Release Date: 07/04/16
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
1998. Kosovo is in the grip of civil war, and John Hart is an aspiring photojournalist determined to capture the devastating scenes. On his mission to shed light on the atrocities he discovers a house where women are enslaved purely for the pleasure of the Serbian soldiers. Hart risks his own life to free the imprisoned women.
2015. John Hart has his world turned upside down when he is left to care for a young woman - the daughter of one of the women he freed that fateful day in Kosovo. She is determined to track down the man known as the Captain: a war criminal, and her father. Unable to turn his back on the girl, Hart sets out to find the Captain. His quest takes him across Europe and into Africa where, on an isolated plateau in the mountains of Ethiopia, he confronts the man who shows no remorse, and no regard for life...
REVIEW:
I love a story that takes you on a journey and in this outing, John Hart returns to take on a mission that not only has repercussions from the characters own past but allows the reader to take the emotional journey with him.
The writing is pretty addicitive and with top notch action sequences (although some are quite bloody) the reader is treated to a Thriller that delivers on all angles. Finally throw into the mix a wonderful set of circumstances, a solid story arc and all round I was a more than happy reader
Release Date: 01/10/16
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
The year is 1199, and King Richard the Lionheart is dead, leaving his brother John to inherit both his French and English lands. Young Isabelle of Angouleme is betrothed to the son of her father's enemy, Hugh de Lusignan, and taken to his castle to be educated, where she is initiated into the 'Old Religion'. Isabelle is then told that she is to be married not to Hugh de Lusignan but to King John of England, in a complex and treacherous plot to gain the English succession. The Lusignans envisage an empire ruled by their young puppet queen, which will eventually oust Christianity and restore the Old Religion to Europe. But when Isabelle takes matters into her own hands, passions will rage and dynastic fortunes will rise and fall. Set against the vivid backdrop of the great political struggles of medieval Europe, The Stolen Queen will delight lovers of intrigue and adventure.
REVIEW:
As a fan of historical novels, I often like to take time out with authors like Philippa Gregory as I love to see a different side to the genre. Whilst I still love my hard hitting action, there are times when I can't wait to get into the nitty gritty of seeing how the ladies of the day interacted in the world. Its not only an eye opener but also gives you a different view of history.
So picking up this book by Lisa I was expecting a hell of a lot, not just because it set around a time period I love but because I wanted to see the world protrayed after the death of RIchard the Lionheart.
So picking up this title, I settled back for something epic. Except that wasn't what I got. What unfurled within this title was a book that to me felt quite messy. I didn't like the principle character of Isabelle, as I felt i didn't get to grips with her as for me she didn't have any traits that I could form a bond with. The authors choice of language was convoluted, way to flowery for me and at the end fo the day seemed to take an age to say something simple that could easy have been written in a line or two.
Back this up with a tale that really doesn't do too much and all round I was a pretty annoyed reader as I felt that so much more could have been done with a woman who was a historical centre piece rather than the character protrayed here.
Release Date: 05/11/15
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
I am Somerled. The summer warrior. What am I, if not a warrior?
In twelfth-century Scotland, far removed from the courtly manners of the Lowland, the Winter Isles are riven by vicious warfare, plots and battles.
Into this hard, seafaring life is born a boy called Somerled. The son of an ageing chieftain, Somerled must prove his own worth as a warrior. He will rise to lead his men into battle and claim the title of Lord of the Isles - but what must he sacrifice to secure the glory of his name?
The Winter Isles is an astonishingly vivid recreation of the savage dynastic battles of medieval Scotland: an authentic, emotional, powerful read.
REVIEW:
An Historical Fiction treat from Antonia Senior and one that will take you on one hell of an adventure to the West Coast of Scotland in the 12th century as one warrior becomes a lord and seeks to make his mark on his realm. As usual with Antonia, the writing in the story is something to behold, the way that our principle character makes his way through the tale becoming something more than expected. Its beautifully descriptive, the prose addictive with dialogue as well as characters that just step from the page as real people.
For me it’s a pure joy to read and as such was a book that I took plenty of time over to analyse the details as well as getting to know the characters so that I could look up what is written historically about them to investigate a past that has been so lovingly brought to light. All round a cracking read and one I’d recommend to anyone looking for a book that will delight as well as fascinate them.
