A good thriller with a bit of blood and gore thrown in for good measure.

The River Is Dark
by Joe Hart

In a small town along the Mississippi River, separate but nearly identical attacks have left two married couples brutally murdered in their homes. A young boy?the lone survivor of the killings?now lies comatose in the hospital. And the police's only lead is the boy's terrified description of the assailant: a ?monster.?

Enter former homicide detective Liam Dempsey, whose estranged brother fell victim to the killer. Dragged into the investigation as a suspect, Dempsey vows to solve the case and clear his name. But two things stand between him and the truth: a web of local politics, and the grim secrets the victims held close. All the while, a murderer with boundless hatred continues to raise the body count.

As the troubled ex-cop tries to pull justice from the town's emotional wreckage, he realizes that his could be the next life lost to the killer's ruthless, twisted plan for revenge.

****************************************

I am embarrassed to say that I have never read anything by Joe Hart before ... well, after this, I won't make the same mistake again and I am so pleased that I took a punt and requested a copy via www.netgalley.com and am grateful that the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, sent me a copy in return for an honest review.

I liked everything about it ... the story, the pace and style of writing, the sense of tension that grows in intensity, the characters, etc, etc ... it was great.

The beginning of the story hits you right in the face straight away and leaves you wanting to read on to find out what "the monster" is and why "it" has murdered in such a brutal way? The middle of the book develops the story and provides more background to the characters as well as introducing more interesting players but what links the murders and does it have anything to do with the proposed development over the river? The ending is fast and furious and even though I saw part of it coming, it still came as a bit of a surprise.

The main character, Liam, is excellent and, again, makes you want to read long into the night to find out more about him and why he is in the place he is. All the while, the story develops and pieces of the jigsaw start slotting together. The introduction of a bit of romance was well done, not too much and, I think, appropriate for the story and the development of the understanding of the characters of Liam and Dani.

I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a bit of blood and gore thrown in for good measure.

I also feel this has more mileage for prequels and sequels especially around Liam who is an extremely interesting character and I would definitely give them a go if they were to be developed ... hint hint Mr Hart ;)

Disappointed by Prime Deception by Carys Jones

"When Lorna Thomas is found dead in her car everyone believes she killed herself. But the day after her death Lorna was set to sell a scandalous story to one of Britain’s biggest tabloid papers. For six months she had been the Deputy Prime Minister’s mistress.

Will Lorna’s secret die with her? While her family try to move on and come to terms with her death one person refuses to believe that Lorna killed herself. Her twin sister, Laurie is convinced that Lorna was murdered and she’ll stop at nothing to prove it, even if that means teaming up the very man her sister had been having an affair with."

****************************************

I really don’t know what to say about this book to be honest! I thought I was going to be reading a good thriller but instead, it turned out to be an in-depth exploration of grief and guilt with a bit of thriller thrown in.

The story was interesting but could have been so much more than that; I felt there was way too much emphasis on the feelings of the main characters, which got boring quite quickly, and not enough development of the crime/thriller aspect of the story. The first third of the story was good, the second third was boring and the last third was when the tension developed but this was over very quickly.

The characters were interesting and well developed but I found they became annoying quite early. Charles (the Deputy Prime Minister) starts off ok and I did feel sorry for him in the beginning but this soon wears off and he ends up, to me, being creepy and unlikeable - he made me physically cringe at times. His wife, Elaine, was from the Victorian era and in a marriage of convenience over love - I liked her character but not as a person. I’m not a twin but I did empathise with Laurie and her quest to find out the truth about her sister’s death at all costs. John, the reporter, didn’t really get too much of a mention despite him being in the “blurb” of the book. The minor characters were great and I especially liked Faye and Arthur.

In its defence, it was well written and I particularly liked the way the author was able to write a situation from different perspectives in subsequent paragraphs however, there were a few typing errors that interrupted the flow of my reading.

Overall, I was left a little disappointed by this - it had so much promise but just didn’t deliver for me. Would I read something else by this author? Hmmm … not sure … it would have to have a great description to entice me.

I want to thank www.netgalley.com for providing me with a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

A pretty good opener to a Zombie series - Dead Islands by Tim Moon

Dead Islands: Necrose Series

Book One (Necrose #1)

by Tim Moon

Description:

Ben Chase and his friend Ty are fresh from teaching English in South Korea, and they’re on their way to experience the Big Island of Hawaii – but their vacation turns into a nightmare when two passengers unexpectedly die during their flight.

Desperate to recover their sense of excitement, they meet up with Ty’s friend Anuhea and her friend Charlotte, who Ben finds himself instantly attracted to. But their plans quickly unravel as a rampant infection hits the islands and they find themselves surrounded by flesh-eating monsters.

Law and order degenerates into a daring fight for survival, and Ben is faced with a critical decision that places the fate of his friends in his hands. And what he must do to save them is unthinkable…

Dead Islands will leave your skin crawling as you follow Ben and his friends’ terrifying encounter with the deadly Necrose-7A virus, and their desperate attempts to survive the doomed island paradise. 

