You absolutely cannot leave us on a cliff hanger that! I need the third book and I need it right now!4 s Nurse Jackie64

The Unseen Sister, by Andy Maslen, is the 2nd detective novel narrated from the perspective of Det. Kat Ballantyne. I enjoyed the is audiobook as a standalone without having read the first book featuring the fore-mentioned detective. The narrator of the audiobook does have a British accent as the story’s location is Middlehamptom UK.

Coming off the win of Detective Kat Ballantyne’s last serial killer investigation, Kat is not anticipating yet another one to fall into her lap. With one murdered woman dead and a curious branding burned into her flesh, Det. Ballantyne discovers secrets from her family’s past that complicate her role in the investigation. When a second woman is found murdered, Kat starts to put pieces together in an effort to find the killer.

This story does a great job of character development, even not having read the previous book. Det. Kat Ballantyne is a -able character who focuses on her role as a detective but also shows us her family side of life. The plot itself was somewhat easy to predict, but was still enjoyable. I found this audiobook to be well narrated and easy to follow,

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this advanced listeners copy. The opinions listed above are an honest review without bias. 3.5 stars rounded up.advanced-readers-copy4 s Leah46 16

Detective Kat Ballantyne finds herself on a new homicide case which ends up being closer to home than she first realised. Debuting as the second novel following Kat’s life as a Detective, The Unseen Sister follows its predecessor, The Seventh Girl, into a world of serial killers, drug dealers and lies.

First and foremost, the plot was great from the get-go with twists and turns around each corner. I found myself confidently picking out the Murderer to only realise a few chapters later, I was clearly on the wrong track. Who doesn’t love a book that keeps you guessing?

Kat lives a relatively bland and normal life with her son and husband at home. I felt we needed more insight into her Husbands new client and the constant remarks / breadcrumbs about Kat’s concerns regarding an affair. I suppose that could always crop up in another book?

Without spoiling anything, I thoroughly enjoyed the link to Kat but was hoping it would cause more issues than it actually did. Maybe that’s the morbid thinker in me.

I enjoyed the ending and it coming full circle. I that things wrapped up nicely and we weren’t left with many loose ends. Did I see the ending coming? Not 100%! I definitely picked the wrong killer.

Downside; the book dragged a little for me. I think there was a lot of description/scene building where it wasn’t needed. That being said, it was a quick read.

3.75 stars from me.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review! 2 s Suzi (Lil Bit Reads)597 48

Fitness enthusiast Jo Morris is found dead after a workout near the Three Sisters rock formation. Although it initially appears to be an allergic reaction, the actual cause of death was far more sinister. Jo was supposedly loved by all, and signs are pointing to the husband as the prime – after all, it’s always the husband, isn’t it? But when a second body turns up with striking similarities, the police are forced to admit something darker is happening. Maybe there was more to Jo Morris than the loveable philanthropist persona she presented to the world.

I loved the first DS Kat Ballantyne book, The Seventh Girl! If you did too, you won’t want to miss this worthy second installment. The Unseen Sister is twisty, turny, unpredictable, and cleverly plotted. There’s no shortage of suspects and their possible motives kept me guessing the whole time. Kat is a fantastic character – she’s a dedicated and tenacious detective, but also emotionally vulnerable and slightly morally grey. This installment has Kat struggling to balance her home life and her work life, with enough attention paid to her marriage and motherhood to be compelling but still allowing the police procedural aspect to take center stage. This story ends with a major cliffhanger, so I am eagerly awaiting The Silent Wife, which is scheduled to be released later this year

Fans of Isabella Maldonado or Tami Hoag (one of my all-time favorite serial killer/police procedural authors) will definitely enjoy The Unseen Sister and this series as a whole! Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me an advance copy of this book.netgalley2 s Jenny1,381

More Kat!

I am loving this series.
I also loved more about Kat, and her life outside of being a detective. There is an odd twist in THIS book that seemed not needed but once done … and the thought of book 3 is revealed, I wonder if it is a tease for that.

This book has a lot of characters and I admit, at times, with no changing in POVs that I was a bit confused … who was this again? Were they important? It seemed the author did it to keep the readers mind spinning. And mine did … I had no guess as to who did it.

This was a good mystery and I am intrigued for more. 1 Sharon Valler495 13

The long anticipated follow up to the first book in this series, The Seventh Girl, didn't disappoint!

I really enjoyed returning to the life of DS Kat Ballantyne and her colleagues. Picking up from where we were left at the end of book one, Kat is still reeling when a body is discovered at the Three Sisters stones. Thrown straight back in at the deep end, Kat and Tom soon discover some disturbing history about the woman and a shocking secret sends Kat spinning. When a second murder is committed, with a clear link to the first victim, it is apparent that the team have a serial killer on their hands and are in a race to find the killer before they strike again.

Brilliant writing, great characters and some hilarious "Tomsplaining" had me hooked and I am delighted to see that we don't have long to wait until book three, because the ending was some kind of cliff-hanger!

5 ?? Thanks to Netgalley, Andy Maslen and Thomas and Mercer for an ARC in return for an honest review.1 Tini264 1 follower

A clever, solid mystery with a competent, able lead.

