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noveldeelights's review
4.0
It’s been a while since I hung out with Kay Hunter and her team but with a new book coming soon (next month!), I figured it was time to catch up. Cradle to Grave is the eighth book in this series and it’s as solid as its predecessors.
When the body of a man is found floating in the river, little does Kay know this isn’t just a murder investigation. Seeing as the man has no face, identifying him proves to be a tricky undertaking. But just when his name is discovered, it throws up a whole other set of questions and Kay and her team suddenly find themselves in the middle of a frantic search for a missing child.
Any storyline involving a child will have me glued to the pages and that was definitely the case with Cradle to Grave. Even while running on barely three hours of sleep and my eyes playing tricks on me, I couldn’t tear myself away. Just like the investigating team, I too was desperate to find out what had happened to this child. Was the child safe? Did they fall into the river or wander off? Did someone take them? With so little to go on though, I found myself getting increasingly frustrated, which seemed rather apt as that was the exact feeling the team was dealing with as well.
Admittedly, I cracked one defining moment of the investigation before it was revealed but that didn’t bother me at all. If anything, it threw up even more questions. There were still plenty of other things I didn’t see coming and despite thinking I had it all figured out at one point, it turned out I was completely on the wrong track.
As always, the chuckles are provided by Adam as he once again brings home an animal. Or three. The balance that Rachel Amphlett is able to achieve between Kay’s personal and professional life is definitely something I appreciate. This is such a wonderful crime fiction series and Cradle to Grave is another fabulous addition. Tense, twisty and thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait for book nine!
When the body of a man is found floating in the river, little does Kay know this isn’t just a murder investigation. Seeing as the man has no face, identifying him proves to be a tricky undertaking. But just when his name is discovered, it throws up a whole other set of questions and Kay and her team suddenly find themselves in the middle of a frantic search for a missing child.
Any storyline involving a child will have me glued to the pages and that was definitely the case with Cradle to Grave. Even while running on barely three hours of sleep and my eyes playing tricks on me, I couldn’t tear myself away. Just like the investigating team, I too was desperate to find out what had happened to this child. Was the child safe? Did they fall into the river or wander off? Did someone take them? With so little to go on though, I found myself getting increasingly frustrated, which seemed rather apt as that was the exact feeling the team was dealing with as well.
Admittedly, I cracked one defining moment of the investigation before it was revealed but that didn’t bother me at all. If anything, it threw up even more questions. There were still plenty of other things I didn’t see coming and despite thinking I had it all figured out at one point, it turned out I was completely on the wrong track.
As always, the chuckles are provided by Adam as he once again brings home an animal. Or three. The balance that Rachel Amphlett is able to achieve between Kay’s personal and professional life is definitely something I appreciate. This is such a wonderful crime fiction series and Cradle to Grave is another fabulous addition. Tense, twisty and thoroughly enjoyable. I can’t wait for book nine!
mandylovestoread's review
4.0
All caught up with Kay Hunter and the team now. Another great twisty case with an ending that I didn't pick. A great series if you haven't read them, start at book one.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.5
Finished reading: September 24th 2019
"Muted sunlight shone through the curtains at the windows, creating a gloom that hung in the air, malevolent and foreboding."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
I'm starting to feel lost for words when it comes to reviewing this series... Why? Detective Kay Hunter has quickly grown into one of my favorite detective series and characters, and it's getting hard expressing that love without sounding repetitive. This is one of those series that just keeps delivering, and every single book so far has been well written with intriguing plots, interesting and easy to like characters and just the right amount of suspense and plot twists. Kay Hunter is hands down one of my favorite detective characters and spending time catching up with her feels like wearing your favorite sweater or meeting up with an old friend. Cradle To Grave is already book number eight and by no means an exception to this rule. If you are a detective thriller fan and haven't tried this series yet, you are most definitely missing out!
Crade To Grave is one of those books you will want to clear your schedule for, because you will most likely end up wanting to read it in one sitting. I was hooked as soon as I started reading, cancelled all plans and just kept reading until I reached that final page... Loving every single minute of the ride. While this story might work as a stand-alone quite easily as well, I personally suggest reading them in order so you can properly meet and get to know Kay and the rest. I really enjoy seeing them develop over time... Also, the little animal visitors Adam brings home always manage to make me laugh and bring some lightness to balance the darker themes. In Cradle To Grave we have a new case that, while initially seemingly simple, soon turns out to be another challenge for Kay and her team. A murder, a missing child and a whole web of secrets and lies just waiting to be uncovered... On top of that, a possible connection in a whole different country, oh la la! The plot in book number eight will definitely keep you on your toes and it will be really hard to guess the final reveals before they happen.
