5* Reviews – Page 6 – Grab This Book

Death Deserved – Jorn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger

Police officer Alexander Blix and celebrity blogger Emma Ramm join forces to track down a serial killer with a thirst for attention and high-profile murders, in the first episode of a gripping new Nordic Noir series…

Oslo, 2018. Former long-distance runner Sonja Nordstrøm never shows at the launch of her controversial autobiography, Always Number One. When celebrity blogger Emma Ramm visits Nordstrøm’s home later that day, she finds the door unlocked and signs of a struggle inside. A bib with the number ‘one’ has been pinned to the TV.

Police officer Alexander Blix is appointed to head up the missing-persons investigation, but he still bears the emotional scars of a hostage situation nineteen years earlier, when he killed the father of a five-year-old girl. Traces of Nordstrøm soon show up at different locations, but the appearance of the clues appear to be carefully calculated … evidence of a bigger picture that he’s just not seeing…

Blix and Ramm soon join forces, determined to find and stop a merciless killer with a flare for the dramatic, and thirst for attention.
Trouble is, he’s just got his first taste of it…

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for a review copy and to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the opportunity to join the Death Deserved blog tour.

To borrow a line from Taffy in the Captain Caveman cartoons….Zowie! Death Deserved is more than a little bit good.

As soon I started reading Death Deserved it was the only book I wanted to be reading this week. I normally juggle three or four titles at once but Death Deserved was the book I kept coming back to – nothing else got a look-in. I make no secret of the fact I enjoy serial killer stories and that’s very much what I got from Death Deserved, even if that may not have been clear from the start.

Sonja Nordstrøm was due to publish a book. As she reached her 50th year she wanted to lift the lid on a few secrets and scandals which she experienced or encountered during her highly successful athletics career. But on publication day she failed to show for an interview, most untypical behaviour for Sonja. She is nowhere to be found and when celeb journalist Emma Ramm arrives at her home to try to speak with Sonja she finds evidence of a struggle. The police are called and this brings Emma into contact with Alexander Blix.

Unbeknownst to Emma, Blix has previously encountered her family and that encounter changed the path of Emma’s life. Although she is unaware, Blix recognises her name instantly and decides he will offer her stories and tips from inside the resulting investigation. The leads Blix feed Emma gives her the opportunity to work outside celebrity stories and interact with the crime reporters. Sonja Nordstrøm’s kidnapping is very much the starting point of a fast paced and high intensity investigation which will see several celebrities meet a nasty end. It puts the police on a manhunt and we follow the investigation as they try to figure out the motive (and next victim) of a killer. Emma contributes to this too as her background seems to give her a different focus on how to view the unfolding events and the insights she can offer become a benefit to Blix.

I really don’t want to reveal too much of the actual plot but at the same time I want to rave about how good this story was and how much I enjoyed it. The best dilemma to be honest. When I want to reveal and discuss everything I loved about the book it means the book got under my skin and into my head. I want to put copies of Death Deserved into the hands of my friends and implore them to read it and then hope that they enjoy it just as much as I did (which I am sure they will). It’s a who-dunnit, a fast paced police procedural, it has great characters and the lead players are given time to grow and develop between the many twists and shocks the authors have sneaked into the chapters. So much fun to read and wonderfully executed (no murderous puns intended).

The story has been translated from Norwegian by Anne Bruce and she has done a magnificent job, the prose flows seamlessly the whole book was very readable. Some translated texts I encounter feel laboured, jarring or the dialogue stilted but none of these issues could be raised about Death Deserved. Indeed, it was not until I read the author acknowledgements at the end of the book that I remembered that I was reading a translated novel. Oh and the acknowledgments are fabulous – do not skip them!

Death Deserved was devoured in very short time. I loved the Blix/Ramm dynamic and I sincerely hope the authors feel it is worth revisiting. Soon would be good guys! Sooner if possible?

Death Deserved is published by Orenda Books and is available in Digital, Paperback and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XBW6SFN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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February 11

The Sinner – Martyn Waites

Tom Killgannon, ex-undercover police officer and now in witness protection, is recalled to active service by a local police task force, headed by DS Sheridan. His mission is to befriend notorious child killer Noel Cunningham and find out where he buried the bodies of his final two victims.