****************************************

A pretty good opener to a series with enough action to “whet your appetite” so to speak and spark enough interest to read the next one to see how it all pans out and the story develops.

I thought the characters were interesting although seemed a bit “dim” and naive as to understanding and reacting to what was going on - particularly at the beginning - it was as if they had never seen or heard anything about zombies before … very strange!

The story, however, was well written with a good pace. I felt the sense of confusion and fear was put across really well and the descriptions of situations was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the airplane sequence but did feel it was a little downplayed; I expected more tension and panic which would have been more realistic in that particular scenario where there is no escape. This did however improve as the book moved on and things became a little more believable.

I admit that I haven’t read an awful lot of “zombie” books so don’t have a lot to compare against but I do watch these types of films/programmes and feel this stands up quite well and, as I said, is a pretty good opener and I am tempted to read the next book in the series.

I also love the cover.

I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and be sent a copy of this eBook by the author in return for an honest review; this did not determine the outcome of my review.

Book Review - The Ninth Orphan by James and Lance Morcan

The Ninth Orphan (The Orphan Trilogy #1)

by James Morcan and Lance Morcan

"How do you catch a man who is never the same man twice?

That is the question posed in The Ninth Orphan, a top-rated international thriller novel and the first book in The Orphan Trilogy.

An orphan grows up to become an assassin for a highly secretive organization. When he tries to break free and live a normal life, he is hunted by his mentor and father figure, and by a female orphan he spent his childhood with. On the run, the mysterious man's life becomes entwined with his beautiful French-African hostage and a shocking past riddled with the darkest of conspiracies is revealed.

But can the ninth-born orphan ever get off the grid? To find out you'll need to go on a tumultuous journey around the globe to such far-flung locations as China, France, the Philippines, Andorra, America, England, Germany and French Polynesia. The frenetic cat-and-mouse chase moves from airports to train stations and hidden torture prisons, taking the reader on a shocking, nail-biting ride into the world's closet of skeletons that goes beyond conspiracy theories to painful reality."

****************************************

I received a copy of this eBook from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

The story follows a man named "Nine" as he tries to free himself from the powerful and shady organisation whose ultimate goal is power and domination. The 9th out of 23 orphans, he is different and longs for a life of freedom but the quest is not so easy. Throw in the leaders of the clandestine organisation, another orphan (“seventeen”), the Chinese and a love interest together with locations around the world and you have a recipe for success. There were many twists, turns and sub-plots that keep things interesting throughout and those, added to a fast pace of writing results in a great, suspense-filled and thrilling read.

All the characters, both major and minor, were really well developed. There was a good mix of background history that helped in the understanding of the characters and their motivations.

I haven’t read the Bourne books but imagine that this would compare quite well with them if the films are anything to go by and this would make a great film.

I loved it and found it hard to put down. I read most of it in one day - I had a 2 ½ hour delay plus a 3 hour flight home from my holidays and the time went so quick as I was engrossed in this book; I was annoyed when I had to stop reading when interrupted by the people I was sitting next to (not my family I hasten to add) and the air stewardesses!

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a great spy, conspiracy, action, etc, etc book and I would love to read the other books in the series.

Short story review - Killing Your Boss by James DeSantis

Killing Your Boss by James De Santis

"Have you ever had a terrible day at work? Nothing seems to go right and everybody is out to ruin your entire day? Also, add on the fact that your boss is breathing down your neck to get work done. You ever get the urge to maybe want to...kill someone? That's what Ben gets roped into as his best friend, Ron, forces him to join him on a nightly adventure to kill their boss. What seems like a joke at first quickly escalates and things aren't what they seem. The workers want a little revenge but what if the boss has plans of his own?

Check out a twisted horror filled story about one terrible night that is worse than anyone could have imagined. Death, torture, and more awaits in a short story created by James DeSantis. The end results promise to leave you feeling terrified."

****************************************

A quick but surprisingly good read.  I'm not sure how believable it is that someone would just decide to kill their boss and the girlfriend and best friend go along with it but if you can't push the boundaries of reality and common sense in a book then when can you?

It was well written with a few errors but nothing that detracted from the reading experience.  It has its fair share of tension, suspense, blood, gore and moments where you wince in pain for the character and all told in a very successful way.  The characters were interesting and I liked the way each chapter was told from their different perspectives, this made it all the more compelling and enjoyable for me.  The ending was great and surprising and I didn't see it coming which I love.

I think this has scope for further books - one of which could focus on Kurt and his life before ending up at the E-mart and one could focus on his daughter.

I would consider reading something else by this author and would recommend but only to people over 18.

I received a copy of this book direct from the author in return for an honest review - this did not influence me in any way.

Short story eBook review - Plague by T Joseph Browder

Plague by T Joseph Browder

One man, alone with his children. One world, in the grip of the worst viral outbreak in human history. Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. No place is safe. What lengths would you go to to protect the life of your child?

They kill. Violently and without warning. They are monsters. They prey on the living. They are not zombies. They are something much worse.

Prepare yourself for T. Joseph Browder's darkest and most controversial tale yet. It's not scary because it could happen, it's terrifying because someday, in the near future, it might.

