I am always on the hunt for new crime thrillers. Luckily, Bookouture has been on the roll this year. Thanks to this publisher, I keep discovering new favorites. The Detective Morgan series is the latest addition to my ever growing list of best cop procedurals to follow.

Detective Morgan Brookes is new on the job. She is on her first solo patrol when a call comes in about a possible suicide. Morgan is first on the scene and soon finds herself recruited by the Detectives Unit assigned to the case. Morgan is easy to root for. She is young, new on the force and already has great instincts that make her a good detective. She is astute and relentless in the search for answers.

This was a twisted case. At first, I was curious about the victims. I wondered how and why a whole family was attacked. My curiosity sky rocketed when a cold case with similar details was unearthed.

I admit the reveal didn’t come as a total shock. Maybe I have read too many crime thrillers but I was able to partly solve this one before the cops did. There were, however, aspects of the case that I couldn’t have worked out. The motive also came as a complete shock. I thought I had guessed the ‘why’ but wow, I never saw that coming.

This is a promising series that is off to a great start. Fast –paced, well-written and captivating, One Left Alive has left me eager to find out what is next for Detective Morgan Brookes.

Helen Pfifer has written a very complicated and gruesome murder mystery in which a new detective is introduced. Detective Morgan Brookes discovers one body hanging in a tree and multiple bodies in an detached cellar. The discoveries are enough to propel her into the role of serving on the investigation task force, even though she has been on the job only a short time. Combining a murder mystery with a police procedural, this book will call out loudly to fans of Angela Marsons and Rachel Abbott. The details in the investigation were well-written and the twists left me guessing to the end.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This is the first in a new series and I found it be really well written and enjoyable. I found the characters interesting and look forward to seeing how they develop in further books.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts This is a new series from an author I have not read before so I thought I would try it. And I really enjoyed it.

A woman’s body is hanging from a tree and her family has been brutally murdered except one daughter miraculously left alive. And then another body is found. What is going on?

I found the suspense of this book really well written. I was trying to figure it out and kept thinking about it even when I would put the book down for a bit.

I would change a couple of things. One, I think the couple (Morgan and Ben) is being a bit rushed. And speaking of rushed the ending felt a bit rushed too. I would like a little bit of time before the two come together. Yes, we know they will but let it build. And the ending needed some time as well. I was happy with the ending but it seemed once we knew what happened it was “let’s wrap this up”.

There are a couple of things I would change but all in all this is a really good read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

'One Left Alive' is the first book in a new police-procedural series by Helen Phifer. I've never read any of this author's books before, but I have a relative who has been raving about her for some time now, so seeing this new book coming out I decided to give it a go.

And I was not disappointed.

This book gripped me from the first page and kept my interest throughout. It is quite original in the sense of how the crime is committed. A seemingly perfect and happy family is wiped out in their own home. One family member is found hanged to a tree outside the family house, while the rest are found bludgeoned to death in the cellar, one shocking discovery after the other for the police... and for the reader. It was also a shock to find one girl still barely alive. What happened to this family? Was this a case of murder-suicide? Only the girl might shed some light to all this, but that only if she manages to stay alive and with a fully functional brain.

Desperate for evidence, police officer Morgan Brookes, seconded to CID to help with the case, finally stumbles upon the file of an old, yet unsolved murder case that took place in the 1970s. Another family had been wiped out and found murdered in the same horrific circumstances and in the same house!! How could this be? What evil demon lurks inside that house? Was this the deed of the same killer, forty-five years later? Brookes and the CID team now have to try and solve the decades-old crime in order to catch the person/s responsible for the new one.

Well, I really enjoyed reading this book. The plot is quite pacy with the suspense building with every swipe of the kindle. I liked the fact that the central character, Morgan Brookes, is still fresh out of police training, for once not the usual seasoned police officer blighted by demons we usually encounter in such books. And it's inexperienced Morgan with all her self-doubts and insecurities who discovers these atrocities and works tirelessly on the case. But who was going to listen to her, a rookie? I really liked her relationship with her boss, DS Ben Matthews who as the book progresses gradually shows to be just as soft on the inside as he's hard and rough on the outside. I also found interesting both Morgan's and Ben's personal lives. I'm sure we'll see developments there in the series' next books, which now I'm determined to read as well.

