BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Sleeping Dolls' by Helen Phifer.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Helen Phifer, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 13th June 2022.

This is the seventh book I have read by this author. It is also the sixth book in the 'Detective Morgan Brookes' series but can be read as a standalone. I have previously read 'Find The Girl' (book 5 in this series), 'First Girl To Die' (book 4 in this series), 'The Hiding Place' (book 3 in this series) , 'The Girl In The Lake' (book 2 in the 'Beth Adams series),' The Killer's Girl' (book 2 in this series) or 'One Left Alive' (the first book in this series) which I also recommend anyone read.


I was originally drawn to this book by its eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is 'An absolutely gripping, mile-a-minute read. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan and Rachel Abbott!' I am a huge fan of all three of this authors so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Helen and if this is half as good as' Find The Girl' (book 5 in series), 'First Girl To Die' (book 4 in this series), 'The Hiding Place' (book 3 in this series) , 'The Girl In The Lake' (book 2 in the 'Beth Adams series),' The Killer's Girl' (book 2 in this series) and 'One Left Alive' (the first book in this series) it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a 47 chapters. The chapters medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Cumbria, UK 🇬🇧 The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually been on holidays to Cumbria so it will help me picture everything.


This book is written in third person perspective with the main protagonists being Detective Constable Morgan Brooks, Detective Sergeant Ben Matthews and Detective Constable Amy Smith. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple perspectives are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.

Wow!!! Just Wow!!! I did not see that one coming!!! Yet another absolutely unputdownable page turning book from the extremely talented Helen Phifer!!!

This book is fantastically written and such an addictive and compelling read. Excellent descriptions making it so easy to imagine what's going on. The book cover and synopsis suit the storyline perfectly.

The storyline is an absolute roller-coaster ride filled with suspense, crime, drama, red herrings and is a very good psychological thriller that kept me up until late at night. Helen completely emerges the reader into the storyline and there is just no escaping so be warned!! Do not start this if you have plans for the day 😂 It gets harder and harder to surprise me when it comes to crime books after reading so many yet Helen manages to do it absolutely every single time!!!Helen please let me into your secret as I have no idea how you do it but each book gets better and better!! The storyline itself was very realistic and I would say that Helen has done quite alot of research in regards to procedure plus more which shines through when your reading. I loved how the book ended although as always I am sad to come to the end of any of Helens books as it is like coming to the end of a holiday. I thought what happened during a certain part between two characters at the end was very emotional and it made me feel even more for the one of them who is so sweet and caring anyway.

Congratulations Helen on yet another absolutely addictive, unputdownable explosive success!! Your books keep getting better and better which is incredible as I have loved each and every one of them. As always, looking forward to the next installment in this epic series!!

It is set over/includes multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

Although this is the sixth book in the series I had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.

I loved meeting all the characters again. They have definitely become like friends to me over these books and it's always sad to say goodbye to them. The characters are all very strong and the fact that Morgan and Amy are such strong females was definitely a bonus with me being female myself. I love Amy and Morgan and her relationship with Ben and would love to read more about her as always. I'd love to read more about Ben, Morgan and a few others actually. I am looking forward to seeing the relationship between Ben and Morgan progress and I liked the way they had quite similar histories. I also enjoyed the progression of friendship between Morgan and Cain who I really liked and enjoyed getting to know more in this book. I absolutely adore Cain who is such a sweet and kind hearted, not to mention sexy part of the team!! He has the perfect qualities of a police officer and in the words of a certain character "He could have strip-searched me and I’ve had said yes please.’" 😂 I had fun watching the sarcasm and snipes between Amy, Morgan and Detective Des and enjoyed getting to know him a bit more in this book too. I absolutely LOVE Amy with her sarcastic say it as it is, larger than life personality and I loved meeting her again. Declan the pathologist is another big character for me and I really love his funny yet caring and compassionate personality and always look forward to seeing him. I love him more and more with each epic, suspense filled addictive page turning novel in this series!! I cannot stand Amber who I could have slapped within seconds of "seeing" her and she is one character who is really going to grind on my nerves 😂. However, you can't love everyone and apart from that horrible cow I just cannot wait to meet the rest of an amazing team who I have grown to love!!

