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Cyrus Haven #1
Good Girl, Bad Girl
A girl is discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Half-starved and filthy, she won’t tell anyone her name, or her age, or where she came from. Maybe she is twelve, maybe fifteen. She doesn’t appear in any missing persons file, and her DNA can’t be matched to an identity.
Six years later, still unidentified, she is living in a secure children’s home with a new name, Evie Cormac. When she initiates a court case demanding the right to be released as an adult, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven must determine if Evie is ready to go free. But she is unlike anyone he’s ever met—fascinating and dangerous in equal measure. Evie knows when someone is lying, and no one around her is telling the truth.
Meanwhile, Cyrus is called in to investigate the shocking murder of a high school figure-skating champion, Jodie Sheehan, who dies on a lonely footpath close to her home. Pretty and popular, Jodie is portrayed by everyone as the ultimate girl-next-door, but as Cyrus peels back the layers, a secret life emerges—one that Evie Cormac, the girl with no past, knows something about. A man haunted by his own tragic history, Cyrus is caught between the two cases—one girl who needs saving and another who needs justice. What price will he pay for the truth?
353 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2019
About the author
Michael Robotham
52 books6,764 followersTwo-times Gold Dagger winner (2015 and 2020), twice Edgar best novel finalist (2016 and 2020) and winner of the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger (2021), Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles have been bestsellers with combined sales of more than 2 million copies.
His first novel 'THE SUSPECT', a psychological thriller, was chosen by the world’s largest consortium of book clubs as only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
Since then, Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020, and a second series begins filming in 2021.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles have been bestsellers with combined sales of more than 2 million copies.
His first novel 'THE SUSPECT', a psychological thriller, was chosen by the world’s largest consortium of book clubs as only the fifth “International Book of the Month”, making it the top recommendation to 28 million book club members in fifteen countries.
Since then, Michael's psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages and his Joe O'Loughlin series is are currently in development for TV by World Productions. A six-part TV series based upon his standalone novel THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS was aired on BBC1 in 2020, and a second series begins filming in 2021.
Michael lives in Sydney with his wife and a diminishing number of dependent daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,595 reviews
March 7, 2023
Hey GR friends are you ready for my second auction for stars bidding? Yes, sure you did! Here we go!
Let’s start with five hundred stars because anyone read this book can easily fall in love with those characters, five thousand, five million, I think I heard five billion, whaaat red haired crazy woman raised her hand and raised to five trillion, SOLD to five trillion starts to this year’s best crime, evilish, mind bending, grey cell killing, agitating and surprising book!
Yes, I was the crazy red haired woman and as soon as I opened this book, I wanted to buy it a romantic dinner, take it to the movies and spend my last 10 hours.
This book wasn’t only glued to my fingers, it captivated my mind and conquered my soul. Well done, Mr. Robotham, I already dashed down to the bookstores to buy your other books because I will feel better when I’m gonna read the paperbacks ( Okay, I confess, I got terrified on some parts and threw my kindle against the wall, at least I cannot hurt the papers, am I right?)
The story starts by introducing us Evvie Cormac who’s staying on a ward for a long time. Nobody knows her real name or anything about her past. There is nothing can be found about her on the records. But later we’re learning two things about he :
1)She’s a lie detector. ( As like Tim Roth at “Lie to me” but she doesn’t feed herself with science, she achieves to catch the lies instinctively. )
2) She’s ANGELFACE, who is the survivor of murder house and spent days while a corpse was rooting at the next room of the house and at the end, a woman officer saved her.
And then we’re introduced to psychologist Cyrus Haven who was also a survivor of a murder house (His own brother massacred their family)
So we interacted with two broken souls, two not victims but survivors, two grifted, original, straightforward, smart characters. It was impossible to love them.
Then two of them found themselves to solve a young skater girl’s murder mystery.
What I enjoyed about this book:
Unpredictable pacing of the story. First time in my life I tried to read a book slowly because I didn’t want to finish it. I wished too many times, I had 10 more sequel books so I can binge reading and start to sing “psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est? Fa, fa, fa, far better` from Talking Heads. Well, unfortunately the book ended and I felt like I left the dinner table with hungry stomach, I wanted moreeeee!!!
And the blood freezing, gut wrenching, darkest, WTH I just read it kinda ending, final, harsh revelations about murder mystery ( This book reminded me with its ominous, disturbing, chilling atmosphere, Danish series “Forbrydelsen”- “The Killing” is the US version)
After you finish it, you’re mumbling some unidentified words and you’re brushing your cheeks several times because the author slapped you several times. And the interesting fact is you want to get more slaps.
I spent all my stars at the auction but it was truly worth it! I’m telling you this is my favorite crime thriller of this year! Brava, well down, fantastic job!
As an ending to my review I’m adding a small thank you note to the writer:
Dear Mr. Robotham,
Thank you for writing this amazing book. Thank you for reminding me there are still so many gifted writers out there I had to discover and devour their books.
And please please pleaseeeee don’t make us wait too long. I’m kindly begging you, write the sequels sooner than ever. I need to read more Cyrus-Evvie books.
All the best,
Your newest and permanent fan Nilufer
Let’s start with five hundred stars because anyone read this book can easily fall in love with those characters, five thousand, five million, I think I heard five billion, whaaat red haired crazy woman raised her hand and raised to five trillion, SOLD to five trillion starts to this year’s best crime, evilish, mind bending, grey cell killing, agitating and surprising book!
Yes, I was the crazy red haired woman and as soon as I opened this book, I wanted to buy it a romantic dinner, take it to the movies and spend my last 10 hours.
This book wasn’t only glued to my fingers, it captivated my mind and conquered my soul. Well done, Mr. Robotham, I already dashed down to the bookstores to buy your other books because I will feel better when I’m gonna read the paperbacks ( Okay, I confess, I got terrified on some parts and threw my kindle against the wall, at least I cannot hurt the papers, am I right?)
The story starts by introducing us Evvie Cormac who’s staying on a ward for a long time. Nobody knows her real name or anything about her past. There is nothing can be found about her on the records. But later we’re learning two things about he :
1)She’s a lie detector. ( As like Tim Roth at “Lie to me” but she doesn’t feed herself with science, she achieves to catch the lies instinctively. )
2) She’s ANGELFACE, who is the survivor of murder house and spent days while a corpse was rooting at the next room of the house and at the end, a woman officer saved her.
And then we’re introduced to psychologist Cyrus Haven who was also a survivor of a murder house (His own brother massacred their family)
So we interacted with two broken souls, two not victims but survivors, two grifted, original, straightforward, smart characters. It was impossible to love them.
Then two of them found themselves to solve a young skater girl’s murder mystery.
What I enjoyed about this book:
Unpredictable pacing of the story. First time in my life I tried to read a book slowly because I didn’t want to finish it. I wished too many times, I had 10 more sequel books so I can binge reading and start to sing “psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est? Fa, fa, fa, far better` from Talking Heads. Well, unfortunately the book ended and I felt like I left the dinner table with hungry stomach, I wanted moreeeee!!!
And the blood freezing, gut wrenching, darkest, WTH I just read it kinda ending, final, harsh revelations about murder mystery ( This book reminded me with its ominous, disturbing, chilling atmosphere, Danish series “Forbrydelsen”- “The Killing” is the US version)
After you finish it, you’re mumbling some unidentified words and you’re brushing your cheeks several times because the author slapped you several times. And the interesting fact is you want to get more slaps.
I spent all my stars at the auction but it was truly worth it! I’m telling you this is my favorite crime thriller of this year! Brava, well down, fantastic job!
As an ending to my review I’m adding a small thank you note to the writer:
Dear Mr. Robotham,
Thank you for writing this amazing book. Thank you for reminding me there are still so many gifted writers out there I had to discover and devour their books.
And please please pleaseeeee don’t make us wait too long. I’m kindly begging you, write the sequels sooner than ever. I need to read more Cyrus-Evvie books.
All the best,
Your newest and permanent fan Nilufer
July 26, 2019
“He’ll be following the police investigation closely, frightened and appalled, but also fascinated, which means he could return to the scene as an onlooker, or bystander. Look for his face in the crowd. He’s somewhere close by. Watching.”
3 1/2 stars. Good Girl, Bad Girl is an entertaining mystery with complex characters and a number of thrills to keep the pacing up. I saw pretty much everything coming* , but I think that's just me right now. I'm about to take a break from this genre because it seems I've got to a point where nothing surprises me.
That aside, I especially enjoyed this book because it doesn't hang everything on the twists. It spends more time with the characters, especially Evie, making you care about them and their personal struggles. I would have liked to see slightly more character development for Cyrus and Lenny - the leading psychologist and detective solving the case. This would have taken it to the next level in a Tana French kinda way.
There are really two stories here. One is the story of Jodie Sheehan, a 15-year-old figure skater found dead and possibly raped. Though Lenny and Cyrus quickly home in on a likely suspect, it seems like something bigger could be at play. Alongside this is the story of Evie, and it is the mystery surrounding her - plus her contributions to the Jodie investigation - that really drives the story.
Evie is a mystery. She has no known birth certificate. No one knows her real name. She was found as a child, starved and sexually abused, several steps away from the body of a man who had been brutally tortured. Now a teenager, she seeks emancipation, but it's complicated without any record of her birth date or age. Oh, and she also has the uncanny ability to tell whether someone is lying.
Cyrus attempts to get Evie to open up about what happened to her but she meets him with questions of her own; questions that force him to examine himself and his own life. The relationship that develops between them is what makes the book so interesting. It's an unusual friendship, more than doctor and patient, not quite father and daughter.
I do have a genuine question, though, about the decision to allow Cyrus to foster Evie: is it considered ethical to allow a psychologist to foster one of their patients? Would a judge really grant this? I genuinely don't know the answer, but I am curious.
The way this book is left strongly hints at a sequel. I must admit I would think more highly of this book if it is the start of a series, just because there are some aspects that felt unfinished. Plus I really do want to see more of Lenny and Cyrus.
*Major Spoiler:
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March 12, 2023
Good Girl, Bad Girl brings together two people whose lives are filled with secrets and betrayal. Evie Cormac was found hidden behind a false wall where she had lived for years, with her supposed kidnapper having been tortured and murdered, in a nearby room. Evie wouldn't talk about who she was, where she was from, or what had happened to her and has spent the last years in a secure home for children because any attempts to foster her with a family resulted in her causing trouble and/or running away.
Cyrus Haven is a psychologist who has his own dark and horrid past and is asked to help with the investigation of the murder of a fifteen year old star figure skater. At the same time, a former college classmate has asked him interview Evie to see if he can break through her silence and determine if she is ready to be released from the home, to live in the world. Evie has the uncanny ability to know when anyone is telling the truth or not, an ability that is a subject close to the heart of Cyrus. When Cyrus decides to foster Evie, they both bond and clash as they each search for answers for both Evie and Cyrus and an elusive sense of safety for Evie.
For all we learn about these two people, there is so much more that we don't know and I'm hoping there is another book in the works so we can learn more about their pasts and what is going to happen to them, in the future.
