When Cyrus Haven first met Evie Cormac she was a damaged and troubled teenager who had been through horrific childhood trauma. Found at the age of twelve hiding in a house with the body of a murdered man, she had been raped and abused repeatedly by paedophiles. After being rescued, she wasn’t able to cope in a foster home and was placed in a secure children’s unit under a new name to protect her from those who want her dead for what she knows about them.

After her release from the unit, forensic psychologist Cyrus took her under his wing and taught her how to navigate the world while she finishes growing up. Now at twenty two, she lodges in Cyrus’ house in Nottingham and has made great progress, finishing school and working part time at an animal shelter. She still suffers from PTSD and has never been able to tell Cyrus much about her childhood or how she came to the UK from Albania.

At the start of the novel, Cyrus has talked Evie into joining him for a few days at Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, even though she can’t swim. As they are relaxing and eating ice cream, bodies start to wash up on the beach. Seventeen refugees died trying to make their way from France to the UK in a boat that has been deliberately hit and sunk. Two women are still missing and only a young boy has been found alive, clinging to some wreckage. The sight of the bodies throws Evie into a state of extreme shock, triggering her to start remembering the past she thought was long buried.

Evie’s memories of her childhood and how she came to be on a boat seeking refuge in the UK with her mother and sister lead her and Cyrus to travel to Scotland in search for answers. Cyrus knows it’s important for Evie to find out as much as she can about her past if she is to heal and move on with her life. What they find is a dark and evil network of power and privilege and little regard for the lives of helpless people. But there is also a surprise revelation in store for Evie which will give her some closure and makes for a very pleasing ending.

Well paced with a slow tension filled build to a gripping climax, this is a terrific addition to the series. Although this could be enjoyed as a stand-alone, the series really deserves to be enjoyed from the beginning to understand the background and the relationship between Evie and Cyrus. A totally engrossing and captivating read from a master storyteller.

Cyrus and Evie are back in this page-turning delight.

The book begins on a British beach with seventeen immigrant bodies washed up dead. There is only one survivor, with two women still missing. And Evie's memories start flowing back.

Storm Child delves deeper into Evie’s background and her journey from her home country of Albania.

Michael Robotham writes in such a detailed, yet easily flowing manner. I love reading his books and this was no exception. It was great to pick back up with Evie and Cyrus. I really didn’t want it to end.

5⭐️ from me. Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Robotham for allowing me this preview copy to review. Please get writing the next one very soon!

Another brilliant book from Michael!

This new book in the Cyrus Haven series is not only a good mystery/thriller in its own right about human trafficking and illegal immigrants, but also expands Evie's story as the reader discovers more about her past as a young child.

Highly recommended!

If you have followed this wonderful series, you will thoroughly enjoy this book the fourth and you will finally receive answers to questions you have from the previous three books.

The series started with Evie who has had a very horrific and tragic past when Cyrus, a forensic psychologist meets her in a children’s home. Cyrus feels an immediate connection to her and believes he can help her begin to deal with what has happened to her. Evie now shares a house with Cyrus and in this book, they are both now on a quest to find out answers as to the full extent of her past and to see if Evie is able to remember what really happened to her so she can finally deal with what she has suffered and move forward with her life.

Evie and Cyrus are on a short holiday in Lincolnshire when they become aware of illegal immigrants drowning from a capsized boat. One of the only survivors is Arden and Evie straight away feels a bond with him, they are soon to find out that this boat was hit purposely, and Cyrus becomes involved with the police investigation. This is a very intense story that will keep you turning the pages very quickly, very well constructed, and totally engrossing.

I cannot recommend this series highly enough and have to say how pleased I was with the way the author answered the many questions I have had regarding these characters for a very long time. I hope there may still be future books that feature Evie and Cyrus, if not I am really going to miss them. Five stars.

The forth book in the Cyrus Haven series and another well written book. I was looking forward to this addition and it didn’t disappoint.

