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."

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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 😁

Book Review of The Perfect Corpse by Giles Milton

Official description:

When the frozen corpse of Ferris Clark is found in the Greenland ice, forensic archaeologist Jack Raven is hired to investigate. He is suspicious from the outset. The corpse is not only naked, but in an absolutely pristine state.

As Jack unravels the mystery of Ferris Clark’s final hours, he uncovers a dark and terrible past. He also finds himself caught in a race against time. There is a murderer on the loose and Jack alone can stop the killings.

But first he must solve the greatest riddle of all. How did Ferris Clark die? And why?

Frankenstein meets Fatherland in the debut thriller by internationally bestselling author, Giles Milton.

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I want to thank the publisher Prospero Press and www.netgalley.com for providing me with a copy of this novel in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Well, I quite enjoyed it. I am not going to give any of the plot away so my review won't be going into too much detail about specific people or parts of the story as I personally don't like that ... my review is a general outline from my perspective.

This is a unique idea (as far as books I have read before) and very inventive. The author provided a clever mix of history, the present and possible future.  Yes, it stretches the boundaries of reality in a big way but isn't that what novels are supposed/allowed to do?

The main characters were an interesting mixed bag of likeable, annoying, boring and not-so-nice people some of which were developed more than others and some seemed to be just thrown in there to fill the pages. I would have liked to have had more of the story focused on "Ferris" as there was virtually none and I think this would have added a little more interest for the reader and would have tied things together a little better especially when you get close to the end.

It was also a bit technical at times and went into detail in some depth some of which, in my opinion, didn't add to the story. I did like the way in which the history and research was tackled. This, for me, was interesting and I enjoyed the way the pieces of the puzzle were put together.

I can forgive the little annoyances as mentioned above but what I can't forgive is the ending of this book. It was a HUGE let-down for me and a massive anti-climax - it could have been so much better but it felt rushed and I was extremely disappointed. In addition, the last chapter (before going back to 1944) was unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story or the ending. I think the ending is as important, if not more so, than the beginning as it is what lingers in your mind long after you have finished and unfortunately, the ending of this left a lot to be desired and was quickly forgotten.

This had a lot of potential but just didn't deliver for me. I was excited at the beginning and was giving a running commentary to my husband throughout until the end which left me really disappointed which I find quite sad.

This could have been a 5 out of 5 but, given all of the above, I have to give it a 2 out of 5.

"Old" People are NOT useless!

The Little Old Lady Who Broke All The Rules
by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg

From the back:

"79-year-old Martha Anderson dreams of escaping her care home and robbing a bank. She has no intention of spending the rest of her days in an armchair and is determined to fund her way to a much more exciting life-style. Along with her four oldest friends - otherwise known as the League of Pensioners - Martha decides to rebel against all of the rules imposed upon them. Together, they cause an uproar with their antics: protesting against early bedtimes and plastic meals. As the elderly friends become more daring, their activities escalate and they come up with a cunning plan to break out of the care home and land themselves in a far more attractive Stockholm establishment. With the aid of their Zimmer frames, they resolve to stand up for old aged pensioners everywhere - Robin Hood style. And that's when the adventure really takes off ..."

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I really enjoyed this - a little unrealistic but would love to see this happen in real life if only to show that 'old' people are not useless or boring and have dreams and aspirations as much as anyone else. I actually know a few people who would love to be in the characters shoes!

I liked the writing style and pace of the book and was very impressed on how well it was translated.

This is one of the only books that I have read that has been passed round to my work colleagues and all of them have said how good it is!

Don't Look Back by Gregg Hurwitz - fast-paced action/survival story

Don't Look Back

by Gregg Hurwitz

The blurb:

"After the breakup of her marriage, Evie takes the holiday of a lifetime. A few weeks of hiking, rafting and jungle adventure at an eco-lodge in Mexico sound ideal. But what should have been the perfect pick-me-up soon turns into a nightmare.

Nothing is quite what it seems. There are secrets hidden that can't be allowed to leave their jungle hiding place. And which their keeper will kill to protect.

If she is ever to see her son again, Evie will be forced to find reserves of strength, courage and ingenuity she never dreamt existed. Or die trying.

With great pace and pitch-perfect characterisation, Gregg Hurwitz rachets up the tension in Don't Look Back, his exceptional new thriller. Fans of Harlan Coben and Simon Kernick will be hooked from the word go."

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I would like to thank www.netgalley.com and the publishers, Penguin Books (UK) for sending me a copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

Once a brief history is provided about why Eve is alone on a “trip of a lifetime”, it gets down to it in a big way with non-stop action and tension throughout. The scene is set so well, I was transported into the jungles of Mexico; the beauty and the dangers within described to great effect.

The mix of characters was excellent with the main heroine (Eve) one tough cookie - she didn’t start off that way but with the determination to see her son again, she quickly had to become Amazonian-like and someone I would want on my side. When she (and you) thought she couldn’t do or go anymore, she dug deep and kept on.

The villain (Bashir) is everything you would want in a bad guy - ruthless, heartless, cruel, excellent at what he does and right at home in the jungle.

Don't Look Back, is an edge-of-the-seat, fast-paced action/survival story that will keep you on your toes until the very end.

This is the first time reading a Gregg Hurwitz book, but I will definitely be reading more.