Gripping, Fantastically gripping! I was totally hooked by this from the very first page!

I somehow missed the first book of this series, so jumped straight in at the second instalment. This book was absolutely fantastic. Wow, you are really sucked in from the beginning. This book has everything.. Its creepy, sends chills up your spine and not forgetting the twists. Great strong characters and looking forward to seeing how they develop as the series goes on.. Well done Helen. I'm now off to read the first instalment!

5☆ Gripping Psychological Thriller, that will leave your Spine Tingling!

Dying Breath is the second book in Detective Lucy Harwin's Crime Thriller
This book can be read as a standalone.

From the very first few pages and the way Helen built up the creepy athmostphere i knew something very bad was going to happen..... and wow I was not wrong!!!

The very sinister and creepy person stalking his victim outside a pub made my skin crawl.... 'His tongue kept snaking from his mouth and licking his lips. The excitement and anticipation were almost too much to bear' ....put me on edge!

What happens next..... let's just say the stalker gets his prey!!
It's pretty gruesome but I loved being thrown straight into the action.
The scene and atmosphere set and boom in for the kill.

From then on the story never loses pace. It's action packed, plenty of twists and turns. I loved all the snippets of past and present delving into the mind of a physcotic killer. The thrill of the cat and mouse chase will Lucy catch her killer or is she in too deep and in danger again???

So the most important question..... did I guess the killer.... nope!!.... I really didn't.
Helen had this way of feeding you information so you think your on the right track then another red herring!
Ohhh but I love that.
The anticipation and suspense of the unknown just makes me want to read more!!

Lucy is still by far one of my favourite female detectives so far! She was strong, determined, bad ass, and she is very relatable and real!

Dying Breath has it all, it's creepy, leaves you with goosebumps, a fantastically Fast Paced Dark Psychological Thriller, that delves into the Serial killer, it's gruesome and very clever with all the twists and turns. A great Crime Thriller!

Dying Breath is by far one of my favourite Psychological Thrillers this year!

If your looking for a Dark, full of Suspense, and at times a lil twisted read then this is Definetly one for you!!

Enjoy!!

I loved this book. Number two in the series but perfectly ok to read as a stand-alone. Lucy Harwin tackles a case that keeps you guessing while an old colleague appears in the station and his promotion irritates her as does his lazy attitude. Helter-skelter ride with an ending and villain I would never have guessed at. Great stuff

I couldn’t put this book down! It was such a well written story that I became completely engrossed with it. The plot developed at a quick pace and there were relatable characters in believable scenes.
Now I need to go back and read the first book in the series because I didn’t realize I missed the first one.

This is the second book by Helen Phifer that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing and it is also the second book in the series featuring Detective Lucy Harwin. I have to say that this is the best of the series so far.

There is one word I would use to describe this book and that is wowzers. The story hit the ground running and the pace didn’t let up throughout the book. The story is told from different periods of time. The present day setting follows the murders and the subsequent investigation by the team led by Detective Harwin. Frustratingly, there are few clues left at the murder scenes and the investigation is very slow at times. There doesn’t appear to be any link between the victims so the team have to work extra hard to establish motive, means, opportunity and eventually apprehend the perpatrator. Every so often there is a flashback to the recent history of a very damaged, young man, who is clearly a psychopath. This helps to explain why he is the way he is. The different times zones interlink really well and help to complete the story. The author drip feeds information as to why the perpetrator does what he does but the reader is kept guessing as to who it is. I smugly thought that I had worked out who it was but I was so wrong and the murderer turned out to be someone I wasn’t expecting it to be.

I must say that I absolutely flipping well loved reading this book and for me it was a real CPID (can’t put it down) book. Picking up this book was fatal in that once I started reading, I couldn’t stop and as a result the book came everywhere with me. I just had to read on and see what drama was just around the corner. The chapters ended on a sort of ‘duff duff’ (think about the end of EastEnders) moment and you just had to tune in for the next episode (or in this case the next chapter). To say that it kept my interest is an understatement. Usually I have the attention span of a gnat and I am easily distracted but not with this book. Reading this book became seriously addictive and the pages were turning that fast that it was almost as if they were turning themselves. Before I knew it I had finished the book, which I was so disappointed about. I would liken reading this book to riding on an extremely twisty, turny rollercoaster ride with lots of stomach churning moments. There were times when I almost had to read through my fingers as I genuinely feared what was going to happen. The writing was so convincing that I really did feel as though I was an invisible member of the investigating team.

In short I loved reading this book and I would definitely recommend this series to anybody. This author is certainly an author to watch and she has cemented her place on my favourite authors list. I can’t wait to read what comes next from the very talented but ever so slightly twisted mind of Helen Phifer. I award this book a smashing 5* out of 5* but I would award it more stars if I could because I really did enjoy reading the book that much.

This is a wonderfully well written mystery, with relatable characters, tautly written dialogue and scenes. I look forward to more from this writer.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy. 4.5 stars

How How How. How on earth did I miss the first book in these series? Having said that I didn't feel I missed out by jumping straight into this book.

