Category Archives: Rob Ashman

The book review café book of the month for March 2020

I normally post my book of the month at the beginning of each month, but unfortunately I’m a bit late with this post, but as the old saying goes “better late than never”. I hope you are all keeping safe and well, along with your family, loved ones and friends.

The reason I haven’t been around for a while is I have been really worried about Mr book review café aka Andy, he got tested through work for the Corona virus and unfortunately the test came back positive, so as you can imagine first came the shock and then the worry! He’s doing fine and due to be retested later this week, but the most worrying thing about it all is that this virus is the silent killer, my husband has had no symptoms apart from a loss of sense of taste and smell, no cough, no temp so he had no idea he had it, so it doesn’t take much imagination to see how easily it’s spread.

As usual I’m digressing here, and now to the point of this post, my book of the month for March 2020. I read some cracking books in March, but if I’m honest the book I’ve chosen was always going to be a contender for my book of the month, and it’s already one of my top reads of the year so far.

How do I choose my book of the month?

I choose a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original plot, great characters and a storyline that draws me in from the first page and keeps me in its grips until I reach the very last page. So without further ado here’s my book of the month for March….

The Memory Wood by Sam Llyod

I expected The Memory Wood to be a disturbing read, after all the plot is based on a child’s abduction, what I wasn’t expecting was a read that was harrowing, and ultimately heartbreaking, I must admit I finished this book with a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. Sam Lloyd has written a book that’s compelling, and one of the most original books I’ve read in a long time. Highly recommended. You can read my full review here….The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd

Highly recommended

You can read my full reviews here…….

Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @BOTBSPublicity #BlogTour

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel #BookReview @amyengle @niamh_anderson @HodderFiction #AuthorInterview #BlogTour

Mr Nice by John Nicholl #Review @nicholl06 #MrNice

Dead Wrong by Noelle Holten #BookReview @nholten40 #BlogTour @KillerReads @0neMoreChapter @BOTBSPublicity @HarperCollins #MustReads

Books I’m hoping to read this month

God knows! I’m really struggling to concentrate at the moment, so I really could be reading anything or nothing! But here’s some of the potential books that I hope to read this month.

Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @BOTBSPublicity #BlogTour

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Today I’m thrilled to be one of the bloggers taking part in Killing Pretties by Rob Ashman blog tour. If you are a fan of the authors this is probably his darkest book yet, and you are going to love it. If Rob Ashman is a new author to you and you enjoy a dark gritty crime thriller then look no further. Before I share my review here’s the book description…..

Detective Sergeant Khenan Malice is a rubbish ex-husband, a crap father but a damned good detective. It’s a shame he spoils his only redeeming quality by being a bent copper.

Detective Kelly Pietersen joins the team to help find a missing woman. But Kelly has a secret…

Damien Kaplan is a leading criminal barrister and a keen amateur potter. He also happens to be a serial killer with a chilling approach to creating his art. He’s married to Elsa, though she considers him more of a possession than a husband. She controls those around her using sex and procures men and women for her husband to play with but only after she’s finished with them first.

Killing Pretties is his passion, having sex with them is hers. It is difficult to say which one is worse.

The missing woman brings all four crashing together – an incendiary mix that doesn’t end well.

’OMFG’ God The ‘king’ of twisted crime thrillers is back! Rob Ashman is one of my ‘turn to authors’ when I’m looking to read a dark crime thriller and Killing Pretties is unquestionably his darkest book yet! The authors latest heart thumping crime thriller has all the elements I enjoy, a protagonist whose beyond twisted, gory crime scenes, a tense plot, and a style of writing that is sharp and to the point. The authors draws the reader in with a shocking opening chapter, that’s full of promise and sets the dark tone of the book. The good news is this is a brand new series featuring DS Malice, so there’s no backlog of books to catch up on.

There’s no need for me to give a recap on the plot, as the book description pretty much covers it, so let’s move on to the characters, starting with Detective Sergeant Khenan Malice. I have a feeling Malice is a character reader’s will have a love hate relationship with, he wouldn’t win a father or husband of the year award, he’s considered to be a good Detective but he’s also bent. Normally in a crime thriller Detectives are sterotyped, ‘the conventional good guys’, so it makes a change to have a character who will freely cross the line, it means that Malice is unreliable, and unpredictable.

