An amazing Crime Thriller! I was hooked right from the start and devoured the book over a couple of days.

The story follows Crime scene investigator Elloree Holt as she works (along with lead detective Harlan) to solve the homicide case of a young women whilst dealing with the recent death of her partner along with her own violent past.

There were some fantastic twists which I didn’t see coming and kept me turning the pages wanting to read more.

I really d watching Elloree and Harlan’s friendship grow which I hope will continue into future books.

This is the first book by R.J. Strong that I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last.
The ending sets up for a book 2 which I think is coming later this year. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Elloree! kindle.babe319 6

THOUGHTS:

I absolutely love a thriller that grabs you from the first page and leaves you thinking for days. This book did just that. I loved the storyline/plot and the characters. These characters were so well developed they almost felt real. The attention to detail that the author paid to through this book was perfection. The twists, turns and darkness woven in this book will take you through an emotional rollercoaster and having your palms sweating—I could not set this book down.

I absolutely recommend this fast paced thriller to all those who love just that—a fast paced thriller that keeps you on your toes, guessing and second guessing trying to solve along with your main character(s). I will be sure to keep an eye out for more work by RJ Strong in the future. Zahavah Angus153 1 follower

Attention fans of BONES, CSI, crime/murder mysteries and gripping writing - here's a fantastic book for you to pull you under. R. J. Strong has an absolutely incredible way of packing a whole lot of backstory into vibrant characters who are broken, relatable, and good, all at once, while at the same time immersing you into a setting and story that's so vividly written it's an active movie for the mind.

I absolutely cannot wait until the next book, because OH THE WAY I SCREAMED at the end of this one.

LOL

Please do check the trigger warnings listed at the beginning of the book. They're there for good reasons.
crime-or-mystery over-30 Nikao7

If you are a fan of true crime, CSI, etc. you will love this book. It was phenomenal. As a good thriller/mystery always does, I was absolutely hooked right from the start and the mystery was so intriguing. I had such a fun time trying to figure it out before the main character (as I always do). I HIGHLY recommend for anyone who wants to have a slightly raised heartbeat and a mind boggling experience. I won’t give a summary because you already have one above. But this book was a definite reread for me (and that’s a crazy honour for a mystery/thriller book). Lady’s and gentlemen, Perimortem. Corbin209 3

Very readable jeeps you guessing

Strong characters with a strong female lead. Storyline is well developed with only a few twists. But they come at a logical plot point and the story is very tight.
Jess Bosworth26 2

This surely is as far as a novel can go in the emotional sweepstakes. From the hills of Donegal to the ancient landscape of Wiltshire the author maximises her evocative sense of place. The Shadowing Stones provide a sinister and dignified focal point for a stunning psychological thriller.
This is a novel about life and death and all that comes between. It's about revaluing one's family attachments; about the fragility of love and the dangerous excitement of lust. It's about running away and knowing when to stop and it's about coming home to face the music.
This is an outstanding novel. The characters plucked at my heartstrings and refused to let go. It is tough and trenchant but also gentle and beguiling. It is full of mystery and suspense but also intensely and intimately revealing. The author is a natural storyteller with an abundance of talent.3 s Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings)1,642 253

This intensely emotional novel starts with a haunting first chapter describing in Tom’s own despairing words, how he tragically found his murdered younger brother, Callum. Set in the Wiltshire countryside, this story is so much more than just the mystery of a murdered young boy but a deeply heartfelt tale of revisiting your youth and the child in you that you must abandon forever. Tom and Anna are back living at home, both for completely different reasons. One is caring for their dying father the other is being cared for by their mother following major surgery. As they both re count their childhood and subsequent years as an adult, the mystery surrounding Callum’s death slowly starts to reveal itself. With a couple of side stories focusing on friends and other family members, which are equally as intriguing, this book is an addictive read that I found very hard to put down at bedtime.

I have to admit to having a tear in my eye during the latter chapters, where the true events of the past were revealed. What a truly sad story of how a family, righting their wrongs, faced such devastation. “Broken Shadows” gave me pause for thought about life, family dynamics and my own mortality.

