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Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill (book review)

Posted on September 16, 2010
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Shadows in the Street is Susan Hill’s fifth novel in the Simon Serrailler series which follows the trials and tribulations of the Detective and his family in Lafferton.

Lafferton is a Cathedral town and in recent times has seen an increase in the number of prostitutes found walking the streets. They have started to encroach on the centre of town, an unwritten taboo broken by the introduction of pimps and the trafficking of younger working girls.

Serrailler is on an extended holiday on the remote island of Taransay (most famous for the television series Castaway in 2000). Miles from nowhere and without a mobile phone signal the detective is enjoying a quiet vacation following his draining stint with The Special Incident Flying Task force (SIFT).

The island is a sedate haven far removed from the manic turmoil of SIFT. Gentle walks across the island, a small community and warm log fires help rejuvenate his energy levels. That is until he receives an urgent call from Lafferton calling him back following the murders of two prostitutes.

Shadows in the Street is an intensive character driven novel, well written and although  a crime fiction novel I felt the investigation played a secondary role to character and story building. This is by no means a negative but if you are looking for an  detective led storyline then this may not be up your street.

Hill introduces us to numerous characters via short, sharp and intensely descriptive vignettes; they never appear rushed and add a wonderful depth to the book. Hill’s style is mesmerising and assured pulling the reader in to the grim dark world of prostitution effortlessly.

Abi’s character, a young mother of two and prostitute, desperate to leave the game and move on to better things, surprised me. I didn’t think I’d …

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No Turning Back by Marcus Sakey (book review)

Posted on September 14, 2010
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To use the popular vernacular, “it came from left field” accurately describes “No Turning Back” by Marcus Sakey – I was completely shocked and surprised at its ingenuity, style and pace. It was a breath of fresh air that I honestly didn’t expect.

I read the premise and wasn’t convinced it was my kind of book. Four people, strangers at one time in their lives met and formed the Thursday Drinking Club; it blossomed from humble beginnings into bi weekly get-togethers that included Saturday brunches and Cubs games in the summer. Their lives going nowhere, they were in a rut, always looking for excuses to meet up.

Every Thursday night the foursome met at Rossi’s, a bar-slash-restaurant where Alex worked as a bartender. Ian is a trader, partial to the lure of the white powder and his habit appears to be intensifying. Mitch, a doorman at the Continental Hotel has had his fill of ignorant guests and Jenn, the last of the four is a travel agent who can’t afford to travel to any of the exotic places she persuades her clients to visit.

Truth be told they are all at a crossroads, no one is completely satisfied, something has to give – that much is inevitable. Alex is called into his boss’s office; he spots what appears to be an enormous amount of cash in the safe and casually suggests to his friends they steal the money. What could go wrong, the plan was fool proof, no one would get hurt and their crime untraceable. It was the perfect crime.

The plotline is very well crafted and there is a distinguishable line drawn between good and bad, right and wrong. The characters are believable and although I initially found the strike it rich plan slightly implausible I …

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Deadlock by Sean Black – (Book Review)

Posted on September 12, 2010
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When I first cast my eyes on “Deadlock” by Sean Black, I have to admit I was taken in hook, line and sinker by the cover. It’s one of the most atmospheric and demanding covers I’ve seen for some time.  A black, dark cover, caged high fences and enough barbed wire to ensure no one escapes and a lone man looking towards a solitary blinding light. Welcome to Pelican Bay – Super Max prison!

I know one “cover” doesn’t make a summer but it heightened my anticipation tenfold and I was eager to see if the story could match the quality of the graphic art on display! Round one to the publishers, methinks it had the desired effect!

The tag line for the book “One prisoner, one bodyguard, and one week to stay alive” although enticing, doesn’t cover half the book; there’s so much more to this story.  Ryan Lock is ex-army (special forces) and not a man to be messed with. In a similar vein to Jack Reacher (Lee Child) and Joe Hunter (Matt Hilton) – Lock is a security consultant who generally gets called in to do the jobs no one else can do.

Lock receives a call from assistant US attorney Jalicia Jones offering him a last minute protection job in California and along with Ty, his trusted partner, the pair are “convicted” and sent to the notorious Pelican Bay Super Max prison to babysit a man known only as “Reaper” a leading member of the Aryan brotherhood gang. Only the Warden knows their true identity.