With an intriguing, nail-biting plot, life-like characters, horrific blood-spattered murder scenes, vivid descriptions and crisp writing, this is a great book and I highly recommend it.

This was a definite edge of your seat thriller. One Left Alive is book #1 in the Detective Morgan Brookes series.

Detective Brookes is brand new to the job and must find a killer before he/she can strike again. Add this series to your list of must reads. You will not be disappointed!

My thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced readers copy. This book released early September 2020.

An excellent start for a new series: it's gripping, highly entertaining and it kept me hooked.
I loved the tightly knitted plot, the well thought characters and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
It's a fast paced, sometimes gruesome and highly enjoyable story.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
Entertaining and fast paced, it's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Morgan Brookes is on her first day driving solo to incidents. She is called to what looks like a suicide. The boyfriend of one of the daughters discovered the body, but the rest of the family seem to have disappeared. The local police department is very short handed & Morgan is invited to join the investigation in spite of her inexperience. (I know this is a BIG thing to have to suspend belief about, but I managed it!) A check of the house leaves Morgan uneasy & she requests to go & have another look. She discovers the rest of the family- severely battered & beaten. She also discovers one of the girls is still alive. Will she be able to tell what happened?

I don't know what it was about this book. I read a lot of police procedurals but there was something about this one that made it a cut above so many. I loved the characters & the story kept me guessing. I'm already eagerly awaiting the next one! Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I love this author. She writes so well and her main characters are always so lovable. I loved the chemistry between the main team. Morgan’s slightly dramatic personal life also adds to the story line instead of distracting. The murder is brutal and I definitely found it way more tense because I hadn’t read the blurb so wasn’t fully ready for one reveal. There are plenty of suspects and I was kept guessing until the very eventful ending.

I need a second book now because I want to see how Morgan gets on and see her new friendships bloom.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A wonderful new series from Helen Phifer begins with One Left Alive. Morgan Brookes is a police officer at the start of her career but with her sights set on CID. She is out on her first independent patrol when she gets called to a house with a woman's body hanging outside. There is no sign of the woman's family and Morgan has a bad feeling about their wellbeing.
She is seconded to CID ahead of her tutor which causes a rift. However, she develops a friendship with senior officer Ben Matthews who is nursing a broken heart after the suicide of his wife. Morgan also has heartache for her death of her mother and the alcoholism of her father.
The case is completely engaging. The present day case is further complicated by a murdered family in the same house 45 years ago as well as the murder of a newspaper editor. There are plenty of twists which kept my interest from start to finish, with a few jaw dropping moments thrown in!
I really loved this book. Morgan is passionate and determined. Ben is gruff yet vulnerable.  The humanity of the lead detectives is vividly described so we instantly empathise with both. I thought that the way Ben is teaching Morgan was an inspired way for the author to also convey to us the routines and procedures used by police. This gave us more of Morgan's perspective as we learn alongside her.
There is some romantic tension between Ben and Morgan but the main emphasis is on their professional relationship. There are enjoyable exchanges between the main and peripheral police characters which made them more believable.
One Left Alive was soooo good and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

This is how you make an entrance a great start to a new series starring Morgan Brooks

Firstly I was extremely touched by the thoughtful dedication to all the key workers who are keeping us going though the pandemic, the true heros and I echo those sentiments/

A well though out plot, I really enjoyed the progression of the story as it unfolded it held my attention throughout.

Am excited to see how this series unfolds!

ONE LEFT ALIVE is book 1 in a brand-new police procedural series featuring Detective Morgan Brookes by Helen Phifer. I’ve read a few of Helen Phifer’s books but this is definitely my favourite. A definite winner!

Police Officer Morgan Brookes has completed her police training and on her first day she responds to a call regarding a suspected suicide, a female hanging from a tree, and is first on the scene. But Olivia Potter is past saving.