Release Date: 05/12/15
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
When autumn storms blast Hereford, centuries-old human bones are found amongst the roots of a tree blown down on the city's Castle Green. But why have they been stolen?
At the nearby Cathedral, another storm is building around a new, modernising bishop who believes that if the Church is to survive it must phase out irrelevant archaic practices. Not good news for Merrily Watkins, consultant on the paranormal or, as it used to be known, diocesan exorcist. Especially as she's now presented with the job at its most medieval.
In the moody countryside on the edge of Wales, a rambling 12th-century house is thought to be haunted. Although its new owners don't believe in ghosts, they do believe in spiritual darkness and the need for exorcism. But their approach to Merrily is oblique and guarded. No-one can be told - least of all, the new bishop.
Merrily's discovery of the house's links with the medieval legend of a man who resisted mortality threatens to expose the hidden history of a more modern cult and its trail of insidious abuse. A trail that may not be closed.
REVIEW:
The thirteenth outing for Phil’s Merily Watkins and a tale that gives fans of crime thrillers the chance to add a good dose of supernatural to their murder. Its quirky, has a delightfully inviting availability to new readers and also generates a story that keeps you glued as the plot unfurls.
The writing is decently paced, the prose solid and when you add an arc with a good number of twists alongside characters you want to spend time with, generates something that is a treat to enjoy. All round a great read and one that I’m more than pleased I took the time to savour.
Release Date: 07/01/16
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
"AD 58: Rome is in turmoil once more. Emperor Nero has surrounded himself with sycophants and together they rampage by night through the city, visiting death and destruction as they go. Meanwhile, Nero's extravagance has reached new heights. The Emperor's spending is becoming profligate at the same time as the demands of keeping the provinces subdued have become increasingly unaffordable. Could Nero withdraw from Britannia, and at what price for the Empire?
As the bankers of the Empire scramble to call in their loans, Vespasian is sent to Londinium on a secret mission, only to become embroiled in a deadly rebellion led by Boudicca, a female warrior of extraordinary bravery. As the uprising gathers pace, Vespasian must fight to stay ahead of Rome's enemies and complete his task- before all of Britannia burns. "
REVIEW:
Robert Fabbri is an author that I love to spend time with as he brings the past wonderfully to life giving flesh and bones to a bygone era where death and life are sometimes a whisper away from each other and none perhaps more so than the violent times of Vespasian who has survived a number of made emperors and now faces the wrath of Nero alongside his sycophantic minions.
Its well written, the prose is sharp but what Robert always does well is the characterisations which not only make them feel real but by allowing them to grow from the past that has shaped them, makes them feel more alive to the reader. It’s a trick that’s hard to pull off and at times for many authors can lead sadly into a too much information that detracts from the tales pace.
Add to this delightful dialogue as well as a wonderful overall arc that has our hero travelling the length of the empire all round makes this a book that I really couldn’t put down. Cracking.
Release Date: 06/05/14
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
"Oli and Magnus Jonson have spent years trying to escape from the shadows of their past. Raised by their grandparents in Bjarnarhofn, a remote farmstead in Iceland, both brothers had to endure brutal violence at the hands of their grandfather. Now, two decades later, the past has returned to haunt them both. When Constable Pall Gylfason gets a dispatch call to investigate a suspected homicide in a remote farmstead, he is surprised to find that Detective Magnus Jonson is already at the scene. Magnus identifies the dead man as his estranged grandfather. As Pall begins to review the crime scene it becomes apparent that forensic evidence has been tampered with and that Magnus' version of events doesn't add up. Before long, Magnus is arrested for the murder of his grandfather. When it emerges that his younger brother, Oli, is in Iceland after two decades in America, Pall begins to think that Magnus may not be the only family member in the frame for murder...Can Magnus prove his innocence without implicating his brother? And can both men get to the heart of the twisted secrets that blighted their childhoods? What unfolds is a tale of familial ties and bloodthirsty vengeance, of isolated communities scarred by the tragedies of the past - and of a final, painful reckoning."
REVIEW:
The latest Magnus Jonson title and this time our detective hero is the key suspect in the murder investigation of his grandfather. Its definitely a book that will glue the reader as we glimpse the investigation from the other side of the case and when added to some cracking sleight of hand, top notch twists and solid police work, the reader is really in for a special treat.