The catch? Tom has to obtain that information from within Blackmoor prison itself.

Undercover and with no back-up, Tom soon runs into danger.

In the prison is convicted gangster Dean Foley. He used to run Manchester’s biggest gang, until Tom’s testimony put him away for life. He recognises Tom, and so begins a cat-and-mouse game as Tom fights for survival before Foley can get his revenge.

But why can’t Tom reach DS Sheridan and what is the real reason he has been sent to Blackmoor prison?

My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the chance to join the blog tour. I received a review copy of The Sinner through Netgalley.

I’ve been looking forward to writing this review – books like The Sinner are why I started blogging all those years ago. I wanted to make sure my love for a story which had held me gripped from first page to last could reach a wide audience and hopefully as many people as possible will be on the lookout for this book.

First the housekeeping. The Sinner follows on from The Old Religion (also a cracking read) which introduced protagonist Tom Killgannon – there are minor spoilers if you read them out of order but only because it is necessary to introduce new readers to the characters in Tom’s life. The Sinner can easily be read and enjoyed without first reading The Old Religion.

Killgannon is a former undercover cop who is now in witness protection. A condition of his new lifestyle was that he had to remain available for further operations should the need arise. When the police come calling seeking his help Tom is resigned to his fate, however when he learns he will be required to go undercover behind bars at Blackmoor prison he does try to resist his assignment. As a former cop Tom has concerns he may be recognised if he goes into a prison – he is also not keen on the claustrophobic conditions he may face. The police are quick to assure Tom they have carefully checked to ensure nobody within Blackmoor will know him from his former life so he reluctantly agrees.

All does not go to plan and Tom finds himself face to face with Dean Foley, the gangster at the head of the organization Tom had infiltrated. Foley is a powerful figure within Blackmoor and it is not long before he learns of Tom’s arrival and a meeting between the two is inevitable. Tom is horrified his mission has been compromised so quickly and contacts his handlers to find out what went wrong with the planning. He needs pulled out of Blackmoor immediately or his life will be in danger.

Unfortunately for Tom his placement took lots of preparation and if he has not yet completed the mission he was chosen for then the urgency to remove him may not match his own. Tom is in a deadly race against time – get the info he was sent to discover, keep out of trouble and never let his guard down…

Given the introduction I wrote it should come as no surprise to learn that I loved The Sinner. The claustrophobic prison conditions, Tom’s personal battles against memories from his past and the real danger he faces from Foley and his minions. I am trying to avoid too many spoilers so will not go into detail on the perils Tom’s friends may be facing on the outside as they wait his return. Similarly the investigating cops have problems to deal with while waiting for Tom to report – that really threw me sideways as I hadn’t expected them to feature once Tom was in prison. It’s chapter after chapter of tension and excitement.

Simply put…The Sinner is the book I will be recommending for a good while to come. Easy 5 star score – go get it.

The Sinner is published in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KJJQF6F/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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December 12

A Window Breaks – C.M. Ewan

If your family was targeted in the middle of the night, what would you do?

You are asleep. A noise wakes you.
You stir, unsure why, and turn to your partner.
Then you hear it.
Glass. Crunching underfoot.
Your worst fears are about to be realized.
Someone is inside your home.
Your choices are limited.
You can run. Or stay and fight.
What would you do?

I received a copy of A Window Breaks from the publisher through Netgalley.

Reading A Window Breaks is like riding a rollercoaster. You purchase your ticket (buy the book) and climb into the car (start reading). As your rollercoaster car starts to move you are filled with the anticipation of the shocks, twists and surprises that will soon follow.

But rollercoasters don’t just launch you into those breakneck speeds or hurl you round a sharp twist – there is a period of build up as you winch up an incline, the car getting ready for that point where you are tipped over the edge of a shocking drop and the real rush begins.

When reading A Window Breaks there is the same steady winch period where the reader gets introduced to the family at the heart of the story. You have time to take in your surroundings and get comfortable while out of sight there are cogs whirring and slowly drawing you to the top of the incline.

Then in the story A Window Breaks.

