Adrift 3: Rising by K R Griffiths

Description from Goodreads:

“Dan Bellamy has lost everything: his wife, his home, his country; perhaps even his sanity. The only thing he has left is vengeance for the creatures who took his world away, and he intends to visit it upon them, no matter the cost.

As the eyes of the world turn to the destruction in England, Dan believes that his presence in the United States will provoke an immediate response from the vampires.

He thinks he knows what that response will be.

He's wrong...

With the fate of the nation - and perhaps the entire world - hanging in the balance, Dan believes he must understand the visions which torture him, and which might be key to humanity's survival, but he'll have to do it fast. Because darkness is coming.

And the vampires are rising... “

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This is the third and final instalment in this series of books and a thoroughly enjoyable series it has been. I was lucky enough to have received the first two books direct from the author but I enjoyed them so much I actually bought this one!

This final book provides a very satisfying conclusion to the story of the fight against the “vampires” and it has moved from a cruise ship in the first book, to London in the second and finally to the USA. Once again, the author creates a vivid story which grips you from start to finish. The characters are excellent, particularly the main protagonist “Dan” who we have seen develop over the course of the 3 books into a strong and engaging personality. There is a certain amount of blood and gore but it’s not gratuitous or overdone.

This series of books is excellently written, flows well and is a unique spin on the usual vampire stories. To get the most out of them, you really do have to read them in order otherwise you will miss out considerably on what is a great read and somebody needs to snap these up and make them into a film or series; with good actors, it could be as good as Alien or Predator!

I highly recommend you read this author’s work - I haven’t been disappointed yet.

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Author website: KRGriffiths where you can subscribe to his newsletter for new releases and bonus content.

Author twitter: KRGriffiths1 

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Other books I have read and reviewed by K R Griffiths:

Read my review here

Read my review here

Read my review here

Read my review here

Beneath The Ashes by Jane Isaac

Description from Goodreads:

“The floor felt hard beneath her face. Nancy opened her eyes. Blinked several times. A pain seared through her head. She could feel fluid. No. She was lying in fluid.

When a body is discovered in a burnt-out barn in the Warwickshire countryside, DI Will Jackman is called to investigate.

Nancy Faraday wakes up on the kitchen floor. The house has been broken into and her boyfriend is missing. As the case unravels, DI Jackman realises that nothing is quite as it appears and everyone, it seems, has a secret.

Can he discover the truth behind the body in the fire, and track down the killer before Nancy becomes the next victim?”

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After I read “Before It’s Too Late” by Jane Isaac, I said that I would certainly read more as I had enjoyed it so much so imagine my delight when I was offered to read "Beneath The Ashes" in return for an honest review by The Legend 100 Club. I wasn’t going to say no was I?

We are quickly immersed in a riveting crime story being investigated by DI Will Jackman. I have said it before and I will say it again, I really like Will as a character. He is a really interesting, complex and likeable Police Officer who, despite carrying a lot of baggage around in his head, is methodical and driven to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Nancy and her missing boyfriend.

The story moves at a good pace and flows really well so is easy to read. The story is told from the perspectives of DI Will Jackman and Nancy in alternating chapters which, I think, works really well. There are twists, turns, secrets, lies and red herrings before the reveal at the end which I didn’t see coming.

This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great mystery with very likeable characters and if you haven’t read any of Jane Isaac’s work before, I would suggest you give her a go - she certainly doesn’t disappoint and I for one can't wait to read the third book in the series - The Lies Within - which is due out in May 2017.

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Author Website - Jane Isaac, Crime Fiction Author

Author Twitter - JaneIsaacAuthor

Publisher website - Legend Press

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Book One

Click here for my review

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Book Three due May 2017

Picture taken from The Legend Press website

Click here to read the blurb

Penalties by Stephen Leather

Description from Goodreads:

“Premier League footballer Gabe Savage is on the way to one of the most important matches of his life when he gets a phone call from his wife.

She has been kidnapped along with their young son. And the message from her captors is brutal: ‘If your team wins, your family dies.’

With the kick-off only hours away, there is only one person Gabe can turn to – his brother Ray, a vicious London gangster. But a dark family secret means that he hasn’t spoken to Ray for years. Can Ray help? And will he?”

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I admit to being a huge Stephen Leather fan so was extremely happy that I was chosen to receive a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review and although I don’t think it's as good as the Spider Shepherd series of books, it comes pretty close.

