Creepy ,police thriller set around Halloween. Lots of twists and turns before the case is solved. Great characters

Two teenagers cut through the woods to get to Halloween party. Now they wish they hadn't gone that way. After tripping and discovering a body.
This book 7 in series it's a dark, suspenseful, and thrilling.
3.85

Their Silent Graves is the seventh book in the consistently riveting DI Gina Harte series, set in the fictional English town of Cleevesford. I read a LOT of crime fiction, and am usually pretty good at guessing whodunnit, but Kovach manages to bamboozle me every time - all while playing by the “rules” - so clever! This one ups the creepiness factor by being set around Halloween and featuring murder by one of the scariest ways to die - being buried alive. As with the previous books, each mystery stands alone, and you get all the backstory you need, but you’ll always get more from a series by reading them in order and this one is no exception.

Two teenage girls taking a short cut to a Halloween party find a body buried in a coffin in the woods, with a piece of string connected to a silent bell. Troubled detective Gina recognises the victim from an earlier altercation, and is shocked to receive a letter from the killer, mentioning a traumatic event in her own past, which she thought nobody knew about. Meanwhile a group of old school friends come together for an annual reminder of the terrible secret that binds and torments them, unaware that they could be next...

While this is mostly told from Gina’s third person point of view, some chapters are in the killer’s voice, and others follow one of the potential victims - or is she? - an alcoholic desperate to keep hold of her young children while her marriage and life are falling apart. I found this a bit confusing at first but once the story gets going it all made sense. I was pleased to see that Gina is making slow progress in her battle to get over her dark past, and maintain a friendship with poor patient Briggs. I’d actually love to read a chapter from his POV to understand what he sees in her, as she’s so prickly, flighty and difficult, with no sense of humour - it can’t be her looks as she’s frequently described as unkempt, badly dressed and looking exhausted all the time. Obviously from a reader’s perspective she’s a brilliant detective who gives her all to her cases, but that’s not usually what a bloke looks for in a lover!

I have commented previously that I would like to see Gina’s team be developed more as characters, and this instalment certainly makes a start in delivering this. A series is all about the recurring support characters, not just the main protagonist, so at least we learn a little more about some of the others. Conversely I was glad that Gina’s obnoxious daughter doesn’t appear. Once more I feared for her poor cat Ebony - and for a cute sausage dog called Lola, but happily nothing bad happens to them. I did have to agree with annoying journalist Lindsey that there does seem to be an awful lot of crazed killers operating out of one small town!

Overall this was a well written, intelligently plotted police procedural with a satisfying reveal and ending, and as ever, a beautiful cover image. 4.5 rounded up for successfully keeping me in the dark (pun intended.) Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC which allowed me to give an honest review. Their Silent Graves is published on September 17th.

Their Silent Graves is my first read by Carla Kovach. DI Gina Harte, is the central character, in this seventh book in the series. I read the book as a stand alone, but I would like to read the previous six, to help me understand Gina’s complex history, and then more of her character and relationships.
We start the book with two flashback chapters, which we know must be crucial to the solving of the crime. Despite having this, and plenty of clues along the way, I still didn’t work out “whodunnit” in this twisty, page turning read. All of the clues, and things that made me wonder, were neatly tied up by the ending. I hate being left with a feeling of unfinished business at the end of a book, thankfully, everything is resolved in this psychological thriller.
The murderer is nicknamed The Coffin Killer by the local press. Being buried alive in a coffin, is one of everyone’s worst nightmares. The plot uses this fear, and perverts the Victorian safety coffin, to further torture the victim.
The book has left me thinking about justice. How people who escape their own justice for crimes committed, can cast a long shadow for many years. Not just over their victims, but also on the lives on those committing crimes. Time, revenge and life can then turn these rolls around, and at that point, Who is in the wrong? Who deserves to be punished? When is justice served?
The release date of the book, in time for it’s Halloween setting is perfect, and I found the dedication of the book very thoughtful.
5* from me.

Brilliant series. I loved everything about this book. It is really cleverly written with great characters. I read this book in one sitting. I had to know what happened. I hope there are more books to come in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

a Gina Harte book that I haven’t loved! And this one was just as good! I didn’t have a scooby who the culprit was - and I am hugely concerned that there are more murders in Cleevesford than in New York city though! This time an aggressive homeless man is found in a coffin apparently buried alive! The killer believing themselves to be a kindred spirit if Gina, knows a lot about her previous life with Terry, which causes her to look at her relationship with Biggs more closely! I am willing them to get together properly, and have been since book 1! There is the sinister backdrop of Halloween too which makes the whole buried alive thing a bit spookier! All in all another brilliant book in this series by my fave author!

This is book 7 of the Detective Gina Harte series and it was the first of the series I have read (yes I like to do things backwards!) however you can definitely read this as a standalone. But I do want to go back now and read the others as I want to learn more about Detective Harte and her past.

