Phifer does it once again! Stolen Darlings was another hit to add to the series, and I was sucked in from the very first page!

I love when a book can lead me astray from my theories and make me second guess everything I think is happening, and this book nailed that for me. Morgan is young, but she’s an incredibly intuitive detective, and I love the relationship she and her team members have. While this book could technically be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading these in order!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Stolen Darlings by Helen Phifer.
A group of woman around to gather around Castlerigg Stone Circle at dawn for their yoga practise.
But one of their group is already there and she’s dead.
Detective Morgan Brookes is called to the site along with her boss Ben.
Who would want to kill this woman and why?
Another great book in this series set in the Lake District.

As the installments in the Detective Morgan Brookes series moves into double figures with Stolen Darlings, it's and incredible achievement for Helen Phifer to still produce such a high standard of writing.
This is one of my favourite series, and as usual, it's a cracker. The pacing and plotting move at breakneck speed, and the characters are just as strong as they ever were. You can easily read this in one sitting, as with most of Phifer's books.
Highly recommended.

Before I talk about the plot, I have to give a shout out to the author for referencing a book club that is going to read Strange Sally Diamond. I loved that book too.

This series has quickly joined the list of my favorite crime series that I have to read as soon as possible. It is book 10 in the Morgan Brookes series and can be read as a stand alone. The author does a good job of letting you know (or reminding you if you’ve read it) what you need to know from previous books in the series.

I was drawn into the ritualistic killing of a women with a wreath of roses on her head. I read this one quickly as I wanted to know more. Why the roses and who was the killer. There were a few suspects and I fell for the red herrings here. I waffled and could not figure out the who or the why. In this series, I also like the work life balance of the characters. While you read a crime procedural to read about the crime, but what makes it for me is also who is solving the crime. Morgan, her boss/boyfriend Ben and the rest of the team are strong likable characters that I really like to know more about. I like their banter and that someone always seems to go off a little half cocked and gets themself into a situation.

If you are a fan of crime series, the complex plot and great characters make this one you should add to your collection.

I have enjoyed the Morgan Brookes series and love to read how the leading characters develop in each book you read. I particularly enjoyed the setting for book 10 as I’m familiar with the stones at Keswick and also the ones near Great Urswick so I had a vivid picture in my mind. The plot was a little different which made for interesting reading. I hope we get to read more about Ben and Morgan’s relationship in the next book and that it moves up a gear.

On the feast of Ostara a group of women meet for a dawn yoga session at Castlerigg Stone Circle. The first to reach the circle screams & the group are met with the sight of Cora, one of their group, lying on a stone in a white dress, wearing a garland of Darling roses on her head & her throat cut. Detective Morgan Brookes & colleague Ben meet there. It is a bizarre sight! Cora ran a New age Wicca shop & when another woman is attack in a similar line of business, Morgan fears for her hedge-witch Aunt Ettie.

This is the tenth in the series & shows no sign of growing stale. The relationship between the police team is always a joy to see & the scenarios are always that bit different. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I can’t believe we’re already on book 10 and that it’s still such a great series with so many lovable characters. The teams banter always makes me laugh and Ben & Morgan are still adorable. I also love Ettie and the witchy element made this book even more interesting. As usual, Morgan manages to get herself into trouble, although in her defense it’s not her fault this time. There are a few suspects to keep you guessing and I had no idea who it was going to be until just before it was dramatically revealed.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Stolen Darlings is Book 10 in the amazing Detective Morgan Brooke series by Helen Phifer. Yes we are already on book number 10 ! I’ve probably mentioned this many times before that I’m a massive fan of this series. They honestly just keep on getting better and better. In this one Brooke’s and her colleagues are trying desperately to track down the killer of a popular and dearly loved local shopkeeper Cora Dalton. Her body was discovered at a local beauty spot . Morgan and the team fear there could be more lives at risk and will leave no stone unturned until the killer is brought to justice.
Oh my word this is yet again another absolutely outstanding and fantastic read in this series. It is one of those books that you can easily read in one sitting, you know the kind where you get to the end of the chapter and say oh just one more and before you know it you’ve finished the book. I really don’t know how Helen Phifer does it but she has this fantastic knack of letting you suspect a certain character of the crimes and you’re totally convinced you’re on the right track and then bam you realise you’ve been on the wrong track, just brilliant. So all in all another unputdownable read with super characters I’ve been invested in since the very start of the series. This can be read as a standalone but I do recommend reading the previous book in the series to get to know and understand the characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stolen Darlings is the 10th book in the outstanding Morgan Brookes series, and while it functions perfectly well as a standalone thriller (and even as an introduction to Helen Phifer and Morgan Brookes), I think you really need to read the series to fully appreciate the context, backstories and the brilliant character development of its predecessors.

