July 2018 – Grab This Book

The Death of Mrs Westaway – Ruth Ware

When Harriet Westaway receives an unexpected letter telling her she’s inherited a substantial bequest from her Cornish grandmother, it seems like the answer to her prayers. She owes money to a loan shark and the threats are getting increasingly aggressive: she needs to get her hands on some cash fast.

There’s just one problem – Hal’s real grandparents died more than twenty years ago. The letter has been sent to the wrong person. But Hal knows that the cold-reading techniques she’s honed as a seaside fortune teller could help her con her way to getting the money. If anyone has the skills to turn up at a stranger’s funeral and claim a bequest they’re not entitled to, it’s her.

Hal makes a choice that will change her life for ever. But once she embarks on her deception, there is no going back. She must keep going or risk losing everything, even her life…

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

The Death of Mrs Westaway is one of those reading gems where you can just give yourself over to the story. Ruth Ware will take you into the life of Harriet (Hal) Westaway and you will want to follow her and learn her fate.

Hal is living on a breadline. She is telling fortunes, reading tarot on the seaside pier and living in a small flat which she can ill afford. She has borrowed money from a local lone-shark and the interest is ramping up, so much soat someone has been sent to meet Hal to “encourage” her to pay up.

With things looking grim a ray of salvation lands on her doorstep. Hal has been identified as the beneficiary of her grandmother’s estate, she needs to go go Cornwall to claim her inheritance. Only problem…the deceased woman cannot be Hal’s grandmother so Hal should not be claiming any bequeathment.

Readers can follow Hal’s predicament and if you feel that the choices she makes are not appropriate then it creates a moral dilemma for the reader. As we see Hal’s choices start to generate problems she could not have foreseen will you find any empathy for her predicament?

A great story is guaranteed with Ruth Ware and The Death of Mrs Westaway is no exception. Definitely a book to seek out and I enjoyed it a lot.

The Death of Mrs Westaway is published by Vintage and is available in hardback, digital and audio format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Mrs-Westaway-Ruth-Ware-ebook/dp/B075MTRJ9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530549713&sr=8-1&keywords=the+death+of+mrs+westaway

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July 29

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery – Shuky

This middle-grade graphic novel series makes YOU the valiant hero of a fantasy quest—pick your panel, find items, gain abilities, solve puzzles, and play through new storylines again and again!

The year is 1012 in the kingdom of the good king Louis the Little. Three brothers dream of joining the fearless Knights of the Royal Order—and one of these brothers is you! On your adventure you will journey through snowy mountains, mysterious lakes, and haunted forests in search of the coveted bracelets of bravery. You must solve riddles, discover hidden passages, and gather magical objects. Success depends on the choices you make, because the hero is none other than you!

My thanks to Quirk Books for a review copy which I received through Netgalley

A book where you control the story. Decisions have to be made by the reader and this will dictate how the tale unfolds. Multiple possibilities so numerous potential story paths and this means the reader can play their way through Knights Club many, many times.

Yes I did say “play their way” as this book is more about playing the adventure than seeing how the author wants the tale to unfold. Knights Club is aimed at Middle Grade readers so I would suggest readers from age 8 to 12 will probably get the most fun here.

The story features a challenge…you are one of three brothers who want to become a knight. Take your chosen hero through a series of challenges and puzzles to make his dream come true.

I had a digital copy so I sat my eldest bookworm (11 years old) down. Handed him my laptop at the first page of the book and let him work out the story for himself. A great way to ensure a few hours of peace and quiet folks!

I got updates as he played. There were lots of giggles and snickering laughs. A few perplexed sighs as he tried to predict the decision he thought he SHOULD take to get the right solution (rather than the obvious path he WANTED to take). That’s not how these books work though!

The first read took about 30 mins and then he seemed to have messed up as the story ended (unsuccessfully). Straight back in for another go and son lasted longer and seemed to have a very different tale the second time around. NB he did later confirm he deliberately took different choices as he had failed the first read…

Knights Club kept him entertained for several evenings before I prompted him for some feedback to help with this review. “Great pictures” was noted and I agreed, the artwork is perfect for the target age and have lots of visual humour to support the story. “Fun to flick back and forward to keep the story going” was another observation. Clearly the unusual approach to reading was a hit. To clarify: The story begins at part 1 but may then direct you to page 74, choose between 142 or 44 and then from there you go to page 91. Some of the choices the reader faces are drawn into the artwork so a crossroads sign may give two visual clues where the story leads next.

All good fun and it kept my son highly entertained.

Not due to be released until September but this places it nicely into the “out in time for Christmas” category. Knights Club would make an excellent and unexpected pick-up idea for a reader who may want a bit more input into their latest read.

Knights Club is published by Quirk Books and releases on 4 September 2018 in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Knights-Club-Bands-Bravery-Quests/dp/1683690559/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1532813899&sr=1-1

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July 28

Blood Cruise – Mats Strandberg

On the Baltic Sea, no one can hear you scream.

Tonight, twelve hundred expectant passengers have joined the booze-cruise between Sweden and Finland. The creaking old ship travels this same route, back and forth, every day of the year.

But this trip is going to be different.

In the middle of the night the ferry is suddenly cut off from the outside world. There is nowhere to escape. There is no way to contact the mainland. And no one knows who they can trust.

