A woman is brutally murdered in a North London mansion, surrounded by a selection of objects suggesting some kind of ritual killer. One of the objects is a text book of forensic studies written by an academic whose mother was in the past brutally murdered. The detective in charge of the case is the the charmingly inclusive Irish Pakistani Tannahill Khan, and he resolves to include the academic in the investigation although her estranged father is his boss. Its an ingenious twisty plot, fast paced and engaging. You won't for a moment suspect who the killer is..

Dr Laughton Rees is a forensics expert still trying to deal with the murder of her mother when she was a child. When her book is found at a murder she is drawn into the investigation. It was a great read with interesting characters. I look forward to reading more by this author. Thanks to Harper Collins UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"A murder is like a slow explosion. It starts off small, a single act of violence. But very soon the consequences of this singular act start to spread, like ripples on a pond, ever widening until they can stretch as far as the horizon all around." When cleaner Celia Barnes arrives at the Miller’s London Mansion it seems like any other work day. Then she sees the blood on the walls and finds the body of Kate Miller, splayed out like a crucifixion with four strange objects positioned around her. DCI Tannerhill Khan is called in to investigate and links are soon made to forensic analyst Laughton Rees. Laughton never works live cases but Tannerhill tries to convince her to help with the investigation. When further links to her traumatic past are discovered and it seems that she and her daughter are in danger, Laughton must decide how far she’s willing to go to protect them from a killer. I love a dark, sinister, twist-filled thriller, so as soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it. It was my first time reading any of Simon Toyne’s books and it did not disappoint. Cunningly crafted, fast-paced and brimming with tension, this well-written thriller had my heart racing from the first chapter and I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Tonye kept me guessing as he intricately wove things together, ensuring all of the twisty threads collide in surprising ways. "She feels sick, like the darkest chapter of her life is re-emerging from the place she buried it, that death and danger are being brought to her door and, yet again, her father is the cause of it." The story is told from multiple points of view using mixed media. Not only do we get characters narrating the story but also included are extracts from news articles, snippets of WhatsApp conversations and extracts from Laughton Rees book, How To Process a Murder, which was left at the feet of Kate Miller’s body. The author has filled the story with a mix of flawed, shady and very real characters who are fascinating to read. Some are easy to like while others I couldn’t stand but with each one Tonye makes you feel all of their emotions and confront the shades of grey that motivate their actions. The parts narrated by the killer are also some of the most chilling and nerve-shredding pages I’ve ever read and I liked that he crafted a complex killer, someone who is violent, rage-filled, frenzied and chaotic yet calm and ordered enough to create something so elaborately staged. It not only made the story more interesting but is a masterclass in thriller writing. A suspenseful, intelligent and compelling thriller that packs a punch, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a darker thriller.

"Dark Objects" by Simon Toyne started off quite promising. I liked the location: the architecturally-stunning house overlooking Highgate Cemetery. Having visited recently, I can image the house this is based on. The story was pretty good but there were just a few niggling bits, that as a North-Londoner, I picked up on (but this is me being pedantic). The address of 3 Swains Lane is actually at the bottom and not really near Highgate Cemetery. Also London Metropolitan University is referred to as London Met and not London Metro.... these small things aside, it's a good book

Dark Objects is a pacy page turner featuring two terrific main protagonists and a darkly observant murder mystery that is gripping throughout. It is also somewhat of a family drama and obvious underlying political and social commentary so it is an intriguing read on more than one level. The outcome is unpredictable enough to keep you turning the pages. If I had one bugbear it would be the main character having a paragraph where he turns his attention to a crime that isn't in the headlines rather than the rich white people one that is the focus of the story - and in effect giving the reader a lecture on how all crime is important not just those the media choose to cover - then the victim of this crime is forgotten again pretty much and maybe that's realistic but I would have liked the courage of convictions even if this was simply via throwaway comment at the end saying the detective was now off to solve it. But that's me. Overall a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Read it all in one go in fact.