A highly entertaining read - roll on book 2 - 4.5/5.
In full This book is a meeting of Sam, an ordinary librarian, and Hel, simply a hunter of "strange A highly entertaining read - roll on book 2 - 4.5/5.
In full This book is a meeting of Sam, an ordinary librarian, and Hel, simply a hunter of "strange beasts". Assuming that is that being a librarian for the Royal Society for the Study of Abnormal Beasts and being the daughter of Dracula's killer is "ordinary". Equally, while Hel is simply the hunter of these Abnormal Beasts, she is actually the daughter of the infamous Professor Moriaty…!! Sam, not a field agent, wants to go on a case in Paris allocated to Hel (also known as Lady M). However Hel doesn't want partners as they all seem to die. Scene set!
This is the world in 1903 with some very odd and dangerous beasts in it - they are nearly killed by a Grindylow who attacks their coach while they are heading to the ferry to France. I guess more accurately Sam is nearly killed. Anyway, this follows the investigation into a series of particularly nasty murders in Paris. Sam wants to be there as she feels there may be a connection with her grandfather (who she thinks is dead) but there is something about the case that seems to connect with her grandfather's love of morse and radiotelegraphy.
Woven into this story are some interesting real places and ideas. I hadn't come across midinettes but the idea was well used. The Paris catacombs feature well too. The concept of wolfssengers is introduced which does seem to have some slight history as well. All in all a nice range of ideas and settings. Paris of the early 1900s makes a very good location for the main part of this book.
The pace and tension here is very good. Never a dull moments certainly sums it up and it proved to be a book that was far easier to keep reading than to stop. I liked the main characters and a number of the more peripheral ones were pretty good too. The general story line worked well and - without giving anything much away - there is clearly the plan for another book. I for one will be reading that.
As a librarian Sam finds that real life is more complicated than in books!
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
In full This opens with Ciara and Ryan (mum and dad) on the beach in the Spring of 2018 with Sophie and Ella, theirSuch a dark, powerful tale - 4.5/5.
In full This opens with Ciara and Ryan (mum and dad) on the beach in the Spring of 2018 with Sophie and Ella, their children. If things aren't exactly happy then neither are they apparently particularly bad. However there is a wonderfully telling quote, the gist of which is that people may look happy from a distance but when you look closely you might find they are screaming! In a sense that is a cornerstone of this book to me. How many people out there are seen to be at least OK who aren't actually. In a very different way that was once me. Actually Ciara has left Ryan once before and is wondering what to do now. This is the story of what happens.
Leaving is never easy. I guess on the face of it you simply go however there is so much more to it than that. This book does illustrate and explore that very effectively. Ciara may be coping although her family have an idea she is not. However internally there is turmoil and that is a vital part of this book. Of course there is also a third level which is what Ciara isn't even admitting to herself. There really isn't much more that I want to reveal about this book - it would be far better to hear about it in Ciara's voice, she is far more authentic than I ever could be.
I must advise that this is a book about coercive control and that may well affect some people. Personally I would still say read it however we are all different. As I said this does feel very authentic to me - I felt much of the emotions here but there is no way that I, as a man, can really fully grasp this. It is very edgy at times for me. I kept reading a little bit more and keeping my fingers crossed. There really are highs and lows and even towards the end, when you start having some hope, it is in jeopardy. Throughout Ciara internal dialogue and turmoil came over so well for me. The time covered by this story is roughly a year but the journey is longer and harder than that. A remarkable first book and well worth taking a look at.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - A very good 4th book in a very good series.
Back on the Outer Isles again with Peter May! There's a dead body of an 18 year old on a beach. SBriefly - A very good 4th book in a very good series.
Back on the Outer Isles again with Peter May! There's a dead body of an 18 year old on a beach. She's a swimmer and a canoeist so the death could be suspicious. George Gunn is called to the case initially. Fairly quickly it is established that she was having an affair with Fionnlagh who is Fin Macleod's married son. Fin left Lewis ten years earlier to get away from memories however his job in Glasgow is anything but satisfying so he and his wife, Marsaili, return to support him and try and find out what is going on.
