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.

When bodies start washing up on beach, Forensic Psychologist Cyrus Haven quickly suspects a sinister cause. As he supports the police investigation, Evie Cormac's long repressed memories from childhood are triggered, and begin to return. Told in present day and flashbacks, Storm Child chronicles the tragic events that lead to the bodies of the beach, and to Evie being held prisoner as a child.

Robotham's storytelling is engrossing, capturing the shades of dark and light in his characters, with a fast pace and many twists and turns. The alternating POVs are flawless, giving you a good sense of both Evie and Cyrus' take on events, and keeping you in the thick of the action. I love the way that Cyrus' knowledge of psychology is woven through the story, and is used to inform his relationship development with Evie. The central storyline topic of illegal migration was topical, with multiple perspectives explored. Whilst some aspects are a bit out there, it makes for a highly compelling and thought provoking read, and a great escape from reality.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast paced, gripping thriller. As book 4 in the series you will certainly get the most out of the big reveals by enjoying books 1-3 first!

Thank you Netgalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

The fourth in the Cyrus Haven/Evie Cognac series sees the pair involved in a terrifying encounter with people smugglers when a migrant boat capsizes off the Lincolnshire coast. There are flashbacks to Evies tragic arrival in the UK and her childhood. Great storytelling and I look forward to the next thrilling installment. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Cyrus Haven #4

Will we finally learn of Evie Cormac’s mysterious past? The infamous child, brutally treated is discovered several years ago in a secret room of a house where a man has been savagely murdered. Evie is silent on her name and background, a precaution for her self preservation. She has lived with psychologist Cyrus Haven in Nottingham for the last three years. On a holiday trip to Cleethorpes on the Lincolnshire coast, a horrifying sight plays out before their eyes as bodies of migrants are washed up on the beach, including a little boy. There’s one survivor, a teenage boy called Arben. The tragedy has a terrible impact especially on Evie, putting her temporarily in a catatonic state. Cyrus, who works with the Nottinghamshire Police Force, is drafted in to help with the difficult inquiry as dark forces are intent on controlling the narrative.

Like many readers, I have been eagerly anticipating this since “Lying Beside You” and this is everything I hope for. I love the bond that exists between Cyrus and Evie, it’s heartwarming witnessing the care he shows towards her, his constant concern and worry for her. She is certainly his blind spot as it’s apparent there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her. As for Evie, I think she’s wonderful, she’s endured so much yet still gets up each day, putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward. There’s no DS Lenny Pavel in this one sadly because not much takes place in Nottingham, principally Lincolnshire and particularly Scotland for much of the action. However, we are introduced to a fascinating new character in human rights lawyer, Florence Gatsi who is a great addition to the terrific cast.

The fast paced, ever changing plot is told alternately in flashbacks as the circumstances trigger memories and the drama following the migrants deaths. Evie’s memories are inevitably a tough read but as she’s in a better place than three years ago and has Cyrus at her side the toll isn’t as overwhelming as it might have been. What emerges from her recollections and from the present day storyline is a dark tale, jet black dark, as here lies ruthlessness that takes your breath away with a huge conspiracy revealing itself. It’s tough to read at times because of the violence and inhumanity. Cyrus and Evie make some appalling discoveries and your jaw drops at the extent of the control. The ending is very dramatic, Hollywood thriller style, perhaps the suspend your disbelief kind but as it’s so good, I don’t mind one bit! It’s moving and emotional, breaking your heart and warming it at the same time.

This is another tremendous and well written read which is action packed, full of tense and suspenseful moments and a multilayered plot. Highly recommended. It can be read as a standalone but as the first three are also outstanding novels, you’d be missing out.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Little Brown Book Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

12/6/24 to GR and X
26/6/24 to Amazon and Waterstones

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.

It's a 5 star score from me! Having read all the previous Cyrus Haven series it was great to get some answers to Evie's secrets.
I would recommend reading the series in order but would add that I would recommend you read every one then read all the other Michael Robotham novels. Brilliant!
I just reviewed Storm Child by Michael Robotham. #StormChild #NetGalley
https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/332034/review/1105939

Storm Child is book 4 featuring Evie Cormac & psychologist Cyrus Haven, There is a bit of a back story recap in it but if you haven't read any of the others, I feel you would benefit reading the previous books first to get the most from it.
I enjoyed learning more of Evie's story now that she is slowly adjusting to her safe life with the help of Cyrus but the story wasn't as gripping as the previous ones & it had a air of finality to it, so it might be the end of the road for this couple, hopefully not though, time will tell.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed this latest outing with Cyrus and Evie. I highly recommend this whole series. Now the hardest part is waiting for the next installment. Highly recommend

This book was highly character driven and you had to be familiar with the lead characters of this series to really appreciate it. I did enjoy that aspect of Cyrus and Evie's character development, delving into them more deeply was, for me, the most interesting part of the book.