That is the point where this book tips you over the edge of that first rollercoaster incline and you, as a reader, are plummeting forward on an unstoppable thrill ride of twists, shocks and surprises. It is an adrenaline filled rush and you will not want to get off the ride are you are now fully committed to the whole experience. You can’t stop, you are compelled to keep moving forward, drawn along by the events which are unfolding and you want to be there at the end so you can proudly proclaim “I did it” and then you will recommend to your friends that they make the same journey and read A Window Breaks. It’s a rush.

So what’s the story actually about? Well I can tell you some of it but not too much as that takes us too deep into spoiler territory and I am not keen to do that. A Window Breaks follows a family who have endured too much personal trauma of recent times. The Sullivan family were originally a family of 4, the eldest son has recently died in a car crash (the car taken before he was legally entitled to drive). Parents Tom and Rachel are devastated and start to drift apart, their young daugher is keeping them together. Then further trauma occurs – a mugging as they leave a work event sees daughter, Holly, receive a nasty injury and the fragile family security takes another impact.

To allow healing time Tom, Rachel and Holly are invited to spend a few days in a remote lodge in the Scottish Highlands. The idyllic retreat will allow them time to relax and hopefully repair some of the cracks which have appeared in Tom and Rachel’s marriage. All seems well…until A Window Breaks.

I really, really enjoyed the latest thriller from C.M (Chris) Ewan. He can take the reader through an emotional wringer and his plots always carry a satisfying punch. Definite five star read for me, a proper page turner.

A Window Breaks is currently available in digital format and will release in paperback on 20 February 2020. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Window-Breaks-Nerve-shredding-Pulse-racing-Thriller-ebook/dp/B07S1TS6L6/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1575661790&refinements=p_27%3AC.+M.+Ewan&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=C.+M.+Ewan

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November 17

Bad Memory (Audiobook) – Lisa Gray

Quiet towns keep big secrets.

Private investigator Jessica Shaw is leading a quiet life in a Californian desert community, where she spends her days working low-level cases. But when a former resident asks Jessica to help her sister, Rue Hunter—a convicted murderer whose execution is days away—Jessica can’t resist the offer.

Rue doesn’t remember what happened the night two high school students were killed thirty years ago, but everybody in town is certain she’s guilty. As Jessica looks for answers, she finds that local rumors point one way and evidence points another. And nobody wants to face the truth. Meanwhile, Jessica can’t shake the feeling that someone is stalking her—now more than ever, she knows she can’t trust anyone.

As Jessica digs deeper, she encounters local secrets in unlikely places—including the police department itself. But the clock is ticking, and Jessica must find the truth fast—or Rue’s bad memory may be the death of them both.

I bought this audiobook through my Audible subscription. Sometimes I can take an age deciding how to use my monthly credit, however, having recently read the first Jessica Shaw thriller by Lisa Gray (Thin Air) I was keen to hear more of Jessica’s adventures. It was a good purchase decision!

Bad Memory is a story which spans a generation. Thirty years ago Rue Hunter killed two of her friends at a deserted make-out spot on the edge of town. She was found guilty in court after confessing to the crime and sent to death row to await execution.

That was then – the reader (listener in my case) gets to be with Rue at the time the crime takes place. We see how she finds the couple, she is a little drunk, she is a little stoned and she has a knife. The reader lives the murder with Rue as she plunges the knife into the back of her victim. There is blood – lots of blood – and Rue’s fate is sealed.

Into the now. Jessica Shaw is approached by Rue’s sister. She wants Jessica to help prove Rue is innocent of the crime that everyone thinks she committed and that she herself confessed to committing. Thirty years down the line and with just a few days until Rue is due to face lethal injection Jessica will have her work cut out to discover if there were any missed clues. One thing which may help is that Rue no longer believes she committed the murders but if she is telling the truth now then why did she lie thirty years ago?

Despite the lack of pages in an audiobook – this was a definite page turner. Bad Memory has that terrific “one more chapter” feeling which just keeps the reader glued to the story. Lisa Gray achieves this by keeping the story punchy, switching narrative and timeline between the present and the past and a secondary story, which does partly overlap with Jessica’s investigation, was also very engaging. Pacing is perfect as the story zips along and the deadline to Rue’s execution looms ever closer.