#BrokenShadows - ??????????blog-tour review-books2 s Gill61

Really great book, set in Wiltshire. Good twists and well written.1 Keeley83 3

11 year old Callum has gone missing later his body is found by his 14 year old Brother Tom, suspicion laid at the hands of the boys father Jim.
After the murder of Callum mum cannot cope and takes her own life a year later .
Tom cannot get away from the sleepy village with all its nightmares and memories soon enough so reaching 17 he leaves to Australia never to return until he receives a call from longer term family friend Ray telling him that his Father Jim is dying and Tom needs to return home.
This return opens the wounds for Tom and makes him face with questions he’s wanted to ask of Jim .. did you murder my brother and your son??
At the same time Tom returns to the sleepy village another ex resident Anna is also forced to return due to ill health. Having been acquainted in their teenage years Tom and Anna meet up and help each other through a difficult period. Tom with unanswered questions and a dying Father also has concerns his wife back in Australia is cheating and Anna has problems with her partner that she has left behind in Turkey.
The 2 come together and face the problems facing them.
Tom asks the difficult questions, Anna also finds out some dark issues from the past and both get answers they didn’t expect.
5 star read from this new author cannot wait to read what else she has in store down the line. Read it in the one day as I couldn’t put it down!1 Veronika JordanAuthor 2 books36

This turned out to be very different from what I expected. The ending was a total revelation. How it started and how it finished was almost two different books.

We begin with Tom returning to England for the first time since he was 17. Following the horrific murder of his 11-year-old brother Callum, and the suicide of his mother shortly afterwards, he flees to Australia, where he marries Stella and has four children. He also runs a successful business.

He felt at the time that he had to leave because he believed that his father Jim may have killed Callum. So when he gets a call that his father is dying of cancer, he knows he must come home and sort things out. But confronted with a frail, dying old man, he is no longer sure about his suspicions. He is determined to discover what really happened.

In the meantime, he meets Anna, an old childhood acquaintance, and they rekindle their friendship. His relationship with Stella is in flux and Anna’s relationship with her partner Kerem in Istanbul where she has lived and worked for the past six years, is also in trouble. She returned to England to have a hysterectomy and Kerem wants children.

At two points in the book, we visit the Neolithic henge called the Shadowing Stones. It was near here that fourteen-year-old Tom discovered his brother’s body. It is described in horrific detail.

There are also other threads that eventually come together. There is Anna’s sister Isabel and her family, Jim’s time in Ireland and why he left and never went back, and of course the main premise of the book – who killed Callum?

It’s a marvellous book with themes I wasn’t expecting. The last few chapters were totally engrossing, emotional and sad. Highly recommended if you are looking for an intelligent read that questions assumptions.

Many thanks to Grace Pilkington Publicity @GracePublicity for inviting me to be part of this blog tour. Scott Parsons343 16

Broken Shadows is an outstanding novel. As the novel starts, Tom is recalling the year his 11-year -old brother Callum was abducted and murdered. After a massive search by the community, Tom discovers his body months later near the Shadowing Stones in Wiltshire. Tom's father Jim becomes a suspect but nothing definitive points to him.

Anyway Tom left for Australia where he married and developed a successful business. As the novel begins Tom returns home to care for his father who is dying from cancer. He is alerted to his father's situation by Ray, a longtime friend of his father's. Having blamed his father for Callum's death, Tom finds it difficult to adjust to caring for his father in his last months. And of course memories of the past come flooding back.

Also returned to the village is a woman Anna that Tom had known at school and had a bit of a crush on which didn't lead to anything. Anna has been travelling and is a writer of travel guides, based recently in Istanbul. She is back in England for a hysterectomy and is living with her mother while she recuperates. Her relationship with her boyfriend is on the rocks because he wants kids which she is no longer capable of providing.

Tom is married with children. Before leaving Australia he begins to suspect that his wife is having an affair with one of their employees. Tom and Anna relive the past and become romantically involved.

After his father dies Tom discovers the tragic truth about what happened to his brother Callum and the reason for his mother's suicide. This is a powerful and emotionally stirring novel.

