Why She Ran: A completely gripping crime thriller with a heart-stopping twist

Why She Ran is the second instalment in the Detective Iris Locke series and is a great addition and perfect followup to Her Sister’s Bones, which I would recommend readIng before this latest instalment. It is a tense read that is full of action and suspense that keeps you on your toes till the end. In this latest instalment, we see Iris still reeling from the events that occurred in book one, when she is called to investigate the death of nurse Rachel McDermott, when she is found in the hospitals kitchen brutally murdered. When Rachel’s friend Eleanor is seen fleeing from the scene she becomes the prime suspect, although Iris can’t shake the feeling that Eleanor is innocent. But when Eleanor’s sister the next person to turn up dead things don’t look great for Eleanor. Still convinced that she has nothing to do with these murders, Iris digs into Rachel’s past and discovers that the company she kept may have something to do with these murders and Iris and her team have their work cut out for them in solving the case quIckly before the killer strikes again. I really like Iris who has been expertly written as a strong female. I also really enjoy the relationship between herself and Ben. They work really well together and I look forward to seeing how this working partnership evolves even more in future books. The other characters in this story have all been well developed and play out their roles extremely well. Geraldine has a great style and she does a good job in engaging the reader through fluid writing, developed characters and a well researched story line. While it is a slow burn, this just adds to the tension and suspense in the build up to the conclusion, which I enjoyed. Why She Ran is a great crime thriller that ticks all the boxes in what I love in this genre and I look forward to the next instalment. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review Why She Ran which I recommend. Thank-you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Geraldine Hogan for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Why She Ran which have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I was once again in awe not only of her Ms. Hogan’s oddly compelling plot and storylines, but also of her wily character development and captivating storytelling. Her evocative word choices and unique, keenly honed, and striking arrangements of words and ancillary details sparked sharp and smoothly calibrated visuals to scroll through my gray matter. The little pea in my brain must have been smoking and was definitely singed while working through this well-crafted, multi-layered, and complex tale that slowly and slyly unraveled with an unpredictable ending I never saw coming. I admire and covet Ms. Hogan's word skills and craftiness as much as I adore her oddly enticing, deeply flawed, strong, complicated, peculiarly intriguing and irresistible characters - who were so well developed and vividly described they virtually leapt from the page. I eagerly anticipate delving into more engaging and suspenseful tales from this talented scribe.

Why else would someone run, if not to escape unspeakable horrors? Is it fear or guilt that drives sixteen-year-old Eleanor Marshall away from her room at Curlew Hall? DS Locke and Slattery are called to the scene when the gruesome remains of one of the hall's carers, Rachel McDermott, are found; soon after, it's discovered that Eleanor has gone missing. It doesn't take long for those involved to draw conclusions and paint the troubled patient, Eleanor, as a suspect, especially once her younger sister turns up dead in a similar, gruesome fashion. Stick around, and you'll find out why she ran... // The story's synopsis and prologue were enough to pique my curiosity, I was interested in finding out what was really going on behind the scenes with Eleanor. Surely she was more than just a troubled teenager? The banter and feeling of ease within DS Locke and DS Slattery's professional relationship was quite enjoyable as well. I looked forward to their interactions and the sense of understanding they shared with one another. Four stars! // While I liked Why She Ran, I must admit, it was a bit of a slow-burn for me. Usually, when I read a thriller, I expect and look forward to a fast-paced, edge of your seat adventure. I found myself wishing there were more excerpts from Eleanor; I was rooting for a girl that I knew hardly anything about. Perhaps that's the mom in me, though. Along these lines, DS Iris Locke's dark past was hinted and referenced throughout the story without ever being fully acknowledged. There's an assumed understanding of the character's history. I decided not to dwell on this too much as I reminded myself that this is book two in a series. I would, however, have very much enjoyed a short paragraph or two summarizing Iris's background. Luckily this did not deter from the storyline much as, towards the end, I found myself breezing through Kindle swipe after swipe because I just had to know what happened to Eleanor. The killer's identity was another biggie, I thought I had a pretty good guess as to who the culprit was... turned out I was wrong and was in for a series of twists that I did not see coming! // This was my first time reading Geraldine Hogan, but I fully intend to make my way back to read the first Detective Iris Locke book, Her Sister's Bones. I would recommend this book to fans of book one and those looking to dive into an intriguing Irish police procedural. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and the author Geraldine Hogan for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. // I just reviewed Why She Ran by Geraldine Hogan. #WhySheRan #GeraldineHogan #NetGalley #Bookouture #MistysCornerReviews #CrimeThriller #SerialKiller #PoliceProcedural