When She Was Good by Michael Robotham Cyrus Haven #2

When She was Good is the second Cyrus Haven instalment and once again brings to us a story that revolves around Evie Cormac and her dark past

As the story begins Evie is back at Langford Hall and Cyrus is helping the police with enquiries into a suicide where things don’t add up. As Cyrus digs deeper the case begins to tie into Evie’s disturbing past and pretty soon it becomes apparent that the secure unit she is living in is not going to keep her protected.

I enjoyed this instalment. We learn more about Evie, particularly when the police officer who found her years ago joins Cyrus in his search for answers. 

Evie is still very much a prickly pear, and with good reason tbf. She finds it difficult to trust and the fact that she is the equivalent of a human lie detector doesn’t always help. Imagine how difficult it must be to constantly be aware of those tiny little untruths that surround a person. It must be exhausting. 

This series seems to be going from strength to strength. 

I bought a copy from Audible. The above is my own opinion. 

My rating 4 stars

Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham Cyrus Haven #3

Another tense thriller in this series. 

Cyrus is now a firm and integral part of the police serious crime investigations. In this instalment he will be looking into a murder and kidnapping and trying to profile the killer. At the same time Cyrus’s brother is about to return home after many years spent in a psychiatrist hospital. Elias killed his family and Cyrus discovered their bodies. This trauma was his motivation for studying psychology. Now, years later Elias is set to return to the family home. Of course he’s massively out of touch with the modern world and on top of that Evie is now sharing the house with Cyrus. Not that the two are having a relationship. Simply that Cyrus has provided a safe place for Evie to stay. The two get on well. Evie is making an attempt to change. She attends school although she isn’t totally accepted by the other students. She’s also starting a job, which is how she finds herself a witness to the potential abductor/killer. 

Of course, the killer also spotted Evie and she once again finds herself at risk. 

What I find really works for me with this series is the central relationship between the two main characters. There’s still a tentative feel to the friendship and the two are still working things out. Evie isn’t too keen to have Elias at the house. The two seem to have a mutual mistrust of each other and an almost competitive streak vying for Space and attention. 

Once again we have a thrilling murder investigation that cranks up the tension and threat. At the same time Cyrus is still on the hunt for more information about Evie that ultimately puts them both in danger. 

I really enjoyed this instalment. I think that having the opportunity to read this and the previous instalment so close together also worked really well for me. These are such intriguing and layered stories. A story within a story. Well written with a dose of seedy underworld that gives the story additional darkness.

I bought a copy from Audible. The above is my own opinion. 

My rating 4 of 5 stars