A solid four star read. Good premise. Great characters. Enjoyed t writing style. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing. It even had a twist that I didn’t see coming. Definitely look forward to the next offering. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it

Michelle Wentworth, a ruthless and rather infamous businesswoman finds her son Justin clubbed death in their driveway, in between their both cars. He’s described a quiet student without many friends while his mother is at least controversial. DI Annie Delamere and DS Zoe Everett turn their investigation into that direction.
Annie’s partner, the MP Sheena Parson is involved with a protest and strike against an employer that outsourced its support processes to a company that leaves them no option than zero-hours contracts. This means that they’re not guaranteed minimum hours or wages any longer. This company belongs to Michelle Wentworth. The police get involved when the manager’s car gets vandalised.
A week later, the union rep is also murdered.

Michelle, the mother of the victim is the main character in this story, more so even than the lead detectives. She’s a very unpleasant person without any ethics. Her life revolves around money and power. She’d give Montgomery Burns (of the Simpsons) a hard day. Within the first pages, just prior to his murder she tells how much she loathes her own son. Her ex-husband describes her as a nasty, conniving bitch that doesn’t care who she threads on or hurts as long as she gets what she wants. She wants to be in control everywhere and at all times.
Where Michelle is ruthless, her employee/friend/lawyer Peter Hardy sounds a creepy manipulator and not someone I’d put my trust in.
This story paints a bleak picture of what’s wrong with the current labour and business practices. Those unsavoury practices described in this book, are unfortunately imposed in more and more sectors and countries around the globe. The collateral damage of extreme capitalism erodes the fabric of the social welfare our fathers and mothers fought for, not all that long ago. If some CEO’s of well-known multinationals have their way, we return to forced slave labour.
The author very cleverly mixes genuine social problems and thriller elements into the intrigue of this police procedural and creates a unique brand. The story is well-written and reads very easy. Because of this social context and the lengthy introduction of the characters, the story starts out rather slowly and gains its momentum only in the second half.
Small criticism: sometimes the writer uses such deliberately official language that you have to read a sentence more than once to understand what’s intended. It can be my imperfect English or an illustration of how unintelligible contracts and documents are.
It’s also a bit unlikely that the police will so early on in an investigation stop looking at the background of the victim and move on to the mother’s enemies.
I thank Netgalley and Canelo for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest, unbiased review of it.

Although I very much like the detective team of Annie and Zoe and I see potential here, this mystery did not reel me in. Michelle Wentworth is a successful businesswoman, but an unpopular person. When her some Justin is bludgeoned at the start of the book, Annie must determine if this is due to one of her ruthless business deals or not.

Several victims later and the main connection is Michelle. She, on the other hand, is trying to distract the investigation from her current business proceedings.

Overall I would give this book 3.5 starts for the potential of the series and the fact that I would read another. I think that this book had an ending that did not make sense and a random victim that seemed like he did not really fit, just sort of thrown into the mix. Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher

LOST HOURS by Alex Walters is second book in the Detective Annie Delamere British crime / police procedural and is set in England. Detective Inspector Annie Delamere and a co-worker, Detective Sergeant Zoe Everett are called to Michelle Wentworth’s home. Michelle has found her son dead in the front parking area. Annie is put in charge of the case. Soon, other story lines are introduced; one of which involves Annie’s partner, MP Sheena Pearson. Are the cases related? Was Michelle the intended victim? Is it personal or business?

While the main characters were individuals you could root for, they didn’t have as much depth as I expected and the secondary characters definitely needed more depth. The reader does not get a good feel for Annie and Zoe. They are competent in their jobs, but there was not any growth. They were not dynamic or unique. Michelle was actually a complex, but unlikeable character. The plot is complex, and the pace picked up in the last 30 percent of the book.

However, the stakes were high and that kept me interested in what was going to happen next and the ending is very dramatic. A lot of themes ran through this novel including family relationships, business ethics, revenge, greed and much more.

Overall, this was an entertaining read that was a police procedural, not a thriller. There is mystery and twists and turns, but it is not a page-turner until near the end. However, it is easy to get caught up in the story and you definitely want to find out what is really happening. If you enjoy this type of book, then I recommend checking out the series.

Canelo and Alex Walters provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for November 5, 2020.

This is the second in the DI Annie Delamere series and it is every bit as good as its predecessor, Small Mercies. If you like an engrossing police procedural where the bodies come thick and fast then this is really for you.

When successful but controversial business woman Michelle Wentworth’s son, Justin, is beaten to death Annie Delamere is charged with leading the investigation. It is clear from the outset that, although Michelle wants to know who murdered her son, there are some aspects of her life that she would really rather not have examined. Delamere has only just commenced her enquiries when the body of trade union leader, Keith Chalmers, is dumped outside the gates of Michelle’s remote home. Then Sammy Nolan, an employee with a firm that Michelle has dealings with, is found murdered at his home and finally her lawyer, Peter Hardy, is bludgeoned to death by Michelle’s swimming pool. How are all these killings linked and what is the motive behind them? Amidst rumours of dodgy business deals, protests and strikes by workers in businesses connected to Wentworth, drug dealing and suspicious financial transactions; Delamere begins to uncover a number of suspects and some past affiliations which might connect all the victims.