Thanks to Bloodhound Books for providing me with an Advance Review Copy of this novel.

crime family-drama relationship1 Liz T190 5

Broken Shadows is set in an atmospheric winter time in Wiltshire. Tom has returned home to visit his dying father but it soon becomes clear that it may have been his father who had caused him to run away to Australia over 20 years ago. Tom has been persuaded by his father’s business partner to return and make peace with his father. This is not an easy task as Tom’s younger brother, Callum, was murdered when Tom was 15 and he always suspected that his father may have been involved. At the same time that Tom arrives in his home village, Anna, who he knew from his school days, has returned home to recuperate from a serious operation. Anna has also spent much of her time abroad as a travel writer but her time in Istanbul and her relationship with Kerem is coming to an end.
As these two people reconnect there is a lot of heart searching over the past tragedy they were both a part of so many years ago and also what path their future lives are going to take.
I found this book mesmerising in its description of the Wiltshire winter countryside and its main characters were people I did care about. I was at the edge of my seat as Tom tried to process what had happened to his younger brother and the repercussions of the tragic truth about his brother’s death. A great 5* read. Thanks to the author and Bloodhound Books for an ARC. Susan Blissett115

An emotional story with beautiful descriptions and similes, particularly of the Wiltshire countryside, this had an exciting start pulling you in and a climactic ending. Tom has come back to his childhood home as his father is dying, but he also wants to find out what happened to his brother, Callum, many years ago when Callum was killed. Anna has also moved back to the village after an hysterectomy to be with her mother whilst recovering. It covered topics such as relationship breakdowns (both in families and romantically), affairs, death, childhood abuse and women’s health. I d how endometriosis was touched upon which affects many women. There was a lovely take on British culture, which is also often not touched upon and this resinated with me; that sense of home and being part of a community, which very much showed through within this story. The main characters had a lot of situations to deal with, looking back on their lives and trying to find ways to move through any problems. Sometimes the story felt a little slow, but I was keen to find out what would happen to the main characters, as well as who was behind Callum’s death. Overall, this was an interesting read and covered topics I haven’t encountered in books before, which was refreshing.

I received an ARC from BloodHound Books for an honest review, thank you, and all thoughts are my own. Jacqueline Moxon51 4

This is a very moving and interesting novel, which fully explores the complexity of human emotions and relationships. Two childhood friends both return home after many years away. Their early and mutual attraction remains, but both are dealing with complicated and sad present day situations. They are drawn to each other, moths to a flame, whilst fighting their inner demons. Who killed Tom’s brother, Callum? Why did his mother take her own life? Is his father guilty? Meanwhile, Anna is coping with the devastating psychological effects of an early hysterectomy and coming to terms with knowing that she will never be able to bear children. Whilst she can accept this, her current partner clearly cannot. And, when it comes down to it, does she truly love him? As the two former friends become lovers they become more and more embroiled in the complexities and disappointments of their long term relationships and dare to dream of a shared future. At the same time, Anna watches her sister’s dissatisfaction with her own, seemingly, perfect life and becomes aware that true love and happiness is worth fighting for. I enjoyed this book immensely and would highly recommend it. CeeCee81 3

Tom and Anna have both returned home to the village where they spent their childhoods, albeit for very different reasons.
Tom's father, the bully and angry man of his younger life, is dying of cancer. Having escaped to Australia soon after the tragic murder of his younger brother Callum when he was 14, Tom has never returned until now.
Anna has come back to England from her home in Istanbul to undergo major surgery and now faces recuperation back in her childhood home with her mother.
The unsolved murder of his sibling has haunted Tom all his life, and he is determined to try and find out the truth of circumstances behind the tragedy.
Anna and Tom meet up again inevitably and rekindle their childhood friendship.
The story unfolds slowly and bit by bit we grow closer to finding out the truth and the growing romance between the two main characters.
I enjoyed the tale, which is related chapter by chapter from either Tom's or Anna's viewpoint.
Lots and lots of descriptions of the countryside, the sky, the sheep, the stones, the weather which I felt myself skimming over.
The ending was a bit predictable but still enjoyable.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC. Lori Zuber40 2

Broken Shadows by Sorrel Pitts

Tom’s eleven year old brother, Callum, was abducted from his Wiltshire village and killed. Tom himself found his body. The family dynamics changed drastically as his father was suspected of the murder and his mother committed suicide.

Tom, afraid that his father killed Callum, ran away to Australia. There, he built a new life, getting married and having children. His life was good, until the phone call. His father was dying. Hoping that he will finally find the truth, Tom decides to go back to England to be with his father.

Meanwhile, Anna has returned home from Turkey to have surgery. Her recovery is difficult, but along the way she runs into a childhood friend, Tom. They each bring something different to the table. Anna, wondering where she should be, and Tom trying to uncover the truth about Callum.

