I absolutely love Jenny O’Briens DI Gaby Darin’s stories and clearly I loved this one so much I read it as soon as it landed on my kindle and forgot to post my review.

Fast paced and well described, you feel you are there amongst the characters, seeing things from their point of view.

It will keep you guessing as it twists and turns to the end.

Police procedural featuring Detective Gaby Darin,part of a series. Fast paced thriller with good characters and an intriguing storyline.

I'm ashamed to save that I hadn't read any of Jenny O'Brien's books before reading this one. I absolutely loved this - such a brilliant and gripping read and I really didn't want it to end. I have since read all of her backlist and am eagerly awaiting the next one!

Cold Grave is the sixth book in the Detective Gaby Darin series and after enjoying others in the series (I haven’t got to the third one yet!), I was really keen to read this for the blog tour.

When Dr Lewis Lloyd goes to collect his 17-year-old daughter, Bryony, from her friend’s house in Mold, he’s horrified to discover that she was never there, especially as he’d dropped her off at the house for a study session only a few hours earlier. The homeowner phones the police after Dr Lloyd forces his way in, not believing her protestations that his daughter isn’t in the house and has never been inside.

DI Gaby Darin is put in charge of the case and she immediately sees similarities with another missing persons case; that of A-level student Christy Taylor, who went missing from a café in Llandudno five months before. The girls are studious and come from similar backgrounds and their disappearances are unexplained and totally out of character.

When a third missing woman is linked, Darin has her work cut out as there appear to be no direct similarities between the cases and no clues that could help solve the cases or locate all the teenagers, dead or alive.

Gaby Darin’s senior pathologist boyfriend, Rusty Mulholland, and his 12-year-old son, Conor, have recently moved into her house and things have become rather strained between them as they try to get used to living together. The couple also seem to have different views on a few issues within their relationship and this causes much friction.

Everything seems to be conspiring against Gaby in this book and she lurches from one traumatic event to another as she desperately tries to concentrate on the missing women and focus on her job.

I really enjoy this police procedural series – it’s well-written and cleverly plotted, with a good pace, and I raced through it in a couple of days, desperate to find out what happened next. The book was tense and emotional at times and the scenes involving the missing women were chilling and disturbing.

Cold Grave is a gripping and intriguing read and I was really shocked by some of the plot twists and unexpected events that the author had woven into this compelling novel. I even gasped out loud in disbelief a couple of times at the twists and turns!

The Detective Gaby Darin books can be read as standalones but there are a few passing mentions of previous cases and events so it’s probably best to read the series in order to get the full experience and learn more about Gaby and her life.

This was another entertaining and engaging read from Jenny O’Brien and I’m already looking forward to her next book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I have not read the previous books in this series but there is sufficient information in this book to understand the relationships between characters and the impact of any preceding events. I thought the characters were interesting and believable and the plotline was unusual. I liked the way the chapters started with date, time and place so it was easy to understand what was happening to each character. The action progressed quickly alongside the events in the personal lives of characters, making for a fast-paced thriller.
I liked this book so much I am going to follow this author and add the remaining books to my wishlist.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for the copy of Cold Grave. This book took me some time to get into and then I read in the author notes that this is part of a series and I realized why it was so hard for me to connect with the characters until the end of the book. After I got into the book and characters I really liked them and the story was chilling.
If you are already reading this series you will love this book. If you’re not reading the series I suggest you start from book one like I’m going to do now!

When Detective Gaby Darin and her team take on the case of a missing seventeen year old girl who disappeared when her father dropped her off at a friend's house, they soon discover the case seems linked to another missing girl. Christy Taylor was also the same age when she disappeared five months ago after going to a cafe to meet her friend for coffee and hasn't been seen since. The team feels Christy will not be found alive at this point but they know they must do everything possible to find Bryony and find the monster who seems to be preying on these young girls before another teen goes missing.

This was a very enjoyable, fast-paced and above average police procedural that was well-written with interesting characters as well as an intriguing storyline. This was my first time reading a book in this series and I'm sad to say that it was the last book in the Gaby Darin collection but I will look forward to reading the others that I missed in the series. If any reader enjoys detective mysteries I would definitely recommend this book and it was great as a stand-alone.

I want to thank the publisher "HQ HQ Digital" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this book a rating of 3 1/2 ENTERTAINING 🌟🌟🌟🌠 STARS!!

Probably the coldest start to summer on record…

D.I. Gabby Darin returns in what could possibly her final outing (hopefully not).

Two missing girls, that seem to have no connection, in North Wales. Another, in Manchester. Someone is preying on inteligent young girls. With no apparent ryhme or reason.

The discovery of two bodies in Manchester and a young girl on a mountain path barely alive. Lead Gaby and her team on a race against time.

Babies for cash. The girls are taken, for their intellect not their looks. Making their disappearances look like they are not related.

For the first time in a long time, I found myself finishing a book in a single sitting. It really is that good.

Status: Completed

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Cold Grave is the sixth instalment in Jenny O'Brien's Detective Gaby Darin series set in North Wales.

