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Sunday 29 August 2021

A Line To Kill (Hawthorne & Horowitz Mystery #3) by Anthony Horowitz

 


Description from Publisher:

"'I couldn't see the sea from my bedroom but I could hear the waves breaking in the distance. They reminded me that I was on a tiny island. And I was trapped.'

There has never been a murder on Alderney.

It's a tiny island, just three miles long and a mile and a half wide. The perfect location for a brand-new literary festival. Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne has been invited to talk about his new book. The writer, Anthony Horowitz, travels with him.

Very soon they discover that all is not as it should be. Alderney is in turmoil over a planned power line that will cut through it, desecrating a war cemetery and turning neighbour against neighbour.

The visiting authors - including a blind medium, a French performance poet and a celebrity chef - seem to be harbouring any number of unpleasant secrets.

When the festival's wealthy sponsor is found brutally killed, Alderney goes into lockdown and Hawthorne knows that he doesn't have to look too far for suspects.

There's no escape. The killer is still on the island. And there's about to be a second death..."

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I haven't read anything by Mr Horowitz before and was a little apprehensive about reading this, with it being the third in the series, but I needn't have worried - this is a unique and enjoyable mystery.

I have never read a book where the author puts himself as one of the main characters in a book but here he is joining up with an ex-Detective Inspector Hawthorne and, I must say, it really worked for me.  Mr Horowitz doesn't take himself too seriously and he comes across as a Dr Watson-type character to Hawthorne's Sherlock Holmes - which, let's face it, isn't a bad thing at all.  How much the fictional Horowitz is like the real Horowitz, I don't know but I like him!

Anyway, Horowitz and Hawthorne have been invited to take part in a literary festival on the island of Alderney.  A murder ensues and Hawthorne is asked to assist the local constabulary to investigate with Horowitz in tow.  The relationship between the two is a complex one ... do they really like each other or do they just tolerate each other for the purposes of writing books?  I am still working that one out but I am liking it.

This is a proper old-style mystery with a cast of excellent characters many of whom have their own secrets which creates multiple suspects and I for one must have said "I knew it was them all along" numerous times and was wrong!  There is a lot of humour and tongue-in-cheek moments which make this a fun and enjoyable read with a very satisfying ending.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was quite nice to read a murder/mystery without a plethora of violence for once and I am very much looking forward to more "adventures" from Hawthorne and Horowitz.

A thank you must go to Penguin Random House UK / Cornerstone via NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.

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Terminal (Major Crimes Unit #4) by Iain Rob Wright

 


Description:

"The United Kingdom's worst ever disaster has just taken place…

Sarah Stone is no longer the loose cannon she once was. As a senior member of the long-established MCU, she has finally found the the peace and stability she has always longed for.

But that peace is shattered when a plane falls out of the sky.

With almost eight-hundred dead, the MCU is called to investigate the cause of the plane crash, but the answers they find make little sense. Hacking a plane is supposed to be impossible; so how did somebody do it?

There's a mass murderer on the loose, but it's not who you might expect."

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Having just read book 3 in the series "End Play", I was jumping to read this the 4th in the series and was extremely pleased and grateful to Iain Rob Wright for sending me a copy prior to it's publication date in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

Once again, Iain provides a fast-paced and thrilling read starring Sarah Strong and her colleagues at the Major Crimes Unit.  From the first page to the last, this book had me absolutely hooked and I fair whizzed through it.  

Full of excellent characters, a storyline that is not beyond the realms of reality (scarily so!) and written at a pace that fair trots along, this is a story well written and exciting and one that I would definitely recommend.  Although you don't have to have read the others in the series, you won't be disappointed if you do but it does work as a standalone quite well.

I would definitely recommend to others who enjoy getting engrossed in the world of major crimes.

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Sunday 22 August 2021

A Plague of Traitors (Leine Basso #11) by D.V. Berkom

 


Description from Goodreads:

"A former assassin leads a heroic band of foreign fighters to thwart an enemy like no other.

Former assassin Leine Basso races to prevent Syrian intelligence from obtaining a lethal Russian bioweapon—a savage combination of toxins never before seen in nature.

Leine’s called back to war-torn Tripoli, enlisted by her former employer to train a heroic group of Isis-fighting snipers to crush the horrific threat. But there’s a leak, and the Libyan operation goes terribly wrong—the bioweapon ends up in the hands of a brutal terrorist who will stop at nothing to force the West to its knees.

Are there spies in their midst? Can Leine and her warriors prevent a ruthless enemy from releasing the deadly toxin before it's too late? Or will humanity be destroyed in a cataclysmic finale orchestrated by A Plague of Traitors?"

