This book was exactly what I was expecting, in a good way. It had the mystery and thrills but wasn't so disturbing that it was hard to read. It was like mystery escapism. This is great version of the kind of book it is, not for people who are looking for deep literary fiction. But perfect if you want a well written and interesting story.

One Left Alive by Helen Phifer is the beginning of a new series set in the lake District.I thoroughly love U.K set books, feel like I can get comfy and dive in!
This series revolves around Detective Morgan Brookes, a new police officer. On her own driving around the local area for the first time in her career. A call comes in, she has to attend at a possible suicide. It emerges a woman has been discovered hanging from a tree in her garden No family at all, Morgan goes to the house and finds the remaining family dead in the cellar, or so she thinks, upon further inspection, it reveals Bronte, the eldest daughter is alive. Morgan is fully determined to gain justice for them all and investigates. The horrific truth emerges that a similar murderous act took place at the same house 45 years previously. Morgan is now on the case...the question is, what is the link between the two?
Well! What an introduction to Detective Morgan Brookes and her boss too, DS Ben Matthews! Morgan is a fiesty, intelligent, caring and such a hard worker, needing to get answers and get them yesterday as well hopefully, I love her. Ben is a man struggling with guilt from his wife's suicide and we can see this with his moodiness, although, his DC Amy Smith brings the banter with him and we see some much needed lightness at times within the book through these two.I do wonder if it will be a cemented trio in the next book. It does look like it may head that way and I hope so, it is an enjoyable angle to the story.
I am now looking foward to the next book.Seeing how Morgan is getting on in her training and what other cases she can (hopefully) solve.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the gift of the book to take part in the blog tour today.

A great start to a new series, I was hooked from page 1. A story with many twists which will have you guessing till the end. Looking forward to reading the next book

This is the first in a new series featuring Morgan Brookes, a rookie who manages to impress the boss on her first day of independent patrol. Promoted to assist in a murder investigation because she's feisty, outspoken, and apparently more observant than her colleagues, Morgan rapidly dives in to help hunt for the killer.

I guess I've read enough police procedural and detective novels now that it is impossible to find something new and fresh. I had it all figured out fairly quickly and had a hard time buying into Morgan's rapid rise in the CID for the Cumbria Constabulary. The investigative work was really sloppy and her relationship with her supervisor, DS Ben Matthews, seemed quite inappropriate and unlikely given their age difference and his past.

Although it was a fast read, I doubt I'll continue on with the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

A very engrossing police procedural. I couldn’t believe how time rolled on when I started reading about Morgan, a rookie cop promoted to CID, whose instincts were sharp enough to guide her to answers.

Morgan, a beat cop to begin with, was called for the case of a body hanging from a tree. That disturbed her instincts and on the next day, she found a few more bodies. But one was still alive. With the support of her boss, Ben, she found herself right in the middle of the team investigating the murders.

Having read her earlier book, author Helen Phifer had surpassed my expectation. I thought it would be a routine police procedural, but it turned out to be more exciting due to a kickass main character. I could honestly say that I loved this book far, far more.

Morgan, as the main character, endeared herself to me as the pages turned. There was something so grounded about her. I was happy that the author didn’t go overboard with her personal problems. She felt normal and reliable with her intelligence sharpened to a fine tune. That made the investigation seem sharp.

The story was fast paced, and twists were hidden well. Time just floated away with me savoring every line of the prose. One striking point was the words had powerful imagery. I could ‘see’ the story as I read the book. I loved that feeling of seeing a movie in the lines.

For me, the spotlight was on Morgan, and she along with the author who created her made the book awesome. One of my favorite characters in this genre.

A brilliant book that hopefully is the start of a long series.
Great characters
Great story
Real and compelling
A thoroughly good read

Favorite Quotes:

She remembered what it was like to be a teenager all too well; you never accepted anything an adult offered. God, was that what she was now: an adult? It was strange to think that she was probably only five or six years older than him, yet here she was trying to solve the murder of his girlfriend’s family.

If you ask me, she was already dead when they did that. Awful thing to do, vile. It’s like killing her twice; once wasn’t enough so they did it all over again.’

What had her life come to getting relationship advice from a doctor who only worked with dead people?… ‘I have to go; I’m not used to being around so many living souls, it’s not good for my chakras.’

‘It’s not like on the television, is it?’ Amy spat crumbs of brownie all over herself, almost choking on the laughter which erupted. ‘No, it definitely is not. We don’t manage to solve the crimes in an hour.’

My Review:


An excellent start to a new series, and I plan to be following every one of their riveting cases if they are all as absorbing and well-crafted as this one. I’m rather new to police procedurals but I enjoyed the deft storytelling and complex characters on both sides of the law. The case was cannily layered and well-nuanced with compelling side stories and welcome hits of humor and humanity to balance the emotional tone. I respected these people as well as their process and look forward to solving more conundrums with them, as well as seeing how well they rub along together in future endeavors.

