Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead.

I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings.

Anything requested and approved will be read and a decent quality review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Dark, Gritty
Secrets and lies abound in this dark and gritty suspense with a well crafted cast and a pacy storyline with an excellent sense of time and place and a carefully worked backdrop. Much to like here and a dark element of humour to lighten some bleak moments.

A horrifying psychological thriller. Prison officer Annabeth Harris invites her favourite author Rufus Orton to run a writing class. But it takes a turn for the worst when vulnerable prisoner Griffin Cox manipulates his place onto the course, threatening to expose her dark past. A clever tale with enough twists and surprises for a riveting read.

Oh my goodness what an absolute thriller of a read this was. I was blown away by this book and it gripped me from the start like a vice. Utterly fantastic.

An amazing dark thriller
I have read some David Mark books before; I have always enjoyed them but usually mark them with 4 stars as they are not quite a 5 for me. However, I had no hesitation in giving ‘Cages’ 5 stars, it was atmospheric, graphic and disturbing with an amazing plot and an ending that I just did not see coming. So many books in this genre, although good to read, can disappoint in the ending but not this one!
Right at the start, we are introduced to Annabeth Harris and her sad story. As a teenager, she had been sexually abused, got into drinks and drugs and eventually meets an older man who keeps her prisoner and uses her for sex. When Annabeth finds out she is pregnant her only thought is for her unborn child so to escape, she resorts to extreme measures and kills her abuser with a snow globe, managing to cover up her tracks and dispose of the body.
Fast forward 15 years and Annabeth and her son Ethan have made a new life for herself, Annabeth is doing very well as a prison officer at HMP Holderness in Yorkshire and her future is looking good. One of her innovations at the prison is to ask an author, Rufus Orton, to do a course on creative writing. Rufus is a 49-year-old, near alcoholic, who is desperate for cash and is happy to do anything to help his dire financial state.
He is surprised however when he finds that he is enjoying the course and getting really absorbed in helping the prisoners to understand the delights of creative writing. However, the course is ruined by the presence of Griffin Cox, a man suspected of the abduction of teenage children over several years. The Humberside police are trying to find conclusive evidence of his crimes, but Griffin is very clever and has his own agenda.
The plot really starts to thicken when Griffin reveals to Annabelle that he knows about her previous life by passing her a snow globe, and together with Rufus, the three of them are drawn into a deadly trap.
As stated earlier the ending was totally unexpected in more ways than one and I do not want to give away anything that happens, but it was such a good read that I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller.
Dexter
Elite Book Group received a copy of the book to review

The writing is excellent and so is the first perhaps two thirds of the book. Unfortunately after that point I was disappointed. It seemed like the initial really good idea didn’t hold through to the ending which seemed a bit contrived and not up to the standard the story set for itself early on.

This is a solid psychological thriller that maintains interest throughout.

It's a tense novel about 3 key characters; Rufus - a character who was highly acclaimed as a writer, but, who is going through hard times and so when the offer of a job teaching creative writing in a prison, he accepts.
Annabeth - A prison warden, who is behind the job offer and who has her own dark secrets.
Cox - a manipulative sex offender who joins the writing class as a way of seeking freedom.

It takes a while to get going and is, at times, a difficult read, but it's really well written and skilfully brings things to a satisfactory conclusion, with twists and turns along the way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

Cages By David Mark.
A good read. I liked Annabeths character. I liked the story and cover. I was surprised in some places. Hope to read more from this author. 4*.

I have read quite a few of this author's stand alone books and still have his McAvoy series firmly in my sights - oh for more reading time...! So I pretty much knew what I am letting myself in for when I turned the first page, and this book, like all I have already read, did not disappoint.
Rufus Orton is an author who has, well, pretty much become washed up - both personally and professionally. Basically, he's skint. So, against his better judgement, and only because he is desperate for money he responds to the offer made by prison officer Annabeth Harris to teach creative writing to the inmates at the prison where she works. Annabeth has her own demons and a big secret she has to keep quiet. To complete our main cast, we also have one Griffin Cox, inmate and, if you believe the conviction, very very nasty person, although he still protests his innocence. Our story really begins when these three individuals are brought together in the classroom and, once all met, it's a case of wind them up and sit back and watch the sparks fly...
I am being deliberately oblique in my description and that's not just for spoiler reasons. I believe that in this book specifically, it is best to witness the layers being built up as the author intends and for the reader to learn things at exactly the right time for maximum impact. There are twists and turns aplenty as we meander around until all finally becomes clear as we approach the end. Which, as I might add, was wholly satisfying. It's as atmospheric as it is disturbing and there are parts that are hard to read but that is the nature of the beast with this genre book and nothing over the top. As an aside from the action we also see the relationships between parent and child with Annabeth and her son, and Orton and his daughter. These parts complemented the main story very well, adding colour and background without being distracting.
All in all, another winner which I have no hesitation to recommend. My guilt at not starting the series is now getting embarrassing so I am really going to try and at least start before he releases his next stand alone - wish me luck! My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I've said in a previous review that David Mark is one of the best crime authors writing today and he continues to get better and better. His latest novel is dark and gritty and so much better than anything coming from the pens of his contemporaries.
Three characters dominate the plot: Annabeth Harris, a prison officer with a closet full of secrets; Griffin Cox, an aristocrat already in prison and under investigation for further charges; and Rufus Orton, acclaimed author whose career has taken a downturn. All three are written with a compelling brilliance. At HMP Holder was they will each face their demons. This is a master-class in thriller writing.

