Silent Victim by Caroline Mitchell #BlogTour #Review #GuestPost

Today is my stop on Blog Tour for Silent Victim by Caroline Mitchell. I am so excited to share my 5 star review with you guys. Not only have I got my review,but I also have a fabulous guest post by Caroline. Sharing her story of how she made the transition from police detective to bestselling author.

From Police Detective to Author – how I made the transition

In April 2016 I gave in my notice after nine years of working in the police. I can hardly believe it’s been two years since I bit the bullet and left my secure job to work as a full-time author. It was not a step I took lightly, but thankfully it’s not one I’ve come to regret.

There were a few things I had to get used to when I made the transition. Having so much free time was one of them. In the police, I worked very long hours and when I was a SOTO (sexual offences trained officer) I was also on call. It was not unusual to finish a twelve-hour shift then be called out of my bed at two or three am to deal with a rape incident which would take up at least another eight hours of my time. I loved the role but missed my children, so I transferred to the Joint Domestic Abuse Triage Team. It had more structured hours, but the train commute was long. I got up at five thirty every morning and wasn’t home until six or seven pm each day.

At first it was strange going from working such demanding hours to having so much free time. As you can imagine, working from the comfort of my home was a dream come true. At first, I was totally disorganised, and felt myself slipping into procrastination mode. While working in the police, I was regimented with my writing, squeezing it in wherever I could. I soon learned that if I was to get anything done, I needed to develop a similar strict routine. Goal setting was key. Every day I planned my time, worked out my daily word count and every week I updated my goals. Being signed with a digital publisher was perfect for me. It was imperative that I build up my back list of books quickly to ensure I had enough royalties coming in. I still had a mortgage to pay and a family to support, and knowing they relied on me provided motivation for the days when the words would not come.

Writing isn’t like any other nine to five job. It’s creative. It’s art. You can’t just turn on the tap and expect ideas to flow. Just the same, I sit myself down every day and type. As they say, you can’t edit a blank page. And on the days that it all comes together… that’s the best feeling of all.

Writing is a very solitary life. I still miss my colleagues in the police, but I live for events like Theakston’s Old Peculiar crime writing festival in Harrogate when I get to see my readers and author friends. You’ll always see me there with the biggest smile on my face as it’s also the few days in the year that I take off. Every day I count my blessings. My time in the police will never leave me. It’s reflected in my writing and the characters I portray. I’m thankful for the experiences which have shaped my writing and to my readers for continuing to buy my books.

The Book

Emma’s darkest secrets are buried in the past. But the truth can’t stay hidden for long.

Emma is a loving wife, a devoted mother…and an involuntary killer. For years she’s been hiding the dead body of the teacher who seduced her as a teen.

It’s a secret that might have stayed buried if only her life had been less perfect. A promotion for Emma’s husband, Alex, means they can finally move to a bigger home with their young son. But with a buyer lined up for their old house, Emma can’t leave without destroying every last trace of her final revenge…

Returning to the shallow grave in the garden, she finds it empty. The body is gone.

Panicked, Emma confesses to her husband. But this is only the beginning. Soon, Alex will discover things about her he’ll wish he’d learned sooner. And others he’ll long to forget.

My Thoughts

OMFG Caroline Mitchell is back on form with this corker of a book!  Seriously I loved it that much I actually don't know where to begin with this review.  So i will start off by saying that I am a massive fan of Caroline's writing and this is her best book yet….it has totally blown me away.

I have to say that I sucked in hook, line and sinker from the very first page and from that moment I knew it was going to be the bollocks…. And it certainly was! Yes you never see me swear in my reviews but this is just one of those books that I  need to shout out from the rooftops about. It is absolutely awesome.

The story starts off with one hell of a prologue which sets the story and OMG what a prologue it is.I knew straight away I was in for a treat. The story is told in alternating chapters between Loving wife and mother Emma and husband Alex which flicks back to what happened and to the present day telling the story of how Emma was seduced has a teen by her teacher and hiding his dead body. Alex gets a promotion and wants to sell up and move to a bigger home, Which starts a whirlwind of events that will take your breath away.

This one very well crafted and atmospheric with descriptions that will have you biting your nails off.. Just when I thought I knew where this was going BOOM the author throws in a twist it is full of tension mystery and suspense it will keep you guessing until the very end

With only a handful of characters we really get to know them I have to say I really liked Alex he is a strong male and has a lot thrown his way throughout the story. But with his actions it really shines though that he loves Emma and their son.

Emma is one of those characters that at times I wanted to slap her and say get a grip woman but the more I read the more I understood she was the way she is. And then I began to feel sorry for her.

All in all I loved everything about it….there is nothing not to like

This is a must read for Psychological thriller fans and I honestly think it is going to be a smash hit read for 2018. I cannot recommend enough giving it 5 massive gold stars.

Amazon link

About the Author

An international #1 and USA Today bestselling thriller author, Caroline originates from Ireland and now lives with her family in a village on the coast of Essex. A former police detective, Caroline has worked in CID and specialised in roles dealing with vulnerable victims, high-risk victims of domestic abuse, and serious sexual offences. She now writes full time, with over half a million copies of her books sold. As well as her crime series, Caroline also writes stand-alone psychological thrillers. The most recent, Silent Victim reached the Amazon number 1 spot in the UK, US and Australia. Her highly anticipated DI Amy Winter series is published by Thomas & Mercer. The first book in the series, Truth and Lies, launches on 13th September. Her works have been translated into four different languages and one of her books is featured as an interactive app, due for release in 2018.