A Deadly Promise by Rachel Amphlett

 

A DEADLY PROMISE

A Detective Kay Hunter Novel

Book #13

by

RACHEL AMPHLETT

British Police Procedural / Women Detectives / Murder Mystery

Saxon Publishing

February 5, 2025

336 Pages

ABOUT THE BOOK: When a woman’s mutilated body is discovered in a remote countryside property, Detective Kay Hunter is faced with one of the most challenging investigations of her career.

There is nothing in the victim’s past to explain her brutal slaying, and no clues as to how her killer got away.

Then a second body is found in a run-down storage facility, the man’s remains covered in horrific injuries that bear the hallmarks of prolonged torture.

With two families demanding justice, Kay is under pressure from her superiors to deliver a swift result–but there is no evidence to connect the two victims.

When a third victim is found just a short distance from her own incident room, Kay realises that the killer has no intention of stopping–and they already have their next victim in their sights…

A Deadly Promise is the 13th book in the Detective Kay Hunter series by USA Today bestselling author Rachel Amphlett and perfect for those who love fast-paced crime thrillers.

BUY THE BOOK

Help support my retirement by using these affiliate links to purchase your copy!

Kindle   ***  Hardcover  ***   Paperback  ***   Audiobook

------- 🕮 -------

HALL WAYS REVIEW: This is a favorite series, and I'm never disappointed by the stories, which are British police procedurals. I particularly enjoy reading these books with my ears because of the delightful accents, and the oh-so-British politeness and style. A DEADLY PROMISE was a bit more graphic than others in the series, with the details and cruelties of the murders unfathomable, yet believable, in these warped times we live in. 

In A DEADLY PROMISE, the 13th book in the Detective Kay Hunter series, all the familiar characters are in place, with hints that some of the favorites may be moving on to bigger roles and callings.  The characters and setting are realistic, including how budgets and cost-cutting are impacting the efficacy of Kay's team to do their jobs.

As is the case in most books in the series, there is some relief from the horrendous casework in the home life Kay shares with her veterinarian partner, Adam. The animals-at-home shenanigans are always chuckle worthy, and I find I relax as much as Kay does when she walks through her front door. 

When all was finally revealed, I did struggle a bit with the grisly murder motive making sense. It seemed to be counterintuitive, but then, the murderer is clearly more motivated to fill a sick need than anything else, despite anything said otherwise. 

ABOUT THE NARRATION: Alison Campbell, as always, provides an outstanding performance. Campbell’s pacing is even, her diction perfectly clear. I listened at 1.2x for my own patience and comfort, but regular speed was fine. At this point in the series, she has mastered the voices for the key returning players, and that's something awesome that these characters each sound the same as they have from the beginning. 

Even with the less-than-ideal resolution in A DEADLY PROMISE, I recommend this and all the books in this series to those who enjoy riding along with a team of detectives to solve crimes. Each stands alone just fine, but I'd recommend starting at the beginning. Here, Kay is at the top of her detective game, but I have enjoyed watching her climb every rung of the ladder within the department, and it's more satisfying having gone on that journey with her.  

Click to link up to Hall Ways reviews of books 1-9

*forgive the broken links on the posts*

    

Book 10 Review on Goodreads

Book 11 Review on Goodreads

Book 12 Review

NEXT UP IN THE SERIES:

------- 🕮 -------

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.

Rachel’s stories are available in eBook, print and audiobook formats from libraries and retailers as well as her own shop on this website.

A keen traveler and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.

The Dying Season by Rachel Amphlett

 

THE DYING SEASON

A Detective Kay Hunter Novel

Book #12

by

RACHEL AMPHLETT

British Police Procedural / Women Detectives / Murder Mystery

Saxon Publishing

February 6, 2023

301 Pages

Help support my retirement by using these affiliate links to purchase your copy!