The premise of the book stems from the brutal murder of ATF agent Ken Prager and his young family in the opening salvos of the book. Jalicia Jones receives a collect call from Reaper offering information on the murder …

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The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld (book review)

Posted on September 10, 2010
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Jed Rubenfeld’s “Death Instinct” is the sequel to the critically acclaimed “The Interpretation of Murder” and takes place 10 years down the line.

Although the novel is a work of fiction, Rubenfeld does well to blend real fact based events with his own brand of intellectual fiction. The result is a magnificent concoction of enticing prose and adventurous storytelling.

The story centres around three characters namely Stratham Younger, Captain James Littlemore and Colette Rousseau and begins with the devastating explosion on Wall Street in 1920.

At 12:01 midday on the 16th of September, 1920 Wall Street rocked to the tune of a 45Kg bomb exploding in a horse drawn carriage outside the headquarters of JP Morgan. 23 Wall Street was a mess, a combination of mass hysteria and human remains lined the pavements, this was the biggest attack on US soil at the time. The blast killed 38 people and 143 were seriously injured, the crime to this day has never been solved but Rubenfeld puts his own slant on what might have happened.

The bombing in September 1920 would remain the most destructive act of terrorism in the United States until the Oklahoma bombing of 1995 by Timothy McVeigh claiming 168 lives and 680 injured.

I took my time reading this book; I discovered early on that this wasn’t a book to be rushed. It deserved a slow and thoughtful read allowing all the information to settle and the tension to build at a natural pace. Some books are meant to be read quickly, Rubenfeld’s storytelling is a delight to behold and is best appreciated slowly.

The Great War had been over for two years, Prohibition was in its relative infancy (it would continue until 1933), discovery of radium and the world wide Influenza outbreak had ended …

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The Hansie Cronje Story (book review)

Posted on September 10, 2010
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On June 1st 2002, Hansie Cronje, arguably one of the greatest South African cricket captains, died in a plane crash in the Outeniqua Mountains. He was 32. It brought to an end the colourful career of a dedicated cricketer a husband and a favourite son of South Africa.

Penned by Garth King, the biography was written to give the public closure on the sensitive subject, one that has rocked not only South Africa but the cricketing world. In addition, the hope that the people would learn from the good and the bad from Hansie’s far too short a life was also in the family’s mind allowing this project to proceed. The thing that struck me more than anything is that this is a well-balanced biography. It includes perhaps some of Hansie’s darker moments along with the good, the good times and the bad together with the realisation that he made one grave error during his cricketing career that spiralled out of control.

He was prone to sulking if a result on the field didn’t go his way, unreasonable and unwilling to be the butt of a joke despite handing out the pranks himself. One such example as King writes “he would tune the team bus’s radio to static and then crank up the volume”. However when an identical prank was played on the sleeping captain he was not best pleased, in King’s words he was “unreasonably grumpy”.

Brought up in privileged surroundings along with his brother Frans and sister Hester, Cronje enjoyed the good life that his family and sport afforded him often watching Welsh rugby on the video courtesy of a highlights video that was played constantly. Similar to Donald Bradman, Hansie had to choose between cricket and tennis as a teenager. He chose cricket and never …

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Black Hearts by Jim Frederick – book review

Posted on September 7, 2010
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This well balanced, honest and cleverly crafted work of non-fiction is so much more than an account of the brutal slaying, rape and murder of the Janabi family on March 12th 2006 in Iraq. Jim Frederick delves deeply into the inner workings of a platoon in free-fall, the human aspects of a platoon and a combination of indiscipline, exhaustion, naivety and plain bad luck.

Black Hearts is a timeless true story of how modern warfare can make or break a man’s character.

The 101st airborne division is arguably the most elite of all US divisions and bares the instantly recognisable insignia (the screaming eagle) made famous by “The Band of Brothers”.  A division synonymous with honour and integrity, its name and reputation was tested vehemently when the infantry platoon was deployed to Iraq in 2005-6.

