Detective Morgan Brookes is called to Lake Thirlmere one frosty night where she discovers the body of a young woman. The killer has carefully arranged the scene, and Morgan knows that only a dangerous serial killer would do such a thing. The victim is Jasmine Armer, and her father recently committed suicide in the same location. Morgan receives a package of an intricate death mask with Jasmine's features, and the killer is taunting her. Morgan's friend, Emily, is later killed with identical ligature marks on her arms, and Morgan knows that the killer is not done. She must find them before they take another life.

I ended up DNFing this 20% in so I can't comment on much, expect I was not feeling it and decided not to force myself and just put it down. It may be because I didn't read other books in the series and hence didn't have that previous connection to the characters.

Hold Your Breath by Helen Phifer is the ninth book in the brilliant Detective Morgan Brookes series. I have loved this series from the very first book called One Left Alive, this series just gets better and better.

When Detective Morgan Brooks and her boyfriend, partner and Boss DS Ben Matthews were called to a death scene of a young woman who is sitting upright in the drivers seat in a car with no wounds showing. She looks all peaceful just sitting there. Her father committed suicide in the same area.

Why is she here?

Whilst they get closer, they see that she was asphyxiated.

Not long after, Morgan receives a package at the Police Station where she works, when she opened it, it contained a grotesque mask.
Morgan's team found it funny and name her Barb, Nothing was thought more about it! Morgan thinks it is terrible, then throws it in the bin! and think it's just a sick joke and it doesn't have relevance to the case.

Then, a second body is found, a young woman that both Morgan and Ben know. Now, the case has become personal. But why?

Can they catch this killer before there is another victim or victims??

Wow, this book was brilliant and a roller coaster ride from the beginning till the end.........A great page turner and a great read for a holiday or a day to get away from everything.....Once you open your kindle you will be hooked and its hard to put this book down! I loved it.

I highly recommend it

Big Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Helen Phifer for my ARC of Hold Your Breath in exchange for an honest review.

Book 9 in the Detective Morgan Brookes series.

When Morgan and Ben get called out to a secluded beauty spot they are horrified to find the body of a young woman. Is it suicide of something more sinister?

When the post mortem results come back they know they are dealing with a deranged killer. Who would want to kill this young woman and why? Then things get personal.

A great book in this great series that will keep you guessing right to the end.

Boy Morgan has quite an adventure trying to catch the murderer! I started cringing as she took off on her own because I just knew something was going to happen to her.
I love Morgan and Ben’s relationship and hope to see it developed more and more.
I love Morgan’s Aunt.
I love Morgan’s work team.
With that said, the storyline seemed to drag at times. I can’t go into specifics as it will give the story away.
Definitely a very creepy story!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Bookouture for my copy of #HoldYourBreath by #HelenPhifer
This is the ninth book in the Morgan Brookes series and the story keeps you hooked all the way through.
It is slightly predictable with Morgan ending up in trouble again and the ending was quite rushed.

Detective Morgan Brookes gets a parcel delivered at work that contains a creepy mask, eyes seem to follow her everywhere – is this a ‘funny’ gift from one her co workers to creep her out?
Morgan, her partner Ben, and the rest of team gets called out when a girl is found dead in her car on the same spot her dad committed suicide 6 months earlier. Then a friend of Morgan, and someone Ben dated, is found dead sitting in front of her apartment staring at her door. In both cases a residue is found near the eyes that is used by dentists. Will they find the killer before a third victim is found.
Great twists and turns. And I do love Morgan’s personality and total “not what you expect dress” from a police person.

Holy moly does Morgan Brookes have a hard head. Phifer really puts her through the wringer with this case.
I knew exactly what the object was when Morgan initially opens a package at the station. She doesn’t understand the significance of it until much later, but it made my skin crawl.
Readers are allowed a more in depth look at Ben and Morgan’s relationship. I’m not sure where it’s headed, but I’m eager to find out.
Phifer cleverly kept the identity of the villain skillfully hidden until it was appropriate to rip the mask off.

One night Morgan Brookes is called out to a local beauty spot. A young woman seemingly looking out at the view is found dead. It transpires that Jasmine was found in the exact spot where her father committed suicide six months ago. However it does not appear to be a suicide. Morgan receives a rather spooky 'death mask' but thinks it an off colour joke - but the reader already knows it is important! Whilst investigating the team become interested in the staff of the dental practice where Jasmine works. However when a second murder takes place it becomes too close to home.

This is the ninth book in the series From the start I have really enjoyed getting to know the characters & see the development of their relationships. I really enjoyed this one & am already looking forward to the next one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I love the Morgan Brookes series and this is a particularly good story. The team of detectives are faced with a truly sadistic killer who has Morgan in his sights as a future victim. This kept the story exciting and the identity of the perpetrator of this sick killings left me stunned. Can't wait for the next installment.

A digital copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and Bookouture. The opinions are my own and freely given.

