From The Bookshelf – Page 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 13

Beton Rouge – Simone Buchholz

On a warm September morning, an unconscious man is found in a cage at the entrance to the offices of one of Germany’s biggest magazines. He’s soon identified as a manager of the company, and he’s been tortured. Three days later, another manager appears in a similar way.

Chastity Riley and her new colleague Ivo Stepanovic are tasked with uncovering the truth behind the attacks, an investigation that goes far beyond the revenge they first suspect … to the dubious past shared by both victims. Travelling to the south of Germany, they step into the hothouse world of boarding schools, where secrets are currency, and monsters are bred … monsters who will stop at nothing to protect themselves.

A smart, dark, probing thriller, full of all the hard-boiled poetry and acerbic wit of the very best noir, Beton Rouge is both a classic whodunit and a scintillating expose of society, by one of the most exciting names in crime fiction.

My thanks to Orenda Books who provided a copy of the book for review

Beton Rouge is the second novel to feature Chastity Riley. As I have not yet read the first book in the series (Blue Night) I can categorically confirm that Beton Rouge is a story you can read and enjoy without knowing what occurred in Blue Night. I can also confirm that I shall be looking to pick up Blue Night very soon as I thoroughly enjoyed Beton Rouge.

Told in a sequence of short, punchy chapters we join Chastity Riley – prosecutor – in an investigation into a humiliating and violent attack. The victim was locked in a cage having been tortured and, after his ordeal, the cage is left in a public place to be found. A few short days later the same fate befalls one of the man’s colleagues.

Chastity, partnered up with Ivo Stepanovic, discovers the two men were school friends. They, along with a third friend, were an inseparable trio who grew up together and began their careers together. Their reputation precedes them and it is clear the three are not well liked – stories from their school days recall a time when a 4th person was placed into their proximity and suffered as a consequence.

With two of the three colleagues suffering a brutal experience it is imperative Chastity gets the third man protected – will she be too late or are there darker forces at play?

Away from the investigation the reader also gets a close look at Chastity’s social life. She is not the poster child for domestic bliss. Lonely drinking, hooking up with random strangers, texting friends as a veiled call for company. She is an engaging character who is determined and gives as good as she gets so it makes for fun reading.

Beton Rouge was translated to English by Rachel Ward who has done a terrific job. The language in the story is lyrical or poetic at times, very descriptive and often emotive and this shines through in the story telling which gives Beton Rouge a unique and distinctive feel.

Another terrific release from Orenda Books who seem to have a magical ability to find compelling stories.

Beton Rouge is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1?ie=UTF8&text=Simone+Buchholz&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Simone+Buchholz&sort=relevancerank

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February 4

The Lost Man – Jane Harper

He had started to remove his clothes as logic had deserted him, and his skin was cracked. Whatever had been going through Cameron’s mind when he was alive, he didn’t look peaceful in death.

Two brothers meet at the remote border of their vast cattle properties under the unrelenting sun of the outback. In an isolated part of Australia, they are each other’s nearest neighbour, their homes hours apart.

They are at the stockman’s grave, a landmark so old that no one can remember who is buried there. But today, the scant shadow it casts was the last hope for their middle brother, Cameron. The Bright family’s quiet existence is thrown into grief and anguish.

Something had been troubling Cameron. Did he choose to walk to his death? Because if he didn’t, the isolation of the outback leaves few suspects…

My thanks to Caolinn at Little,Brown Group who provided me with a review copy through Netgalley so that I may join the blog tour.

If you pick up The Lost Man to read immediately after reading an action adventure thriller then you may feel that there is not too much going on in this book. Now, consider a painting. It may take the artist hours to pull together the features, the light and the subtle shades which will leave the end result as a beautifully depicted landscape, telling a story and capturing a moment in time. That is what Jane Harper does in The Lost Man. She builds up layers of story, shades of emotion and depth of characters – all set against a harsh backdrop of the Australian wilderness – and leaves the reader with a wonderfully told story where the lives of three brothers are laid out for inspection.

The Lost Man opens with a death. Cameron – the middle brother of three is found lying in the desert wilderness. It is Christmas time and the weather conditions are brutal hot sunshine – he has walked across a barren landscape and succumbed to the elements. However, when Cameron’s brothers trace his journey back to where he left his car they find it intact, fully operational and well stocked with survival provisions. So why has Cameron left the safety of his car and why did he not take any food or water?

