Another excellent book by Helen, I am always surprised by how shw comes up with all the ideas that she does. I would be very worried living up where the books are set as it seems to be a Northern Midsomer :). The series of books is moving along nicely with the developing relationship between Ben & Morgan and cannot wait for the next installment, fingers crossed that the outcome is what I am hoping for.
Still of the opinion that this should be made into a tv series as think that the scenery that Helen describes (not the gruesome bits) would be excellent Sunday night viewing.

Congratulations again Helen

Hold Your Breath was another great addition to the detective Morgan Brookes series!

Morgan is called to the scene of a body found, and devastated to find a beautiful young girl, who’s life was cut too short. Circumstances are suspicious, and soon after, her friend Emily’s body is also found the same way. As they race against the clock to find who is murdering women, Morgan deals with her fair share of injuries and obstacles in a crazy finale as it all comes to a head.

I really enjoyed the newest book in the series, but I did figure out who the killer was early on, and figured out some of the other plot twists. Love the characters, the banter and the fun plot lines as always tho!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

Detective Morgan Brookes' latest case is that of a young woman named Jasmine who has been found murdered. The way the victim was killed and the body posed, Morgan knows they have a dangerous killer out there that must be caught soon.

While Morgan and her team are desperate to find the killer, the story also has the killer's point of view and learn the object of his real obsession. Meanwhile, there is something very specific about the location where Jasmine's body was found, and so Morgan is looking for any connection that might go a step further when it comes to identifying the killer.

Another murder occurs, and this time it is a friend of Morgan's named Emily. The scene was reminiscent of the first murder and now Morgan and the others want to make sure that no other women are killed.

This book gets rather eerie, especially as Morgan realizes that the killer has a fetish for death masks. How far the killer goes is rather chilling. Having read this series from the beginning, I loved following Morgan on her latest case, and also enjoyed her relationship with Ben Matthews gaining a bit more traction, even with the dangers facing her.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

This review, like the series, really needs no introduction. It's a thrilling fast paced and addictive series with each book better than the previous, if that's at all possible. And yet this book, as with all the previous ones, trouble has a way of finding Morgan once again. The woman is a walking magnet for trouble that it's no wonder their former colleague Des (who met a grisly end last installment) referred to her as their resident grim reaper. She practically is. And to be honest, as much as I love this series, the amount of scrapes Morgan gets herself into with every book I'm surprised she is still standing and it's getting a little wearing. But more on that further on...

Set in the picturesque Lake District on the banks of Lake Thirlmere (which is actually a reservoir but lake sounds so much more inviting), local response officer patroling the area comes across the body of a young woman in her car. It's not clear at first whether the death is suspicious but...it seems somewhat likely under the circumstances.

Enter DC Morgan Brookes and her boyfriend/partner/boss DS Ben Matthews. They get the call as they are about to go home for the night and from that moment on, the pair and their team get little sleep until their killer is caught. They soon identify the young woman and learn that she was a dental assistant at a local practice in Windemere and so Morgan swoops in to question the staff. She gets a creepy vibe off handsome hunky dentist Neil Barnard, who seems just a little too full of himself, and makes a note to follow up on his alibi and run some background checks on him. It's not surprising that he comes back squeaky clean...and yet still her antennae twitches whenever she's around him.

Meanwhile, someone has sent Morgan a creepy mask that she thinks is one of her colleagues having a laugh. Cain finds the mask hilarious even if it does resemble a dead face with no eyes. Morgan can't bear to look at it a moment longer and tosses it. But has she been a little too hasty?

And then the case gets a little more personal for her when someone she knows turns up dead in much the same way as the first victim, also in her car. She knows now that she must find this killer before he takes another woman...but is she too late?

Oh, it has to be said, as much as I love Morgan the woman infuriates me! She's told to do something and she does the exact opposite. She's told NOT to do something and she goes ahead and does it anyway, justifying her actions as being for the greater good and catching the killer. Anyone else who disregards her boss' orders would be done for insubordination and on a disciplinary charge. I know this is fiction but really? Morgan is not teflon. She can't stomp her Doc Martens and give a death stare to get her own way. Nor can she disregard orders which are given for her own good and safety just because she wants to go all gung-ho and single-handedly catch the killer...all while nursing a concussion, a haematoma and the mother of all headaches...just because she doesn't like to be told what to do! The amount of times she gets herself into trouble, abducted by killers, smacked in the head, shot at, wrestled or collided with...in every book and yet still she comes out smelling roses while poor Des asked the wrong person one wrong question and he meets a grisly end. It's annoying and infuriating and not at all realistic. She is, after all, just a DC...practically the bottom of the CID chain.

Don't get me wrong, I do love this series. It is one of my favourites and I look forward to every new book. It's just for once, I would like her to do as she's told and stay in the station or at home and not go off without a word to save the day. She is one person and they are supposed to be a team. And what a great team they are. Cain makes a wonderful addition to their team and he will find his feet soon enough. Amy has grown on me as I did find her a little abrasive at first. I still don't know what to make of Marc...but I guess time will tell. But I do really enjoy Ben and Morgan's relationship and look forward to seeing where the next book will take them.

