Book Review - The Lies She Told by M. A. Comley

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Title: The Lies She Told

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 17th May 2020

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Abducted…why?

Laura Tyler’s life has recently come together in the past few months, now that she’s settled into a new home with her boyfriend, Andy.

So why would someone abduct her?

The more DI Sara Ramsey and her team dig into Laura’s past, the more shocked they become...

Can Sara overcome her prejudice towards the missing woman and track down her abductor?

Or will the sand of time run out for Laura?

This was a slightly different change of pace for this series, for a start it's not as dark as some of the authors recent books, but not only that, its a missing persons case at the heart of the book and not a murder.  

We get snippets of real time of what is happening to Laura, and it's not great.  Equally as the team investigate you realise we are looking into a person's disappearance where very few people have anything that great to say about her. 

Yet DI Sara Ramsey and her team are professionals although they seem to struggle a lot with this case, as there just seems to be no leads at all, and Laura is just coming across as really unlikable. 

I believe this book could be read as a standalone, and it was good we get to see a bit more of some of the other team members too not just Sara and Carla.  

It's another fabulous addition to the series, which I devoured really quickly and was hooked on, I read the majority in one sitting, and loved the race against time for Sara and her team, to see if they would be able to find Laura alive. 

I am already looking forward to the next book in the series, and can't wait to see what direction the author takes us in next. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Taken by M. A. Comley

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Title: Taken

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 17th March

Rating: 5 Stars

A past that comes back to haunt you...

Jaime Connor and her family venture out for the day, only for it to end in disaster.

A chance encounter with two teenagers puts Jaime's life in mortal danger.

Why was Jaime abducted?

During the investigation, DI Kayli Bright and her partner, DS Dave Chaplin, uncover shocking revelations about Jaime's family.

Will Kayli succeed in saving Jaime from the clutches of her abductors? And will she be able to put a stop to their heinous crimes in this cat-and-mouse thriller?

I think I'm completely out of original superlatives to describe any of this authors books. She has done it again with another breathtaking story, that had me completely on the edge of my seat. 

This is only the second book in the Kayli Bright series that I have read, and it really does seem to have a different feel to the others.  I'm really enjoying discovering just what sort of DI Kayli is, and getting to know her home dynamic too. 

At no point during the story did I come up with the reason for the abductors to be doing what they did, they were continually one step ahead of me and the police,  with the exception that as a reader I was treated to occasional chapters focusing on what they were up to. 

I actually felt slightly bad for one of the bad guys, which is a rather unsettling feeling, but once you've read this you'll understand why. 

Not necessarily the smartest or most dastardly of M. A. Comley's villains, they still lead the police on a merry dance and without a doubt are dangerous. 

Simply put, a thrilling book that I was hooked on.

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Savage Justice by M. A. Comley

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Title: Savage Justice

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 30th January 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

The year is 2004, Lorne Simpkins and her partner, Pete Childs, have a terror attack on their hands.

Lorne has her suspicions who is behind the incident... her arch enemy, The Unicorn. Can the intrepid duo bring the vile criminal to justice before he carries out his ultimate plan to tear the capital apart?

Grab this 17,000 word thrilling novella now

Just buy this book...

..go on do it...

..not sure? Then go first and read the first few books of the Justice series, understand the basis of how warped the Unicorn is.. and then come back and read this one. 

He is pure evil, one of the most dastardly villains ever, and he just loves toying with DI Lorne Simpkins.  What he gets up to in this is... well words are failing me. 

I read this cover to cover in around 40 mins, I couldn't put it down, and was just open mouthed throughout.   

Anyone that has followed my reviews, possibly by now, knows how much I love this author and especially this series, and it was wonderful to back in time, to see an early Lorne back in action with Pete. 

If you haven't read any of this series before, then this could be a good starting point, if you go on to then read more of the earlier books, let's just say the Unicorn is legendary, and in a rather depraved way I'm happy to see him back tormenting London!  (Although what that says about me I'm not sure!). 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - Twisted Revenge by M. A. Comley

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Title: Twisted Revenge

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 17th February 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Did Alistair really deserve to die such a heinous death?

A man with no known enemies, so why did someone want him dead?

DI Sara Ramsey is about to tackle one of her worst cases to date.

The more she digs, the more secrets she uncovers within a seemingly loving family.