Told from both Cyrus and Evie’s POV which is an easy read, which I loved. Another dark intriguing book and we finally get to learn Evie’s backstory. A lot of upsetting themes and at times rather far fetched in some places but that’s fine in the whole scheme of the series! I love the series and wasn’t deterred by this.

I feel you need to really start from book 1 and 2 to get a real love for this series. A highly emotional thriller which will keep you turning the pages. If you love Michael Robothams books you will need to add this to your collection.

Thankyou NetGalley and Hachette Australia and New Zealand for this eArc

Cyrus and Evie return in their fourth outing with Storm Child. This is a series I feel that you cannot just jump in anywhere and start the series. To appreciate the full back story of both characters you must start at book one. The basis of the series is that Evie was discovered hiding in the walls of a house where a terrible crime had occurred. She was starving and filthy and seemed to be around 12 years of age, forward six years later and she is insisting she be released from a children’s home and be able to live on her own. This is where Cyrus is called in, as a forensic psychologist he must determine whether she can live on her own. Evie is like no one he has ever met, fascinating, unpredictable and also dangerous. She can also tell with 100% accuracy if anyone is lying.
So Storm Child, Evie is now living with Cyrus so he can keep an eye on her
While at the beach one day they witness bodies wash up on the shore. They appear to be refugees. The sight of them sends Evie into a breakdown and she becomes withdrawn and uncommunicative. This has brought back memories of her own harrowing journey in similar circumstances. Now both Cyrus and Evie want to find out who is responsible for the death of these people and who was responsible for what happened to Evie and the death of her family.
As the story unfolds we learn more about Evie’s background as does Cyrus to whom Evie has been a closed book.
Like all this authors books it is a page turning, well written tale.

#StormChild. #NetGalley

However many novels Michael Robotham writes in his Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series, “Storm Child” will be remembered as essential to the canon. Since her introduction in “Good Girl, Bad Girl,” when Cormac was first

called to evaluate Evie, we’ve had only hints at her tragic past. This is the book that reveals her backstory.

It begins on a Lincolnshire beach, when bodies of migrants start washing ashore after their boat was deliberately sunk, leaving only one teenage survivor. This confronting scene triggers memories from Evie’s past, compelling her to piece together the broken shards of her mind, while Cyrus aids the police investigation into the premeditated catastrophe. Because what happened today, all those needless deaths, is connected to Evie’s trauma.

At this point I think I’ve used every superlative in the dictionary for Robotham’s work. This is a guy who writes suspense fiction rooted in character rather than pyrotechnics, and whose thrillers rarely rely on gunplay or exaggerated violence. He’s a master manipulator, who always plays fair with his readers. There’s never any unearned misdirection, just an author who knows how to build tension and keep the pages turning. “Storm Child” is another fine example of his mastery. Nobody does it better.

Though this could be an endcap to the series, I get the feeling there are more Cormac and Evie stories to tell. There is knowing the truth, and living with it.

Another sensational novel by the author!
Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac are back and this time, we get some answers to Evie's past. As Cyrus and Evie are present when the bodies of seventeen migrants wash ashore, with only one survivor, they are drawn into a mystery and Cyrus is helping to investigate. Evie begins to unlock her childhood memories but as the ghosts return, it is clear they may both be in danger.
Another dark and suspenseful novel that finally provides some resolution to Evie's past and helps pathe the way for the future novels. As always, I cannot wait for more by this author. 4.5*
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted copy.

Despite my eagerness to dive into "Storm Child," the latest installment in Michael Robotham's captivating "Cyrus Haven" series, I found myself unable to fully engage with the story. As a dedicated fan of the series, I had high hopes for this novel, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. Despite the author's skillful writing and the intriguing premise, I struggled to connect with the characters and the plot. While I appreciate the effort that went into crafting this installment, it simply didn't resonate with me as much as previous entries in the series.