Well done on yet another massive success Helen and here is to the next success in an amazing series 🥂 🎈 💐. This is EXACTLY why your one of my favourite authors!!!! 😍


Overall another action packed, page turning, gripping, suspense filled edge of your seat must read by the legend that is Helen Phifer!!


Genres covered in this novel include Romance Novel, Thriller, Mystery, British Detective Stories, Suspense, Serial Killers, Psychological Thriller, Hardboiled, Noir Fiction, Women Sleuths, Psychological Fiction, Police Procedural and Crime Fiction amongst others.

I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Angela Marsons, Carol Wyer, CL Taylor, Tess Gerritson, Lisa Regan, Rachel Abbot and anyone looking for an epic read.


321 pages.

This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Helen Phifer for an advanced copy to read and review Sleeping Dolls.

Wow, this book was so good! I really enjoyed reading it and trying to figure out who the killer was. It was interesting how the book switched from the present-day investigation to 1989 to understand the backstory of why the murders were happening. It was hard to put down and I couldn't wait to finish it. The book is well written and as I was reading it felt like I was actually there. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more books from Helen Phifer.

Morgan Brookes is getting over the events of their last case. She is now living & working with her boss, Ben & is hoping that things may be a bit quieter for a while. However when neighbours report a woman missing & when investigating her house it is obvious that she hasn't gone anywhere! A badly decomposed body lies on the couch. Morgan, not entirely overcome by the stench is puzzled to see that all the mirrors have been covered & the clocks stopped at 6 o'clock. When another body is found with similar staging Morgan is convinced there is a link & is determined to find it. Meanwhile a new DCI has arrived & is more 'hands on' than the previous one- something Ben finds it difficult to cope with.

I have loved this series from the beginning & this book was a great addition. It was a really good read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Sleeping Dolls by Helen Phifer is the sixth book in the excellent Detective Morgan Brookes series. This series has been a 5 star read and this book was just the same! Excellent! from start to finish

I can’t wait for the next instalment in this great series.

I highly recommend this series

Big Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Helen Phifer for my ARC of Sleeping Dolls in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. This is the sixth book in the Detective Morgan Brookes series. All books could be read as a standalone but you will probably get more enjoyment if you read the whole series.

There is quite a lot going on in this instalment. We have a new boss, Morgan and Ben have finally stopped messing around and got together and then we have these strange murders. Morgan is less green around the ears and is starting to think a bit more before acting. Given Morgan's previous incidents I think this is a very good thing for her long-term health.

The story is well-written and fast-paced. I liked the flashbacks to 1989 to give a more rounded picture of the case. Helen always has a way of writing books that seriously creep you out. The sort that makes you want to sleep with the light on and this one is no different. I was seriously creeped out by some of the things the killer does in this book and it makes me very glad that I don't live alone.

Another excellent addition to this series and I can't wait for the next!

As you’ve probably already discovered from previous reviews I love this series, seriously I never want it to end. As long as Helen keeps writing them I will keep reading them.

Sleeping Dolls is book six and Morgan is back at work following her run in with serial killer The Travelling Man, who is now behind bars. She’s also now living with her boss Ben, jammy cow.

She’s only been back what seems like mere minutes when a call comes in. On attendance the horribly decaying body of Shirley is found with all her mirrors covered and the clock stopped at six. Here comes the spooky gothic chill that Helen does so well.

Then, as is always the case with Morgan, another body is found and yet again the race is on…..,

Now it’s no secret I’ve been itching for Morgan and Ben to get together, even using the phrase “assault with a friendly weapon”. Ben’s nose however has been put out of joint by the arrival of a very hunky new Detective Inspector called Marc. Brought in to replace Tom who let them get on with things, Marc it seems is more hands on. Yes please!

I know as soon as I start that I’m in for a cracking read and back in the author’s very capable hands. I have come to love all the team and it’s always interesting to find out what colour hair Susie the mortuary assistant will be sporting in each book.

This is gruesome, gritty and addictive. Bring on book seven!