Can Sara sift through the lies to reveal the murderer and their warped motive?

Hopefully my heart may stop racing in a moment, after reading the conclusion of Twisted Revenge.   M. A. Comley you have done it again, this was unputdownable, fast paced and fabulous. 

But equally this book needs to come with a warning :

Do not read this book, or at least the details of the murders while you are eating!  They are so horrific and gruesome, that they will put you off your food, as I discovered the hard way.  M. A. Comley, I wouldn't want to be in your mind, as you are coming up with these cruel and horrible ways for people to die.  And remind me never to upset you... as your methods for revenge are insane!! 

Sara Ramsey is almost, so almost my favourite of this author's DI's, but Lorne from the Justice series still has my heart.   

The writing is superb in this latest book, it was heart in the mouth, end to end action, and I almost felt sorry for one of the bad guys. 

It's a really tricky case as the initial victim comes across as the perfect man, making his gruesome death all the more surprising and a lot trickier than you may imagine to investigate. 

I can't get over how fabulously talented my favourite thriller writer is.  There is even a very small aside to a sub plot of something that was in the news last year, which I was interested to see.   

We also get to see just how much Sara cares when she is working on a case,  some of her actions may be questionable but at the same time completely understandable. 

Utterly fabulous book, and I can't wait for more from this series. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

And thank you to M. A. Comley for this wonderful book post that arrived over the weekend. 

Book Review - Murder By The Sea by M. A. Comley

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Title: Murder By The Sea

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author Supplied Copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 18th December 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Carmel Cove is a peaceful community... except when death pays a visit.

When the friend of a friend goes missing and a corpse is discovered, Private Investigator Ruth Morgan is tasked with solving yet another death in her hometown.

The case is a perplexing one with few suspects and more questions than answers. Did the victim die at the hands of someone else? Did they commit suicide after falling out with their spouse? Or is it simply a case of accidental death?

In her quest to uncover the truth, Ruth puts everything on the line, her business and even her relationship with her fiancé.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this cozy crime series, and it was great to be back in Carmel Cove again. 

Even better was the way that Ruth and her nemesis are starting to at least treat each other with some professional respect.  I was though shocked at the way Ruth and Jams were getting on, although perhaps not surprising, given their characters, was still slightly taken aback. 

And the mystery itself, well the victim had a rather unpleasant selection of acquaintances, but at no point could I work out just who had done it.   I do like to be kept on my toes. 

For me this series is far more about seeing the development of the regular characters as people, than the crimes themselves.  There are plenty of recurring faces to really start giving an idea of who lives in Carmel Cove, and the more I read of these books the better picture I'm forming of the area. 

A really quick story to read that could easily be read as a standalone, its a solid addition to this series, which I'm keen to read more of. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Justice at Christmas by M. A. Comley

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Title: Justice at Christmas

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 11th November 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Santa is dead...

Or is he?

DI Lorne Simpkins investigates the murder of a man wearing a Santa suit in the week leading up to Christmas.

Why was he inside Jilly Cartwright’s home?

Ho...Ho...How did he die and who killed him?

Perfect length to read with a meal, this had me hooked from start to finish. 

After all it's not often that you see a dead Santa inside someone's house, and no one is quite sure who killed him.

Of all the various scenarios the actual one is not anything I would have every guessed. 

It was great to be able to read a fresh Justice series short story, and always a pleasure to read anything featuring DI Lorne Simpkins, and her early team. 

The pacing was great, it was quick, engaging and a puzzling case to solve.  My only regret is that I now have no idea how long it will be before I next get to read a book featuring my favourite DI. 

If you are looking for an excellent piece of festive crime to devour, either in the run up to the big day, or to give yourself a bit of me-time, on Christmas Day itself, then this is certainly worth a read. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Murder at the Hotel by M. A. Comley

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Title: Murder at the Hotel

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source:  Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 18th November 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

With heads still spinning from the recent murder at Carmel Cove's largest wedding, excitement mounts as a famous author books into the hotel with her entourage. Excitement quickly turns to fear and suspicion as another murder rocks the small community.

When a member of Ruth Morgan's amateur dramatic club is arrested for the crime, Ruth must once again take the reins and battle wits with not only her nemesis, the local Detective Inspector, but also the murderer who is determined to evade capture.

