From The Bookshelf – Page 20

Comic Book Catch-up

As comic book heroes command more and more screen time at our local cinemas, and it now seems cool to be a “comic book nerd”,- I have been spending some time recently reading through the source material…proper comic books.

I have been reading comics for over 30 years and I am loving seeing the heroes I grew up with suddenly finding their way into so many new households. As a book blogger it would be remiss of me not to showcase some of the great graphic novels I have enjoyed (mainly) recently.

JAMES BOND – VARGR

After a mission of vengeance in Helsinki, James Bond returns to London and assumes the workload of a fallen 00 Section agent. His new mission takes him to Berlin, presumably to break up an agile drug-trafficking operation. But Bond has no idea of the forces gathered in secret against him, the full scope of an operation that’s much scarier and more lethal than he could possibly imagine. Berlin is about to catch fire… and James Bond is trapped inside. Dynamite Entertainment proudly presents VARGR, the debut storyline in the all-new James Bond comic book series, as crafted by masterful writer Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, The Authority) and artist Jason Masters (Batman Incorporated, Guardians of the Galaxy).

If a good story on audiobook can be ruined by the narrator then the equivalent issue for graphic novels is that the art can let down a book. Here we are with Vargr. It is a James Bond story from the talented Warren Ellis and I really liked his take on Bond (darker and edgy). The bad guys were perfectly pitched, the danger Bond faces felt very appropriate within the franchise and I liked how the peril shifts as the books develop.

Unfortunately I did not enjoy the artwork in the book and this tainted the reading experience for me. If a story is going to rely upon images revealing some of the twists and surprises and is not dialogue driven then the pictures need to be sufficiently clear to appreciate these twists.

Good story, not a great book, but I would read more in this series.

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS SUICIDE SQUAD

The members of the Justice League are Earth’s most powerful and famous superheroes…but they aren’t the only team in town.

The Suicide Squad strikes from the shadows and does the jobs too dirty for superheroes to handle. Under the iron fist of Director Amanda Waller, these monsters and maniacs have operated in total secrecy…until now. Batman is on their trail and the Squad’s existence isn’t something he or the Justice League can tolerate. It must be shut down.

But while the heroes and antiheroes are distracted fighting each other, twisted mastermind Maxwell Lord assembles a nightmarish army of DC’s deadliest villains to take out both teams!

I love a big “event” and when DC bring together the Justice League and the Suicide Squad that can certainly be considered a BIG story to get to grips with. Full credit to writer Joshua Williamson as he does a great job with a large cast and he keeps the story zipping along.

Action happens after the recent DC Rebirth events (to allow you to place the timing) and despite being billed as Justice League vs Suicide Squad there is a lot more going on in this book than a simple head to head smackdown.

We do get the expected confrontation quite early into the book, however, once the dust settles we have a significant story flip and some of the dynamic changes between characters. I really enjoyed the opportunity to see some of these DC characters put into this spotlight.

Artwork is a boost to the book too. Colourful, clear and with reader enjoyment put to the fore it was a gorgeous reading experience, no squinting at shaded sketches to try decipher what was happening!

The story collects Justice League vs Suicide Squad 1-6, Suicide Squad 8,9 and 10 and also Justice League 12 and 13…a good number of issues which makes this a longer read for us to enjoy.

SPIDER-MAN: TORMENT

Collects Spider-Man #1-5. Webs, fangs and voodoo drums! A vengeance-seeking villain binds another Spider-Man foe to her will, but can they really resurrect a third to triple-team the wall-crawler?

Torment was the story which flipped me from occasional comic book reader to serious comic collector. I remember being blown away by Todd McFarlane’s artwork and this story of The Lizard on a relentless drive to kill Spider-man was not like any story I had encountered before.

Has time been kind to Torment? It was 1990 when I first read it and Spidey has gone through some major changes since then but I was happy to find that I enjoyed revisiting this story.

A series of brutal murders in New York leads Peter Parker to suspect that a monster is stalking the city. The Lizard appears the most likely suspect, however, the brutality of the killings is not typical of his old foe.

Readers see that The Lizard is being influenced by a witch using blood and voodoo rituals to control her “pet”. Her motives become clear as the story develops but her magic is powerful and Spider-man is weakened and vulnerable as his battles with The Lizard have drained him – can Spider-man overcome the ferocity of these foes and get home to Mary Jane?