Pub July 23, 2019
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC.
Cyrus Haven is a psychologist who has his own dark and horrid past and is asked to help with the investigation of the murder of a fifteen year old star figure skater. At the same time, a former college classmate has asked him interview Evie to see if he can break through her silence and determine if she is ready to be released from the home, to live in the world. Evie has the uncanny ability to know when anyone is telling the truth or not, an ability that is a subject close to the heart of Cyrus. When Cyrus decides to foster Evie, they both bond and clash as they each search for answers for both Evie and Cyrus and an elusive sense of safety for Evie.
For all we learn about these two people, there is so much more that we don't know and I'm hoping there is another book in the works so we can learn more about their pasts and what is going to happen to them, in the future.
Pub July 23, 2019
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC.
July 16, 2019
5 Brilliant Stars. A Crazy Pulse Pounding Thriller with a Ton of Heart!
“Good Girl, Bad Girl” is Michael Robotham’s Best Novel to Date.
“Evie Cormac” has been in a care home for quite some time. She never talks to anyone and no one knows of her real identity. Dubbed “Angel Face” she was found hiding in a home where police believed she was held captive for years.
Cyrus Haven is a Forensic Psychologist who works for the police. He is also hired to assist at the care home where Evie is living to aid in determining if she is ready to be released. In interviewing her, he discovers is that she can read people in a way that he has never seen before. He believes it to be a gift, she, a curse.
Concurrently, Cyrus must investigate a missing persons’ case - that of a missing High School Figure Skater Jodie Sheehan, whose body is found in a park. The race to discover who is behind Jodie’s death is on. The police believe they have a suspect. Everyone Cyrus interviews is hiding something. Can he figure out what it is before it’s too late?
Both Cyrus and Evie are used to going it alone. Can joining forces help them save each other and the day?
In my opinion, “Good Girl, Bad Girl” is Michael Robotham’s best novel to date. I have read every book he has ever written and this novel flowed like none of his others. In short, I loved it. The characters of Evie and Cyrus and their relationship and the way it evolved, suffice it to say, it completely drew me in. Evie, desperately needing someone to trust, a father figure, Cyrus, understanding Evie’s situation and knowing how to help others, he is exactly that.
There is a flow to Robotham’s writing in this book, a richness to the characters that drew me in and grabbed a hold of my heart and soul and that’s saying something considering that Michael Robotham’s serial character of Joseph O’Loughlin (one of my favorite characters of all time) is not featured in this book. The Suspense in “Good Girl, Bad Girl” Ratchets up and is Crazy Compelling. There are Times that your Heart is in your Throat. Your Stomach is Knotted Up. You are Waiting with Bated Breath. Alone. Desperate. Pulse Pounding. Waiting. Hoping. Reminding Yourself to Breathe.
Whether or not you’ve ever read Michael Robotham’s novels before, this my friends is a MUST-READ and is the ONE for YOU! It has heart and soul and will take you on a crazy ride to boot.
Another fabulous buddy read with Ms. Kaceey! So happy we read a Robotham together!!
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Scribner and Michael Robotham for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads, NetGalley and Edelweiss on 6.19.19.
Will be published on Amazon on 7.23.19.
“Good Girl, Bad Girl” is Michael Robotham’s Best Novel to Date.
“Evie Cormac” has been in a care home for quite some time. She never talks to anyone and no one knows of her real identity. Dubbed “Angel Face” she was found hiding in a home where police believed she was held captive for years.
Cyrus Haven is a Forensic Psychologist who works for the police. He is also hired to assist at the care home where Evie is living to aid in determining if she is ready to be released. In interviewing her, he discovers is that she can read people in a way that he has never seen before. He believes it to be a gift, she, a curse.
Concurrently, Cyrus must investigate a missing persons’ case - that of a missing High School Figure Skater Jodie Sheehan, whose body is found in a park. The race to discover who is behind Jodie’s death is on. The police believe they have a suspect. Everyone Cyrus interviews is hiding something. Can he figure out what it is before it’s too late?
Both Cyrus and Evie are used to going it alone. Can joining forces help them save each other and the day?
In my opinion, “Good Girl, Bad Girl” is Michael Robotham’s best novel to date. I have read every book he has ever written and this novel flowed like none of his others. In short, I loved it. The characters of Evie and Cyrus and their relationship and the way it evolved, suffice it to say, it completely drew me in. Evie, desperately needing someone to trust, a father figure, Cyrus, understanding Evie’s situation and knowing how to help others, he is exactly that.
There is a flow to Robotham’s writing in this book, a richness to the characters that drew me in and grabbed a hold of my heart and soul and that’s saying something considering that Michael Robotham’s serial character of Joseph O’Loughlin (one of my favorite characters of all time) is not featured in this book. The Suspense in “Good Girl, Bad Girl” Ratchets up and is Crazy Compelling. There are Times that your Heart is in your Throat. Your Stomach is Knotted Up. You are Waiting with Bated Breath. Alone. Desperate. Pulse Pounding. Waiting. Hoping. Reminding Yourself to Breathe.
Whether or not you’ve ever read Michael Robotham’s novels before, this my friends is a MUST-READ and is the ONE for YOU! It has heart and soul and will take you on a crazy ride to boot.
Another fabulous buddy read with Ms. Kaceey! So happy we read a Robotham together!!
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Scribner and Michael Robotham for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads, NetGalley and Edelweiss on 6.19.19.
Will be published on Amazon on 7.23.19.
June 29, 2019
4.25 stars
Murderers, Truth Wizards, and A Girl Named Angel Face all come together in Good Girl, Bad Girl!
Good Girl, Bad Girl is a complex and compelling character-driven mystery about a girl with a mysterious past and the forensic psychologist who takes her under his wing (no pun intended--if you have read this book you will understand!).
When a teenage superstar figure skater turns up dead, Cyrus, a forensic psychologist who assists the police, is brought in to help with the investigation. At the same time, an old friend of Cyrus’s also asks for his assistance in evaluating “Angel Face” a girl with no past, no name, and no determinable age, who has been a ward of the court since she was found several years ago hiding in an abandoned house with her captor’s decomposing body. “Angel Face” has been renamed, Evie. She won’t share her real name, her past, or her age. What she will share is whether or not those around her are lying, as she possesses the unique ability to read people’s faces to determine whether they are speaking the truth or lying.
There are two mysteries: One surrounds the dead figure skater, but the more intriguing mystery surrounds Cyrus’ and Evie’s murky pasts.
Good Girl, Bad Girl is enthralling. The narrative is split between Cyrus and Angel Face, both of whom lured me in. I haven’t come across characters in a long time who are so intriguing! I wanted to know everything about them. They are multidimensional with fascinating backgrounds. Part of ht mystery lies in trying to unearth their secrets.
This is a suspenseful and fascinating read. The tone is dark and unsettling and kept me on edge. There are some dark moments and some crazy characters. I was left with some questions about Cyrus and Evie--I hope their story isn’t over and we get to see them again soon!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Murderers, Truth Wizards, and A Girl Named Angel Face all come together in Good Girl, Bad Girl!
Good Girl, Bad Girl is a complex and compelling character-driven mystery about a girl with a mysterious past and the forensic psychologist who takes her under his wing (no pun intended--if you have read this book you will understand!).
When a teenage superstar figure skater turns up dead, Cyrus, a forensic psychologist who assists the police, is brought in to help with the investigation. At the same time, an old friend of Cyrus’s also asks for his assistance in evaluating “Angel Face” a girl with no past, no name, and no determinable age, who has been a ward of the court since she was found several years ago hiding in an abandoned house with her captor’s decomposing body. “Angel Face” has been renamed, Evie. She won’t share her real name, her past, or her age. What she will share is whether or not those around her are lying, as she possesses the unique ability to read people’s faces to determine whether they are speaking the truth or lying.
There are two mysteries: One surrounds the dead figure skater, but the more intriguing mystery surrounds Cyrus’ and Evie’s murky pasts.
Good Girl, Bad Girl is enthralling. The narrative is split between Cyrus and Angel Face, both of whom lured me in. I haven’t come across characters in a long time who are so intriguing! I wanted to know everything about them. They are multidimensional with fascinating backgrounds. Part of ht mystery lies in trying to unearth their secrets.
This is a suspenseful and fascinating read. The tone is dark and unsettling and kept me on edge. There are some dark moments and some crazy characters. I was left with some questions about Cyrus and Evie--I hope their story isn’t over and we get to see them again soon!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2019
Can I please hand out 6 shiny stars? Because Michael Robotham has done it again!
Lately, thrillers have been hit or miss for me. Maybe more miss. Well thriller fans, let me inform you, this was that perfect thriller that I’ve been searching for all year! Straight to my favorite shelf!
Evie Cormac is a young girl who’s been a ward of the court for years. With a hidden past, she has no proof of her real name, birthday, parents or even where she’s from. When she petitions the system to release her as an adult claiming to be eighteen, the court has other ideas.
Psychologist Cyrus Haven agrees to assume responsibility for her as her foster parent. Maybe this will buy her him time to unlock some of Evie's secrets.
Michael Robotham has a gift for writing the most ingenious, captivating thrillers, guaranteed to hold your undivided attention as you binge read right to the end.
I cannot believe how quickly I flew through this book. Loving every minute of it. The ending.... well all I can say is I was left with chills running down my arms! Wow!
I highly recommend this latest stand-alone from Michael Robotham to all thriller fans!
A buddy read with Susanne that left us both speechless at the end!
Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Simon and Schuster - Scribner and Michael Robotham for an ARC to read and review.
Lately, thrillers have been hit or miss for me. Maybe more miss. Well thriller fans, let me inform you, this was that perfect thriller that I’ve been searching for all year! Straight to my favorite shelf!
Evie Cormac is a young girl who’s been a ward of the court for years. With a hidden past, she has no proof of her real name, birthday, parents or even where she’s from. When she petitions the system to release her as an adult claiming to be eighteen, the court has other ideas.
Psychologist Cyrus Haven agrees to assume responsibility for her as her foster parent. Maybe this will buy her him time to unlock some of Evie's secrets.
Michael Robotham has a gift for writing the most ingenious, captivating thrillers, guaranteed to hold your undivided attention as you binge read right to the end.
I cannot believe how quickly I flew through this book. Loving every minute of it. The ending.... well all I can say is I was left with chills running down my arms! Wow!
I highly recommend this latest stand-alone from Michael Robotham to all thriller fans!
A buddy read with Susanne that left us both speechless at the end!
Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Simon and Schuster - Scribner and Michael Robotham for an ARC to read and review.
August 16, 2019
***NOW AVAILABLE***
4 ½ stars for this stellar thriller. This is by far one of the best psychological thrillers that I have read all year. It has a complicated, twisty plot that will keep you guessing up until the very last pages. There are a multitude of characters that all have secrets. The characters are well developed and unique, yet, for the most part, still believable. There are many mysteries to solve and characters to unveil. I’ve never read this author before but this book was highly recommended by my Goodreads friends.
