From The Bookshelf – Page 18

Panic Room – Robert Goddard

Another evening of fun looms with the First Monday Crime team. For May 2018’s gathering they are meeting on Monday 30th April – so not in May at all. This follows on from the April Meeting which actually took place on the SECOND Monday in April. Despite their dubious decision to call the evening First Monday I am reliably assured that these gatherings in London are great fun and give readers the chance to hear some top authors discuss their work and I am sure book signing opportunities exist too.

For details on First Monday Crime visit their website HERE

One of the guests at May’s meeting is the legend that is Robert Goddard – his latest thriller Panic Room is a terrific read so lets take a closer look….

Sometimes the danger is on the inside . . .

High on a Cornish cliff sits a vast uninhabited mansion. Uninhabited except for Blake, a young woman of dubious background, secretive and alone, currently acting as housesitter.

The house has a panic room. Cunningly concealed, steel lined, impregnable – and apparently closed from within. Even Blake doesn’t know it’s there. She’s too busy being on the run from life, from a story she thinks she’s escaped.

But her remote existence is going to be invaded when people come looking for the house’s owner, missing rogue pharma entrepreneur, Jack Harkness. Suddenly the whole world wants to know where his money has gone. Soon people are going to come knocking on the door, people with motives and secrets of their own, who will be asking Blake the sort of questions she can’t – or won’t – want to answer.

And will the panic room ever give up its secrets?

My thanks to Patsy at Transworld for my review copy.

Panic Room is a book riddled with mysteries, the biggest being why would someone need a panic room in their house?

Jack Harkness is in a whole lot of trouble, his business and reputation are in tatters and the vultures are circling for his cash and assets. His luxury Cornish home is held in the name of his wife (who is no longer on the scene) and she has decided to sell it. The book opens with estate agent Don Challenor being asked to travel from London to Cornwall to appraise the house for sale – time is of the essence and Don is offered a healthy sum to do the job quickly and efficiently.

On arrival in Cornwall he finds the house and an unexpected resident – a young woman called Blake who was working as housekeeper. Don is instructed to make sure that Blake leaves the property immediately. Blake has other ideas.

While Don is checking the house he discovers an anomaly in the Master Bedrooom – the dimensions of the room seem to be off. Further investigation reveals the titular Panic Room, a puzzle which Don has to solve as the room is closed over. Is it malfunctioning or could there be someone inside?

As the story unfolds the puzzles and mysteries build up – Blake and Don will attempt to locate a missing girl, fall afoul of a witch and will have to keep one step ahead of a couple of “heavies” who are very interested to learn of the existence of the Panic Room.

You read Panic Room, you get instantly caught up in the problem facing Don and before you know it 100 pages have flown by and you have more questions than answers.

I really enjoyed this book – it draws you in and you want to keep reading. Exactly what a good story should do!

Panic Room is published by Bantam Press and is available in Hardback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panic-Room-Robert-Goddard-ebook/dp/B01I0RU1O4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1525015964&sr=8-1&keywords=robert+goddard

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April 27

Songs By Dead Girls – Lesley Kelly

When Scotland’s leading virologist goes missing, Mona and Paterson from the Health Enforcement Team are dispatched to London to find him. In a hot and unwelcoming city, Mona has to deal with a boss who isn’t speaking to her, placate the Professor’s over-bearing assistant, and outwit the people who will stop at nothing to make sure the academic stays lost.

Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, Bernard is searching for a missing prostitute, while Maitland is trying to keep the Chair of the Parliamentary Virus Committee from finding out quite how untidy the HET office is.

My thanks to Ruth Killick for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

Songs By Dead Girls takes the reader back to Lesley Kelly’s virus riddled depiction of Edinburgh first encountered in the fabulous The Health of Strangers. I was a huge fan of THoS when I read it last year (my review is here) so I was delighted to hear Lesley was re-visiting the dystopian world she had created.

Life in Edinburgh is not too dissimilar to our reality, but a terrible virus has had devastating impact upon the population and regular health screenings are required to ensure everyone remains virus-free. The HET guys are tasked with ensuring people attend their screenings and chasing down potential defaulters. Songs By Dead Girls they face a significant challenge as the primary expert on the virus has vanished just ahead of his scheduled check-up. He is due to make a presentation to the Scottish Parliament so his absence will soon be noticed – can the HET track down their missing expert without the media finding out what they are up to?

