Emma Kavanagh Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Emma Kavanagh is United Kingdom bestselling author of mystery and thriller novels. She was born in Wales in 1978, trained as a psychologist and immediately after graduating from the University started her own business as a psychology consultant, mostly specializing in human performance in extreme situations. For over five years, she provided consultation and training services for the police force military personnel and the NATO throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. The author currently lives in South Wales with her loving husband and their son.

Kavanagh became a published author in 2014 when her first novel Falling was released. Currently, more than six books have been published under her name.

Falling

Falling also known as After We Fall is the first novel by Kavanagh and focuses more on the aftermath of a tragic plane crash. Most importantly the readers can see the impact of such catastrophic event in the lives of others through the narration of four individuals. In short, four narrators tell the story which takes place over approximately one week in a rotating manner.

First, we meet Tom a DC for the Wales police department. Then there is Jim who has just lost his adult daughter to murder. Freya is the child of the pilot who was at the controls when the commercial airliner crashed resulting in the death of over 100 passengers. Cecilia is Tom’s wife and is one of the few survivors of the horrible plane crash. For some uncertain and strange reasons, Cecilia interacts much better with strangers than her husband and son.

Over the course of this classic tale, these characters and their stories are uniquely weaved together. The general mood of the story is introspective and reflective as well. It unfolds well likes an onion peeling its layers in good ways towards the many answers to the myriads of questions that arise as the story unfolds. The ending is not like in Hollywood action movies, but it is quite satisfying.

The author’s background and training prepared her adequately in writing this novel. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and worked as a military and police psychologist- and this created an excellent fodder for crafting characters who are wrestling with the aftermath of a horrifying crash. The mystery of the plane crash is an intriguing one to solve and also the death of Jim’s daughter is indeed an head-scratcher.

What gives this novel its wings to soar up higher than the books in the same category written by other authors are the emotions and the relationships of the characters. The characters are troubled, have dark secrets and are all trying to figure out how to deal with their own lives. The author, Kavanagh devotes each chapter to a particular character and the immediate family as well and thereby developing four unique points of views and sub-plots as well. They all narrate their beginning at the same point in time, and as the story progresses, some flashbacks give more insight on how the characters lives were before and how they became the person they are now. This aspect makes them all human; it is a tale about good people who consistently make bad decisions and how they manage to deal with the consequences.

The Missing Hours

This is a mystery book dealing with a missing mother named Dr. Selena Cole, a widow and a mother of two. She disappears in a playground leaving behind her two daughters, 7-year old Heather and 3-year-old Tara. She just vanishes into thin air.

The little Tara was on the swing, and her mother was pushing her, the elder sister had gone down to the stream, but upon coming back, she finds her sister alone and her mother nowhere to be seen.

Then, the missing mother reappears with no memories of what happened to her in the last 24 hours and of her disappearance as well. Coincidentally, a body of a person who appears to have been murdered is discovered. Did Selena Cole have anything to do with the killing? Detectives D.S Hale and D.C Leah brother and sister work to solve the puzzle.

It is also revealed that Selena Cole and her deceased husband Ed operated a kidnap and ransom company by the name Cole Associates. One day when in Brazil for a business conference, there was a terrorist attack and her husband was killed, and she survived. Cole Associates operates worldwide and provides training to companies in crisis management to help them protect their employees. Moreover, if someone is kidnapped, Selena and her husband Ed are sent to the scene.

The Missing Hours is told from different point of views. This works pretty well as it allows the reader to get a full disclosure of whatever is going on at the time and also help them piece everything together. The author has done a fantastic job of creating a believable plot, twists and turns and some believable characters.

Hidden

Hidden takes places immediate moments following a shooting rampage at a Swansea hospital. The story then rewinds, and we are introduced to three main characters of the story a week before the shooting. There is Charlie, her friend Aden who is a firearms officer and Imogen who works as psychologist attached to the hospital. A gunman has been spotted in the hospitals and tensions continuously rise, but who could be the man and what does he want? How is this event connected to the shooting that took place 12 months ago?

Again the author also gives the readers the opportunity to follow the events through the eyes of the unnamed shooter. This mystery will keep you guessing on the real identity of the shooter who is finally revealed later. The storyline is interesting as well as the different viewpoints which make it even better.

Hidden is beautifully drawn, the characters are intriguing from various walks of life but all with that familiar line between them. It is so addictive, elegantly constructed and will keep you glued from the first page to the last. If you love mystery, a thriller novel, then the addition of Emma Kavanagh books into your book library would be great.