It is a perplexing question and the surviving brothers can offer no immediate answers. However, the story unfolds and Jane Harper will peel back layers of the characters in her tale and secrets will out. The reader gets to understand the isolation these hardy souls have to endure as they farm the land and scratch out a living. Their lives have been closed books to other family members but the circumstances surrounding Cameron’s death will lead to conversations which would never have taken place being aired in front of unexpected audiences.

This is story telling of the highest order. I just wanted to keep reading as the author transported me to the other side of the world. The information you are craving is drip fed into the story and the pages begin to turn themselves. What a talent Jane Harper is – she will draw you into her world and you will not want to leave.

The Lost Man is available in Hardback, Digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Man-Jane-Harper-ebook/dp/B07DX23VP3/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549238946&sr=8-1

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January 16

Evil Things – Katja Ivar

Hella Mauzer was the first ever woman Inspector in the Helsinki Homicide Unit. But her superiors deemed her too ‘emotional’ for the job and had her reassigned. Now, two years later, she is working in Lapland for the Ivalo police department under Chief Inspector Järvi, a man more interested in criminal statistics and his social life than police work.

They receive a letter from Irja Waltari, a priest’s wife from the village of Käärmela on the Soviet border, informing them of the disappearance of Erno Jokinen, a local. Hella jumps at the chance to investigate. Järvi does not think that a crime is involved. After all, people disappear all the time in the snows of Finland.

When she arrives, Hella stays the village priest and his wife, who have taken in Erno’s grandson who refuses to tell anyone his grandfather’s secret. A body is then discovered in the forest and she realizes that she was right; a crime has been committed. A murder. But what Hella doesn’t know, is that the small village of Käärmela is harbouring another crime, a crime so evil, it is beyond anything any of them could have ever imagined.

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things for the chance to join the Evil Things blog tour

First blog tour of the year for me and it is great to start with a book I enjoyed.

Evil Things took me into new territory as I cannot think of any other books set in 1950’s Finland. We are quickly introduced to Hella Mauzer and given an insight into her challenging life. Hella is a female police officer at a time where women were not expected to join the force. She appears driven and determined but as the story unfolds the reader also gets to see how Hella has left a role in a busy Helsinki station to a role at a more remote outpost.

Working under a boss who believes effective policing is keeping careful files and not taking on difficult unsolvable work (which would ruin his efficiency statistics) Hella wants to head into the deep woods to follow up a report of a missing man. Her boss is extremely reluctant to let Hella leave. The prospect of a change to the weather could mean Hella is stranded in the wilderness for weeks.

Fortunately Hella prevails and he heads to the village of Käärmela where she will stay with the local priest and his wife. They are also looking after the grandson of the missing man. The boy is too young to fend for himself and his missing grandfather was his only carer. Hella tries to question the boy and realises he has a secret but something is scaring him and he will not reveal anything useful.

By the time she arrives in Käärmela Erno Jokinen has been missing for several days. There are searches of the woods being conducted and before long human remains are found. Hella realises that there are secrets in Käärmela but she really could not have been prepared for what was to follow.

Evil Things played out very well. Hella is a complex character, she is no fan of herself and seems to be quick to focus on her own shortcomings. Her initial interactions with colleagues and strangers make her seem unapproachable or even hostile. Yet it is easy to like Hella too. I cringed at some of her behaviour but still empathised with her situation and became angry on her behalf over how her colleagues had treated her.

Location is another very important aspect of the story. The setting is the remote Finnish woods and the isolation is conveyed really well – couple this with the lack of technology (1950’s remember?) and the reader feels Hella is all alone and extremely vulnerable. Hella will feel that too.

Atmospheric reading which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Evil Things is published by Bitter Lemon Press and is available in audiobook, digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Evil-Things-Katja-Ivar-ebook/dp/B07GT7QDHD/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1547668803&sr=8-1

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January 7

Red Snow – Will Dean

TWO BODIES

One suicide. One cold-blooded murder. Are they connected? And who’s really pulling the strings in the small Swedish town of Gavrik?

TWO COINS

Black Grimberg liquorice coins cover the murdered man’s eyes. The hashtag #Ferryman starts to trend as local people stock up on ammunition.