Twists and turns are as natural as breathing to Peter May and there is a strong environmental slant to this at times in common with some of his other recent books. Fin - not a policeman any more but well known in the area - starts looking at the circumstances that have led to his son's arrest. He and his wife stay with their daughter-in-law and granddaughter both of whom are very upset. Some of the chapters in this are in the first person. These are Fin recalling events from his past life. Can you fully understand the present if you have no real knowledge of the past…?
I am a fan of Peter May's books generally and the Lewis trilogy in particular (of which this is the fourth book). I do like Fin as a character and George Gunn too (though his part here is quite small). The writing about the islands, places and people, is very evocative and effective for me. People that Fin knew in his teens are a part of this and there is reference to previous books. I think this could be read standalone (it's a while since I read the previous books) however starting at the beginning of the series might be good.
If anything this becomes more powerful as it progresses. Like a wave moving towards the shore this story builds as it approaches the end. There is a darkness coming as the wave starts to break… I would say that overall this is at least as good as the previous books and at times even better for me. If I am being honest the ending - if pacey and tense - was not the best part of this to me. That said this was far better reading than many books I've read. A very good fourth book in a very good series.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - Much to like here but not this author's best book for me. 3.5/5
In full 1950s London, rationing, ruins and racial prejudice. Throw in quite a Briefly - Much to like here but not this author's best book for me. 3.5/5
In full 1950s London, rationing, ruins and racial prejudice. Throw in quite a cast of gangsters minor and major, and you have the setting for White City by Dominic Nolan. Initially we meet two young sisters, Addie and Ness (and their mother Stevie) and life is quite hard particularly when your father goes missing. Then there is a far more adult scene; it's four in the morning and there is a violent attack on a post office van carrying money and the aftermath of that. Part of that aftermath involves Dave Lander and "Mother" (who is anything other than motherly and not female!). This story is quite brutally violent at times.
The consequences of the successful blag on the post office van are wide ranging and are at the core of this book. People are missing and we get to know some of the families affected. We've already met Addie and Ness and we also get to know Claire, whose husband is missing, her son Ray and her brother Joe who is suspicious of Mother. I guess few people in this are exactly what they first appear to be. Dave Lander would be a good example of this and we hear that "Dave Lander never slept".
I found this a somewhat complex story and it took me a while to get to grips with it. In part this may be because of the language used which is probably authentic London gangs 50s style. Worth noting too is the fact that some language was used in this era that would definitely be considered offensive now.
For me the book has a really good feel of post war London. I liked the way that historical events and facts were woven into the story. A number of the characters a quite rich - I would call both Dave and Addie that. However I really did find it hard to like anyone in this. No one really gripped me and my attention was not held at times. I do remember the writer's way with rich colloquial language from his previous London historical book, Vine Street. However Vine Street held me in a way that this one did not.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
In full The premise of this book is really simple. Chloe, mainly a city girl who travels widely, is cUtterly beautiful - 5 stars seems far too little.
In full The premise of this book is really simple. Chloe, mainly a city girl who travels widely, is confined by lockdown at her barn conversion in a rural location. She hears a dog barking and a man shouting and goes out to see what is happening. Nothing is to be seen so she heads out for a walk along a narrow country lane. She finds a tiny creature on that track and the word "leveret" comes to her mind. She examines it without touching and wonders what to do. She realises that touching it or moving it may well prevent the mother from finding it or caring for it and so she walks on. Four hours later she comes back and finds the leveret still there. After considerable debate she decides taking it home is really the only option. Contacting a local conservationist for advice she realises she has made an error of judgement and that hares do not survive in captivity and that its mother would now ignore it.
However she feels she cannot now do nothing so she tries to find out how she might look after it. It weighs less than an apple. Her sister (a farmer) suggests that she might try a milk substitute without lactose and drops some off for her. So begins a remarkable story. The book follows her experience of trying to look after the leveret. While there is a little more information about what happened in the book blurb I personally feel that coming to this book with relatively little information makes for a richer experience for the reader.
Because of that my comments about this book will be rather more general in nature. To me it is a book that looks at two journeys. One is the hare's progress and, in many ways, it simply lives its life. For me the author's journey is at least as interesting. This is someone who has become a city person - her usual habitat is far from that of a hare. And yet she starts to adjust to the hare. As she becomes far closer to the land and wildlife around her she finds a deeper harmony with the energies of the earth. She also realises that she is very fortunate to be able to observe all that she does. I have found this rare and it makes for a rare book in my mind.
