Cold Grave by Jenny O'Brien{book 6 and the final in the series}

 

I just love Jenny O'Brien.  She writes a great series which brings the characters to life and doesn't overdo the personal entanglements at the expense of the police investigation.

Detective Gaby Darin is a Welsh detective of Italian background, fiercely loyal to her team, job and a woman you'd want in your corner.

After a few DNF books it was a great pleasure to sit back with one of my favorite authors and series. I am sad to see this series end but what a way to tie things up.  Hoping we see the team back together again in the future as I loved watching these characters develop.

Gaby, Mal, Owen, Marie, Jax and Rusty are well fleshed out. I feel as if I know them and can certainly get a mental image of them all. If you are looking for a series which involves police procedurals, a little bit of the detectives' personal lives and is grittier than a cozy - this is your series.  

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

Buried Lies by Jenny O'Brien

 

Hannah is a nurse who is engaged to Ian and has a son named Hunter.  Her friend/coworker Milly invites her to go away to a posh hotel and enjoy the spa treatment when Milly's boyfriend up and leaves her.  The weekend is paid for so Hannah agrees to take the trip.

This is her first time away from Hunter but thought a weekend away would give Ian and Hunter time to bond and give Ian a chance to see what being a stepfather is all about. When Hannah returns home she finds Ian dead and her son is missing. What a nightmare.

When Gaby's team arrives to investigate they recognize Ian as one of the new police officers hired.  It appears he commited suicide but anyone who has read a police procedural will know this could be one of the red herrings inserted in the plot. Hannah is obviously bereaved and frantic but is also a suspect in the case.  She has a past which revealed a patient death under suspicious circumstances. 

The Welsh names of cities come up which is a part I like.  Love traveling to Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, Y Mwyar Duon in Ruthin, Llandudno and Rhos-on-Sea in Wales through virtual travel.

Buried Lies is the fifth book in the Detective Gaby Darin series and I blew through this novel in a day.  I enjoyed the first four books and was delighted to be approved for an advanced readers copy of this series.  As the characters develop I find I'm quite attached to them, watching them grow in their personal and professional lives.

Here is a list of the Detective Gaby Darin series:

Missing in Wales (book 1, titled Silent Cry in the UK editions)

Darkest Night (book 2)

Fallen Angel (book 3)

Lost Souls (book 4)

Publication date November 17, 2021 by St. Martin's Press.  Genre: General Fiction, Mystery and Thriller. you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.