The constant threat of the virus hangs over all characters but it is fascinating to see people adapting quickly and viewing the danger as a frustration – totally believable. The story balances the HET duties and responsibilities with their family/personal lives too. These “away from work” scenes make the characters come to life for me, they are more than the day job and they have loved ones, problems and loneliness to contend with too – that engagement and buy in will keep me returning for more pages, another chapter.

Songs By Dead Girls was a brilliant read. It was fun, suitably puzzling, had several engaging plot threads which kept my attention and I love the dysfunctional HET family – they range from competent to bonkers and are so entertaining. Following their growth and development over the two books has been a treat and now that I know there is scope for more HET stories I really hope that this will happen (please).

If you enjoy a twisty thriller with engaging characters then Songs By Dead Girls is an absolute must read. I love this twisted world that Lesley Kelly has created and she delivers the fun along while also keeping an undercurrent of danger for her wonderful cast.

Songs By Dead Girls is published by Sandstone Press and is available in digital and paperback format. You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Girls-Health-Strangers-Thriller-ebook/dp/B076WDH824/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524854543&sr=8-1&keywords=lesley+kelly

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April 16

Keeper – Johana Gustawsson

Whitechapel, 1888: London is bowed under Jack the Ripper’s reign of terror.

London, 2015: actress Julianne Bell is abducted in a case similar to the terrible Tower Hamlets murders of some ten years earlier, and harking back to the Ripper killings of a century before.

Falkenberg, Sweden, 2015: a woman’s body is found mutilated in a forest, her wounds identical to those of the Tower Hamlets victims. With the man arrested for the Tower Hamlets crimes already locked up, do the new killings mean he has a dangerous accomplice, or is a copy-cat serial killer on the loose?

Profiler Emily Roy and true-crime writer Alexis Castells again find themselves drawn into an intriguing case, with personal links that turn their world upside down.

My thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour

Last year I included Johana Gustawsson’s Block 46 in my end of year round-up of my favourite books – much anticipation here at Grab This Book over the new Emily Roy/Alexis Castells thriller Keeper.

Having read nothing but Keeper for the last couple of days I am delighted to confirm it is another ripper (pun intended). The story shifts between modern day London and Falkenberg in Sweden but also has a fascinating side story which starts in Whitechapel, London in 1888…Jack The Ripper is at large and in the middle of his murderous spree.

The modern day story is a chiller in its own right. Bodies of women are being found. They have all been mutilated in the same way and there are other similarities in the manner of their initial disappearance which gives profiler Emily Roy much to ponder. Her initial conclusions will lead to a shock for her friend Alexis Castells when the clues in the current investigation will connect to a case which was very personal to Alexis.

Keeper kept me gripped. It is story brilliantly spun, delightfully dark and with some extremely unsettling scenes for readers to ponder. Johana Gustawsson knows how to keep her readers entertained and Keeper reaffirms my assurance that she is very much an author to watch out for. More, much more, of these please.

Keeper is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital format and paperback from 28 April 2018. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keeper-Roy-Castells-Johana-Gustawsson-ebook/dp/B078GZMJ4H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523902007&sr=8-1&keywords=keeper+johana+gustawsson

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April 15

The Fear – CL Taylor

Sometimes your first love won’t let you go…

When Lou Wandsworth ran away to France with her teacher Mike Hughes, she thought he was the love of her life. But Mike wasn’t what he seemed and he left her life in pieces.

Now 32, Lou discovers that he is involved with teenager Chloe Meadows. Determined to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself, she returns home to confront him for the damage he’s caused.

But Mike is a predator of the worst kind, and as Lou tries to bring him to justice, it’s clear that she could once again become his prey…

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for the chance to join the blog tour

My first CL Taylor thriller and I had high expectations as I have been very aware of the praise my fellow bloggers shower upon her books. I was not disappointed, The Fear is a very readable, fast flowing story which takes on an unsettling subject matter and makes it a compulsive reading experience.

Fronting the story is Lou Wandsworth, when she was a schoolgirl she fell for one of her teachers – he made her feel special and understood the problems she faced when it seems nobody else was paying attention to her. The reader sees Lou’s infatuation with her teacher growing but we also see that the teacher has singled out Lou for his attentions and we know exactly what his intentions are. It makes for unsettling reading.

The relationship develops and Lou runs away to France with her teacher. Only when they reach the continent does Lou begin to realise that she may have made a terrible mistake.

Now, almost 20 years later Lou becomes aware that the first man she loved, who has cast a shadow over her life ever since that trip to France, may not have changed his ways and is still showing too much interest in young schoolgirls. But will she be able to make the police understand her concerns? If not then is there anything which Lou can do to protect young Chloe Meadows from making all the same mistakes that Lou made? Not if Chloe does not want to be helped.