Morgan Brookes is back with this fast-paced story. Morgan, and the team search for a killer before he adds more bodies to the mix. Morgan is also getting creepy masks mailed to her, which she thinks are a prank. Once again, she gets herself caught up in the killer's plans. Will the team find her in time? All your favorite characters are back. Ben starts to make amends with Ettie. Morgan tries her hand at matchmaking. Once again, I teared up when Declan went to the scene and introduced himself to the victim, as did everyone else that was there.


Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture and Helen Phifer.

This is another great case for Morgan, Ben and the team. Someone hasurdered a young girl and left her with her eyes open, looking at the view from her car. Very creepy!. They use all of their resources to try and apprehend the killer.
It's a full on case which grabs your attention from the foreword!! I was on to chapter one straight away!.It wasn't easy to work out who the killer was and that made me work harder!.
All in all, an absorbing story with the characters adding more substance for us to get our inquisitive minds going!
I received this free arc book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #bookandtonic, #helenphifer.

Hold Your Breath is the ninth book in the Detective Morgan Brookes series by Helen Phifer. I love the series and have read every book! They are all fantastic reads on their own, but even more special if you've read them all. If you picked up Hold Your Breath and hadn't read any of the others, you'll be fine. Helen does a great job of filling the reader in on things they need to know in each book. Hold Your Breath is a fantastic read with a mystery that is very hard to solve.

Hold Your Breath starts with Morgan getting a phone call in the middle of the night from work. A body has been found in a car that is parked in a lot by a lake. No one knows if it's a murder but it looks suspicious. She wakes Ben who is next to her and they quickly dress and head out. It's freezing outside as it's December so they take time to put on warm coats and hats. The victim is a twenty year old named Jasmine Armer and she worked at a local dental office. She has ligature marks around her wrists, and glue residue on her eye lashes. This was definitely a murder and not a suicide. When Ben and Morgan go to the house she shared with her mother, they knock to inform her of her daughter's death. Her mother is very upset, especially when she learns her daughter was found in the same place that her husband took his own life 6 months ago. Why would someone kill her there? The killer must have known the details of her father's death.

Back at the station, Morgan receives a package. There's no return address and Morgan can't remember having ordered anything. When she opens the box, there's a creepy mask inside. Morgan hates it and wants to throw it away, but one of her co-workers names it and puts it up on a filing cabinet. Who would send such a thing and why? What does it mean? Why Morgan? When Morgan goes to the dental office to inform them of Jasmine's death and interview them, a person who works there becomes a suspect. Something is off about him and Morgan gets a weird feeling about him right away.

As the investigation progresses and another body is found that hits close to home for Morgan, Ben, and the team things start to intensify. They need to find the killer and soon or another body is going to be found and it could be someone on the team! Hold Your Breath is another fantastic book in the Morgan Brookes series. It will keep you guessing until the end and rooting on Morgan and the team. I rate the book 5 stars and give it my highest recommendation. I look forward to book 10 in the series and I hope I don't have to wait too long! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of Hold Your Breath in return for a fair review. #HoldYourBreath

4.5 stars

Hold Your Breath by Helen Phifer is the 9th 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 Background:    (Warning – Contains spoilers from previous books)
Morgan Brookes is a Detective Constable for Rydal Falls.  She lives and works with her boyfriend, DS Ben Matthews, her boss.  They've discovered he has some heart issues, but things are good.  Other cast members include Amy,  Wendy, Cain, Will, Cathy and Mads.   They are still mourning the loss of a fellow team-member, Des.  Their new boss is DI Mark Howard, and they are getting used to him.  Their go-to Forensic Pathologist (and friend) is Declan Donnelly.  After losing her mother to suicide,  Morgan finally got to know her alcoholic step-dad, who turned out to be a good guy, but Stan is now dead (murdered).  Both Morgan's brother, and her biological father, Gary Marks,  are serial killers.  Morgan's aunt Ettie is considered a "witch".


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Morgan is called to investigate the death of 20 year-old Jasmine Armer, a dental assistant.  There are restraint marks on her wrists and ankles, and some time of glue on her eyelids.  Strangely, her body was found in her car, in the same spot that her father had committed suicide just 6 months ago.

Clues and suspects are rather scarce, although the dentist is a little suspicious.

When another body with similar  marks is found, both Ben and Morgan are devastated.  They both new the victim.

Meanwhile, Morgan receives a death mask in the mail, but dismisses it as a bad joke, until a second one arrives.


My Opinions:
I am really enjoying this series.  I love Morgan and Ben - and their relationship, but the entire team is like a cohesive family, and that makes the story more enjoyable.  As well, I think both Theo and Ettie make nice additions.

The plot, as always was great, and the number of suspects good.  Although I had an idea as to the perpetrator, I was actually surprised when I was right. 

The pace was good, although for some reason the book seemed a little too long.  I can't actually think of anything that needed cutting, but it still felt a little long.

Anyway, I highly recommend this series....and I really think the books should be read in order, as things are mentioned from previous books, but not always explained in detail -- which is perfect as far as I'm concerned.

This is the ninth book of the series and as usual Helen Phifer did it again!