20 years and still going strong as an author - Mr Robotham, take a bow. The fourth book in the series about Cyrus and Evie sees their friendship grow to a new level, amongst other things.
We finally discover Evie’s story. Genius idea to blend a new investigation with an old one as a way for Evie (and us) to discover who she is and how she came to be the strong young woman we all love.
Bodies on a beach, illegal boat people, government officials and a small town all link together in this dramatic and horrifying tale of people desperate for a new, better life.

Thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteaustralia&newzealand for this eARC.

Well, that was a read! Like all Michael Robotham books, I really enjoyed Storm Child. The way Robotham writes in the first person from two POV and makes it work, is a credit to his writing ability. And the storylines keep to wanting to read "just one more page". I particularly like how in Storm Child he gave us depth about the female MCs history. The only reason I didn't give five stars is some parts (for me) were unrealistic or a bit over the top. Still a good read though!

My Thoughts /

First and foremost, a huge THANK YOU to NetGalley, publishers Hachette Australia and New Zealand, and author Michael Robotham, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review. Publication date is currently set for June 26, 2024.

Author, Michael Robotham, has Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac returning in book #4 of the highly readable Cyrus Haven series - Storm Child.

🛑Like the other books in this series, there are some confronting themes within Storm Child. Trigger Warnings to consider: human trafficking, rape and child abuse.🛑

I was more excited than a three-year-old on Christmas morning (if that's possible) when I got my hands on a copy of this book. And, just like that, to paraphrase The Rolling Stones, 'It's All Over Now'.

Now I'm wishing that I could forget what I've just read, just so that I can read it all over again and experience that same simple enjoyment of a first read. [Starlight, Starbright, First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight.]

It all started with book #1, Good Girl, Bad Girl - when Adam Guthrie, the resident social worker at a secure children's home in Nottingham, calls his good friend, Forensic Psychologist, Dr Cyrus Haven to evaluate one of the residents. Evie Cormac. When Cyrus asks to see Evie’s historical records he’s faced with an enigma. There is no record of her date of birth, no hospital file, midwife report, or any records of school attendance. She’s the girl who was found by Detective Chief Inspector Lenore Parvel, living in a secret room in a house in north London. Who, when found, weighed less than a child half her age. She had been hiding out in a room that included the decomposing body of a man who had been tortured to death. Wild-eyed and feral-looking, she trusted no-one. At the court hearing for Evie's application for release (from Langford Hall), Cyrus makes an impulsive gesture. He offers to foster Evie until her eighteenth birthday. The court grants his application and the rest, as they say, is history.

To the present day, and Evie, who is now twenty-two years old, is still sharing a house with Cyrus. Evie has made valuable progress under Cyrus' watchful eye. She has a bank account, drives a car, attends courses, works at a local shelter helping with the surrendered animals and is still seeing a psychologist on a regular basis. As for Cyrus, he's still battling his own demons by pounding the pavement running and then lifting weights until he's exhausted.

The two are having a seaside break at the beach at Lincolnshire, but that quiet holiday time is interrupted when a boat capsizes on its way from France to England. As the bodies start floating towards shore, Cyrus swims out to try to rescue as many as he can. Most are already dead before Cyrus reaches them, but a teenage boy survives. Where did these people come from and where were they headed? The boy tells police that the boat (full of illegals) was deliberately sunk during the night. When Evie realises what's happening down at the shoreline, she's triggered by memories of her past.

These resurfacing memories take Cyrus and Evie on a journey to Scotland and reignites the mystery surrounding Evie's childhood. Now they have a chance to find out the truth about Evie's missing past. But will this knowledge heal her or break her?

This instalment gives the reader unfettered access to Evie's backstory. Every. Dark. Horrid. Element. And although we, as readers, could most likely guess what her early childhood was like, to be faced with the reality was a completely different scenario.

Highly charged and very emotional. This was the book that this series needed and I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to read it.

