Dead Fish

I was slightly hesitant to read this book based on the reviews however I'm glad that I did as the ending was not expected at all!

It is a bit of a slow starter but once the first couple of chapters are over it becomes more interesting.

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

Well... although I can agree with some of the reviewers here, I thought is a nice enough one to give it three stars. It kept my attention and I wanted to know what was really going on - although it wasn't hard to find out. For me, it was an enjoyable book and I would like to read more of this author.

DEAD FISH is this author's first ..and only book to date. Alison Hope will be defending Dr. Geoffrey Quinn against a murder charge. His wife's remains are found in the boiler...nothing but bone pieces and ash ... and his two young children missing.

Quinn claims he is innocent, but has a hazy recollection of where he was the weekend his wife was killed. He claims someone was threatening his wife, but he doesn't know who. She would disappear for hours, but wouldn't tell him where she was going or had been.

She and her Private Investigator, George Kristianssen , are looking into the backgrounds of the Quinn family. What they find are secrets upon secrets upon lies. But they must be getting close to something somewhere, because bodies are dropping like flies. Now if only they could make the connection....

Where Alison shines is the courtroom. She's known for being prepared, determined to win her cases. But can she shed light on the truth and save her client?

Amazing twists and turns keep the pages turning. It's like seeing a roadside accident ... it's compelling and you just have to look. The characters are terrific. The author has done a bang up job in character development. I'm surprised that there hasn't been another book following ....

I enjoyed the courtroom drama, but I must admit, I was waiting for a Perry Mason moment .. but the ending was even more surprising.

Many thanks to the author / Thistle Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Overall this is a good story. It is a bit slow to start with. I am glad I kept reading as it picked up pace and kept me reading to the end. It is only towards the very end that you find out if Geoff killed his wife. Up until then everything is being put together piece by piece. I thought that some of it was a bit unbelievable but overall the plot was complicated but plausible.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Thistle Publishing and Ruth Carrington for the opportunity to read this novel.
While it was a slow start, the more I read, the more engrossed I became. The storyline was easy to follow and well thought out. Definitely well worth a read if you enjoy murder mysteries with a twist.

Dr Geoffrey Quinn arrives home after a long drive to find his house a crime scene and taken over by the police. They arrest him after discovering the remains of his wife in the basement furnace. Meanwhile his two children are still missing presumed dead.
Alison Hope is his legal rep who has suffered her own devastating loss in the past. She works hard to prove Quinn is not guilty of murder and in the process brings buried memories to the surface.
George is the rough diamond turned PI who shares her bed and risks his life to obtain the evidence she needs for her case. Will she realize her true feelings before time runs out?
The storyline kept me interested all the way through to the last few pages. The ending was a reminder that things are never quite what they seem.
If two characters are attracted to each but do not realize it or accept it I always feel a little frustrated with them. In no way did this detract from my enjoyment.
First published in 1998 this Alison Hope novel is an easy mystery thriller to read. I felt it was worthy of a four star rating.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Dr Quinn faces a murder charge when he returns home to find his wife’s burnt remains and his children missing. Alison Hope and Private Investigator George Kristianssen take on his case, Alison thinks Quinn is innnocent but she has a tough job to prove it. As she starts to investigate the case she finds that his wife had lots of secrets in her life which leads her to uncovering illicit social parties involving sex, drugs and underage sex. Can she solve the case as the end of the trial looms?
I loved the character of Amy Hope and all her past history. I hope we see this as the beginning of a series featuring her. This is gripping debut novel. The plot has many twists and turns and it is a definite read for crime and thriller lovers.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.