Grab this fast-paced cozy mystery today. Readers who enjoy Faith Martin's mysteries will enjoy this novel.

I really enjoyed being back in Carmel Cove, and seeing just what private investigator Ruth would be dealing with this time.  I'm loving the persistence of her boyfriend James, and his continual attempts to get Ruth to agree to be engaged.   And Ben the dog is adorable as ever. 

There are plenty of familiar faces in Murder at the Hotel, as well as a whole new cast of characters and all manner of potential suspects as the author being murdered wasn't the most pleasant of people. 

She was rather domineering, had a habit of threatening to sack staff members almost daily and seemed to hate her fans, and just didn't seem happy with anything.  Which of course means there were potentially many people who had it in for her,  although whether they were capable of murder is another thing. 

I love the pacing of this book, we get to know the victim, and her Ruth fits into the investigation, before the murder (which isn't a spoiler, it says so in the title!) occurs.  It gives a far more human and gentler approach to the writing and makes everyone feel that more human, a sign of the M. A. Comleys fabulous skills. 

I really enjoyed the slight insights into the publishing industry, although when the famous author featured in the book was introduced initially only by surname, I was instantly worried for a womens fiction real life author that I love, who shares a surname.. but thankfully it wasn't her! 

If you don't typically read books that deal with the dark side, as such, then this Carmel Cove cozy mystery series could be a great way of tipping your toes into a new genre.  There is a death, and a murder investigation but dealt with in a very gentle and human way and not filled with procedure.     Or if you are already a fan of cozy mysteries then this is definitely a series you may want to watch out for.   And I am finding it refreshing that the body count isn't too high,  makes such a change to not read about serial murderers, gives the crimes and motives a whole different angle.

Although I had suspicions throughout,  I was only reasonably sure who did it, a few pages before Ruth did, and I could have easily believed a handful of others would have had sufficient motives too. I do like a book that keeps me guessing.  

Another excellent addition to this incredibly promising series that proves that M. A. Comley really does excel at whatever sub genre she turns her hand to. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Murder at the Wedding by M. A. Comley

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Title: Murder at the Wedding

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Ltd

Publication Date: 18th October 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Private investigator, Ruth Morgan, detests weddings, but when her best friend is about to get hitched, she finds it impossible to turn down the invitation.

A beautiful wedding, until the final kiss when the festivities turn sinister. The venue is now a murder scene.

Ruth quickly becomes frustrated by the fact the local inspector in charge of the case proves to be hopeless at her job. Therefore, it's down to Ruth to use her intrepid skills to find the murderer.

The more she digs, the more she learns about the victim and the web of lies he has spun over the years.

Ruth uncovers an extensive list of suspects, all of whom have a legitimate motive for wanting the victim dead.

But who is the murderer, and will Ruth solve the case before the inept local police?

This is the first novel in the Carmel Cove Cozy Mystery series.

Well Murder at the Wedding has proven one thing, it doesn't matter what M. A. Comley turns her hand to, she will come up trumps. 

This is a fabulous Cozy Mystery and had left me wanting more from Carmel Cove, and an incredibly competent private investigator. 

It's great to see the author come at a crime from a different angle to for solving, and the body count was rather reasonable. 

Turns out the groom who was murdered really is an unpleasant man, and we got a great introduction to Ruth.  She has strong values, a great partner, who she is resisting marrying, her best friend, Geraldine is married and widowed on the same day, and then Ruth's sister's husband has an accident. 

It's impressive to see how Ruth does her best to help everyone that she cares about, investigates a murder and also spends plenty of time with her dog Ben. 

I really enjoyed getting to know these characters. I had an inkling as to who did it slightly ahead of Ruth, but I wouldn't have guessed the motivation.    This made such a great change of pace from reading thrillers, and Christmas books and I do love a good cozy mystery - and this is definitely a great cozy. 

Fabulous start to a series and I'm excited to see where it goes from here. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Goodbye My Precious Child by M. A. Comley

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Title: Goodbye My Precious Child

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Ltd 

Publication Date: 18th September 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

A brutal, senseless murder...

One intrepid detective...

DI Sally Parker and her cold case team are tasked with solving a nineteen-year-old murder case unlike any other. The victim - a six-year-old child.

Who killed little Millie Pickrel? And why?

What motivates a person to murder an innocent child?

