‘The Midnight Killing’ had me haunted from the first couple of chapters and that’s down to the creepy and atmospheric setting. That horse chestnut at dawn - whoa! (You’ll have to read if if you want to know what I’m on about - hehe).

I love a story where the investigators have something personal going on and main characters, Danny and Rose, added many layers. Rose’s past was compelling whereas Danny brought a huge level of emotion to the table. Both had issues to resolve and I really enjoyed the dynamics between them. A DI and a forensic psychologist working together; what’s not to be thrilled about?

The actual investigation left my heart in my mouth and it touched me emotionally too. The weaving of the child who disappeared in the past and the hanged man of present, was clever.

This book took me on a journey that felt fresh, tense and exhilarating. It’s perfect for those who love a crime investigation with a historical element and I’d thoroughly recommend it!

2.5 stars

Apparently this is a sequel to a book I didn't read. I'm sorry I didn't realize that. I was a bit lost on occasion, and that might not be the case if you've read the prior story. I found the pace to be too slow for the genre, and there was a lot of overdetailing of plot points that turned out to be quite irrelevant. It was a bit predictable. The writing style itself was okay, and I'd consider checking out standalone books by this author.

Maeve Lunn age-8 goes missing from Mistle Donegal. In spire of her family's pledge to "never give up" finding Maeve, the case goes cold. Will little Maeve ever be found?

Twenty years later, James McCollum age-38 is found dead on the grounds of his alma mater ""Osborne House Graham School" Sadly, James is discovered hung with a rope in a large tree. As detective inspector Danny Stone and forensic psychologist Dr. Rose Lainey initially arrive on the scene, it appears to be a suicide. However, as they investigate further will it turn out to be something more ominous?

Sharon Dempsey set up this chilling tale in the heart of beautiful Belfast. Ireland. The readers will enjoy the connection between Danny and Rose as they team together to get answers. Dempsey quickly invests you in the plot as it builds and comes to a shocking ending.

This is the sequel to "Who Took Eden Mulligan". I have not read the first book, so I was behind on the storyline. It was not a huge problem, but I do think readers will be more "in tune" with the scenes that are referenced if they read the books in order.

If your looking for a new thriller Sharon Dempsey's "The Midnight Killing" will be published February 17, 2022.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK. for the honor of reviewing this exciting curvy ride from the talented Sharon Demosey. I appreciate it very much!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Stowe & Lainey Book 2

When the body of local architect James McCallum is found hanging in the grounds of his former school one cols, dark night, DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey suspect foul play behind his apparent suicide. To their astonishment, the trail leads to a twenty year old cold case of a missing girl, and a teenage party. But what was James' fascination with the case and how is it linked to his death.?

I felt this story fed us a lot of irrelevant information just to bulk the story out, but that could be just my opinion. I was intrigued by the premise and it wasn't long before i was hooked, needing to know what all the connections were, An engaging murder mystery but it does have references to the first book in the series, Who Took Eden Mulligan, so I don't think it would read well as a standalone.

I would like to thank #NetGlley #AvonBooksUK and the author #SharonDempsey for my ARC of #TheMidnightKilling in exchange for an honest review.

When local architect James McCallum is found hanging from a tree at his former school, it is initially thought to be suicide. When discrepancies are found indicating he was in fact murdered DI Danny Stowe and Dr Rose Lainey are brought in to find out exactly what happened.
As they comb through the victims life they discover files on his computer relating to a young girl who went missing 20 years ago, in a village where James and his friends were staying at the time. What connection could he have to the missing child case and is it a factor in his death?
It seems that the deeper they dig they find more questions than answers but one thing they do know, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to cover up the past and they don't want to be found out now.
I liked the relationship between Danny & Rose, they work well together and compliment each other. The storyline was very good with twists you didn't see coming.

Thank you, AVON and HarperCollins Publishers, for the advance reading copy.

Another detective murder mystery which worked for me.

The atmosphere is quite intense and the writing just gripped me right from the prologue.

I tend to lose interest in murder mysteries which involves detectives and investigations quite easily. But this one stands out as the rest of the chapters live up to the prologue. This doesn't happen quite often.

The characters stand out. They are quite memorable even after the story has done its job.
The plot works as it is gets more intense the more the chapters continue.