I think this book is fascinating simply from a naturalist's perspective. Chloe becomes a very good observer. She is also a very good writer. This means that we get some wonderful descriptions of wildlife and the rural environment generally as well as superb detail on hares. She is an accomplished researcher and is determined to try and find out more about hares. The information that she finds and sometime uses is very varied. For example looking at a 250 year old poem about hares gives her some useful clues about possible diets (and some of the items were very acceptable to the hare!). In general though there is so little information about hares even in the wild and, based on Chloe's observations, some of the information out there seems unlikely at best.
Ultimately this is one of the best books I have read in many years. There is a simplicity here which appeals. I also found it a very tranquil read (though not all the time!). It is powerful, beautiful and will speak deeply to some of us. I'm grateful to Chloe for this book.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - Character led with an authentic biographical feel.
In full This book opens with Dave Win in his later years meeting up with the wife of a man Briefly - Character led with an authentic biographical feel.
In full This book opens with Dave Win in his later years meeting up with the wife of a man who was instrumental in him getting a scholarship to a private education early in his life. The story then rolls back to that school era and his life then. From here the story takes us through Dave's life. It is not told in any complete way but comes via vignettes of significant parts and experiences. It is the story of his personal life in the main though he is an actor so parts do relate to plays and the like. At the start he realises he is drawn to men rather than women. He is half Burmese as a result of a brief relationship his mother had immediately after the war. However his father remained in Burma while his mother returned to England.
The story walks through some incidents and events in Dave's life. Among this, there are encounters with men some satisfactory and some not. However many of the events are simply things that happened in his life. Some are or appear quite small at the time but possibly have greater significance later. Throughout this there are people who are constants in his life. Mark and Cara Hadlow are important; they are the people who were involved with his scholarship and remain involved with him on and off through most of the story. Their son, Giles, is the same age as him and bullied him at school. He too is part of the story though remains a bully of sorts throughout.
Special mention has to go to Avril who is his mother. I loved the ongoing relationship between them. Almost as important is the remarkable Esme Croft who is Avril's friend and business partner. They are both integral to his life, particularly at times. This is a book where there is a feel of nothing much happening and simply a life being lived. However as you gradually gather a greater picture of Dave's life you realise that he has been shaped in ways by all these events.
I'm not Dave's age however there are echoes of some similarities in my life. I enjoyed Dave as a character. The book is gently if quite sharply political at times as Dave is. Equally it is somewhat subversive as well as being gentle, sad and very interesting on occasion. It also feels lightly affectionate too. I found the story and the characters genuinely believable and "ordinary" in the best sense of the word. I kept having to remind myself that this is not a biography as it felt so like one to me. I really liked the way that the tone changes as Dave ages too.
I'd not read anything by this author prior to this however the writing and characters here make me quite sure I will read more from Alan Hollinghurst in the future.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
In full This book opens in the South Atlantic ocean in 1957 with Sonny on a whaling boat. There is a vNooooo... I wasn't ready for this to end!!! 4.5/5
In full This book opens in the South Atlantic ocean in 1957 with Sonny on a whaling boat. There is a violent storm and an enormous wave that nearly sinks his ship. Sonny - a 20 year old deck boy - decides that when he returns to Shetland he will marry a girl who caught his eye before he left and he will not go back to whaling again. After that we meet Jack, a solitary man and ageing, who lives in the house he was born in on Shetland. He is retired now, both his parents are dead and he lives a quiet and simple life rarely going far from the area he was born in. The book alternates between these two threads following, and going back over, lives lived.
Fairly quickly we discover that Sonny did return to Shetland and marry the girl of his dreams. Life is hard in those days but they are happy together and start a family. Jack's house is isolated with only one neighbour who is at all close. He has had various jobs over the years but the real love of his life is Country music. He collects both the music and guitars. However there are very few people he interacts with other than visits to the very small local shop run by a lady he was at school with and the occasional visit to the supermarket further away..
I guess this is a book about isolation and the inner strength to deal with that - an acceptance of what is and what has been maybe. The chapters in the book are interspersed with handwritten Country and Western songs by Jack and heard by no one other than him. However the world has a way of intruding on people sometimes. Jack has a visitor and a mystery gift.