Cyrus Haven is a forensic pathologist, who had an incredibly troubled past as a child. He has found his niche in helping with extremely damaged, disturbed individuals. He drives a run down car and lives in a large, once beautiful, home which he has inherited. He has neither the time nor the money to do the repairs necessary to bring it back to its glory days but he seems happy here.
In this novel he is working on two cases concurrently. One involves the murder of a high school student, Jodie, who is a well known, world class ice skating champion. She is her family’s golden girl whom they feel will surely compete at the Olympic level. She was popular, pretty and well liked by her classmates. The other case involves his evaluation of an extremely troubled young woman, called Evie, although her real name, age and family are unknown. She was held prisoner for many years, sexually abused, malnourished and finally found hidden in a secret room in a home that had been cleared previously by the police. She had spent her last weeks, maybe months, watching her captor tortured, dying and then decomposing before her eyes. The police eventually found Evie but never solved the case of who she is. Evie has been in and out of foster homes and is now residing in a care home that is highly supervised and secure. She claims to be 18 years old and is asking the court for permission to be released from the care of the state and allowed to live on her own. Evie’s lawyer is a friend of Cyrus and has asked his help in evaluating her.
The novel is told from two points of view, Cyrus and Evie, sometimes called Angel Face. The book flows very well and there is no problem following both narratives, each one being equally enthralling. There is some great descriptive writing whether describing Cyrus’s tattoos or the intensity of a burning house.
I’m not going to give away any more of this thrilling plot, you will just have to read it to experience it. Who is the good girl, who is the bad girl ????
I should note that the book is deeply disturbing in some parts and also very graphic. It covers kidnapping, murder, incest and deeply twisted psyches. I had to wait a day to let this settle before writing the review. It will lure you in from the beginning and not let you turn away. I will tell you that I came away absolutely loving the characters of Cyrus and Evie, cheering for them both and hoping that their paths will continue to align into perhaps a series of books.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss
4 ½ stars for this stellar thriller. This is by far one of the best psychological thrillers that I have read all year. It has a complicated, twisty plot that will keep you guessing up until the very last pages. There are a multitude of characters that all have secrets. The characters are well developed and unique, yet, for the most part, still believable. There are many mysteries to solve and characters to unveil. I’ve never read this author before but this book was highly recommended by my Goodreads friends.
Cyrus Haven is a forensic pathologist, who had an incredibly troubled past as a child. He has found his niche in helping with extremely damaged, disturbed individuals. He drives a run down car and lives in a large, once beautiful, home which he has inherited. He has neither the time nor the money to do the repairs necessary to bring it back to its glory days but he seems happy here.
In this novel he is working on two cases concurrently. One involves the murder of a high school student, Jodie, who is a well known, world class ice skating champion. She is her family’s golden girl whom they feel will surely compete at the Olympic level. She was popular, pretty and well liked by her classmates. The other case involves his evaluation of an extremely troubled young woman, called Evie, although her real name, age and family are unknown. She was held prisoner for many years, sexually abused, malnourished and finally found hidden in a secret room in a home that had been cleared previously by the police. She had spent her last weeks, maybe months, watching her captor tortured, dying and then decomposing before her eyes. The police eventually found Evie but never solved the case of who she is. Evie has been in and out of foster homes and is now residing in a care home that is highly supervised and secure. She claims to be 18 years old and is asking the court for permission to be released from the care of the state and allowed to live on her own. Evie’s lawyer is a friend of Cyrus and has asked his help in evaluating her.
The novel is told from two points of view, Cyrus and Evie, sometimes called Angel Face. The book flows very well and there is no problem following both narratives, each one being equally enthralling. There is some great descriptive writing whether describing Cyrus’s tattoos or the intensity of a burning house.
I’m not going to give away any more of this thrilling plot, you will just have to read it to experience it. Who is the good girl, who is the bad girl ????
I should note that the book is deeply disturbing in some parts and also very graphic. It covers kidnapping, murder, incest and deeply twisted psyches. I had to wait a day to let this settle before writing the review. It will lure you in from the beginning and not let you turn away. I will tell you that I came away absolutely loving the characters of Cyrus and Evie, cheering for them both and hoping that their paths will continue to align into perhaps a series of books.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss
June 9, 2019
A multi-layered plot with fascinating characters.
The latest from Micheal Robotham is a crime/police-procedural story that introduces Cyrus Haven, a psychologist with a disturbing and heart-breaking past. The camaraderie between Cyrus and his patient added sentiment.
The writing is compelling and the crimes are gritty. The characters are all flawed and mysterious. There are many surprises and a character with a special gift that she calls a curse . This one kept me guessing and page turning to find out the who, the why, and the how.
The two cases that Cyrus is dealing with, come together in an explosive ending.
Recommend to fans of crime fiction that enjoy a gritty subplot.
This one is out on July 23,2019
July 31, 2019
4.5 Stars
Robotham is off to a great start with his fist book in the Cyrus Haven series!!!
A young woman who knows when someone is lying or telling the truth, a forensic psychologist with a painful past, a murdered high school ice skating champion are all it takes for Robotham to knock it out of the ballpark!
Forensic Psychologist has his hands full. He had been asked by a friend to meet Evie Cormac, formerly dubbed “Angel Face," by the media. She was found as a child, filthy, small for her age, in deplorable conditions after having horrible things happen to her. No one knows her name, her exact age, or who her biological parents were. Evie wants to be released from the secured facility she lives in but first she must be appear and present her case in court.
High School ice skating champion, Jodie Sheehan is found murdered and once again Cyrus Haven is called in to assist the police in the investigation. Cyrus is the link between the two girls - one with a secret past and one who was robbed of her future.
This was a fast read that had me from the very first page. I found the plot to be gripping and was riveted to the pages. The characters are complicated, flawed and oh-so likable and endearing. As the story progresses the tension grows as does the suspect list. This was a smart psychological thriller that was original and read like a breath of fresh air.
If the story doesn't suck you in, the full realized complicated characters will. I look forward to reading more about them in the next book in the series. This one's a keeper folks, give it a read and see for yourselves.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Robotham is off to a great start with his fist book in the Cyrus Haven series!!!
A young woman who knows when someone is lying or telling the truth, a forensic psychologist with a painful past, a murdered high school ice skating champion are all it takes for Robotham to knock it out of the ballpark!
Forensic Psychologist has his hands full. He had been asked by a friend to meet Evie Cormac, formerly dubbed “Angel Face," by the media. She was found as a child, filthy, small for her age, in deplorable conditions after having horrible things happen to her. No one knows her name, her exact age, or who her biological parents were. Evie wants to be released from the secured facility she lives in but first she must be appear and present her case in court.
High School ice skating champion, Jodie Sheehan is found murdered and once again Cyrus Haven is called in to assist the police in the investigation. Cyrus is the link between the two girls - one with a secret past and one who was robbed of her future.
This was a fast read that had me from the very first page. I found the plot to be gripping and was riveted to the pages. The characters are complicated, flawed and oh-so likable and endearing. As the story progresses the tension grows as does the suspect list. This was a smart psychological thriller that was original and read like a breath of fresh air.
If the story doesn't suck you in, the full realized complicated characters will. I look forward to reading more about them in the next book in the series. This one's a keeper folks, give it a read and see for yourselves.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 3, 2019
4 Stars for Michael Robotham's Good Girl, Bad Girl - a complex, character-driven mystery with heart!
One dead teenage girl, another with no past and one psychologist trying to uncover the truth.
Cyrus Haven is a psychologist with a troubled past. His demons are definitely simmering beneath the surface and made him a fascinating character. Cyrus is called in to offer his expertise on two different cases. A fellow doctor reaches out for help with a particularly troublesome patient - Evie/Angel Face. Evie was found hiding in an abandoned house with her captor's decomposing dead body. Even years later, she refuses to open up and give any details about herself or her past. Her real name, age, etc are all unknown. Can Cyrus reach her and get her to finally open up?
Case #2 involves Cyrus consulting with the police on the suspicious death of a teenage figure skater. How did this Golden Girl and Olympic hopeful end up dead and hastily buried under branches and leaves in a trail?
Fellow readers, this is definitely one to add to your "Must Read/Do Not Miss" category! Both cases are filled with secrets, twists & turns and lots of emotion. I loved Evie and Cyrus' rapport and watching it develop. There is definitely more to be explored here and I have my fingers crossed that this is the start of a series. I'd certainly look forward to more of Evie and Cyrus!
Thank you to Michael Robotham, Scribner and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this thriller!
One dead teenage girl, another with no past and one psychologist trying to uncover the truth.
Cyrus Haven is a psychologist with a troubled past. His demons are definitely simmering beneath the surface and made him a fascinating character. Cyrus is called in to offer his expertise on two different cases. A fellow doctor reaches out for help with a particularly troublesome patient - Evie/Angel Face. Evie was found hiding in an abandoned house with her captor's decomposing dead body. Even years later, she refuses to open up and give any details about herself or her past. Her real name, age, etc are all unknown. Can Cyrus reach her and get her to finally open up?
Case #2 involves Cyrus consulting with the police on the suspicious death of a teenage figure skater. How did this Golden Girl and Olympic hopeful end up dead and hastily buried under branches and leaves in a trail?
Fellow readers, this is definitely one to add to your "Must Read/Do Not Miss" category! Both cases are filled with secrets, twists & turns and lots of emotion. I loved Evie and Cyrus' rapport and watching it develop. There is definitely more to be explored here and I have my fingers crossed that this is the start of a series. I'd certainly look forward to more of Evie and Cyrus!
Thank you to Michael Robotham, Scribner and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review an arc of this thriller!
November 26, 2019
Exquisite descriptions that don’t overburden the prose. And the descriptions carry the same weight as a character and help enhance the fictive dream. The story moves at a nice pace with just enough backstory. Smooth, elegant, present tense, is done so well that it’s hardly noticeable. The attention to detail is wonderful.
Chapter 23 is some of the best description and writing I’ve seen in a long time.
With great deliberation multiple suspects are revealed just when I thought I knew whodunit. This is a real talent.
The ending was a total surprise. I usually figure them out ahead of time. While reading a book I ask myself, “Why is the author showing me this bit of information now?” It usually gives away the twist. In this book, I never saw it coming. The ending is as satisfying as the rest of the book. Robotham is officially moved up toward the top of my list. I highly recommend this book.
Chapter 23 is some of the best description and writing I’ve seen in a long time.
With great deliberation multiple suspects are revealed just when I thought I knew whodunit. This is a real talent.
The ending was a total surprise. I usually figure them out ahead of time. While reading a book I ask myself, “Why is the author showing me this bit of information now?” It usually gives away the twist. In this book, I never saw it coming. The ending is as satisfying as the rest of the book. Robotham is officially moved up toward the top of my list. I highly recommend this book.