Teenage girls are going missing -Bryony Lloyd was dropped off at her friend's to study and when her dad, Lewis arrives to pick up his daughter, she cannot be found. Seventeen-year-old Christy Taylor has also disappeared five months earlier. In early February, in Rhos-on-Sea, Conwy, DI Gaby Darin, in charge of the North Wales Major Incident Team at St Asaph Police Station has taken a call from DC Malachy Devine and alarm bells ring for Gaby and the team...

With its fast pacing, there is always plenty going on in Cold Grave and there is certainly never a dull moment! Jenny O'Brien knows how to write a story that is compelling and entertaining with characters that are not easy to love but fit with the story very well. I really enjoy Gaby's personality traits - particularly her brashness and astuteness. The author's clever writing, revealing little tidbits and morsels here and there, continued to wow me, resulting in my refusal to put this book down until the end! Very highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ Digital via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Absolutely brilliant. I think this may be my favourite of the Gaby Darin books.
Gaby has to unravel the mystery of the disappearance of several teenage girls and find a particularly devious and twisted serial killer. The story is told from different people's perspectives, including young Bryony, the latest girl to go missing.
My heart was in my mouth for her knowing what could possibly happen as she tried to find a way to survive.
I love the relationship Gaby has with her team. It's like a big family and it hurts emotionally when any of them gets injured. Rusty and Gaby's relationship goes through a few hiccups, and they have a few issues to discuss and resolve. Rusty is adorable and I loved how things worked out for them at the end of the book.
I read this book in one day, and I couldn't put it down. It is exciting from start to finish from the drama of the investigation as it made progress to the final nail-biting conclusion.

Detective Gaby Darin and her motivated detectives try to find a missing teenager whilst looking for links with a past unsolved case. Gaby's issues, coupled with a bereft of clues case, make it an emotionally challenging time for her. I enjoyed the detailed plot, which only allows Gaby and her team and thus the reader a few clues to solve the mystery. A cleverly crafted antagonist and the impactful plot twists make this an addictive read.

Cold Grave is an excellently paced police drama whose engaging detective team and twisty plot make this a compelling crime fiction.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The sixth installment of the addictive and immensely enjoyable DI Gaby Darin series, (the second this reader has had a chance to read so far) this story works well as a stand-alone novel.

Based in North Wales, DI Gaby Darin is a petite yet fiercely-driven woman, a leader who brings her all to the job, a proud mentor to her high-functioning major-crime-squad team, and a woman who is burdened, like the rest of us, with inadequate time to share with her family - which has ballooned lately, with the move-in addition of her lover, pathologist Dr Rusty Mulholland, and his twelve-year-old son, Conor.

(Readers Note: Gaby is also burdened by a deeply unsympathetic and emotionally-abusive boss DCI Sherlock. Would that she could find the strength to stand up to him!)

With the frustratingly-clueless disappearance of three seventeen-year-old girls across an eighteen-month span, Gaby and her team are stymied - searching for links and battling the clock, as desperation mounts and the search for bodies intensifies.

A tensely-plotted, cleverly-detailed chase ensues, as a killer and a heinous plan begin to slowly emerge, the author revealing just enough, (but no more) to tantalize, terrify, and challenge the now-captive reader.

Rich with wonderfully-drawn characters, the author deftly blends procedural crime-drama with the real-life drama of the protagonists, giving the reader glimpses (and in Gaby’s case, a much more intimate gape) into their lives, loves, fears and desires (much of which emotion is only partially self-sorted).

Unputdownable in its pacing, this is a wonderful read, and without giving the plot away(no spoilers here), a particularly saddening one for several reasons.

Highly recommended for fans of UK crime, and really, any reader of first-rate character-based fiction, I read this one almost straight though a rainy afternoon and evening.

My stop today on the @HQStories #blogtour for #ColdGrave by @scribblerJB

A great big thank you to the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

Bryony Lloyd's father gives her a lift to a friend's house so they can study together, but several hours later when he knocks on the door to collect her, the woman who answers it says that Bryony isn't there - and that her friend doesn't live there either. Bryony seems to have vanished & the police are called in. DI Gaby Darin worked on the case of Christy Taylor, another 17-year-old, who disappeared from a local café in broad daylight about a year ago & has never been found. There are similarities between the two, but a lot more differences, so could the cases be related?

This is the sixth book in a series but the first one that I have read, & it mainly works as a standalone. The main character has just moved in with her boyfriend, Rusty, & his 12-year-old son & there are some problems already & when Rusty declares his parenting days are over & done after his son, their relationship becomes strained. Throw in a flirtatious ex of Rusty's, a due-to-give-birth-any-second best friend, two tragedies just around the corner, as well as the cases of the missing girls & Gaby is at breaking point.