TWO WEEKS

Tuva Moodyson, deaf reporter at the local paper, has a fortnight to investigate the deaths before she starts her new job in the south. A blizzard moves in. Residents, already terrified, feel increasingly cut-off. Tuva must go deep inside the Grimberg factory to stop the killer before she leaves town for good. But who’s to say the Ferryman will let her go?

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the chance to join the blog tour.

We first met Tuva Moodyson in Dark Pines – a book I included in my Top Ten Reads of 2018. Tuva’s debut appearance was a shining example of how to make your lead character instantly memorable and entirely likeable. I have been really looking forward to her return in Red Snow and I was not disappointed with Will Dean’s latest release.

Tuva is leaving town, she is counting down the days left at work, has agreed the end of the lease on her car and is saying her farewells to colleagues and friends. However, Tuva is not going to get the chance to slip away quietly. She finds herself outside the large liquorice factory (the business which employs most of the townsfolk) just as the factory owner leaps to his death from the highest chimney of his plant. He dies at Tuva’s feet.

Tuva will find herself drawn back to the Grimberg liquorice factory and while being taken on a tour of the facility she makes a shocking discovery.

To uncover the truth Tuva will need to get close to the owners of the factory, however, they are notoriously secretive and are not keen to have Tuva disrupting the workings of their factory…too many jobs rely upon business as usual.

I loved Red Snow. The small town in what w to be a perpetual ice block gives the story a cold, atmospheric feel which is perfect for the sinister tale Will Dean is spinning. Tuva is a delight to read about, her determination and focus delightfully balanced by wobbly nerves when she gets flustered by a new crush.

Will Dean is creating wonderful stories, you really should read them as I know you will enjoy them.

Red Snow is published on 10 January 2018 by Point Blank and will be available in hardback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Snow-Tuva-Moodyson-Mystery/dp/1786074796/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1546790529&sr=8-1

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December 31

City Without Stars – Tim Baker

Mexico – Ciudad Real is in crisis: the economy is in meltdown, a new war between rival cartels is erupting, and a serial killer is murdering hundreds of female workers.

Fuentes, the detective in charge of the investigation, suspects that most of his colleagues are on the payroll of his chief suspect, narco kingpin, El Santo. If he’s going to stop the killings, he has to convince fiery union activist, Pilar, to ignore all her instincts and work with him. But in a city eclipsed by murder, madness and magic, can she really afford to trust him?

Dark Pines – Will Dean

SEE NO EVIL

Eyes missing, two bodies lie deep in the forest near a remote Swedish town.

HEAR NO EVIL

Tuva Moodyson, a deaf reporter on a small-time local paper, is looking for the story that could make her career.

SPEAK NO EVIL

A web of secrets. And an unsolved murder from twenty years ago.

Can Tuva outwit the killer before she becomes the final victim? She’d like to think so. But first she must face her demons and venture far into the deep, dark woods if she wants to stand any chance of getting the hell out of small-time Gavrik.

The Darkness – Ragnar Jonasson

A young woman is found dead on a remote Icelandic beach.

She came looking for safety, but instead she found a watery grave.

A hasty police investigation determines her death as suicide . . .

When Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavik police is forced into early retirement, she is told she can investigate one last cold case of her choice – and she knows which one.

What she discovers is far darker than suicide . . . And no one is telling Hulda the whole story.

When her own colleagues try to put the brakes on her investigation, Hulda has just days to discover the truth. A truth she will risk her own life to find.

The Lost Village – Neil Spring

The remote village of Imber – remote, lost and abandoned. The outside world hasn’t been let in since soldiers forced the inhabitants out, much to their contempt.

But now, a dark secret threatens all who venture near. Everyone is in danger, and only Harry Price can help. Reluctantly reunited with his former assistant Sarah Grey, he must unlock the mystery of Imber, and unsurface the secrets someone thought were long buried. But will Sarah’s involvement be the undoing of them both?

Thirteen – Steve Cavanagh

THE SERIAL KILLER ISN’T ON TRIAL.

HE’S ON THE JURY…

‘To your knowledge, is there anything that would preclude you from serving on this jury?’

Murder wasn’t the hard part. It was just the start of the game.

Joshua Kane has been preparing for this moment his whole life. He’s done it before. But this is the big one.

This is the murder trial of the century. And Kane has killed to get the best seat in the house.

But there’s someone on his tail. Someone who suspects that the killer isn’t the man on trial.

