The Death of Jessica Ripley: From Prisoner to Killer (CSI Eddie Collins Book 5)

Set in Leeds, the reader is faced with revenge, anger, red herrings, questions, mistrust, secrets, control, corruption, manipulation, anger, and a search for the truth.Well OMG – this book has it all. Starting with that all important #killerhook, I was left wondering where the story would go. I thought the storyline was clever and the fast-pace of this read had me racing through the pages as I played amateur detective alongside Eddie Flynn and tried to solve the case. I loved the dark humour that was woven into the story, it added that extra bit of brilliance – making it believable and shocking at the same time. With the author being CSI, you learn a lot without the story being an info dump – I find this aspect of crime fascinating and thought it was really well done. Full of suspense, there are times you will be holding your breath and then screaming at the pages when something is revealed. A nail-biting read for sure!Character-wise, this book is filled with a variety of peeps that will make you smile as well as make you feel ill! You’ll find characters you love, some you’ll loathe and others your just not so sure about. Perfect! Eddie Flynn is so unlikable that you find yourself wondering how the hell he has kept his job for so long. The sarcasm drips from his lips with almost every sentence, but there is just something about him … He’s clever, determined, a little bit cocky (understatement of the century by the way!) but he is good at his job and persistent in his quest to find the truth. The first time I came across him, I wasn’t a big fan…but he grows on you. His dark sense of humour adds relief at the times when you need it. Such a well developed and realistic character, you just can’t help but like him…even when you want to kill him!Another character I was drawn to in this story was Jessica Ripley herself – she was shafted BIG TIME and her life was taken away from her. Losing her child after being sent to prison was the catalyst in her downfall. I really felt for her at times and understood her frustration and need for revenge.Troy was another interesting character – I really wanted him to triumph because Eddie saw something in him despite his terrible attitude.John Sidmouth – the probation officer…OMG I wanted to batter this jerk. Gave me the creeps and definitely deserved whatever came his way.There are so many more characters I could include, each one adding an interesting twist to the story, but I focused on the few that stood out to me the most …Would I recommend this book? Heck-to-the-Yeah I would! An edgy, dark, twisted read that will leave you conflicted and wanting more, definitely check out the whole series!

This is the fifth book in the CSI Eddie Collins series and can easily be read as a standalone.Eddie is someone who if you came across in the real world, not many people would like him. He is crass and doesn’t care who he upsets. His mouth definitely acts before his brain engages, yet you can’t help but do like him. He really has a love hate relationship with his job, he loves what he does but he hates the authority and is for ever a thorn in the side for the people who are higher up.I have to admit I really felt for Eddie and his team in this book. A threat comes in the form of a new comer and the thread to do with that particular storyline is pretty explosive to say the least. There were so many what the???? moments. Loved it!The actual case that the team are working on is far from being straight forward. The murders are pretty brutal and to a certain point, you do question if some of the victims did indeed deserve death.Jessica’s character is a very complicated one. She has been through a lot and I really felt for her having been away from her son for twelve years and desperate to have him back in her life. Sadly her life isn’t about to get any better now she is back on the outside and it’s like she is constantly losing a fighting battle with all aspects of her life.The Death of Jessica Ripley is the authors best book yet. He really has excelled himself with this one. It is dark and had me gripped from the very first page to the last. The twists and turns are relentless and I could feel the excitement and shock building up inside of me as to what else the author had in store for me with each passing chapter. Brilliant!

I was first introduced to CSI Eddie Collins in the novella The Lock so this was the first novel I read. Whilst this is this 5th in the series, it can be read as a standalone without you feeling that you are missing an important part of the story.Joining Eddie Collins as he takes charge of his department, you soon come to realise that he is not a “Yes” man and he does have a way with words, that usually gets people’s back up. Whilst he reluctantly runs the department, his first love is working the field. As new members join the team the office camaraderie soon changes when office politics become more important than the job at hand.As you start this story, you are introduced to Jessica Ripley, who has served 12 years in prison for murder. As you follow her life, you soon find out just how hard her life is and as you see her struggling with life outside, there is sympathy for her.A story about a CSI is not a story without a few deaths and if you like your murders brutal than you are in for a treat. As a body is found, you learn the backstory of the victim and you get a clearer picture of Jessica’s former life.This was a fast-paced read that kept me turning the pages until I had finished the story. I am off to read the others in the series as I am curious to see where Eddie Collins started.