Kindle   ***   Audiobook

HALL WAYS REVIEW: It's always a delight to return to the oh-so-British world of Detective Kay Hunter. I usually read this series with my ears, but I snagged a deal on Kindle and read the eBook this time. Naturally, with eleven prior audiobooks in the series, all swimming in my head, I was able to hear the voices of all the favorites on Kay's team and in her life. 

As Kay's climbed the ladder in the police force, she's evolved into an even more confident and effective leader than ever. I've enjoyed watching this growth and the obstacles thrown at her through the process. She's a commanding presence now and taken seriously, and I love that. But, as is with real life and the burden of being so responsible and accountable, she's lost some of her lightness, and there's less time for her -- and readers -- to enjoy the amazing relationship she has with Adam in her personal life.

What struck me about The Dying Season was how differently all things related to guns is handled in the UK versus the US. There's a horrible crime committed outside a pub in Kent, UK, and it's practically a national emergency to find the killer and justice for the victim. Gun violence is nearly unheard of due to the stringent laws to own a gun at all. Everyone's in a panic with the gunman on the loose, so all resources are pooled to solve the case. How refreshing it would be if shootings were so rare.  I was reading this book on the heels of the 4th of July in the US where there'd been 100 shootings in the Chicago area alone, so the contrast was even more astounding. And honestly, it made me sad for the state of my own country. 

Of the twelve books in the series that I've read so far, I think this is the most police-procedural heavy of them, but especially given the difference between UK and US procedures, it is a great story. There's plenty of action and edge-of-your-seat moments, and the urgency to get the case solved is palpable. 

I'm a fan, and I look forward to diving into the next installment, A DEADLY PROMISE, which published in February of this year. 

Click to link up to Hall Ways reviews of books 1-9

*forgive the broken links on the posts*

Book 10 Review on Goodreads

Book 11 Review on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Before turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.

Rachel’s stories are available in eBook, print and audiobook formats from libraries and retailers as well as her own shop on this website.

A keen traveler and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.

Brutal Season ~ Lone Star Book Blog Tours Cover Reveal & Pre-Order Book Blitz!

 

BRUTAL SEASON

The Seasons Mysteries Series #4

BY MARYANN MILLER

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER!

Police Procedural / Mystery

Publisher: MCM Enterprises

Coming April 10, 2023

Scroll down for Giveaway!

Eighteen-year-old Jamel Frederickson is shot and killed by a white, rookie Dallas police officer. His crime? Being black and mentally ill.

Following that unwarranted death, anger, and violence erupts on the streets, leading to the murders of two protestors who were marching around the downtown federal building.

Detectives Sarah Kingsly and Angel Johnson are thrust into the investigation of those murders, while desperately clinging to the threads of their partnership.

The shootings also raise questions about whether the alt-right white supremacists that invaded the city with their guns and inflammatory rhetoric are responsible.

Will more people get killed?

Is there more than one person out there with an agenda?

When a member of the team, Ryan O’Donnell, is shot while attempting to prevent looting, the tension in the city, and the department, ratchets up even higher. And it deeply affects Angel who’s been pretending she really isn’t falling for this white man.

Angel joins the protests to take a stand against racism in the city and within the department; an action that puts her job, her relationship with Ryan, and her fragile partnership with Sarah at risk.

For her part, Sarah comes to realize that she is not as enlightened as she thought she was, and both women just hope they can come through the personal and professional challenges and end up with something that resembles a true partnership.

While catching the killers in the process.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR BRUTAL SEASON

"In the compelling fourth installment of the Seasons Mystery series, Miller once again tackles difficult subjects in this absorbing, page-turning crime thriller."--Carrie Rubin, author of Fatal Rounds, a Publishers Weekly BookLife Prize Finalist

CLICK TO PRE-ORDER

Maryann Miller, an award-winning author, has been in love with storytelling since she was a child and used to scare her sister with stories of the monsters in the cellar.

When she grew up, she started her professional career as a journalist, writing newspaper columns, feature stories, and short fiction for regional and national publications. Her novels are primarily mysteries, with an occasional mainstream novel thrown into the mix.