The author takes a bold step and reveals the serial killer Damien Kaplan from the off, and ‘oh my giddy aunt’ twisted doesn’t even cover it! Sick, depraved, and warped spring to mind. Kaplan is enigma on one hand he’s smart, funny, clever and sought after crime barrister, and then there’s the dark side of his character. He has a disturbing relationship with his wife Elsa, let’s just say it’s a ‘match made in hell’, a relationship that reminded me of the infamous Rose and Fred West, spine chilling to say the least! The nature of this book made for an uncomfortable read, and yet at the same time I read on with morbid curiosity, I’m a sucker for a well depicted serial killer! Killing Pretties is fast-paced, gruesome, and shocking, there are so many ‘OMFG’ moments that I’m sure I read most of the book with my mouth open!

Thank god for Rob Ashman’s twisted imagination, he has such a vivid and dare I say fertile imagination I do wonder how he manages to sleep at night! No one can ever say his books are ‘boring’ that’s for sure! This isn’t a book that I would recommend to those of a nervous disposition, as there are sexual scenes (although not in the romantic sense) included. But if you aren’t averse to a dark crime thriller with blood and guts, and you enjoy a dark, twisted read then it’s one I would happily encourage you to buy.

Print Length: 292 pages
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.

Buying link: Amazon UK 🇬🇧

My thanks to a Rob Ashman and Sarah Hardy for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

About the author

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.
Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.

It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy was the result.

Rob published Those That Remain, In Your Name and Pay the Penance with Bloodhound Books and has since written the DI Rosalind Kray series. These are Faceless, This Little Piggy, Suspended Retribution and Jaded which are also published by Bloodhound.

His latest work sees the introduction of a new set of characters – DS Khenan Malice and DC Kelly Pietersen. The first book in the series is titled Killing Pretties and the second is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Lies. Both books will be published this year.

When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rob-Ashman-Author-1428800800468097/

Website: http://robashman.com/

Twitter: @RobAshmanAuthor

**********

Sarah Hardy

Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo

Twitter: @BOTBSPublicity

Facebook: Book On The Bright Side

Follow the blog tour…..

When Stars Will Shine compiled by Emma Mitchell @emmamitchelfpr @BakerPromo #WhenStarsWillShine #HelpForHeroes

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Today I’m thrillled to be one of the book bloggers taking part in the When Stars Will Shine blog tour. The book is a collection of short stories from numerous authors. The money raised is going to a fabulous cause, to explain all here’s a message from Emma Mitchell who compiled When Stars Will Shine……

A Note from Emma Mitchell:

As the blurb tells us, When Stars Will Shine is a multi-genre collection of Christmas-themed short stories compiled to raise money for our armed forces and every penny made from the sales of both the digital and paperback copies will be donated to the charity.

Working closely with Kate Noble at Noble owl proof reading and Amanda Ni Odhrain from Let’s get booked I’ve been able to pick the best of the submissions to bring you a thrilling book which is perfect for dipping into at lunchtime or snuggling up with on a cold winter’s night. I have been completely blown away by the support we’ve received from the writing and blogging community, especially the authors who submitted stories and Shell Baker from Baker’s not so secret blog , who has organised the cover reveal and blog tour.

There isn’t a person in the country who hasn’t benefited from the sacrifices our troops, past and present, have made for us and they all deserve our thanks.

It has been an honour working on these stories, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have.

And now for the book description……….

When Stars Will Shine is a collection of short stories from your favourite authors who have come together to deliver you a Christmas read with a twist.

With true war tales that will break your heart, gritty Christmas crimes that will shake you to your core, and heart-warming tales of love lost and found, this anthology has something for everyone. And, with every penny made being sent to support our troops, you can rest assured that you’re helping our heroes, one page at a time.

From authors such as Louise Jensen, Graham Smith, Malcolm Hollingdrake, Lucy Cameron, Val Portelli, and Alex Kane, you are in for one heck of a ride!

When Stars Will Shine is the perfect Christmas gift for the bookworms in your life!