A new book in a new series. I always love a new book in a new series! And this one is a keeper. It was a little cheesy at times but it was cheesy in a charming way. That's weird to say about a story revolving around a murder. It was the relationships between the squad, the "old" detective (they kept talking about how old he was and he's not that old) and the rookie who stumbles onto the team. Their relationship is awkward and entertaining and touching.

The crime itself was one that unfolded before the reader. There was no sudden, end of the book revelations that summed it all up. Every new clue brought out more of the mystery and I found myself solving it along with them. In this one, I got some right and some wrong. Always better that way.

I look forward to seeing where this goes next.

This was an ok read. Although I liked the lead detective, I found a lot of the other characters rather one dimensional. Some fleshing out of the characters was needed.

The romance aspect between Morgan and more senior detective was frankly a bit icky.

I was actually surprised to find this was written by an experienced author as this felt rather clunky.

Not one I feel I can recommend I’m afraid.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

Well...I hope this becomes a series. Very nice story about a young woman that has become a police officer. Driving around to get to know the lay of the land she gets dispatched to a woman hanging from a tree and a young man trying to take the weight off so she doesn't die. The story gets more involved and escalates from that point on as she gets on the job training in a hurry. Great story and wonderful characters.

This was my first book by Helen and after reading this I’m going to have to go and buy her entire back catalogue. This is a writer who has taken me nostalgically back to when I loved police procedural books and they were my comfort reads, somewhere along the way I switched to thrillers.

This book had everything I wanted and I’m not joking when I say I couldn’t put it down and totally unlike me I’m wishing for December to get here so I can read book two (hate winter love summer).

So what did I love so much…. well every single character for starters. From rookie police officer Morgan who is thrown in at the deep end on her first day and her moody boss Ben who is struggling with guilt after his wife’s suicide. Morgan I seriously adored and loved that she was intelligent, feisty, prepared to work hard but still thoughtful and caring. The banter between Ben and his Detective Constable Amy Smith was some much needed light in a very dark situation and them bringing Morgan into the fold makes me feel the next book in the series will hopefully be these three musketeers resuming to fight more crime. Then there was Morgan’s dad Stan, the wonderful friendly pathologist, jealous colleague Dan and the seriously unlikeable lineup of suspects.

Look I’m in serious ramble mode here (that’s what happens when I love something, I don’t shut up) as I haven’t even got to the plot yet and this ones a goodun. Morgan is first at the scene of what appears to be the suicide of a wife and mother yet the family cannot be contacted. Morgan feeling something is wrong goes back to the house even after it was searched and discovers the rest of the family bound and violently beaten to death. However the eldest daughter is still alive. Then it’s a race to put together the clues (and you totally feel as if you are part of the crime solving unit) and work out who did it.

I did work out everything but let me tell you something it made me love it even more as I felt I was part of it and one of the gang. I really can’t thank Bookouture enough for giving me the absolute pleasure of reading this and adding a new favourite author to my must read list.

This is the first in the Detective Morgan Brookes series by Helen Phifer.
Having read all of Helen Phifer's books I knew that I was in for a treat. And I was definitely not disappointed.
This was fast paced and gripping from the very beginning.
I would highly recommend it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this Arc.

One Left Alive by Helen Phifer is the first in the Detective Morgan Brookes series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Information:

Morgan Brookes has always dreamed of being a detective. As a rookie officer, she finds the body of a woman, and is catapulted into the Crime Investigation Department under the direction of DS Ben Matthews, where she will work with him and DC Amy Smith.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

On the first day that Morgan is riding alone, she finds the dead body of Olivia Porter hanging from a tree on her front lawn. Her family is not so easily located. But again, it is Morgan who finds Olivia's husband and two daughters, brutally beaten to death. Miraculously, the older daughter survives, but is in a coma.

As Morgan delves deeper into this horrific act, a similar case surfaces from 45 years ago. Perhaps finding a connection will help solve both cases.

Meanwhile, Morgan is feeling very comfortable with her new team-mates, although she cannot figure out the animosity that has suddenly appeared with her old partner Dan.

Then there is the fact that her father has insinuated himself back into her life.  She is not pleased.


My Opinions:   

I really enjoy books by this author, and this new series is looking good. Phifer has another crime series hit on her hands.

The writing, as always, is good, and the plot was rich with twists and turns. The book is a fast and entertaining read, with fairly short chapters and a lot of action. The characters already have some depth, and I'm looking forward to learning more about Amy. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the team members.

I guess my only complaint would be that the probability of Morgan being assigned to this case in a "detective" role is pretty much nil. That, and the fact that she was on her own so much, and allowed to do whatever she felt was right. However, for the sake of fiction, it worked well.

Overall, it was a well-written book, with a great plot, and interesting characters. I'm looking forward to the next one already!

Detective Morgan Brookes is a newbie, called to one gruesome crime scene after another. In one, a woman is found hanging, and then there are the girls with white cloths over their faces. One of them is dead but the other is still alive. Morgan does her best to get help to the girl, but she must find out why someone would wish to kill an entire family, apart from one. Newly assigned to the CID, Morgan has no choice but to take the plunge. Plagued by insomnia, she becomes obsessed with the case, but every clue takes her to a dead end. Then she discovers a link to a cold case...