Kane knows time is running out – he just needs to get to the conviction without being discovered.

The Lingering – SJI Holliday

Married couple Jack and Ali Gardiner move to a self-sufficient commune in the English Fens, desperate for fresh start. The local village is known for the witches who once resided there and Rosalind House, where the commune has been established, is a former psychiatric home, with a disturbing history

When Jack and Ali arrive, a chain of unexpected and unexplained events is set off, and it becomes clear that they are not all that they seem. As the residents become twitchy, and the villagers suspicious, events from the past come back to haunt them, and someone is seeking retribution…

The Hangman’s Hold – Michael Wood

There’s a killer in your house.
The Hangman waits in the darkness.

He knows your darkest secrets.
He’ll make you pay for all the crimes you have tried desperately to forget.

And he is closer than you think.
DCI Matilda Darke is running out of time. Fear is spreading throughout the city. As the body count rises, Matilda is targeted and her most trusted colleagues fall under suspicion. But can she keep those closest to her from harm? Or is it already too late?

The Janus Run – Douglas Skelton

When Coleman Lang finds his girlfriend Gina dead in his New York City apartment, he thinks nothing could be worse… until he becomes the prime suspect.

Desperate to uncover the truth and clear his name, Coleman hits the streets. But there’s a deranged Italian hitman, an intuitive cop, two US Marshals, and his ex-wife all on his tail. And trying to piece together Gina’s murky past without dredging up his own seems impossible. Worse, the closer he gets to Gina’s killer, the harder it is to evade the clutches of the mysterious organisation known only as Janus – from which he’d long since believed himself free.

Packed with plot twists, suspense and an explosive climax, The Janus Run is an edge-of-the-seat, breathtaking thriller – NYC noir at its finest.

The Puppet Show – M.W. Craven

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. When his name is found carved into the charred remains of the third victim, disgraced detective Washington Poe is brought back from suspension and into an investigation he wants no part of . . .

Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it.

As the body count rises, Poe discovers he has far more invested in the case than he could have possibly imagined. And in a shocking finale that will shatter everything he’s ever believed about himself, Poe will learn that there are things far worse than being burned alive …

The Dali Deception – Adam Maxwell

Five criminals. Two forgeries. And one masterpiece of a heist.

Violet Winters—a professional thief born of a good, honest thief-and-con-artist stock— has been offered the heist of a lifetime. Steal a priceless Salvador Dali from the security-obsessed chairman of the Kilchester Bank and replace it with a forgery.

The fact that the “painting” is a signed, blank canvas doesn’t matter. It’s the challenge that gives Violet that familiar, addicting rush of adrenaline. Her quarry rests in a converted underground Cold War bunker. One way in, one way out. No margin for error.

But the reason Violet fled Kilchester is waiting right where she left him—an ex-lover with a murderous method for dumping a girlfriend. If her heist is to be a success, there will have to be a reckoning, or everything could go spinning out of control.

Her team of talented misfits assembled, Violet sets out to re-stake her claim on her reputation, exorcise some demons, and claim the prize. That is, if her masterpiece of a plan isn’t derailed by a pissed-off crime boss—or betrayal from within her own ranks.

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December 27

The Woman in the Window – A. J. Finn

What did she see?

It’s been ten months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside.

Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family, they are an echo of the life that was once hers.

But one evening, a scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something horrifying. Now she must uncover the truth about what really happened. But if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

My thanks to Rebecca at Harper Collins for my review copy.

This will be my last review of 2018 – glad I get to finish with a five star cracker of a read! The Woman in the Window is one of those stories you just want to finish in a single sitting. It is chilling, tragic, unsettling, funny and just plain perplexing at times and I loved it.

Anna Fox has not left her home for months. She suffers from agoraphobia and is terrified to step outside her front door. Anna connects to the world through an online chat forum where she helps fellow agoraphobics to face their fears and chat to a friendly and supportive fellow sufferer. Anna also plays chess, drinks far too much and spends a lot of time watching her neighbours.

Her new neighbours are causing her some frustration, she doesn’t know enough about them yet and so, with camera in hand, Anna is fact finding. She discusses the neighbours with her husband – he and Anna are separated at present and he lives elsewhere with their daughter. It is clear that Anna misses them terribly but their relationship hit a rocky patch and they are currently not together. This doesn’t prevent Anna from spilling the beans on the new neighbours when the couple have a catch-up chat.

