“Mum was late. Again. She bit the inside of her lip as she watched the dark clouds gather overhead.”
What would you do if you were forced to make an impossible choice?
In Empty Nest, book 3 in the DI Ryan Hale series, the clock is ticking mercilessly, as two little girls are abducted and their desperate mother is sent a text asking her to choose between them. At the same time, Fiona has a difficult decision to make for herself, and Ryan is once again confronted with the nightmare of his wife Jamie’s disappearance twelve years earlier.
A well-researched, fast-paced crime novel blending lighthearted humour, intense action, social commentary and police investigations, resulting in an utterly bingeable read, including themes of motherhood and family, social media usage, mob mentality and vigilantism.
Empty Nest is a very contemporary novel, firmly rooted in the present day, balancing dark and light elements to create an engaging mystery that is never too frivolous or unsettling. It could be read as a standalone novel, but to me personally the greatest pleasure of this series has been getting to know the characters book by book. By now, reading this series feels like visiting old friends, not only in the form of Ryan and his team, but also in regard to some of the minor characters in the series like Ethel Dockery and Odd Bod.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for a contemporary crime novel with lots of heart and a memorable cast of characters.
Many thanks to R. K. Lynott for the review copy of this novel. I received this copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Empty Nest is released today, April 14th.
Crime thriller – Police procedural
Mostly Murders 
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