Back this up with great prose, wonderful pace and of course that delightfully bleak landscape all round generates a story that is nigh impossible to put down. Cracking.
Release Date: 13/05/14
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
"Sophie Kohl is living her worst nightmare. Minutes after she confesses to her husband Emmett, a mid-level diplomat at the American embassy in Hungary, that she had an affair while they were in Cairo, he is shot in the head and killed. Stan Bertolli, a Cairo-based CIA agent, has fielded his share of midnight calls. But his heart skips a beat when he hears the voice of the only woman he ever truly loved, calling to ask why her husband has been assassinated. Jibril Aziz, an American analyst, knows more about Stumbler, a covert operation rejected by the CIA years ago, than anyone. So when it appears someone else has obtained a copy of the blueprints, Jibril knows the danger it represents...As these players converge on the city of Cairo, Olen Steinhauer's masterful manipulations slowly craft a portrait of a marriage, a jigsaw puzzle of loyalty and betrayal, against a dangerous world of political games where allegiances are never clear and outcomes are never guaranteed."
REVIEW:
I normally love a good thriller and whilst I’ve tried Olen’s work before this one felt sub parr as a number of the concepts didn’t ring quite right with a lead character that really didn’t have me wanting to spend time with them. Its an OK book but when you expect something special from a known name, and it just doesn’t deliver then as a reader you feel that you’ve been not only short changed but cheated.
Don’t get me wrong for most readers, if they haven’t read Olen before they will probably enjoy it but for me, sadly this lacked a lot of the skills that have come to the froe for me in previous outings. All round a great disappointment but it was a book I was pleased that I stayed around for the ending purely to discover that it hadn’t improved.
Release Date: 06/02/14
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
The definitive collection of folk music - one of the great English popular art forms. One of the great English popular art forms, the folk song can be painful, satirical, erotic, dramatic, rueful or funny. This magical new collection brings together all the classic folk songs as well as many lesser-known discoveries, complete with music and annotations on their original sources and meaning. Published in cooperation with the English Folk Dance and Song Society, it is a worthy successor to Ralph Vaughan Williams and A. L. Lloyd's original Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.
REVIEW:
As a reader of Thrillers, I do love to grab a title that brings some ancient wonders/mysteries to the fore and blends it with a cracking story that not only keeps you glued to the final page but generates a wonderful sense of awe within the reader.
This title by Mario hits all the spots for a reader, you have cracking characters, good high octane pace and when added with villains that not only give the principle player a run for their money but also leaves you wondering how the author is going to combat the twists that are thrown in the way. Great stuff.
Release Date: 07/05/13
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
It is 1648 and Britain is at war with itself. The Royalists are defeated but Parliament is in turmoil, its power weakened by internal discord. Royalism's last hope is Sir Mortimer Shay, a ruthless veteran of decades of intrigue who must rebuild a credible threat to Cromwell's rule, whatever the cost. John Thurloe is a young official in Cromwell's service. Confronted by the extent of the Royalists' secret intelligence network, he will have to fight the true power reaching into every corner of society: the Comptrollerate-General for Scrutiny and Survey.
REVIEW:
Robert is an author that I discovered last year and was treated to a story that really grabbed my attention, with its wonderful blend of historical reference and the authors skill at weaving a tale that grabs you so much so that it refuses to let you go.
Coming back with the latest outing, yet again he’s done the seemingly impossible by bringing more documents to the fore and then bringing the time period to life right in front of the reader. The prose is sharp, the storyline even sharper and when added to characters that feel fully realised and believable really generates something special. Finally add to the mix a wonderful sense mystery that blends danger alongside intrigue all round gives you a book to savour with your favourite tipple.
Release Date: 05/03/13
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
Jimmy thinks he knows about loss, about fear, about paranoia. He should think again. Every time Jimmy Thane has been faced with a crossroad, he's taken the wrong path. But after years of drinking and womanising, he has been given one last chance to save both his career and his marriage - he has seven weeks to transform a failing company. From the moment he enters the building there's something wrong - the place is too quiet, too empty. When the police come calling about the disappearance of the former CEO, Jimmy starts to wonder what he's got himself into. Then he discovers surveillance equipment in his neighbour's house, looking straight into his front room. And his wife isn't just tired, she's terrified and trying to hide it. Nothing is at it seems. Jimmy's not living his dream - he's been plunged into the worst kind of nightmare. And when the truth comes out, it's more terrifying than he could ever imagine...