I never repeat the blurb. I really enjoyed the first 60% of this but it seemed to me that the writer then ran out of the initial great premise and the ending was contrived, convoluted and disappointing.

‘Later, she will remember …’

Rufus Orton needs to earn some money. Money worries and family conflict occupy his mind. He once wrote a highly praised novel, but that was a while ago. And then, he is offered a position teaching creative writing at HMP Holderness. This has been organised by a young prison officer, Annabeth Harris, who is one of his remaining fans. Annabeth is highly regarded by management at HMP Holderness, and she is keen to try to improve the lives of the prisoners. But behind her competent exterior, Annabeth has a dark secret.

The creative writing class is organised, but the last-minute inclusion of Griffin Cox, a sex offender from the Vulnerable Prisoner wing, changes everything. While Cox is suspected of being a child killer, the police have been unable to find any evidence to prove this. But then an old and trusted friend of Cox’s starts talking.
Cox sees the creative writing class as an opportunity to arrange an escape. Will he succeed? Can Annabeth stop him?

And just when I thought I had worked it out, through various dramatic twists, there is a twist which I really did not expect. A satisfying, dark read. Highly recommended.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

As a teenager Annabeth Harris was abused by a family friend. When she told her parents they refused to believe her. She is now a low level sex worker. She gets pregnant and tells her man friend she wants to keep it. He tries to kill her but she manages to kill him.
Annabeth is the mother now of a teenage boy named Ethan. She has worked for various missing persons charities. She is now a prison officer at an East Yorkshire prison.
Rufus Orton is a moderately successful author whose star is fading. Annabeth loves his work and invites him to run a writers course in the prison.
Griffin Cox is imprisoned in the prison where Annabeth works. He was arrested for abducting a teenage girl. He is suspected of murdering other missing teenagers. The police have interviewed him and following a tip off are looking at a field near Humberside Airport.
Cox inviegles his way onto the writers course, much to the other prisoners anger, as he is protected as a vulnerable prisoner. They would like to harm him for his murders of young people.
Will the writing course proceed without problems? Is Annabeth's secret past safe?
I always enjoy the author's books which are often dark and always well written. The ending is unexpected and cleverly worked. Besides the nine books in the det. sergeant Aector McAvoy series, this is the sixth stand alone novel. As always thoroughly recommended.

This book...What the freak!? I have not met a character this depraved in a very long time, And I loved it! I held my breath many times as I read this chilling, thrilling story. Exceptional, suspenseful writing...David Mark is a superb story teller.

I absolutely assure you this is one of those books you can't put down. It was interesting and twisted and I really enjoyed it. I'm not going to write about the plot because I don't want to give anything away. The characters were well round and had substance, the story made you question things and it really kept my attention because it sweeps you away with unforgettable characters and a plot that carries you throughout with wanting to get to the last page quickly but also wanting to never see the story end...Find a comfortable place to sit because you'll be on the edge of your seat.

Rufus Orton is an author ... needing money. He accepts a position teaching creative writing to inmates at a local prison. Prison Officer Annabeth Harris went to great lengths to get him to accept the position.

Annabeth loves her job .. but she has a secret that she's held for the past 15 years.

Griffin Cox is behind bars. A convicted sex offender, he states over and over again that he is innocent of those crimes he's been accused of. He figures he's been there for 7 years and its time for him to leave. He's made a plan .. but he has to have a place in the classroom with Orton and Harris.

Let the games begin .....

Suspenseful from the very beginning, this is a cleverly written plot with characters that pop. Orton and Harris are interesting is how they relate to each other and each seem to be holding secrets from the other. There's lot of action, some amazing twists that lead to a totally unexpected conclusion. As the author spent 15 years as a journalist including 7 years as a crime reporter, I expected a certain amount of credibility. I was not disappointed.

Many thanks to the author / Canongate Books / Severn House / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed are unbiased and entirely my own.

*4.5 stars *

Annabeth Harris is a Prison Officer, but her past was very different, and it’s a past she intends to keep firmly hidden, because if anyone finds out what she’s done, then she’s finished!

Rufus Orton is an author, something of a has been, he’s had some success in the past, but publication of his latest book has been postponed, and he’s completely skint - bills piling up, court bailiffs are regular visitors, the house he shares with his family is crumbling through neglect, but then a lifeline comes along, in the form of an invitation to pass on his knowledge via a creative writing course, for inmates of HMP Holderness in East Yorkshire. Annabeth specifically asked for Rufus, as she’s one of his few loyal fans.