Art is distinctive. The story a powerful introduction to a new title and as a single volume it was a great read.

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September 13

The Coffin Path – Katherine Clements

Maybe you’ve heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there’s something up here, something evil.

Mercy Booth isn’t afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home and lifeblood. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her. Three ancient coins missing from her father’s study, the shadowy figure out by the gatepost, an unshakeable sense that someone is watching.

When a stranger appears seeking work, Mercy reluctantly takes him in. As their stories entwine, this man will change everything. She just can’t see it yet.

My thanks to Headline for my review copy which I received through Netgalley

A ghost story and a historical chiller (which was the first unexpected twist). I hadn’t realised that The Coffin Path didn’t have a modern day setting and I enjoyed the mental shift moving the already remote Scarcross Hall back through time.

Scarcross Hall houses Mercy Booth, she lives with her father and they farm sheep on the inhospitable land. As we first encounter Mercy a stranger has approached the edge of their property – he is looking for work and gets taken on as shepherd and farmhand.

Life is tough at Scarcross and the sheep are precious – their sale will provide the coin to keep the household fed and warm through the hard winter months. It is of considerable concern, therefore, when sheep and lambs start to disappear – their bloody bodies to be found ripped and slashed…valuable resources callously ruined.

Mercy faces other problems. Her father’s health is failing and she is increasingly reliant upon the farmhands. As a single child Mercy expects to inherit Scarcross but property and land is not left to daughters – in England of olde the son inherits. Mercy’s father would see her married if he could – Mercy has other ideas and is relying upon her father’s promise that he will leave her Scarcross.

Adding a chilling twist to events is a series of unexplained phenomenon plaguing Scarcross Hall. Mercy’s father is missing his treasured inkwell and some ancient coins. Their housekeeper seems to have a sixth sense and foretells of problems which shall accompany the finding of the coins. Strange sights at night, moving furniture in locked rooms and other unexplained incidents add a delightful chill to The Coffin Path.

A great read this one, ghost story, mystery, social commentary and a thumpingly good historical thriller makes The Coffin Path well worth seeking out.

The Coffin Path is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Coffin-Path-perfect-ghost-story-ebook/dp/B06WLQLCKH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536693665&sr=8-1&keywords=the+coffin+path

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September 10

Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach – Ramsey Campbell

It’s Ray’s and Sandra’s first family holiday in Greece, on the island of Vasilema. The skies are cloudier than anywhere else in Greece, and they’re intrigued by local eccentricities―the lack of mirrors, the outsize beach umbrellas, the saint’s day celebrated with an odd nocturnal ritual.

Why are there islanders who seem to follow the family wherever they go? Why do Sandra and the teenage grandchildren have strangely similar dreams? Has Sandra been granted a wish she didn’t know she made?

Before their holiday is over, some of the family may learn too much about the secret that keeps the island alive.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for my review copy and to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for the opportunity to join the blog tour for Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach

Greece is the setting for Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach and we are on holiday with a very English family. Ray and Sandra arrive at their chosen resort first – the rest of their family are due the next day.

As Sandra and Ray settle into their accommodation we note that their hosts are a little odd, possibly distracted. There are cryptic comments which Ray and Sandra do not seem to be picking up on, a lack of mirrors, the strange custom which requires their hosts to knock on doors twice and wait to be invited into the room.

Both have a restless first night and Sandra gets bitten on her neck – local bugs must be out in force. But these niggles are soon forgotten when the rest of their family arrive – kids and grandkids and all the fun they bring.

If I am being honest I felt sorry for Ray and Sandra – their family irritated the life out of me and their quiet holiday appears less-so when the family squabbles kicked off! But everyone is determined to enjoy their vacation and it is not long before they are venturing into the local town and meeting some of the residents.

Again the peculiar cryptic warnings are suggested. Some ignored, others dismissed as language or communication concerns. The reader knows strange things are afoot and the warnings of not venturing out at night, no mirrors in the rooms, bite marks on three of the family does seem to allude to a very familiar threat.