REVIEW:
To be blunt this is a book that I really had a hard time making my way through. Not because the author didn’t bring a good A-Game to the table but purely for the fact that I had a hell of a time trying to find a niche that allowed me to like the lead character. He’s deplorable, he is full of flaws and to be honest with all the problems that he has, it’s a surprise that he’s still walking around.
That said, the author has managed to write a story that does hook you and with placing a character that has so many problems at the centre has made it more of a tale where the principle player has to fight for every inch gained. All round, a book that might appeal to a good few but for me it was a real struggle.
Release Date: 01/03/13
Publisher: Corvus
SYNOPSIS:
The dust has yet to settle in the new frontier town of Resolution. It's barely even a town: a general store, a handful of saloons and a run-down brothel for the workers at a nearby copper mine. No sheriff has been appointed, and gunslingers have taken control. Amid the chaos, itinerant lawman Everett Hitch has created a small haven of order at the Blackfoot Saloon. Charged with protecting the girls who work the back room, Hitch has seen off passing cowboys and violent punters - though it's his scheming boss, Amos Woolfson, who stirs up the most trouble. When a greedy mine owner threatens the local ranchers, Woolfson ends up at the centre of a makeshift war. Hitch knows only too well how to protect himself, but with the bloodshed mounting, he's relieved when his friend Virgil Cole rides into town. In a place where justice and order don't yet exist, Cole and Hitch must lay down the law - without violating their codes of honour, duty and friendship.
REVIEW:
OK, I haven’t read Robert’s work before so when this title landed it was a bit of a surprise, don’t get me wrong, I love a Western but whilst it’s a genre that has seen more expansion in the Urban Fantasy setting these days, I’ve always been more of a fan of the films rather than the books.
So getting myself settled with nothing else to do for a day, I gathered up the supplies, circled the wagons and sat down to see what would occur within. What this book brought to the fore was a story that had some great characters, wonderful vividly imagined scenes and a story that moved at a reasonable pace throughout. You got cracking action sequences, top notch character interaction and of course a story arc that worked wonderfully well. When you add to this that it’s the second book in a trilogy, I didn’t feel the least bit phased and still managed to get a lot of enjoyment from it. So much so that I’m definitely passing it on to my Dad to enjoy.
Release Date: 09/08/12
SYNOPSIS:
1205AD: Philip of Vercy sails away from the roasting wasteland where he has passed the last year. As a Knight of the Realm, he has fought the infidel in the Holy Land. Now, after twelve months of savage, bloody warfare in the scorching sun, he is finally coming home to his castle, to peace, and to his beloved wife. But France offers neither comfort or peace. His wife has died in childbirth, his young son is dying of a wasting disease, and, in the south, his Cathar countrymen are being brutally persecuted. When Philip hears rumours of a healer in the Languedoc, a young woman blessed by God and marked with Christ's Stigmata, he rides out on a desperate quest to save his son. His journey takes him into a vision of hell that outstrips even what he saw in Outremer. Disgusted by the senseless slaughter, Philip gradually becomes embroiled in the Cathar cause. And then he finds his miracle: Fabrisse Berenger, the beautiful, loving daughter of Cathar parents. She is bewildered by her strange wounds, but Philip is fascinated by them...and more fascinated by the serene goodness of Fabricia herself. Together, the pair must flee persecution under cover of darkness - but they cannot hold off the Pope's soldiers forever. Their destiny will be decided in the snows of the Black Mountains where Fabricia and Philip must make choices not just to save their lives, but their souls.
REVIEW:
Colin Falconer is one of those historical fiction authors that takes a subject and not only researches it thoroughly but also has the talent to take you to the heart of the matter whilst making you feel that you’re seeing history being made at the time of the events. As with his other work the story has a cracking pace, the lead character Philip of Vercy believable and when blended with religious heresy alongside crusade, makes for an edge of your seat read.
Add to this top notch prose a wonderfully almost cinematic feel to the story and of course a lead character that you can really get behind and all in it’s a wonderful read. Great stuff.
