Review: Hell to Pay by Rachel Amphlett

Author: Rachel Amphlett
Publisher: Saxon Publishing
Publication Date: November 2017:

When a road traffic accident on a dark autumn night uncovers a disturbing conspiracy, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter’s investigation exposes a ruthless serial killer exploiting vulnerable young women.With her enemies unmasked and her career spiralling out of control, Kay’s determination to seek vengeance for the victims brings her dangerously close to those who want to silence her.

Undeterred, she uncovers the real reason behind a plot to destroy her career and sets in motion a terrifying chain of events. Could Kay’s need for revenge be her undoing, or will she survive to see justice served?

Hell to Pay is the fourth book featuring detective Kay Hunter and her team.  This time around, she is called to a traffic accident that ends up being much more involved than the police initially thought.  After finishing this fourth book, I can definitely say this has quickly become one of my all time favorite detective series. 

There are a lot of secrets revealed in this one.  We get answers to who is behind the sabotage of Kay's career.  I was definitely surprised.  It was a solid resolution and can't wait to read about the aftermath in the next book.  As for the mystery, I'll just say that this ties to another case from earlier in the series and leave it at that.  The details end up being very disturbing and gut wrenching.  Adam is still a marshmallow and I love his support of Kay.  The "animal" of the week was too cute!    I would not say that this one is good as a stand alone.  It spoils a lot for the first three in the series, so start at the beginning.  I highly recommend you do!

Review: Will to Live by Rachel Amphlett

Author: Rachel Amphlett

Publisher: Saxon Publishing

Publication Date: April 2017

When a packed commuter train runs over a body on a stretch of track known to locals as ‘Suicide Mile’, it soon transpires that the man was a victim of a calculated murder.

As the investigation evolves and a pattern of murders is uncovered, Detective Sergeant Kay Hunter realises the railway’s recent reputation may be the work of a brutal serial killer.

With a backlog of cold cases to investigate and attempting to uncover who is behind a professional vendetta against her, Kay must keep one step ahead of both the killer and her own adversaries.

When a second murder takes place within a week of the first, she realizes the killer’s timetable has changed, and she’s running out of time to stop him…

Will to Live is the second book in the Detective  Kay Hunter series.  This time around, Kay and her team are investigating a series of suicides that just might be murder.  She is also continuing her investigation on who has it out for her.

I am loving this series.  I know it's only book two, but I have a good feeling about the other books.  I can definitely say that the characters are the biggest reason for my enjoyment.  I love the comradery between Kay and her collogues.  As I said about Kay in the last one, she is a breath of fresh air when it comes to cops.  She is smart, tough and has a lot of compassion.  I also still love Adam and how he is a wonderful support for Kay.    The main mystery in this one was full of surprises and I was sucked right in.  Kay also discovers a bit more information regarding her personal case.  That case is getting more exciting and more dangerous.    If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend this one as well as the first book.

Review: Scared to Death by Rachel Amphlett

Author: Rachel Amphlett

Publisher: Saxon Publishing

Publication Date: December 2016

A serial killer murdering for kicks.
A detective seeking revenge.
When the body of a snatched schoolgirl is found in an abandoned biosciences building, the case is first treated as a kidnapping gone wrong.
But Detective Kay Hunter isn’t convinced, especially when a man is found dead with the ransom money still in his possession.
When a second schoolgirl is taken, Kay’s worst fears are realised.
With her career in jeopardy and desperate to conceal a disturbing secret, Kay’s hunt for the killer becomes a race against time before he claims another life.
For the killer, the game has only just begun…

I found this Scared to Death on my Hoopla account as an instant borrow for May.  I love when there is an instant borrowl list because I can try out a book without wasting one of my 5 monthly borrows.  Anyway, the synopsis sounded interesting, so I tried it out.  The story is the first in a series that follows Detective Kay Hunter as she solves crimes with her police team.

I am so glad that I gave this book a try.  I ended up really enjoying it.  I loved the characters as well as the mystery. It was refreshing to to read about a police detective who wasn't an alcoholic, had a traumatic past or was divorced.  Instead, Kay is dealing with a loss, but she has a great partner in her husband who actually mourns with her and supports her.  I loved Adam.  The other police officers were interesting and I think they all will end up making a good team going forward.   I also enjoyed the mystery.  Even though we do get a perspective from the killer, there are still some twists and surprises for the reader.  

I highly recommend this one if you missed it. It looks like there are 9 books so far in the series, so I have some catching up to do.