The investigation parts interested me as it is thoroughly done and explained. For this plot, we have to rule out if it's a suicide or some foul play involved.

I appreciate the short chapters. And moreover, the mystery elements worked for me. I was expecting a bit more towards the ending though.

Overall, a quick cosy mystery read. You will enjoy this one for sure.

A good tale of friendships forged in teenage years and the deep loyalties and hidden secrets.
A man is found hanging, presumed suicide at first until all begins to unfold and all is not what it seems. The story starts to focus on the tight group of friends that he was part of during his late teens and the uneasy but consistent way they’ve stayed in touch since. The forensics suggest that he was murdered rather than suicide and one of his other friends is attacked so how is this linked? The story further complicates when there seems to be links to a little girl who went missing years ago, who has never been found.
I liked the way the story developed, at times the personal lives and romantic links of the investigating team seemed to divert the action and get in the way but overall they intertwined and gave a good, rounded story. The backdrop of Ireland gave an extra element for me with the scenery and fascinating names and nods to the darker history and ‘the Irish troubles’. A very enjoyable read, would recommend.

This book had so much promise but unfortunately for me it did not deliver. I kept waiting for something to happen. 50% of this book was will Danny and Rose get together? The Last half was better. All in all an okay read. Saying that I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

It was a decent read but enjoyed her first book more. This one has the relationship of Danny and Rose developing and Rose reconnecting with her mother’s past and her siblings. Found the characters in this book self serving . Their lives probably would have not changed that much if they had done the right thing. The truth is difficult at times but it can save further hardships later. The book had some slow parts but I liked the short chapters and the author had an engaging mystery with some surprises.

I really enjoyed this mystery or police procedural. From the beginning it kept you hooked. A suicide which wasn’t really a suicide and an encrypted folder in the murdered man’a computer about the disappearance of a little girl in a small town some 20 years ago. It was a bool that made me want to go on reading deep into the night. A good read for sure for lovers of mystery and trillers.

This police procedural novel is a great first read for those who do not normally read crime thrillers. The author is detailed on police terms and how crime investigations take place. The plot revolves around the apparent suicide of James McCallum and a 20 year old cold case of a missing girl in Ireland. I had figured out the big plot twist long before the end of the book, but the writing still held my attention. Overall, if you read a lot of thrillers and/or crime fiction, this is probably not worth reading. If you do not read a lot of thrillers and/or crime fiction, this is definitely worth checking out!

Thank you to Avon Books, Avon Books UK, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy of The Midnight Killing, the second novel to feature DI Danny Stowe and Dr Rose Lainey of the PSNI in Belfast.

When the body of James McCallum is found hanging in the grounds of his old school it looks like suicide, but something seems off to DI Danny Stowe and the autopsy confirms murder. With few leads they grasp the hint of one when they find references to the twenty year old disappearance of a child.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Midnight Killing, which is an engrossing read with an unexpected solution. It is told entirely from the investigative point of view with both both Danny and Rose’s perspectives. I found this makes for interesting reading as they have different angles to contribute and it gives a broader view. I like a novel that concentrates on the investigation and this fits the bill nicely, so I finished it in one sitting.

The plot builds in the usual procedural fashion with everything on the table and a gradual process of elimination to narrow the field. Rose’s psychological observations add a welcome extra layer to proceedings. It moves at a steady pace with developments at every turn and while some elements of the final reveal are unsurprising given the build up, there are others that will take the reader by surprise, if not shock.

The novel is mostly about the investigation but it spends a lot of time on Danny and Rose’s personal lives. I really didn’t take to this emotional side and felt it intruded over much on the main event, the murder investigation. Each is carrying a candle for the other but don’t know it and won’t do anything about it for fear of ruining their friendship. Yawn. It’s tedious and repetitive. Then there’s the question of what Rose’s dead mother did during The Troubles. This is obviously going to be a thread in the series, but given the slow rate of discovery it will need to be a long series.

The Midnight Killing is a good read that I can recommend.

A good book that keeps you wanting to know what happens next. I didn’t want to put it down bearing in my it’s not my usual genre. Well done.

I didn't know this is actually a sequel but nonetheless I got this ARC from the publisher.