Despite this being the second Jessica Shaw story you can easily pick up Bad Memory without reading Thin Air. Jessica’s private life gives the reader a nice distraction from the ongoing investigations. Things are distracting too for Jessica as she has a few issues she needs to address as she contemplates leaving town and settling down elsewhere.

I do need to give a special shout-out to the narrator of Bad Memory: Amy Landon. She has the perfect voice for this story, very listenable while giving distinctive voice to different . She adopted a pleasant drawl which suited the small-town and seemingly sleepy locations where Bad Memory is set. An audiobook is made or ruined by the talent of the narrator and Amy Landon is a name I shall look out for in future audiobook purchases.

In short – I am calling this an inspired audiobook purchase. The story had me gripped and kept me entertained throughout. Exactly what I need from a good crime thriller and Bad Memory is a very good crime thriller.

Bad Memory is published by Thomas & Mercer and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07Q8FD47T/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1

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November 3

Ghoster – Jason Arnopp

Kate Collins has been ghosted.

She was supposed to be moving in with her new boyfriend Scott, but all she finds after relocating to Brighton is an empty flat. Scott has vanished. His possessions have all disappeared.

Except for his mobile phone.

Kate knows she shouldn’t hack into Scott’s phone. She shouldn’t look at his Tinder, his texts, his social media. But she can’t quite help herself.

That’s when the trouble starts. Strange, whispering phone calls from numbers she doesn’t recognise. Scratch marks on the door that she can’t explain.

And the growing feeling that she’s being watched . . .

My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the chance to join the blog tour and to Orbit for my review copy.

Ghoster is the most impressive contemporary horror tale I have read. It also seamlessly blends the traditional themes of a strong horror tale, loss, isolation, obsession, terror and paranoia and drops it into a modern day tale with social media, smart phones and our societies expectations. Clever, chilling stuff.

Kate Collins is looking for her soul mate. On Valentines Day she is browsing Tinder looking for possible matches when one profile picture leaps out at her. This guy has a handsome but vulnerable look and Kate feels an immediate connection. She clicks on the super-like and waits. And waits. But when she gets a like back it is not from the guy she clicked on. Instead she ends up with a disasterous match which subsequently forces her off social media.

In a bid to purge her obsessive online fascination with her ex-boyfriend’s activities Kate books into a weekend retreat digital detox clinic. Also booked onto this course is Scott, the handsome guy she had Super Liked on Tinder. He doesn’t recognise her, why would he? But Kate certainly recognised him and over the weekend the pair find themselves drawn together and they seem to click.

Moving forward a few months and Kate is leaving Yorkshire to move to Brighton where she is moving into Scott’s house. She has given up her paramedic’s role in Leeds and making full commitment to their deepening relationship. So imagine her horror in arriving at Scott’s house to find it entirely empty. No Scott, no furniture and no indication as to where he may have gone. Scott has totally vanished. Is he Ghosting her? Is he dead? Has she been dumped or is she the victim of an elaborate hoax? Kate’s life is in turmoil and she has no idea where to turn. The only clue she may have is that Scott’s mobile phone is found hidden outside his flat on his balcony. Can Kate somehow piece together the life Scott was leading while she was still in Leeds?

Narrative swings between the current day as Kate tries to juggle her investigations and her new job in the Brighton paramedic team and then back to six months earlier as we read how Kate and Scott’s relationship grew while they spent time together.

Kate goes through an emotional wringer and she makes some shocking discoveries about the man she thought she knew but seemingly massively misjudged. Kate needs to know the truth and her quest to uncover Scott’s secrets threaten everything she holds dear. But where is Scott?

I was kept guessing on Ghoster and at times I wasn’t even sure I was reading a horror tale. Well until a ghost appeared that it. Kate’s story was one of loss and personal drama but where does the horror lie? Everywhere. And at times it is so normal I didn’t even see it for what it was.

This is sublime, clever and chilling writing. Ghoster is a modern horror classic. If you love this genre then you need to read this book.

Ghoster is published by Orbit Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06X3V9VSX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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May 14

Your Deepest Fear – David Jackson

‘Sara! Remember! Victoria and Albert. All I can say. They’re here. They’re-‘

These are the last words Sara Prior will ever hear from her husband.