I was really excited when I was offered an ARC of When Stars Will Shine in exchange for a review, (I have pre-ordered a few copies, as it’s such a fabulous cover, plus it’s for such a worthy cause, it will also make the perfect Christmas present for a bookworm). When I saw a list of the authors who had written short stories for this book I recognised quite a few authors, but not all so I was interested to see how their writing compared to those authors I’m more familiar with.

As this book is a collection of short stories it’s the perfect book to dip into when the mood takes, or you could be like me, I intended to only pick out a few of the stories to read, but once I picked it up I read one, and then another, and then another……and before I knew it I had read the whole book! Every author’s story deserves a mention but unfortunately I’m only reviewing three, I chose an author who’s books I’ve already read, and two new authors to me.

Fredrick Snellgrove, Private 23208 by Rob Ashman

Anyone who has read a book by Rob Ashman knows what to expect, his books are gory, brutal and gritty. So I expected something along these line, but how wrong I was. The author gave me goose pimples, my eyes filled with tears, as he recounted the story of his great uncle, it’s short, poignant, and sums up the fragility of life for the brave soldiers who fought night and day for their country. It’s a simple story but it had a profound effect on me, as it’s the story of millions of soldiers who never returned home to their loved ones.

The Invitation by Billy McLaughlin

Billy McLaughlin is a new author to me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much he packed in to his short story. It’s a bittersweet tale of forgiveness and families. As I read this story I had a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. The invitation tells the story of Terry King, a war veteran, a man who was left broken by the things he saw, and the things he did. You get a real sense of Terry’s character as he looks back on his life, he has plenty of regrets mostly concerning the family he abandoned for alcohol, you can’t but help sympathise with someone who has seen and suffered so much. There are heartwarming moments in this short story that made me smile, and other moments bought me close to tears. This was definitely one of my favourite stories.

***Forgive me if my reviews are giving you the sense that this book is a depressing read, it’s not by any means, but the first two I choose to review had the most impact on me***

Penance by Jane Risdon

I really enjoyed this one, Jane Risdon isn’t an author whose books I’ve read before, but I loved this ghostly Christmas tale. This one also gave me goose pimples, but they were mostly caused by a feeling of dread as Gabrielle looks for his missing wife and daughters. Christmas should be a time where families get to spend precious time together, and yet Gabrielle missed these special days, putting work first, leaving him full of regret. There’s something sinister about reading a story based around Christmas and the big man himself, especially when a crimes committed. I was impressed with how well written this short story was, the author creates a spooky atmosphere with an undercurrent of tension and unease, but ultimately it’s a touching story that pulls on the heartstrings.

Where Stars Will Shine is like no other book I have read there’s literally something for every kind of reader, true war tales, gritty Christmas crimes, and heart-warming tales of love lost and found. It’s the perfect book to dip or read in one sitting on a dark Winters night. Highly recommended.

Full contents:

Fredrick Snellgrove, Private 23208 by Rob Ashman

Four Seasons by Robert Scragg

The Close Encounter by Gordon Bickerstaff

Believe by Mark Brownless

What Can Possibly Go Wrong? by Lucy Cameron

Mountain Dew by Paul T. Campbell

The Art of War and Peace by John Carson

A Gift for Christmas by Kris Egleton

Free Time by Stewart Giles

Died of Wounds by Malcolm Hollingdrake

The Christmas Killer by Louise Jensen

The Village Hotel by Alex Kane

A Present of Presence by HR Kemp

The Invitation by Billy McLaughlin

Brothers Forever by Paul Moore

Girl in a Red Shirt by Owen Mullen

Pivotal Moments by Anna Franklin Osborne

Uncle Christmas by Val Portelli

Time for a Barbeque by Carmen Radtke

Christmas Present by Lexi Rees

Inside Out by KA Richardson

Penance by Jane Risdon

New Year’s Resolution by Robert Scragg

Family Time by Graham Smith

Buying link: Amazon UK 🇬🇧

My thanks to Emma Mitchell and Shell Baker for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Follow the blog tour…..

Jaded by Rob Ashman @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #review #Jaded

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Today I’m thrilled to be sharing my review of Jaded by Rob Ashman, the fourth book in the DI Roz Kray series. If you are a fan of gritty crime thrillers then this is a series that’s unmissable, read on for my thoughts…….

A body washes up on a Blackpool beach, tortured and shot through the head.

A man is found in an alleyway with his throat ripped open.