As I was reading The Fear I was struck by the different perceptions I had about a number of the characters. It is hard to explain why without straying into “spoiler territory” but characters who have been victims in the past will take proactive action around new events and you wonder if their decisions are justified. I had thought that this would make a brilliant book for a reading group or book club – turns out I am not alone in that thought as there are discussion questions included at the end of the story…nice touch!

While the subject matter may be unsettling for some readers, I thoroughly enjoyed The Fear. It takes on a harrowing topic and CL Taylor delivers a twisty and unsettling story. However, it also contains that crucial and magical “one more chapter” element which ensures you want to keep reading – you will feel you must find out what happens to the characters.

The Fear is published by Avon Books and is available in digital, paperback and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fear-sensational-thriller-Sunday-bestseller-ebook/dp/B07566QWH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523783169&sr=8-1&keywords=the+fear+cl+taylor

Follow the tour:

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April 4

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stuart Turton

‘Somebody’s going to be murdered at the ball tonight. It won’t appear to be a murder and so the murderer won’t be caught. Rectify that injustice and I’ll show you the way out.’

It is meant to be a celebration but it ends in tragedy. As fireworks explode overhead, Evelyn Hardcastle, the young and beautiful daughter of the house, is killed.

But Evelyn will not die just once. Until Aiden – one of the guests summoned to Blackheath for the party – can solve her murder, the day will repeat itself, over and over again. Every time ending with the fateful pistol shot.

The only way to break this cycle is to identify the killer. But each time the day begins again, Aiden wakes in the body of a different guest. And someone is determined to prevent him ever escaping Blackheath…

My thanks to The First Monday Crime team for my review copy.

My thanks to who??? Well let me explain…First Monday Crime allow us readers the chance to spend the evening in the company of some damn fine crime writers. They meet on the First Monday of each month in a very accessible location in London town and, while I think it would much more fun if they came to Scotland now and then, I guess London is pretty handy for some folk.

If you fancy popping along to April’s meeting to see what all the fuss is about then the deets can be found here: https://www.firstmondaycrime.com/ It is a free event and the April 2018 meeting is on 9th April (which is actually the 2nd Monday in April but I guess it was easier to move the day than to rename the event…damn these religious festivals interfering with our plans).

The April 2018 panel features John Connolly, Rachel Abbott, Stuart Turton, and Leigh Russell and it will be moderated by Barry Forshaw. As Mr Stuart Turton is on the panel I have taken the opportunity to peruse his stormingly good novel The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle ahead of next week’s shenanigans.

To the book:

I had seen a lot of chat about Seven Deaths on the Twitter place before I had the chance to read the book. The most repeated phrase was “Groundhog Day” so I knew that there was a recurring day…forewarned that it was not a “vanilla” story. What I had not expected was that Stuart Turton had given us a belter of a read which I can only describe as “Quantum Leap meets Agatha Christie”.

Fan-Bloody-Tastic.

If you missed the seminal tv show (which ran for 5 seasons between 1989 and 1993) then you will have no idea why I fell so utterly in love with this book. In the show Dr Sam Beckett “leaps” into a different body each week. He looks like the person who’s body he has taken over but he controls their words and deeds and it is down to Sam to save the day each episode to ensure wrongs are righted, history is kept on track or the bully is stopped from causing further misery.

In Seven Deaths we have Aiden. He has no idea what is happening to him but when he wakes at the start of the book he is in the body of a young man who may just have seen a murder. He is bloody and confused but is guided back to a large stately home where preparations are underway for a very unusual party. It soon becomes clear to the reader that something very unusual is happening and it is not long before we learn that Aiden is using the body of the first of 8 different hosts. He will experience the same day inside 8 different people and at the end of 8 days he has to provide proof of the identity of a murderer.

Yup we know who is going to die (clue is in the title) and we know when she dies but Aiden is tasked with working out who the killer is (and proving it). Aiden will have some assistance in his quest – a mysterious figure who appears in a Plague Doctor costume and tasks Aiden with his mission to identify the killer. Also assisting is Anna, a young woman who seems to understand that despite the outward appearance Aiden will be different people she meets over the course of a single day. What further complicates issues is that Aiden is not the only person who is body hopping and trying to find the murderer. Oh and if that was not enough to contend with – someone wants Aiden dead too.