Will Sally be able to give the family closure after years of tormented existence? 

I love Sally Parker and her determination to solve cold cases. It's such a refreshing angle to come at something that hasn't been solved for 19 years and see if they can work it out. 

The prologue which highlights original murder hooked me in completely, and it had me turning the pages from that moment onwards. 

What shocked me even more was that I had a strong inkling as to who the murderer was, even though I couldn't work out motive, from very early on in the book, well before Sally and her team, and possibly for the first time ever my instincts were right!   It didn't take away from my enjoyment especially as I've never had any success in solving crimes in books!! 

Believe it or not this is only the second book I've read in this series, and it had been a while since the previous so although I didn't really remember the team dynamics, it can easily be read as a standalone, as at no point did I feel lost. 

i was incredibly happy and smiley to see my favourite M. A. Comley character pop up a bit in this, and with just hints at what could happen, I am incredibly keen to read the next on in this series as soon as possible! 

As I've come to expect from this author, its a tightly plotted book, that absorbed me completely, and that I enjoyed every aspect of it - well apart from the murder as I would be a very disturbed person if I enjoyed seeing a six year old child die. 

For a case that had incredibly few clues, i am impressed with how Sally and her team dealt with it all, and just how things developed. 

Another fantastic book from a wonderfully talented author.   If you have never read a book by M. A. Comley then now is the time to start, you won't regret it. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Murder Pact by M A Comley

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Title: The Murder Pact

Author: M A Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 8th August 2019

Rating: 5 Stars 

Another gripping instalment in this fast-paced thriller series from NY Times bestselling author who has sold over two and a half million copies worldwide. 

A murderous act...

The last resort for some.

One determined detective with a battle on her hands to unravel the truth.

A shocking case, that is both perplexing and intriguing.

However, can uncovering a disturbing secret bring DI Sara Ramsey’s latest investigation to its astonishing conclusion?

What an unique plot, not read anything like this one before. 

I was going to add more to that sentence but then realised literally anything I say about any aspect of the plot, is likely to be a spoiler. 

There are multiple murders involved, and completely different methods of people being killed, enough that if you only had the police's side of the story, I personally would have no idea where to start. 

But as this is a book, we also get to see the other side of the story, and hear the reasoning of the murders and get to see the full picture which makes this a fabulous book. 

It was great to catch up with D. I. Sara Ramsey and her team, and seeing her personal life on a far more settled, less dangerous footing than previously in the series.     I loved seeing how they tackled solving this crime wave.  

The Murder Pact, with its incredibly apt title, is the next fabulous addition to the series, and another truly original and enjoyable story to read. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Caring For Justice by M. A. Comley

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Title: Caring For Justice

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Ltd

Publication Date: 15th July 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

A Justice novella featuring the original cast members, yes, Pete is back!

DI Lorne Warner and her partner, Pete Childs have one of their toughest cases to crack in this fast paced novella. 

Someone is intent on attacking pensioners in their own homes. Can Lorne and Pete put an end to these heinous crimes? Or will someone else intervene to give the investigation a helping hand?

As a long term fan of the Justice series, it's always great to see a new addition, and this is a fabulous little novella.  

As with all the Justice novella's it takes us back to much earlier in Lorne Simpkin's career, while her police partner Pete was still alive.  It was great to see a young Lorne back in action again, given I have seen her develop over the years and series. 

The nature of the crimes being investigated this time are horrible, and with the first victim having the same name as my elderly grandfather, I just hope that nothing like this ever happens to him.  

This really is a whistle stop investigations, in a fully formed extra story that will please fans of the series.  Felt rather nostalgic to me, while hoping that Lorne would be able to stop this new spate of murders. 

Easily readable within a lunch break, carve out an hour or so of time, and just be hooked on M. A. Comley's great writing, while having sympathy for the victims, and curious as to just how the police would solve it.  

An excellent addition to this series, that can easily be read as a standalone. 

Thank you to M. A. Comley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily 

Book Review - Overdue Justice by M. A. Comley

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Title: Overdue Justice

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Ltd

Publication Date: 25th June 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Time is supposed to be a great healer...
However, sometimes to heal isn't enough.

Back on duty for her final case, DI Lorne Warner and her team are assigned one of their most gruesome cases to date when a man is found murdered in his home. 