Sonny and his wife (and other family members) are rather more sketched than fleshed out though that worked well for me. Without doubt Jack is the star of this book though. As a person he is far bigger than the small world he inhabits and in a wonderfully positive way. Shetland as the setting with its isolation worked very well for me. While that sense of isolation comes over well the feeling of community too is very apparent in both timelines. While in my notes the word "loneliness" crops up several times this is not in a depressing way and Jack does reflect on that.
It's fair to say that this is a book I really enjoyed - indeed I was affected quite a lot simply by it ending. I found Jack as a character one of the better ones I've come across over quite a few years. The tone of the book and writing worked well for me. Some of the events that take place are very dramatic and some are really quite small - almost all were powerful and it is just possible that a tear will be shed when reading this. It is several weeks after finishing this that I am writing this review and even now my eyes are unaccountably moist… 4.5/5 and certainly one of the best of the year for me.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - a really hard book to review but That is not a negative - some of it is really beautiful and I don't remember writing down so many phrases fBriefly - a really hard book to review but That is not a negative - some of it is really beautiful and I don't remember writing down so many phrases from any other books I've read.
In full Charlotte Amelia Poe is neurodiverse or autistic. This is a book about the way they feel. It is addressed to the reader however it really is deeply personal. As well as dialogue with the reader there are internal ponderings. I find this one of the hardest books to review that I have ever read. I must stress that this is not because it's bad but because I feel I lack the ability to comment in many ways.
Some of the writing here is stunning. It's powerful and poetic at times. It is an insight in to one person's experiences with neurodiversity in their life so far. I'm not sure it left me thinking that things were the way they could be in our dealings with neurodivergent people.
Parts of this I found very telling and/or interesting. One was the line that effectively said that the "spectrum" of autism is actually imposed by neurotypical people. Reflecting on it I think this is almost certainly true and equally certainly wrong. The idea that London was OK as it guaranteed anonymity was very interesting. I do wonder how many other autistic people would feel like this however that simply emphasises the diversity of neurodiversity!
The line that "if we liked ourselves, nobody would have anything to sell us" resonated with me in some ways. Mental health services asking if there was anything more they could do having done nothing was sadly very telling.
If I have a complaint about this it would be that it felt like it rambled a bit. In practice as a stream of consciousness writing that is fine for the writer however it might not work as well for some readers possibly. I found the writing very philosophical, and to me, meaningful at times.
I'll leave some of the author's words (if paraphrased a bit by me) as a positive ending - they were words that impressed me. Tell other autistic people it's OK to be autistic and you can't change the past, but you can change the future. Thanks Charlotte for a lovely book.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - A little slow at times but great storytelling.
In full The introduction here sets the scene nicely. In remote Norway - Nordland - Sami territoBriefly - A little slow at times but great storytelling.
In full The introduction here sets the scene nicely. In remote Norway - Nordland - Sami territory and close to Sweden, the landscape and history of the area is described. It used to be a major mining areas but the mines have been closed for some years now. Svea, 79, has been resident there for some time and knows the area well. She lives with her puffin hound Asta and starts telling her story in a conversational way. I was drawn to her immediately. The story then passes to Elin (Svea's granddaughter) and Benny who are both 16 and good friends. Elin, whose father is the local priest, has decided she is gender-fluid and Benny is gay. It is close to "russ" time when the about to be school leavers party and push whatever boundaries they can. A boy, Daniel, who Elin and Benny know in passing disappears after one of the parties.
Over the course of the book more than one body is found and secrets emerge. You get to know Svea and her friend Odd Emil as well as Elin and Benny. Their families and friends become clearer too. Backstories gradually emerge and sometimes they felt rather long and convoluted to me - probably my only slight criticism of this. In the case of Svea her narrative is really very conversational. I did find this a little odd initially however the more I read the more I got into, and enjoyed, her character. While she is not as connected with Daniel as the young ones her story is still a very powerful one. I found Benny's story very good too. Indeed all the characters played their parts well in this to my mind.