When I was given this book to review I didn't know what to expect as I had never tried this series before.
I am so glad I requested this because once I started I was powerless to stop, and I will be reading the rest of the series as soon as I have the time to delve in. I love the fact it switches seamlessly between two timelines to build the mystery and give you hints about the conclusion. If you like a dark thriller then this is definately for you,
#SleepingDolls #NetGalley

Wow, Helen Phifer books are next-level, for sure! I always know that I am in for a rollercoaster ride and I will be checking to make sure that my doors are locked whilst reading :)

Morgan Brookes is tasked with solving the case of a woman who is found in a house with all the clocks stopped and the mirrors covered. Luckily she has a good team around her because this is a very unsettling investigation indeed. The author goes back to the late 80's at several points to talk about the murderer and his unconventional upbringing in a creepy house.....yep, I can see how psychopaths are created sometimes, I really can!

Excellent book, fast-paced and plenty of red herrings.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

When Shirley Kelly's body is discovered, only Detective Morgan Brookes thinks there is more to the crime scene. The stopped clocks, the covered mirrors, even the missing hair are all explained away by the rest of her team. But then a second body is discovered and Morgan's ideas aren't that far fetched. What is the connection between the killings, will the killer strike again, and how is he choosing his victims?

Sleeping Dolls provides a fast paced thriller with the clues judiciously handed out as the book moves forward, yet without providing an easy to solve mystery. I spent the better part of the book convinced I knew who did it and what the plot twist might be, only to find out everything I believed was wrong. I absolutely love when that happens. I don't want to solve the mystery myself halfway through the book, I want to keep guessing, and Sleeping Dolls definitely kept me guessing. Even some of the clues that I put together didn't lead me directly to the killer and I stayed up quite late to find out if I was right or wrong.

Wonderfully written, great story about a detective trying to catch a murderer! Plot twists galore and a few hints of previous novels has meant I’ve now bought the previous books in this series! Thank you for introducing me to this wonderful police world.

I started reading The Sleeping Dolls and was hooked immediately. That scene at the beginning was executed perfectly by the author. It honestly made me feel like I was there, part of the investigation team, trying to rule out murder but keeping my eyes opened to any clues that my lead to the conclusion that it wasn't just a natural death
It is a fast paced gripping read that I did not want to put down. Action packed and filled with details and clues that I did not want to miss. I often wanted to go back a few pages and read again just to make sure I didn't omit anything important
I know SLEEPING DOLLS is part of a series but it was so easy to read it as a standalone. Also, I actually want to read the other books now. If they are half as good as this one, I will definitely be a happy reader

Another fantastic book in the series. The stories are always fresh and original with characters you grow to love. Looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Are usually love this authors books in the series, but I didn’t love this book, I liked it just didn’t love it. This is the sixth book in the detective Morgan Brookes series. This is a great character, but for me this book was just kind of meh.

Morgan arrives to a death and suspects it’s a murder but no one else is really sure until the medical examiner agrees with her when there’s a second murder she feels there’s a connection but can’t identify what it is but then it turns out that the two women used to work together.

As Morgan and her team try to solve the murders before anyone else is killed they chase down the many suspects; they eventually find the killer.

I will definitely read the next book in the series I just hope I like it more.

Sleeping Dolls is book 6 in the DC Morgan Brookes series by Helen Phifer. This series just gets even better if that's possible! Early on in the book, the body count starts to rise and I reckoned I had worked this out but I was wrongfooted again, blindsided by the clever twists and misdirection. Helen Phifer's superb and explosive writing with its flashes of humour continues to wow me and it will be interesting to see what's in store for DC Brookes in the next instalment.

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

Book 6 in the series and I must admit I enjoyed this one more. They actually worked as a team instead of just Super Morgan doing everything.

It was fast paced and kept me hooked start to finish. Look forward to the next one.

A welfare check becomes a homicide investigation for Detective Morgan Brookes and her team. Several aspects of the case are more peculiar as the clocks have been stopped at six o’clock, the mirrors have been covered and a knife is missing. When another body is found, they discover the missing knife and the same issue with the clocks. They also learn how the killer has been able to move through the apartment building without being caught. In the meantime, Morgan’s personal life has never been better as she and her coworker, Sergeant Ben Matthews, try to blend their work and personal time together. Can they catch the killer before he claims more victims, victims that it seems he has targeted since his childhood? In the beginning and through successive chapters from the past, we learned the story of a young, angry boy who lost his mother. You know then that he most likely will be the murderer, but not who he is. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Author Helen Phifer can always be counted on to deliver her fans a bone-chilling novel. Her latest book Sleeping Dolls is no exception. Sleeping Dolls is Helen Phifer's sixth book in the Detective Morgan Brookes series. The author brings back all the favorite characters on Detective Morgan Brookes' team for another spine-tingling story.