I love a clever book and The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle is a VERY clever book which ticked every single box for me. It even ticked boxes I did not know needed to be ticked – it is an astonishing piece of story telling and the journey from first page to last was a joy.

There is a LOT going on in this book and I have no idea how the author (or his poor editor) kept on top of all the timelines and character placements…I can only assume that more than a normal amount of migraine tablets were consumed in the making of this book. However, their endeavours mean we get to enjoy this beast of a story. I cannot think of a book like it and I wish I could have the chance to read it all over again without knowing the twists that are contained within.

The phrase “five star read” undersells how much I enjoyed The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is published by Raven Books and is available in Hardback, Digital and Audio. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Deaths-Evelyn-Hardcastle/dp/1408889560/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1522877576&sr=1-1

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April 4

Pond Scum – Michael Lilly

My name is Jeremy Thorn, and I’m a serial killer.

Jeremy ‘Remy’ Thorn is a detective from a small town in Oregon. He does his job well and keeps to himself. A past of trauma and abuse, and a compulsive need for balance have shaped him into the person he is today: a decisive, effective killer. His routine is simple but trustworthy. Step one: Find two targets. The first, an abomination of a human being whose only contribution to the world is as fertilizer. The second, a detriment to society, perhaps a sidekick or accessory. Step two: Kill the first. Frame the second. Easy.

After his latest, and most personal kill, all seems to be going well. He makes it home by morning and continues with his plan as normal, with each perfectly timed maneuver all mapped out. But to his horror, he finds that the man he was trying to frame—a hotshot detective from a major nearby city—has been called in to work the case. And what’s worse … he’s privy to the truth.

My thanks to Sarah at Vulpine Press for my review copy

Remy is a serial killer. He selects his victims carefully, identify a bad guy…kill him. Then plan evidence which will implicate a second bad guy – two birds with one stone and this leaves Remy free to repeat the process in future. Being a cop means Remy knows what the investigators will be looking for and it helps him keep one step ahead of trouble.

As we join events in Pond Scum Remy has just killed his latest victim. However, this time it has been a very personal murder as Remy has killed his own father.

The murder appears totally justified as Remy’s father subjected him to years of abuse and his crimes were not restricted to the torment of Remy. Remy’s father shared and distributed child pornography over a long number of years and was instrumental in the prolonged abuse of many innocents.

Remy frames another cop who was aiding his father, however, Remy’s plans are about to come unstuck as the cop he is trying to frame is put in charge of finding who murdered Remy’s father. It is also very apparent to Remy that he knows full well who is responsible for the murder. A high-stakes game is about to begin and neither man can afford to lose.

Pond Scum is gripping reading. Remy should not be a likeable character given his secret hobby, however, readers cannot help but root for the killer on this occasion and Michael Lilly does a brilliant job of balancing the potential ethical dilemma, we want the least bad bad guy to win. Unfortunately Remy is not going to get everything all his own way.

In a tense drama I always enjoy a few lighter scenes to lift the tension. Happily Pond Scum has the perfect sparring partner for Remy – his partner Beth…a cop who takes no nonsense and will keep Remy “honest”as he struggles to keep himself safe from unknown enemies.

Nice twist to the serial killer/cop story and Pond Scum is definitely one to look out for.

Pond Scum is published by Vulpine Press and can be ordered in paperback or digital format here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pond-Scum-Darkthorn-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0784XWXCC/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522531696&sr=1-2

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March 25

A Glimmer of Hope – Steve McHugh

Layla Cassidy has always wanted a normal life, and the chance to put her father’s brutal legacy behind her. And in her final year of university she’s finally found it. Or so she thinks.

But when Layla accidentally activates an ancient scroll, she is bestowed with an incredible, inhuman power. She plunges into a dangerous new world, full of mythical creatures and menace–all while a group of fanatics will stop at nothing to turn her abilities to their cause.

To protect those she loves most, Layla must take control of her new powers…before they destroy her. All is not yet lost–there is a light shining, but Layla must survive long enough to see it.

My thanks to Anne Cater for the chance to join the blog tour

Time to indulge in a bit of fantasy. Stories where anything goes are a very welcome change from the usual diet of crime and police procedurals I tend to favour. I love the idea that mythical creatures could be real, that they interact with humans or that they hide from them and live in the shadows.

Readers are introduced to Layla Cassidy, she is a kick-ass character who takes no nonsense. An unpleasant scene in the pub with her ex followed by a clash with annoying neighbours shows she is a girl who can hold her own in a scuffle but can also show the self-restraint to know when to walk away from a situation without taking matters too far.