The story covers a day in the life of premiership footballer, Gabe Savage, however, it’s not an ordinary day and it’s not all about football so if, like me, you’re not a huge fan of the round ball game, don’t worry. Anyway, Gabe’s wife and child are kidnapped and Gabe calls on his brother Ray for help. Ray is not your typical brother; he’s a bit shifty to say the least but the perfect person to come to Gabe’s aid.

The action comes thick and fast with violence and scenes of peril a plenty; some of which is a pushing the boundaries of believability a little but if you can’t do it in a book, when can you? so just go with the flow and enjoy. The cast of characters is diverse and interesting and I particularly liked Ray … could this be the introduction to a new protagonist for a new series????? I hope so - I would certainly like to get to know him better.

The writing is excellent, as ever with Mr Leather’s books, it flows really well and you find yourself flipping through the pages with ease and before you know it, you’re at the end and herein lies the problem for me and why I don’t think it’s as good as the Spider Shepherd series, it was a little too easy, a little too predictable and not as developed but overall, an enjoyable read anyway but maybe for a younger audience than me.

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Author website - http://www.stephenleather.com/

Author twitter - stephenleather

Publisher website - Lawsome Books

Strangers by Paul Finch

Book description from NetGalley:

“Dark, gritty and always edge-of-your-seat: the #1 bestseller is back with a standout new heroine…

Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life.

As PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.

But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option – and these murders are as brutal as they come.

Lucy must step into the line of fire – a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.

And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it…

Always gripping. Always gruesome. Paul Finch will leave fans of Rachel Abbott and MJ Arlidge gasping for more.”

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Paul Finch has done it again!

I have read “Dead Man Walking” and “Hunted” by Mr Finch which feature the excellent character of DS Mark Heckenburg a.k.a. Heck as the main protagonist. In “Strangers” we are introduced to PC Lucy Clayborn - an equally strong and interesting character who is keen to prove herself as an adept police officer following a ‘mishap’ whilst in CID. Lucy is tasked with going undercover to find a serial killer, nicknamed “Jill the Ripper”, who is murdering and mutilating men however, she uncovers more than she bargains for and we are taken along for the ride.

This book has everything you want - suspense, intrigue, twists, turns, shocks, etc., etc., plus a smattering of wit to provide lighter moments - all told at a fast, flowing pace with a fantastic cast of characters. I love the fact that it’s set in the Manchester area; many British crime books are set in and around London so it’s refreshing for an author to move north of Watford!

Paul Finch has become one of my favourite authors and I have no shame in saying that I am a fan so I want to thank the publisher, HarperCollins UK Avon, via NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.

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Author website: Paul Finch

Publisher website: HarperCollins UK Avon 

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I would encourage you also to read:

Hunted

Dead Man Walking

Medea's Curse by Anne Buist

Description from Goodreads:

"Forensic psychiatrist Natalie King works with victims and perpetrators of violent crime. Women with a history of abuse, mainly. She rides a Ducati a size too big and wears a tank top a size too small. Likes men but doesn’t want to keep one. And really needs to stay on her medication.

Now she’s being stalked. Anonymous notes, threats, strangers loitering outside her house.

A hostile former patient? Or someone connected with a current case? Georgia Latimer — charged with killing her three children. Travis Hardy — deadbeat father of another murdered child, with a second daughter now missing. Maybe the harrassment has something to do with Crown Prosecutor Liam O’Shea — drop-dead sexy, married and trouble in all kinds of ways.

Natalie doesn’t know. Question is, will she find out before it’s too late?

Anne Buist, herself a leading perinatal psychiatrist, has created an edge-of-the-seat mystery with a hot new heroine — backed up by a lifetime of experience with troubled minds."

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I was really drawn to this book from the blurb and was grateful to Legend Press via the Legend 100 Club for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this a really difficult book to review because on the one hand, the story was captivating and interesting despite it being about some pretty despicable crimes (infanticide, child and domestic abuse, stalking and violence) but on the other, the writing style made it really, really hard to read which spoiled it for me in a big way. There are a lot of characters and the story jumps around a bit; I normally don’t mind this if there’s a thread which connects them all but in this novel, there were different threads that crossed but weren’t necessarily linked so this made it difficult for me to keep track. I also have an issue with the main character, Natalie King. Again, she’s difficult to critique. On the one hand she’s a very strong, independent woman but on the other, I found her to be extremely unlikeable and I wasn’t able to warm to her at all.

Having said all that, it’s very clear that the author knows her stuff and despite the difficulties I had in reading this particular book, I would be tempted to read another written by her.

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Publisher website:  Legend Press

Author Website:  Anne Buist