When her husband and daughters cannot be traced, Morgan knows there is more to this tragedy. And then she finds them. Lying huddled together in the dark basement, each of their faces covered with a small cotton cloth, their bodies cold to the touch.

But as Morgan kneels beside the family, she realizes that one of the girls is still breathing. As she holds Bronte’s fragile hand in hers, begging her to hold on, she vows to find out who has done this.

Morgan starts investigating and DS Ben Matthews from CID is so impressed with her work, he offers Morgan a 3-month attachment, to work in CID as a detective, to see if she would like it in the future or not. Being short-handed, DC Amy Smith and DS Ben Matthews would take the lead, and Morgan would be given tasks from both on the case. Morgan happily accepted the secondment.

There are doubts surrounding Olivia Potter’s hanging. Is there a chance this is a murder-suicide?

But Morgan eventually discovers a link to a cold case from years ago. Another family was murdered in this house, and the killer was never caught.

When Morgan returns to the scene of the crime to discover more about this forgotten case, she finds another body. With Bronte still unconscious in hospital, Morgan must act fast to solve this case and lay two families to rest, before the killer returns for the girl left alive.

This is a fast paced, well written police procedural. I was hooked from the beginning and didn't want to put the book down. I was really impressed with the interaction between the characters in the team; Ben, Amy and Morgan make a great team. They all are dedicated to their job, treat each other with respect and care about each other. Morgan is Ben’s new protégé…and maybe more in the future. One Left Alive marks the start of a promising addictive new series. I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and Netgalley for my digital copy.

Bookouture is my favourite publisher and this book shows why- every book is gripping, twisty and oh so unputdownable!
Detective Brooks is a great character and I cannot wait to see what happens to her next. This is going to be the start of a brilliant series, I can taste it!

One Left Alive by Helen Phifer is the start of a new series featuring Detective Morgan Brookes. This is the second book I have read by Phifer and I am thrilled to say that once again Phifer has garnered another 5 star read from me.

On her first day as an independent police officer, Morgan gets the call of the century. What looks like a simple death by suicide turns into so much more. When the Olivia Potter’s family can’t be reached, Morgan’s gut tells her something is wrong and sets out to find the truth. Little did she know that it would lead her to finding Olivia’s husband and daughter dead while her other daughter, Bronte, is left clinging to life in the basement of their family home. Morgan soon finds herself brought into the fold of the detective department in a race against time to find a savagely vicious killer. But, will Morgan soon find herself the killer’s next target?

I absolutely love, love, love Morgan! She is the newest member to the police force and even though she is green she is smart beyond measure and like a dog with a bone she is determined to help solve this case. We also get glimpses of her personal life, why she has insomnia that wakes her up at the same time every morning. She also does not have the best relationship with her father and their story slowly emerges throughout the course of the book. Morgan may also have a new love interest in the works hopefully? I admit it did seem a bit off putting at first as there is a bit of an age difference, but you know what it worked for me as Morgan seems wise beyond her years.

The story moves along at a fast pace and has a lot of moving parts along with some red herrings thrown in to throw you off the scent of the killer. I definitely had a hard time putting this book down for even a moment. The characterization of the main players was so well done and I couldn;t help enjoying everyone on the team in the detectives department and quite honestly, I need more! I can;t wait to read what comes next for Morgan as she has quickly become one of my favorite characters in a crime series.

One Left Alive is a tense and twisting read that will grip you right from the first page. I highly recommend if you are a crime book junkie like me, then you will definitely want to pick up a copy of this book. Well worth the read!

It’s been a good year for new crime-solvers. This book is the first in the Detective Morgan Brookes series from Helen Phifer, who has a track record of writing feisty, smart female crime-fighters (see The Girls in the Lake for one example). This one is no exception.

We meet Morgan right away, as she is supposed to be on regular patrol. As a call comes in, she’s the first on the scene of death. Wrong place, right time? Because CID is short-handed, so Morgan makes the leap to the investigation squad. And there shortly is a lot more to investigate!