We find out in the fullness of time why Layla wants to show restraint. Her father has a notorious reputation, jailed for horrific crimes which few could ever emulate. Yet a dangerous faction of non-humans want to recruit Layla’s father and they need to know where to find him. Unfortunately for Layla this means they will use her as a pawn intended to hold her captive until Layla will share her father’s location with them. Layla has other ideas and makes attempts to escape from captivity before her captors can try to “influence” her to assist with their plans.

During her attempted escape Layla will accidentally activate an ancient scroll and acquires new powers which make her a formidable opponent and will ope her eyes to a world she had no idea existed. From this point on the action will really hot up and A Glimmer of Hope will twist and enchant.

I really enjoy Steve McHugh’s writing, he builds strong characters that I want to read about. His stories have been well paced (A Glimmer of Hope is no exception) so there is a natural build up into the action and then events keep coming with twists and turns which bring me back for “one more chapter”.

A welcome and refreshing change to my normal reads – bring on the next, I enjoy these.

A Glimmer of Hope is released on 1st April 2018 and can be ordered here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glimmer-Hope-Avalon-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01LW3WQ6K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1522002116&sr=8-1

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March 20

Crook’s Hollow – Robert Parker

In the quiet village of Crook’s Hollow, almost exactly between Manchester and Liverpool, land and pride are king.

And now someone has just tried to kill Thor Loxley – but Thor has no clue as to why. As the estranged youngest of the omnipresent Loxley farming dynasty, all of whom view him as a traitorous turncoat, in a village where everybody knows everybody else’s business, life is hard enough.

But here, farmers do things the old way. You deal with problems on your own terms. You keep everything in house where possible. You avoid involving the authorities. With nobody to turn to, Thor sets out to uncover who wronged him. But with corrupt land developers circling, the rival Crook family seeking to unsettle the Loxley’s at every turn, his own family despising him, and jealous old acquaintances lurking, the mystery plunges ever deeper – and up floats more greed, betrayal, secrecy and blood than Thor could possibly imagine.

My thanks to Linda MacFadyen for my review copy

I jumped the gun on Crook’s Hollow and read it too early. It was sitting beside me and calling out to be read and I *knew* it was still 2 months until publication date and that I should really wait so I could review it “fresh” from finishing it…but I am weak dear reader, weak. I raced through Crook’s Hollow in two sittings and have had to sit on my hands for a few weeks and not share how much I enjoyed it until publication date loomed large.

Crook’s Hollow releases on 29 March 2018 and I recommend getting it ordered as soon as you can.

I have mentioned more than once that I love a small town story. Usually there are secrets to be uncovered but sometimes there are small town rivalries and feuding families and the town becomes a powder keg with the reader waiting for someone to light the fuse…that’s Crook’s Hollow.

There are secrets too. The biggest secret as far as Thor Loxley is concerned is that someone is trying to kill him and he has no idea who that someone may be. Now…had he given this problem any prior consideration I don’t believe that Thor would have said ANYONE would want to kill him, however, someone tried and now everyone in Crook’s Hollow is a suspect. Finding the responsible party is not going to be easy though. Thor cannot rely upon his family for help as he has alienated himself from their loving embrace. His best friend is a suspect so there is no help available there and as for his girlfriend, well they have to keep their relationship hush-hush…one of those secrets I spoke of earlier.

I really enjoyed following Thor’s story, the book had a claustrophobic feel and thinking back to when I read it I have a memory of dark rooms, shady places and the prevailing feeling of sinister overtones. It felt like I’d been drawn in to a tale spun by a story-teller as the listeners sat around a campfire on a dark night. This may sound a bit odd but Crook’s Hollow drew me in and the fondest memory I have of reading it is of a sinister darkness.

While Crook’s Hollow may not be the longest story you will read this month, there is a lot of story packed into this tale and Thor will face more than a couple of moments of peril to keep readers highly entertained. Robert Parker held my attention from page one and while my TBR pile is threatening to rage out of control it is not easy to command my full attention the way that Crook’s Hollow did.

Crooks Hollow is published by Black Rose Writing on 29 March 2018 and will be available in digital and paperback format – order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crooks-Hollow-Robert-Parker-ebook/dp/B078WDQV4X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518650638&sr=8-1&keywords=crook%27s+hollow

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March 9

White Midnight – Daniel Culver

Elizabeth Nowicki, a British woman and self-confessed stoic, settles down in the seemingly idyllic American town of Midnight, with her new husband and his two children. Six months on, life as a step mom is harder than she thought, and the shine of the American Dream has already worn off.