The setting was well used in this narrative. The feel of remoteness and different ways of life. The tensions in this are past and present ones and the writing for me was excellent. I've read some of Stef Penney's work before and I do enjoy her work generally. This was maybe a slow burn read however I was always drawn back into this story. The gradual reveal means it is a while before some aspects of this become apparent (and only then are you likely to start to understand what the outcome might be). Even then aspects of the ending I hadn't worked out and I found this a really enjoyable read.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review...more
Briefly - A fascinating if rather chilling insight into the real CSI.
In full I became aware of the author of this book via a recent TV series covering Briefly - A fascinating if rather chilling insight into the real CSI.
In full I became aware of the author of this book via a recent TV series covering some of their work. I found it a fascinating subject and so was eager to learn a little more. The book opens with the basic principles of the fact that "every contact leaves a trace" and then describes the arrival at a crime scene. In part this is an autobiographical book which means that some of the book is about Jo's personal life. After looking briefly at her childhood it moves on to the fact that she joined a local athletics club (& was a good runner) and discovered an interest in/understanding of basic anatomy.
Initially Jo worked for an insurance company but that did little for her. She then applied to the police and got a job there. However an advert for a forensics role intrigued here. She does say that this would not happen any longer however before her interview she attended a post mortem examination… (she enjoyed it) and got the job. The book looks at the training she did and then working on gradually more complex crime scenes. She progresses (!) from decomposed bodies via suicides to murders. It is worth noting that while this makes for very easy reading in terms of the writing the content is not for the faint hearted and may trouble some people.
She does broaden the writing out to look at pertinent local issues as well as the difficulty of dealing with the dead and particularly children. She trains for the role of crime scene manager and a little to her surprise gets a job as one at the age of 31. She also starts a family around this time. Maybe unsurprisingly she suffers from PTSD after a particularly nasty case. Her openness about this and other aspects of her work and personal life made for a very "human" story for me.
There are the cases that will never be forgotten as well as the cutbacks on staff by managers who quite obviously do not understand the issues involved. She also looks at managing a crime scene while it's being filmed by a BBC TV crew. During this series she was open about her PTSD and was surprised (and pleased) with the feedback she got. Overall I found this to be a common sense person writing accessibly about her life and the challenging role which she so obviously enjoys. A great read for those with a taste for such things.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - Covid and conspiracy theories... The second half was better than the first for me.
In full This book starts with Livia Denby awaiting the verdBriefly - Covid and conspiracy theories... The second half was better than the first for me.
In full This book starts with Livia Denby awaiting the verdict in her trial for attempted murder (that got my attention!). The story then goes back a couple of years to when Livia's life was far more ordinary. It looks at what happened on the "day when everything changed". It's Heidi's birthday (Livia and Scott's 13 year old daughter) and she is going cycling with her dad. Scott leaves with his daughter but without finding his phone. This part is told in Livia's voice however the next part is in Heidi's voice (and this changes from time to time and includes Scott's voice too). Scott's brother who is a worry and a diabetic dies that day. The funeral is seen through Scott's eyes in part.
The book goes on to look at the consequences for Nicky's (Scott's brother) death for all the family. The effects are wide ranging and disturbing. They affect Livia, Scott and Heidi but also Noah who is the youngest member of the family and is asthmatic. The story starts just before the start of the COVID epidemic and is quite obviously "inspired" by events around that time. Scott gets drawn into some dark conspiracy theory orientated parts of the Internet.
I am a real fan of Charity Norman's writing and have enjoyed all her previous books (though I think I might have one more older one to read). However I found this one less appealing to me I guess. The start was good and the last third was pretty much unputdownable but the middle seemed a little slow. Equally my tolerance for conspiracy theories is probably pretty low too. I really liked Livia and Heidi as well as some of the more peripheral characters. The use of the timing around COVID was good. The general remoteness of the setting was nice - North Yorkshire.
I will certainly read anything else by this author but for me this is not the high point of her work even though it is perfectly readable.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review...more
Briefly - Another good one in this series - I do really like the characters.
In full This story starts with DS Cupidi taking her daughter Zoë with her Briefly - Another good one in this series - I do really like the characters.