Ramsey Campbell is a master of horror fiction and you know that the story he will spin around Sandra, Ray and their extended family is not going to be one of a relaxing summer break. There is evil abroad and it is far from certain that the holidaymakers will survive unscathed.

Another strong addition to the Flame Tree Press collection who are bringing some cracking horror thrillers to our bookshelves.

Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach is published by Flame Tree Books and is available in paperback, audio and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thirteen-Sunset-Fiction-Without-Frontiers/dp/1787580326/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536528825&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=ramsay+campbell+sunset+beach

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September 5

Perfect Silence – Helen Fields

When silence falls, who will hear their cries?

The body of a young girl is found dumped on the roadside on the outskirts of Edinburgh. When pathologists examine the remains, they make a gruesome discovery: the silhouette of a doll carved in the victim’s skin.

DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are struggling to find leads in the case, until a doll made of skin is found nestled beside an abandoned baby.

After another young woman is found butchered, Luc and Ava realise the babydoll killer is playing a horrifying game. And it’s only a matter of time before he strikes again. Can they stop another victim from being silenced forever – or is it already too late?

My thanks to Sabah at Avon Books for my review copy and the opportunity to join the blog tour.

Death, Taxes and a brilliant Luc Callanach book from Helen Fields…the certainties of life!

Perfect Silence was as dark, twisted and unflinching as I had hoped it would be. The “Perfect” series is very well named and Perfect Silence reaffirmed why these books are always the first series I will recommend when I am asked “What should I be reading?”

Dark days in Edinburgh when the body of a young woman is found on a roadside. Badly mutilated yet abandoned while she was still alive, the girl has had sections of her skin cut out of her abdomen – the missing skin forms the shape of a doll.

With no obvious clues (and no leads for the police to follow) a second woman disappears. Her young baby is found abandoned and inside the baby’s pram is a doll made from human skin.

Realising that time is against them Luc and Eva (along with the increasingly brilliant supporting characters) confront the possibility that a sadistic serial killer is operating in their city.

Ava’s attentions are divided by a spate of attacks on Edinburgh’s homeless drug users. A new variant of the drug Spice is debilitating users and turning them into shambling zombies, oblivious to their environment. Someone has been “branding” these catatonic users and slashing a deep cut into their cheek. As the victim count rises we see the damage increasing too.

Ava is under pressure from her boss to deliver results, not least because her boss feels Ava could threaten her position. No spoilers here but this storyline was a highlight of my reading year!

Everything was great in Perfect Silence. A really nasty murder spree. A strong and unpleasant second string of attacks. A squad room at Police Scotland of likeable and engaging characters and the wonderfully compelling writing of Helen Fields keeping the action going to the very last page.

I look forward to these books more than any other. If you are not already reading Helen Fields then I am sorry to say you are really missing out.

Perfect Silence is published by Avon Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Silence-Callanach-Crime-Thriller-ebook/dp/B079KMDGDV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536086379&sr=8-1&keywords=helen+fields

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September 1

Blood Ribbon – Roger Bray

When Brooke Adams is found battered, bleeding, and barely conscious, the police are at a loss as to who her attacker is or why she was targeted. Then, PI Rod Morgan turns up convinced that Brooke’s attack is the latest in a string of unsolved disappearances dating back thirty-five years. The police, however, aren’t convinced, leaving Brooke and Rod to investigate the cases themselves.

As secrets from the past start unravelling it becomes a maze, deeper, darker, and far more sinister than either of them could have imagined. Will they find Brooke’s attacker before he strikes again, or will that one secret stay buried forever?

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour

After spending a short time away from reading crime thrillers it was very gratifying to settle down with Blood Ribbon and be able to get my teeth into a cracking serial killer tale.

I loved the lead character, Brooke, as Roger Bray takes time to properly introduce her and develop a strong backstory for Brooke before placing her into a perilous situation. Our killer also gets an early introduction so we know there is a bad guy lurking out there waiting to be brought back to the fore.

As the intro blurb explains, Brooke is attacked and left for dead – only just escaping a grim end on a quiet beach. While recovering from her incident she is approached by an investigator who believes that Brooke was meant to be the next victim of a Serial Killer who had been preying on women over a long number of years.

Brooke and Morgan (the investigator) start their own hunt for a killer – as you may expect uncovering dangerous secrets is a hazardous business and Brooke will be in danger again.