A woman is murdered in a hospital bed.

What connects them?

DI Roz Kray’s private life is in turmoil as she struggles to unravel a baffling case and DCI Dan Bagley is hell-bent on making her working life a misery.

Billy Ellwood is a chameleon. What forced him to disappear eighteen years ago? And what was the promise?

When Kray makes a shattering discovery it rocks her world to the core. The stakes could not be higher. She’s left with no choice.

This time … it’s all or nothing.

Rob Ashman has done it again! he’s seriously messed with my reading schedule, when I down loaded Jaded I planned on taking a quick peek at the first page, epic fail! because before I realised it I had read the first half! I shouldn’t have expected anything less, as the author has the extraordinary ability to hook you in with a shocker of an opening, let’s just say I never realised what a bottle of red hot chilli sauce could be used for (ouch). The author really has a very twisted imagination as I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, but it means the reader should “expect the unexpected”, I like that in a read, it heightens my enjoyment tenfold if you are never sure which dark path the author will take you down next.

Roz Kray is back, but the author doesn’t give her an easy ride, she struggles to unravel a baffling case when a body washes up on the beach, DCI Dan Bagley (a nasty piece of work) is hell-bent on making her working life a misery, her private life is in turmoil. I really felt for Roz this time round, at the start of the book she is looking at a rosy future with her new boyfriend Millican, but then she suffers a personal tragedy, one that might break Roz, I’m not sure how Rob Ashman does it but somehow he always manages to gain my sympathy for what at first appear to be the most hardened killers, Billy included. Jaded has sporadic chapters from Billy’s perspective, a man who faces his own personal hell, these chapters look at his motives and the brutal world he’s become part of, I couldn’t help but find excuses for Billy’s actions, and also hoping along the way he would finally find some closure to a painful chapter of his life. Rob Ashman shares both Roz’s and Billy’s personal tragedies as the story progresses it’s these chapters that are tragic, powerful and heartbreaking.

Jaded opens with many brutal murders, and the reader is introduced to an array of characters, what at first appear to be many subplots are craftily melded together to make a heart thumping read. With themes of human trafficking, drugs, and murder incorporated into a cauldron of violence and revenge Jaded is a crime thriller that keeps the reader on tenterhooks throughout. You would be forgiving for thinking this book sounds very dark, but there are moments of light relief hidden within the pages. Although the book packs a brutal punch, it’s actually a very emotional read, somehow or other Rob Ashman has the unique ability to write the most brutal scenes but alongside them are powerful, emotional scenes that make his book such a pleasure to read.

Jaded by Rob Ashman is the fourth book in the DI Roz Kray series, personally I wouldn’t read it as a stand-alone, it’s just to good a series not to start at the beginning. If you are looking for a sedate crime thriller, then this definitely isn’t the book for you, but if you are looking for a read that’s fast-paced, brutal, with well-depicted characters, a thriller that will make your heart pound then this is definitely the book for you. Highly recommended.

Print Length: 285 pages
Publisher: Bloodhound Books (29 April 2019)

Buying link: Amazon UK 🇬🇧

Other books in the series

Links to my reviews…….

#Faceless by Rob Ashman @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #SerialKillerThriller #MustReads

**Blog Tour** #SuspendedRetribution by Rob Ashman @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook

#ThisLittlePiggy by Rob Ashman #BlogBlitz @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #MustReads

My #TopReads of 2018 by the book review café #MustReads

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I know some people think it’s too early to be sharing a top reads post before the end of 2018, but I’m taking some time off from my blog until the new year so it’s now or never.

I have been blogging for just over three years now and yet I’ve never done a top reads post and now I know why😂 I have read some fabulous books this year and trying to narrow it down is nigh on impossible. If you read my book of the months post you will know I can’t even manage to choose ONE book of the month! So I set myself an impossible challenge or so I thought, but then I had a brainwave “why not share all the books I gave a gold star too” simple eh?

So my top read list consists of all the books I gave this award to, It’s given to a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original plot, great characters and a storyline that drew me in from the first page and kept me in its grips until I reached the very last page. So here are those books in no particular order.