When the body of a man named James McCallum was found, it was ruled as suicide. However, after the autopsy results, it was later found that James was indeed strangled to death and that it was actually a murder. Furthermore, when they investigated James' laptop, they find James obsession with a girl named Maeve Lunn, an eight year old girl who disappeared more than twenty years ago. The police must find clues about the connection between this cold case and James murder and must find the killer before it's too late.

Initially, the story was a little boring at first--it started off slightly boring. But gradually, it became fast paced towards the middle of the book, with the discovery of the case of the eight year old girl and the fact that James and his friends who were teenagers back then had been around during the time of the girl's disappearance. From the middle of the book, it got interesting and I was literally hooked into the book. I didn't read the first book of the series so I was a bit confused on the parts about Rose Linley's background that I simply skimmed through those parts.

Overall, this was actually a good thriller--worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

This is not what I expected based on the description but was a great mystery nonetheless. The methodical work done in the first half made the final reveal very gripping and led to a satisfying conclusion.

The first part was a but slow but picked up about 1/3 of the way through.

This was the second book in the series and it referenced the prior case the detectives worked on together a lot. Unfortunately if there was any description of that case I missed it and it became distracting as the book progressed.

I liked both main characters and was a bit puzzled about their relationship at the beginning. The author finally gave enough background to make sense of how they behaved and left me wanting to know more about where they would go in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Avon Books, UK and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

I really liked this mystery! I think this is the second one in this series, but I don't think you had to read the first one to enjoy this one. In fact, I want to go back and read the first one. The mystery starts when young architect, James McCallum, is found hanging from a tree on the grounds of his former primary school. DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey are called in to solve the mystery. Lots of twists and turns along the way, and I really liked the main characters. Highly recommend if you like a good mystery!

The Midnight Killing is the sequel to Eden Mulligan. There are plenty of references to the prior book, so it can be a stand alone. The story starts out with the discovery of James McCallum, found hanging from a tree at his former school. DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist, Rose Lainey will work together to solve this suicide turned murder. As the case is investigated, computer analysis will discover that James had encrypted files that detailed the mysterious disappearance of an 8-year-old little girl, Maeve Lunn. It is not clear how this is tied to McCallum's death.

There are multiple side stories Rose's mother and family, Danny and his estranged wife. Danny and Rose, and then all the friends they investigate while solving these crimes. It was hard to follow and keep all the side stories straight. I didn't care for the characters as they did little to draw me in to the story. Had I read the prior story maybe I would feel differently.

I really enjoyed this book!

I loved the chemistry between Danny and Rose and I loved the multiple POV from both characters, it was really intriguing seeing how they both perceived the same encounter.

It was a little predictable and followed a lot of the usual cop crime tropes, I also found the nickname ‘battle’ for their boss really irritating, I hate corny nicknames.

I liked how the current crime linked to a historical crime and I was really hooked by this, I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened and in all honesty I wasn’t disappointed.

Danny and Rose were both strong protagonists and I liked that Danny wasn’t beaten by his demons as so many cops are in these kind of books. I found Rose’s obsession with her family history a bit boring and found myself skimming those chapters.

In all a good book that I would definitely recommend.

I enjoyed this and found it to a gripping mystery. I liked the main characters and found it to be an absorbing read.

The Midnight Killing by Sharon Dempsey begins with a body found hanging in the grounds of his former school. James McCallum was an architect, husband, father and son. Not someone who would die by suicide. DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey are not sure it is as clear cut as it seems, and once the autopsy is completed, it proves their suspicions are correct. As the investigation continues, they find information about a missing 8 year old girl, Maeve Lynn, from 20 years prior in a town called Mistle, and they are determined to find out if there is a connection to this case. As Stowe and Dr Lainey interview the family and three of James’ friends from school, it appears there are many secrets meant to be hidden forever, but as the cracks start to open, it becomes apparent no one is as innocent as they seem.

When reading this novel, I didn’t know there was a previous book in the series, Who Took Eden Mulligan. This book can be read as a standalone, however there are many references to the previous book, and it may help in understanding the relationship between Dr Lainey and DI Stowe. The author does a nice job developing the characters, so you will be able to follow along without a problem. The chapters are short, however I found the plot a little slow at times. It comes together nicely at the end, and although a little predictable, there is a twist at the end that will surprise you.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Publishing for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I give this book 3 solid stars, only because it was a little slow at times.