Two sittings was all it took to read Blood Ribbon. Not that it is a short book, it is very readable and Brooke’s story made me want to keep reading. Roger Gray has spun a great tale which readers are sure to enjoy and I am keen to read more of his work.

Blood Ribbon is exactly the kind of crime story I enjoy and I really enjoyed curling up with this book at the end of a long, busy day – perfect escapism.

Blood Ribbon is available in digital and paperback format and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Ribbon-theres-secrets-digging/dp/0995351198/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1535793940&sr=8-1

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August 23

The Aladdin Trial – Abi Silver

An elderly local artist plunges 100 feet to her death at an overstretched London hospital and the police immediately sense foul play. The hospital cleaner, a Syrian refugee and loner, is arrested for her murder. He protests his innocence, but why has he given her the story of Aladdin to read, and why does he shake uncontrollably in times of stress?

Judith Burton and Constance Lamb reunite to defend a man the media has already convicted. Together they uncover not only the cleaner’s secrets, but also those of the artist’s family, her lawyer and the hospital.

A new Burton and Lamb legal thriller from the author of the acclaimed The Pinocchio Brief.

My thanks to Lightning Books for my review copy

This review is long overdue. Now that summer holidays are over, my kids have returned to school and “normal” is slowly returning I can try to catch up on writing reviews of my summer reads. I wanted to start with a good one so The Aladdin Trial was an easy choice in that regard.

The lead characters, Judith Burton and Constance Lamb, first appeared in Abi Silver’s The Pinocchio Brief. While reading the first book will give you a little extra detail on their background (and give you a great story to enjoy) you will not be disadvantaged in coming “cold” to The Aladdin Trial which can easily be read as a stand alone thriller.

In this story we have a distressing tale of an elderly artist taking a tumble from a hospital balcony and falling to her death. Suspicions are raised that this may not have been an accident and the police turn their attention to a hospital cleaner, a refugee from Syria, who had befriended the woman during her stay.

Judith and Constance will represent the cleaner in court but evidence is mounting up against their client and he is not providing his legal team with any reliable information with which they can defend him.

Away from the legal fact-finding and court preparations the reader also gets to see the children of the artist coping with the fallout of her death (and I assure you that no pun was intended there). Unbeknown to her children the artist had accumulated some personal wealth down the years and has drafted a will which requires certain conditions to be met before her children will inherit. Those conditions, while not unreasonable, show that the woman expected certain duties or responsibilities to be met by her offspring before they can inherit. Watching two adults (and their partners) trying to change their ways made for fascinating and frequently awkward reading.

Lots of twists and turns through the story made The Aladdin Trial a great story to spend time with over my holiday. If you like a courtroom drama then add Abi Silver to your reading lists – two goodun’s…and counting!

The Aladdin Trial is available in paperback and digital format and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aladdin-Trial-thriller-acclaimed-Pinocchio-ebook/dp/B07C8BB466/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534798231&sr=8-1&keywords=the+aladdin+trial

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August 19

Stitch Up – William McIntyre

Everything is coming up roses for Robbie Munro, newly married and living in the country with wife and child. That is until his wife takes up employment abroad just as old flame, Jill Green, asks him to investigate the unexplained death of her partner.

Suspecting foul play, Jill insists Robbie turns poacher to gamekeeper and does whatever it takes to find the killer – with no expense spared. Another killer on the loose is child-murderer Ricky Hertz, whose twenty-year-old conviction is under scrutiny.

Was the evidence at his trial fabricated? Suspicion falls on Robbie’s father who now faces a criminal prosecution. The only way to prove ex-Police Sergeant Alex Munro’s innocence is for Robbie to show there was no miscarriage of justice.

My thanks to Ceris at Sandstone Press for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour

Any time spent reading the Robbie Munro (Best Defence) books by William McIntyre is time very well spent.

Robbie is a criminal lawyer who will usually find himself in opposition to the police as he defends the people they are trying to have convicted for crimes committed. This doesn’t make Robbie a bad guy but he is good at his job and we know he has past form of highlighting the police may have made an error when his clients are concerned.