****************************************

This is not your usual “zombie” tale, it’s so much more than that. It is quite a sad short story of trying to survive when you think there is no hope. I am of the belief that there is always hope but this made me question that.

This short story opens with a bang when a husband has to kill his wife with an axe in front of his children. The graphic nature in which this is written does not let up throughout the book however, it is not over-the-top or gratuitous. I did however find it a bit too technical and in depth when describing the virus which, I felt was too much and admit to skim-reading that part; it didn’t add anything to the story for me but may do so for people who are more physics/biology minded and like to know the ins and outs of that kind of thing.

This is a short story and therefore I am not going to give anything away about the development or clues to the outcome but before you read it, ask yourself one question … would you do anything for your children? This story made me think very hard about that question and I would hope that I would have as much bravery as the father in this short story and say yes but, and this is the real question, could I live with my choices???

I like a book that challenges my beliefs and this managed to do this despite it being short. I would read something else by this author.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from the author but this has not influenced my review in any way.

Review of The Group by Kevin R Doyle

The Group by Kevin R Doyle

The blurb:

Professor Ron Green could only blame himself as his marriage teetered on a precipice. Even though the affair had been over for months, he felt accused by every icy stare his wife sent his way. What could be worse than this slow motion disaster? 

The murder of his ex-lover could be worse. 

Becoming the prime suspect in her murder could be worse. 

Discovering another murder related to his lover's death, and making himself the scapegoat by telling the police about the connection could be worse. 

Someone is killing harmless members of the focus group where he met his lover. What did the group do to cause this horrible vengeance? Who could feel hurt by anything Ron and the others had done in those two brief days? 

Ron must answer those questions and find the killer before he ends up taking the fall. 

Or worse, before the killer finds him.

****************************************

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review; this in no way affected how I felt about this book or my review.

I was definitely entertained by this book. It was well written with good pace. The main characters, and even some of the minor ones, were well developed and interesting and although Professor Green was a bit whiny and self-pitying at times, this was perfectly understandable given what he was experiencing and especially when he tries to clear his name but ends up looking even more guilty. However I didn't have too much sympathy for him for most of the book as he only had himself to blame for the predicament he was in.

What I did find disturbingly accurate was how the book delved into what it's like to be under the police and media spotlight and how easy it is to become a pariah in your local community whether guilty or not and how one lapse of judgement can have implications you couldn't have foreseen.  I feel this was portrayed pretty accurately in this book.

Overall, a good read which kept me guessing for most of the book - and I guessed wrong!

My review of Survivor: A Horror Thriller by K.R. Griffiths

Survivor: A Horror Thriller

by K.R. Griffiths

[Kindle Edition]

The official description:

"Clive Barrett is a fast learner. His first kills were amateurish, but Clive knows that practice makes perfect. Soon, he expects to be one of the most notorious serial killers operating in the UK. He expects to be number one.

There is just one problem: one of Clive's victims simply won't stay dead.

It turns out that one of Clive's early kills was more than just sloppy; it wasn't a kill at all. Now, improving his craft might just be the least of Clive's worries, because the woman he thought he'd murdered knows his name. She knows where he lives.

And she is coming for him..."

****************************************

I received a free copy of this novel direct from the author in return for an honest review.

The fact that I received it free and from the author in no way influences how I feel about this book ... it was absolutely brilliant and I loved everything about it.  It sounds corny but I really couldn't put it down.

It is an exceptionally well told, well written story with really well thought-out characters.  It was fast paced from the start with plenty of violence which is graphic but written in such a way as not to be gratuitous.

I really liked the way that the author was able to tell the story from the perspectives of both the killer and victim(s).  The way the author developed the mind of the killer and how he described how he honed his skill in murder, always trying to do better next time, was chilling.  The fear and despair of the victims was believable  and excellently described.

The ending was not what I expected and, rather than give it away, would love for a follow up.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good serial killer story which is full of suspense, thrills, twists and turns.

Review of The Copycat Murders by William Meikle

The Copycat Murders

by William Meikle [Kindle Edition]

The official blurb:

"The murders have the police baffled. The D.I. in charge has a suspect, but they have a cast iron alibi and couldn't be in two places at once.

By the time they realize that the perp is using mirrors as gateways to his victims it's too late. The D.I is framed and set up for a murder. He has to go on the run.

The only way to clear his name is to trap the killer on his own territory.

That means taking a trip to the other side. Into the mirrrorland."

****************************************

I received a free copy of this short story ebook from Amazon whilst it was on offer. It is, today, 77p and I think well worth it. My review is honest and is in no way influenced by the fact that I got this for free.

This book has an interesting and unique concept which would work well as an episode in a TV series such as the X Files or something similar. It was well written, had interesting and likeable characters and a good "smarmy" bad guy that you are hoping will get his comeuppance. It was well paced and kept my attention throughout. I felt the ending was good but I would have liked to have found out what happened next.

Despite this being a short story, I really enjoyed it and would seriously consider reading more from this author.

Holidays!

There won't be any new reviews posted for a bit whilst I am on holiday. Lots of reading to be done in the sun 😁