Links to my reviews can be found under each set of books I’ve included

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/02/02/unsub-by-meg-gardiner-bookreview-duttonbooks-meggardiner1-mustreads/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/01/06/blog-tour-hydra-by-matt-wesolowski-orendabooks-concretekraken/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/02/27/thehunger-by-alma-katsu-mustreads-almakatsu-poppystimpson-transworldbooks/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/04/09/blog-tour-keeper-by-johana-gustawsson-bookreview-

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/04/23/the-key-to-deaths-door-by-mark-tilbury-bloodhoundbook-mtilburyauthor-mustreads/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/05/11/dying-truth-by-angela-marsons-bookreview-writeangie-bookouture-mustreads/

http://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/05/25/dont-make-a-sound-by-david-jackson-bookreview-mustreads-author_dave-bonnierzaffre/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/05/30/thepuppetshow-by-m-w-craven-mwcravenuk-littlebrownuk-mustreads/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/05/15/cross-her-heart-by-sarah-pinborough-sarahpinborough-harpercollinsuk-mustreads-donttrustherbooks/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/06/07/blog-tour-th1rt3en-by-steve-cavanagh-sscav-orion_crime-lauren_bookspr-tr4cyf3nt0n-thatbookthathook/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/06/19/thislittlepiggy-by-rob-ashman-blogblitz-robashmanauthor-bloodhoundbook-mustreads/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/06/22/the-old-you-by-louise-voss-bookreview-mustreads-louisevoss1-

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/07/06/the-lion-tamer-who-lost-by-louise-beech-summermustreads-louisewriter-orendabooks/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/07/16/in-the-dark-by-cara-hunter-mustreads-carahunterbooks-penguinrandom-penguinukbooks/?preview=true&iframe=true

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/08/21/blog-tour-beforehereyes-by-jack-jordan-jackjordanbooks-corvusbooks-must-reads2018/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/09/10/blog-tour-the-hangmans-hold-by-michael-wood-michaelhwood-killerreads-harpercollinsuk-

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/08/23/truthandlies-by-caroline-mitchell-caroline_writes-mustreads-newcrimeseries/

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/10/04/blog-tour-the-murder-of-harriet-monckton-by-elizabeth-haynes-elizjhaynes-myriadeditions-harrietmonckton-

https://thebookreviewcafe.com/2018/11/27/the-liars-wife-by-samantha-hayes-samhayes-bookouture-blogblitz-

And finally just when I thought I had completed my top reads post I read Skin Deep by Liz Nugent which blew me away, and now it’s firmly one of my top reads of 2018.

#SkinDeep by Liz Nugent #BookReview #MustReads @lizzienugent #IrishBookAwards @PenguinBooks

And there you go my 19 top reads of 2018, are any of my choices included in your top reads of 2018? Do you want to share your top reads of 2018? I would to love to know so please feel free to leave a comment in the post.

I’m ashamed to admit I only read 104 books in 2018 not as many as I hoped (Holds head in shame) but hey ho hopefully next year will be better, here are the books I read……..

Some of the books I’m looking forward to reading in 2019….

To all the fabulous publishers and authors who have sent me ARC’s, it’s an honour to get so many awesome books, but it’s not something I’ve come to expect or take for granted so a huge thank you to each and everyone of you x x

Finally I would like to wish my followers, those who constantly share my posts, book bloggers, publishers, authors and readers a very merry Christmas and a very happy new year, And thank you for all your support 😘

#BloodhoundsChristmasCrackers Those That Remain by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @bloodhoundbook

Other Books in the series

You can find my reviews for these books here…

Pay The Penance by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook

Those That Remain by Rob Ashman #BookReview @RobAshmanAuthor @bloodhoundbook

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.

Like all good welsh valley boys Rob worked for the National Coal Board after leaving school at sixteen and went to University at the tender age of twenty-three when the pit closures began to bite. Since then he’s worked in a variety of manufacturing and consulting roles both in the UK and abroad.

It took Rob twenty-four years to write his first book. He only became serious about writing it when his dad got cancer. It was an aggressive illness and Rob gave up work for three months to look after him and his mum. Writing Those That Remain became his coping mechanism. After he wrote the book his family encouraged him to continue, so not being one for half measures, Rob got himself made redundant, went self-employed so he could devote more time to writing and four years later the Mechanic Trilogy is the result.