The author’s books always keep me on the edge on my seat with the fast paced excitement of the story, the inevitable twists and turns, and the build up of excitement that comes with such a well written thriller. I always like Morgan, partly because she gets stuck straight in without hesitation, and partly because of they way she connects with her colleagues. The camaraderie is obviously and entirely credible, making their interactions easy and believable.

The locations are described in a way that enabled me to visualise the scenery, which I love by the way, so I almost had that sensation you get when reliving a scene in your head from recent memory. The twists, when they came, were enough to put my amateur sleuthing in its place, and enhanced the story as a whole which was both good and bad; good because I just had to keep going to find out the truth, but bad because it meant I was finishing the book sooner than I would otherwise have liked.

Overall, this is probably my favourite Morgan Brooke book which I cannot recommend enough, albeit with the caveat to read the whole series. You’ll thank me later. I gave Stolen Darlings, by Helen Phifer, five stars, and now sit impatiently awaiting book 11.

Another great read in the Morgan Brookes series. Creepy murders and great characters are what comes to my mind at first. This book has yoga an witches, flowers and red herrings. I love the police procedures and to follow the team members and how they interact.

You can’t go wrong by devouring this series, because it’s addictive, and who wouldn’t love Morgan?

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

and it was a gripping one right from the first chapter with a dead body of a woman

and its a race against time for morgan and her fellow officers to find the killer before he strikes again

this one will have you on the edge of your seat... so many red herrings and never saw it coming who the killer was

and it was nice to catch up with morgan and ben and the rest of the gang

cant wait for the next book in this brilliant series

Can you believe we're up to book 10 of this exciting series already? I have followed the exploits of Morgan, Ben and their team since the second book "The Killer's Girl" and it has been tension-filled and not-so-smooth-sailing from the start. Since the brutal murder of one of their own, they have recruited one of their favourite uniforms into CID and he has made himself right at home and has quickly made his mark with them.

In this installment, we see Morgan and Ben called out to Castlerigg Stone Circle with the murder of twenty eight year old Cora Dalton, a young woman who owned a witchcraft shop Black Moon in Kewsick High Street. Cora was found by her friends on the morning of what was to be a yoga outing to mark the Ostara (something I'm not at all familiar with but something to do with stars and spring or something). What they find on the flat stone is Cora's body with her neck slashed and dressed in a sheer white gown wearing a floral crown of roses and a garland of oak leaves.

The area is cordoned off and the team get to investigating the murder. They are quick to suspect the boyfriend who is a history teacher at a nearby school, particularly when it comes to light that he has something of a temper on him. Had he been violent towards Cora? Did she fear for her life?

While the team are busying questioning him and a local photographer, Morgan received a call from a neighbouring unit about a similar attack on another young woman. This time she survived thanks to an off-duty paramedic walking her dog who was quick to administer first aid and call for help. Tabitha King is rushed to surgery but is not out of the woods yet. Will she live long enough to give Morgan the breakthrough that they need?

Then they receive the disturbing news that the young man who works in the bookshop next to Cora's nan has gone missing. Morgan isn't worried as the woman is 68 and the killer's MO is that of young women. But then Lewis reveals that she runs a witchcraft shop nearby. Could this just be a coincidence? Both Cora and Tabitha ran similar types of shops. Should they be worried? Has the killer gone after the young man's nan this time?

With no shortage of suspects, the team are left racing for time to uncover the killer before he kills again. He'd purchased three rose crowns, two of which have been used. So he has one more left. Will Morgan and her team find him in time?

Another super read by Helen Phifer though once again Morgan continues to go in gung-ho to apprehend any suspect single-handedly that it is becoming a bit predictable. I enjoy this series but would prefer a little less predictability when it comes to Morgan as we all know what she's going to do and that it will always be her left chasing down the villain at the end of the day, sometimes to her own detriment. But what makes this series so enjoyable is the camaraderie within the team. I love reading their banter which I often enjoy more than than the investigation. It makes the series a pleasure to read. But please, make Morgan a little less predictable.

Overall, another cracker read and addition to the series. I love the Lake District setting. A normally tranquil setting rocked by the deluge of murders penned by Phifer.

I would like to thank #HelenPhifer, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #StolenDarlings in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Detective Morgan Brookes has a bad habit of getting herself into dangerous situations in her drive to find justice for victims. Her love life, though, is comfortable and she is living happily with her boss. A new case comes her way when a woman's body is discovered by a yoga group intending to experience the sunrise. The murder victim had her throat slashed and has been staged at an ancient stone circle in a beautiful dress and a crown of roses. Morgan and the team seek clues to who did this terrible act. When there's another attempted murder, the victim is found in time to survive providing a possible lead. It's an intriguing story with lots of excitement and fun. Morgan is a character to love.