It begins with a flashback to 12 years ago, as we learn about something terrible that happened. After that it’s written in the present day as we follow the investigation of the crime scene discovered by two young girls.

Each chapter gives you a little more hints or clues to the crime and will have you guessing and suspecting absolutely everyone which is what I loved the most. I just couldn’t work out who it could be. The chapters were addictive, each leaving you on a cliffhanger which meant I just had to read on.

The twists and turns were perfect and the ending tied everything up with a satisfying conclusion.

Overall if you enjoyed Cara Hunter’s books then you’ll love this as it’s written in a very similar style and is just so addictive!

🎃 Halloween capers turn cruel and deadly: true whodunit🤔

4-4.5🌟stars
The culprit is cruel and remains a big question mark right through to almost the last chapter and the cagey actions of a group of friends keep you guessing at the origins of the killer's anger. With plenty of twists and red herrings, this Carla Kovach thriller is a true whodunit. Tons of suspense, shady characters and, leading the investigation, a very messed up DI.

The thrill was there at the end but I did not enjoy this DI Gina Harte thriller as much as the previous one I read despite the engaging murder mystery. I found the vagueness and switching time periods, POVs and scene at the start of the book confusing. As the story built momentum this was less of a concern for me.

Gina's personal life and history often overshadowed the murder case she was trying to solve. I like knowing something about the lead and secondary characters' lives outside work in a police procedural but I prefer where their private lives are supplemental and not a main focus. Gina has so many personal issues that it's hard for me to understand how she got past vetting as a police recruit! Kovach did a good job of meshing Gina's haunting past with the case but I could have done without Gina's freakouts and flashbacks.

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This is the 7th in the series and I had not read any of the prior books but this book was fine as a standalone. DI Gina Harte has a big secret that comes into play in this book. Secrets are a theme of the mystery and the book. How what we do in the past can shape our futures even if no one knows what happened. I enjoyed this book. Would have liked a little more of the dynamics between Harte and her co-workers but the book mostly focused on her and her boss Briggs. It seems that this book may be allowing the character to makes some transitions in future books. I look forward to reading the first 6.

I was given a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

You are in for a wild ride with this one!

Disclaimer, I picked this book because I was instantly drawn to the cover. Little did I realise when I requested this book that it was book 7 in a series. I was anxious that I wasn’t going to enjoy it because I hadn’t read any of the others but it didn’t matter at all.

It’s Halloween and two girls dresses in costumes head into the woods and stumble across something horrific. A recently dug shallow grave. When the two realise their screams can be heard for miles. What they fail to see is the person watching them in the shadows.

A few days later another body is found and they start to realise they have a serial killer on their hands. Who is the killing watching now?

I was on the edge of my seat at every twist and turn! Definitely need to read this series someday.

This is my first book in the detective Gina Harte series and it won’t be my last.

This book had me guessing who the killer was right up until the reveal....and I got it wrong! Often with this genre of books you can see where the story is heading and it’s easy to guess who it is, so either I’m not on my game or Carla is very good at manipulating the reader into going down the wrong path so the reveal is a big surprise.

Although this book is part of a series it can be read as a stand alone book. That being said I want to go back and start from the beginning so I can understand more about Gina’s past.

The chapters are short and written from various different characters perspectives, which I found made this a quick read.

As this book is set around Halloween it would be a perfect read for October.

Dig my grave in preparation for my burial because this book scared the heck out of me, nearly to death! (But please do make sure I am actually dead before burying me because I don’t wish to be buried alive. Remember that episode of Buffy the Vanpire Slayer where Buffy had to claw her way out of her coffin? No thank you! *shivers*)

This book was chilling and I enjoyed every flip of the page in this spooky, captivating story.

This story had all the right ingredients for an unputdownable thriller. I read it in nearly one sitting, because i was so eager to know what was going to happen next and see how everything unfolded.

Halloween night horrors. Eerie treks through the woods. People being buried alive. Bodies being found. A killer on the loose. So many creepy factors and I loved it!

This is the 7th book in a series, and that makes me very happy because i’m looking forward to reading the other installments since I enjoyed this one so much!

This series revolves around Gina Harte and I love her as a character, and am looking forward to finding out more about her and delving into more murder investigations alongside her.

This book is creepy, intriguing, and filled with twists and turns.

If you’re looking for a spooky read for October, then pick this one up!

Highly recommend!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have liked everything this author has written and this was no exception, for me it is up there as one of her best. Great storyline, great characters. Loved it. Will have you gripped to the end.