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I have made no secret that I am a fan of D.V. Berkom's work and particularly of her books starring Leine Basso but you would think that after so many stories it would become stale.  Well let me tell you that this is most certainly not the case.  D.V. Berkom has a gift of creating plausible and exciting situations that keep me coming back every single time.

Once again, I have run out of words to describe how much I enjoyed this book so will just say that it is yet another action packed thriller full of tension that will have you turning the pages at quick speed (or tapping the screen!).

D.V. Berkom has a knack of creating excellent characters and this book is absolutely littered with them from the good guys to the not-so-good.  Leine has to be one of my favourite characters of all time - she is strong, brave, not afraid to kick rear ends but with a soft side that is endearing and feels natural and believable.

This is part of a series but, in my opinion, it holds up extremely well as a stand-alone.  There are recurring characters, and I am pleased to see the return of Derek,  but the author has the ability to provide just enough information so you don't get lost but not so much that it detracts from the current story.

Yet again, this is another hit for me and I would recommend this and the rest of the series to anyone who loves a thrilling read that although contains violence, it's not over the top.

I, for one, cannot wait for the Leine's next "adventure" but I must thank D.V. Berkom for allowing me to be a member of her Advance Reader Team and for sending me a copy of "A Plague of Traitors" before the official publication date on 31-August-2021 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review for which I am, once again, extremely grateful.

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The Saboteur (Jude Lyon #2) by Simon Conway

 


Description from Goodreads:

"The terrorist Guy Fowle has escaped from prison.

Jude Lyon of MI-6 has been saved from a Syrian ambush by his lover - and enemy? - Julia Ermolaeva.

A mysterious Russian has been murdered in London and his thumb cut off.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has made an unfortunate social connection at a party, which he hopes he can keep secret.

And suddenly, the world is literally going up in flames.

Jude needs to start putting together the pieces of this jigsaw and quickly, because someone is putting into play a terrifying Russian plan to disable and destroy the UK. Once it has begun, it is designed to be impossible to stop.

Bad enough if that someone is the Russian government. Worse if it is the psychopathic genius Fowle, otherwise known as The Stranger."

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I was lucky enough to be invited to read "The Saboteur" having previously read and thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series, "The Stranger".  Let me tell you that I was not disappointed in the slightest and I was on the edge of my seat and totally engrossed in this book from the first to the last line.  I want to reassure you that you don't have to have read "The Stranger" to enjoy this; this can most definitely be read as a standalone.

This book is absolutely packed to the rafters with action and suspense, thrills and spills, tension and twists.  The plot is engrossing, riveting and fast paced - I found myself having to remind myself to breathe!

The cast of characters that Mr Conway has created are just fantastic - I literally cheered when the baddies got their comeuppance and cried when people were lost; not many books do this to me. 

The ending was perfect and definitely leaves things open for a third - well I hope so anyway because I will be first in line.  

Many, many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for inviting me to read this and, in return, to provide an honest, unbiased and unedited review.


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Sunday 15 August 2021

End Play (Major Crimes Unit #3) by Iain Rob Wright

 


Description from Goodreads:

"Old Nightmares and New Threats…

Sarah Stone is finished. The last year of her life has seen her face madmen and terrorists that will haunt her forever. This case will be her last.

The Flower Man is London’s worst ever serial killer, putting even Jack the Ripper to shame. Sarah can’t quit until she catches the monster and ensures no more innocent people are killed. A local tip off might just be the break she needs to find her man and get the job done for good.

But Sarah doesn’t know that an even bigger monster from her past has just awoken, and that the City of London is about to be devastated by the worst attack in it's long and prestigious history. It’s already too late.

If Sarah doesn’t end the killing now, it will end her. She has one chance to get her life back, but time is running out. This is her end play."

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I know it's a bit strange, but I haven't actually read the first two books in this series however, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of this story.  Although I recognise I have missed quite a lot of the back story to Sarah's character, Iain has provided just enough information so you don't feel lost.

What we have hear is a fast-paced story where the hunt for a serial killer intertwines with the hunt for a terrorist from Sarah's past; both are hell-bent on bringing the Nation to it's knees in fear.

Sarah is a strong cookie but even she is questioning her ability to keep going.  It is clear she has been through a lot and is damaged by her experiences but she has little choice but to hunt those responsible for the atrocities that are occurring with her colleagues in the Major Crimes Unit.

Full of action, this is a book that is hard to stop reading from the first to the last word.  There are surprises and twists along the way and, I have to say, a very satisfying ending.

