Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the arc of Her Husband's Grave written by P.L Kane.

This book was not for me. I was honestly quite bored, and struggled to finish. I didn't like the characters, but the writing style was not too bad, though not my favorite. This book was just not a winner for me.

A Body On A Beach....
A body buried on a beach, a coastal village, old secrets and threats to life - criminal psychologist, Robyn Adams, has her hands well and truly full. Engaging murder mystery with many threads and some really enjoyable storytelling despite some very unlikeable characters!

Solid and satisfying crime thriller swirling around Robin Adams, a criminal psychologist, who goes back to her childhood home to help her cousin Vicky after her husband is found dead. Robin is exhausted and traumatized by her last case. She needs to rest but feels an obligation. What follows is a well written and well plotted story with twists and turns I wasn’t expecting and had to rush through to the unexpected ending.

Robyn is a consultant psychologist working with the police and is still recovering from serious injuries she received from a serial killer on her last case. She receives a phone call from her cousin Vicky asking for her help as her husband Simon has been found murdered on their local beach. Robyn hasn’t seen Vicky for a few years but decides to travel to help her as she used to spend her summer holidays there with Vicky. The police don’t appreciate Robyn’s help and she soon realises that someone doesn’t want her there meddling. Robyn starts to receive threatening notes and knows that as secrets are revealed her life will be in danger, I enjoyed the storyline but certainly didn’t like the two main characters and the book didn’t really grip me.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Digital for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Robyn is surprised to receive a call from her cousin Vicky, someone she hasn’t spoken to for years, asking for help. She jumps in her car and returns to Golden Sands to find that her cousins Husband has been found murdered, buried on the beach; and she agrees to help. But she has to try and get in with the police first…..

As she delves into the investigation, other secrets are uncovered, and Robyn finds herself hitting an all time low. But despite her own problems, she promised Mia (her cousin’s little girl), that she would find the killer; and she is determined. But the more she investigates, the more danger she finds herself in. And as secrets she’s been trying to hide come out, can her newly found relationship with her cousin survive?

There were some bits I really enjoyed about this book and others that I wasn’t so sure about. Starting with the characters, Robyn isn’t the warmest person and I found her quite hard to like. Although she has her own issues going on, as well as an addiction to painkillers, as a psychologist I would have thought she’d have her head screwed on a bit more. But then from what she appears to have gone through recently (in the previous book?), and her past I can see why she is messed up. However, that doesn’t excuse the things she does, and the things that have happened in her past.

Vicky again, isn’t a particularly nice character. She’s obviously in a bad place because she’s just lost her Husband, but her attitude and the way she goes about things is definitely questionable. Although I wasn’t a massive fan of Robyn, I did feel for her. Vicky asked for her to come and then treats her terribly.

Saying that though, there were a couple of characters I really liked. Watts was brilliant. Poor guy though; he needs to realise he’s far to good for Robyn and go find himself a nice girl!! And Mia was cute, wise and funny – a fantastic little character.

In terms of the plot, I enjoyed the storyline behind the murder and the things that the investigations uncovers. There are bits throughout the book where the chapter is told by an unknown source, and refers back in time. It becomes clear what this is later but I was slightly confused by this at first. I felt at the times that the plot focussed a lot of the family issues, rather than the crime; but this just added an extra layer to the story for me.

The pace of the novel was pretty good, although I felt that it suddenly ended. There was a lot of suspense building up to the conclusions, but I felt that the ending came quite quickly and would have liked a bit more detail. I felt like some of the things were wrapped up in a sentence or two.

Although the storyline involves murder and some other darker subjects, I found this to be quite a light read, and found that the writing style was quite light hearted. The narrative between the characters is quite stuttery, and at first this put me off my flow a bit, but I actually came to quite enjoy this later as it made it feel more real.

Overall I did enjoy this, and would definitely read more from this author again. Although there were a few areas that niggled me, it didn’t put me off the story. And even though I don’t particularly like Robyn, I’d still be interested to see what happens to her next. Hopefully she sorts herself out!!

Rating 3.5

Robyn is a psychologist who is well-known for her role in capturing serial killers. When her cousin's husband is found murdered she is called on to help. A bit disjointed with side plots. The characters have a problem with stammering the beginning of sentences. The ending was somewhat predictable as was the main character.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

This is a good read but I feel that I didn’t gel with any of the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

It's a no from me. Nothing held my attention, nothing was gripping or compelling me to read further, and i just couldn't get into it like i thought i was going to. The premise sounded amazing, but the characters were flat and that turned me away from the first page.