I really liked how the author rolled out the plot. I’ve commented several times on how first books in a series need to walk the fine line of too much backstory to provide a solid basis for going forward while still keeping the current events interesting.

The author succeeds with this, allowing the reader to get to know the other members of the squad through Morgan’s introduction to them. It’s effective and allows the plot to flow.

I also liked how the investigation progressed. It was interesting, a bit unique, and it kept me guessing. At 70%, I still hadn’t figured it out, and that’s unusual for me…usually I have at least some sort of idea. But this was well-plotted. As if I would tell you about the case….ha ha!

The only thing that stood out to me was that there were a few instances where Morgan acted out of character for a rookie. Her behavior would not be acceptable in most agencies, no matter how small. But I understand why the author chose them for plot points. It still jumped out (but I think only because of my connection to law enforcement).

All in all, it was a successful first outing, and I look forward to seeing how Morgan progresses.

I just love when I come across a brand new detective series, always looking to add to my collection and this one fits the bill nicely.

One Left Alive is the first in the Morgan Brookes and DS Ben Matthews series and what a great introduction, Morgan is literally on her first day on a solo beat when she answers a call to check out a house, entering the scene of a young teenager holding up a woman’s legs who is hanging from a tree in the garden, an apparent suicide. Not afraid to speak up, she is soon sequestered to assist in a murder investigation as they need a Detective, although she is only on the beat a wet day, given she is young, feisty, courageous, not afraid to speak her mind, DS Ben Matthews wants her on the team, she can add fresh insight and hopefully will be a valuable member of the team, besides he doesn’t exactly get along with who is next on the list for this role!

A great police procedural book with great characters whom I look forward to see evolve even further and follow their daily lives while trying to investigate serious crimes. There are some relationships forming in this first book so would like to see where they go, friendship/romance/colleagues. It was fast paced and gripping and with a great plot, whats not to like! Cannot wait to delve further into this series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advance reader copy of this book in return for review based upon my honest opinion.

I am a huge fan of this author she always seems to weave together an interesting mystery, great characters, and this book is no exception. I think Detective Morgan Brookes is going to be one of my favourite new characters I can’t wait for the next book.

This is Morgan Brookes first day out in the field on her own. She’s the first called to the scene of a suspected suicide; little does she know that this case is going to throw her into the job she has been striving for, right onto the detective team to help this investigation out. Can Morgan fit in on the team and help solve the crime or is she in over her head.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I enjoyed this although have to say it did not grip me but it was an okay read, with okay storyline and okay characters.

One Left Alive, a brand new police procedural by the author Helen Phifer finds rookie police constable Morgan Brookes become part of the investigating team, led by DS Ben Matthews after responding to a call where a woman is found dead hanging on a tree. The woman's name is Olivia Potter and to DS Ben it seems a case of apparent suicide. Her family, consisting of her husband and two daughters, oddly, cannot be contacted or traced. Morgan has misgivings about the whole thing and on a second search of the home, finds the bodies of the remaining family, brutally beaten on the head. One of the daughter's is still miraculously alive and taken to the hospital. What's more, this murder is similar to the one that took the lives of another family occurred in the same house, in 1975. Are the two crimes connected? Has the same killer striked again?

This is a promising start to the series. It was really fast paced and did not have a dull moment although I felt the ending was a bit rushed up. I also felt that it is a bit too early to work the 'romance' angle between Ben and Morgan.... let them stay and become solid professional partners first before thinking about going personal. The book also hinted at the tragedy both Ben and Morgan live with as a result of suicide of Ben's wife and Morgan's mother and I hope we get a bit of back story about what might have happened in the later books.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Helen Phifer for an e-Arc of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

This is the first in a new series with rookie Detective Morgan. She’s called to an apparent suicide and becomes involved in the investigation. Why would Olivia Potter kill herself and where are the rest of the family? Morgan then finds the family in the basement. Husband and daughter bludgeoned & dead but one sister is still alive.
You are introduced quickly to Morgan’s life, family issues and motivation for being a police officer. I also liked the supporting cast of characters.
Can’t wait for book two as I read this in one sitting.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#OneLeftAlive #NetGalley