Iraq’s ‘Triangle of Death’, 2005. A platoon of young soldiers from a U.S. regiment known as ‘the Black Heart Brigade’ is deployed to a lawless and hyperviolent area just south of Baghdad. Almost immediately, the attacks begin: every day another roadside bomb, another colleague blown to pieces. As the daily violence chips away, and chips away at their sanity, the thirty-five young men of 1st Platoon, Bravo Company descend into a tailspin of poor discipline, substance abuse, and brutality – with tragic results.

When Bravo Company lost influential leaders early on, particularly 1st platoon killed in action, they failed to recover.  As I read through Black Hearts I couldn’t help but feel that these soldiers, despite their obvious faults were let down. There was a clear lack of support and an inept chain of command in place. When the company lost its father figures early on in the deployment, it came as no surprise to me that soldiers in the heat of battle …

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“So cold the river” by Michael Koryta – book review

Posted on September 5, 2010
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A man in a bowler hat, a haunting violin and a bottle of curious sulphuric tasting water. Did I mention water? Whatever you do, don’t drink the water. I repeat; don’t drink the water!

“So cold the river” by Michael Koryta is a hypnotic and hauntingly chilly tale following one man’s attempt to chronicle a family’s childhood history in West Baden, Indiana. It’s very hard to categorize into one genre as so many themes are utilized in this 528 huge page turner. Horror, thriller, Crime and supernatural forces are all present in a stunning story of murder, greed and deceit.

Eric Shaw, a has-been cinematographer formerly of Los Angeles and now Chicago, has resorted to making small videos for funerals at the bequest of grieving families. Shaw is approached by Alyssa Bradford at the end of her sister’s funeral and offers him a job to investigate/document her father in law’s (Campbell Bradford) family, long since forgotten.

The video is to be a celebration of his life, one she wants completed before he dies so that the family as a whole can enjoy with him. Shaw accepts not only the $20,000 offer but an ancient blue bottle of Pluto mineral water.

The bottle had never been opened and belongs to Campbell Bradford, the 95 year old multi-millionaire who lies dying in a lonely hospital room. Although hidden away, and until this point had never left Bradford’s side, Alyssa Bradford sensed its importance. The blue bottle sparks a chain of events that would lead to a destructive and devastating conclusion.

Shaw, estranged from his wife Claire, makes his way to the adjoined Midwest towns of West Baden and French Lick armed with a camera and the curious, foul tasting bottle of Pluto Water. Shortly before he embarked on the drive …

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Sacred Treason by James Forrester – book review

Posted on September 2, 2010
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Set in 1563, four years into the reign of Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603), the last of the Tudor dynasty, Sacred Treason delves deeply into troubled England during times of political and religious unrest.

Written by historian James Forrester [The Pen name of Ian Mortimer], Sacred Treason surprised me. I know it’s an often overused cliché but I couldn’t put the book down. I was instantly transported back to Elizabethan times, deep in the heart of a cold and rain soaked London, I never left until the book’s conclusion – to be honest I’m not sure if I’ve actually left the muddy streets of London such was its mesmerizing hold!

Highly contagious, the book flows from beginning to end, the characters all lending a sense of realism as a battle between right and wrong, good and evil and Catholics v Protestants played out.

At the forefront of the plot is the highly respected William Harley, Clarenceux King of Arms and hero of a fascinating tale of treason, murder and an unrelenting quest for justice. As the rain and snow fell in a bitterly cold December my imagination ran riot making a mockery of my senses. This is what books are all about.

Although set in the mid to late 16th century I had to keep reminding myself of the deep, black darkness that would have surrounded London under restrictions of curfews. We are so used to bright street lamps illuminating the darkest of streets in the 21st century but as William Harley and his enemies walked the streets of London they had no such luxury. This obviously had its many benefits and drawbacks but if you were an angry Herald trying to avoid the gaze of the constabulary and watchmen it would certainly …

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The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor – book review

Posted on August 30, 2010
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The Anatomy of Ghosts is the new spooky and historical novel by Andrew Taylor, set late in the 18th century it’s a tale of ghosts, privilege and abuse in Jerusalem College, Cambridge. An old fashioned crime fiction novel, the plot is cleverly intertwined with a variety of sub plots throughout building to a crescendo at the book’s conclude.

