This was my first book by this author and while I like it there were some things about it that just didn't grab me but I think it's worth a read to see what others think.

A novel with many elements and it crosses genres. I found it to be captivating.
Many thanks to The Book Whisperer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thought it was an interesting read, but I just couldn't connect with either lead and I felt this just kept me from really enjoying the story.
Very well written and I think it could draw the right reader in. So a book I would call bad just not for me , but I believe a fun mystery to discover

Hell's Glen started out as a gritty suspense novel then abruptly turned into an awkward, cringe-inducing, romance novel which i thoroughly disliked.

there was so much unlikely human behavior, repetitive writing and a juvenile expression of sexuality, i was hard pressed to finish this book.

When I read the blurb for this novel, I knew this was right up my alley and I had to read it. The prologue does have a scene that may be triggering for some, but it was necessary to really understand Kathryn’s character.

There were so many good elements to this story…mystery, murder, romance, a community of absolute whackos and even a grumpy man-hating dog. I did not expect such a sweet romance in this story.

Loved this book and am looking forward to the sequel. I literally couldn't put it down.

Quite a short book, but at times it was difficult reading. More of a romance with added murders. Set in a lonely religious community in the wilds of Scotland, the scenary was described well. The crimes were reasonably well thought out. The main characters were well described, others a bit too one dimensional.
Not a bad book, some of the personal relationship scenes were too much. I got the impression that this could be the first in a series and so it was setting the scene as Kathryn and Jamie get to know each other. I look forward to reading more about them

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Hell’ Den was crime thriller with a little romance. I was hooked from the first chapter. Katheryn Sinclair was a hacker with a horrible past. She caught and to keep her out of prison, she had to teamed up with Detective Jamie Denton. They clashed big time. They went undercover in a religious commune. They have to undercover a murder, and what the commune is doing that they want hidden. Couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to Net Galley and The Book Whisperer for and advanced readers copy of this novel!

I decided to give this book a try and found the Hell’s Glenn book to be enjoyable and written well. Reader if you like technology, romance, crime, and life struggles topics then give this book a read. The two main characters are like able and the story is interesting so it won’t hurt to pick up a copy for yourself!

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! Despite the somber theme, this story is filled with adventure and hope and charges ahead with twists and never-ending action. The characters are fantastically flawed and the excitement builds. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with unpredictable outcomes.

Hell's Glen by H.J. Russell is an interesting take on the cyber-thriller and seems like a cross between a lot of genres. As such it never quite comes down in any one particular place.
As others have noted it starts with a harrowing crime that directly shapes the character of Kathryn Sinclair and explains how and why she became a cyber criminal in the first place and winds up working with Jamie Denton after being outed by a fellow member of Grey Nemesis. I found this part of the book very promising and got vibes of Stieg Larsson the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo--but then that was over. Kathryn and Jamie go undercover in the Scottish countryside to investigate a religious cult and on the first night there is a murder and it becomes a mystery--and then a romance--and then a Bondian thriller. The shifts are never jarring but at times I felt there was SO much going on that the characters became secondary to the genre shifts.
I did enjoy it and as sometimes is often mentioned it has something for everyone.
It appears that this will become a series and I am curious to see where it will head in the future.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #BookWhisperer, and H.J. Russell for the ARC of #Hell's Glen.

This book kicks in with immediate, full on action from page one and doesn’t really stop. It is a page turner and lives up to the “thriller” label. I loved the descriptive language used to describe the setting for this novel amd the characters all seem to perfectly fit.

Kathryn has had a difficult childhood which leads her to join a grey hat hacking group to try to punish evil. Jamie is the detective tasked with catching her and when he does he has no sympathy for her. They are reunited a year later when MI5 need her skills. They are sent in to a remote religious community with links to an American businessman to find out what is really going on. There was a lot of time devoted to developing the love story as Jamie and Kathryn learn more about each and who the other person really is. There is plenty of heat between them and it all takes place behind close doors. There are lot of hurdles in their way, but Jamie is patient and Kathryn is determined and it was lovely to see them growing together. The thriller side of they story was definitely a bit slower and took a while to get going, but maybe that was more realistic? I guessed from the clues what the plot was before the reveal, but still found it interesting and entertaining. I loved reading books set in Scotland and recognising places mentioned. I believe this is the first book by this author and I would definitely read more.

This is the first book that I have read by H.J. Russell and I was gripped from the first page.
How had she ended up like this ? Katherine Sinclair was to be the fake wife of a man that she hated, Detective Jamie Denton, she had no choice, she had to bite the bullet or go to prison.
Katherine's young life had been indescribably horrific, what she had gone through had left mental scars that would never heal, she had become insular and isolated from life. She escaped into a cyber world where she felt safe, she was a member of the highly skilled hacking group called Grey Nemesis, they were ethical hackers dispensing cyber justice, that was until........
Detective Jamie Denton was riled, he had been expecting promotion after handing them Sinclair, she had been sentenced and would spend many years in prison, he had been passed over for the man who had stolen his wife.
Both Katherine and Jamie were thrown a lifeline, he could work for MI6 and her sentence would be quashed, the only problem was they had to act convincingly as man and wife.
In the highlands of Scotland was a religious sect that they were to infiltrate, people were going missing, bodies were turning up but something much more evil and sinister was happening at Hell's Glen and they had to find out what, the task was dangerous and there was no guarantee of success.
This story unfolds to follow Katherine and Jamie's journey, their attempts to unlock the secrets of devils Glen, meeting the wacky but undeniably evil characters living there, who could they trust ? what were the secrets hidden in the Glen.
The author has sensitively covered many emotive subjects that may cause triggers in some people. I love the slow burning relationship between Katherine and Jamie, the patient, understanding and protective way that he treats her, I love the descriptions of the beautiful scenery, the cold and windy settings and the very apt scripture quotes at the beginning of each chapter. This book is a real page turner.
I received a free copy of this book and my review is voluntary.