The story starts off with the discovery of a body of a young woman named Jasmine, the same spot where Morgan's father committed suicide. Morgan then receives a package with a horrible mask inside the package and thought that someone was playing a prank on her not knowing that there is going to be a connection between the package and the case. Then another girl was murdered in the similar fashion and soon, Morgan suspected that there is a serial killer on loose.

This was fast paced and a page turner. There were twists and turns and the reader felt like they were also on the part of mission to catch the killer with Detective Morgan. I have been reading Morgan Brooke series for a long time and I have to say, each time I read the new book, I wasn't disappointed. Overall, it was an unputdownable thriller and for ones who haven't read this book yet, try out the series! Worth four stars.

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

Hold Your Breath is the 9th book in the Detective Morgan Brooke’s series and it’s an absolute corker of a read. I absolutely adore this series and it just keeps on getting better and better. When a body is discovered in their car at a lake Morgan and her fellow police officers know from the way the body is found that it’s the work of a killer and they need to find this person before any more murders happen. However before they can solve the case another body is discovered and it’s a person Morgan knows very well. Wow I devoured this book in a day I was completely and utterly hooked on the story. It’s a book you honestly won’t want to put down once you start reading it. Yet again I had no clue who the killer was, yes I did have my suspicions but was proven wrong numerous times, when the killer was finally revealed I was gobsmacked. Helen Phifer is one of the few authors that I can never work out who the guilty person is until the reveal . The characters in this series are so well written and I have a fondness for them all. If you want to read a well written and page turning crime thriller then I highly recommend this book. As mentioned above it’s the 9th book in the series but can be read as a standalone. 5⭐️

Morgan is yet again having to face danger a bit too close to home. What I really love about her though is she doesn’t back away from it. It is so nice to read a book that has a strong woman at the helm. Yes, she may take questionable moves in getting her killer but this time it’s personal.

Creepy death masks I’m okay with but when a dental surgery could be involved that’s right up there with eyeballs on my ick factor scale. With security cameras being taken out and more than one person acting suspiciously it’s a good job that it’s Morgan on the case as yet again I had no clue as to who was behind the killings.

This is book nine but can easily be read as a standalone. It is another great instalment in easily my favourite detective series and it’s all down to a great cast of characters and thrilling plots that grab you from the start and don’t let you go. As long as Morgan is still chasing the bad guys I will still be one of her biggest fans.

As always, another great story from Helen Phifer! I just love this series and the main characters are authentically drawn, in their dialogue and their actions. I like the relationship between Morgan and Ben and have hopes for this to fully blossom soon.

In this installment, Morgan is called to investigate a young woman posed in a sitting position by the lake, but deceased and cold as ice. She has marks on her limbs showing that she had been restrained at some point and this is definitely a homicide. Morgan then finds out bad news about one of her friends and is wondering if the targets mean something personal. The ending was exciting and I didn't want it to end-- suspenseful!

I have read all but 3 of this series (with this I jumped over those few titles to read and review this one on time. I will go back and read them because this has fast become one of my top 5 series that I'm currently reading through).
Recommended for all suspense, mystery, thriller fans!
5/5 stars. I received this digital copy from the publisher and NetGalley for my honest opinion. Posted here, in Goodreads, and on Amazon.

4.5⭐
The fantastic DC Morgan Brookes is back!

And the team now joined by Cain, are preparing themselves for a Christmas period. Which they hope will be full of peace and goodwill. Especially as the top brass isn't happy with all the murderers, they seem to be attracting.

But unfortunately that's not to be when Morgan receives a gift at work, and what she first assumes is a practical joke by one of her colleagues soon becomes something far more serious. When her boss and boyfriend DS Ben Matthews informs her a young woman has been found, possibly murdered at a local beauty spot.

And with a shocking discovery awaiting Morgan and a killer who clearly feels they have a connection to her Morgan is in for possibly her toughest case yet.

Especially when her friend Emily becomes the killers next target.

That is unless the team can stop a heartless twisted killer before its too late.

And with great twists and turns and a killer I did not see coming. This was another brilliant addition to the series, and it's a series I would happily recommend to all.

Detective Morgan Brooks is on the case when a young woman is found dead in her car under suspicious circumstances. Morgan, Ben, and the rest of the investigative team have their work cut out for them with this one, and when someone they know becomes the next victim the tension ramps up even more, and Morgan is again in danger as the killer closes in.


I love Morgan and Bens's relationship both at work and home, and Morgan's aunt is one of my favorite people of all time.

This case is full of twists and turns around every corner, it kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen next and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to see what's going to happen next

Morgan always makes me smile. There is something about her I really like and I admire her very much. A young woman is found murdered and it’s an especially creepy thing, making it even more creepy that there’s a mask made like the shape of her face. More is to come, sadly she is not the only victim.

There are some very quirky characters in the book, several creepy ones, and who knew dentists could be this interesting?

The story unfolds nicely, there’s a nice flow, and it all ties together at the end with a close call that nearly took my breath away. Great writer, fabulous story, and I love the feeling of living in the moment with the characters in the book.