In full This story starts with DS Cupidi taking her daughter Zoë with her when she goes on a job to check on a body in the dunes nearby. As there is a piece of sculpture there which is a body, Alex is sure that this will simply be a the usual false alarm that they get from time to time. However it is Zoë that finds an actual dead body. Both of them are left very unsettled by this. As the person was a wild swimmer Zoë is not at all happy when her mother decides to join the group of wild swimmers while investigating the case.
In addition to this thread Bill South has been talking to Jill Ferriter about the man who claims to be Jill's father. He is not that happy about it, preferring peace and quiet these days, however with Alex (Jill's normal confidante) occupied he has little choice. The man who is claiming to be Jill's father is a known career criminal currently in jail for murder. Again reluctantly Bill agrees to find out more.
The book follows these two different threads by initially taking Alex's side of the story and then changing to see Bill's investigations through his eyes. It's fair to say that I am a fan of this series and have read and enjoyed the previous books. There are other good crime novels out there however I do really like the main characters in this series. Alex is very good and here interactions with Zoë (& vice versa) and good. I really like Zoë 's development as a character through this series. Bill, ex cop who has served time in prison - do read book 0 in the series - is also an excellent character for me. Put the three of them together and I will definitely continue reading this series - I would really prefer none of them to be sidelined!
The writing has a good pace and the story is developed well - simply makes for good reading for me. 4.5/5
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review...more
Briefly - I liked the story telling and the character, the actual story less so.
In full This starts with a guy (who we will later call "Mr Lynch") leavBriefly - I liked the story telling and the character, the actual story less so.
In full This starts with a guy (who we will later call "Mr Lynch") leaving Paris in something of a hurry by train and wearing a cheap suit. He is obviously wondering whether anyone is after him. From London he heads to Heathrow apparently without purpose. When he gets there, a woman called Bobbie thinks she recognises him as her missing brother who has not been heard of for five years. However he lacks Heydon's distinctive tattoo. After a night with Bobbie, Lynch wakes up to finds he has been given that tattoo in the night…. Bobbie has left for rehab in LA as she had planned however she suggests he might go to her family home and gives him the PIN number for the key safe.
This is one of those "gradual reveal" stories where we get to add pieces to the jigsaw from time to time. The story follows Lynch, who initially agrees to pretend he is Heydon to try and find out what actually happened to him and why. It's fair to say that the family are not wholeheartedly behind this nor are some security personally who are working for the family. There is a roller coaster ride ahead. There are enough red herrings to go around here!
I'm a fan of some of Joseph Knox's work. I loved his Aidan Waits series and would recommend that to anyone. I wasn't particular happy with True Crime story though. In this one I really like Lynch as a character and there are a number of others who are decent too. The pace and tension are very good indeed (as was the case in the Aidan Waits books). It certainly kept me reading. I guess for me the ending was a little too convoluted - one or two of the twists were very strange. I would stress that I did enjoy reading this book however it left me a little less than satisfied I think. 3.5/5 however rounded up for the characters and the pace.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
In full A sunny summer day at a lake in a remote area of Dartmoor, Devon. Three members of a family go oBriefly - Tense and pacey but not my favourite.
In full A sunny summer day at a lake in a remote area of Dartmoor, Devon. Three members of a family go out onto the lake in a boat while the mother and a toddler stay behind. Sixty seconds later the boat is empty and the people in it have vanished. There are no bodies in the lake and they cannot have left the area in that time. This certainly looks like an ideal case for Raker's 13th book. If you throw in a killer who seems to have walked away from the cell they were locked in without anyone seeing them there is plenty for Raker to deal with.
The first case is given to Raker over 6 months after the disappearance by the mother who was left behind. The second case is passed to him (again sometime later on) by Melanie Craw. She has now left the police (and had previously been in a sort of relationship with Raker) and asks Raker for his help. As he is busy with the Dartmoor disappearance he ask his long time friend and associate Colm Healy to look at Craw's case. This in itself is complicated by the fact that Healy and Craw have a "history" too.
The story follows both lines of investigation however I'm sure regular readers will have a sense of how that progresses! The Dartmoor investigation is initially focussed mainly in South Devon. The Craw investigation is at a very large casino in the UK. A friend of the owners was brutally killed and shortly after that, the perpetrator returned to the casino, is identified and put in a cell there. By the time the police arrive there is no sign of them despite the cell being extremely secure.