September 15, 2019
Arresting, engaging and captivating – three adjectives that describe this novel, at least in my opinion. Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist with the past that hides some dark moments and secrets, meets a teenager, called Evie Cormac whose past is even darker, and who has an extraordinary ability that we would not like others to have – she knows when the interlocutor is telling a lie … Cyrus is professionally fascinated by this teenaged girl who becomes his ward. In the meantime, Cyrus is involved in an investigation into a murder of Jodie Sheehan, a teenager with brilliant future in ice-skating.
I found both, Cyrus and Evie, interesting to observe … Characters who have to carry the burden of what they experienced as children, characters who may be called misfits, and whose loneliness made me feel for them.
The plot is intriguing, and how and why the murder was committed was quite unpredictable for me, however, I admit that Mr Robotham leaves nice hints that lead a reader to the final explanation. And I like it this way, when an author wants me to think together with the characters, and does not make the culprit obvious in the middle of a book.
I will follow Cyrus and Evie, as I am sure the Author has some grand plans regarding this unusual couple.
I found both, Cyrus and Evie, interesting to observe … Characters who have to carry the burden of what they experienced as children, characters who may be called misfits, and whose loneliness made me feel for them.
The plot is intriguing, and how and why the murder was committed was quite unpredictable for me, however, I admit that Mr Robotham leaves nice hints that lead a reader to the final explanation. And I like it this way, when an author wants me to think together with the characters, and does not make the culprit obvious in the middle of a book.
I will follow Cyrus and Evie, as I am sure the Author has some grand plans regarding this unusual couple.
March 4, 2023
EXCERPT: I'm happy with who I am. I have pieced myself together from the half-broken things. I have learned how to hide, how to run, how to keep safe, despite never knowing a time when my blood didn't run cold at the sound of footsteps stopping outside my door, or the sound of someone breathing on the opposite side of a wall.
I know the jittery, crawling sensation that ripples down my spine whenever I feel the weight of eyes upon me. Searching my face. Trying to recognize me. And no matter how many times I step into doorways, or look over my shoulder, or yell, 'I know you're there,' the street is always empty. No footsteps. No shadows. No eyes.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: A girl is discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Half-starved and filthy, she won’t tell anyone her name, or her age, or where she came from. Maybe she is twelve, maybe fifteen. She doesn’t appear in any missing persons file, and her DNA can’t be matched to an identity.
Six years later, still unidentified, she is living in a secure children’s home with a new name, Evie Cormac. When she initiates a court case demanding the right to be released as an adult, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven must determine if Evie is ready to go free. But she is unlike anyone he’s ever met—fascinating and dangerous in equal measure. Evie knows when someone is lying, and no one around her is telling the truth.
Meanwhile, Cyrus is called in to investigate the shocking murder of a high school figure-skating champion, Jodie Sheehan, who dies on a lonely footpath close to her home. Pretty and popular, Jodie is portrayed by everyone as the ultimate girl-next-door, but as Cyrus peels back the layers, a secret life emerges—one that Evie Cormac, the girl with no past, knows something about. A man haunted by his own tragic history, Cyrus is caught between the two cases—one girl who needs saving and another who needs justice. What price will he pay for the truth?
MY THOUGHTS: I read Good Girl, Bad Girl overnight. Couldn't put it down. Ordered in dinner so that I didn't have to stop reading to cook. I absorbed this book through every pore in my skin. I was there for every moment, every word. There was zero chance of my mind wandering as I read. Good Girl, Bad Girl is a heartpounding, pulse racing, edge of the seat, go away - I'll tear your arm off if you try separating me from my book - read.
My first Michael Robotham book, and yes! It's that damned good!
The characters are all interesting, flawed, human. Evie, the child found living in a secret room only feet away from a decomposing body, and who possesses a unique talent. She has no past, no family, no memories, not even a birthdate. She lies, she obfuscates, she casts doubts and misdirects. She's dyslexic, antisocial and aggressive. And she wants out of Langford Hall, the secure children's home where she is incarcerated. Cyrus, Forensic Psychologist, is called in by his friend Guthrie when Evie makes an application to the court to be released. Cyrus has his own demons, his own tragic past. Something in him recognizes something in Evie and he sets out to save her, both from the world and from herself.
The plot is gritty, gripping, and fast moving. There is a murder to be solved. One that isn't quite as simple as it first appears. A rising skating star, an Olympic hopeful, is found dead, murdered, close to her home. Everyone's darling, Jodie could do no wrong. But a chance remark by one of her classmates sets Cyrus off on a quest to discover the other darker side of this golden girl, and sets off a chain of events he could never have envisaged.
I loved every word of Good Girl, Bad Girl. And there are not enough stars in the rating system to convey just how good a read this is.
❤🤯😲🤯❤
#GoodGirlBadGirl @michealrobotham
And now onto When She Was Good, Cyrus Haven #2.
FOR THE ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER: Good Girl, Bad Girl is set in Nottingham, a city in central England’s Midlands region. It’s known for its role in the Robin Hood legend and for the hilltop Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, rebuilt many times since the medieval era. In the Lace Market area, once the centre of the world’s lace industry, the Galleries of Justice Museum has crime-related exhibits. Wollaton Hall is an ornate Elizabethan mansion with gardens and a deer park.
THE AUTHOR: Edgar finalist and Gold Dagger winning author, Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped in 1979 and became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies.
Michael writes in what his daughters' refer to as his 'cabana of cruelty' on Sydney's northern beaches where he slaves away daily to cater to their every expensive whim. Where is the justice?
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Waitomo District Library for the loan of their copy of Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham, published by Hachette Australia. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I know the jittery, crawling sensation that ripples down my spine whenever I feel the weight of eyes upon me. Searching my face. Trying to recognize me. And no matter how many times I step into doorways, or look over my shoulder, or yell, 'I know you're there,' the street is always empty. No footsteps. No shadows. No eyes.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: A girl is discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Half-starved and filthy, she won’t tell anyone her name, or her age, or where she came from. Maybe she is twelve, maybe fifteen. She doesn’t appear in any missing persons file, and her DNA can’t be matched to an identity.
Six years later, still unidentified, she is living in a secure children’s home with a new name, Evie Cormac. When she initiates a court case demanding the right to be released as an adult, forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven must determine if Evie is ready to go free. But she is unlike anyone he’s ever met—fascinating and dangerous in equal measure. Evie knows when someone is lying, and no one around her is telling the truth.
Meanwhile, Cyrus is called in to investigate the shocking murder of a high school figure-skating champion, Jodie Sheehan, who dies on a lonely footpath close to her home. Pretty and popular, Jodie is portrayed by everyone as the ultimate girl-next-door, but as Cyrus peels back the layers, a secret life emerges—one that Evie Cormac, the girl with no past, knows something about. A man haunted by his own tragic history, Cyrus is caught between the two cases—one girl who needs saving and another who needs justice. What price will he pay for the truth?
MY THOUGHTS: I read Good Girl, Bad Girl overnight. Couldn't put it down. Ordered in dinner so that I didn't have to stop reading to cook. I absorbed this book through every pore in my skin. I was there for every moment, every word. There was zero chance of my mind wandering as I read. Good Girl, Bad Girl is a heartpounding, pulse racing, edge of the seat, go away - I'll tear your arm off if you try separating me from my book - read.
My first Michael Robotham book, and yes! It's that damned good!
The characters are all interesting, flawed, human. Evie, the child found living in a secret room only feet away from a decomposing body, and who possesses a unique talent. She has no past, no family, no memories, not even a birthdate. She lies, she obfuscates, she casts doubts and misdirects. She's dyslexic, antisocial and aggressive. And she wants out of Langford Hall, the secure children's home where she is incarcerated. Cyrus, Forensic Psychologist, is called in by his friend Guthrie when Evie makes an application to the court to be released. Cyrus has his own demons, his own tragic past. Something in him recognizes something in Evie and he sets out to save her, both from the world and from herself.
The plot is gritty, gripping, and fast moving. There is a murder to be solved. One that isn't quite as simple as it first appears. A rising skating star, an Olympic hopeful, is found dead, murdered, close to her home. Everyone's darling, Jodie could do no wrong. But a chance remark by one of her classmates sets Cyrus off on a quest to discover the other darker side of this golden girl, and sets off a chain of events he could never have envisaged.
I loved every word of Good Girl, Bad Girl. And there are not enough stars in the rating system to convey just how good a read this is.
❤🤯😲🤯❤
#GoodGirlBadGirl @michealrobotham
And now onto When She Was Good, Cyrus Haven #2.
FOR THE ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER: Good Girl, Bad Girl is set in Nottingham, a city in central England’s Midlands region. It’s known for its role in the Robin Hood legend and for the hilltop Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, rebuilt many times since the medieval era. In the Lace Market area, once the centre of the world’s lace industry, the Galleries of Justice Museum has crime-related exhibits. Wollaton Hall is an ornate Elizabethan mansion with gardens and a deer park.
THE AUTHOR: Edgar finalist and Gold Dagger winning author, Michael Robotham was born in Australia in November 1960 and grew up in small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs. He escaped in 1979 and became a cadet journalist on an afternoon newspaper in Sydney.
For the next fourteen years he worked for newspapers in Australia, Europe, Africa and America. As a senior feature writer for the UK’s Mail on Sunday he was among the first people to view the letters and diaries of Czar Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra, unearthed in the Moscow State Archives in 1991. He also gained access to Stalin’s Hitler files, which had been missing for nearly fifty years until a cleaner stumbled upon a cardboard box that had been misplaced and misfiled.
In 1993 he quit journalism to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies.
Michael writes in what his daughters' refer to as his 'cabana of cruelty' on Sydney's northern beaches where he slaves away daily to cater to their every expensive whim. Where is the justice?
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Waitomo District Library for the loan of their copy of Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham, published by Hachette Australia. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 26, 2019
Cyrus Haven is a forensic psychologist tasked with determining whether a young woman can safely be released from care. Evie Cormac was the victim of years of being held captive and sexually abused. Once discovered, the authorities could find no trace of her past. And she’s never said.
Meanwhile, he’s also helping an investigation into the death of a young girl, a Junior Ice Skating Champion.
The book is extremely well written. It’s not often I highlight phrases in a mystery, but I found myself doing it here. I loved Cyrus’ take on evil, the difference between chance and luck. I love his explanation for why he went into psychology. We hear from both Cyrus’ and Evie’s POV. When the two are together, the volleys fly back and forth, each trying to suss the other out. Evie has the gift of being able to tell when someone is lying. As would be expected, she has major trust issues and lies regularly. But I loved that she kept two Alsatians alive for weeks after the death of their owner, her capturer.
I was drawn into this book and it kept me enthralled. Before I knew it, I had read the entire book in just over a day. There were lots of twists and turns and a strong ending. I’m actually hoping that Robotham develops this into a series with Evie and Cyrus.
My thanks to netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.
Meanwhile, he’s also helping an investigation into the death of a young girl, a Junior Ice Skating Champion.
