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thegeekybibliophile's review
5.0
When a teenaged girl goes missing, Detective Natalie Ward hopes they will find the presumed runaway safe and sound, but they find her body instead. Her team has barely begun to investigate when word comes of another missing girl, whom they once again find too late. The pressure is on to find the killer before they strike again, and Natalie is horrified when her own daughter disappears.
Once again, I've finished reading a crime thriller by Carol Wyer and could only sit back and think shake my head in wonder at how incredible it was. To be able to feel this way with a standalone book is wonderful, but for it to consistently happen with every single book in a series (or two series, even)? That is pretty darn special.
Tension is a constant in this story, whether it's related to the investigation or the personal lives of Natalie and her team. In this book, Natalie's marriage is going through a particularly stressful time, and as always, I'd be hard-pressed to decide which storyline was the most compelling for me. As fascinating as the investigation itself was, I found myself wanting to linger over her interactions with her husband and children. I care about these characters so much at this point that I would happily read a book based solely on the personal lives of Natalie and other members of her team. I want to know everything there is to know about them! (Particularly Natalie's relationship with her sister... what happened there?!)
The killer's motivation, not to mention the way the girls disappeared, felt particularly chilling. Without giving anything away, I suspect that the thing that ultimately led the girls to their deaths will have readers looking at a certain something in a different light. Yikes, how vague is that?! Don't worry... you'll understand what I'm getting at when you read the book. (Hint, hint)
I am breathlessly awaiting book four in this series. If you haven't started reading the crime-fighting adventures of Detective Natalie Ward yet? Well, it's a good time to get started! (You can thank me later.)
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
Once again, I've finished reading a crime thriller by Carol Wyer and could only sit back and think shake my head in wonder at how incredible it was. To be able to feel this way with a standalone book is wonderful, but for it to consistently happen with every single book in a series (or two series, even)? That is pretty darn special.
Tension is a constant in this story, whether it's related to the investigation or the personal lives of Natalie and her team. In this book, Natalie's marriage is going through a particularly stressful time, and as always, I'd be hard-pressed to decide which storyline was the most compelling for me. As fascinating as the investigation itself was, I found myself wanting to linger over her interactions with her husband and children. I care about these characters so much at this point that I would happily read a book based solely on the personal lives of Natalie and other members of her team. I want to know everything there is to know about them! (Particularly Natalie's relationship with her sister... what happened there?!)
The killer's motivation, not to mention the way the girls disappeared, felt particularly chilling. Without giving anything away, I suspect that the thing that ultimately led the girls to their deaths will have readers looking at a certain something in a different light. Yikes, how vague is that?! Don't worry... you'll understand what I'm getting at when you read the book. (Hint, hint)
I am breathlessly awaiting book four in this series. If you haven't started reading the crime-fighting adventures of Detective Natalie Ward yet? Well, it's a good time to get started! (You can thank me later.)
I received an advance reading copy of this book courtesy of Bookouture via Netgalley.
melkirkman's review
5.0
Love love loved this book and would read it again. I loved the way the reader didn't know more than the characters. We had an insight into the murder but had no idea who it was! I loved trying to figure it out myself!
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the chance to review this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the chance to review this book!
caspeia's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
noveldeelights's review
5.0
I can’t believe we’re already at the third instalment in the DI Natalie Ward series. That Carol Wyer is an insane writing machine!
When thirteen year old Savannah doesn’t return home from school, her mother immediately raises the alarm. A search for the young girl bears no results. Then her body is found near rubbish close to where she lived. As it is obvious this is not where Savannah was killed and there are no DNA clues at all, the investigations into her murder quickly turns into a frustrating one. And then another young teenager goes missing.
Do you know what your kids are up to? The mothers in this story most certainly do not, no matter how close they think they are to their daughters. These days, with all their online presence, things are even more frightening than they used to be. Carol Wyer introduces the topic of online dares in this story, which I’m sure you’ve seen mentioned in newspapers quite often as most don’t end all that well for the participants.
I shared the team’s frustration in this investigation. While there are a few suspects in their sights, there are also quite a lot of dead-ends. I couldn’t figure it out at all and was way off in a completely different direction than the one Carol Wyer herself went. Even the brilliantly written flashback chapters, courtesy of the killer, didn’t give me the tiniest clue as to who I should be focusing on. It is always such a bonus when you’re left guessing until the end.
Of course, we are also offered more glimpses into Natalie’s private life. Her husband David remains a total douchebag and I for one would quite like to see Natalie give him the boot. As it is, their arguments are having an effect on their children. But could one of them end up in danger? And let’s not forget Lucy, who is slowly but surely beginning to steal away the limelight from Natalie in this series. Lucy is incredibly focused, determined and like a dog with a bone. I just really like her and I hope her character continues to grow.