I'm a big fan of Tim Weaver's writing and have read all the Raker books. I'd argue that there are few better at pace and tension in their writing than this author and for me this book is no exception - it's very easy to read another chapter and hard to put down. However I confess to being less convinced by the story lines here. The "leaping to conclusions" about the investigations has been in Raker stories before however this time it jarred with me a little. I cannot honestly say I found it as credible as some of the previous ones.
I still love this series and I will keep reading it. Not for the first time Weaver drops a small bomb on his reader at the very end. The future may well be interesting! I will certainly be reading it.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - Another entertaining read in this series.
In full This is the second book in the Fran and Ken Stein series. They are sister and brother and arBriefly - Another entertaining read in this series.
In full This is the second book in the Fran and Ken Stein series. They are sister and brother and are private investigators in New York. This time they are looking for a missing person. Eliza who has recently come out to her father as trans is missing and her father is very worried. This is not something that Fran would normally deal with but aspects of the case/story intrigue her. For those who didn't read the first book please do or you will miss out on Fran and Ken's back story. It's fair to say that they are both a little unusual and not simply that they are much taller than most people. Have a USB port for recharging is "interesting"… They have a back story as far as their parents are concerned and that forms a small part of this story.
While Fran has fallen out with her NYPD (boy)friend from the last book they are managing to be civilised initially when they find they are both interested in aspects of this case. The book follows the twists and turns of the case as well as their personal lives. As someone from the other side of the pond I have to say that this is very New York to me, maybe it felt more so than the last one. However I did find it an easy and entertaining reading.
I found the first book entertaining and amusing and could say the same about this one. I really like Fran as a character - her introspective dialogues can be very funny. I guess the story is not particularly deep but it was satisfying enough. The pace is decent and the characters generally work well for me. These are fairly lightweight stories however there's nothing wrong with that and sometimes they fit in really well. I'm sure I will keep reading any future offerings in this series.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - Worth 5 star for Bucky alone - great writing too.
In full Bucky Bronco was a soul singer in the late Sixties in America. While he recorded a cBriefly - Worth 5 star for Bucky alone - great writing too.
In full Bucky Bronco was a soul singer in the late Sixties in America. While he recorded a couple of singles only one of them was fully published. "Stuff" happened in his life and he roamed from job to job. Recently his wife of many years died and he is probably somewhat depressed at the start of this story. He is also probably a prescription medication addict. To his surprise he gets a call from the UK asking him to perform at a Northern Soul weekend in Scarborough. To his even greater surprise he accepts the invitation! Dinah - a massive fan of his - meets him at the airport and takes him to the hotel he has been booked into in Scarborough. It's fair to say that the hotel has seen better times as has Rocky.
The hotel - well past its best - works well as a main location for this. Scarborough more generally is very good too. However this tale really revolves around Bucky and Dinah. Bucky finds it hard that anyone can be so into him and his music. Dinah is in awe of Bucky (while being very down to earth) and delighted to have something in her life more rewarding and interesting than her husband and her son. The book really covers quite a short period of time from Bucky's arrival until just after the gig. However it allows us insight into the pasts of both the main lives.
It's fair to say that I am generally a fan of Myers' writing - I loved The Offing. While this is not at all the same it had a feel to it that was. It manages to be gentle, powerful and funny without any effort. Dinah is a very good character and an excellent foil to Bucky. Among my notes on this book is the line "How can you not love Bucky!!" and his twists and turns, highs and lows held me. There is real warmth in this story as well as heart. Personally I loved this tale and I am very impressed (again) with the quality of Benjamin Myers' writing.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review ...more
Briefly - Hard to know what to say about a book that explains there is a plan that involves around 70% of the world ceasing to exist...
In full This boBriefly - Hard to know what to say about a book that explains there is a plan that involves around 70% of the world ceasing to exist...