DI Lucy Harwin and her team are investigating a particularly brutal murder of a women found on wasteland when another body is discovered. Could they be related? We also hear the voice told in flashbacks of a boy who realizes very early that he is different to others. I thought this was clever writing and I really couldn't determine which character this was.

I love Lucy, feisty determined and tenacious. Her team are loyal and protective and I can't wait to see how the relationship develops in the next book between her and Mattie.

This is a hard hitting, gritty fast paced book full of drama and twists. It leads you into thinking you know who the killer is and then bam I was so wrong. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Wow what a great read I'm not sure how to express how much I enjoyed the writing of Helen Phifer.
Detective Lucy Harwin is a refreshing new heroine with her down to earth attitude and approach to her job. With enough supporting characters to keep you riveted and a totally unexpected twist that I certainly didn't see coming.
Loved this book and look forward to Lucy's next case.

What a fantastic read! I couldn’t put this book down and read it in two sittings. This is the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone but I think it is better to read the first book to have an insight into DI Lucy Harwin’s life.
Lucy is back in Brooklyn Bay, along with her partner Detective Mattie Jackson. They are called out to the murder of a woman beaten to death. They think this is an isolated case but when a second victim is found strangled, then a young family are shot in their home the team then realise that there is a killer on the loose. Lucy and her team discover that the killings are replicas of murders carried out by famous serial killers.
This is a chilling and disturbing book with lots of twists and turns and a brilliant ending. I didn’t guess the identity of the killer, will you? Do not miss reading this book, you will not be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and to Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review another brilliant book.

Dying Breath picks up a few months after the end of Dark House, Detective Harwin is back at work and soon finds herself standing over another dead body and in the midst of a new murder investigation, when a second body is discovered and then a family is found murdered in their own home Lucy is faced with a decision to make: is she hunting for three separate killers, or despite all appearances to the contrary are the three cases linked?

I was so pleased to be immersed back into Lucy’s world, I’d been keeping my eye out for book two from the moment I turned the last page of Dark House and Dying Breath didn’t disappoint. Dying Breath‘s plot is extremely well written with twists and turns to keep you turning the pages, and clues to keep you second guessing yourself. I was right alongside Lucy trying to figure out if the deaths were linked, and if so how, as well as who was doing the killing.

Helen incorporates flashback chapters looking back at the childhood of the unknown killer, I really enjoyed these chapters, I think they added an additional layer of depth to a character that despite being key to any murder mystery tale is often over looked in favour of showing the detective’s prowess, often staying undiscovered and unknown until the final chapter. Helen managed all this without giving away too much, or spoiling the mystery too early.

That’s certainly not to say that the detectives in this story are in any way lacking. Lucy is a wonderful protagonist, she’s clever, dedicated to her job and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Helen builds on what we learnt about Lucy during the first novel, I enjoyed reading the developments in her relationship with her daughter, and to a lesser extent her ex-husband, once again I think Helen managed to really successfully balance personal character development while keeping the main plot moving forwards.

Mattie also returns, he’s not as developed as Lucy but he’s still a really enjoyable character to read about. Like Lucy he’s a solid detective, dedicated to his job and I love the friendship between Lucy and Mattie. I’m really intrigued to see how their relationship develops moving forwards.

Would I Recommend?

It’s a yes for any crime fans reading this. I would definitely recommend picking up Dark House first, the plot in Dying Breath works as a standalone but I think having the back story from the first book and knowing a bit more about the characters makes it even more enjoyable. I’ll be looking forward to the next chapter in the series.

What can I say other than W.O.W!!

This book blew my mind!

Helen is another new to me author and I can safely say this will not be the last book of hers that I read. I’ve umped straight in with book 2, I am missing so personal details that happened in book 1 but I don’ feel this has taken anything away from book 2 in this series. The pace of this book kicks off right away and it has bodies galore! And if, like me you need a body count by chapter 5 then this book deffintly ticks those boxes.

I enjoyed how the book went from the present day crime scene to back when the killer was first discovering his killer ways. I liked seeing how he evolved into a killer and what triggered this. Helen certainly kept me on my toes and I didn’ guess who the killer was until the back end of the book…… which is how it should be!

Lucy is certainly a very busy in her day job. I enjoyed the partnership between her and Mattie, they did make me chuckle a few times. There were a few times where I wanted Lucy to be more sure of herself, I’m hoping that will come to her further into the series we go.

If you love your thriller books that are action packed, twisty and turny plots and bodies dropping left, right and centre then this is one for you!

Highly recommended and very worthy of 4.5 star.

Fantastic book . Kept me guessing all the way through. Love the Lucy Harwin novels keep them coming

I really enjoyed Dying Breath. I wanted to be caught up, so i read the first Lucy Harwin book before this. This second one was much better. Great plot, and kept me guessing the bad guy for 75% of the book.