As always, Carol Wyer has delivered another gripping and compelling story. I raced through these pages as if my life depended on it, desperately trying to pick up clues and failing miserably at every turn. The Dare had me absolutely hooked and engrossed and I can’t wait for more!
When thirteen year old Savannah doesn’t return home from school, her mother immediately raises the alarm. A search for the young girl bears no results. Then her body is found near rubbish close to where she lived. As it is obvious this is not where Savannah was killed and there are no DNA clues at all, the investigations into her murder quickly turns into a frustrating one. And then another young teenager goes missing.
Do you know what your kids are up to? The mothers in this story most certainly do not, no matter how close they think they are to their daughters. These days, with all their online presence, things are even more frightening than they used to be. Carol Wyer introduces the topic of online dares in this story, which I’m sure you’ve seen mentioned in newspapers quite often as most don’t end all that well for the participants.
I shared the team’s frustration in this investigation. While there are a few suspects in their sights, there are also quite a lot of dead-ends. I couldn’t figure it out at all and was way off in a completely different direction than the one Carol Wyer herself went. Even the brilliantly written flashback chapters, courtesy of the killer, didn’t give me the tiniest clue as to who I should be focusing on. It is always such a bonus when you’re left guessing until the end.
Of course, we are also offered more glimpses into Natalie’s private life. Her husband David remains a total douchebag and I for one would quite like to see Natalie give him the boot. As it is, their arguments are having an effect on their children. But could one of them end up in danger? And let’s not forget Lucy, who is slowly but surely beginning to steal away the limelight from Natalie in this series. Lucy is incredibly focused, determined and like a dog with a bone. I just really like her and I hope her character continues to grow.
As always, Carol Wyer has delivered another gripping and compelling story. I raced through these pages as if my life depended on it, desperately trying to pick up clues and failing miserably at every turn. The Dare had me absolutely hooked and engrossed and I can’t wait for more!
mandylovestoread's review
5.0
Carol Wyer.. what a book... and series for that matter! I was halfway through this book last night and had to stay up until I finished it. This is book 3 in the Detective Natalie Ward series and the strongest one yet. The characters are so real, they make mistakes and are not perfect. But they care deeply and Natalie in particular suffers so many blows and yet she manages to keep going. The story in this installment has everything you want and it keeps you turning pages to find out what happens next. It also hadn't me stumped, unable to pick the guilty party. I loved it!!
Natalie and her team are called to a small village when a 13 year old girl fails to return home after school. It doesn't take long before her body is found and another teenage girl from the same village and school goes missing. As the team continue their investigation they start to find more links between the girls, including videos from an online site that encourages people to disappear from their families for up to 72 hours. For a small village there are a lot of shady characters, any of whom could be the killer. This book certainly keeps you guessing.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
Natalie and her team are called to a small village when a 13 year old girl fails to return home after school. It doesn't take long before her body is found and another teenage girl from the same village and school goes missing. As the team continue their investigation they start to find more links between the girls, including videos from an online site that encourages people to disappear from their families for up to 72 hours. For a small village there are a lot of shady characters, any of whom could be the killer. This book certainly keeps you guessing.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
yvo_about_books's review
4.0
Finished reading: April 5th 2019
"Tiredness mingled with the damp made Natalie shiver and she shoved her hands deep into her jacket pockets to warm them."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Spoiler
Carol Wyer has done it again! She has proven me once again you can't go wrong with her books and she is one of my go-to authors whenever I'm in the mood for an entertaining and fast-paced detective thriller. The Dare is already book number three of the Detective Natalie Ward series... And her team has another complicated case on their hands. While Natalie has never managed to grow on me completely (I can't put my finger on the why though), what I love is the dynamics between the different members of her team. They all have their own unique personalities and add a little something to the investigation; sometimes the story switches to one of their POVs as well. In The Dare the story alternates between the police and the killer. We slowly learn more about the killer's past, the meaning behind the title, the significance of the snake and why he does what he does. It shows the danger of the internet and its influence on teenagers... Especially since the younger generation seems to be getting more tech savy than their parents every second. There are a lot of twists and turns involved in The Dare, adding to the overall suspense and keeping you invested until the final reveals. Things will also get quite personal and a lot will be at stake for Natalie this time around. If you are a fan of fast-paced, well written and entertaining detective thrillers, you should definitely try meeting Natalie Ward.
WARNING: Possible spoilers! Please don’t read this summary if you haven’t read the first two books yet. I’ll keep the summary short but it’s almost impossible to keep it completely spoiler-free…
When Jane arrives home a little later than usual, she realizes that her thirteen-year-old daugher Savannah never came home. She immediately starts searching and soon after raises the alarm. Detective Natalie Ward and her team don't have a lot of clues, and the race against the clock is one they won't be able to win... Not even 24 hours later Savannah's body is found close to her home. There isn't a lot of evidence available, making it hard for the team to find solid clues and a suspects. And things are getting even more acute as another teenager goes missing the same day. Will they be able to catch whoever is behind it all on time?
