caspeia's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
mandylovestoread's review
5.0
I could not put this down! I was meant to be reading something else but I couldn't wait to pick this up. Carol Wyer never disappoints with her police procedurals and I do love Natalie. She is just a fantastic character and we are still learning so much about her and seeing a different side to her in Somebody's Daughter. If you haven't met her yet you need to go back and start at the beginning, this is book 7. You definitely need to do this series in order.
This time Natalie has been promoted to DCI and Lucy is running the teams first investigation. She is under pressure to perform from all angles and this is a complicated case. The bodies are piling up, and quickly and there does not seem to be a real connection. The victims are being strangled and it is messy. Just when they think they have a handle on it another body is found, throwing a spanner in the works. At the same time Natalie is trying to manage her new life with her new partner and his daughter, and her past is coming back into her life - but does she want to let it in?
An absolute must read. 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.
This time Natalie has been promoted to DCI and Lucy is running the teams first investigation. She is under pressure to perform from all angles and this is a complicated case. The bodies are piling up, and quickly and there does not seem to be a real connection. The victims are being strangled and it is messy. Just when they think they have a handle on it another body is found, throwing a spanner in the works. At the same time Natalie is trying to manage her new life with her new partner and his daughter, and her past is coming back into her life - but does she want to let it in?
An absolute must read. 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 against another edition
4.0
Finished reading: June 4th 2020
"Victims of physical and mental abuse are strangled by their own inability to break free. They believe, for some bizarre reason, they actually deserve the hatred, the beatings and the sexual degradation. They lose their self-worth to the point they firmly believe they are worthless and they deserve to suffer."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Spoiler
I've been a fan of Carol Wyer's detective thrillers for quite some time now, and I have been following detective Natalie Ward since the very beginning back in 2018. Somebody's Daughter is already book number seven of this series, and without doubt another thrilling ride! I can always rely on this series to give me a couple of hours of solid entertainment. A little warning: technically you can read this story as a stand-alone, but you will be missing out on quite a lot of background information about the main characters and you will probably not get the full experience if you don't read the previous books first. Especially since the last two books focus on some very drastic developments in Natalie Ward's private life as well as the development of some the other recurring characters in play. Plus, if you are a fan of the genre in the first place, you will be missing out on hours of detective entertainment!
I'll be keeping this review short to avoid spoilers, but those who have had the chance to read the previous books will know what I mean when I say that life has been no picnic for Natalie Ward so far. Both book five and six had absolutely shocking developments that left me reeling, and definitely had a huge impact on Natalie's private life... Somebody's Daughter once again focuses on the developments in Natalie's private life as well as the new case. As she is now a DCI, and other known character Lucy has taken over her DI position, the balance between the characters in the team has shifted a little and we see more of Lucy than Natalie in the investigation. This gives the story a slightly different vibe, but I personally didn't mind too much as it gave the story a fresh angle too.
The writing makes it really easy to keep turning those pages, and while the pace might be a tad slower in points, things will get more intense as the investigation gets more complicated. We have multiple POVs, flashbacks and plot twists to provide us with hurdles to overcome, and the story is packed with secrets to unravel. What seems like an easy case with an easy to identify suspect soon becomes a lot more complicated... The bodies start piling up and the question is how they all connect and if the team is really on the right track. While we see less of Natalie now she is a DCI, we still get the rest of her team and she still makes her appearance throughout the case. Certain aspects of the plot made you wonder about the credibility of it all, but overall the entertainment factor won me over. Somebody's Daugher can get a bit graphic in points and includes difficult themes as grooming, abuse, rape and addiction. This is definitely not a story for those with a weak stomach!
This detective thriller series has been highly entertaining and suspenseful from the very first book, and Somebody's Daughter is already book number seven and no exception to the rule. Natalie and her team have another complicated case to solve, and the bodies are starting to pile up very quickly... Dark, twisted and highly entertaining if you enjoy a good detective thriller with a disturbing angle. If you enjoy the genre, you will most likely have a great time with this series!
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. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
Somebody's Daughter is the 7th book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series. If you have read my reviews of her earlier works, you know I enjoy her series. Somebody's Daughter is no exception.
This time, significant changes have shaken up and changed the dynamics of the team. Detective Natalie Ward has been promoted to DCI and Lucy Carmichael is now the DI for the team.
The new team's first case finds Natalie not sitting behind the desk as much as she should. But would anyone expect anything else from her? At first, the killings seem unrelated, and Lucy is unsure if it is even one murderer or two. The bodies pile up, and the team begins to doubt themselves and feel pressure from the top to close the case.
Wyer's police procedurals are well-written with relatable characters. She focuses on solving the crime but also on the police team's interactions with each other and with their home life. By now, they are so familiar they feel like old friends.
No future books are listed on Goodreads, but Wyer recently tweeted she completed the first draft of her 25th novel! Of course, I will be on the lookout for it.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/15/20 and updated on 8/24/20.
Somebody's Daughter is the 7th book in Carol Wyer's Detective Natalie Ward series. If you have read my reviews of her earlier works, you know I enjoy her series. Somebody's Daughter is no exception.
This time, significant changes have shaken up and changed the dynamics of the team. Detective Natalie Ward has been promoted to DCI and Lucy Carmichael is now the DI for the team.
The new team's first case finds Natalie not sitting behind the desk as much as she should. But would anyone expect anything else from her? At first, the killings seem unrelated, and Lucy is unsure if it is even one murderer or two. The bodies pile up, and the team begins to doubt themselves and feel pressure from the top to close the case.
