will have you completely immersed until you’ve read the last page.

I have not yet read the previous book Good Girl, Bad Girl #1 in this series and reading When She Was Good #2 didn’t deter my enjoyment of this book whatsoever, it is easily read as a standalone.

Criminal forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven is conducting an investigation and teams up with Sasha who was the police officer who found Evie Cormac (aka Angel face) when she was a feral child, seven years old, kidnapped, raped and tortured and hiding in a small secret room space built behind a closet. Sasha would like to meet up with Evie again, it’s been a decade.

His investigations into the suicide of retired Detective Superintendent Hamish Whitmore lead him to a child sex trafficking ring and Evie’s dark past which triggers an explosive warning that he is on to something and puts Evie’s life in danger.

Evie is now living in a secure children’s home and impatient to be released once she turns eighteen, which isn’t far away. She has a special bond with Cyrus and looks forward to his visits. Nobody ever claimed Evie and they don’t know where she came from, Evie keeps everything locked up inside herself.

Evie’s back story is heartbreaking, I loved the dynamics of this duo who are fascinating characters, an excellent crime read.

If the first Cyrus Haven Book (Good Girl, Bad Girl) was the appetiser, this one was main course and dessert and Irish coffee all rolled into one. It was freaking fantastic! This picks up pretty much where the first book left off. Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven is still trying to dig into the past of Evie Cormac the enigmatic and very troubled young woman he was trying to help in the first book. And as in that book, the story is told only from the perspectives of Cyrus and Evie.

While Cyrus is trying to track down Sasha, the special constable who rescued Evie from a house of horrors 8 years ago, Evie is remembering bits and pieces of the abuses she suffered but never talked about. When a recently retired Detective Chief Inspector is found dead in his car, Cyrus is invited to the crime scene. In the man’s study, which has been ransacked, he notices Evie’s former moniker (Angel Face) in the corner of a whiteboard. He knows the case the late DCI was grappling with and now wonders if all the police’s assumptions about that case were wrong, and if Evie is somehow tied up in all this.

From there the book is turbo charged. It looks like someone is trying to shut down any re-investigation of the old case and to locate and kill Evie, whose identity and location are a closely guarded secret. Cyrus will not give up his quest for the truth as he believes it is the only way Evie will ever be safe. But Evie has other ideas. And a killer is stalking them both. This superbly written thriller delivers edge of your seat thrills and suspense. Thanks to Netgalley, Hatchette Australia and Michael Robotham for providing this review copy.

“The truth is a dull-edged knife.”

I’ve just finished this book and I think my heart is still pounding from the suspense of the last 20 or so percent of the story.

When She Was Good returns us the to the world of Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist with a traumatic history, and Evie Cormac. Dubbed ‘Angel Face,’ Evie is a girl with unknown origins and a deep well of dark secrets.

Michael Robotham has once again weaved an incredibly tense and tight tale that was engaging and exciting right from the get-go. After finishing Good Girl, Bad Girl (almost a year ago now!), I waited with high anticipation for the story to continue. There was several things I wanted from a sequel and I feel that this book has delivered that and then some.
In fact I’m walking away with much more from this story than I had bargained for. And that ending. Yikes!

I can’t say much more without giving away important details, except to comment that this is an excellent series and anyone looking for a well-written, mystery/thriller/suspense story with a great cast of strong characters, then look no further - but make sure you read them in order, otherwise this one won’t make a whole lot of sense.

Many thanks to Michael Robotham, Hachette Australia, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When She was Good is the direct sequel to Michael Robotham’s last book Good Girl, Bad Girl. While it is possible to read this as a standalone, it is highly recommended that readers start with the first book. Not only because it provides necessary context and information but it is also a great book and worth reading in its own right. With some of the table setting out of the way, When She Was Good is in some ways even better. For those who haven’t read Good Girl, Bad Girl, there may be spoilers ahead.
When the book opens, psychologist Cyrus Haven is still doing the one thing that his one time ward Evie Cormac has asked him not to do and that is investigate her past. He has tracked down Sacha, the policewoman who found Evie, then called Angel Eyes, who has gone into seclusion herself. He does not have much time to spend with Sacha before he is called the to the scene of the apparent suicide of a former detective. It is clear very quickly that the death is not suicide and what is more that the detective was looking into the closed case of a paedophile, an investigation which, from his notes, somehow involves Evie. In the meantime Evie is having troubles of her own, troubles that encourage her to recall her life and the circumstances that brought her to where she is.
While the previous book had an unrelated case that brought Cyrus and Evie together, When She Was Good is much more focussed. Cyrus’s investigation of the detective’s death and the story of what happened to Evie are closely connected. And the danger that comes with that digging, danger that Cyrus is continually warned of but ignores. not only puts Cyrus in danger but endangers Evie aswell.
When She Was Good is a dark tale centred around two damaged characters and has at its core blackmail, dark deeds and a form of high level, institutionalised child sexual abuse. But Robotham manages all of this darkness in a way that never feels exploitative. Once again, the story is only told through the alternating perspectives of Cyrus and Evie. So that those perpetrating the crimes are only seen through the point of view of the main characters and the people they speak to.
When Robotham introduced Cyrus Haven it felt like he may be just moving on to a younger version of his previous hero psychologist Joe O’Loughlin. But When She Was Good is another cracker from Robotham that not only more fully establishes Haven as a very different character but the nature of the series as being something very different. And while there is some resolution provided, the relationship between Cyrus and Evie still has plenty of room for discovery, and it feels like there are still plenty of loose ends to be examined in future instalments.

This was a Sequel to Good Girl, Bad Girl. A Cyrus Haven Series. Set in 2020 in UK,, with some flash backs to earlier years. Cyrus Haven is a psychologist and he has been searching for Sacha Hopewell for some time, in the hope of getting some information that will help him help Evie Cormac remember her real name.

Evie Cormac has been in a secure children’s home since she was a young child after being discovered hiding in a house where there had been a brutal murder. Sacha Hopewell found Evie and named her Angel Face. Evie is scared and she has good reason to be scared. Dangerous people are hunting for her..
I loved the way the characters were developed and snippets of information about Evie were revealed.
This was about children in care, corruption, family relationships and evil people.