3-4 stars, as it took me quite a bit of tries to get into it enough to finish. It’s a very slow start, which definitely made it hard for me to get fully hooked. When I did finally get to where it picked up, I felt it was so much better! It became fast paced, chilling, thrilling, and shocking! It’s one that I couldn’t give a full 4 or 5 stars too, because the slowness and continual trying to get into it brought my rating down; but also couldn’t rate too low; because it was excellent after a certain point! Do recommend, but recommend not giving in too easily, as I promise it’s worth reading it all! It’ll give what you thrill lovers seek, even if the beginning is less than promising!
I will make sure to buzz around platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

A little slow for me but I would go back and read more from this author. Ending definitely picked up.

Wow, what a thrilling read! I didn't know what to expect from page to page, and couldn't stop reading it until the very end. Recommended for anyone who loves a good whodunnit.

‘Her Husband’s Grave’ was a tightly plotted thriller based around a psychologist Robyn who has returned to her ‘summer home’ of Golden Sands at the bequest of her cousin Vicky. Vicky’s husband has been found murdered and buried on the beach. There are a lot of twists and turns in this book and once the author had set the scene, they just kept on coming right to the very end. I really enjoyed the final twist at the story’s conclusion.

A lot of crime fiction nowadays has a protagonist who is damaged in some way. However, Robyn still came across as approachable and empathetic whilst still being completely messed up. I think that because a lot of her mental health problems revolves around a previous case you can understand why she would act they way she does. I think there is a lot more hiding under her surface though and could easily see this becoming a series. Is this going to happen Paul??

I really enjoyed the plot and there are a few stand out scenes for me! I loved the library scene and the one where Robyn is a peeping tom! They both made me laugh. They were good counter-balances to some of the darker scenes in the book. I can’t say too much as I don’t want to spoil the plot for you guys.

I don’t know why but the setting of Golden Sands made me think of Scarborough. It’s the right location and some things like the castle, the funfair, and pubs being taken over by chains just made me think of my home town.

If you are looking for a great thriller to spend a sunny day reading then this is the book for you! It’s compelling from the opening scene, the pace ramps up in the second half of the book and it’s just a great thriller. I could spin platitudes aplenty but why make it complicated. Basically, it’s a 4⭐️ read.

This is the first book by Paul Kane I’ve read and I’ll definitely pick up more of his work. I love a good murder mystery, although I very rarely get it right! The story follows criminal psychologist Robyn Adams as she is recovering from a traumatic experience in her latest case. Robyn is at breaking point and just when she thinks she has no one, her estranged cousin Vicky calls asking for her help. Vicky’s husband Simon, has been found murdered and partially buried in the seaside town she grew up. Robyn has no choice but to return to her hometown and face past traumas. Neither of them could have predicted what would come next.

This one was definitely a slow burn, the first half of the book is all about setting the scene and introducing the characters. Golden Sands is such a eerie seaside town with lots of secrets and although a little over descriptive in parts, the author sets the scene well and brings the reader into the lives of its residents. The story jumps between multiple POV’s mainly Robyn and Vicky. I enjoyed learning about Robyns line of work, she has worked on some of the most gruesome cases and it was interesting getting into the mind of a serial killer!

The main thing for me was that other than Robyn, I didn’t seem to connect with any of the other characters, they didn’t fully engage me but that’s just a personal opinion. I didn’t see the ending coming and liked how everything was wrapped up nicely.

Overall if you are a fan of crime fiction and are looking for a creepy murder mystery with twists and lies then I recommend giving this one a go.

I read this for a blog tour.

An enjoyable thriller, where one person's growing paranoia threatens to unravel everything around them.

Robyn needs a break, moving straight from a serial killer case that could have killed her to a more personal one involving her family members has a detrimental affect on her mental wellbeing and sends her spiralling.

Her past resurfaces and her relationship with her cousin threatens to fall apart completely. Complicating matters is her rocky professional agreement with the local police and her decision to try and solve the murder on her own.

The case takes a back seat to Robyn's growing crisis and becomes more of a book about her not managing her issues and how dangerous that can be.