HOLD YOUR BREATH is a solid addition to this compelling and addictive series. Even I had no clue who the killer was until nearer the end. The plot is tight and the suspense gripping, keeping you guessing with a few surprises along the way. If you've not read this series, I do highly recommend it.

Bring on book 10!

I would like to thank #HelenPhifer, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #HoldYourBreath in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Oh, another solid book in the Morgan Brookes series from Helen Phifer, me likey!

Morgan and her team (which includes her partner Ben) must try and figure out what happened to Jasmine, and why. When another body turns up, this one well known to Morgan and Ben, the search for answers, and the murderer, intensifies.

I had figured out who the suspect was well ahead of time, which hardly ever happens, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the book! It was a well written story and I enjoyed seeing how much Morgan was cared about by Ben and her entire team, despite putting herself in danger more than once.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Morgan Brookes is back in another exciting, gripping and completely addictive instalment. Helen Phifer is an author who gets better and better with every book.

I love a visit to Morgan and the team. They have become firm favourite fictional characters and every case takes us on a trip to the dark side. This has been particularly dark but also interesting. I have no idea where this idea has stemmed from, but it is so gruesome and intriguing you want to know more.

This is a book that I have devoured. One sitting, one evening and an adventure that has made me feel tense, had my heart racing and been completely unpredictable.

Are there traits that make a serial killer identifiable? If there is, I’ve been completely useless at working out who the guilty party in this one was. I had my suspicions but found I was so wrong.

I love how Phifer can captivate me from the first page. I flew through this one and have been left craving more. I need more Morgan because she is such a strong female character.

This book is brilliant. I have loved everything about it and have no negatives I can say about this latest instalment.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping novel

morgan brookes is back and this case is shocking

when they get called out to a dead body they dont at first suspect foul play as it could have been suicide, they find the body of a young woman in the front seat of her car but its not long before they ascertain that she had been murdered

but its the death of the next woman that has everyone shocked and in pain as it turns out to be a friend of morgans

the race is on to find the killer and with an important clue already posted to morgan, can morgan figure it out in time....

gripping stuff

I love Helen Phifer and this series is so good. We’re on book 9 and it’s still such a great read. Morgan and Ben are adorable and there are so many amazing characters on her team. It was so fun getting to see a different side of Theo and Ettie always makes me smile. I love that we get to enjoy parts of the teams' personal lives as well as the gritty hunt for a killer. As usual, Morgan attracts trouble and has to fight hard to solve a difficult case. I did work out the twist but I was still on tenterhooks to see how the team would work it out. I was a bit shocked by the ending though in that it seems to end so abruptly. I would have loved to learn more about the killers motivations. Also a small note, the blurb doesn’t quite match the story. It says that Morgan receives a death mask and immediately recognises it but that definitely isn’t what happens.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I have followed this series since book one and despite being in it's ninth book it shows no let up in its five star quality and deliverance.I

I feel a kindred spirit with Morgan being a fellow DM fan. She's feisty, determined, loyal and head strong as well as being a bit of a liability but that's the reason we love her as a character.

Lovely to see Ettie make a cameo appearance in the book I've always loved her warm and unique character.

I just can't get enough of this series, Helen has added another masterpiece to her growing brilliance As an author.

Helen Phifer cranks up the tension in Hold Your Breath as Morgan and Ben are racing against the clock to solve who is murdering young woman in a brutal fashion and leaving their bodies to be found quickly.

Who could possibly be doing these horrendous murders and how are they connected.

Morgan time and time again puts herself in danger and her life on the line. Will her luck run out?

Ben and Morgan make a great team with all the regular players adding their own perspective to the case.

The pages turn quickly as you hold your breath and cross your fingers

I cant wait for the next case and whirlwind ride that Helen Phifer will take us on.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a nail biting read.

How can this be book 9 already! Morgan and Ben are still recovering from their last case and despite Morgan’s promises to be safe we know this will not be the case. A case hits too close to home and can the killer be caught before it’s too late.
Thank you to netgalley and bookouture for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wowzers! What a good book! I have loved Morgan Brookes since the first book but this book was filled with much suspense, twists and mystery. I am enjoying really getting to know the characters and their development as well.
Morgan uses her well tuned skills to narrow down on a killer of 2 women. While hunting down clues, she finds herself in some trouble on a few occasions.
I have enjoyed this series but especially this book. It is a fast paced read, hard to put down book that will keep you reading til its done.
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this great ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I tore through this series when I discovered it, so I was excited to see a new book. And while it may be stretching my suspension of disbelief that everything happens so much for Morgan, I don't really care. The stories are entertaining and I'm going to keep reading them.

