Difference between revisions of "Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt"

From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to search
(Created page with "{{infobox1 |title=Tick Tock |author=Mel Sherratt |reviewer=Sue Magee |genre=Crime |summary=Book 2 in the DS Grace Allendale series reads perfectly well as a standalone, but I...")
(No difference)

Revision as of 08:54, 2 May 2019


Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt

0008271070.jpg
Buy Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Category: Crime
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Sue Magee
Reviewed by Sue Magee
Summary: Book 2 in the DS Grace Allendale series reads perfectly well as a standalone, but I think there are several spoilers for book one, which I haven't read. A good story for a lazy weekend.
Buy? Maybe Borrow? Yes
Pages: 376/9h22m Date: May 2019
Publisher: Avon
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-0008271077

Share on: Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn



We're in Stoke on Trent. A group of young women who study at Dunwood Academy are running the cross-country course. One of them - Lauren Ansell - stops behind to tie her shoelace and is murdered, to the shock and devastation of her friends. Twins Courtney and Caitlin Piggott, Sophie Bishop and Teagan Cole cling together for support - or do do as much as they can given that their parents are understandably reluctant to let them out of their sight. One of the parents is journalist Simon Cole, boyfriend of DS Grace Allendale, who is charged with investigating the murder under the guidance of DI Nick Carter. It's a struggle to keep their professional lives separate.

Allendale has a good team around her in the incident room. There's DC Sam Monkton, DC Perry Wright who's the office manager and Dave Barnett the senior crime scene investigating officer. She's thankful that they seem to have moved past earlier difficulties which involved her own family. Although I haven't read book one of this series I suspect that there are major spoilers for that book. If the concept of the series appeals to you it might be better to start with Hush Hush, the first book in the series.

There's a well-developed cast of characters falling broadly into three groups - the kids, the teachers and the police - and they all came off the page well. I particularly liked the teachers, with some of them being suspiciously close to the children: there was a real atmosphere of suspicion. Nathan Stiller, the headmaster, and Jason Tranter who ran the youth club were well drawn. The city of Stoke is a character in its own right and I felt as though I knew it.

I was less impressed by the plot. At one point I put it down and completely forgot about it for a few days. When I went back to it I had to go back a few chapters to remind myself about what had happened. As I got further in, the story became more compelling and the denouement came as a complete surprise: I had someone else inked in as the murderer!

Would I read the next book in the series? Yes, I think I would. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to the Bookbag.

My favourite series at the moment is Jane Casey's [[Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series in Chronological Order |Maeve Kerrigan series]].


Buy Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt at Amazon You could get a free audio download of Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt with a 30-day Audible free trial at Amazon.co.uk.
Please share on: Facebook Facebook, Follow us on Twitter Twitter and Follow us on Instagram Instagram

Buy Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
Buy Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy Tick Tock by Mel Sherratt at Amazon.com.

Comments

Like to comment on this review?

Just send us an email and we'll put the best up on the site.