As DS Nathan Cody struggles to make sense of the enigmatic message and solve the brutal murder, it soon becomes clear that Sara is no ordinary bereaved wife. Taking the investigation into her own hands, Sara is drawn into a world of violence that will lead her in a direction she would never have suspected.

For Cody, meanwhile, things are about to get personal in the darkest and most twisted ways imaginable . . .

My thanks to the publisher for my review copy which I received through Netgalley and to Tracy Fenton for the opportunity to join the blog tour.

Where to start with this beauty? David Jackson has delivered a storming read, darker than the average police thriller. Delightfully creepy moments are plentiful as he pits his lead character (Nathan Cody) against his mysterious nemesis – a masked stranger responsible for the death of Cody’s partner and for mutilating Cody himself.

This is the fourth Nathan Cody book. Cody is very much a man defined by his past and as such readers will benefit from reading the earlier titles (A Tapping At My Door, Hope To Die and Don’t Make A Sound). However, everything you need to know about Cody’s background is nicely covered in Your Deepest Fear so there is no chance you will fail to understand the significance of some of the bigger moments in this book.

Cody is investigating a brutal murder. The victim has been subjected to a prolonged attack prior to death which would have meant he suffered greatly before the end. There is nothing in the mans background which would have given cause for suspicion or may have brought him into contact with the ‘wrong types’. So why was this man chosen for such an unpleasant death?

The victim’s widow is also causing problems for Cody. She found her husband’s body after he had left a message/call for help on her answer phone. Contained in the message was a possible clue to identify his killers but she cannot work out what the clue means. At least that is what she is telling Cody.

Despite having a murder to solve Cody is distracted in Your Deepest Fear. This is because his own Deepest Fear is coming back to taunt him. The clowns. The terrifying clowns who tortured Cody and left him broken have returned. Their leader wants to play a game with Cody…the prize is the chance for Cody to discover the identity of his tormentor. But the game will be dangerous and Cody will have a high price to pay for the information he wants.

I don’t know if I can do Your Deepest Fear justice in a review without spoiling too much of the story. It is a wickedly good read. Cody is put through an emotional wringer yet the clowns always seem one step ahead of him. David Jackson has pitched the terror in the cat and mouse game perfectly.

Some books you just don’t want to put down. Count Your Deepest Fear on that list – it has a story guaranteed to draw you in. Simply brilliant.

Your Deepest Fear is released on 16 May 2019 and is published by Zaffre in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Your-Deepest-Fear-darkest-thriller-ebook/dp/B07JWBG9X4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=david+jackson&qid=1557773893&s=gateway&sr=8-1

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April 5

Twisted – Steve Cavanagh

BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THREE THINGS:

1. The police are looking to charge me with murder.
2. No one knows who I am. Or how I did it.
3. If you think you’ve found me. I’m coming for you next.

After you’ve read this book, you’ll know: the truth is far more twisted…

I received a review copy from the publisher and was invited to join the blog tour – my thanks to Tracy Fenton.

It is hard to know where to start with Twisted. This blog is very much a spoiler free zone so discussing the plot of Twisted without giving away too much information is going to be a challenge. So I shall start with the easy bit…Twisted is lots of fun to read. It’s a contender to be the poster child for the 2019 “page turner” campaign.

Once the story begins you get drawn in. Right from the off. Those first few pages will have you wondering what the Hell is going on? So you read a bit more. And more. And more. Then the story picks you up, shakes your understanding around a little and pops you back down. You venture into the next chapter and the next but now you aren’t sure what may happen next so you keep reading. Until the story picks you up, shakes you around a little and you are set back down to face another set of possibilities, with a whole new direction to travel. Repeat, repeat. It is perfect reading escapism.

But what is Twisted about? I would venture this brief outline. It is about a secret, an enigma, a hugely successful writer who has managed to keep his real identity a secret from the world. But someone is going to discover that secret and the carefully constructed life the writer has crafted for himself is going to start to unravel. But then maybe it isn’t that at all. It’s complicated. Actually it is Twisted.

What I can confirm is that the identity of the mysterious writer is a closely guarded secret. So much so that people have died in order for the writer (J.T. Le Beau) to keep his secret safe. Their deaths will be written into one of his books – and if THAT isn’t Twisted then I don’t know what is!

