Scared to Death is the first in a series of Crime Fiction novels written by Rachel Amphlett.
Due for release on 6th December and published by Saxon Publishing, I was lucky to get an advance copy from the author.
I joined Rachel on her blogtour (Dec 3rd), where she wrote a wonderful post on her ‘Road to Publication‘.
In the meantime, please read on for my thoughts on Scared to Death…
Book Blurb:
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…
Scared to Death is a gripping fast paced crime thriller from author Rachel Amphlett, in a new series introducing Kay Hunter – a detective with a hidden past and an uncertain future…
From the get-go I knew I was going to like Scared to Death.
At the moment I think we are all, both bloggers and readers alike, very aware of the surge in Psychological Thrillers on the book shelves. Now this is not a bad thing in its own right, but sometimes it’s great to read a novel that falls into the genre of Crime Fiction with no psychological angle in the description.
Scared to Death is just that.
Kay Hunter is a detective who is trying to regain the trust of some of her colleagues. After appearing in front of a disciplinary court for an incident she has always denied involvement with, Kay is eager to prove she can still do her job.
The body of a young schoolgirl is found in the most horrendous circumstances, following what is thought to have been a botched kidnapping. Kay Hunter is soon on the case.
There is a sharpness to Rachel Amphlett’s writing that appeals to me. It’s fast-paced and to the point. Kay Hunter is a very astute detective. Her team work very solidly alongside her, as she directs them over the course of the investigation.
Kay, never comfortable with the kidnapping angle, goes on the hunt for more information.
A dead man, a suicide note and the ransom money are enough for her to follow her gut and root out the sick individual who is behind these dreadful deeds.
Meanwhile, Kay and her husband have their own personal issues that they are hiding from the world. He is a very busy vet and with Kay involved in the murder case, their time together is limited. I don’t doubt that this will be dealt with further in the next book in the series.
I like Detective Kay Hunter. To be honest I found her approach to her job and her life to be very realistic and very pragmatic. Scared to Death is quite a traditional novel which I love. Every so often I come across a book/series that would make perfect TV material and this is one.
All the ingredients are here ~ a dead body, a psychotic killer and an honest dependable detective.
If you like your crime fiction uncomplicated, fast-paced and real Scared to Death is the perfect read for you…
Do please let me know your thoughts…
Purchase Link : Scared To Death
Meet the Author:
Rachel Amphlett is the bestselling author of the Dan Taylor espionage novels and the new Detective Kay Hunter series, as well as a number of standalone crime thrillers.
Originally from the UK and currently based in Brisbane, Australia, Rachel is a member of International Thriller Writers and the Crime Writers Association, with the Italian foreign rights for her debut novel, White Gold, being sold to Fanucci Editore’s TIMECrime imprint in 2014.
An advocate for knowledge within the publishing industry, Rachel is always happy to share her experiences to a wider audience through her blogging and speaking engagements.
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