The book is extremely well written. It’s not often I highlight phrases in a mystery, but I found myself doing it here. I loved Cyrus’ take on evil, the difference between chance and luck. I love his explanation for why he went into psychology. We hear from both Cyrus’ and Evie’s POV. When the two are together, the volleys fly back and forth, each trying to suss the other out. Evie has the gift of being able to tell when someone is lying. As would be expected, she has major trust issues and lies regularly. But I loved that she kept two Alsatians alive for weeks after the death of their owner, her capturer.
I was drawn into this book and it kept me enthralled. Before I knew it, I had read the entire book in just over a day. There were lots of twists and turns and a strong ending. I’m actually hoping that Robotham develops this into a series with Evie and Cyrus.
My thanks to netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of this book.
July 11, 2019
THREE STARS
Cyrus Haven is a psychologist with a past. He consults with the local police department as they are investigating the murder of a teenage figure skater. Around this same time, he is brought in to study a young woman, called Evie, who is currently in a juvie hall. Evie has an extremely troubled history and has the unique ability to tell if people are lying or being truthful.
I found the story line initially interesting. I love a good procedural involving a psychologist with a past! Yes! A girl that is a human lie detector! Yes.
Unfortunately, the plot moves at a glacial pace. And is so REPETITIVE. I found myself not wanting to pick it up and finish it. Not a good thing with a suspense thriller. I was not a fan of the ending.
WHAT IS IT WITH THE ICK FACTOR IN THRILLERS THIS YEAR? (And the name Evie?)
I seem to be the outlier on this newest from Michael Robotham. Whatever, check it out for yourself and tell me you were spellbound and entertained. I dare ya.
Thanks so much to Edelweiss for the advanced galley. All opinions are mine!
Cyrus Haven is a psychologist with a past. He consults with the local police department as they are investigating the murder of a teenage figure skater. Around this same time, he is brought in to study a young woman, called Evie, who is currently in a juvie hall. Evie has an extremely troubled history and has the unique ability to tell if people are lying or being truthful.
I found the story line initially interesting. I love a good procedural involving a psychologist with a past! Yes! A girl that is a human lie detector! Yes.
Unfortunately, the plot moves at a glacial pace. And is so REPETITIVE. I found myself not wanting to pick it up and finish it. Not a good thing with a suspense thriller. I was not a fan of the ending.
WHAT IS IT WITH THE ICK FACTOR IN THRILLERS THIS YEAR? (And the name Evie?)
I seem to be the outlier on this newest from Michael Robotham. Whatever, check it out for yourself and tell me you were spellbound and entertained. I dare ya.
Thanks so much to Edelweiss for the advanced galley. All opinions are mine!
October 29, 2019
I have only read one other book by this author, and I think I’ve been missing some great reads. Good Girl, Bad Girl is a book I put on hold at my local library because of its excellent reviews. It is definitely well worth picking up.
There are two major characters in this British novel written by an Aussie: Cyrus Haven who is a forensic psychologist and Evie Cormac, a most troubled older teenager living in a high-security children’s home. The POV alternates between these two highly likeable people. We also have DCI Lenny Parvel, another character I really attached myself to. Cyrus is assisting Lenny on a case involving the murder of a 15-year-old girl. He has also been asked to consult on Evie’s case. Evie was found in deplorable conditions after going through hell and back a few years ago, and she’s still not wanting to talk about it or much of anything else. In fact, her true identity remains a mystery.
I found these characters intriguing and wanted to know much more about them. Since this book is the first of a series, I expect they will be slowly fleshed out as the series progresses. The storyline, while not always the most suspenseful until the super suspenseful end, is nevertheless compelling and held my interest throughout. I did find myself more interested in Evie’s story than the murder case despite the fact that I failed to guess the identity of the killer.
The writing is gritty and flows exceptionally well. The atmospheric imagery is excellent. Though the ending leaves us with some unanswered questions, I actually found it satisfying for now. Fortunately, Mr. Robotham makes it clear we have not seen the last of Evie and Cyrus, and I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.
I highly recommend Good Girl, Bad Girl to all readers of crime fiction and intrigue, especially to those with an interest in psychological trauma.
Many thanks to the Libby App and Hennepin County Library for providing me with a free loaner of this novel.
There are two major characters in this British novel written by an Aussie: Cyrus Haven who is a forensic psychologist and Evie Cormac, a most troubled older teenager living in a high-security children’s home. The POV alternates between these two highly likeable people. We also have DCI Lenny Parvel, another character I really attached myself to. Cyrus is assisting Lenny on a case involving the murder of a 15-year-old girl. He has also been asked to consult on Evie’s case. Evie was found in deplorable conditions after going through hell and back a few years ago, and she’s still not wanting to talk about it or much of anything else. In fact, her true identity remains a mystery.
I found these characters intriguing and wanted to know much more about them. Since this book is the first of a series, I expect they will be slowly fleshed out as the series progresses. The storyline, while not always the most suspenseful until the super suspenseful end, is nevertheless compelling and held my interest throughout. I did find myself more interested in Evie’s story than the murder case despite the fact that I failed to guess the identity of the killer.
The writing is gritty and flows exceptionally well. The atmospheric imagery is excellent. Though the ending leaves us with some unanswered questions, I actually found it satisfying for now. Fortunately, Mr. Robotham makes it clear we have not seen the last of Evie and Cyrus, and I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.
I highly recommend Good Girl, Bad Girl to all readers of crime fiction and intrigue, especially to those with an interest in psychological trauma.
Many thanks to the Libby App and Hennepin County Library for providing me with a free loaner of this novel.
August 10, 2020
Can i give this 10 stars, i would if i could Michael Robotham has hit the ball right out of the park with his new series i absolutely could not put this down his intricate character analysis is first class & the writing was perfect, the pacing was top notch & the prose kept me invested right from the start.
Good Girl Bad Girls a complex novel about a murdered figure skating champion Jodie Sheehan who was found brutally murdered & sexually assaulted on a popular walkway forensic psychologist is brought into solve the case he goes into a home for wayward kids & discovered years earlier that Evie cormac was living in a house she was ferrel looking ate dog food & looked more like an animal than human, was underweight & the press dubbed her Angel face.
As the case develops you read more about Angel face pat & her connection to the murder, what we find is the family of Jodie has a quite different reaction to her murder , her father Dougal is nonplussed while her mother Maggie is quite the opposite, lets just say they are hiding a lot of secrets that they don't want revealed.
MY THOUGHTS
I loved this book Michael Robotham writes a dark gritty prose that keeps you guessing right to the end, each character was well written not all were likable but he keeps the plot flowing, each character has something to hide. I loved reading about Angel Face & her background it was quite heartbreaking to read, there are triggers in this book but cannot say what they are due to spoilers.
This was a compelling dark thriller that you will get your teeth into & won.t be able to put down.
Good Girl Bad Girls a complex novel about a murdered figure skating champion Jodie Sheehan who was found brutally murdered & sexually assaulted on a popular walkway forensic psychologist is brought into solve the case he goes into a home for wayward kids & discovered years earlier that Evie cormac was living in a house she was ferrel looking ate dog food & looked more like an animal than human, was underweight & the press dubbed her Angel face.
As the case develops you read more about Angel face pat & her connection to the murder, what we find is the family of Jodie has a quite different reaction to her murder , her father Dougal is nonplussed while her mother Maggie is quite the opposite, lets just say they are hiding a lot of secrets that they don't want revealed.
MY THOUGHTS
I loved this book Michael Robotham writes a dark gritty prose that keeps you guessing right to the end, each character was well written not all were likable but he keeps the plot flowing, each character has something to hide. I loved reading about Angel Face & her background it was quite heartbreaking to read, there are triggers in this book but cannot say what they are due to spoilers.
This was a compelling dark thriller that you will get your teeth into & won.t be able to put down.
November 10, 2019
What we have here is your quintessential page turner. Two girls, one good and one bad. Hmmmmm. That can't be right. Nothing is that simple. I was intrigued with the idea that some facts have a shelf life. If the author is testing the waters to determine whether there is any interest in reading more of the fascinating psychologist Cyrus Haven and the enigmatic Evie Cormac, you can bet the queue is forming quickly. Great read!
August 14, 2019
Good Girl, Bad Girl is the first book in the Cyrus Haven series. As a part police procedural and part psychological thriller, this is a unique story thanks to it's intricate plot and flawed characters.
A girl is discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Six years later, still unidentified and now the court as her caretaker, she is living in a secure children’s home with a new name: Evie Cormac. Psychologist Cyrus Haven must determine if Evie is ready to go free. Meanwhile, Cyrus is called in to investigate the shocking murder of a high school figure-skating champion. Cyrus must unearth the dark secrets that killed Jodie—as well as some of those that could get Evie killed.
Good Girl, Bad Girl has a twisted and complicated plot that will keep you guessing until the very last pages. Though the focus is the story of Cyrus & Evie, there is also a murder mystery to be solved. The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of Cyrus and Evie and keeps switching seamlessly between their story and the case in question. With three different storylines in the book (the murder investigation, Evie’s back story, and Cyrus's family tragedy), There are many mysteries to solve and characters to unveil. Like an expert storyteller, Michael Robotham weaves the characters and storylines into a compelling thriller; one which will keep you turning those pages and guessing the outcome right till the end.
The highlight of the book for me are the characters of Evie and Cyrus and their relationship and the way it evolved as the story progressed. There are several subplots that remain unresolved and it will be interesting to see how the story moves forward in the next part.
The murder mystery often feels overshadowed by the story of Evie & Cyrus. At the end of the story, you are left with a lot of unanswered questions and though they will be answered in the next part, it does leave you hanging. The story spends a lot of time in establishing Evie & Cryus’s back story and even Evie’s special ability, but it never comes into play in the story at all. In a way, it feels like an introduction to the story to be unveiled in the next few parts. Hopefully, many of the questions will be answered in future novels.
Overall, Good Girl, Bad Girl is a great start for a new series with a unique storyline and some excellent characters, which promises a lot more in the future. 3.5/5
Many thanks to the publishers Simon & Schuster, the author Michael Robotham and Edelweiss for the ARC.
A girl is discovered hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a terrible crime. Six years later, still unidentified and now the court as her caretaker, she is living in a secure children’s home with a new name: Evie Cormac. Psychologist Cyrus Haven must determine if Evie is ready to go free. Meanwhile, Cyrus is called in to investigate the shocking murder of a high school figure-skating champion. Cyrus must unearth the dark secrets that killed Jodie—as well as some of those that could get Evie killed.
Good Girl, Bad Girl has a twisted and complicated plot that will keep you guessing until the very last pages. Though the focus is the story of Cyrus & Evie, there is also a murder mystery to be solved. The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of Cyrus and Evie and keeps switching seamlessly between their story and the case in question. With three different storylines in the book (the murder investigation, Evie’s back story, and Cyrus's family tragedy), There are many mysteries to solve and characters to unveil. Like an expert storyteller, Michael Robotham weaves the characters and storylines into a compelling thriller; one which will keep you turning those pages and guessing the outcome right till the end.
The highlight of the book for me are the characters of Evie and Cyrus and their relationship and the way it evolved as the story progressed. There are several subplots that remain unresolved and it will be interesting to see how the story moves forward in the next part.