Synopsis:
Shirley Kelly is a loved, dependable companion to her friends. When Shirley is reported missing, D.I. Morgan Brookes, and Sergeant Ben Matthews go to Shirley's house and discover her rotting corpse under suspicious circumstances. At the eerie scene of the crime, Brookes' team observes a clock stopped at Shirley's time of death. The killer bizarrely draped the mirrors in Shirley's home and placed a throw rug in front of a door to prevent entry. Detective Morgan Brookes and her team follow cryptic clues and stop at nothing to catch the vicious murderer. However, yet again the killer slips through their hands and another woman is murdered. 😱

Sleeping Dolls Detective Morgan Brookes Book 6 by Helen Phifer is a creepy novel that will pique the readers' curiosity. Phifer's writing in her new book is a suspenseful addition to the Detective Morgan Brookes saga that thriller enthusiasts do not want to miss! On a personal note, after reading this book, I was up at midnight to recheck my door locks. Yes, I am a big scaredy-cat, Lol! 😎

Sleeping Dolls Detective Morgan Brookes Book 6 is available on June 13th.
(4.5 rounded up to 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) Congratulations to the mega-talented Helen Phifer!

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the opportunity to review this outstanding book. Your kindness is appreciated.

Sleeping Dolls by Helen Phifer is the 6th in the Detective Morgan Brookes series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Information: (Warning – May contain spoilers from previous books)
Morgan Brookes is living her dream.  She is a Detective Constable for Rydal Falls.  She works under the direction of her boyfriend, DS Ben Matthews.  Other members of the team include, DC Amy Smith and DC Des Black.  Their boss DCI Tom Fell is retiring, and their go-to Forensic Pathologist is Declan Donnelly.  After losing her mother,  Morgan finally got to know her dad, but Stan is now dead.  Meanwhile, she has learned that her biological father is a rapist and a killer.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
The body of a woman is found in her apartment.  She is laying peacefully on the couch, and Ben feels it was just a normal death,  but something doesn't sit well with Morgan.  It turns out she is right, and when a second woman ends up murdered with a knife that was in the home of the first victim,  Morgan fears that this may only be the beginning.

The trick will be trying to determine what these two women have in common.

The team has a new boss, DI Marcell (Marc) Howard, and the jury is still out. He wants to be more involved than Tom ever was, and he's gorgeous.  These things are not sitting well with Ben.

Meanwhile, Morgan has recently moved in with Ben, and is slowly coming to terms with the fact that she is now living in the house that Ben shared with his wife (now deceased).




My Opinions:   
Quite an enjoyable, fast mystery.

The story is told in multiple perspectives, and I loved the sections dedicated to the life of the young boy..

I really like the characters.  Morgan, Ben, Amy, Cain and Declan are definitely favorites.  Des still doesn't seem to fit, and I'm not a fan of Amber.

Okay, this is going to sound picky, but I think Morgan is a little old to "giggle"....and she did it quite often in this book.

The plot was really good, and I loved the ending.  I still haven't found time to read Phifer's Lucy Harwin series, but it is on my list.  I really like her books.

Another brilliant book from Helen Phifer.
I love this series and this is one of my favourite books.
Morgan attends a brutal murder scene and is determined to find the killer.
The woman has been killed in her own home and with the clocks stopped and mirrors covered, Morgan knows they’re looking for a troubled killer.
Soon another woman is murdered and discovered by Cain who was popping by to check on her, it leaves him shaken.
There’s a new boss for the team and Ben is unsure what to make of him.
I loved the way the investigation flowed and even with the red herring towards the end, I didn’t guess the identity of the killer.
A brilliant crime series that I highly recommend.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Morgan is settling into domesticity with Ben. I love their relationship and the way he looks out for her. New bodies pop up so the squad is on the case. Who is murdering these older women? Morgan and Ben are racing to uncover the answers while Morgan deals with her own insecurities.
I blanched at the depravity of the perp, who was quite warped.
I loved the ending and who eventually stopped the villain.
It’s another fast paced read for fans Of the series.