Miller is the recipient of the Page Edwards Short Story Award for her story Maybe Someday and the New York Library Best Books for Teens Award for her nonfiction book, Coping with Weapons And Violence In School and On Your Streets. Her mystery, Doubletake, was honored as the Best Mystery by the Texas Association of Authors. She took first place in the short story and screenwriting competition at the Houston Writer's Conference and was a semi-finalist at Sundance for her script “A Question of Honor.” She was also a semi-finalist in the Chesterfield Screenwriting Competition with the adaptation of Open Season, the first book in the Seasons Mystery Series.

When not writing, Miller loves to play on stage and play in her garden. She lives in Texas with her dog and three cats. The cats rule.

◆ WEBSITE ◆ FACEBOOK ◆ TWITTER ◆

◆ AMAZON ◆ GOODREADS ◆ BOOKBUB ◆

--------------------------------------

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

TWO WINNERS!

FIRST: $50 Amazon gift card

+ signed copies of the first three books in the series.

SECOND: Signed copies of the first three books in the series.

(US only; ends midnight, CST, 3/2/23)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

--------------------------------------

CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE TOUR PAGE

FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH BLOG PARTICIPATING IN THIS BOOK BLITZ!

blog tour services provided by

Shadow of Murder ~ Book Blog Tour Audio Book Sample & Giveaway!

SHADOW OF MURDER
A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 14)

by Lauren Carr

Genre: Adult fiction

Categories: Murder Mystery / Police Procedural / Crime Fiction

Publisher: Acorn Book Services

Release date: March 30, 2022

496 pages

Content Rating: PG-13. Lauren Carr's mysteries are murder mysteries. Sometimes, the murder does happen on-stage. There is no graphic violence or explicit sex. There is some very mild language; No F-Bombs!

Book Description:

You can't move to the next chapter of your life, without tying up loose ends in the previous.
 
True crime blogger, Erica Hart starts a new chapter in her life with a bang when a dark shadow darts into the mountain road to send her SUV off a cliff and to the bottom of Deep Creek Lake. Spencer’s newest addition to the police force, Dusty O’Meara assumes it was a bear. Erica is not so sure.
 
Soon afterwards, contractors discover Konnor Langston’s body at the bottom of an abandoned swimming pool at the new summer home of Mac Faraday’s son.
 
With Police Chief David O’Callaghan away on paternity leave, Deputy Chief Dusty O’Meara must lead the investigation in his first murder case since moving to Spencer. Not only does Dusty have to work under the shadow of the legendary Mac Faraday, but he also has to match wits with Erica, who is determined to find justice for Konnor, her childhood friend.
 
Mac isn’t so difficult. Even Gnarly, the town’s canine mayor, is manageable if his authority is well-respected and he is kept entertained.
 
Erica Hart, Dusty finds, is more of a challenge. It wouldn’t be so difficult if she wasn’t so irresistible.

---

"Five Stars for Lauren Carr's 14th book of the Mac Faraday Murder Mysteries, Shadow of Murder! In this new release, she has recaptured the fun of cute "creatures" with the fast-moving, suspenseful, and captivating mystery, along with her usual touch of romance." - review by Lu Ann Worley, Rockin' Book Reviews

 

"This newest title in the author's Mac Faraday cozy murder mystery series offers Lauren Carr's most intricate plot to date - full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep readers up until the wee hours. While still full of the humor, fun critters and touch of romance that are her trademark, the author has also woven in a dark supernatural element that whispers through to the startling ending." - review by Marilyn R. Wilson, bestselling author, freelance writer, editor, and speaker at Olio by Marilyn.

BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon

---

NOW AVAILABLE ON AUDIO!

Listen to an Audio Sample:

BUY THE AUDIO BOOK:

Audible

Turn to Dust ~ Audio Book Blog Tour & Review!