This is a fast paced, clever and gripping read. It explores the themes of money, power, revenge, the changing nature of trade unions and the treatment of workers on zero hour contracts. The characters are very authentic and the author avoids the danger of caricatures. Set during an Indian summer in the Peak District which adds to the febrile atmosphere of hunting for the killer this is a terrific novel with an ending that will raise your eyebrows.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of Lost Hours, the second novel to feature DI Annie Delamere of the Derbyshire Police.

Annie and her partner, DS Zoe Everett, are called out to a remote house in the Peak District where Justin Wentworth has been bludgeoned to death in the front garden while his mother, Michelle, sunbathes in the back. Michelle is a ruthless businesswoman and it soon becomes apparent that Justin’s death is related to her business dealings when there is a second death.

I enjoyed Lost Hours which is full of twists and turns that make for compulsive reading. I must admit that I was truly baffled about what was going on and how the victims linked together so I kept going until I had my answers and read it in one sitting. The solution is quite convoluted so I had to read it twice to read all the ins and outs, and even then there is room for ambiguity. It’s clever. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the first novel in the series, Small Mercies, but this a step up with a more engrossing plot line, more tension and more settled characters.

I like Annie Delamire who is settling in as a smart, sensible detective, well able to handle both her boss, who is prone to panic, and her interviewees, who tend to lie, keep secrets and be generally awkward. I’ve yet to work out the point of DS Zoe Everett, even though she has a prominent role. She just seems to be there and hint at trouble in her personal life. She’s insubstantial.

Lost Hours is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

2nd in the DI Annie Delamere series and this promises to be another must read series

Called to the house of buisness woman Michelle Wentworth, Di Annie and her Ds Zoe are tasked with discovering who murdered Michelle's teenage son who has been attacked in the house, they discover that he may have been accidentally killed and that his mum was the intended target, a ruthless businesswoman with many enemies

A very easy to read page turner that leaves you racing to the end

A good detective story with a decent plot and interesting backgound to the crime(s). Michelle is a business woman who finds her son dead. Lots of possibilities emerge about the killer but no real evidece which meant that the detectives did not really have any leads to follow. A couple more deaths later and we are not sure whether the crimes are linked or not .
On the whole a good read, though the police could have looked at the central characters in more detail (I hope that they would in real life anyhow) and I prefer a little more detail regarding the investigation and the thought patterns of the crime-solvers so that I too can think about who did it. I will definitely look out for more from this author though ..
Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC in echange for an honest review

Lost Hours by Alex Walters

This is the second book in a series however this is the first book of this author for me.
Michelle Wentworth, A ruthless business woman, finds her son dead by violent means, at her own doorstep
DI Annie Delamere and DS Zoe Everett starts the investigation, finding out everyone they talk to seems to be a possible suspect (They all have a bone to pick with Michelle)
With another body turning up, and too many suspects in the case, it’s up to Annie to look for the right angle to solve this!
This is a Police procedural novel; however some parts seemed little dragging with fewer details on characterization everyone except Michelle.
The team should have some established dynamics as this is a series and repeated review of evidence dragged the story.
Thank you Netgalley for my copy

This one was just okay for me it was a little convoluted and I didn’t feel engaged in characters . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

Just lacking something in my honest opinion. Unpleasant characters, except the main two detectives, who I just couldn't connect with. Not grabbed by the motive for the murders and not keen on the ending. Sorry, not a bad book, but no spark to grab me and keep me interested.

This is the second in the Detective Annie Delamere series. Not reading book one did not hinder my reading of this book. I am sure I missed some background and character building, but the author gave enough to make this readable on its own. Annie our DI and her partner DS Zoe Everett are called to investigate the murder of a ruthless business woman, Michelle Wentworth. Justin, her son, is murdered on their property while Michelle relaxes by the pool. Before Annie and Zoe get to the scene, Michelle has already called her lawyer/lover to the house. As the investigation into Justin's death progresses we meet some of the other detectives Annie and Zoe work with in additi9on to Annie's life partner Sheena and Michelle's mother, Margaret. Both of these women manage to get connected to the murder and potentially cause Annie to be removed from the case. Bodies start piling up and while they look like the same MO as Justin's murder, there seems to be no connection between the victims. I enjoyed this book and am giving it a 3.5 rounded to a 4.
Thank you to NG, the Publisher, and the Author for allowing me to read this book in exchange or an honest review.

DI Annie Delamere and DS Zoe Everett are called to the scene of a gruesome murder on a hot summer day. Michelle Wentworh had sent her son to get her something to drink, but then finds the teens body, beaten to death on her doorstep. At first glance there seems to be no motive for the crime, who would want to kill a teenager? But after some investigation, the detectives come to believe that Michelle, a woman who would do anything to make money, was the real target. Another murder linked to Michelle leaves Delamere and Everett trying to find out which one of Michelle’s many enemies hated her enough to kill, before he can strike again

This is a strong mystery which will find its home comfortably on the shelves in airports when people want an enthralling read for the plane trip. It is a balance between fast action and technical investigation and really works. I got a bit lost from time to time when the analysis went on for maybe a bit longer than it needed to, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. Loved the characters, too.