Wyer's police procedurals are well-written with relatable characters. She focuses on solving the crime but also on the police team's interactions with each other and with their home life. By now, they are so familiar they feel like old friends.
No future books are listed on Goodreads, but Wyer recently tweeted she completed the first draft of her 25th novel! Of course, I will be on the lookout for it.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/15/20 and updated on 8/24/20.
syren1532's review
4.0
A young woman is found dead in a Samford car park. Now that Natalie Ward is a DCI her protege DI Lucy Carmichael will head the investigating team - her first major case since her promotion. The victim was Amelia, a runaway from Nottingham. It’s clear she’s been working on the streets. The only lead the team have is the name Tommy - possibly her pimp. Then another young woman is found dead - another of Tommy’s girls. Is Tommy killing his girls or is someone killing off sex workers? The identity of the next victim throws the investigation into chaos - is it the same killer or does Samford have two killers on the loose?
A brilliant book right from the start. Love this series by Carol Wyer.
Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
A brilliant book right from the start. Love this series by Carol Wyer.
Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
jecarson's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
robinlovesreading's review
5.0
Natalie Ward's life has had a lot of changes, including a tragedy that causes her grief and pain more often than not. She has been promoted to DCI and has moved in with Mike Sullivan, who his head of Forensics. Though she might spend more time behind her desk, when she gets a call about the body of a teenage girl being found, she immediately goes to the scene.
Oh how this reminds her of her daughter Leigh...but, no, she cannot think of Leigh at this time, she must begin looking for any clues that will lead to the killer. As per usual, the family of a murdered victim is always questioned, and so when Natalie talks to the girl's father, she begins to see that the pain of the girl's death goes even deeper when it is quickly discovered where the girl had been living and the activities that she was involved in, which no doubt led to her murder.
When another girl is found murdered, Natalie and her team immediately see an undeniable connection. But then another woman is found murdered, and the MO is different. Meanwhile, Lucy Carmichael has also been promoted and she is Natalie's DI, and plays a huge role in helping to solve the murders.
Throughout this engaging story by Carol Wyer, readers are given interest to Natalie's private life, including her relationship with Mark, while trying to get close to his daughter, Natalie's teenage son Josh and also how she feels about her promotion. In addition, there is another hidden element to Natalie's life that has become revealed, and no doubt readers will see more of that in the next book in the series. Again, this is another thrilling book in the DI Natalie Ward series. Book 8 cannot come soon enough!
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Oh how this reminds her of her daughter Leigh...but, no, she cannot think of Leigh at this time, she must begin looking for any clues that will lead to the killer. As per usual, the family of a murdered victim is always questioned, and so when Natalie talks to the girl's father, she begins to see that the pain of the girl's death goes even deeper when it is quickly discovered where the girl had been living and the activities that she was involved in, which no doubt led to her murder.
When another girl is found murdered, Natalie and her team immediately see an undeniable connection. But then another woman is found murdered, and the MO is different. Meanwhile, Lucy Carmichael has also been promoted and she is Natalie's DI, and plays a huge role in helping to solve the murders.
Throughout this engaging story by Carol Wyer, readers are given interest to Natalie's private life, including her relationship with Mark, while trying to get close to his daughter, Natalie's teenage son Josh and also how she feels about her promotion. In addition, there is another hidden element to Natalie's life that has become revealed, and no doubt readers will see more of that in the next book in the series. Again, this is another thrilling book in the DI Natalie Ward series. Book 8 cannot come soon enough!
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
bantambookworm's review
5.0
I am a massive fan of the Natalie Ward series and Somebody's Daughter could well be the best book yet! Following on from the events of The Secret Admirer, we see that the team has undergone a slight reshuffle. I enjoyed seeing how Natalie, Lucy and Murray reacted to the new team dynamic and how they got along with the newer members of the team. There is a lot of potential in this team and I look forward to finding out more about them.
Somebody's Daughter is darker than its predecessors and. Wyer has tackled some interesting subjects such as prostitution L, rape and drug use. It made uncomfortable reading at times but the topics are handled with sensitivity as Wyer reminds us, as the title suggests, that the victims are always somebody's daughter, no matter what they have done or what their circumstances may be.
The investigation takes some time to get off the ground, but this gives Wyer the time to let the reader know a little more about the people involved. I appreciate this approach as it helps me to think about what may have motivated the killer and who the killer may be. The slow burning plot doesn't last forever though, as towards the end of the novel, there is a definite sense of tension and danger and I was on the edge of my seat!
In Somebody's Daughter, Wyer begins to answer some of the long held questions of this series and there is definitely more to come out of these revelations. I look forward to seeing what happens next!
Somebody's Daughter is darker than its predecessors and. Wyer has tackled some interesting subjects such as prostitution L, rape and drug use. It made uncomfortable reading at times but the topics are handled with sensitivity as Wyer reminds us, as the title suggests, that the victims are always somebody's daughter, no matter what they have done or what their circumstances may be.
The investigation takes some time to get off the ground, but this gives Wyer the time to let the reader know a little more about the people involved. I appreciate this approach as it helps me to think about what may have motivated the killer and who the killer may be. The slow burning plot doesn't last forever though, as towards the end of the novel, there is a definite sense of tension and danger and I was on the edge of my seat!
In Somebody's Daughter, Wyer begins to answer some of the long held questions of this series and there is definitely more to come out of these revelations. I look forward to seeing what happens next!