TURN TO DUST

Detective Kay Hunter Series, Book 9

BY RACHEL AMPHLETT

Narrated by Alison Campbell

Length: 7 hours 56 minutes

Publisher: Saxon Publishing

Sub-Genres: Mystery, Police Procedural

Released: May 14, 2020

When the body of a naked man is found in the middle of a barren field, a rural community is left in shock - and fear.

Discovering that someone is offering money in return for information about the dead man and anyone connected to him, Detective Kay Hunter realises there is a dark side to the victim’s past.

When a key witness disappears and a web of deceit and lies threatens to derail the investigation, she fears the worst.

Can Kay and her team of detectives find out who is behind the man’s murder before another victim is targeted?

RachelAmphlett.com

HALL WAYS REVIEW: AUDIO BOOK REVIEW. Reading (with my ears) the latest book in the Detective Kay Hunter series was the perfect escape during these social distancing days. It felt like spending time with old friends after a long time apart from them – I read the prior book, Cradle to Grave, nearly nine months ago! The fabulous Alison Campbell returns to narrate the story, and within four minutes, author Rachel Amphlett gives us the first mention of steaming hot coffee. Perfection.  

Amphlett has a predictable formula that’s held for all nine of the books so far in this series – and that’s why I keep returning. I know exactly what to expect: a hideous death that turns out to be a murder; an investigation that uncovers nefarious goings-on, a late-in-the game discovery where the clock is ticking, and lives are on the line. The stories are police procedural, with the same core team working the crime and crime scenes, and main character Kay’s husband can be counted on to be her rock and our source of amusement. Sound dull? No way. Amphlett fleshes out these bones to provide readers a unique, gruesome, and engrossing story every. single. time. I almost always listen straight through in a day – do-able since most books come in at around 8 hours.

“Hunger beats solidarity most of the time, in my experience.”

In Turn to Dust, Amphlett masterfully builds a story around the victim and masterfully manipulates readers into making (incorrect) assumptions and drawing (wrong) conclusions about him. Predictably, the murder barely scratches the surface of a bigger sinister picture in Amphlett’s stories, bringing in a human-interest element that reminds readers to look beyond appearances and not to judge. I am being intentionally vague because to be specific would spoil the fun of discovering and uncovering the truth, right alongside Kay and her investigative team.

Did I mention gruesome? I do believe Turn to Dust has the most bizarre murder scene of the series thus far, and some really twisted (literally) things happen to victims. Amphlett’s descriptions are rich and detailed enough that readers’ noses will be wrinkling and stomachs clenching. This, in contrast to the ever-polite and proper manner of the British detectives, is one of the things I love. (Side note: I always learn new Brit-speak, and in this book, I learned the term “sleeping rough,” for how the homeless spend the night. Accurate.)

“She was partially thankful that the sign had been turned in the window to read “closed.” Otherwise she would have been tempted to browse the shelves. Adam…would have a heart attack if she bought more books.”

I also love the core characters, especially in off-duty mode. I love Kay and her love of wine, books, and bookshops; I love Barnes’s humor, even (especially?) when it comes out at inappropriate times; I love Adam and his rotating animal menagerie; I love Carris’s loyalty and empathy. Amphlett shows the human side of the detectives and peeks into their lives outside working the cases. There was less of the characters’ private worlds in Turn to Dust, and I particularly missed not having more Adam/Kay time. Strangely, Kay’s extended family is completely absent in this installment, unless I missed any mentions since I was reading with my ears. 

Regardless, I’ll be back for the next installment in the Detective Kay Hunter series – and there just must be one. I’m not anywhere near ready to say goodbye. And Kay would never stop at a ninth story. A nice round dozen, I’d think, is more her style.

ABOUT THE NARRATION: Alison Campbell provides an outstanding performance, as always. Campbell’s pacing is even, her diction perfectly clear. I listened at regular speed for once, though Authors Direct, the platform I used, allows small incremental tweaks to the speed. Nice. Still waiting for the return of her creepy-guy voice, but she had lots of practice with weepy women in this one.