I have read this series since the beginning and I continue to enjoy the trails and tribulations of Morgan and the team.

The book draws you in and puts you in the thick of it, I love the development of the characters over the series
Ettie is a particular favourite of mine

My immediate question is who?? Who is slitting throats of young women poised in stone circles??
Phifer sent me and the team on several wild goose chases almost to the point of me wanting to find a flat rock to lie upon and see which character the act would flush out.
I love the witchy context in the story as well as the banter and camaraderie among Morgan’s team. Cain was in his element in one scene with women fussing over him.
I began the book laughing since Morgan was wheezing while running after betting Cain she could beat him in a half marathon. I spent seven years running and hated every minute and love that I no longer torture myself.
The best of the book for me are the tender scenes between Morgan and Ben.
Can’t wait it catch up with the team again!

Morgan's latest case involves a woman whose body was found by her yoga friends. Cora's body appeared to have been staged and leads them to question if the crown of flowers has some significance. There are many potential suspects, an unknown motive, and plenty of suspense along with some twists as the team works to find the killer. This is the first book I've read in this series and it was a little confusing at the beginning figuring out who all the characters were that were mentioned although I assumed they were law enforcement members. I don't want to give any spoilers but it felt like the explanation of how the killer accomplished what he did was missing.

Helen Phifer is a witch and I know she will take that as the compliment it is meant as. She absolutely has me spellbound with this series and this one was no different.

Perfect for Halloween season, the victims this time are all linked by Ostara and their pagan shops and traditions. Could Morgan and the team have a modern day witchhunter on their patch?

I love the relationships that Helen has created within this series and as we are now at book ten they are so fully developed they feel like family. Caring for them, often means I’m stupidly warning certain characters not to do things (like they can hear me). This was so suspenseful and with multiple possible suspects that happened fairly often.

Unusually for me I did twig, just before the reveal, who was behind it all. Morgan is obviously rubbing off on me or maybe I have developed witchy senses.

Fast paced, tightly plotted and loaded with banter I’m now excited to see what happens next for Morgan, Ben and the team.

Stolen Darlings is book 10 in the Detective Morgan Brookes series by Helen Phifer.
Another one down! And I loved every second of it.
Phifer knows how to keep the suspense alive and the characters intriguing.
Book ten was just as fun and entertaining as the titles before.
I loved being back in the company of Morgan and her team.
It is never a dull moment and the mystery that comes with it keeps the reader hooked till the very last page.
Through vivid descriptions and gripping plot twists, Phifer paints a picture of a world filled with action, secrets and lies. With its intense suspense and thrilling plot, Stolen Darlings is sure to leave readers on the edge of their seats.
I loved this twisted crime thriller.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Another brilliant crime thriller in this great series.
With the body of a young woman found at a stone circle, Morgan and Ben are called to investigate.
Her throat has been slit and a crown of roses placed on her head on a day that is meant to celebrate Ostara.
Friends quickly identify the person as they were meant to be meeting her that morning but it seems someone else arranged to meet her there earlier.
With links to witches Morgan is worried about Ettie and rushes over to check she is ok.
Another woman with spiritual connections is soon found at another stone circle but with the help of a passerby, is rushed quickly to hospital.
When a third woman is unable to be reached, Morgan and the team have to race against time to find her before it’s too late.
This is a gripping crime thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

4.25⭐

Detective Morgan Brookes is back with another disturbing and confounding case.

When Morgan and Ben are called to Castlerigg Stone Circle after a young woman named Cora is found dead left on display with a crown of roses on her head. And Morgan is quick to notice the lack of a struggle or blood on the victims outfit.

So did Cora know her killer?

However, everyone she interacted with has an alibi, including her friends, boyfriend, neighbours, and even the local pervert. 

And as the community begins to mourn. The team struggle to find answers. 

Yet they do know this killer will strike again and at least two more people will die if they don't stop them. 

And then another body is found. Not even twelve hours after Cora was discovered. 

Only this time the killer has been careless and made a big mistake.

And as Ben, Morgan, Cain and Amy close in on the killer and try to keep each other and those they love safe; danger strikes. As this killer is closer to them than they could've ever imagined.

And with great twists and a nice amount of suspense. Not to mention a killer, I did not expect. This was another enjoyable addition to the series. I just wish it hadn't ended so abruptly.