The Russells have moved in over the road. Father, Mother and a teenage son. Anna first meets the son who pops around with a gift from his mother. A few days later Anna meets Mrs Russell (Jane) and the pair spend an entertaining afternoon together before Jane has to head off. The next time Anna sees Jane it is through the window of her home and Jane is being attacked.

Anna is convinced that Jane is dead and tries to report her suspicions to the police. The detectives that come to call upon her have some good news – Mrs Russell is very much alive and there was no attack in her home. But the irrefutable proof they offer Anna that no crime took place shock her to the core and leave her doubting everything she has seen or done in recent weeks. It also confounded the hell out of this reader.

The Woman in the Window is one of the books worthy of the “page turner” accolade. It is the physical embodiment of “one more chapter” and is a thumping good read. I will be recommending this to everyone for some time to come.

The Woman in the Window is now available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Woman-Window-J-Finn/dp/0008234183/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1545940819&sr=8-1

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December 8

The Craftsman – Sharon Bolton

Devoted father or merciless killer?

His secrets are buried with him.

Florence Lovelady’s career was made when she convicted coffin-maker Larry Glassbrook of a series of child murders 30 years ago. Like something from our worst nightmares the victims were buried…ALIVE.

Larry confessed to the crimes; it was an open and shut case. But now he’s dead, and events from the past start to repeat themselves.

Did she get it wrong all those years ago?
Or is there something much darker at play?

My huge thanks to Tracey Fenton at Compulsive Readers and to the publishers, Trapeze, for my review copy and a chance to join the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour.

Breaking from my traditional review format to put my conclusion first…The Craftsman is a brilliant, brilliant read – buy it!

Now I need to try to explain why I loved this book as much as I did. Returning visitors to Grab This Book will know that I like my thrillers to have a dark edge to them. A killer that buries his victims alive is certainly a dark twist – add in a juicy helping of the supernatural (we have witches people, witches!) and we have a book which I read in a single day. Could not put it down!

We first meet Florence Lovelady in 1999. She is attending the funeral of a killer she helped to identify many years before. Florence is now a police officer in The Met but she has returned to Lancashire where her police career started and to the scene of her first big case. After the funeral is over and after chasing the ghosts from her memories Florence returns to her former home and makes a shocking and chilling discovery.

Readers are reeling from the revelation and working out the implications of her discovery when Sharon Bolton whisks us back in time to 1969. It is 30 years in the past where the majority of The Craftsman takes place – WPC Lovelady is thrust into the thick of a missing persons investigation and finds herself propelled from beat duties to the investigation team.

Lovelady has an analytical mind and a combination of hard work and sharp thinking help her drive the investigation forward, despite having to counter the sexism and superior attitudes of her older, male colleagues. She will encounter witches, freemasons and a killer determined to ensure their secrets remain secret.

The Craftsman is wonderfully written, the story flows at a cracking pace and I just wanted to keep reading. As I said at the start of this review…buy this book it is brilliant.

The Craftsman is published by Trapeze and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Craftsman-most-chilling-book-youll-ebook/dp/B073WZTZXT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544307762&sr=8-1&keywords=the+craftsman+sharon+bolton

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November 24

The Lingering – SJI Holliday (Audiobook)

At once an unnerving locked-room mystery, a chilling thriller and a dark and superbly wrought ghost story, The Lingering is an exceptionally plotted, terrifying and tantalisingly twisted novel by one of the most exciting authors in the genre.

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for the opportunity to review the audiobook of The Lingering for the blog tour.

I was lucky to receive an early review copy of The Lingering and my review of the book is reproduced below. Spoiler…I loved it. But when I was invited to join the blog tour I asked if I could review the audiobook of The Lingering.

Over the last 12 months I have become an audiobook convert. While the reading pace is frustratingly slow I am finding I get so much more from my books when every word is carefully articulated by an array of excellent actors. The Lingering really emphasised the difference between two reading experiences and the audio Book is incredible.

Knowing the story made no difference to my enjoyment, the dual voice narrative was a treat and, while I did not think it possible, it is was a more eerie and chilling experience to have the story told to me.

The Lingering has been one of my favourite stories if the year. Outstanding and capitvating in equal measure – to listen to the audiobook rubberstamped that opinion. Whether you elect to read or listen to this book you need to make sure it is one you grab as soon as you can.