Thank you to the author and Audiobookworm Productions for providing an audio code in exchange for my honest review – the only kind I give. Forgive any misspellings of character names – don’t know ‘em when I read with my ears.

I received this audio book as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Rachel Amphlett. The gifting of this audio book did not affect my opinion of it.

Before turning to writing, Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio as a presenter and freelance producer for the BBC, and worked in publishing as a sub-editor and editorial assistant.

She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction and spy novels, including the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the Detective Kay Hunter series.

Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel cites her writing influences as Michael Connelly, Lee Child, and Robert Ludlum. She’s also a huge fan of Peter James, Val McDermid, Robert Crais, Stuart MacBride, and many more.

She’s a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold sold to Fanucci Editore's TIMECrime imprint, and the first four books in the Dan Taylor espionage series contracted to Germany’s Luzifer Verlag.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Instagram

Alison Campbell is an actress based in Bristol, U.K. She has lent her voice to 50+ audiobooks, cartoons, documentaries and dramas. She can be found treading the boards across the country, in everything from Shakespeare to hip hop kids adventures. On screen she has appeared in dramas and science documentaries, her most recent co star was a CGI elephant. She can also be found performing the Natural Theatre Company's award-winning surreal brand of interactive comedy around the globe.

Instagram

Click here to view the full tour schedule!

Plugging you into the audio community since 2016.

Sign up as a tour host here.

RELATED:

CLICK FOR HALL WAYS BLOG'S REVIEWS

OF OTHER BOOKS

IN THE DETECTIVE KAY HUNTER SERIES!

Scared to Death (#1)

Will to Live (#2)

One to Watch (#3)

Hell to Pay (#4)

Call to Arms (#5)

Gone to Ground (#6)

Bridge to Burn (#7)

Cradle to Grave (#8)

Shadow in the Smoke ~ Audio Book Blog Tour Review & Giveaway!

SHADOW IN THE SMOKE

THE McLAREN MYSTERIES, BOOK 3

BY JO A. HIESTAND

Narrated by Steve Hart 

Sub-Genre: Mystery

Length: 8 hours 32 minutes

Series: The McLaren Mysteries, Book 3

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Released: Nov. 30, 2019

Janet Ennis tragically died five years ago in what the police labeled an accidental fire. But Janet’s mother, Nora, believes it to be murder and arson. And she’s hoping ex-cop Michael McLaren can prove it quickly, for she’s losing her memory to dementia.

As McLaren pokes through the case details, he becomes emotionally involved with the dead woman. Yet, Janet isn’t the only person who threatens his mental well-being. A series of arsons on his own property hint that he’s upset someone connected with this case.

Motives for Janet’s murder rise like the smoky tendrils of a fire. And motive aside, the murder scene seems a bit too pat: a drought-stricken landscape eager to lap up flames and a conveniently locked door barring Janet’s escape.

Will McLaren solve the case while Nora can still comprehend the resolution, or will Harvester’s plans see McLaren’s career go up in smoke?

   

HALL WAYS REVIEW: Audio Book Review: Shadow in the Smoke is the third book in The McLaren Mysteries by Jo A. Hiestand, and the first I’ve read, but it won’t be the last. It works perfectly well as a stand-alone book and I never felt lost or confused due to lack of backstory. The author gives readers enough to pique interest in learning more about ex-cop Michael McLaren, though. It seems there are juicy details to why he’s an ex-cop and not still in the force, and what’s the story with his girlfriend Dena? I’ll be adding the first two books to the ever-toppling TBR.

What becomes clear from the get-go is that Jo Hiestand excels at characterization, and with the apt narration of Steve Hart, I was already loathing a character within minutes of listening. OH! His condescension and patronization! Hiestand uses just the right words to describe scenes and people and evoke very specific responses from the reader. For those who are reading with their ears, the huge cast of characters and how they are related to one another can be confusing. New characters continue to be added up until very near the end of the book, and it seems everyone has a motive to murder. I recommend pulling out a notebook and playing detective yourself to keep track of who’s who.