Rob has published Those That Remain, In Your Name and Pay the Penance with Bloodhound Books and has since written Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended Retribution which will also be published by Bloodhound.
When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Follow the rest of the blog tour…..

Blog Tour #SuspendedRetribution by Rob Ashman @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook

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Today I’m thrilled to be on the blog tour for Suspended Retribution by Rob Ashman. If you love a crime thriller that’s dark, intense and gruesome in parts then look no further. Before I share my review here’s the book description.

Alex Jarrod is a war veteran. When a flesh-eating parasite destroys his face, he returns from Afghanistan with a head full of nightmares. His world crumbles around him until he realises there is work to be done. Another war to fight.

DI Rosalind Kray has her hopes pinned on becoming the new DCI after tracking down another serial killer, but those in charge have other ideas.

After a small-time crook is killed in a hit and run and a serial burglar is brutally murdered, Kray suspects a vigilante is at work. But her bosses disregard her theory – until they discover a third victim.

Once again Kray finds herself on the trail of a serial killer but this one is different. This one lives in his own private war zone.

With her bosses on her heels Kray has her work cut out and the body count is rising.

But he’s not going to stop until the mission is complete … and Kray’s not going to stop until she finds him.

Any one who follows my blog will know I’m a huge crime thriller lover, not the Cosy Murder mystery garden variety type but the dark, gritty ones, the type that keep you awake at night (make of that what you will). So I always look forward to reading a book by Rob Ashman, this is an author whose fertile imagination allows him to create interesting characters and the most shocking and original story lines. Suspended Retribution is the third instalment in the DI Rosalind Kray series, I raved about the first two books in the series but this book is the icing on the proverbial cake, what a fabulous and deeply disturbing read this one turned out to be.

In Suspended Retribution we see a different side to DI Rosalind Kray both in her personal and work life, at times she’s ballsy, confident and reckless but behind the facade is a woman tormented by grief and self doubt which help to make her a relatable protagonist in my opinion. Rob Ashman has an incredible knack of creating the most twisted killers who carry out the most terrible crimes and you have every reason to loathe them but then he gives you their back story and before you know it they get under your skin. I couldn’t help feeling some empathy for Alex Jarrod a war veteran turned killer (not a spoiler as in the book description), but as to the “why” Alex went from being a soldier who protected people to a killer, you will just have to read the book. Although I would never think killing someone was right there was a tiny part of me that couldn’t help thinking the victims were getting their very own kind of “karma”.

The crimes are vividly described enabling the reader to form all to real mental images of the victims and the crime scenes, luckily for me I’m not squeamish but there were a couple of times I actually grimaced at the authors descriptions. In a nut shell Suspended Retribution made for a disconcerting read but also one that was nigh on impossible to put down. This crime series is one that’s going from strength to strength the plots are imaginative, the characters are brilliantly depicted, it’s a series that excites me as you are never sure which direction the next book will take. Would I recommend this book? Most definitely, in fact I would recommend the book, the series, or any of Rob Ashman’s books.

Print Length: 278 pages
Publisher: Bloodhound Books (September 12, 2018)

Buying links: Amazon UK 🇬🇧 Amazon US 🇺🇸

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.

When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Rob published the Mechanic Trilogy with Bloodhound Books in 2017 and will be releasing three new books during 2018. These are titled: Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended Retribution.

LINKS:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rob-Ashman-Author-1428800800468097/

Website: http://robashman.com/

Twitter: @RobAshmanAuthor

#ThisLittlePiggy by Rob Ashman #BlogBlitz @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #MustReads

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Today I’m ecstatic to be finally sharing my review for This Little Piggy by Rob Ashman. What a cracking crime series this is turning out to be, but before I share my rather enthusiastic review, here’s the book description……

Kevin Palmer is a regular sort of guy, or he was until his life fell apart. His wife, his money, his business and his reputation are all taken away from him. He tries to fight back and ends up in prison.

There he concocts elaborate fantasies to wreak vengeance. He is sent to work in an abattoir and the final piece of the jigsaw falls into place with chilling consequences. Then a cruel twist of fate changes everything.

DI Rosalind Kray is battling her own demons having returned to work following a brutal attack. She finds herself on the trail of a sick and twisted killer and cracks the macabre pattern of murders. But her boss is unconvinced.