Release Date: 09/08/12
SYNOPSIS:
VIN COOPER IS HUNTING FOR A KIDNAP VICTIM. THE CIA IS HUNTING FOR A MISSING NUCLEAR BOMB. Special Agent Vin Cooper has just returned from an off-books mission in the Congo. Now he's caught up in something even more dangerous. An ex-airforce colleague has been kidnapped. His severed hand, buried in a KFC bucket with a demand for five million dollars, has found its way to Cooper's door - and he has just 21 days to pay. Tracking the missing man's movements from a topless revue in Vegas, to the shark-infested Pacific, the favelas of Brazil and finally to the pirate-patrolled waters off Somalia, Cooper discovers his ex-colleague is now an undercover agent working with a vicious Colombian arms dealer. Meanwhile, the CIA are searching for a stolen thermonuclear device. Suddenly, Cooper's quest to find his friend becomes a journey to the heart of a chilling conspiracy. A journey that Cooper might not survive...
REVIEW:
If you love high octane thrillers, then the odds are you’ve probably already read one of David Rollin’s previous Vin Cooper titles. Here, in the fifth outing for our hero is a story of Nazi’s. nuclear threat and of course a seemingly unrelated case that brings our lead character to the case. It’s definitely quirky and one that I really enjoyed with its no holds barred attitude and no nonsense attitude keeping to the story.
Finally throw into the mix huge action sequences and you know that its pretty much going to hit the spot. My only concern is that for me I felt that the sex within was not required as I felt that it detracted from the story. All in a good bit of fun and definitely an author I’ll spend more time with again.
Release Date: 01/06/12
SYNOPSIS:
Operation Meltwater: FreeFlow, a group of internet activists committed to the freedom of information have video evidence of a military atrocity in the Middle East and have chosen Iceland as their HQ while they prepare to unleash their greatest coup on the world's media. On the glacial rim of erupting volcano Eyjafjallajokull, they christen their endeavour Operation Meltwater. Minutes later, in the steam and mist, one of them is murdered. The list of people Freeflow has antagonized is long - the Chinese government, Israeli military, a German Bank, Italian politicians, even American College Fraternities. Magnus Jonson has a long list of suspects but he's getting precious little help from FreeFlow - for an organization dedicated to the transparency of information, they're a secretive bunch. But they are not the only ones with secrets. Asta, a newly qualified priest, has contacted FreeFlow with information about a scandal in the church. Her involvement with FreeFlow will cost her dear. And with the return of Magnus's brother Ollie to Iceland, the feud that has haunted their family for three generations is about to reignite.
REVIEW:
Having fallen for Michaels writing style with his first outing, I really couldn’t wait to return to Iceland and see what fate had in store for Magnus in the next outing. As with the other books he’s thrust into a murder investigation but fate and time have a habit of repeating and returning to bring old wounds back to life as he seeks to find answers to the past alongside his current case.
As with the others its wonderfully written, the landscape haunting and befit such a series that brings the old and new together in such a way that its almost cinematic. Back that up with solid prose, great concepts and of course an underlying thread that make waiting for the next instalment harder than that damnable itch that you can’t scratch. All in solid writing although I would say that if you’re to start the series go back to the beginning in order to get the full flavour. Magical. Thank you Michael for a great read.
Release Date: 07/06/12
SYNOPSIS:
Taklamakan desert, 1895: a new Pompeii has come to light, and with it two remarkable artefacts, found in a hidden burial chamber. A metal ankh and star - covered in strange inscriptions, feather-light and cool to the touch. Svalbard, 1897: on the skerried islands of Svalbard, a hydrogen balloon is readied for a polar voyage. Publicly, it is a patriotic attempt to put Sweden in the lead of the race to the North Pole. Privately, the three men on board have another objective. But S. A Andree, Knut Frankel and Nils Strindberg will never be seen alive again. Falun, Sweden, 2011: 260 meters under the earth, in a long-flooded mineshaft, a diver's torchbeam plays over a mouldering corpse with a fist-sized hole in its forehead. Skeletal fingers clutch a metal amulet. It is the key to the annals of a secret history so deeply buried that the few who knew of it though it lost forever. Until now...
REVIEW:
I love thrillers so when I had the opportunity to read this title I jumped to it. The blurb grabbed me right from the start and with the possibilities of a tale that blended some of the Scandinavian writing style with a Dan Brown type thriller I thought this couldn’t be a better amalgamation.