The murder mystery often feels overshadowed by the story of Evie & Cyrus. At the end of the story, you are left with a lot of unanswered questions and though they will be answered in the next part, it does leave you hanging. The story spends a lot of time in establishing Evie & Cryus’s back story and even Evie’s special ability, but it never comes into play in the story at all. In a way, it feels like an introduction to the story to be unveiled in the next few parts. Hopefully, many of the questions will be answered in future novels.
Overall, Good Girl, Bad Girl is a great start for a new series with a unique storyline and some excellent characters, which promises a lot more in the future. 3.5/5
Many thanks to the publishers Simon & Schuster, the author Michael Robotham and Edelweiss for the ARC.
July 2, 2024
I'm working my way up to #4..
The first book in Michael Robotham’s Cyrus Havenseries introduces us to “Evie Cormac” (not her real name), assumed to be around seventeen years old, who was found six years ago hiding in a secret room in an old house in the aftermath of a brutal murder. Dubbed “Angel Face���, nobody knows who she is, no one came forward to claim her and DNA searches haven't yielded any results. Evie is currently a resident in a high-security children's home in Nottingham, where she meets Dr. Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist with a tragic past, who works as a profiler for law enforcement. Cyrus is visiting Langford Hall to study Evie’s case and help determine whether her plea to be released as an adult should be granted. Evie possesses a special gift – she can tell when anyone is lying to her face – a facet that fascinates Cyrus, his doctoral research having been based on “truth wizards”. Cyrus is sympathetic to Evie’s plight and is motivated to help her, but Evie is naturally distrustful of others and won’t make it easy for Cyrus. Cyrus is also helping the police find the person responsible for the murder of fifteen-year-old figure-skating champion, Jodie Sheehan. As the narrative progresses, we follow Cyrus and Evie as their lives intersect and the investigation into Jodie��s murder forces each of them to confront their own troubled pasts.
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham is a dark and intense thriller. Fast-paced, with an intricately woven plot and complex characters, I was glued to the pages until the very end. Both Evie and Cyrus are fascinating characters and I could not wait to find out more about them. The murder mystery is cleverly crafted with enough twists and red herrings to keep you engrossed as the plot progresses. The narrative, shared from Cyrus and Evie’s first-person POVs in alternating chapters, allows us to explore the characters – their motives and innermost thoughts and their backstories. I was invested in the evolving dynamic between Cyrus and Evie. Though what we can gather about Evie’s past and what she has endured is heartbreaking, at times she isn’t particularly likable, but this facet makes her an interesting character.
Though I was satisfied with the unraveling of the murder mystery, there were quite a few unanswered questions in Evie’s storyline, which left me a tad disappointed with the ending. Luckily, I was reading the first four books of the series back to back, so I didn't have to wait too long for the answers.
I know I’m late to the party, but I am thrilled to have discovered this series!
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
The first book in Michael Robotham’s Cyrus Havenseries introduces us to “Evie Cormac” (not her real name), assumed to be around seventeen years old, who was found six years ago hiding in a secret room in an old house in the aftermath of a brutal murder. Dubbed “Angel Face���, nobody knows who she is, no one came forward to claim her and DNA searches haven't yielded any results. Evie is currently a resident in a high-security children's home in Nottingham, where she meets Dr. Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist with a tragic past, who works as a profiler for law enforcement. Cyrus is visiting Langford Hall to study Evie’s case and help determine whether her plea to be released as an adult should be granted. Evie possesses a special gift – she can tell when anyone is lying to her face – a facet that fascinates Cyrus, his doctoral research having been based on “truth wizards”. Cyrus is sympathetic to Evie’s plight and is motivated to help her, but Evie is naturally distrustful of others and won’t make it easy for Cyrus. Cyrus is also helping the police find the person responsible for the murder of fifteen-year-old figure-skating champion, Jodie Sheehan. As the narrative progresses, we follow Cyrus and Evie as their lives intersect and the investigation into Jodie��s murder forces each of them to confront their own troubled pasts.
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham is a dark and intense thriller. Fast-paced, with an intricately woven plot and complex characters, I was glued to the pages until the very end. Both Evie and Cyrus are fascinating characters and I could not wait to find out more about them. The murder mystery is cleverly crafted with enough twists and red herrings to keep you engrossed as the plot progresses. The narrative, shared from Cyrus and Evie’s first-person POVs in alternating chapters, allows us to explore the characters – their motives and innermost thoughts and their backstories. I was invested in the evolving dynamic between Cyrus and Evie. Though what we can gather about Evie’s past and what she has endured is heartbreaking, at times she isn’t particularly likable, but this facet makes her an interesting character.
Though I was satisfied with the unraveling of the murder mystery, there were quite a few unanswered questions in Evie’s storyline, which left me a tad disappointed with the ending. Luckily, I was reading the first four books of the series back to back, so I didn't have to wait too long for the answers.
I know I’m late to the party, but I am thrilled to have discovered this series!
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
July 18, 2019
I finished this book last Friday before leaving on vacation and never wrote my review and I will now have to string words together with far fewer brain cells. My apologies in advance, Mr. Robotham.
Psychologist Cyrus Haven is given a new case, that of the volatile Evie Cormac, a young lady who was discovered hiding in a house a few years previous with a dead and mutilated body by her side. She refuses to say who she is, how old she is, or where she came from before being discovered. She is now approaching 18 (supposedly) and is demanding to be released. It will be up to Cyrus to determine whether she is fit enough to do so.
Meanwhile Cyrus is also assisting in the murder investigation of an up-and-coming figure skater, Jodie Sheehan. She was popular, beautiful, and from a caring and supportive family, just the opposite of Evie Cormac, but are these two girls really much different from one another after all?
I enjoyed this book over-all. Michael Robotham is an excellent writer and I was hooked from early on but I did have a few issues with this one. Issue #1, the part about Evie being able to tell when someone is lying was a little far fetched to me but I was able to suspend disbelief enough to continue reading and that is due to the character of Evie, I liked her quite a bit. Issue #2, and without being spoiler-y, I don't think in "real life" Cyrus would have been able to take Evie under his wing such as he did. *zips lips* And lastly, what did happen to Evie? Who is she? Apparently Mr. Robotham is going to bring these characters back because these questions remain unanswered. When I request a book I prefer to know that it is to be part of a series ahead of time. Thankfully my Goodreads friends warned me before I started this one so it wasn't a complete surprise when I turned the final page saying WHAT??? 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Psychologist Cyrus Haven is given a new case, that of the volatile Evie Cormac, a young lady who was discovered hiding in a house a few years previous with a dead and mutilated body by her side. She refuses to say who she is, how old she is, or where she came from before being discovered. She is now approaching 18 (supposedly) and is demanding to be released. It will be up to Cyrus to determine whether she is fit enough to do so.
Meanwhile Cyrus is also assisting in the murder investigation of an up-and-coming figure skater, Jodie Sheehan. She was popular, beautiful, and from a caring and supportive family, just the opposite of Evie Cormac, but are these two girls really much different from one another after all?
I enjoyed this book over-all. Michael Robotham is an excellent writer and I was hooked from early on but I did have a few issues with this one. Issue #1, the part about Evie being able to tell when someone is lying was a little far fetched to me but I was able to suspend disbelief enough to continue reading and that is due to the character of Evie, I liked her quite a bit. Issue #2, and without being spoiler-y, I don't think in "real life" Cyrus would have been able to take Evie under his wing such as he did. *zips lips* And lastly, what did happen to Evie? Who is she? Apparently Mr. Robotham is going to bring these characters back because these questions remain unanswered. When I request a book I prefer to know that it is to be part of a series ahead of time. Thankfully my Goodreads friends warned me before I started this one so it wasn't a complete surprise when I turned the final page saying WHAT??? 3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2019
Gritty, gripping, & thrilling!
GOOD GIRL, BAD GIRL (Cyrus Haven #1) by MICHAEL ROBOTHAM is a suspenseful, intriguing, dark, disturbing, and slow-burn mystery/thriller that immediately drew me in. I was totally invested in this story and couldn’t put it down.
MICHAEL ROBOTHAM delivers a complex, character-driven, multi-layered, compelling, and mysterious story here with fascinating and great characters.
I absolutely loved the dynamics between our two main characters here with Cyrus and Evie. Both characters were extremely compelling and quite fascinating to read. I especially enjoyed Evie’s character and was definitely intrigued by her special ability.
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: A suspenseful and intriguing looking cover that definitely enticed me to read this book.
Title: Suspenseful, intriguing, and my curiosity was definitely piqued in finding out the meaning behind it. Who is the good girl? Bad girl?
Writing/Prose: Well-written, compelling, captivating, clever, and compulsively readable.
Plot: Unpredictable, gritty, gripping, unsettling, dark, fascinating, thrilling, suspenseful, entertaining, and enjoyable.
Ending: An explosively satisfying conclusion!
Overall: I was totally intrigued and fascinated here with the characters and the mystery to solve. Would recommend!
Review can also be seen at Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
GOOD GIRL, BAD GIRL (Cyrus Haven #1) by MICHAEL ROBOTHAM is a suspenseful, intriguing, dark, disturbing, and slow-burn mystery/thriller that immediately drew me in. I was totally invested in this story and couldn’t put it down.
MICHAEL ROBOTHAM delivers a complex, character-driven, multi-layered, compelling, and mysterious story here with fascinating and great characters.
I absolutely loved the dynamics between our two main characters here with Cyrus and Evie. Both characters were extremely compelling and quite fascinating to read. I especially enjoyed Evie’s character and was definitely intrigued by her special ability.
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: A suspenseful and intriguing looking cover that definitely enticed me to read this book.
Title: Suspenseful, intriguing, and my curiosity was definitely piqued in finding out the meaning behind it. Who is the good girl? Bad girl?
Writing/Prose: Well-written, compelling, captivating, clever, and compulsively readable.
Plot: Unpredictable, gritty, gripping, unsettling, dark, fascinating, thrilling, suspenseful, entertaining, and enjoyable.
Ending: An explosively satisfying conclusion!
Overall: I was totally intrigued and fascinated here with the characters and the mystery to solve. Would recommend!
Review can also be seen at Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
August 16, 2019
Cyrus Haven is a police psychologist who was asked to interview a young girl, Evie Cormac, a resident of a high-security children’s home who has a horrific history. She was discovered six years ago in an abandoned apartment with a corpse and no memory of who she is. Her name was given to her and her age estimated. Now she’s taking the home to court, asking for emancipation as she asserts she’s 18-years old. Cyrus is also consulted when the body of a 15-year old skating champion is found along a footpath. He has his own awful history that helps him form a tenuous connection with Evie and bring a unique perspective to Jodie’s investigation.
We get both Cyrus’ and Evie’s narratives, which adds an interesting angle to the storytelling. There are so many mysteries surrounding Evie’s life before her rescue and she’s not an easy subject. However, she has an extraordinary ability to determine whether someone is lying or telling the truth, forcing Cyrus to always be authentic with her. I loved their developing relationship, her having no foundation for trusting anyone and him still a work in progress in overcoming a tragic childhood loss. Both have layers that were interesting to see slowly peeled back, though there are still many to go. The Jodie Sheehan case had so many directions and I fell victim to some of the false paths. Beware of red herrings because all the clues are there!