EXCERPT: Right there and then he'd known that he was different to most kids, probably most people. They were all scared of death and dead people, whereas he was fascinated with them and couldn't get enough. He needed to see a real dead person - he wanted to see if they looked as beautiful as his girls had. He wanted to touch one, stroke their skin, run his fingers through their hair. He wouldn't think twice about kissing one; he wanted to know what it would feel like to put his lips on theirs. He thought about Carrie. He would have kissed her.

THE BLURB: Take a breath. Pray it’s not your last.
Just a few months after a terrifying case that nearly took her life, Detective Lucy Harwin is back with her squad in the coastal town of Brooklyn Bay – and this time, she’s faced with a case more horrifying than anything she’s encountered.

Along with her partner, Detective Mattie Jackson, Lucy is investigating what appears to be a vicious but isolated murder; a woman found bludgeoned to death on a lonely patch of wasteland.

But when a second victim is discovered strangled in an alleyway, then a young family shot in their own home, Lucy and the team must face the unthinkable reality - a killer is walking the streets of their town.

While Lucy and the team try to find the link between these seemingly unconnected murders, they uncover a disturbing truth – these murders are replicating those carried out by infamous serial killers.

Lucy must get to the killer before he strikes again. But he’s got his sights on her, and is getting ever closer… Can she save herself, before she becomes the final piece in his twisted game?

MY THOUGHTS: There are some absolutely chilling moments in Dying Breath by Helen Phifer. "He turned to take one last look at the man who had changed from a monster into his hero, and he grinned at him." is one of them. It may not seem like much on its own, but when read in context you will feel chills up your spine.

Dark and twisty, Dying Breath had me wondering just who this child had grown up to become, because we never knew his name. . .but we knew what he had become and his life ambition. There are several people he could be, all of whom have some type of fixation on Lucy.

Dying Breath is deliciously suspenseful. Highly recommended ☆☆☆☆

Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Dying Breath by Helen Phifer for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Fantastic and gut gripping right from the start. A series of murders with no obvious link between them! Who and why!! Right to the very last few pages we are kept in suspense! I honestly did NOT see that coming!! One that just has to be read!@

A really good quality read. I read this before the first book and now I'm keen to give that one a go after reading this. Always interesting, which is what I like to see in these kinds of books.

From my blog: Always With a Book:

My thoughts: This is the second book in Helen Phifer's Detective Lucy Harwin series and I quite excited to read this one. It's a dark, gritty police procedural series that opens with a bang and keeps you engaged throughout!

Detective Lucy Harwin just might be one of my favorite detectives out there. She's feisty and tough, yet she dedicates her all to the cases at hand. She is determined to track down this killer before he/she strikes again. And despite having to work with her nemesis, DI Patrick Baker, she is the ultimate professional - at least outwardly.

The storyline is incredibly complex and the way it is told, in my opinion is absolutely brilliant! Having parts of the story narrated by our murderer is just chilling. Being able to delve into this character's childhood and see what sparked the idea of becoming a serial killer, while sick and twisted, really brings this character's motivations to life.

The pace of this book is just right - not too fast, but not that slow either. It hooks you right from the start and doesn't let up until the very end when you are left completely stunned at the reveal of who the murderer is. I was totally shocked and definitely didn't see that coming.

My only complaint is that I felt the book ended a bit abruptly...we find out who the killer is, all is good and then BAM, it's over practically in the next sentence. Kinda weird, but I guess that happens sometimes. Oh well...either way, I will definitely be looking out for the next book as I really enjoy this series and want to see what happens next for Lucy!

This is a really good scary, edge of the seat, thriller.
There is a book one, but, this one can be read in isolation. Lucy is a senior police detective that is described really well and I cared about her and her situation.
It's not a book for the faint hearted, but, if you're into this genre, it's great!
Kept my interest throughout and I'm very grateful to @Netgalley, Helen Phifer and the publishers, @bookoutrre for the opportunity to review.

Detective Inspector Lucy Harwin runs a tight team out of Brooklyn Bay and, in this second book in the series, she's dealing with a very complicated string of murders that may or may not be connected. As the investigation proceeds, Lucy also deals with her personal issues at home and some changes at the station. Meanwhile, a killer is out looking for his next victim.

This fast-paced story is told from the point of view of the criminal as well as from Lucy. Though there are indications of his identity throughout, along with his backstory, it isn't until the climax that he is revealed. Most readers of this genre will anticipate the confrontation between the two and the ultimate conclusion.

I liked the characters, however stereotypical to police and crime novels featuring female protagonists. Lucy is as spunky and as appealing as any in her role, and her male subordinates and bosses both respect her and have her back. She suffers romantic attention as well -- but I hope none of those develop into full blown relationships!

The most interesting piece of this book was the backstory of the man behind the murders. His childhood and association to the infamous Carnival Queen Killer -- but I'll say no more to avoid any spoilers. I did enjoy this and wish I had read the first book in the series prior to this one as there are references to previous cases. I like to see how a character changes and grows as new stories are published.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC to read and review. Can't wait for a third one featuring Lucy Harwin.