Sadly for me, that was as good as it got. Don’t get me wrong, the writing was there but it felt lack lustre as the characters really didn’t strike me as either anything new or potentially believable which caused my first major stumbling block. When this was added to in places what I felt was poor dialogue and forced confrontations to help the pace, I really felt that it wasn’t quite the book that I hoped for.
All in I will look into other titles by Jan when they become available but for this release it isn’t one that will stay with me for any positive reasons. A great shame all round.
Release Date: 19/04/12
SYNOPSIS:
Joe Pickett's outlaw falconer companion, Nate Romanowski, faces the battle of his life and one he may very likely lose. His mysterious past comes back in the form of his former special forces colleague, an utterly ruthless soldier/homeland security official who knows his rise through the military and intelligence community will be derailed if Nate ever tells what he knows about their time together in Afghanistan in 1995. After years of dispatching fellow special forces team members to take him out, Nate's nemesis decides the time has come to end the threat to him once and for all. And he does it by incorporating many of the same tactics that served their unique and secret unit well in the Middle East: by recruiting locals. Nate can trust no one except Joe Pickett, who is constrained by his oath and duty to the law and the state. But Nate must involve Joe because he knows his enemy will strike at his friends in order to draw him out and the entire Pickett family will be a target. Because of Nate's fugitive status he can only fight back outside the law, and Joe must make a choice: help his friend or adhere to his principles?"
REVIEW:
Sadly for me, this new title by CJ was a book that felt like nothing new and whilst I was happy at the return of Romanowski, I felt that the overall plot lacked decent pace, solid arc and felt more like a rushed filler than anything else. Add to this a sadly lacklustre use of prose, a disappointing lack of development and when compared to the previous two offerings, almost felt like a title that was there to allow the author to sit back for breathing space rather than a serious release for the reader.
With luck the next title will pick up and give the readers more of what they want but it is going to have to be something spectacular as this title will, in my opinion, damage the authors writing credibility due to, in my opinion, a fall in standards.
Release Date: 01/05/12
SYNOPSIS:
Thracia, AD30: Even after four years military service at the edge of the Roman world, Vespasian can't escape the tumultuous politics of an Empire on the brink of disintegration. His patrons in Rome have charged him with the clandestine extraction of an old enemy from a fortress on the banks of the Danube before it falls to the Roman legion besieging it. Vespasian's mission is the key move in a deadly struggle for the right to rule the Roman Empire. The man he has been ordered to seize could be the witness that will destroy Sejanus, commander of the Praetorian Guard and ruler of the Empire in all but name. Before he completes his mission, Vespasian will face ambush in snowbound mountains, pirates on the high seas, and Sejanus's spies all around him. But by far the greatest danger lies at the rotten heart of the Empire, at the nightmarish court of Tiberius, Emperor of Rome and debauched, paranoid madman.
REVIEW:
Having fallen for Robert’s writing style last year with his debut I was interested to see what would happen with the second title based on the life of one of Rome’s fascinating characters that was one of the earliest recorded self-made men. It’s addictive, it is hard to put down and when you add solid prose, great pace as well as a lead character that is charming, knows how to play the system of politics alongside the battlefield and this book is a real triumph.
Finally add to the whole mix, an addictive series that just goes from good to better, it really announces him as one of the historical fiction authors to not only watch but get in early. Magic.
Release Date: 04/04/12
SYNOPSIS:
This is a declaration to the people of Glasgow. The police are useless and corrupt. We are taking it into our own hands: The Glasgow Marshals For Douglas Brodie, Glasgow's outbreak of murder and mayhem begins simply enough. A typical Saturday night brawl adds a splash of colour to the morning edition of the Gazette. But Brodie's piece receives a hot-blooded reply - the declaration of a new war upon petty crime signed by a group of vigilantes: The Glasgow Marshals. After his own stint at the Front, Brodie counts himself lucky to be back in his home town, paying his way as the local crime reporter. And although the frustrated, demobbed men of Glasgow are taking an eye for an eye, Brodie has some sympathy for their cause. So when a man is murdered, suspicion automatically falls on the Marshals, and the police are quick to agree. But for Brodie, this crime is all wrong. The Marshals stand for justice, not murder. Amid the heated clash of populace and police, a calculated killing has been ignored. Enlisting the help of advocate Samantha Campbell, Brodie begins to investigate the death himself, finding that of course the old saying always holds true: still waters do run deep.