The first word that springs to mind with this book is convoluted, it feels like there's a lot of unnecessary waffling. Being the second book in this series I'd hoped to get to know Annie and her team better but don't feel like I did; a team dynamic is really lacking. Add that to none of the characters in the case being likeable and overall I was just disappointed with the while book, sorry m

This is my first encounter with DI Annie Delamere and her sergeant Zoe Everett. Despite this beong book two of the series, it reads very well as a standalone, with references to what I have missed in the first book.
I found aspects of the detective inspector's character thought-provoking inasmuch as her partner is the local MP, and her mother is the retired Assistant Chief Constable, both of whom are high-profile in the local media spotlight. All of which somewhat compromises the DI's position as senior investigating officer in a murder enquiry, where the SIO is in danger of becoming the main feature of the news story, rather than the event itself.
Michelle Wentworth, who has an appalling reputation, as a heartless ruthless business woman who has ruined countless lives to get what she wants, discovers that her son has been brutally murdered at her home, almost under her nose.
Wentworth's legal advisor Peter Hardy in at the scene just as the police arrive after the murder has been called in, and hands the detectives a list of suspects, mainly thwarted business rivals and disgruntled ex-employees, which begs the question, is this a ploy to stop the police delving too deeply into what seems to be unscrupulous business dealings.
It was a good police procedural although some of the chapters did come across as a little overworked when the investigation team were repeatedly reviewing their evidence.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story that could easily have been an episode of Frost, Morse or Vera.

237 pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

DS Zoe Everett and DI Annie Delamere respond to the call of a dead body at a lush home in the country. The victim, Justin was a nineteen-year old young man whose mother is Michelle Wentworth. She is controversial, relentless, hard driving and just skits the line between legal and illegal in her business dealings. Justin was beaten to death.

Michelle and a “friend,” attorney Peter Hardy, say that there is no one they can think of that disliked Justin. But, all is not well, Zoe and Annie feel that there is something they are not saying. And Michelle's response to her son's death seems off.

Meanwhile, there are labor problems afoot at a local company that Michelle is trying to take over. Sheena, Annie's life partner, was at a meeting where one of the bosses was hit in the head by a bottle thrown by a demonstrator. Later, the boss' car is badly vandalized.

Annie, Zoe and the team are getting heat from their immediate boss DCI Stuart Jennings. Who, of course, is being micro-managed by his own bosses. They basically have no leads. They are attempting to learn more about Michelle's business deceptive practices, but it is hard going. There are many rumors to track down.

More people are dying, and the police can find little to link them. The pressure increases. Annie's position is in danger for one of the murdered men met with Sheena just prior to his murder. She offers to step down, but is told to carry on..

Through dedicated police work and following all clues, some progress is made.

In an exciting scene, Zoe and Michelle come face to face with the killer. Annie and other officers arrive just as the scene comes to a conclusion. Or, does it?

This is a well written and plotted novel. I must admit that I was disappointed in the ending. It seemed too anti-climatic somehow. It was not satisfying. The story didn't seem to hang together all that well. I didn't like Michelle, but then I don't believe I was supposed to. I did appreciate Annie's increasing trust in her boss Stuart. I liked the previous Annie Delamere novels better.

I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

3.5* rounded up. I have not read the first in this series; events from it were referred to, but it was fine to start with this one. It was a competently written police procedural, with competent female detectives investigating, but somehow it fell a bit flat for me. The character of the woman whose son was the first victim was perhaps the most clearly drawn; the others were more superficial.

The conclusion made sense, although it came a little out of left field, and Zoe, one of the police detectives, made a huge error, which no one seemed that bothered about.

This is the 2nd book in the DI Annie Delamere series by author Alex Walters but my first which didn't detract from my enjoyment at all. Good characters that I am sure with further books in the series will develop further.
While successful business woman Michelle Wentworth relaxes by the pool her teenage son is bludgeoned to death outside the house. DI Annie Delamere and DS Zoe Everett re called on to investigate and at first inspection there is little to go on. But Michelle is never going to win a popularity contest and the police suspect she may have been the target. Her ruthless pursuit of profit has won her few friends, and relying on her lawyer’s questionable advice could mean she’s in over her head. When another brutally murdered body is discovered DI Annie Delamere uncovers that every clue leads back to a dispute at Michelle’s business. Michelle's lack of popularity leaves plenty of people with reasons to seek revenge and the race is on to discover the truth before further people die.
This was an easy book to get into and I was turning the pages the pages rapidly trying to find out what was going to happen. Good characters, fast moving plot and another series for me to follow.

I would like to thank like to thank both Netgalley and Canelo for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rounding up to three stars


I nearly stopped reading this a few times... but something kept me picking it back up.
I liked the characters,and their relationships to one another,that was probably the main driving force.

The storyline however,was just too slow for me. By the time we had three bodies,I still felt like not much had happened.