I really liked listening to the story and was particularly pleased with how the narrator handled female voices. They actually sounded like women! I wasn’t sold on his interpretation of Cyrus but it was a good performance overall.
This is my second book by the author and he still has my attention. I’d planned to read the Joseph O’Loughlin series first but couldn’t resist this one. I really enjoyed this story and the introduction of Cyrus Haven (though I understand he first appeared in the O’Loughlin series) and just want more of this complex character. And, there are some loose threads to continue, including the enigmatic Evie, even though the Sheehan’s case was resolved. I’m all in for this one, especially after that explosive ending.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
We get both Cyrus’ and Evie’s narratives, which adds an interesting angle to the storytelling. There are so many mysteries surrounding Evie’s life before her rescue and she’s not an easy subject. However, she has an extraordinary ability to determine whether someone is lying or telling the truth, forcing Cyrus to always be authentic with her. I loved their developing relationship, her having no foundation for trusting anyone and him still a work in progress in overcoming a tragic childhood loss. Both have layers that were interesting to see slowly peeled back, though there are still many to go. The Jodie Sheehan case had so many directions and I fell victim to some of the false paths. Beware of red herrings because all the clues are there!
I really liked listening to the story and was particularly pleased with how the narrator handled female voices. They actually sounded like women! I wasn’t sold on his interpretation of Cyrus but it was a good performance overall.
This is my second book by the author and he still has my attention. I’d planned to read the Joseph O’Loughlin series first but couldn’t resist this one. I really enjoyed this story and the introduction of Cyrus Haven (though I understand he first appeared in the O’Loughlin series) and just want more of this complex character. And, there are some loose threads to continue, including the enigmatic Evie, even though the Sheehan’s case was resolved. I’m all in for this one, especially after that explosive ending.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
August 14, 2019
3.5 Stars
A well crafted and well written thriller with complex and entertaining characters that keeping you turning the pages
My second novel by Michael Robothan, my first being The Secrets She Keeps which I thoroughly enjoyed.
“Evil Cormac is the girl with no past. Six years ago she was discovered filthy and starved , hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a shocking crime. Cyrus Haven is A forensic psychologist with the Nottingham police and has been brought in to investigate the murder of a high school figure-skating champion Jodie Sheehan and becomes caught up in the two girls cases. One girl who needs saving and the other girl who needs justice.”
There is no doubt that Michael Robotham gift of story telling is right up there with the best of thriller writers as his characters and storylines are addictive and compelling and like with The secret she keeps he knows how to draw his reader in keep you turning those pages and guessing the outcome right up to the end.
The story is told from the alternating viewpoints and works very well for this thriller, easy to follow thriller, no guts and gore just good old fashioned back to basics thriller. This appears to be a start of a new series by this author as it appears there is more to be learn about these characters.
An enjoyable and entertaining read and a book that will rate highly amount readers who enjoy thrillers or crime novels.
A well crafted and well written thriller with complex and entertaining characters that keeping you turning the pages
My second novel by Michael Robothan, my first being The Secrets She Keeps which I thoroughly enjoyed.
“Evil Cormac is the girl with no past. Six years ago she was discovered filthy and starved , hiding in a secret room in the aftermath of a shocking crime. Cyrus Haven is A forensic psychologist with the Nottingham police and has been brought in to investigate the murder of a high school figure-skating champion Jodie Sheehan and becomes caught up in the two girls cases. One girl who needs saving and the other girl who needs justice.”
There is no doubt that Michael Robotham gift of story telling is right up there with the best of thriller writers as his characters and storylines are addictive and compelling and like with The secret she keeps he knows how to draw his reader in keep you turning those pages and guessing the outcome right up to the end.
The story is told from the alternating viewpoints and works very well for this thriller, easy to follow thriller, no guts and gore just good old fashioned back to basics thriller. This appears to be a start of a new series by this author as it appears there is more to be learn about these characters.
An enjoyable and entertaining read and a book that will rate highly amount readers who enjoy thrillers or crime novels.
April 11, 2020
I don't know about you guys but right now all I'm interested in reading is books that just catch my attention and take me away. I don't know if I'm considered an 'essential' worker since most of my work days are a crazy train. BUT I do know my days off consist of getting on my husband's last nerve and this....
So he is very thankful when I find a book I like. He just became one of your biggest fans Michael Robotham.
This book involves two young girls. One is a figure skater who is just perfect.
She ends up dead. Not a spoiler since that's right at the front of the book.
Then you have another young girl. She was found in a room that she had been trapped in for years. She had scavenged for food and fed two dogs that were her only company. Because dude...she also was trapped with a dead guy.
She now has some issues and acts out.
I liked this one best.
Bad girls for the win!
Then stuff starts happening and you realize that NO body in this book is squeaky clean.
I enjoyed the heck outta it.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
So he is very thankful when I find a book I like. He just became one of your biggest fans Michael Robotham.
This book involves two young girls. One is a figure skater who is just perfect.
She ends up dead. Not a spoiler since that's right at the front of the book.
Then you have another young girl. She was found in a room that she had been trapped in for years. She had scavenged for food and fed two dogs that were her only company. Because dude...she also was trapped with a dead guy.
She now has some issues and acts out.
I liked this one best.
Bad girls for the win!
Then stuff starts happening and you realize that NO body in this book is squeaky clean.
I enjoyed the heck outta it.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
July 31, 2020
Michael Robotham's first book in this new series is an excellent introduction to some complex and intriguing characters.
Cyrus Haven is a criminal psychologist who consults part-time for the Nottinghamshire Police and has been called into an investigation of the murder of a 15 year old skating star, Jodie Sheehan. She disappeared after going to the local fireworks night with her cousin and her body was found the next day by a local brook. As Cyrus and the police start to map Jodie's movements that evening they find she's not the squeaky clean girl everyone thought her to be and has secrets she's been hiding.
Cyrus has also been asked to meet with a young woman who goes by the name of Evie Cormac and lives in a secure children's home. Found six years before, filthy and frightened, hiding in a house where a man was tortured to death, she has refused to tell anyone her real name or age, only that her parents are dead. Now she has applied to the courts to be seen as an adult and has to convince a judge that she is ready to be released to live as she wants, so Cyrus has been called in to assess her. Cyrus had a difficult childhood himself and can relate to Evie, but she is a very complex character and quite naive in the ways of the world, although she does have a special gift that helps her to read people. He attempts to help her but finds he has taken on more than he can manage.
The investigation into Jodie's death is a complex puzzle that is slowly peeled away to uncover Jodie's hidden life and find the one secret that someone wants to keep hidden at all costs. There are however many threads of the story left hanging, which I anticipate will be further developed in the next episode. Evie's story is also incomplete with both her past and her future needing to be resolved and there is also more to Cyrus to be discovered. With gripping, well developed plots like this one and a cast of flawed and complicated characters, this promises to be an excellent new series.
Cyrus Haven is a criminal psychologist who consults part-time for the Nottinghamshire Police and has been called into an investigation of the murder of a 15 year old skating star, Jodie Sheehan. She disappeared after going to the local fireworks night with her cousin and her body was found the next day by a local brook. As Cyrus and the police start to map Jodie's movements that evening they find she's not the squeaky clean girl everyone thought her to be and has secrets she's been hiding.
Cyrus has also been asked to meet with a young woman who goes by the name of Evie Cormac and lives in a secure children's home. Found six years before, filthy and frightened, hiding in a house where a man was tortured to death, she has refused to tell anyone her real name or age, only that her parents are dead. Now she has applied to the courts to be seen as an adult and has to convince a judge that she is ready to be released to live as she wants, so Cyrus has been called in to assess her. Cyrus had a difficult childhood himself and can relate to Evie, but she is a very complex character and quite naive in the ways of the world, although she does have a special gift that helps her to read people. He attempts to help her but finds he has taken on more than he can manage.
The investigation into Jodie's death is a complex puzzle that is slowly peeled away to uncover Jodie's hidden life and find the one secret that someone wants to keep hidden at all costs. There are however many threads of the story left hanging, which I anticipate will be further developed in the next episode. Evie's story is also incomplete with both her past and her future needing to be resolved and there is also more to Cyrus to be discovered. With gripping, well developed plots like this one and a cast of flawed and complicated characters, this promises to be an excellent new series.
July 21, 2019
YOU NEED THIS BOOK! Okay you guys, I’m not exaggerating when I say that I just pre-ordered the hardcover of Good Girl, Bad Girl because I loved it so much!
Holy freaking crap This book is everything my crime loving heart desired. It reminded so much of my favorite BBC shows - Luther, Broadchurch, Hinterland, and Marcella. There’s something so amazingly complex and effortless about this story. From the characters to the case to the cliffhanger! UGH. READ IT NOW!
Here’s a synopsis: Evie Cormac has a heavy past. Six years ago, she was found abused and malnourished hidden in a crawl space of a home where a murder had occurred. Since that day, she’s not made her real identity known. She’s been a ward of the state and her secrets are still her own. Now, psychologist Cyrus Haven also carries a dark family history. His older brother murdered his entire family. So when he meets Evie to assess her mental and emotional “fitness”, there’s a kinship and empathy. Cyrus’ primary occupation is to assist the local PD with cases. And being as he’s spending time with Evie, she too learns about his case and offers insight into who might have committed the crime.
I’m a huge “I need to fall in love with the characters to love a story” reader. AND I devoured Cyrus and Evie. My God! They are dynamic, flawed, authentic, and relatable. There’s something so pure and yet tainted, about the two of them. They’ve both experienced intense trauma but still have this deep-routed necessity to find a confidant. And watching that unfold is PERFECTION! (I mean the last sentence of the book grabbed my heart SO MUCH that I DMed Robotham to beg him for a sequel. No joke.)
And speaking of Robotham, he is such a fantastic storyteller. This plot flowed so effortlessly that you’d find yourself 3 hours later in the same position with your legs asleep because you couldn’t put it down (I know from experience). What I’m saying is, this story holds up. You have 2 parallel plotlines - Evie’s and Cyrus’. Evie’s focuses on the secrets of the identity she’s hiding, while Cyrus’ focuses on the Jodie Sheehan case. Both entangle. And both are equally intriguing.
I highhhhhhhly recommend this book. Thank you so much to Scribner for my advanced copy for this review!
Holy freaking crap This book is everything my crime loving heart desired. It reminded so much of my favorite BBC shows - Luther, Broadchurch, Hinterland, and Marcella. There’s something so amazingly complex and effortless about this story. From the characters to the case to the cliffhanger! UGH. READ IT NOW!