Thank you to Iain for providing me with a copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

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Visit Iain's website and subscribe to his mailing list and you will get
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Sunday 8 August 2021

Mummy's Little Secret by M. A. Hunter

 


Description from Goodreads:

"Four little words can ruin a life.

When Jess meets five-year-old Daisy and her mum, Morag, in a local London park, they seem a perfectly happy and loving pair. Until Daisy whispers four little words that send ice seeping down Jess’s spine…

She’s not my mum.

Determined to save Daisy, Jess becomes obsessed with unearthing Morag’s secrets. As she digs ever deeper, her friends and family start to question her own increasingly paranoid behaviour…

Four little words can end a life.

But Jess knows what she heard and she’s certain the fear in Daisy’s eyes was real. Of course she isn’t imagining things… Or is she?"

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With its engrossing story line and excellent characters, this is a good psychological thriller that had me guessing until the end.

This absorbing and compelling story is told from the "before" and the "now" perspectives with the "before" being told by Jess and Morag and the "now" from the senior investigating officer, DI Mike Ferry.  You would think this would be confusing but not in the slightest; what it does do is provide layers of mystery until it all comes together.

I haven't read anything by M.A. Hunter before but if this is anything to go by, I will certainly be looking out for more.

Thanks go to HarperCollins Publishers / One More Chapter and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

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Sunday 1 August 2021

The Devil's Advocate (Eddie Flynn #6) by Steve Cavanagh

 


Description from Goodreads:

"A deadly prosecutor

They call him the King of Death Row. Randal Korn has sent more men to their deaths than any district attorney in the history of the United States.

A twisted ritualistic killing

When a young woman, Skylar Edwards, is found murdered in Buckstown, Alabama, a corrupt sheriff arrests the last person to see her alive, Andy Dubois. It doesn't seem to matter to anyone that Andy is innocent.

A small town boiling with rage

Everyone in Buckstown believes Andy is guilty. He has no hope of a fair trial. And the local defense attorney assigned to represent him has disappeared.

A former con-artist

Hot shot New York lawyer Eddie Flynn travels south to fight fire with fire. He plans to destroy the prosecutors case, find the real killer and save Andy from the electric chair.

But the murders are just beginning.

Is Eddie Flynn next?"

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Yet again, Mr Cavanagh has written a belter ... definitely one of my reads of 2021 so far and one I can't recommend highly enough and even though this is number 6 in the series, don't let that put you off because you can absolutely read and enjoy this delight as a standalone.

I am a fan of Mr Cavanagh's incarnation of Eddie Flynn having read a couple of his previous outings but, I have to say, this is the best one I have read so far - an absolute peach of a story that had me on tenterhooks and devouring the pages as quick as my little eyes could manage.

With excellent characters, fantastic plot and side plots, perfect setting and pace, the right amount of twists and thrills, I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who loves a great thriller.

What are you waiting for?  Go get it!

Many thanks to The Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

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The Rainbow by Carly Schabowski

 


Description from Goodreads:

"There, on the dusty floorboards, was a piece of paper, folded neatly. A newspaper article, written in German, alongside a faded picture of two men in Nazi uniforms staring at the camera. I was about to place it back in the box of forgotten things when something in the text jumped out at me. My breath caught in my chest. I know that name.

London, present day. Isla has grown up hearing her beloved grandad’s stories about his life as a child in pre-war Poland and as a young soldier bravely fighting the Germans to protect his people. So she is shocked and heartbroken to find, while collecting photos for his 95th birthday celebration, a picture of her dear grandfather wearing a Nazi uniform. Is everything she thought she knew about him a lie?

Unable to question him due to his advanced dementia, Isla wraps herself in her rainbow-coloured scarf, a memento of his from the war, and begins to hunt for the truth behind the photograph. What she uncovers is more shocking than she could have ever anticipated – a tale of childhood sweethearts torn apart by family duty, and how one young man risked his life, his love and the respect of his own people, to secretly fight for justice from inside the heart of the enemy itself…"

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What a read that was ... so good!

I am not normally a fan of historical fiction but the cover and then the blurb had me interested and I am so pleased I didn't let this pass me by.  Although this is a work of fiction, it is inspired by a true story but it feels like a "real" story and I was totally and utterly absorbed and invested in the lives of all the characters.  

The story starts off in the present when Isla finds a photograph of her grandad in a German uniform, this raised questions and caused confusion as the story always told was how her grandad fought against the German's in World War II.  Unable to find answers from her grandad, who has dementia, she begins a quest to uncover the truth and so begins this brilliantly written story of war, adversity, strength, courage, love, loss and friendship.

I am unable to give this book the review it deserves, I can't find the right words to put across how much I enjoyed it for which I apologise but a massive thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

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