“Killing for Keeps” is Book 5 in Mari Hannah’s #DCIKateDaniels series and sees the detective and her team solve two hideous and brutal killings that takes them from the streets of Newcastle to the sunny climes of Spain. The entire murder investigation team are horrified by what appears to be torture killings and they really do make you squirm reading the graphic details. Even though the victims are gangster related, Daniels will stop at nothing to find their killer. She cares deeply about all people, showing more compassion than most, whilst staying hard and unaffected on the outside - until this case comes along. 

 

However, her dedication and empathy comes at price. Under so much pressure to perform, she starts to feel like she can’t breathe.  Everyone in the office is relying on her to put the cases to bed but by needing to break down an impenetrable wall of hostile silence and with witnesses terrified to speak out in fear of retribution, she really does have her work cut out and struggles to keep within police rules. This is the first time we’ve seen Kate vulnerable and as a ‘real’ person other than a detective and it was totally understandable how the case got under her skin. 

 

I personally enjoyed this book better than the others in the series, though it’s getting harder to choose a favourite, much like picking a favourite child but because of the continued development and seeing a fragile side of Daniels that shows her emotions exposed, made me feel a real affinity with her that most readers will feel too. 

 

“Killing for Keeps” is yet again another fabulous addition to the DCI Kate Daniels series, which can easily be read as a standalone due to Mari Hannah’s clever back history inclusions and I will continue to recommend this author and her books for many more moons to come. 

 

#KillingForKeeps - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️