I recommend you read this series in order:
A Good Girl, Bad Girl
A When She Was Good
A Lying Beside You

#StormChild #NetGalley

Cyrus continues to intrigue me and this book certainly tests him in new ways. This book is really full on with a lot of action and many, many very upsetting themes which are all too current. I feel this book shines a light on issues from which many wish to turn their heads away, and bravo for doing that. This author knows how to tell a horror story which relies solely on human nature for its horror and he has hit the mark once again.

It was great to learn more about Evie’s history, and in so doing also learn more about the nature of trauma and suppressed memories. Nice to see some references to Robotham’s characters in other books, too, making this part of a wider experience.

Without wishing to spoil anything, thank you, Michael Robotham, for not bringing a romantic element to the relationship. This would absolutely spoil it, for me anyway, and to stay true to the beautiful relationship and characters you have created is wonderful.

My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ love this series even when its a bit OTT and wild!!

Some memories are buried for a reason… The most painful of Evie Cormac’s memories have been locked away, ever since she was held a prisoner as a child - a child whose rescue captured hearts and headlines.

Forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven’s mission is to guide her to something near normality. But today, on a Lincolnshire beach, seventeen bodies wash up in front of them. There is only one survivor, with two women missing. And Evie’s nightmares come roaring back…

Whatever happened all those years ago lies at the core of this new tragedy. Because these deaths are no accident. The same dark forces are reaching out, dragging her back into the storm. Evie must now call upon Cyrus’s unique skills, and her own, in their search for the missing pieces of this complex and haunting puzzle.

But will that be enough to save them?
And who will pay for the past?

Ok first up…. I have been a fan of this series from the start, way back when Evie was Angel Face… and if you too have been a fan waiting for this book I think you will like it. If you are new here… and you haven’t read the books prior … this might be a bit meh… or a bit confusing.. there is a long story at play here and I do recommend reading from the start.

Having said that I did have some issues with this book…. BUT as a fan I overlooked almost all of them because I love this series… so take that as you will because if you read it and go WTF KARLY WHY 4 STARS… well… you were warned.

Now… I couldn’t put this down, its been ages since I’ve read a book that I kept thinking about while I was at work and couldn’t wait to get back to it. Its easy to read, told from Cyrus and Evie’s POV alternatively throughout which I love. I liked hearing this story play out in the interactions and inner monologues of both Cyrus and Evie. I felt that Cyrus was a little less of a know it all asshole in this book… Evie of course was not but thats all part of her charm… or lack thereof.

I think Michael Robotham skirted the edges of “woke” really well.. he mentioned a few things here and there that I thought were done really well… and it enhanced rather than took away from the story. I also did like the secondary characters but I missed Lenny… she is one of my favourites.

This is a pretty far fetched tale… there are a lot of things that happen where if you don’t suspend your disbelief you will be rolling you eyes until you are dizzy… but knowing that up front I was all fine with it.. I threw it out the window and lent hard into this one. There are some plot holes… when I was thinking back I was like what happened to… or what about… but again… I don’t actually care … I read it and loved it… I will definitely be reading the next one.

I really liked the ending I thought it was a really nice way to find out more information that we have been waiting for since book 1 and I really enjoyed that. I think Cyrus and Evie’s relationship is questionable but I think they too skirt the edges of what is appropriate and honestly… I am not going to complain about it because as I said I love this series and I don’t mind.

I did knock one star off just because it did get a little toooo far fetched in places and I thought 5 stars was super generous but I enjoyed it… I was so excited when I got approved by NetGalley that I abandoned what I was reading immediately and dove into it head first.

Overall, if you love this author or this series… definitely read it. If you haven’t the first idea about either then read the synopsis and some other reviews first. If you like mysteries where you need to throw your disbelief into the sea then again pick this up.. however I don’t recommend starting part way through I highly recommend starting at the start… book 1 and 2 were also by far my fave in this series so far. Although this was close behind it…

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.