Shadow in the Smoke is really a police procedural, and readers are right there beside McLaren as he gets information and puts the pieces together. It sometimes feels a bit too convenient that Michael has multiple connections at the police department who are willing to break the law in sharing classified information and documents. McLaren doesn’t hesitate to use it and even plays dirty with suspects as he tries to solve the case and protect himself as he becomes a target.

The story is heavy on dialogue, but it has some action that will pull readers out of rumination mode and into danger, right along with McLaren. And beneath all the sleuthing, there is also a sub-plot threading its way through the book that shows the sadness and loneliness of dementia. Having had a parent suffer through it, I found these scenes accurately heartbreaking, and the respect and tenderness shown by McLaren in dealing with Nora brought another dimension to his already complex character.

The story ties-up rather quickly, and admittedly, I was still scratching my head to figure out the convoluted known and unknown relationships between several characters. If I had the book in print, I would have probably pursued that so I could have it all straight -- especially because the final sentence only added more questions rather than providing a resolution to anything. Perhaps it tied up a loose thread, or perhaps it was a hint at things to come. Either way, I’m on board for more of Michael McLaren and this series.

ABOUT THE NARRATION:  The setting of Shadow in the Smoke is a little wiggly for this Texas girl; I think it’s set in England but I didn’t take the time to use the Google and look-up any of the towns mentioned to verify it. Narrator Steve Hart seems to have an Australian accent in portraying Michael McLaren, which is fine with me because it is a delightful accent, but I am not sure it was accurate for the character. Overall, his pacing is consistent, and it was easy to follow along listening to the audio at regular speed. The exception is that there aren’t appropriate pauses for segues to scene changes, which sometimes caused confusion. Even so, I wouldn’t hesitate to listen to him narrate another story. He performs both male and female voices well, uses a nice technique for when the dialogue occurred via telephone call, and his diction is clear – even with the multiple accents and unknown towns, I didn’t have any trouble understanding him in any character voice. Well done.

Thank you to Audiobookworm promotions and the author for providing me an audio book code in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. 

I received this audio book as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jo A. Hiestand. The gifting of this audio book did not affect my opinion of it.

Jo A. Hiestand can usually be found at her computer, which is good, since she writes three mystery series. It seems a natural progression from her job as a graphic artist – crafting word images on a sheet of paper instead of creating graphics on the computer screen. Between the two computer stints, she lived in Britain for her semi-pro folk singing career and became friends with several English police detectives. The latter relationship was not a consequence of the former calling, however, but all these UK aspects find their way into her books. When not tapping on the keyboard, Jo enjoys reading, baking, and photography. She lives in the St Louis area with her cat, Tennyson, and way too many kilts.

Website⎮Facebook⎮Goodreads⎮Instagram

After a number of years with commercial radio covering two continents, Steve Hart moved toward narration after being asked to perform his first novel in 2005. As it turned out, his story telling ability became stronger as each book and year passed. Steve considers narration an on-going study that even requires constant focus and the mindset of ‘always be willing to learn and grow.’

“Many people have an opinion on ‘how to read’ a book, but I believe there is only one way—you have to be in it! Immersed in the story and being the character(s) as they move through it. Projecting the emotion and bringing the whole story to life, while making it easy to consume for the listener.”

Prize: $30 Amazon Gift Card / Open Internationally

Shadow in the Smoke Giveaway: $30 Amazon Gift Card



Mar. 8th:
Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews
Jazzy Book Reviews
A Wonderful World of Words

Mar. 9th:
Our Town Book Reviews
Hall Ways Blog

Mar. 10th:
T's Stuff
The Book Junkie Reads . . .

Mar. 11th:
B for Bookreview
4 the Love of Audiobooks

Mar. 12th:
Krit's Book Reviews

Mar. 13th:
Viviana MacKade
Nesie's Place
Locks, Hooks and Books

Mar. 14th:
Teatime and Books
Just 4 My Books

Plugging you into the audio community since 2016.

Sign up as a tour host here.