Kray has Palmer squarely in her sights. But he has other ideas

Can Kray break him in time to save the final victim?

Time is running out.

Ever since I read Faceless the first book in the DCI Roz Kray crime series, I’ve been waiting with baited breath for the second book in this fabulous series. When ever Rob Ashman releases a new book I don’t even bother to read the book description any more because as far as I’m concerned I will read anything the author writes. The authors books are gritty, dark, with elements of horror thrown in, there the kind of books if it were possible you would read hiding behind a cushion (it’s impossible I’ve tried) Although This Little Piggy can easily be read as a stand-alone I would urge you to start at the beginning just because I would hate you to miss out on one of the best crime thriller series to be released this year.

One thing I will say for Rob Ashman OMG he certainly knows how to catch the reader’s attention, with a opening chapter that’s guaranteed to make you squirm you find yourself eagerly devouring chapter after thrilling chapter. All you need to know about this book lies in the book description, I’m not entering spoiler territory when I mention the author has taken a bold step by revealing the killer very early on in the book. Normally this would bother me, as surely the reveal of the killer should be left to the last possible moment to build on the tension? Wrong! Robert Ashman doesn’t follow the rules where crime writing is concerned, he pushes the boundaries so you are never quite sure where he’s heading and for me it’s what make his books such an exciting and thrilling read.

In many ways Roz Kray is as damaged as the serial killer she is chasing, but she’s also a good detective, determined, driven and committed, but she’s also vulnerable and for me that makes her a compelling character. As usual the author has created a serial killer that will chill you to the bone, the chapters told from his POV make you feel you’re inside his head, not a good place to be let me tell you, it’s the stuff of nightmares. Rob Ashman has created a serial killer who despite carrying out the most horrendous acts of violence towards his victims, you just can’t help being intrigued by him, I was desperate to find what events had motivated the killer.

This Little Piggy is Compelling and suffused with menace, spine chilling, stomach churning, it contains all the elements that personally make an outstanding read for me. A word of warning you will need a strong stomach to read This Little Piggy as it contains some very gruesome and lurid scenes, if your not adverse to some fairly grim scenes it’s one I would definitely recommend. I actually loved this book in case you haven’t already guessed, god knows where Rob Ashman’s vivid imagination will take him for the next book, but one thing for sure I will definitely be reading it.

This is going to come as no suprise but I’m giving This Little Piggy the very prestigious Gold Star Award Rating. It’s given to a book I feel is particularly outstanding, a book that covers every aspect of what I look for in a read, an original plot, great characters and a storyline that draws me in from the first page and keeps me in its grips until I reached the very last page.

Buying links: Amazon UK 🇬🇧 Amazon US 🇺🇸

Who is Rob Ashman?

Rob is married to Karen with two grown up daughters. He is originally from South Wales and after moving around with work settled in North Lincolnshire where he’s spent the last twenty-two years.

When he is not writing, Rob is a frustrated chef with a liking for beer and prosecco, and is known for occasional outbreaks of dancing.

Rob published the Mechanic Trilogy with Bloodhound Books in 2017 and will be releasing three new books during 2018. These are titled: Faceless, This Little Piggy and Suspended Retribution.

Links:

Twitter: @RobAshmanAuthor

Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/Rob-Ashman- Author-1428800800468097/

Website: http://robashman.com/

Follow the rest of the blog tour……..

#Faceless by Rob Ashman @RobAshmanAuthor @Bloodhoundbook #SerialKillerThriller #MustReads

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Book description

After surviving a vicious knife attack, which left her husband dead, DI Rosalind Kray returns to work and is handed a serial killer investigation.

This killer is different, he doesn’t just want to take the lives of his victims, he wants to obliterate their very existence. The murders appear random but the killer selects his quarry with meticulous care.

While fighting her superiors Kray must conquer her own demons, which are tearing her apart.

Kray has the ability to think like a killer and her skills lead to a series of horrifying revelations that turn the case on its head. She believes she is getting close, then her world comes crashing down with devastating consequences.

Will Kray find the murderer and escape with her own life in tact?