If you are looking for a well written, suspenseful and entertaining detective thriller that reads like a train, you know you can always turn to Carol Wyer. Both this series and her detective thrillers in general have been consistently solid so far and The Dare is no exception to that rule. I found myself flying through those pages to discover more about the killer and how things would unfold... It's true I never grew to like Natalie as a character, but her team's chemistry mostly makes up for that. And I'll definitely be looking forward to discover whatever will be thrown at them next.
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
philomath_in_phila's review
4.0
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
I just reread my review of the 1st book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series, The Birthday, and was surprised how much my feeling about different parts of the series changed. All more positive than before.
The Dare is the 3rd, and latest, book in the series. While reading the 2nd book, Last Lullaby, I grew to like the storylines involving the team's home life. That continued into the 3rd book. I was glad to see how much their individual storylines progressed since the 1st book. All of the main characters return for this book. The team is intact and still working together.
In The Dare, Wyer focuses on the challenges that have become wildly popular recently - the ice bucket challenge, the cinnamon challenge, etc. One of the victims frequently completed those types of challenges and the team needs to figure out if that was why she became a target or if it for something else entirely. Can Ward find the killer before he strikes again?
I do not know why I did not post a review for the 2nd book, Last Lullaby and will post one soon.
I am looking forward to the 4th book in the series!
Review published on Goodreads on 4/23/19 and will be posted on Philomathinphila.com on its release date, 4/25/19.
I just reread my review of the 1st book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series, The Birthday, and was surprised how much my feeling about different parts of the series changed. All more positive than before.
The Dare is the 3rd, and latest, book in the series. While reading the 2nd book, Last Lullaby, I grew to like the storylines involving the team's home life. That continued into the 3rd book. I was glad to see how much their individual storylines progressed since the 1st book. All of the main characters return for this book. The team is intact and still working together.
In The Dare, Wyer focuses on the challenges that have become wildly popular recently - the ice bucket challenge, the cinnamon challenge, etc. One of the victims frequently completed those types of challenges and the team needs to figure out if that was why she became a target or if it for something else entirely. Can Ward find the killer before he strikes again?
I do not know why I did not post a review for the 2nd book, Last Lullaby and will post one soon.
I am looking forward to the 4th book in the series!
Review published on Goodreads on 4/23/19 and will be posted on Philomathinphila.com on its release date, 4/25/19.
bookedupgirl's review
5.0
Overall:
I’m buzzing from this book. I LOVED it. I don’t think I have been this gripped by a book, ever. It’s another amazing book by Carol Wyer, centred around DI Natalie Ward and her team. This time, they are hunting a meticulous, clever and deranged killer who is preying on young teenage school girls - and perhaps even Natalie’s own daughter!
Totally terrifying, this addictive read will keep you gasping, guessing and on the edge of your seat throughout. If you haven’t yet read one of the Natalie Ward series, definitely start at the beginning with the Birthday and Last Lullaby. You won’t be disappointed!
Full review will be up as part of the book tour next month on my blog!
I’m buzzing from this book. I LOVED it. I don’t think I have been this gripped by a book, ever. It’s another amazing book by Carol Wyer, centred around DI Natalie Ward and her team. This time, they are hunting a meticulous, clever and deranged killer who is preying on young teenage school girls - and perhaps even Natalie’s own daughter!
Totally terrifying, this addictive read will keep you gasping, guessing and on the edge of your seat throughout. If you haven’t yet read one of the Natalie Ward series, definitely start at the beginning with the Birthday and Last Lullaby. You won’t be disappointed!
Full review will be up as part of the book tour next month on my blog!
nina_bloodsworn's review
5.0
Another great book in the Natalie Ward Series. Thrilling and captivating. The characters are well established. I really love that it is a female cop-story without any love story angles. British crime as its finest.
syren1532's review
5.0
Savannah Hopkins has gone missing. She’s thirteen years old and didn’t come home from school. She’d never settled in at her new school and she doesn’t like her mum’s new boyfriend so she may have run away. The following morning her body is discovered a short distance from her home. DI Natalie Ward and her team are given the case. The following day another teenage girl goes missing - Harriet went to a different school and it doesn’t seem that Savannah knew her however there are a couple of young men who knew both girls and they become Natalie’s prime suspects. Harriet’s body is found the following day along with information about another teenage girl who’s gone missing. The team struggle to find any evidence at the crime scenes but do find a connection between the three girls - a website that encourages people to hide from family and friends - could the three girls have been lured by someone through this website. DI Natalie Ward is shocked to the core when her daughter, Leigh, goes missing - has the killer targeted the detective hunting him?
This is the third book in the DI Natalie Ward series and I couldn’t put it down. The series just keeps getting better.
Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
This is the third book in the DI Natalie Ward series and I couldn’t put it down. The series just keeps getting better.
Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.