Here’s a synopsis: Evie Cormac has a heavy past. Six years ago, she was found abused and malnourished hidden in a crawl space of a home where a murder had occurred. Since that day, she’s not made her real identity known. She’s been a ward of the state and her secrets are still her own. Now, psychologist Cyrus Haven also carries a dark family history. His older brother murdered his entire family. So when he meets Evie to assess her mental and emotional “fitness”, there’s a kinship and empathy. Cyrus’ primary occupation is to assist the local PD with cases. And being as he’s spending time with Evie, she too learns about his case and offers insight into who might have committed the crime.
I’m a huge “I need to fall in love with the characters to love a story” reader. AND I devoured Cyrus and Evie. My God! They are dynamic, flawed, authentic, and relatable. There’s something so pure and yet tainted, about the two of them. They’ve both experienced intense trauma but still have this deep-routed necessity to find a confidant. And watching that unfold is PERFECTION! (I mean the last sentence of the book grabbed my heart SO MUCH that I DMed Robotham to beg him for a sequel. No joke.)
And speaking of Robotham, he is such a fantastic storyteller. This plot flowed so effortlessly that you’d find yourself 3 hours later in the same position with your legs asleep because you couldn’t put it down (I know from experience). What I’m saying is, this story holds up. You have 2 parallel plotlines - Evie’s and Cyrus’. Evie’s focuses on the secrets of the identity she’s hiding, while Cyrus’ focuses on the Jodie Sheehan case. Both entangle. And both are equally intriguing.
I highhhhhhhly recommend this book. Thank you so much to Scribner for my advanced copy for this review!
Want to read
September 22, 2020Robotham's latest is like a fine cup of coffee.....
excellent to the very last drop! 5★'s
Now available! Book one in the forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven series!
Cyrus
“Which one is she?” I ask, leaning closer to the observation window.
“Blond. Baggy sweater. Sitting on her own.”
“And you’re not going to tell me why I’m here?”
“I don’t want to influence your decision.”
“What am I deciding?”
“Just watch her.”
I look again at the group of teenagers, girls and boys. Most are wearing jeans and long tops with the sleeves pulled down to hide whatever self-inflicted damage has been done. Some are cutters, some are burners or scratchers or bulimics or anorexics or obsessive compulsives or pyromaniacs or sociopaths or narcissists or suffering from ADHD. Some abuse food or drugs, others swallow foreign objects or run into walls on purpose or take outrageous risks.
Evie Cormac has her knees drawn up, almost as though she doesn’t trust the floor. Sullen mouthed and pretty, she could be eighteen or she could be fourteen. Not quite a woman or a girl about to bid good-bye to childhood, yet there is something ageless and changeless about her, as if she has seen the worst and survived it. With brown eyes framed by thickened eyelashes and bleached hair cut in a ragged bob, she’s holding the sleeves of her sweater in her bunched fists, stretching the neckline, revealing a pattern of red blotches below her jawline that could be hickeys or finger marks.
Adam Guthrie is standing alongside me, regarding Evie like she is the latest arrival at Twycross Zoo.
“Why is she here?” I ask.
“Currently, her primary offense is for aggravated assault. She broke someone’s jaw with a half brick.”
“Currently?”
“She’s had a few.”
“How many?”
“Too few to mention.”
***********
You have my attention Mr. Robotham!
The master of creating the engaging and lovable forensic psychologist, Joseph O'Laughin, brings readers a brand new series with the introduction of Cyrus Haven!
Two cases. Two girls. One is dead, the other is so damaged she lives in a high security children's home.
Forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven, is called in to help them both but he soon finds himself tangled up in a world of secrets that consume the lives of both girls. Is he in too deep.......?
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham is a brilliant, twisty thriller that I didn't want to put down!!
Engaging and irresistible, all I wanted to do was read this book!
As one of my favorite author's, I've come to expect nothing but the finest novels from the master of mystery thrillers. Once again,
Michael Robotham hits all the top marks and doesn't disappoint!
I can't wait to see what Cyrus comes up against next!
With thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Michael Robotham for this advanced digital copy to read and honestly review.
excellent to the very last drop! 5★'s
Now available! Book one in the forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven series!
Cyrus
“Which one is she?” I ask, leaning closer to the observation window.
“Blond. Baggy sweater. Sitting on her own.”
“And you’re not going to tell me why I’m here?”
“I don’t want to influence your decision.”
“What am I deciding?”
“Just watch her.”
I look again at the group of teenagers, girls and boys. Most are wearing jeans and long tops with the sleeves pulled down to hide whatever self-inflicted damage has been done. Some are cutters, some are burners or scratchers or bulimics or anorexics or obsessive compulsives or pyromaniacs or sociopaths or narcissists or suffering from ADHD. Some abuse food or drugs, others swallow foreign objects or run into walls on purpose or take outrageous risks.
Evie Cormac has her knees drawn up, almost as though she doesn’t trust the floor. Sullen mouthed and pretty, she could be eighteen or she could be fourteen. Not quite a woman or a girl about to bid good-bye to childhood, yet there is something ageless and changeless about her, as if she has seen the worst and survived it. With brown eyes framed by thickened eyelashes and bleached hair cut in a ragged bob, she’s holding the sleeves of her sweater in her bunched fists, stretching the neckline, revealing a pattern of red blotches below her jawline that could be hickeys or finger marks.
Adam Guthrie is standing alongside me, regarding Evie like she is the latest arrival at Twycross Zoo.
“Why is she here?” I ask.
“Currently, her primary offense is for aggravated assault. She broke someone’s jaw with a half brick.”
“Currently?”
“She’s had a few.”
“How many?”
“Too few to mention.”
***********
You have my attention Mr. Robotham!
The master of creating the engaging and lovable forensic psychologist, Joseph O'Laughin, brings readers a brand new series with the introduction of Cyrus Haven!
Two cases. Two girls. One is dead, the other is so damaged she lives in a high security children's home.
Forensic psychologist, Cyrus Haven, is called in to help them both but he soon finds himself tangled up in a world of secrets that consume the lives of both girls. Is he in too deep.......?
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham is a brilliant, twisty thriller that I didn't want to put down!!
Engaging and irresistible, all I wanted to do was read this book!
As one of my favorite author's, I've come to expect nothing but the finest novels from the master of mystery thrillers. Once again,
Michael Robotham hits all the top marks and doesn't disappoint!
I can't wait to see what Cyrus comes up against next!
With thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Michael Robotham for this advanced digital copy to read and honestly review.
August 13, 2019
Good Girl,Bad Girl by Michael Robotham is another great book from this author I would definitely recommend him 👍
There's a lot of hanging strings in this book but that's because there going to be a book 2,but what we do get is definitely setting book 2 up for a roller coaster of a ride.
There's two different stories going on in this a murder and and a young girl in a young people's unit( with no real identity 😬) but they are woven together really well and easily.
This book I found was extremely hard to put down once I started you do a lot of guessing about Evie's life (from the young people's unit) but you can already tell and feel the darkness around it.
It's a great guessing game of a who done it and where's it going to go next kind of book but it's also a easy fast paced read.
I would definitely recommend this book 📖
There's a lot of hanging strings in this book but that's because there going to be a book 2,but what we do get is definitely setting book 2 up for a roller coaster of a ride.
There's two different stories going on in this a murder and and a young girl in a young people's unit( with no real identity 😬) but they are woven together really well and easily.
This book I found was extremely hard to put down once I started you do a lot of guessing about Evie's life (from the young people's unit) but you can already tell and feel the darkness around it.
It's a great guessing game of a who done it and where's it going to go next kind of book but it's also a easy fast paced read.
I would definitely recommend this book 📖
June 15, 2019
3.5 stars (rounded down)
Once again, the book's synopsis sounds to me like it was the author's elevator pitch, which didn't quite turn out exactly the same, once the book was fleshed out...
Evie Cormac (dubbed, Angel Face by the press, when she was discovered as a victim of an unthinkable crime, six years ago) has initiated a court proceeding, demanding the right to be released from the children's home where she has been living, now that she has turned eighteen.
Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist with a tragic past of his own, must determine if Evie could survive on her own, if granted her freedom. When he first meets Evie, she will only answer questions posed to her, using the lyrics from popular songs. But, he is fascinated by her, because of the special ability she has of knowing when people are lying-a subject he wrote his thesis on.
Cyrus is also a consultant on a current case, involving the murder of pretty and popular, High school figure skating champion, Jodie Sheehan.
How the stories of these two very different girls intersect, is the crux of the book.
The STRENGTH of this novel for me was the relationship that Cyrus forms with Evie, though he MAY have earned her trust, a bit quickly. But then again, if she can "sniff out a lie" then she could probably read that he was sincere in his desire to help her. Cyrus believes that "an effective psychologist is someone who commits, who goes into the darkness to bring someone out." That was something that Joe O'Loughlin, a university lecturer of his (and frequent character from earlier novels) had taught him.
But, I expected this "truth reader" ability to be the focus in this story, and was disappointed that it was not. Perhaps it will be in future novels that these characters might be featured in.
The crime of "who" killed Jodie, was MUCH LESS satisfying for me. With one despicable character going unpunished, and the fate of his friend, and investigator, Lenny left unresolved. Again, there are hints that the author may bring these characters back in future novels, so perhaps I will get my answers then, if I choose to continue on.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Scribner , and Michael Robotham for the digital ARC, I received in exchange for candid review! This title will be released on July 23, 2019.
Once again, the book's synopsis sounds to me like it was the author's elevator pitch, which didn't quite turn out exactly the same, once the book was fleshed out...
Evie Cormac (dubbed, Angel Face by the press, when she was discovered as a victim of an unthinkable crime, six years ago) has initiated a court proceeding, demanding the right to be released from the children's home where she has been living, now that she has turned eighteen.
Cyrus Haven, a forensic psychologist with a tragic past of his own, must determine if Evie could survive on her own, if granted her freedom. When he first meets Evie, she will only answer questions posed to her, using the lyrics from popular songs. But, he is fascinated by her, because of the special ability she has of knowing when people are lying-a subject he wrote his thesis on.
Cyrus is also a consultant on a current case, involving the murder of pretty and popular, High school figure skating champion, Jodie Sheehan.
How the stories of these two very different girls intersect, is the crux of the book.
The STRENGTH of this novel for me was the relationship that Cyrus forms with Evie, though he MAY have earned her trust, a bit quickly. But then again, if she can "sniff out a lie" then she could probably read that he was sincere in his desire to help her. Cyrus believes that "an effective psychologist is someone who commits, who goes into the darkness to bring someone out." That was something that Joe O'Loughlin, a university lecturer of his (and frequent character from earlier novels) had taught him.
But, I expected this "truth reader" ability to be the focus in this story, and was disappointed that it was not. Perhaps it will be in future novels that these characters might be featured in.
The crime of "who" killed Jodie, was MUCH LESS satisfying for me. With one despicable character going unpunished, and the fate of his friend, and investigator, Lenny left unresolved. Again, there are hints that the author may bring these characters back in future novels, so perhaps I will get my answers then, if I choose to continue on.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Scribner , and Michael Robotham for the digital ARC, I received in exchange for candid review! This title will be released on July 23, 2019.
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