The main plot was neither here nor there. It felt flat, like it had been shoe horned in around Evie"s history, but it seemed to lack something. Emotion? Realism? Depth? I can't put my finger on it. I just know that when the focus turned to the plot, I started to lose interest.

This is the book I have been waiting for since I first heard the name Evie Cormac, we were finally going to get some answers. I should say now that I don't recommend this book as a standalone. It is no 4 in a series and has little to no flashbacks to the other books. I would however say that the series is well worth a read. This book had everything I expected. There was page upon page of tension, lots of pathos and even a bit of romance. So why have I been left wanting more? I think it was the epilogue. Unless there is going to be a massive plot twist right at the end I think epilogues are a bit of a cheat. It's as if the author has decided the book is long enough so we'll just sum everything up in one chapter and call it the epilogue. Half a dozen more chapters would have made all the difference. So, no 5 stars.

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

Another excellent installment from Robotham, Evie is one of his best characters, and to get more info on her fragmented backstory is fascinating.

Thanks to Michael and NetGalley for allowing me to read Storm Child before the publication date.
This is the 4th book in the Cyrus Haven series and it keeps the momentum going, making it a real page turner.
As a teenager, Evie Cormac was fostered by forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven.
Now 23, Evie continues to live in Cyrus’ home and the dynamics within the household are changing.

A visit to the seaside town of Cleethorpes turns into a nightmare when bodies are washed up onto the beach,
the experience sending Evie into a catatonic state.
Only Arben, a teenage boy, is saved. The details which he provides lead Cyrus to investigate, placing them in danger.

There are many twists, turns and red herrings which lead the reader in one direction only to find that there is more to the story than could ever have been expected.

In the story, Michael has presented several perspectives on the topical subject of illegal migration and he doesn’t pull any punches.
One of the characters poses a thought-provoking point about the value of philanthropy.

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 ability as a writer. 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!

Book 4 in the Cyrus Haven series (I had only read book 3 previously) and here we are set in the world of people trafficking, the topic of migration and modern slavery.

It’s a dark tale and a very current topic, played out in England and Scotland and of course on the seas.

I’ve read many Robotham books in the past and enjoyed them all. He is an excellent storyteller and here again he weaves a believable and human story that still manages to be extremely dark.

A strong ending was the cherry on the cake. I’m going to pick up book 1 and 2 and in fact make book 1 my next read.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily
Every book in this series has been a five star read for me, so did book four live up to the expectation? Hell yeah! This is another cracking instalment from Michael Robotham. The interaction between Cyrus and Evie is as brilliant as ever and bang on point. The author has chosen the debatable and controversial subject of migrant crossings as his setting for this story, however whatever the readers views are on this it amazingly doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of the book. What I loved most though was learning more of the background of the wonderful yet broken Evie and her entire story through the first three books has finally been resolved. Great pace to the book and well plotted and a lovely emotional ending that just finished everything off nicely. A solid storyline that delivered on every level. More please Michael!

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.

I have really enjoyed the other books I have read by Michael Robotham and this one was no different, it had me gripped.

The Cyrus Haven series is one of my favourites and I love the main characters. I would caution people that there is a lot of talk about child abuse in this series.
I enjoyed learning more about Evie and where she came from. This novel focused heavily on human trafficking and plays into Evie's backstory so I feel like it is setting it up for future plots.
Highly recommend

Storm Child by Michael Robotham is book 4 in the Cyrus Haven series. Cyrus, a forensic psychologist, and Evie, a girl with a tragic past, are having a break by the sea in Lincolnshire when bodies start floating in to shore. The boat has capsized as it made its way from France to England with illegal immigrants on board. Cyrus tries to save some of them. Cyrus, finding out that the refugee boat was rammed, ends up helping the police with the investigation. There are whispers about someone called the Ferryman, who controls the illegal boats. Michael has a wonderful way with words and is such a consistently great writer. You are swept along, and wherever the story is, you are there right in the middle of it. You also feel the horror of what is happening, and has happened, with the illegals and the lives that are affected by this. I really like Evie, although she is still a bit of a mystery, but we do find out quite a bit more about her and the traumatic events of her childhood as these events gradually come to the surface. She is very much her own person. Cyrus is a great character too, a gentle, calm and considered person, particularly with Evie. This is a book that will stay with me, and I also found it emotional at times. Thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown Book group and the author for the advanced copy of the book.