HMP inmate Griffin Cox, has grabbed himself a place on the creative writing course, even though as a VP (vulnerable prisoner) kept in segregation for his own safety, it shouldn’t be allowed. He’s in prison for a sex offence and abduction, though he claims he’s innocent. One thing’s for sure, he’s going to stir things up for everybody on the course. Cox is hugely intelligent, and he loves playing games, files information about others in his own head, to enable him to get inside theirs. Let the games commence!

‘Cages’ is a stand-alone from talented author David Mark. It simmers with menace throughout, and excellent use of smoke and mirrors ensures a gripping read, in addition, it comes with some neat little twists at the end. Highly Recommended.

David Mark once again writes an atmospheric, gripping and disturbing crime read that ventures into horror territory. 48 year old Rufus Orton has let himself go, succumbing to the demon drink, his promising career as an writer fizzled out, leaving him saddled with a mountain of debts, living in a dilapidated and grimy home, a wife Shonagh who views him with contempt, and daughter, Dorcas, exasperated with her father. His financial woes lead him to accept a creative writing gig at HMP Holderness, organised by ambitious and well regarded prison officer, Annabeth Harris, a huge fan of his literary works. Upon meeting Annabeth, Rufus is intrigued and drawn by her, and ends up staying at her home, meeting her son, Ethan.

Surprisingly, Rufus finds himself inspired and excited by the criminal inmates who attend his course, and which include the malignant, manipulative, and the desperate Griffin Cox with his own agenda, a vulnerable convicted sex offender who continues to proclaim his innocence. Annabeth is a woman with a dark buried secret that threatens to destroy her, she begins to suspect Cox is aware of her past as her life begins to unravel. Cox is a suspect in the numerous murders of bright and naive young teen children, crimes being investigated by DC Ben Neilson of Humberside Police, under the command of the NCA, looking for the body of a victim. The unprepossessing Cox comes from a background of public school, privilege and wealth, a narcissist, with contacts in government, and is feeling himself slowly being ground down by life in prison and the threats posed by other prisoners. He is intent on escaping prison, whatever it takes, before evidence emerges of his past as a killer.

Orton wants to help the dispirited Annabeth deal with the nightmare that confronts her, and finds himself targeted by Neilson, wanting him to help find evidence to trap Cox. This is a riveting and unsettling psychological thriller that is underpinned by a growing sense of menace, with unexpected twists and turns, capturing the febrile climate amongst the inmates in a financially strapped prison, run by Governor Hussain facing intense media pressures. This is for readers who seek the darkest of crime reads, with the blackest of humour, where nothing and no-one are as they appear. Many thanks to Severn House for an ARC.

I believe I'm going to be an unpopular opinion, but I didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped I would. The plot drew me in but it just didn't hit the mark for me. I will try this author again because I enjoy his writing, just didn't really enjoy the story.

David Mark is probably best known for his DS McAvoy series of police novels, but he has branched out over recent books into the realm of quirky, stand-alone chillers and has produced a couple of gems in the form of The Mausoleum and A Rush Of Blood.

Cages is his latest stand alone novel and is a very tense tale that goes down some dark alleys. Rufus Orton once wrote a highly praised literary novel, but his writing career has been downhill ever since and he is forced to accept a job teaching creative writing at a prison to earn some money. The teaching role was organised by one of his few remaining fans, prison officer Annabeth Harris. Annabeth is keen to improve the lives of the prisoners that she is responsible for, but she also has a dark secret that threatens to destroy her life. Joining the writing class is sex offender Griffin Cox who is suspected of being a child killer, although no remains have ever been found. Cox is a master manipulator who sees the class as an opportunity to escape and sets about conniving his way to freedom.

This dark tale takes a little time to get underway, but the pace picks up as the story unfolds and the final third of the book is very suspenseful. Mark is an adroit plotter and he carefully slots the various elements of his story into place and skillfully draws the strands together as it moves to an unexpected and shocking conclusion.

The writing is literate and witty and there are nice flashes of dark humour, and some clever lines that bring a smile. Mark is also very good at creating interesting, nuanced characters that develop and change with the story. The central trio are well crafted, but so are the minor characters, especially the detective who is trying to bring Cox to justice. Mark is also skilled at writing scenes that not only entertain, but reveal depth in the protagonists.

Overall Cages is another grim, but quietly entertaining tale by David Mark.

I’m a big fan of David Mark; it’s not just the stories in his books. It’s the way he drags you into the story. Every word really means something. When David Mark describes the weather, you can feel it. When he describes how his main character is sitting in a car, sweating whiskey and wine, you can smell it. When he tells the story of Annabeth… you feel her pain, you understand why she did what she did.
Rufus certainly has a way with words and I enjoyed the part where he is trying to teach the inmates something about words. And I felt for him, having to deal with a wife that doesn’t love him anymore and a daughter that is so typically a teenager-with-an-attitude that sometimes I wanted to cry out to her to stop being so mean.
The story has a bit of a slow start but soon we notice that everything that happens is connected. Everything that happened with Annabeth, Rufus and Griffin, the third character in this compelling story, is interlinked, but not in the way you would think. How it is actually linked comes as a big surprise that left me almost breathless.
Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.