In full This book takes a long hard look at what might happen if nuclear war broke out. It pulls no punches and some may be disturbed by it. Indeed I'd probably say most people should be disturbed by this insight. The book starts with a useful Author's note on the "how" of this book - interviews with many people - and what it seeks to address. Essentially it offers a scenario into an "unwarned" attack with the line that "there is no such thing as a small nuclear war". It lists the people who were interviewed. After that comes a Prologue which is subtitled "Hell on Earth" (rightly). Using the Pentagon as the target of a 1 megaton thermonuclear detonation it gives an outline of what will happen in the first 60 seconds after the blast. 90% of the roughly 1 million people in the near vicinity will die most of whom will not "make it more than a few steps from where they happen to be when the bomb detonates". A nuclear WW3 is guaranteed to leave a minimum of 2 billion dead worldwide.
From here we get a well structured and easily readable background on nuclear war. It starts with the fact that in 1960 there was a group of American military officials got together to discuss the secret plan for nuclear war. At the time it expected that around one fifth of the world population would die is such a war. It list the people present at that meeting. While the meeting was top secret one person present revealed information about this meeting in 2008 not long before he died. His view of the meeting is remarkable.
The narrative takes step back to look at August 1945 and the results of the explosion over Hiroshima. The first person narratives are powerful to say the least. From there it looks at the development of nuclear weapons after 1945 until around 1990 including the nuclear tests that took place. There is a very good outline of the nuclear arms race. Despite being alive for much of the time there was plenty I either didn't know or hadn't fully understood.
The book goes on to look at the SIOP - the Single Integrated Plan for General Nuclear War. Among other things it takes a very diligent look at just how many people would die where in the event of a pre-emptive nuclear strike… Again there is narrative from someone who was present at that meeting.
Part 2 of the book uses a scenario of a pre-emptive strike by North Korea and much of the book tracks the consequences of that action along a linear (and very short) timeline. If you started reading this book at that point you would probably not get to this part of the book before you were affected or dead as a result of this attack. The tracking of the missile (and others that are launched) is well covered. Once detonation occurs again this tracks what would probably happen in the USA and Russia as a consequence. This is compelling reading that varies from the farcical to the terrifying. It is also quite hard to stop reading. Interspersed in this are a series of "History Lessons". They cover various topics that are related to nuclear war and were extremely interesting to me.
I'd love to be able to tell you that everything was alright in the end but that simply couldn't happen in any nuclear war scenario. Around 70% of life and habitat on earth would most likely be destroyed. If you can handle that and this interested you it is one helluva read and I would (un)happily recommend it. I guess it is something that we all should know more about. It seems quite likely that we will assist in destroying our world and this is only one of the options for doing that. Definitely recommended for anyone with an interest.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review...more
In brief - Really enjoyed the people interactions, the crime story less so. 3.5/5
In full After a previous case simply became too much for her, Hana WesIn brief - Really enjoyed the people interactions, the crime story less so. 3.5/5
In full After a previous case simply became too much for her, Hana Westerman left her career as a detective with Auckland CIB. She is back in her small home town, Tātā Bay, and living with her father, Eru. Even here there are memories of the past around. A girl she was at school with 20 years earlier was murdered and her body buried in the dunes there. A Māori man was found guilty of the crime however Hana discovers that her father never thought he was guilty of it. Her daughter Addison finds another body in the dunes. This seems to be Kiri Thomas, a Māori woman, who had a record of crime and drug abuse. Mother and daughter both find they cannot leave this story alone and investigate in their own ways.
This is the second book about Hana (and I didn't read the first one) and it follows the story of the investigations both by the police and Hana and her daughter. The two murder cases are followed and it seems possible that there is a connection between them. In addition to the crime side of this story there are insights into Māori culture and way of life. There are also personal interactions from Hana and her family more widely which add a dimension to this crime novel. There are twists and turns here which were generally quite good fun. It is fair to say that Hana isn't that happy with the police investigation however the police may feel the same about Hana's work!
Personally I didn't find the crime aspect of this story particularly compelling. It was OK however quite a bit of it was obvious from quite early on in the book. It wasn't bad however on its own it may well not have held me. However, the human interactions in this story did work well for me in the main. I'm from the northern hemisphere so my Māori knowledge is sadly lacking but for me it felt well crafted. I enjoyed discovering a little about the culture and environment. There are a number of Māori words used but fortunately translations are provided. Hana as a character did work well for me and I really enjoyed her interactions with family, close and more distant. In the end it was this more personal aspect of this book that kept me reading. I think this can be read as a standalone novel but I'm sure reading the first book would add some depth to this one too.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review...more
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