When you are packing for your summer holidays make sure Twisted is in your suitcase. But as it has already released I’d recommend buying your copy now. Links are below 😉

Twisted is published by Orion and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twisted-bestselling-THIRTEEN-Steve-Cavanagh-ebook/dp/B07G19CB1N/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6X24F3AFO1I&keywords=twisted+steve+cavanagh&qid=1554399503&s=gateway&sprefix=twisted+%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1

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February 18

Batman: The Court of Owls – Greg Cox

An original novel pitting Batman against the Court of Owls, a secret society of wealthy families that’s controlled Gotham for centuries using murder and money.

For generations, an apocryphal cabal has controlled Gotham from the shadows, wielding fear and violence through its undead assassins, the Talons. THE COURT OF OWLS.

Dating back centuries, its leaders are men and women of wealth and influence who meet in secrecy, hiding their identities behind stark white masks. Employing science and alchemy, they sought to kill Bruce Wayne who, as Batman, dealt them their greatest defeats. Even then they faded back into the darkness, and he could not eliminate them entirely.

Now, Gotham City is plagued with a series of brutal murders in which mutilated bodies are burned almost beyond recognition. Batman and his allies—including Nightwing and Batgirl—quickly realize that the Talons have returned, yet the reason for the killings remains tauntingly unknown.

As the heroes seek answers, their path stretches back more than a century. Should the Owls obtain what they seek, it could grant them power that no one could counter. With each moment that passes, more victims appear.

Batman must stop the Talons before they kill again.

I received a review copy from Titan Books

Batman is 80 and he is going from strength to strength. The Dark Knight is an iconic character who has made the successful leap from the pages of comic books into film, television and is recognised around the world.

One potential drawback for new readers is how can they find an entire Batman adventure to enjoy when they don’t know which comics to read. There are several individual Batman comics released each month and a full story can unfold over a six or seven month period. It can be a bit off-putting.

The good news is that Titan Books are releasing a number of Batman titles as novels. Iconic stories adapted as an original novel by some of the best writers in the genre. To illustrate my point I give you Greg Cox (author of The Court of Owls), he has written original stories featuring Buffy, Star Trek, Xena, Alias, CSI and many more. I was enjoying this author’s work long before my blogging days began.

So I turn to The Court of Owls. I was aware of the “Owls” characters being added to the Gotham City legend but have not (yet) read any of the comics where they feature. They are a shadowy operation with a long reach. For generations The Owls have lurked behind the scenes manipulating and influencing events in Gotham. Recently they emerged from hiding in a bid to take down Batman – his quest to “save” Gotham was interfering with their plans.

The Owls have a number of highly trained killers at their disposal – they are the Talons. Batman and Nightwing will go toe-to-toe with these killers as both the good guys and their foes try to track down a missing student. Her investigations into the history of Gotham has led the Owls to believe she may hold vital information which solve a mystery which has perplexed the Owls for decades.

I have reviews coming shortly for other titles in the Batman novelization series but I can honestly say that The Court of Owls was my favourite in the collection to date. Greg Cox does a fantastic job bringing the characters to life and as the story spans two time periods – modern day Gotham and events from around the time of World War 1 – he also gives each period a distinctive feel too.

Batman is racing against the Owls to trace the missing student and it makes for a cracking thriller which zips along at a fast pace. The Caped Crusader has history with the Owls and they are looking to exploit their knowledge of his weaknesses to gain an edge. Their ruthless Talons will provide stiff competition and there are some exciting set piece showdowns where the two sides face off against each other.

While I appreciate comic book stories are not to everyone’s liking I really did enjoy the novelisation of a Batman story. The Court of Owls brilliantly paced, the story had me gripped and I had a genuine sense of regret when the story ended. But that’s the best thing about being a fan of comic book heroes – they keep giving more. Batman has 80 years of stories to discover and enjoy. The Court of Owls is just one place where a new reader can jump in or a returning reader can experience a great adventure in a new format.

