Review: ‘A Hollow Sky’, by M. Sean Coleman

A_Hollow_Sky_eBookCover_NEWPublished By: Red Dog

Publication Date: 21st November 2018

Format: Paperback

I.S.B.N.: 9781916426238

Price: £8.99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb

A SUSPENSEFUL, ATMOSPHERIC THRILLER.

Jane Hewitt had been miraculously healed—cured of a terminal cancer that had been eating away at her body for months. After one meeting with an incredible young woman, Jane rose from her wheelchair and walked out, believing that her lifetime of devoted faith had been rewarded.

The next day, Jane died in her husband’s arms, devastated that her God had deserted her. Her husband, Ian, blames her hastened death on the faith healer she visited. But that faith healer is a teenage girl called Megan, who has been in a coma for five years, and has no say over how her gift is used.

When Ian is arrested after being accused of breaking in to Megan’s house and trying to tamper with her life support, he turns to the only person he knows can help clear his name, and stop this family deceiving any other victims—Dr Alex Ripley, the so called Miracle Detective.

Fascinated by Megan’s case, and needing a distraction, Ripley finds herself on Holy Island, off the coast of North Wales, caught up in an investigation that will prove more sinister and dangerous than she could have imagined. Ian is not the first person to complain about Megan and her supporters, but he seems to be the only one left alive. For now.

A Hollow Sky is the second Alex Ripley Mystery

Purchase Link

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hollow-Alex-Ripley-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B07H9DTFM8

US – https://www.amazon.com/Hollow-Alex-Ripley-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B07H9DTFM8

Direct from Red Dog Presshttps://www.reddogpress.co.uk/shop

My Review

I will be entirely honest, this book took a bit of getting into. The setting reminded me of the author’s first novel, thinking it was going to be another isolated, hostile community; I was dreading it after reading the first 59 pages but then I forced myself to sit down on wet, dreary Tuesday afternoon and opened the book again, after finding excuses not to for almost two weeks.

Three and a half hours later I was racing towards the climax and hoping I had time to find out what happened before I had to leave for the Adult Autism Service cafe. I just managed it. Oh, my heart, it was wonderful. I was gripped. Alex is such a wonderful character, and her anguish about her husband is so real. I was invested in the relationship between Alex, Anne and Megan, and the sick girl’s future. I found the monologues from Megan’s POV touching. I wanted to know what had happened to Ian and who was conning whom among the hangers on. Ian’s struggle for survival is guttural.

The descriptions of Anglesey, wild and wind swept in December, the village atmosphere, the euphoria of the church meeting, brought the place to life.

I’m going to recommend this one, very highly.

Keep going! If you like the sound of this novel, there’s a chance to win in the giveaway at the bottom of the post.


The Cuckoo - MSeanColeman_AuthorPhoto_HiResAuthor Bio – Born in the UK and raised in South Africa, M. Sean Coleman developed a love for reading and writing novels in his early teens, thanks to two incredibly passionate English teachers who infected him with their love of words and stories. Over the intervening years, he has written film and television drama, cross-platform series, an interactive children’s storybook and a graphic novel series.
He finally found his niche as a thriller writer when he was asked to write a novel as part of the cross-platform project, Netwars. His first book, The Code, was published six months later, with the sequel, Down Time, hot on its heels. There was no going back.
He is obsessed with crime, mystery and thriller stories, especially those with a fresh or surprising angle. He writes novels from his home in The Cotswolds, where he lives with his husband and their three red dogs.

Social Media Links –  

www.facebook.com/mseancoleman.author

www.twitter.com/mseancoleman

Giveaway to win paperback copies of The Cuckoo Wood and A Hollow Sky, a cool tote bag with book quote from the publisher, a branded bookmark and some chocolates (Open INT)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494165/?

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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