This story intertwines the two characters a tapestry. Pitts has created individual and heartfelt characters. The scenery is deeply depicted. This story has many plot twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. I didn’t want the book to end! It is such a wonderful story!
arc-1 Lori Zuber40 2

Broken Shadows by Sorrel Pitts

Tom’s eleven year old brother, Callum, was abducted from his Wiltshire village and killed. Tom himself found his body. The family dynamics changed drastically as his father was suspected of the murder and his mother committed suicide.

Tom, afraid that his father killed Callum, ran away to Australia. There, he built a new life, getting married and having children. His life was good, until the phone call. His father was dying. Hoping that he will finally find the truth, Tom decides to go back to England to be with his father.

Meanwhile, Anna has returned home from Turkey to have surgery. Her recovery is difficult, but along the way she runs into a childhood friend, Tom. They each bring something different to the table. Anna, wondering where she should be, and Tom trying to uncover the truth about Callum.

This story intertwines the two characters a tapestry. Pitts has created individual and heartfelt characters. The scenery is deeply depicted. This story has many plot twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. I didn’t want the book to end! It is such a wonderful story!

Hania1 review2

I was hooked after chapter 1. The author conjures up the whole atmosphere of Wiltshire, the weather and landscape mirroring the emotions and turmoils of Anna and Tom. These two characters are each given their space, their voice; the reader‘s empathies move from one to another. As family histories unfold, we also glimpse into the physical spaces that have shaped the protagonists, from Ireland to Istanbul, from Londonderry to Australia. Confronted with their pasts and presents, with parenthood, illness, the comfort of one‘s roots, unexpected love, the shock of truth and revelations, the uncertainty of the future, Anna and Tom gain the courage to take their lives into their hands once more. The twists and turns of the plot are as unexpected as they are masterful. There are no loose ends yet the ending is open enough for each reader to be left thinking long after the final page has been turned. Thinking and visualising… for the novel has the same vivid pictorial quality already seen in Sorrel Pitt‘s first novel „The River Woman“.
In short: highly readable, highly thought-provoking! Anitra Mansson23 5

Tom's mother killed herself a year and a half after Tom's younger brother was murdered.  There was some suspicion that Tom's father had killed 11 yr old Callum, but nothing was proven.  Tom moves to Australia and becomes very successful but not returning or seeing his sfather for 25 years until he returns to be with his father for the final couple of months of the father's life.  Anna, who lives nearby, has also returned home (after a long time away) and their two lives intertwine.  

The book follows Tom and Anna's relationship, Tom and his father's relationship and the story of Callum's murder.  Up until the unexpected final twist the characters are engaging and well fleshed out.  It was hard to put down, especially as I remember that time in history very well (I will not say more to avoid ruining the plot twist).  Good descriptions of people, places and situations, I will definitely read this author again. Sambooka23489 27

This was quite an emotional read. Not what I was expecting at all - the emotional element was a surprise.

Tom has to go back to his childhood to help his dying father but he also has an ulterior motive, he wants to find out what happened to brother Callum who was killed years ago. Throughout the book, Tom questions everything and everyone about what happened to his brother.

We also meet Anna and from there, a relationship blossoms with Tom. There is more to Anna than first meets the eye - she is moving back to be with her mother whilst she recovers from a hysterectomy.

The book covers various themes and topics throughout - family breakdowns, relationships, secrets and romances. It really is a whirlwind of a read.

I really enjoyed it and really didn’t expect how deep the book would go. It went down avenues that took me aback but really made the book. I read it in one sitting.

Thank you to @lovebookstours and @sorrel.pitts for having me on tour. Michaela Dufour1 review

Beautifully written emotional novel.
Beautifully written emotional novel. I felt completely immersed in the location of Wiltshire, almost longing for it although I have lived there my entire life! Even those who have never visited will fall in love with the atmospheric landscape shown on the pages. It was a true page-turner, the mystery was unexpected and the ending touching. Although there is the underlying theme of murder and crime, there becomes an emphasis on family ties, roots and even romance throughout, which I found really elevated the story and characters. These characters had real depth to them and felt very raw and humane to me, the struggles they encounter with family and within themselves made them relatable for the reader. Read this book in 4 days I was so hooked and would recommend to all types of readers, a novel with many genres hiding within it. Bobbi Wagner4,344 43

