Hysteria: An Alexander Gregory Thriller (The Alexander Gregory Thrillers)

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Eva Bisset’s life was a world away from the glitz and glamour of those involved in the world of fashion. Eva’s father had run a successful restaurant, and since his death her husband had taken over. Eva was never sure what kind of mood he would be in and if she would be sporting more bruises. The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category. The setting of Paris fit well with the modelling story but I've never been to Paris so I'm not familiar with the various arrondissements. It is clear that the author knows the area well, but maybe too well as I couldn't really conjure a vivid picture of the setting in my mind. Not that it bothered me too much, as I was more interested in the storyline than the Parisian sights. Something else to note in relation to the setting, there are a couple of phrases in French that some people might have difficulty with. I grasped most of it but anyone who hasn't studied French will struggle. Don't let it put you off though; just remember, that's what Google Translate is for. Alex is still dealing with events from the previous book through the nightmares he suffers. Although there’s a barrier around his emotions, he is opening himself up a little more and showing his vulnerability. It’s not a natural inclination however, he is still challenged by internal struggles and his self control is still very much in evidence. It was good to get to know more of the man as well as the professional.

Having been blown away by the first book in the Alexander Gregory series, I couldn’t wait to jump into this one. What was really interesting, was not only to see Alex in work mode but we get to see more of how events from the previous book have affected him. This being said, I would highly recommend reading that one before this one. There is no wonder he is fighting his own demons and it adds a little something to the story, making it darker and deeper. Whenever I recommend books, one author springs to mind time and time again: LJ Ross. As much as I love the DCI Ryan series, I'm really enjoying the Alexander Gregory books and Hysteria is the second instalment of that series. Don't worry if you haven't read Imposter though; Hysteria works very well as a standalone. The author's diversion to Paris as a setting was distracting, especially with French comments that added little to the characters or the storyline. As such, the first half of the book was slower but did contain most of the forensic, criminal profiling, while the last part of the book was more interesting. Paris’ Fashion Week. The usual frenzy that accompanies it. L.J. Ross depicts a dreamy Paris, with its crows, its wealth, but she doesn’t sell postcard cities. She takes your hand and shows you the other Paris. The everyday not-so-glamorous side of France’s capital. And dead bodies with mutilated faces. The contrasts between the city’s different sides associated by the differences between the French police and the UK system played a part in this story, at times reinforcing the parallels, at times widening the gaps.

Detective Inspector Denise MacKenzie

Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends. ABOUT LJ ROSS LJ Ross is an international bestselling author, whose books have sold over 8 million copies worldwide. Again, we saw another, more vulnerable, side to Alex in his relationship with a certain lady, who is another brilliant character.

With a bigger dose of romance than the first one, (well, what do you expect in Paris - the city of Love!?), the mystery in this book kept me hooked from start to finish. Even though I had numerous suspects in my mind, I couldn't be sure of any one in particular. When the truth was revealed, I was left open-mouthed. I could never have envisaged what happens in the end.The author LJ Ross’ work is synonymous with Northumberland and Tyneside, where she sets her DCI Ryan mysteries. Hysteria is the second outing for Dr Alexander Gregory, an elite forensic psychiatrist and criminal profiler and this time she has him heading for Paris. Gregory’s lips twisted into a reluctant smile. He couldn’t deny his interest had been piqued by the case, as well as his compassion. For any person to be rendered mute by such severe trauma was a cause of great sadness, and he yearned to help her—not merely so she could confirm her identity to the police and help to find the person responsible, but before any temporary damage became permanent and she was consigned to a life of silence." Struggling to find a killer that is hiding in plain sight, while navigating small town politics and pagan rituals that muddy the waters, romance is blossoming between the two tortured souls, threatening to slow down the investigation. “Sycamore Gap”, the second novel in the DCI Ryan series of novels is an excellent novel about the adventures of the handsome and troubled Detective Chief Inspector Ryan. Apart from the editing, which her husband proudly did, she did not have to pay anything, and was pleasantly surprised when the novel took off. She has been publishing as an Indie ever since. The DCI Ryan Mysteries are set in Northumberland, which is a region of England that the author is particularly familiar with, given that she grew up there. These are fast-paced mystery and murder novels peppered with a bit of romance and humor.