Publication Date: 16th February
Formats: Paperback & Ebook
Price: Pb £9.99/ Ebook £4.27
Publisher: Orenda Books
I would like to say a huge thank you to Random Things Tours (Anne Cater) for organising another brilliant Orenda book tour and this one is no exception in fact it exceeds it. I would like to say a huge thank you to Orenda for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this brilliant book. I would also like to say thank you to the master mind, Vanda Symon for creating such a brilliant, darkly humorous and moving story with a bunch of wonderful characters especially Sam Shephard (what a woman!!! And what a character). Set in the wilds of New Zealand a land of ice, greenery and (yes iconic Lord of The Rings scenery *insert eye roll here*) I joke but it’s breathtaking. A community is shocked when a devastating and horrific and brutal murder happens which also personally affects the investigator herself. Intrigued? Let’s head to the blurb and find out a bit more.
A killer targeting pregnant women.
A detective expecting her first baby…..
The shocking murder of a heavily pregnant woman throws the New Zealand city of Dunedin into a tailspin, and the devastating crime feels uncomfortably close to home for Detective Sam Shephard as she counts down the days to her own maternity leave.
Confined to a desk job in the department, Sam must find the missing link between this brutal crime and a string of cases involving mothers and children in the past. As the pieces start to come together and the realisation dawns that the killer’s actions are escalating, drastic measures must be taken to prevent more tragedy.
For Sam, the case becomes personal, when it becomes increasingly clear that no one is safe and the clock is ticking……
I am going to have to admit to something….. this is the first book of the Sam Shephard series I have read. (Hides face in hands 🫣) but oh wow what a book!! As soon as I read the first page I did not want to put it down. The story just gripped me all the way to the last page. It is a gruesome and somewhat baffling case which Sam Shephard finds herself investigating, but due to her condition she finds it’s getting more and more personal and what with certain attitudes (of the male variety) which consider a woman should be safe and protected she finds herself sidelined doing a desk job which to anyone with a modicum of brains would find boring.
I loved all the characters especially her interactions with Paul (her colleague and boyfriend) and also her best friend Maggie, I loved the banter between them all and how Paul understands Sam’s need to be as much as part of the team as she ever was but also has the courage to say to her to try to keep them both safe. I loved her interactions with her bosses and how frustrating and difficult men like them can be, who don’t like an opinionated and strong woman especially one who can be a loose cannon such as Sam. And it’s all set in the majestic and beautiful scenery of New Zealand, a land of mountains and rugged terrains but also where man has struggled to survive against the elements.
This book has a lot of heart and warmth to it, yes there’s the gruesome discovery or discoveries but there’s also a lot of humour and love. I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait to go back to the start and see how Sam progressed to this point. But for me Expectant will always hold something special in my heart. I would urge anyone to read this fantastic book and series it’s a must read!!!
Rating: 5 🌟s with a large ☕️ and a large 🍰 and a 🍪 or two or three…
Author’s Blurb:
Vanda Symon lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. As well as being a crime writer, she has a PhD in science communication and is a researcher at the Centre for Pacific Health at the University of Otago. Overkillwas shortlisted for the 2019 CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award and she is a three-time finalist for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel for her critically acclaimed Sam Shephard series. Vanda produces and hosts ‘Write On’, a monthly radio show focusing on the world of books at Otago Access Radio. When she isn’t working or writing, Vanda can be found in the garden, or on the business end of a fencing foil.
I hope you have enjoyed this journey into the world of expectant mothers and babies and how someone’s desire for a family is twisted enough to cause devastation on another family and a community. If you are wanting a copy you can pre order it from Amazon, or from Orenda Books site (would highly recommend it) or you can buy it in any store when it’s out on 16th. I will leave you now to say Happy Reading and see you soon!!!
Zoe's Book Nook 
Thanks for the blog tour support x
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