Bored and lonely, Elizabeth is drawn into a nightmare when someone in a duck mask murders two local cops…and the investigation reaches her new neighbourhood. When this is followed by strange happenings across the street, leading to another death, Elizabeth starts to conduct her own investigation….but can she find the killer before the killer finds her?

My thanks to Liz at Manatee Books for my review copy

Small towns hold dark secrets and I love books which throw readers into the midst of those close communities and let you stumble around with the lead character uncovering some of those secrets. Midnight is a small town. Not St. Mary Mead small, but with under 30,00o inhabitants there is plenty of scope for intrigue and mystery.

Elizabeth Nowicki has recently moved to Midnight. Originally from the UK she has married Luca and settled down in this small US settlement and is adapting to her new life. When an unexpected shooting in the town rocks Elizabeth’s tranquility she begins to look a bit more closely at the activities around her. Then when her closest friend is killed she decides to take a more proactive approach to finding out what secrets Midnight may hold.

And there are secrets a-plenty. As we get drawn deeper into the tale the secrets will give way to mystery, to doubt and to the urge to keep reading to find out exactly what is going on. This is a book which will reward its readers as they get pulled along with the story – you want the answers to Daniel Culver will tease them out.

The writing is distinctly quirky at times. I expect the opening chapter to draw numerous comments in many reviews (look it just happened here too). But I cannot give you too much information about White Midnight as this is one of those books which you really need to discover for yourself.

So click the link below, order your copy and discover the secrets of Midnight for yourself.

White Midnight releases on 15 March and you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/White-Midnight-Daniel-Culver-ebook/dp/B079XRBGKT/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520549502&sr=1-1&keywords=white+midnight

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March 6

Hellbent – Gregg Hurwitz

To some he is Orphan X. Others know him as the Nowhere Man. But to veteran spymaster Jack Johns he will always be a boy named Evan Smoak.

Taken from an orphanage, Evan was raised inside a top secret programme designed to turn him into a deadly weapon. Jack became his instructor, mentor, teacher and guardian. Because for all the dangerous skills he instilled in his young charge, he also cared for Evan like a son. And now Jack needs Evan’s help.

The Orphan programme hid dark secrets. Now those with blood on their hands want every trace of it gone. And they will stop at nothing to make sure that Jack and Evan go with it.

With little time remaining, Jack gives Evan his last assignment: to find and protect the programme’s last recruit. And to stay alive long enough to uncover the shocking truth …

My thanks to the publishers for a review copy which I received through Netgalley

Last year I was tearing through audiobooks and I happened upon a brilliant action adventure thriller called The Nowhere Man. It was the second book by Gregg Hurwitz which featured Evan Smoak – a former Government operative codenamed Orphan X.

Smoak had been taken into Government service as a child. Recruited from an orphanage and raised by a mentor who turned the child into a deadly assassin who could live and work deep under cover and (most importantly) was totally expendable to the US Government who could deny the existence of Orphan X should he fail in his mission.

There were other Orphan’s recruited other than Smoak and through the three books in the series (Orphan X, The Nowhere Man and now Hellbent) Evan will cross paths with some deadly former colleagues. This is not a good thing for Evan – Orphan Y now heads up the Orphan programme and his primary focus is to end Evan’s life. With almost unlimited resources at his disposal Orphan Y is gunning for Evan Smoak and in Hellbent he shall gain new leverage…a showdown may be inevitable.

Hellbent sees Evan going directly up against the Orphan programme but his mentor, Jack Johns, asks Evan to protect the last Orphan who had been recruited. She is a young girl, alone and unsure where to turn – she has had training which makes her dangerous but lacks the survival skills of more experienced agents. Nor has she the benefit of a healthy bank account which the Orphans accrue through successful completion of missions.

Seeing Evan trying to keep one step ahead of his foes, whilst juggling the care of a teenager and trying to maintain a semblance of a “normal” life was hugely entertaining. Gregg Hurwitz writes gripping thrillers and I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books in the Orphan X series. There is a wonderful balance of action, tension, humour and adventure in Hellbent. Evan Smoak is a dangerous character but he is a wonderful creation and if you have not yet discovered the Orphan X books you are missing out on some brilliant reads.

Hellbent is published by Michael Joseph and is available now in Hardback, audiobook and Digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hellbent-Orphan-Thriller-Gregg-Hurwitz/dp/0718185463/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1520374051&sr=8-1

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