Interesting concept had me hooked from the beginning, but the ending wrapped up a bit too neat and tidy in the last few pages for me. Also, major trigger warning for sexual assault throughout the book.
I wished the author had delved farther into what Jamie and Kathryn had discovered and let that play out more. I think it would have made for a more satisfying ending. But I did enjoy the characters and think they were developed well. All in all, a good story I would recommend.

I love a good crime thriller, pair that with a little romance and a large conflict that felt high stakes in a post Covid-19 world and you get an exciting page turner. The characters were clearly experts in their fields and impressive, but they were flawed humans. That for me, really made them relatable and brought the whole story back to earth. When the conflict got crazy it was the characters that centered the story. If looking for an exciting read with hackers, cults, and undercover missions where everything seems to be at stake, this is the book to read!

This was a sad story describing the brutal treatment as a young 16 year old prisoner of war in the Philippines immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. It details how it haunted his life and relationships for 30 years. Eventually he finds comfort and relief from his trauma when he a finds Jesus Christ and turns his life over to him as his Lord and savior. Truly loved this book. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy of this book in return for my honest review.

“A cyber-criminal with a phobia…
The detective who caught her…
Their target: a religious community in Hell’s Glen.”

When I read the blurb for this novel, I knew this was right up my alley and I had to read it. The prologue does have a scene that may be triggering for some, but it was necessary to really understand Kathryn’s character. There were so many good elements to this story…mystery, murder, romance, a community of absolute whackos (or “happie clappies” as Jamie and Kathryn call them), and even a grumpy man-hating dog. I did not expect such a sweet romance in this story, I adored Jamie and Kathryn’s relationship. I would have liked to see more of the police units side of the story while Jamie and Kathryn were undercover, but besides that, this book ticked all the boxes for me. I loved it. The ending was so satisfying…a real cherry on top!

Thank you to Net Galley and The Book Whisperer for and advanced readers copy of this novel!

As the title suggests, things are not as they seem in what initially appears as a close knit community in an idyllic Scottish Glen.

Kathryn, who has not had the best start in adulthood in more ways than one is a professional hacker that has been caught out and is looking at a long stretch. But with a plethora of knowledge in the cyber security world that is key to solving the mysteries at ‘Hell’s Glen’ she finds herself on the other side of the law as she agrees to go undercover alongside detective Jamie in an attempt to gather intelligence needed to help investigate a group suspected of large scale International tax fraud.

A carefully researched and well written novel with all the ingredients to make it a great read! Drama, action, a twist of romance and lots of suspense, with a good insight into the life of professional hackers to spice things up

Highly recommend

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review
#HellsGlen #NetGalley

Review of eBook

Kathryn Sinclair, part of a cyber-hacking group known as Grey Nemesis collective, finds herself detained under several sections of the Computer Misuse Act. Facing years of imprisonment for cyber-crimes, she jumps at the offer of a deal, one that will ensure she does not face extradition, will waive her legal fees, and will drop all the charges against her.

In exchange, she will agree to go undercover to investigate a group suspected of large-scale international tax fraud. Her cyber skills will enable her to gather the evidence needed.

There’s just one catch . . . she must pretend to be married to the Detective Sergeant who arrested her. A man she detests.

Ultimately, Kathryn sees the deal as her only way out, and she agrees to go undercover with James Denton. But they’ll soon discover that nothing is quite as it seems in this remote, small religious community. It isn’t long before Jamie and Kathryn discover that the religious group is a façade; Hell’s Glen holds some repulsive people and some grisly secrets.

Will Kathryn find the necessary evidence to keep her freedom? And more importantly, will she find a way to convince the people around her that she and Jamie are a devoted couple?

=========

Although readers are sure to appreciate the trigger warning provided prior to the prologue, the main character . . . and the horrific events in her life . . . are realistically drawn. Sadly, her experience is true-to-life for many children. What sets this narrative apart is the handling of Kathryn’s issues. Granted, it does seem as if Jamie and Kathryn move from despising each other to falling into an immoderate relationship in the blink of an eye, but their relationship also moves the story along in a way that highlights the gentleness and patience with which Kathryn is treated. She's never forced beyond her comfort zone, never belittled or made fun of for her feelings.

With its strong sense of place and its compelling characters, the evolving story keeps the pages turning. At times grim and gritty, the narrative is occasionally cringeworthy, but [sadly] rather true to life. Astute readers may figure out the “secret” within the cult [it’s a doozy], but as the plot twists and turns its way toward a decidedly satisfactory denouement, everything has a way of working itself out.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from The Book Whisperer and NetGalley
#HellsGlen #NetGalley

It was good, i like the characters and the setting but I was hoping for more romantic development.
The setting was good but i think I would have like to see more into the cult side of the story and more drama whitin the community