While this is book 5 in a series, any of them can be read as stand alone's since each book is a separate case. Synopsis: When the police found the first body, left on a bonfire in the fields, they worried it had the hallmarks of a serial killer. In a case that involves multiple levels of investigation, including eventual DNA evidence, there are twists and turns aplenty. I'm not a big fan of my own family, so finding out what's been hiding out in the wood pile is a bit unnerving. What I love about Gytha’s writing is how vivid the characters are, so that you know them all really well, despite their fleeting appearance in the series as a whole.

The “bonfire killer” shares her DNA and uncovering how that connects to her past and present is twisty and interesting at times. This is a fast-paced, well-plotted police procedural which provides satisfying tension and the investigation progresses. Even better, just when I thought it had all come to a head there were more revelations yet to be had.

The thing that it irritated me the most was the obvious hints of the killer, I don’t know why the team this time was acting like it was the most difficult case. Gytha Lodge is the author of She Lies in Wait, Watching from the Dark, Lie Beside Me, and Little Sister. Realizing that his sons will not allow him, he sends them away to get water for the couple, and then shoots all four of them.

Remake of the 1961 Disney comedy about separated identical twins who meet at camp, change places and hatch a plot to reunite their divorced parents. In addition to this new case, I enjoying reading the continuing storylines involving our main group of recurring characters, DCI Jonah Sheens and his team. They have already fled, though, when they arrive to arrest them, and leave the spot with a newly bought car, heading out to Mexico. All in all, it was a sharp, perfectly crafted story that spoke volumes about the virtuoso behind the keyboard. Gytha continues to develop captivating storylines for Jonah and his team, with their often-messy personal lives becoming intertwined with their police work.Terrifyingly, it is quite clear that what they have on their hands is a serial killer, which is a fact that stops every woman in her tracks. The case itself involves the apparently connected deaths of two local women, both in their 40s, found on pyres of wood, leading the prospective killer to be dubbed the “Bonfire Killer. A dark prologue depicts forty-something Totton woman Lindsay Kernow, who's met an attractive new man on New Year's Eve, and accepted his offer to drive her to a good spot for viewing the midnight fireworks. Each stand alone film in this new true crime series investigates three shocking murders, where the victim and perpetrator are family, telling stories of ordinary relationships that take extraordinary and ultimately tragic turns.

I know it was part of a series and I’ve been a bit hit and miss with Gytha Lodge previously but this one had me hooked. The stories all seem to start off at a fairly slow pace and take their time to develop characters and relationships, drawing you into their lives. It's something that is currently untested, but one which a lot of conspiracy theorists will already be up in arms about no doubt. There’s a hunt for a serial killer going on and a drop of blood from a crime scene shows a close match to her.A Killer in the Family is a superlative psychological thriller, which I'd highly recommend to any reader who enjoys multi-layered and complex crime-mysteries and can tolerate a certain level of gritty realism. A Killer in the Family is the fifth book in Gytha Lodge's series featuring Southampton-based DCI Jonah Sheens and his CID team. So… if you’re looking for a fantastic group of flawed but lovable detectives, and a compelling read that makes you think, look no further! I recommend to anyone who likes a good detective/police procedural with lots of twists and surprises.