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

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While she will always be a northerner at heart, she currently lives with her husband and their son in Bath on the outskirts of London where she spends her days writing her detective mysteries. Ross loved books from a very early age when she would find old books from her mother’s chest that she would staple and illustrate during her middle school years. Even as she has a varied taste in the types of novels that she reads, and will not mind reading the odd women’s fiction or a romance. 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. Set on the historic Holy Island otherwise known as Lindisfarne, “Holy Island” is a gripping novel that introduces Detective Chief Inspector Ryan. Ryan has retreated to Holy Island to recover from a tragic case that had a particularly bad effect on his psyche. A few days into his sabbatical, the tranquility is broken when the body of a young woman is discovered abandoned on the ruins of the nearby monastery buildings. Having read and loved Imposter I was SO excited to read Hysteria and I don’t know how LJ Ross does it, but each book is as awesome as, if not better, than the last!

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. This series differs in that the storyline isn’t just written as a straight forward police procedural, but also through Alex’s perspective—so we are privy to the profiler/pyscologist insights into the impact on the victim and the lasting effects of trauma. The story also encompasses relevant issues concerning women in the working environment where men are in positions of power. Judging by revelations over the last few years and beyond, it’s an entirely plausible scenario.As soon as I finished reading the brilliant 'Impostor', the first book in the Dr Alexander Gregory series by LJ Ross, I couldn't wait to start reading book 2, 'Hysteria'. This time the author took me to beautiful Paris.

LJ Ross is an internationally bestselling author, whose books have sold over 7 million copies worldwide. Thinking of a creative venture that would take her away from her job, she fell pregnant with her son. Motherhood was a very exciting prospect for L.J. Ross, though she was still unsatisfied with her career that would not give her the flexibility she desired to have as a mother. L.J. Ross peels our skins to reveal the vulnerable and fragile parts of ourselves. Gregory doesn’t escape this. Throughout the book, everyone is scrutinized, and truths appear. 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.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. Hysteria is an enthralling read filled full of mystery and suspense. I’m enjoying the different settings that the author takes her readers to as well as the tangled web she weaves, ensuring we are kept on our toes, not knowing how things are going to conclude.

It was great to catch up with Dr Alexander Gregory again. I do have a bit of a soft spot for him (don’t tell DCI Ryan!), he is a fascinating character. Dr Gregory is proving to be more fascinating with each book. His expertise, although essential, never cuts him from the world and his peers. He finds himself spiraling with everyone else in a mysterious and somehow tragic investigation.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. In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries. To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’. Having been blown away by the first book in the Alexander Gregory series, I couldn’t wait to jump into this one. In Hysteria Alex finds himself assisting on a case involving the murder of a fashion model and the attempted murder of another. Set in Paris during fashion week, Alex is called in as a profiler initially, but soon finds himself working with the surviving victim as her psychologist. Her story is absolutely fascinating. I was totally captivated and couldn’t wait to find out where her story might lead. What transpires is so sad, but also heart-warming and quite inspirational. The human mind is so complicated and totally fascinating! (I know I’ve used that word three times already, but I can’t think of a better one.)