I enjoyed reading this suspenseful story. This is a new author for me where I enjoyed their writing style as well as their attention to details that made the story pop. This is a well written story where a man comes together with his father after years of being apart. Is this a happy reunion, I think not. Secrets and things that will change who you are, are reveiled. I enjoyed the characters in this story. They are relateable and add so much to the story. They are strong and made the story come to life. The twists and turns are not something you will see coming. This is a fast paced, hard to put down story. An easy story to read that I really enjoyed. I highly recommend this book. Alison Cairns867 9

Tom returns home to the small English village where he grew up to be with his dying father. Tom escaped to Australia at the age of 17 to escape the tragedies that had befallen his family. He's barely spoken to his father while he's built up a family and business in Australia. Now, more than 20 years later, he's come home. At the same time travel writer Anna is back in the village to recuperate after surgery and they enjoy meeting again after so many years. Will Tom learn the truth of the traumatic event that affected his whole life? Amid much tension and emotion I had not arrived at the right conclusion. An excellent ending. #bloodhoundbooks #BrokenShadows Nicola Richardson377 4

Very nearly 5 star but the end was a little too predictable. I really d Tom's character and felt so much empathy for him as he tried to come to terms with major things that had happened in his childhood while trying to understand his relationship with his dad and the discoveries he made along the way. The regret jumped off the pages, along with his confusion and desire to relive in the past.
A really enjoyable read, and I will definitely read more by this author who was new to me.
I read an ARC from Bloodhound books.1 kirsty1,029 69

An amazing thriller that not only brought the mystery in bucket loads, but that also made my heart twang and it just kept twanging. Parts of this book were absolutely heartbreaking.

It was well written with a riveting story line, I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. It was engaging and gripping and held me in it's clutches all the way through. It is so full of vivid descriptions and rich imagery that I could feel the col from the Wiltshire winter and felt I was there.

An amazing read Cathy193 10

When Tom returns to his home town to look after his dying Father it opens up lots of painful memories from his childhood. Anna is also brought back to the town to stay with her Mother while she has surgery. As their lives cross they both find out lots about their past, present and future. A very striking novel, I was totally hooked and enjoyed it right to the final page. Cathy4

Loved this book, the descriptive narrative meant that I could absolutely imagine myself in the setting and it is a tale of relationships with family, spouses and siblings and beautifully written.
My only issue with this book was that I wouldn't categorise it as a "breathtaking psychological thriller" however don't let it put you off as a really good read. Teresa Ryder76

Really enjoyed this story. Well written with totally believable characters. I do it when there are two stories running parallel and then join up. The journey in which Tom was trying to find out what exactly happened to his little brother was extremely gripping and the ending was very unexpected. This is the first book i’ve read by this author but won’t be the last. Christa Ormand7

This book had me gripped from start to finish, wanting to know what happened to Callum and the what was developing between Tom and Anna. Loved that it was from two different characters view points. Half way through I thought I had an idea who it was that murdered Callum but boy was I wrong loved the reveal and secrets . Lynn Mccarthy575 25

This Book is defiantly worth a read.
d that it was from two different characters view points.
The journey in which Tom is trying to find out what exactly happened to his little brother who was murdered years ago and tom found his body.
Toms father is dying from cancer and he goes home to look after him so does Anna who's mother has had surgery and there lives cross.
A great book. bookish_adventurer46 20

An emotionally stirring story of tragedy and heartbreak. Callum endures hardship beyond any means of ordinary—so much death surrounding him. He leaves his old life behind only to return to discover more secrets in a mission to uncover the truth of his childhood. This story is filled with twist and discovery- an easy read, easy to follow format. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Alison Bryant87 7

I enjoyed this book but I didn’t find it as compelling or page turning as other suggested. There was something that I felt stopped me from engaging fully in it - almost as if it didn’t go deep enough. Definitely worth reading though. 1 Helga Sutton82 7

Loved this book, the two main characters were so down to earth, both with issues that need sorting. Lots of emotional ups and downs, on a roller coaster of life that had me clinging on for dear life .Helping each other along the way, what happens next…… Faye Ridpath606 27

I received this book for free from Bloodhound Books.

This book has so much to unpack. It is a murder mystery but also a book about family dynamics and love.

It is a very emotional read.

I would definitely read more by this author. Nanci145 3

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