I found this book interesting and enjoyable as it was more than the average thriller it initially appeared to be.

This isn’t your typical fast paced thriller, this is more an in depth view in the psychology that comes with crime. With the main character Dr Robyn Adam, being a consultant psychologist who has previously worked on high profile cases, she seems the perfect person for her cousin Vicky to contact when her husband Simon is found dead. Unfortunately Robyn’s meddling is not wanted by the local police or by the person sending her threatening notes. Very Scooby Doo.

This book opens with a heart attack, a watch and a body so as soon as I started reading I was sucked in. I was then given Robyn’s harrowing back story and the fallout she is dealing with from previous cases.

A small coastal village with connections to Robyn’s past was the perfect setting as what comes with that is often a small village mentality that is not accepting of non locals interfering.

With the use of regular thriller tropes to keep the story flowing it still had me guessing as to who was behind it all. However for me personally I would have preferred less viewpoints as it did get a bit confusing at times and I became a bit sidetracked.

Oh and as a little side note, authors please stop writing female characters with alcohol or drug dependency issues. Some of us women can deal with hard knocks and be devilishly smart without the need of substances as an emotional crutch. Please make your women mentally and physically strong and capable. I promise you won’t regret it and many female readers will applaud you for it.

Oooh, I do love a good psychological thriller and this was one very good psychological thriller indeed! There are certain ingredients in a good thriller. The plot line has to grip you very early on. As do the characters, love or hate them you have to want to find out what happens to them. What makes them tick and, of course, what secrets they hold. These boxes are all ticked here!

Robyn is quite a complex character. She assists the police in tracking down and convicting serial killers. Something that has put her in grave danger in the past. She’s seen evil head on and after she has helped bring it in, she then has to try and live with the experience. She is certainly damaged and dealing with her own demons and perhaps the chase is merely a distraction for what is at work in her own head.

When her cousin’s husband is found dead, she is pulled back to the coastal village where she spent many summers growing up. A place with many memories and not all of them good. Her cousin Vicky has called for her help but Robyn feels a deep sense of unease upon returning. Someone doesn’t want her there and they certainly don’t want her digging around in police matters. But just what lengths will they go to to stop her? Past secrets come back to haunt her and again her life is on the line and this time she could quite possibly lose everything.

Paul has written a great many books and he certainly knows what he is doing, this novel still managed to maintain a freshness and a sense of not knowing how it will turn out. It kept me guessing and the twists and turns had me turning those pages. It is an entertaining and exciting thriller, thoroughly enjoyable and gripping. I wonder if we might see more of Doctor Robyn Adams? I certainly hope so!

I enjoyed this book. Being set in UK makes for an interesting read as I compare terminology to US policing. Good storyline with added twists to keep one guessing

Robyn Adams is a clinical psychologist, she’s on a break recovering from events during her last case. She receives a call from her cousin, Vicky. Her husband has just been found dead.

So, Robyn rushes to the area to help Vicky and find out what had happened to Simon.

But, it’s not that easy as she begins to investigate she receives threatening notes…now her life is in danger. But why?
Can she find out who killed Simon before it’s too late?

Her Husband’s Grave is a twisty, intense psychological thriller that will have you hooked from the very first page….utterly gripping.

Thank you to P L Kane, the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of Her Husband’s Grave. This is my honest and unbiased review.

Simon was found dead on the beach, and it was up to Robyn, the criminal psychologist, to find the elusive thread which would lead the cops to the killer. A good murder mystery by author P L Kane.

The premise was exciting, and writing kept Robyn in focus. The interpersonal relationships that she developed with her cousin and niece touched my heart. The investigation was sporadic in the first half with Robyn getting rebuffed at her every attempt to help the cops. The threatening noted were a nice touch.

The niggles hit me; suspense was minimal, and the plot concentrated on family more than crime. But the story soon marched ahead when the need to unmask the killer built up. The ending was a pleasant surprise.

A sedate murder mystery.

I have really mixed feelings about this book.- part of me loved it and wanted to keep reading it, and another part just wanted to skip to the lat few chapters to find out what happened (disclaimer: I chose the former). I enjoyed parts of this massively but other bits really didn't and felt like it was quite clunky and you could sort of tell where the writing flow stopped and started. I'd be really interested to read another P L Kane book to see if it is the same, the story was good, the continuity needed some work. Also the main character was v cool.