The brutal nature of the crime makes Lorne suspect a woman is behind the murder.

But why?

What could her motive be?

With less than two weeks to go before Lorne retires, can she solve not one gruesome murder but a number of them?

Could there possibly be a female serial killer on the loose or something far more sinister afoot? 

Grab this fast-paced thriller today and prepare to be riveted to the edge of your seat.

So many thoughts running through my head at the moment...

....wow I truly believe this may be the last in the series 
.... how many times I was almost in tears reading this due to it being DI Lorne Warner's last two weeks at work
... I actually could sympathise with the killer - well that's unusual 
... and shouting far louder than any voice is - you need to buy this book, its fabulous, in fact if you haven't already, you need to buy this whole series, it really is something special .

I can't think of many other series that in my adult life I've stuck with for 19 books, eagerly awaiting each and every release, and being this gutted that its actually come to an end... well perhaps until the next time the talented M. A. Comley comes up with a way of resurrecting it all.  Well I can dream!! 

I'll admit it wasn't necessarily the trickiest of cases to guess, in part because we are given most of the information, but at the same time due to the insights we were getting to the killer, it meant that I hated every last one of the victims and really could understand the crime being committed, which is a different way of looking at things. 

Ok.. it wasn't tricky for the reader to guess given we had all the info, watching Lorne and Katy piece everything together was impressive as always and I loved the way Lorne was finally talking to Sean.  

If you are wanting to know more about specifics of this book, then please read other reviews, I don't want to give anything away, and also being such a fan of this series, my thoughts are stuck on a loop of, I can't believe this is the end, but wow what a way to end a series. 

I will say though, perhaps don't read the bit with the first murder scene especially when you are eating, its slightly off putting, and if you are male, be prepared to wince a bit at some of the details of this case. 

I suspect it can be read as a standalone, but truthfully you would be missing out on 18 other amazing books if you just start it from here. 

I raced through this book, resenting real life when it tried to get in the way, until I finally read the last 60% in just over an hour, being oblivious to everything.  Absolutely loved every second of this, and given as far as I'm concerned they are real people, good luck to D. I. Lorne Warner as she moves away from the police force for good and onward into her new life. 

Many thanks to M A Comley for bring the Justice series into the world. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Deluded by M. A. Comley

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Title:  Deluded

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 31st May 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

For most it is unobtainable.

DI Sara Ramsey is forced to tackle one of her toughest cases to date when a tragic fire turns out to be the actions of a deranged arsonist.

A person set on revenge...but why? What's his motive? He's risking everything, striking when innocent people are asleep in their beds, leaving in his wake a trail of devastation that is harrowing for Sara and her team to unravel.

Emotions are running high for all concerned: the families, the investigation team, and the murderer.

Can Sara capture the perpetrator while dealing with a personal issue that rocks her world, or will the murderer complete his revengeful agenda? 

Grab this fast-paced thriller today, if you dare.

I don't think I've ever read a book with a more apt title. Deluded is just about the only word I have for the serial killer in this new addition to the D. I. Sara Ramsey series. 

The crimes are truly atrocious and they are ramped up at such speed it doesn't bare thinking about, but at the same time, it meant the pacing of this book was incredibly fast.  

I was completely hooked on seeing just how DI Sara Ramsey and her team were going to solve this one, especially given how little they had to go on.  And yet again Sara is put through the wringer in her personal life too.  Nothing ever seems to go smoothly for her, and I'm amazed continually how she copes with everything. 

I did enjoy seeing her relationships deepen and continue to grow both with Mark and also Carla her partner.   Sara has over the course of the first 4 books of this series continued to develop as a person, and although a complete workaholic, with good reason, she also seems more rounded than before.  

I would still love to get to know the rest of her team better, we don't really see much of them at all, other than in meetings, and it would be good to get to know them all better, just to get a better feel for the police station.  That being said I do really like Lorraine, the pathologist's personality, despite her harrowing job. 

This is another wonderful book in this series,  which seems to be going from strength to strength. The writing is up to the author's normal high standard, and the plot is addictively gripping,.  The bad guy is horribly deluded and especially cruel. 

It is a fabulously fast paced story that is really quick to read, and will have you hooked the entire time.  My best recommendation would be to clear a couple of hours, switch off from the world and enjoy. 

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.