My original review:

I spent most of my teen years pouring over all the ghost stories and horror books I could get my hands on but I do feel that there is currently a lack of good new ghostly tales for readers to enjoy. This is why, when I first heard that Susi Holliday was writing a spooky thriller, I was beyond excited and The Lingering instantly became my “most anticipated” book.

The wait was entirely worth it as there was no Lingering over this story. I was flicking pages so fast I am surprised the pages didn’t burst into flame.

The setting for The Lingering is a large creepy house which was once used as a psychiatric hospital. Within the house is a commune, the residents are odd collection of characters who live a seemingly simple and self-sufficient life. Into this mix come Ali and Jack Gardiner – they bring secrets and their past is a mystery but it is clear to the reader that the couple are trying to escape a troubled past and get a fresh start.

Jack and Ali discover that their new home is rumoured to be haunted and it is not long before Susi Holliday starts to unsettle the reader with odd occurrences and strange sightings. The constant ghostly undertone to the story is a joy and when chilling incidents arose I found myself drawing deeper back into my chair and scanning the dark corners of the room to ensure I really was alone.

As with all her previous books the characters in The Lingering are wonderfully defined so you will get drawn into the lives of Ali and Jack and also that of “Fairy” Angela (the resident self-appointed ghost hunter) and Smeaton, the commune leader. Strong characters give me much more of a personal investment into a story and this meant when unpleasant things started to happen I felt an anger/outrage and upset that I don’t normally expect to get from books.

The joy of The Lingering is that Susi Holiday sets up many mysteries throughout the story and it is the desire to uncover the truth which will keep you reading. Make no mistake this is a dark, dark story and there are some deeply unpleasant events to be uncovered but discovering these secrets is an absolute joy.

I am reluctant to share too much about what happens within Rosalind House and its occupants past and present. Suffice to say that The Lingering is a brilliantly chilling tale and that Susi Holliday is on top, top form delivering a story which feels like an instant classic

The Lingering 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/Lingering-S-J-I-Holliday-ebook/dp/B07DFVXVDX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543010848&sr=8-1&keywords=the+lingering

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

November 15

Kill it With Fire – Adam Maxwell

They say revenge is a dish best served cold but some like it hot.

Double-crossed and with her reputation as a master criminal compromised,
Violet Winters means to fight fire with fire.

She doesn’t play by other people’s rules, or any rules so hell’s fury is about to rain down.

Furious, fearless and fighting mad she is ready to risk her life to save her name.

Time for a quickie? Of course you do – especially when I want to tell you about the fabulous Kill it With Fire.

Earlier this year I raved wildly about a brilliant heist story I had enjoyed. It was called The Dali Deception and was written by Adam Maxwell. If you click the link on the book title you can see my 5* review. I took to Twitter and proclaimed my love for the brilliant story telling and urged Mr Maxwell not to keep us waiting too long for another adventure for Violet Winter and her motley crew. Happy Days, he answered our pleas and Kill it With Fire is here.

I mentioned this was a quickie – Kill it With Fire is a novella which comes in at around 130 pages. A nice bite size read with loads of fun, action, scrapes and twists crammed into an entertaining evening’s reading.

It’s tricky to do a review of Kill it With Fire (as it was with The Dali Deception) as the enjoyment of the stories comes from not knowing what Violet and her gang have planned. They have a target or, in KIWF’s case, a mission to accomplish. It is hard to see how the different members of Violet’s team all can contribute to the chaos she has planned but with flawless planning and terrible execution this story takes us on a trip into destruction.

How vague was that? Sorry, but I don’t want to spoil too much as I really want you to read the book. All the fun comes from not knowing what is about to happen next or how a seemingly impossible feat can be conned to work to Violet’s advantage.

Adam Maxwell will give you just a glimpse as to what Violet has planned but the best laid plans seem to come unstuck. Can Violet think on her feet fast enough to save her life? Lets hope so as I want more books in this series!

The Dali Deception and Kill it With Fire are “Kilchester” books – they rank highly among the best stories I have read this year. Clever, funny, exciting and brilliantly readable. A crime novel where the bad guys are our good guys and there are badder bad guys to boo. Perfect.

Kill it With Fire is available in digital format and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KKP33WM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1542320298&sr=1-1

Category: 5* Reviews, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off