The characters, as you would expect are plentiful and Taylor spends a great deal of time ensuring that the main characters have a wonderful colour and depth.

When I first picked up the book to review for Penguin, it took me a few chapters to find the true pace of the book and all its idiosyncrasies that comes with the old English style it is written in.

With this in mind I found the beginning a little confusing and had to revisit the first two chapters to make sure I understood what had happened!

Let me assure you this is far from a negative, I have never read a period book before and I’m certain the old style confused the left side of my brain!

John Holdsworth has lost everything; his wife Maria who drowned in the Thames, child Georgie and his business – the later ruined by candlelight fire destroying the majority of his valuable books.  Taylor’s magnificent narrative captures the essence of period Cambridge, the sights, sounds and smells of the time truly coming alive. Forced to lodge with the Farmer’s in the house he had previously shared with his wife, Holdsworth struggles to come to terms with his predicament.

Following publication of his very own “Anatomy of Ghosts” Holdsworth receives a curious offer from Lady Anne Oldershaw to rehabilitate her sick son Frank and to take stock of her late husband’s library. The offer sets in motion a …

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Dead Men’s Dust by Matt Hilton – book review

Posted on August 29, 2010
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A couple of weeks ago, on the anniversary of Elvis’s death as it happens, I reviewed the fourth book in Matt Hilton’s Joe Hunter series “Cut and Run”. Thanks to the publishers at Hodder, not only had they sent me the fourth book they also included books 1, 2 and 3 (Hunter series) with the aim to get to them when time allowed.

With that in mind I made the slightly disjointed decision to read the “Cut and Run: Joe Hunter 4” and then continue the journey with “Dead Men’s Dust:Joe Hunter 1” – I would then be back on track! A rather elongated explanation I grant you but the lure of Hilton’s new book proved too much!

Dead Men’s Dust is a book of two halves – Good v Evil; it’s as simple as that. As with Cut and Run, the book begins at a frenetic pace and despite the odd scene setting chapter the pace doesn’t let up until its conclusion – and what an ending it is!

Written from a first person point of view (Joe Hunter) and third person narrative (The Harvestman) the story flows, the plot is good and characters believable and engaging.

Joe Hunter’s brother (Telfer) appears to be missing and on the run, his ex-wife and mother to his two children is concerned for his safety despite him running off to America for another woman. A simple letter draws Hunter in on the action.

John Telfer hasn’t seen his brother since he gambled away Hunter’s money. Threatened by dangerous loan sharks Telfer has no option but to take flight to America with his girlfriend and begin a new life. It’s not long before he gets into trouble and Hunter is called in to find his brother.

‘Some may call me a vigilante.

…

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The Killing Place by Tess Gerritsen – Book Review

Posted on August 27, 2010
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I have a confession to make! I had never heard of Rizzoli and Isles until I began watching the television series (July 12th on TNT in the United States). Starring Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Dr Maura Isles, I discovered the series was based on novels by Tess Gerritsen.

With that in mind and thanks to the wonderful publicists at Transworld Publishers, Gerritsen’s latest novel “The Killing Place” landed, ready for me to review.

Despite having watched six episodes of the TV show I decided to the best way to attack the book was to start afresh, forgetting everything I knew from what I’d seen on TNT. I always find a book gives you so much more depth and insight into a character’s mind and personality than the small/big screen could ever do. So with that in mind and En Vogue’s mantra “Free your mind and the rest will follow” playing in my head I turned to page one and began a new journey!

Dr Maura Isles is in Wyoming for a medical conference where she meets up with an old acquaintance (Doug). Over dinner, he invites her on a short trip with his daughter and two friends before she is due to head back to Boston, back home to a strained relationship with Father Daniel Brophy. She decides the time is right for a little spontaneity and accepts his invitation meeting up with the group the following morning.

Hours into the journey they realise they are desperately lost following an incorrect instruction from “Lola” the GPS navigator. With the snow fall intensifying they are forced off the road and end up sideways in a ditch. The road is deserted and no recent sign of life exists and so they abandon the vehicle …

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The Kid by Kevin Lewis – book review

Posted on August 24, 2010
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Where do I begin reviewing “The Kid” by Kevin Lewis? I sat through the first half of the book with my mouth wide open, or that’s how it seemed to me – I’m certain I didn’t or colleagues would have certainly pulled me up on my facial expressions had I done so. It just felt like it at the time!