This is the second book in the Detective Kat Ballantyne series. I hadn't read the first book, but while there were some references to it, it was not necessary to understand the story or get to know the characters.

DS Kate Ballantyne is investigating the suspicious death of a woman found the standing stones called "Three Sisters". Was it a simple allergic reaction, or an unlawful death? The investigation into the death woman's life not only uncovers a dark secret in the victim's past, but brings forward revelations about Kat's own that leave her reeling.

I greatly enjoyed Kat, who is competent and manages to maintain a healthy family life despite her work demands. In fact, her personal life takes the stage much less than the blurb would have you believe, which I appreciated. But it's not just Kat; every character, from her colleagues to the suspects, is developed very carefully and thoughtfully, which adds a rich layer to the story. I also commend the author for displaying proper investigative methods and criminal procedure throughout the book.

It was a bit disappointing that the blurb gave away something which doesn't happen until the second half of the book, which makes the focus of the entire investigation up until that point seem obviously faulty; I would have rather been surprised by that revelation. However, neither the author nor the story is to blame for that.

The only thing I can truly fault in the story is the development/revelation of the mystery itself. I did deduct one star because I felt the culprit was obvious rather quickly, and that Kat could have gotten there much urgently if she had just paid closer attention while questioning people, and/or asked more follow-up questions about the victim's past. The glaring contradiction that eventually leads Kat down the right path seemed obvious to me, and probably will to a lot of readers. Nevertheless, the author did a good job of presenting a variety of suspects throughout the book, and I d the conclusion of the case.

All in all this was a solid, enjoyable, clever read. The epilogue all but assures a third book is in the works, and I will happily be back to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I listened to the audiobook version and thoroughly enjoyed it.

"The Unseen Sister" is slated to be released on May 7, 2024.2024 audio mystery-suspense ...more4 s L Powers (Bookish_Mum)490 10

The Unseen Sister by Andy Maslen
A Detective Kat Ballantyne Band 2)
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 16 May 2024

For DS Kat Ballantyne, the hunt for a murderer hits close to home. Still grappling with a life-altering revelation, Kat's world is further rocked when a woman's body is discovered among the ancient standing stones known as the Three Sisters. With no time to dwell on her own troubles, Kat dives back into her work to unravel the mystery.

Initially dismissed as an accident, Kat's attention is grabbed by an infinity symbol branded on the victim's abdomen, sparking her conviction that a ruthless killer is on the loose. Balancing her tumultuous personal life with her professional duties, she delves into the victim's past, unearthing shocking secrets and a roster of potential suspects.

As another woman meets a similar fate, Kat races against the clock to uncover connections between the victims and catch the culprit before more lives are lost. With each revelation, Kat inches closer to the truth, determined to bring justice to the victims and closure to their loved ones.

This instalment marks the second book in the Detective Kat Ballantyne series. Despite not having read the first book, I found that while there were occasional references to it, they didn't hinder my understanding of the story or ability to connect with the characters.

I found Kat to be a compelling character, balancing competence in her work with a fulfilling family life despite the demands of her job. Contrary to expectations set by the blurb, her personal life didn't overshadow the narrative, which I found refreshing. Furthermore, I appreciated the meticulous development of every character, from Kat's colleagues to the suspects, adding depth to the story. The author's attention to detail in depicting investigative methods and criminal procedures also deserves commendation.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author, Andy Maslen, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.netgalley2 s Tiffany156

The second book in the Kat Ballantyne series brings on a good murder mystery. A young woman is found in a park dead from what looks anaphylaxis. But some things just don’t add up as the victims phone is missing etc. Kat has a feeling it’s more.

This book follows along as Kat searches for clues and investigates two murdered women that end up being linked by their past.

Spoilers****

Woman one is Jo Morris and women two is Elise. In school there were three who called themselves the three sisters they were big bullies and even bullied one girl to attempt suicide. Now, someone is taking revenge. Kat also finds out, after doing a DNA test that she is somehow a half sibling to the first victim, Jo. Realizing that meant her father had an affair. She confronts him and it doesn’t go as planned. But she ends up blackmailing him to keep quiet about the relationship to the victim otherwise she will tell the world and her mother about the illicit affair. Which would ruin his reputation. Jo doesn’t want to be thrown off the case do to the relation of the first victim. They end up throwing you for loops as to who the killer is, arresting the husband who in my eyes, they made it too obvious it wasn’t him. A character wouldn’t have all that random evidence that early in the book if they were actually guilty. And the victims 1 ex husband. So many people in this book could have been the killer. Luckily they found out before the third “sister” could be murdered. It was a revenge killing for the girl they bullied who ended up going down a dark path in her life and eventually did kill herself. The old teacher from their school days was firing from cancer and decided to enact that revenge.

It ends with Kat suddenly becoming on the radar for investigation because someone sent her a large sum of money to her bank account that she had no idea was there. Someone is trying to set her up and make her look dirty….. guess we will have to wait until August to find out who. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Marcy Sorenson699 26


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