The truth is closer than she could have ever imagined…

Ever since I’ve read The Mechanic trilogy, Faceless by Rob Ashman has been one of my anticipated reads of 2018. Now sometimes my most anticipated reads can turn out to be a big let down because I expect great things, but I’m thrilled to report this wasn’t the case, in fact Faceless made for a brilliant read and if anything it actually surpassed my expectations. Rob Ashman has such a vivid and dare I say fertile imagination I do wonder how he manages to sleep at night! I’m not adverse to a crime thriller that’s gruesome in fact I rather enjoy them if I’m honest, the fact Faceless has one of the most disturbing serial killers who carries out the most repugnant killings I’ve ever come across, makes this book such a thrilling albeit a horrifying (in a totally good way) read. if you love a serial killer thriller they don’t come much more thrilling than Faceless.

The author certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention with an intriguing preface and a shocker of an opening chapter, Faceless is one of those books that once you start reading it’s nigh on impossible to put down. DI Rosalind Kray like many fictional detectives has a troubled personal life, but Rob Ashman gives Kray an original and alarming backstory, which immediately makes her a very compelling character. I have a feeling that she will become one of my favourite fictional Detectives as the series develops.

For me it was the chapter told from the serial killers POV that made this such a riveting read, their one creepy, bone chilling, spine tingling individual. At the same time I also find them to be a fascinating character, as the reader you learn more about the life events that shaped the killer. As to their motive behind the killings Well my lips are sealed but suffice to say their distinct method of killing made me grimace on more than one occasion, definitely my favourite fictional serial killer I’ve read about this year.

Rob Ashman has an incredible knack of describing the most gruesome scenes that will make the most hardened crime thriller readers stomach churn so this book probably isn’t one for the faint hearted. Personally I think these scenes exactly make this book a nail biting read, they add to the overall tension and also heighten the reader’s anxiety about “what’s going to happen next?” I’m sure my favourite saying whilst reading this book was “OMFG”! I must have said it at least a dozen times as the book became darker and more sinister. Faceless is a book that begs to be read in one sitting, the pacing, the plot and the memorable characters make Faceless a MUST read for crime thriller lovers.

Paperback: 296 pages

Publisher: Bloodhound Books (21 May 2018)

Buying links: Amazon UK 🇬🇧 Amazon US 🇺🇸

Tomorrow I’m on the #BlogBlitz tour for the second book in the series This Little Piggy 🐷 so don’t forget to pop by and read my review.

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The book review café book of the month August 2017

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OMG it’s September, can you believe it’s only three months to Christmas? Where has the year gone? I use to laugh when my grandparents use to say this, I never understood what they meant, but I guess it’s a thing people say as they get older me included 😂😂

So it’s time to choose my Book of the month for August 2017. The Book Of The Month is chosen by myself at the beginning of every month, for the previous month. It goes to the author/book that I found outstanding for that month, and I may have given a higher rating than a 5 star review if I actually star rated books on my blog.

You all know by now I’m indecisive and very often choose more than one book. Yes I’ve chosen two books again this month! but I loved them both so much it was hard to choose between them, so without further ado here they are………

Pay The Penance by Rob Ashman

This has to be one of the best crime series I’ve read this year, I loved the Mechanic series so much Those That Remain and In Your Name were my books of the month for July. If you missed my reviews you can read them here… Those That Remain In Your Name

Now back to Pay The Penance……..

This is one serial killer I can’t get enough of, and once again author Rob Ashman’s imagination runs riot, making the third book in the Mechanic series a heart thumping read. I’ve been eagerly waiting for Pay The Penance the last book in the Mechanic series to be published, I was so desperate to read this book I got up extra early to download it, and then made the fatal mistake of reading the opening chapter, and I was well and truly hooked, if work hadn’t got in the way I would have read it in one sitting and that’s a fact!

you can read my full review here….Pay The Penance

My second book of the month is…..

The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan

What a fantastic read The Doll House turned out to be, I loved every page of this dark and intense psychological thriller. Steeped in malice with a constant nagging sense of unease I literally couldn’t put this book down, and read it in just under twenty four hours. I must mention this is Phoebe Morgan’s debut novel, which I was really surprised at, I’m convinced The Doll House will be a book everyone will be talking about, and I’m sure we will be hearing a lot more about this very talented author. The Doll House is a story of family secrets, lies and revenge, which makes this book deliciously twisted and very creepy.