Detective Morgan Brookes is called to Lake Thirlmere where a young woman's body, Jasmine Armer, has been found in her car. She has ligature marks on her and a strange substance on her eyelash. The location of the body is made even more strange due to the fact that Jasmine's father recently killed himself in this same location. When another woman is killed, this death will hit closer to home, and they realize they have a vile and wicked monster on the prowl. This is a well written police procedural with a definite horror factor. This killer is definitely unhinged and dangerous. The suspects are plenty as they investigate how these ladies' lives intersected.

The mystery portion of this thriller is twisty and spine-tingling as you are carried into the mind of a killer as there are several chapters which are from the viewpoint of the killer. It is obvious this person is unhinged.

I love the characters in this series. Morgan marches to the beat of her own drum, but you better not underestimate her intelligence and intuition when investigating a crime. When I read about Morgan, I envision Abby from NCIS in all ways. Helen Phifer knows how to pull you into the story, and she loves to provide one red herring after another. She keeps it interesting. The creep factor is high in this story as you follow along on the road to finding this individual.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a great crime thriller. It’s fast paced and action packed, and I I loved it.
If you’ve read any previous books in this series you’ll know that trouble seems to find Morgan, and this book is no exception.
With the body of a young woman found in her car it’s not clear at first if her death is suspicious. Following the post mortem, Morgan and Ben know they’re looking for a murderer and soon another woman is found dead in her car.
Morgan and the team are determined to find the killer but with several suspects, it’s hard to know where to begin.
This is a gripping crime thriller with a few surprises in store.
If you’ve not read this series, I’d highly recommend it.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Hold Your Breath, the ninth novel to feature DC Morgan Brookes, set in the fictional Lake District town of Rydal Falls.

A young woman is found dead in her car in front a reservoir, the same place that her father committed suicide six months previously. Jasmine Armer has ligature marks on her wrists and some kind of substance on her eyelids. She is not the last victim and Morgan fears she is hunting another serial killer.

I enjoyed Hold Your Breath, which has another serial killer roaming Rydal Falls, which is fast becoming England’s serial killer central. It isn’t a particularly profound novel, but it is event filled and entertaining, an easy way to pass a few hours.

The novel is told from Morgan’s point of view, so there are no disruptions, apart from the odd passage from the unnamed killer giving the reader a flavour of his mindset. It allows the reader to get immersed and guess alongside her. From about half way I identified the perpetrator, although that didn’t spoil my read (other than to wonder why she was so slow) as there is still plenty of action and the unmasking to enjoy. There isn’t much breathing room in the constant developments, but the author still finds time for a small amount of personal time with her and Ben’s relationship under the microscope, not in a bad way, more that they second guess each other.

Morgan is an interesting character. She’s the serial killer whisperer in the department with an ability to see beyond the obvious and make the links no one else can. She’s also seriously impulsive, ignoring instructions and going her own way. Unfortunately her judgement is not so great and lands her in trouble - she’s getting her money’s worth from the NHS.

Hold Your Breath is a good read that I can recommend.

Detective Morgan Brookes Book 9

When Detective Morgan Brookes is called to Lake Thirlmere one frosty night, she's devasted to find the body of a young woman positioned in front of the glistening reservoir. She has ligature marks on her limbs, glue residue on her eyes, and her beautiful face is as cold as ice. Knowing only a dangerous serial killer would arrange a scene so carefully, Morgan is in a race against time to stop them before more innocent lives are lost.

I love everything about this series. This time, Morgan and her team are on the race to find a killer before he strikes again. Morgan once again finds herself in the midst of a complex case which soon becomes personal. All the main characters are back, each doing their bit to help solve the murder. Morgan is tenacious in all that she does. The murders are gruesome.

Helen Phifer knows how to pull you in from the first page and doesn't let go until the final page has been turned. This is another rollerdcoster read, filled with twists and very well written. I could not put it down.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Hold Your Breath’, the nineth in the Detective Morgan Brookes series written by Helen Phifer, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

The body of Jasmine Armer is found in her car at Thirlmere, in exactly the same spot as her father Craig took his own life six months ago. DC Morgan Brookes and her partner DS Ben Matthews are called out to investigate. They need to find the killer before anyone else dies.

DC Morgan Brookes seems to attract more killers than her colleagues and in ‘Hold Your Breath’ not only is someone out there killing but Morgan is being sent boxes containing grotesque masks. This is a well-written thriller that’s entertaining and easy to read. It has suspense, intrigue and twists and turns with the added bonus of being set in the beautiful Lake District and I’ve enjoyed reading it.

I love this series. And Morgan. Brookes and her team. are on a race to find the killer before he strikes again. Will Morgan be safe this time.as the killer has a fascination. On someone. and then it becomes very personal for Morgan when the killer takes someone, she knows a very twisty and gripping read.

Once again Helen Phifer shows why she's an author you have to pick up and read , because she does an amazing job with with her plots and character development when it comes to her storylines as will as making you think that what she's writing about could happen in real life.