In this first book of an exciting new series, the reader meets Morgan and her team as she has to deal with the post mortems, numerous interviews, and awful scenes. Helen Phifer's characterisation was excellent and, as well as Morgan herself who was smart and enthusiastic, I enjoyed the parts of the story that included DS Ben Matthews who assigned her. The plot was well thought out and I enjoyed the progression to the big reveal with the doubt about which discoveries were significant. One Left Alive was entertaining and held my attention throughout, and although Ben was still struggling to cope with his wife's death, it was obvious that he and Morgan got on very well together. It will be interesting to see what Helen Phifer has in store for them in the second instalment, The Killer's Girl. Overall, a fantastic start to a new series that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Police thriller with lots of twists.A new character who,surprisingly quickly,makes it on to the team of detectives. The characters were great and the story engrossing.

I was excited to be able to preview a new series by Helen Phifer, featuring Detective Morgan Brookes.
What a promising start was delivered in this book. It was interesting to read a crime series, being told by a rookie Detective, you definitely felt every growing pain she had to endure. I hoping she will be developed more in the coming books. The case was very disturbing, dealing with an family annihilation, it will give you all the feels.
I look forward to reading the next installment.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.
#netgalley
#oneleftalive

Morgan is newly qualified police detective, so new that it's her first day on the job, needless to say this is not how she imagined her first day going. A family murdered with only one survivor, now the spotlight is on Morgan to figure out who the murderer is and the motive before they come back to possibly finish of the one person who can tell all.

This is the first book I've read by Helen Phifer but it won't be the last, I'm now eagerly awaiting the second book in the series that comes out in December.
I received a free copy from the author/publisher through netgalley in return for an honest review

The story takes of with rapid speed and doesn't let up 'til the end. Well written, with great characters, this book was just brilliant, scary, dark and twisted. It shows that psychopaths are coming in all shapes and forms and you can't be certain to always know who to trust or not. Read, read, read!

One Left Alive is the first instalment in the Police Constable (PC) Morgan Brookes series and set in the fictional town of Rydal Falls, Cumbria. When PC Brookes is assigned a case on her very first day of working as a solo investigator having just completed her basic training it has already been deemed as rather open and shut and of apparent suicide by her superiors. She makes her way to the house where Olivia Potter’s limp body hangs from a tree in the garden as but with no sign of her family, Morgan wonders if they may have been involved and perhaps then fled. Her gut instinct begins to tell her that she may have missed something at the house and requests to return to the Potter’s home the following day. After a thorough search of the house, she discovers her worst nightmare; in the basement are the bodies of Olivia’s husband Saul and daughters Bronte and Beatrix. Shocked that a similar murder took place in the same location almost half a century ago, she sets out to find the link, if any, between them. It has to be more than a coincidence, right?

This is a compulsive, addictive and fast-paced police procedural with a well-crafted plot and an interesting and engaging cast of characters. It's well written with a plethora of twists, turns and red herrings to throw you off the scent and right from the beginning I was hooked. The fact that it is primarily told from the perspective of Morgan and her boss DS Ben Matthews makes it easy to follow with no unnecessary filler or padding. If you can suspend your disbelief and overlook some of the unrealistic aspects of the book then this is a highly entertaining and engrossing story. The identity of the perpetrator is kept hidden until the big reveal where the tension is ratcheted up ready to uncover the mystery behind the brutal killings. Morgan is a great protagonist and central character as she is bursting with enthusiasm for her new job and is determined to get justice for the victims. It also appears that love could be on the cards between her and Ben in future books. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.

This is the first time I have read a book by this author and I am excited to discover that I now have another thriller writer to add to my list of favourites.
One Left Alive is the start of a new series featuring Detective Morgan Brookes.
I read half the book in one sitting and the rest of it in one more reading session.
From the very beginning I was pulled into a very believable plot with new police recruit Morgan. She is fresh out of training college and has been tutored by Dan. Dan is an experienced and good officer but what gives his character more depth is his personal motives which are none too considerate and later behaviour towards Morgan suggests a shader part to his nature.
On her first independent patrol Morgan is called to a suicide but what looks like a woman taking her own life is very far from what it turns out to be and Morgan finds herself unexpectedly supporting the CID team.
I loved the setting, the Lake District, where the book is set, as I have enjoyed many holidays there and know a lot of the areas mentioned. It adds to the broody remoteness and the author writes in a way that gives the reader a real sense of the place.
Morgan is feisty and determined and I could imagine how hard it is for her to gain respect amongst her male colleagues. She has an interesting and sad back story which makes her vulnerable as does her boss DS Ben Matthews. Neither back story is sickly sweet though and it is an unlikely pairing which I thought would lead to friendship but might actually result in a tentative love story.
I enjoyed the banter between Ben and CID officer Amy and Declan, the pathologist is an interesting addition whose story is bound to be developed in further books.
For me it was an easy read with extremely likeable characters, in a gorgeous setting and with an investigation that kept me hooked.
Book 2, I am ready for you!