“The Kid” is a harrowing and sad story of a young lad (Kevin Lewis) growing up in South London in the 1970’s who was abused both mentally and physically, mistreated, and used as a punching bag firstly by his mother Gloria and then by his Elvis loving father Dennis.

I read the first couple of chapters and took a step back allowing myself a momentary pause from the agony of life in Kevin’s world. It made me appreciate the upbringing I had both as a child and young adult. I never wanted for anything, how many people can say that? Certainly not Kevin.

I chose, as I grew a little older not to celebrate birthdays, Kevin on the other hand had no such luxury – he never had the option. I was never abused and although a relatively small family we were lovingly cared for; I thank my parents for that.

As I continued reading, page after page was full of heartache for a young lad lost in a world full of turmoil. Gloria would sit waiting for the postman to deliver her Gyro and then immediately spend it not on the children but herself.

There was never enough food for the kids and they were banned from using the downstairs toilet after dark for fear they would steal what food was available in the fridge. A bucket would be placed on the landing (upstairs) and …

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No Way Down by Graham Bowley – Book Review

Posted on August 20, 2010
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I’ve never climbed in my life, never had any intention of climbing and probably never will; quite a bold statement considering the subject matter on review! Don’t get me wrong I don’t have anything against climbing; in fact, I have a great deal of respect and admiration for mountaineers who risk their lives in the name of adventure and dreams. “No Way Down:Life and Death on K2”, written by New York Times journalist Graham Bowley, looks back on that fateful day in early August 2008 when so many lives were lost ascending and descending K2.

K2, along with Everest has always captured my imagination and until I read this book I was always under the distinct impression that the pinnacle of any mountaineering career was to conquer Everest, the highest mountain on earth it stands to reason it’s the hardest to climb. However, as Bowley writes it appears that K2 is a tougher and more dangerous climb despite being 778 feet lower than Everest.

“Yet K2′s deadliness was part of the attraction. For a serious climber with ambition, K2 was the ultimate prize. K2 had retained an aura of mysteryand danger and remained the mountaineer’s mountain. Only 278 people had ever stood on K2′s summit, in contrast to the thousands who made it to the top of Everest.”

Also known as The Savage Mountain, K2 has a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) and is part of the Karakoram Range located on the border between China and Pakistan. Thomas Montgomerie made the first survey of the Karakoram from Mount Haramukh, some 130 miles (210 km) to the south, and sketched the two most prominent peaks, labelling them K1 and K2. For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying.

One thing that …

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The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva – book review

Posted on August 18, 2010
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There’s something strangely satisfying about reading a good book. If you’re lucky, you can escape into a world full of intrigue and imagination, resting only for a brief second when you turn the page and continue on your journey of discovery. “The Rembrandt Affair” is one such book. Buy Now

It’s been six months since Gabriel Allon, an Israeli spy and art restorer, faced Russian arms dealer Ivan Kharkov. He has for all intents and purposes retired from “the office” and settled for the quiet life in a small Cornish seaside cottage with his beautiful wife Chiara, but how long will this retirement last?

“The Rembrandt affair” is a suspenseful and fast flowing thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat until its climax. The book, by Daniel Silva is the 10th novel in the long running Gabriel Allon series – it is however my first introduction to the master spy and art restorer. I certainly won’t leave it so long next time!

Set in various cities and countries across the globe including Israel, London, Iran, Amsterdam and Switzerland this truly is a globetrotting affair that sucks you in from the opening scenes in Glastonbury.

An unknown stranger follows a well-connected art restorer (Christopher Lidell) back to his studio, and what transpires sets about a chain of events that will leave you breathless and wanting more. A single painting is stolen (Portrait of a young woman) but at what cost? Julian Isherwood (London Art Dealer) is deeply concerned at the painting’s theft and seeks out the help of an old friend; Allon.

Gabriel Allon is reticent to take on the new case, even though it’s a favour for a dear friend but following a discussion over dinner with Chiara the pair embarks …

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