Although it was an interesting enough read & the plot was quite good, I have no desire to read the previous books as the characters just didn't appeal to me that much. For me to commit to a series there usually has to be some kind of wow factor & I just didn't feel that here. Judging by other reviews, mine is in the minority though, so if you like crime/police procedurals set in the UK, you may like this one.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HQ Digital, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Gripping and highly entertaining, a well written police procedural featuring a cast of likeable an relatable characters.
The plot is fast paced, differnt POVs that helps you to see the story from different angles. The characters are fleshed out and I liked Gaby.
I can't wait to read the next one as I want to know what will happen.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare…
Seventeen-year-old Bryony Lloyd’s father drops her off at a friend’s house to study – but when he returns to pick her up there’s no sign of her, and the woman who lives in the house swears she lives alone. Bryony has vanished into thin air, and her ‘friend’ doesn’t seem to exist. DI Gaby Darin immediately sees similarities with another missing-persons case: seventeen-year-old Christy Taylor, who vanished without warning several months earlier. There’s nothing in the girls’ personal lives to suggest trouble at home. After a third case is linked, Gaby knows time is running out if she’s going to find Bryony and Christy alive. After going missing over a year ago, this girl’s just been found dead.
When one of Gaby’s colleagues on maternity leave is involved in a fatal accident, she distracts herself from her grief by throwing herself into finding the missing girls. Even if it means putting her whole career on the line
This is Gaby’s sixth outing & the series just keeps getting better, again set in Wales but with links to a case in Lancashire. Another well written book that had me gripped & I read it in two sittings, there are edge of the seat moments as well as twists & turns, many I didn’t see coming. It was also an emotional read & my heart went out to Gaby & her team. I look forward to more from the author
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the first in this series of Detective Darin but it was a very stand alone read still. It was an easy to follow story, great plot, well described and easy to relate to characters, all tied up neatly with excellent police procedural work. At times it was very emotional and made me think of how I would feel if I was one of Byrony's parents.
In short it was a scorcher of a story that kept me glued to the edge of my seat.
I look forward to reading more from this very talented author.

This is book six in the Detective Gaby Darin series and I think possibly my favourite. Set in North Wales this, like the rest of the series, is almost a cozy read with no gore. I’m a sucker for a good police procedural and this is just that. Gaby has a great team behind her and is now living with Rusty and his son. Well written with a good plot, more of that later.

Briefly, when Bryony Lloyd goes missing Gaby and her team soon realise this could be connected to another missing teenager. The deeper they investigate they soon link the missing girls to a body found in Manchester. Then one of Gaby’s colleagues, on maternity leave, is involved in a fatal accident and Gaby finds herself torn between her friends, personal relationship and the investigation - will the girls be found before it’s too late?

Back to the plot; there I was thinking, early on, oh I know exactly where this is going. No. No I was wrong. Ok I got a bit of it right but the motives and the perpetrator(s) I was totally wrong. This is much more emotional than previous books. Not just the case but Gaby’s concerns about her relationship with Rusty and the accident her friends and colleague were involved in. All the plot lines come together seamlessly making for a very enjoyable read that I finished in a day ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved this book.

The plot is quite dark with plenty of twists to keep the pages turning. There is also a few OMG moments. I was totally gripped and read it in two sittings.

I love this series and Gaby is a great character.

I have really enjoyed the DI Darin series, for other followers, this is an absolute ‘Must read’. The plot itself is fairly routine, I’ve read a few similar storylines recently, but the other developments within the team are jaw-dropping. So glad I chose to read this, make sure you read it yourself, I can’t wait to read Jenny O’Brien’s next release.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Once again I jump into a new crime series, this time it is Jenny O'Brien's North Wales series featuring DI Gabriella 'Gaby' Darin, based at St Asaph's Police Station, under her boss DCI Sherlock and with her hardworking, supportive team of DS Owen Bates, DC Marie Morgan, DC Malachy Devine and DC Jax Williams. Gaby is called in when 17 year old sixth form student, the very bright but nerdy Bryony, disappears, her father, Dr Lewis Lloyd, had dropped her off at a friend's home, but it later transpires that his daughter is a stranger to the householder. Ordinarily a missing teenager would not be an immediate priority, but the many similarities to an earlier case of the still missing Christy Taylor, ring alarm bells with the police. Gaby and her team start an investigation that involves interviewing Bryony's distraught parents and her younger sister, Cerys.

It turns out Bryony was the classic high flying, studious loner and outsider, shunned by her peers, and virtually nothing in the way of a social life, with the kind of pushy and ambitious parents that shape her future in academia and professional career. Unfortunately, this leaves her rather naive and innocent, and far too open to being taken advantage of. Matters become more urgent when a third teenage girl who went missing in identical circumstances turns up dead in Manchester, in a case headed by DCI Maureen Webb. On top of all this, personal pressure begins to pile up for Gaby when she is forced to re-examine her relationship with her partner, senior pathologist Rusty Mulholland, who shares her home with his son, Conor. The heat intensifies as Gaby finds herself having to deal with the grief and repercussions of a tragic accident involving her pregnant best friend, Amy.

It took me a little while to get into this story, initially I felt it contained far too many dry details of each member of the police team's role and activities, however these feelings soon disappeared as I become more engaged and immersed amidst the rising levels of suspense and tension. I came to really like the central protagonist, Gaby, a capable police detective facing incredible levels of pressure coming at her from every direction and I thought the bad guy here was a particularly cold and ruthless man, a real nasty piece of work. It seems I came upon this new series rather too late in the day as the author informs the reader at the end that this is the last in the series, although she may at some point in the future return to it. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.