I love the series but this wasn't my favorite Detective Gina Harte book. I enjoyed it, but found it hard to get into the story. Cherie, Alex, Isaac and Marcus weren't the most likable characters. There was just something wrong with Cherie. The interactions she had with people, even her husband and children, just seemed strange. I love Detective Gina Harte. The more I learn about Terry, the more I despise him. He was a horrible person and Gina shouldn't feel guilty about his death. At least Hannah didn't make an appearance and constantly complain about her mom. I want her Briggs to get back together. The story was full of twists and turns. I never guessed who was behind all the murders. I can't imagine being buried alive in a coffin. It would be terrifying. I loved the ending when everything was finally revealed. I wouldn't have minded a few more people dying in the coffins.

Definitely recommend the book, especially if you read the previous ones in the series. I can't wait to find out whams next in store for Gina (hopefully more romance with Briggs). Look forward to reading more books by the author. Love the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book starts with a great opening - being buried alive must be everyone's worst nightmare. I loved the flashbacks throughout the book to the victim's ordeal, as the story is slowly revealed. When the first body is found, the race is on to find the killer before others die.

There are a few twists and the plot keeps you guessing all the way through, until everything ties together at the end. Gina Harte is a great character, and I had no problem getting into the book, even though I haven't read any others in the series. I look forward to reading more!

Two girls excited about being dressed up for Halloween are running through the woods, and discover a shallow grave. Then before long, another similar grave is discovered. Detective Gina Harte easily sees that a serial killer is in action. As always, Gina hits the ground running with this case. However, things take a sharp turn, as the killer has made her the target.

This story is told in an interesting way. By far the story is told in third person point of view as Gina works to solve the murders, but then the killer's voice is in first person. How chilling! Readers begin to see why Gina was targeted. What this did was to raise the tension in this book the deeper I got while reading it. I simply could not put this thrilling book down.

Their Silent Graves is the 7th book in the Detective Gina Harte series. I picked up this series with Her Pretty Bones and have read each book since.. What is happening in this book really goes into the past Gina had and not only helps us to see how troubled she is, but eventually how and why she is tied to the case at hand. Therefore, I think reading the books in order is pivotal to truly appreciate the depth of Gina's angst.

Gina had a horrendous past with her now deceased husband. What happened to him and how her marriage has made her the woman she is really comes through the pages of each book in the series. The fact that this current case has delved into Gina's past to make her life a living hell makes knowing Gina through the pages of this series come full circle.

Carla Kovach has hit it out the park with this newest book in the series. She was able to pull a lot of emotions out of me while I was reading this book, and that included shock, compassion and even grief. Now I cannot wait to see Gina continue to fight her way past her demons and perhaps find a bit of joy in her life. So, I definitely need the next book in this series soonest.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I loved this book! Carla Kovach kicked this series up to a level it has never been before. Gina Harte and her colleagues embark on the creepiest, most diabolical case yet. The setting was perfect, the time of year being Halloween for a mystery about reconciliation for sins of your past.
Gina Harte proves herself once again has a strong. intelligent,feisty, determined detective that nothing can keep her down. This is a perfect crime procedural to read, while we transition into the autumn season.
I am anxiously awaiting the next installment of this exceptional series!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.

#netgalley
#theirsilentgraves

This is a standalone book in the gina harte series but I would recommend maybe reading the other books first to get a background of the character I wish I had maybe read the others first although it didn't spoil the enjoyment of reading this book. This is a great psychological thriller with a lot of blood and gore and suspense and lots of twists and turns this is quite a creepy book to read with the descriptions of Halloween and eyeballs being turned inside out featuring on the opening pages and the descriptions of characters being buried alive sends a shiver down your spine.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Their Silent Graves, the seventh novel to feature DI Gina Harte, set in the fictional Midlands toen of Cleevesford.

Two teenage girls hunting their mobile in the woods stumble across a rope that leads them to a grave. This will not be the only grave Gina and the team investigate as they try to find a killer.

I enjoyed Their Silent Graves which has a plot full of twists and an unexpected conclusion. Initially I found the novel really confusing with the first two chapters covering events from years ago with no immediate relevance and a narrative interspersed with chapters from Cherie’s life of stress. It’s obvious she’s keeping a secret but what is her relevance to the investigation or is she the unnamed killer who also has a say? I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t like all these unknown events and characters so it took me a while to adjust to this apparent randomness. I really liked the investigation and Gina’s part in it as I found it interesting and well constructed.

The novel is once again all about Gina and her past as an abused wife. Perhaps though with the developments in this novel the author can move past it and Gina can become the fully fledged smart, competent detective she is without this past casting a shadow over her life. In short, move past her victimhood to flourishing survivor. I had little interest in the chapters about Cherie. At first she’s a sympathetic character, stressed and prone to panic attacks, but the more exposure she gets the quicker the reader realises that it is all due to a deep, dark secret she is determined to conceal.

Their Silent Graves is not the best novel in the series, but it is still very readable with an interesting plot and strong characters.

7th book in the enjoyable Gina Harte series.

There was a lot going on, which was told of several different viewpoints.

This was a good story, though it meandered on until half way through the book where the story picked up pace. This I felt was one of the weakest books in the series

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.