The Court of Owls is published by Titan Books and is available in Hardback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1785658166?aaxitk=-Bm5EKx9p4rOxIfJvGb8tQ&pd_rd_i=1785658166&pf_rd_p=0e11f8c9-98e1-4a93-bd5e-367420b613ee&hsa_cr_id=8002699930802&sb-ci-n=productDescription&sb-ci-v=DC%20Comics%20novels%20-%20Batman%3A%20The%20Court%20of%20Owls%3AAn%20Original%20Prose%20Novel%20by%20Greg%20Cox

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February 4

Video Killed The Radio Star – Duncan MacMaster

Money in the bank and his dream girl on his arm – life was looking pretty sweet for Kirby Baxter.

Of course it couldn’t last. Where would the fun be in that? This is a sequel after all.

After solving the murder of a movie starlet the previous year, Kirby is doing his best to live down his burgeoning reputation as part-time Interpol agent and amateur sleuth.

Then reality TV comes knocking next door.

Million Dollar Madhouse is a reality TV show where a bunch of washed up celebrities are thrown together in a dilapidated mansion while their attempts to renovate the building are broadcast 24/7 for the viewers delight.

Kirby’s quiet town is thrown into chaos by the arrival of camera crews, remote control video drones and a cast of characters including disgraced actress Victoria Gorham, political shock-jock Bert Wayne and reality TV royalty Kassandra Kassabian.

When one of the cast members turns up dead the local police turn to the only celebrity detective in town for help and draft an unwilling Kirby into their investigation.

The first body is only the beginning of another rip-roaring adventure for Kirby Baxter and with Gustav his loyal driver/valet/bodyguard/chef/ass-kicker at his side, our hero plunges into the fray with his usual stunning displays of deductive reasoning and sheer bloody luck.

I received a review copy from the publishers.

It is #Fahrenbruary which is the brainchild of one of my blogging chums @LaughingGravy71 aka The Beardy Book Blogger aka Mart. Fahrenbruary is a month long celebration of the many wonderful books published by indy publishing house Fahrenheit Press. I am a big fan of Fahrenheit and you will find quite a few of their titles reviewed in the archives of my blog.

Confession time from me…I have read quite a few books which have not yet been reviewed here on Grab This Book. I don’t always win the work/life/blogging juggle and some books are enjoyed but not immediately reviewed. Today’s review is for Video Killed The Radio Star – by coincidence it is published by Fahrenheit Press and happily it allows me to share some book love during #Fahrenbruary (even though I read Video Killed The Radio Star in November).

Did you notice that I want to share “book love”? It’s true – I really loved Video Killed The Radio Star and I was most vexed that I was not in a position to share my review when I first read it. By the way from now on I am going with “Video” or this review will take hours to finish writing.

Step forward Kirby Baxter – he first appeared in MacMaster’s A Mint Conditioned Corpse. No requirement to have read the first book to enjoy the second, just the usual caveat of getting better background info on the characters and their respective places in the world. Kirby is hugely enjoyable to read about. He has a personal assistant called Gustav who never seems to speak yet Kirby will recount lengthy chats they have. Kirby has previous form in assisting the authorities with a murder investigation so when a celebrity death occurs on the set of a reality tv show, which is being filmed near his home, Kirby is called to assist to ensure the show can go on.

I loved the premise of assembling a cast of D-list Celebs, locking them in a secure village (where it seems that almost every move they make is recorded for tv broadcast) then bumping off one of the more odious “stars” and make everyone else a suspect. It is a Big Brother murder story with a DIY reality show keeping the suspects assembled and distracted.

Keeping a cracking whodunnit murder story zipping along whilst also delivering on the gags and humour is no mean feat but major kudos to Duncan MacMaster who aces it in Video. I came for the murder but stayed for the jokes. Okay that sounds like an episode of Scooby Doo. No. No. No. That’s not right. Video Killed The Radio Star is a great murder mystery which does not take its-self too seriously and gives readers light-hearted moments to enjoy while the players in this reality tv murder fest try to stay alive.

Kirby will need to mingle with the “stars” and the production team. He needs to work out what made the victim a target, establish who had opportunity and confidence to commit murder in an area surrounded with video cameras and try to keep his girlfriend and her celeb-stalking cousin safe from harm. Their snooping will not be tolerated by those with secrets to hide and Celebs trying to get that one big breakthrough into mainstream awareness do not want any of their secrets revealed. It all makes for some engaging conversations.