Away from work Robbie is newly married and his family ties remain strong. His young daughter, Tina, is highly entertaining and she features quite frequently in Stitch Up as Robbie is technically on a short holiday and looking after his 6yo. “From the mouths of babes” is an old saying which Robbie would do well to remember as Tina shares her opinion and makes indiscreet observations with amusing frequency.

Stitch Up concentrates on an old crime which rocked Robbie’s hometown of Linlithgow some 17 years ago. A child killer has been released early from his custodial sentence when a doubt was cast upon the original conviction. The arresting policeman was Robbie’s father and he is now in the spotlight as questions are being asked about the legality of the arrest and evidence obtained. Robbie needs to stand by his father to ensure justice prevails and ensure his dad does not become a scapegoat.

Stitch Up is a cracking read, cleverly plotted, engaging characters, humorous and it is clear William McIntyre knows his subject matter well. The authenticity makes the book much easier to get into and enjoyable.

The Best Defence books are a fabulous series and are fast becoming one of my favourites. Stitch Up can easily be read as a jumping-on point – you will want to go back and read the others though!

Stitch Up is published by Sandstone Press and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitch-Best-Defence-William-McIntyre-ebook/dp/B07D7K4Q92/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1534637409&sr=8-1&keywords=stitch+up

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August 17

Creature – Hunter Shea

The monsters live inside of Kate Woodson. Chronic pain and a host of autoimmune diseases have robbed her of a normal, happy life. Her husband Andrew’s surprise of their dream Maine lake cottage for the summer is the gift of a lifetime. It’s beautiful, remote, idyllic, a place to heal.

But they are not alone. Something is in the woods, screeching in the darkness, banging on the house, leaving animals for dead.

Just like her body, Kate’s cottage becomes her prison. She and Andrew must fight to survive the creature that lurks in the dead of night.

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to join the Creature tour. I received a review copy from Frame Tree Press.

Horror novels should make the reader feel tense as the pages turn or we should be anxious for the wellbeing/survival of the characters. Creature delivers in every aspect in that regard.

Kate and Andrew are living a frustrating life – Kate is plagued by chronic pain and her medical conditions leave her heavily reliant upon Andrew. She spends much of her day home alone with their elderly beagle for company watching daytime shows, classic movies and clock watching to her next round of medication.

To give Kate a boost and a change of scene Andrew arranges a three month break for them both. A remote cabin deep in the New England woods. Peace, tranquillity and alone time – just what the pair need.

However their escape to their beautiful woodland retreat is not going to give them the relaxation they are seeking – deep in the woods there is something lurking. Something large, dangerous and it knows where Andrew and Kate can be found – isolation can be a blessing and a curse!

I loved Creature – a proper chilling read. The small cast of characters gives the story an intimate feel. The isolation Kate faces, in their home and also in the woodland cabin gives a vulnerability to the character and I genuinely was worried for her when the ‘unusual incidents started.

Hunter Shea spends a while establishing Kate and Andrew’s characters, their routines and their marriage feel very real and I was completely drawn into their world. Kate’s medical conditions are brutally and honestly depicted and we are left in no doubt as to how she struggles. Character depth adding to my buy-in to their story.

The story builds up the tension brilliantly and by the time the true horror of their situation became apparent I was not putting down this book until the last page had been turned.

Horror fans- this is a good’un.

Creature releases on 6 September 2018 in paperback and digital format. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Creature-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-Hunter/dp/1787580210/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1534454584&sr=8-6

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August 13

Pieces of Her – Karin Slaughter

You’ve known her your whole life…
Andrea Oliver knows everything about her mother Laura. She knows she’s always lived in the small town of Belle Isle; she knows she’s a pillar of the community; she knows she’s never kept a secret in her life.

but she’s hiding something…
Then one day, a trip to the mall explodes into a shocking act of violence and Andy suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura.

and it could destroy you both…
Hours later, Laura is in hospital, her face splashed over the newspapers. But the danger has only just begun. Now, Andy must go on a desperate race to uncover the secrets of her mother’s past. Unless she can, there may be no future for either of them…

My thanks to Heidi Bland for the chance to join the blog tour, I received a review copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

Pieces of Her is a dual timeline thriller. Our focus is mainly on Andy who finds herself thrust into danger when she is caught up in a shooting incident. Andy and Laura, her mother, come face to face with the gunman – they are the last two standing but Laura steps in front of her daughter to confront the shooter.