REVIEW:
I love a good crime story and for me some of the grittiest have north of the border as its setting. What Gordon does well in this book is bring together realistic characters (both in the lead and as supporting) who add a real flavour to the story that takes you back to a believable time.
Add to this real gore and people who won’t stint to do what they have to which when backed with great prose alongside a solid overall arc, it makes for a book that will stay with you for quite some time. The only other thing I’ll say about this book is that it’s the second in a series and if you haven’t had chance to read the first, don’t worry, you can pick this up and still get to enjoy it. Magical.
Release Date: 20/03/12
SYNOPSIS:
"Milo Weaver is still haunted by his last job. As an expert assassin for the Department of Tourism, an ultra-secret group of super-spooks buried deep in the corridors of the CIA, he fought to keep himself sane in a paranoid and amoral profession. Now, the Department has been destroyed, and with it Weaver's livelihood. Finally he can spend time with his family - without constantly looking over his shoulder and fixing one eye on the exits. Weaver's former boss is not so settled. For Alan Drummond, Tourism was everything. Now, all he wants is to take revenge on the Chinese spymaster that exploded their operations from within. Weaver tries to persuade him to leave sleeping cells lie, but when Drummond disappears from a London hotel room after a serpentine journey through the world's cities, Weaver is sucked back down into his old life. Investigating Drummond's intentions in London throws up more questions than answers. Why was an ex-Tourist in his hotel room that night? Why is homeland security suddenly asking questions? And how are the Chinese connected? Soon, Weaver is sifting through what secrets, lies and misinformation he can extract from the sources he still has on the ground. If his time as a Tourist has taught him anything, it's that nothing and no-one can be trusted - even within the CIA itself..."
REVIEW:
I like a spy thriller that takes me on a ride and whilst this, is the third title by the author to feature lead character Milo Weaver, its my first outing with Olen. What I received for my time was a thriller that grabbed me for a seat of the pants ride with a lead character who was not only gripping but one that almost threatened to break my neck if I left the book too long.
Add to this a story that kept moving with multi-faceted twists and turns, a whole host of problems alongside never being sure what was relevant and what was smoke with mirrors and overall I was in heaven as I turned each page to read what the hero was up to. Finally add to the mix a writing style that grabbed me with solid prose, great dialogue and of course a set of prose that just didn’t let up like the pace and it was a tale all in that was satisfactory.
Release Date: 07/02/12
SYNOPSIS:
It is 1791 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is enlightenment Vienna's brightest star. Master of the city's music halls and devoted member of the Austrian Freemason's guild, he stands at the heart of an electric mix of art and music, philosophy and science, politics and intrigue. Six weeks ago, the great composer told his wife he had been poisoned. Yesterday, he died. The city is buzzing with rumours of infidelity, bankruptcy and murder. But Wolfgang's sister Nannerl, returned from the provinces to investigate, will not believe base gossip. Who but a madman would poison such a genius? Yet as she looks closely at what her brother left behind - a handwritten score, a scrap of paper from his journal - Nannerl finds traces of something sinister: the threads of a masonic conspiracy that reach from the gilded ballrooms of Viennese society to the faceless offices of the Prussian secret service. Only when watching Wolfgang's bewitching opera, The Magic Flute, does Nannerl truly understand her beloved brother once again. For, encoded in his final arias, is a subtly crafted blueprint for a radical new tomorrow. Mozart hoped to change his future. Instead he sealed his fate.
REVIEW:
I love a book that’s slightly different to the vast majority out there and that’s certainly what you get with this title by Matt Ree’s as he works a story around a musical movement worthy of the great composer himself. It has a carefully constructed build that works into a main theme and finishes with a movement that leads to one hell of a crescendo, however the major problem that I had with this story was that I had a hard time liking Nannerl who I felt didn’t fit into the time period or the expectations of the reader.
Don’t get me wrong, it is very clever, it does give the reader a lot to mull over especially when you look at all the conspiracy theories around Mozart however all that really doesn’t matter too much if the character that leads the reader by the hand isn’t as likeable as they should be.
All in a decent enough read but I’ve had to give it a lower rating due to the very slow starting pace, the difficult use of language in places and of course a character that I didn’t want to spend time around.