I firmly believe that reading should be fun. I don’t get a kick from picking up a novel which other readers have said left them in tears. I want thrills, puzzles, good guys thwarting bad guys and exciting moments of tension which keeps pages turning long into the night. Video Killed The Radio Star delivered on all those fronts and I highly recommend it.

Video Killed The Radio Star is published by Fahrenheit Press and can be ordered in paperback or digital format from their website here: http://www.fahrenheit-press.com/books_video_killed_the_radio_star.html

Other online bookstores are available.

Category: 5* Reviews | Comments Off

January 27

Changeling – Matt Wesolowski

A missing child
A family in denial
Six witnesses
Six stories
Which one is true?

On Christmas Eve in 1988, seven-year-old Alfie Marsden vanished in the dark Wentshire Forest Pass, when his father, Sorrel, stopped the car to investigate a mysterious knocking sound. No trace of the child, nor his remains, have ever been found. Alfie Marsden was declared officially dead in 1995.

Elusive online journalist, Scott King, whose ‘Six Stories’ podcasts have become an internet sensation, investigates the disappearance, interviewing six witnesses, including Sorrel and his ex-partner, to try to find out what really happened that fateful night. Journeying through the trees of the Wentshire Forest – a place synonymous with strange sightings, and tales of hidden folk who dwell there, he talks to a company that tried and failed to build a development in the forest, and a psychic who claims to know what happened to the little boy…

Intensely dark, deeply chilling and searingly thought provoking, Changeling is an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, taking you to places you will never, ever forget.

Thank you to Anne Cater and Karen at Orenda Books for the chance to join the blog tour. I have reviewed the Audible audiobook which I had pre-ordered for purchase before I knew I would be joining the blog tour.

Matt Wesolowski writes each of the Six Stories books as a series of podcast episodes. One novel takes the reader/listener through a sequence of six interviews each interview is designed to give a different viewpoint on a single incident. The incidents in questions are unsolved crimes, mysteries or puzzles to which there has not been a definitive answer or explanation and sometimes the incidents have a supernatural undertone. The podcast host asserts that he is not trying to solve these crimes or occurrences, simply letting his listeners have the opportunity to challenge the “truth”.

As Changeling is written as a sequence of podcasts I was determined to read the book in audiobook format. What better way to enjoy the podcasts than to have them play out in the format they are intended to be presented? The result – an astonishing and wholly immersive experience.

Changeling documents the disappearance of a young boy in 1988. Alfie Marsden was in a car with his father on Christmas Eve when, driving near Wentshire Forest, their car broke down after Alfie’s father (Sorrel) heard a strange tapping noise coming from the engine. Sorrel was looking under the bonnet trying to identify the source of the noise, Alfie was sleeping in the car. Yet when Sorrel gave up on his mechanical investigations and looked back into the car Alfie was gone.

The case generated a lot of publicity over 3o years ago and Wentshire Forest had a reputation for creepy and unexplained activity. Scott King explores the forest’s reputation, looks into the people around Alfie at the time he disappeared and challenges his listeners to consider if something came out Wentshire Forest and took Alfie back into the woods.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

The emotion and the drama surrounding the disappearance of a young child is brilliantly conveyed in the performances of the narrators on the audiobook. As was the terror surrounding the tap, tap, tap phenomenon in the interviews discussing the peculiarities of Wentshire Forest.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

A constant chilling undertone plays over a distressing family drama. Broken people tell their story and it can make for harrowing listening. Matt Wesolowski has delivered another majestic read.

I am blown away by the storytelling in the Six Stories books and I urge everyone to seek them out. If you listen to podcasts but don’t like to listen to talking books then I believe Changeling could be the book which may change your listening habits. There is nothing to rival the sheer reading pleasure of losing yourself in the brilliance of a well constructed audiobook. The Six Stories series is an essential addition to any audiobook library.

Changeling is available in digital, paperback and audiobook format. It can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Changeling-Six-Stories-Book-3-ebook/dp/B07F9JH5ZV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548587467&sr=8-1&keywords=changeling+matt+wesolowski

Follow the tour

Category: 5* Reviews, Audiobook, Blog Tours | Comments Off