She tries to persuade him to shoot her in order that Andy may go free. As she speaks to the gunman Laura is also urging Andy to run for freedom. There is a flurry of activity and before Andy can know what is happening the shooter is dead and her mother stands over his body. Self defense she claims yet the incident has been caught on film and any suggestion that Laura may have been a vulnerable victim is gone – it looks like she has used combat skills to eliminate a threat.

This all takes place very early in the story but Andy finds herself querying if she even knows who her mother is. There are clearly secrets which Laura has buried deep and of which Andy has no knowledge. Andy’s story is uncovering the pieces of the puzzle as to who her mother really is.

I mentioned this was a dual timeline story. Alongside Andy’s flight from a crime scene on a quest to understand Laura better there is also a story thread running which introduces new characters – this part of the tale is set in 1986.

Readers will know that the two story threads will eventually intertwine and that there will be some overlap to explain why an industrial accident in the 80’s has an impact on a random shooting in the present day.

While you read it can be perplexing to randomly spring to a different story and you have to trust in the skill of the author to know that everything shall make sense in the end. But when the author is Karin Slaughter you know that the author has all the skills to weave a deft tale which rewards the reader.

Pieces of Her was often surprising and a highly enjoyable reading experience.

Pieces of Her is published by Harper Collins and is available in Hardback, digital and audiobook. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pieces-Her-stunning-thriller-bestselling-ebook/dp/B0796VNPPX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534101709&sr=8-1&keywords=pieces+of+her

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August 10

Kiss of Death – Paul Finch

Don’t let them catch you…

A Deadly Hunt
DS ‘Heck’ Heckenburg has been tasked with retrieving one of the UK’s most wanted men. But the trail runs cold when Heck discovers a video tape showing the fugitive in a fight for his life. A fight he has no chance of winning.

A Dangerous Game
Heck realises that there’s another player in this game of cat and mouse, and this time, they’ve not just caught the prize: they’ve made sure no one else ever does.

A Man Who Plays With Fire
How far will Heck and his team go to protect some of the UK’s most brutal killers? And what price is he willing to pay?

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy which I received through Netgalley

The seventh Mark “Heck” Heckenburg thriller from Paul Finch. Having read all the books which precede Kiss of Death I was more than a little excited at the prospect of reuniting with Heck – I love these stories and Paul Finch always delivers on thrills.

Suffice to say that I was not disappointed.

Kiss of Death is another corker and, if anything, the action is bigger, louder and more shocking than ever before. Heck is still working under Gemma Piper his current boss but his former lover. Although the pair work well together there is always an undercurrent of tension between the two and it is clear that Heck would love the chance to rekindle the relationship the pair shared at the start of their careers. Unfortunately for Heck his cavalier attitude clashes with Gemma’s “by the book” approach and she has kept him at arms length. Making things worse is the addition to their team of a new blue-eyed-boy who Gemma seems to favour and who is very much a “by the rules” player.

Trying to ignore the frustrations of seeing Gemma’s head being turned by another cop Heck throws himself into the latest investigation. There is a push to track down missing criminals but some shocking evidence will come to the police which throws their investigation into a new direction. Heck is not adverse to cutting corners to get a result but such is his desire to succeed that he will find himself exposed and taking too many risks. It makes for terrific reading.

Paul Finch always makes excellent use of shock tactics to keep me gripped when reading his books and Kiss of Death was no exception. The story builds and builds and the stakes creep ever higher. By the time the endgame had been reached I was lost to the outside world – the book was my sole focus and I was oblivious to everything else. Just when I thought it was done…a sucker punch. Oh my days what a finale – no spoilers but WOW.

If you have not had the thrill of reading a Paul Finch “Heck” novel you have missed a treat (well 7 treats now). These books are brilliant examples of top class crime fiction and I urge you to hunt them down. Kiss of Death nets Paul Finch and Heck another five star review from me – I cannot get enough of these books.

Kiss of Death is published by Avon and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Death-Detective-Mark-Heckenburg-ebook/dp/B0796W5MPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533848174&sr=8-1&keywords=kiss+of+death+paul+finch

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