Twists and turns are used to keep the level of suspense steady as well as slowly building that tension towards the grand final... Combine this with excellent writing and main characters you will find yourself once again rooting for, and you won't realize hours have passed until you read those final words. Cradle To Grave is of that same high quality I've become used to when it comes to this series, and I loved spending more time with my favorite team. If you are looking for a detective thriller series that keeps delivering, a plot that will keep you guessing until the very end or simply a very engaging and absorbing read, you will find all those things are covered in every single Detective Kay Hunter book. So go meet her if you haven't already! Trust me, you won't regret it...
meggyroussel's review
4.0
The genius in the Kay Hunter series is that Rachel Amphlett manages to draw you in within seconds. Here we are, talking about the eighth book in the Kay Hunter series, and once again, as soon as I laid my eyes on the page, I was transported. How does she do this? Through a down-to-earth, inviting writing that seizes your attention by being so ‘normal’. No big fat shoes and a reputation. No light shining over Kay’s team. Just regular days spent with a terribly good police officers, going up and down along with an investigation that requires the best of their abilities.
As if a faceless dead guy wasn’t enough, evidence of a child near the scene immediately brings the kind of frantic urgency you get when an innocent party is involved. And because Rachel Amphlett’s characters have a heart and different backgrounds, they throw themselves completely into this search. I often hear ‘you can’t understand until you have kids’ and I hate this assumption. I don’t have children, but I am affected when something happens. So while some team members react according to their upbringing waiting for them at home, the author brilliantly offers other officers like the amazing Carys the chance to show how much people care, no matter if their ovaries have been used or not!
Cradle to Grave felt somehow different from the previous book in terms of the pace. A quiet deadly discovery is followed by the rush of a search for a missing person, leaving no time to the reader (or the team) to take things as they come. My heart was pumping furiously as the plot jumped from fast-running periods to the slow-path of legwork and digging up leads. Instead of frustrating me, it only enhanced the feeling of authenticity I always get when reading about Kay’s cases.
I had no idea where this investigation would lead and truly appreciated the team effort that Rachel Amphlett never underestimates to bring a case alive and kicking. Everything happens for a reason and affects people in different ways, pushing them to work harder, take a closer look home, or just give them wings they didn’t know they had. Carys particularly shone in this installment and I could feel a sense of something coming. Change? Well, it just doesn’t affect us. Characters live and move on. This is not a spoiler, by the way! The dynamic between Kay’s well-balanced team was as wonderful as ever, taking the role of X factor that takes a book from good to fabulous. Barnes, Gavin, Sharp, they all have room in my heart and their development is a key factor in every job they encounter.
Why kill a man and abduct a little girl? I dare you to guess that one!
With appearances from secondary characters, such as the lovely Adam and the newest animal addition to the Hunter house, or Kay’s parents, it is easy to remember Kay is also a woman, a daughter, a wife, and so much more. Poignant moments made this novel both heart-wrenching and warm. Kay is not known for giving up, and this time again fueled by the love of those around her and her stubborn urge for answers, she digs as deep as needed to get to the bottom of a dark family story that takes the reader across the Channel. The danger is not obvious, and it takes an eye for detail and thorough investigation under real tension to untangle another complex race for justice and the truth.
If you are looking for a strong police procedural with a close-knit team and an author with her finger on the adrenaline button, grab your copy of Cradle to Grave!
As if a faceless dead guy wasn’t enough, evidence of a child near the scene immediately brings the kind of frantic urgency you get when an innocent party is involved. And because Rachel Amphlett’s characters have a heart and different backgrounds, they throw themselves completely into this search. I often hear ‘you can’t understand until you have kids’ and I hate this assumption. I don’t have children, but I am affected when something happens. So while some team members react according to their upbringing waiting for them at home, the author brilliantly offers other officers like the amazing Carys the chance to show how much people care, no matter if their ovaries have been used or not!
Cradle to Grave felt somehow different from the previous book in terms of the pace. A quiet deadly discovery is followed by the rush of a search for a missing person, leaving no time to the reader (or the team) to take things as they come. My heart was pumping furiously as the plot jumped from fast-running periods to the slow-path of legwork and digging up leads. Instead of frustrating me, it only enhanced the feeling of authenticity I always get when reading about Kay’s cases.
I had no idea where this investigation would lead and truly appreciated the team effort that Rachel Amphlett never underestimates to bring a case alive and kicking. Everything happens for a reason and affects people in different ways, pushing them to work harder, take a closer look home, or just give them wings they didn’t know they had. Carys particularly shone in this installment and I could feel a sense of something coming. Change? Well, it just doesn’t affect us. Characters live and move on. This is not a spoiler, by the way! The dynamic between Kay’s well-balanced team was as wonderful as ever, taking the role of X factor that takes a book from good to fabulous. Barnes, Gavin, Sharp, they all have room in my heart and their development is a key factor in every job they encounter.
Why kill a man and abduct a little girl? I dare you to guess that one!
With appearances from secondary characters, such as the lovely Adam and the newest animal addition to the Hunter house, or Kay’s parents, it is easy to remember Kay is also a woman, a daughter, a wife, and so much more. Poignant moments made this novel both heart-wrenching and warm. Kay is not known for giving up, and this time again fueled by the love of those around her and her stubborn urge for answers, she digs as deep as needed to get to the bottom of a dark family story that takes the reader across the Channel. The danger is not obvious, and it takes an eye for detail and thorough investigation under real tension to untangle another complex race for justice and the truth.
If you are looking for a strong police procedural with a close-knit team and an author with her finger on the adrenaline button, grab your copy of Cradle to Grave!
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