Welcome aboard the Baltic Charisma.

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

The Baltic Charisma has been cruising the Scandinavian coastline for many a year. The crew work long hours and have a strong team spirit (evidenced by the return of a former colleague who has brought his boyfriend onboard to propose).

Also on board are party goers who plan to hit the bar (hard). A former Eurovision contestant who now finds himself hosting the onboard karaoke nights. A single woman trying to treat herself to a new adventure. A party-going couple of ladies who will drink and hope to hook a night of fun with a stranger…and on it goes. The variety of passengers is endless but special note should be taken of the woman traveling with a young boy. She is hiding her face and nobody seems to want to look at her twice…she will change the course of many lives – forever.

As the ship leaves shore all the crew and passengers become cutoff from the safety of the outside world. Their journey will be unforgettable as onboard is an evil, generations old and used to hiding from the public eye. But things are about to change for this evil entity is hungry and has decided that the days of hiding are over.

In the claustrophobic confines of a cruise ship a battle is about to rage and it gets mighty bloody.

I do love a horror tale and Blood Cruise ticked all the horror boxes. Evil power, lots of blood and murder, resilient spirited heroes try to thwart/evade/hide from the big bad and not everyone will survive. It was nicely done on the whole and I enjoyed following some the characters who (from a crowed passenger manifest) get the chance to have their stories told.

Definitely a read I would only recommend for horror fans. I did feel I was losing track of some of the characters in the middle of the book, some characters that I had thought to be dead popped up unexpectedly still very much alive. I got the name mixed up more than once so had to backtrack to work out exactly who I was reading about. This is more of a reflection on my ability to keep track of characters than the author’s storytelling but it did slow me down a bit.

If nasty, bloody fun is what you crave in a book then Blood Cruise is one for you. The strongest characters, who are given most time to shine, do just that and there are some powerful and emotive scenes as the crew and passengers face the prospect of an unpleasant death.

If the ship should get to shore can the evil be contained?

Blood Cruise is published by Jo Fletcher books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Cruise-thrilling-chiller-Stephen-ebook/dp/B0746M2TBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532723156&sr=8-1&keywords=Mats+Strandberg

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July 26

Unrest – Jesper Stein

When the bound, hooded corpse of an unidentified man is found propped up against a gravestone in the central cemetery, Axel Steen is assigned the case.

Rogue camera footage soon suggests police involvement and links to the demolition of the nearby Youth House, teeming with militant far-left radicals. But Axel soon discovers that many people, both inside and out of the force, have an unusual interest in the case and in preventing its resolution.

With a rapidly worsening heart condition, an estranged ex-wife and beloved five-year-old daughter to contend with, Axel will not stop until the killer is caught, whatever the consequences. But the consequences turn out to be greater than expected – especially for Axel himself.

My thanks to Mel at Mirror books for my review copy and the opportunity to join the Unrest blog tour.

Although I have been reading crime fiction for more years than I care to count I will confess to being a newcomer to what has become dubbed “Scandi Crime”. I am something of a convert to these Northern crime stories though and I enjoy that the have a very different feel to the UK or American crime fiction tales I have been reading for years.

I cannot recall reading any Danish police procedurals prior to picking up Unrest so this was virgin territory – by the time I reached the climax (as it were) I was more than satisfied and would certainly like to repeat the experience.

Our main focus is Detective Superintendent Axel Steen. He is in the majority of scenes throughout the book so we get a good look at the lead character and the author spends time building up his background to good effect. He has a troubling medical condition, an ex-wife he misses terribly and a young daughter who he sees quite frequently but takes into crime scenes and the mortuary so perhaps fathering is not a strength. I liked Steen and his rogue/unorthodox investigative approach so spending much of the book in his company was no chore.

Steen is investigating a murder. The body of a man, bound and hooded, has been found in a public location – left virtually under the noses of the police. There is a suggestion there has been police involvement as the murder appears to have been secretly caught on film, though the evidence has vanished so cannot be easily validated. Tensions in Copenhagen are running high as militant factions are protesting and attacking police near where the body was found – was this a police retaliation?

The investigation the reader follows is methodical and, as the author is developing a life for Steen away from his job, this means the pacing of the story is not relentless and action packed. This is not to be taken as a criticism, I thoroughly enjoyed the detail and the thoroughness which the author brought to Unrest. For readers hoping for fist fights or car chases every second chapter, there are other books out there for you. Unrest is for the reader looking for a good story, well told, and with a nasty murder waiting to be solved.

I enjoyed Unrest and I hope Axel Steen returns soon.

Unrest is published by Mirror Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unrest-Action-packed-Nordic-hooked-Detective-ebook/dp/B07FDK1PXJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532556709&sr=8-1&keywords=unrest+jesper+stein

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July 25

Now You See Her – Heidi Perks

Charlotte is looking after her best friend’s daughter the day she disappears. She thought the little girl was playing with her own children. She swears she only took her eyes off them for a second.

Now, Charlotte must do the unthinkable: tell her best friend Harriet that her only child is missing. The child she was meant to be watching.

Devastated, Harriet can no longer bear to see Charlotte. No one could expect her to trust her friend again.
Only now she needs to. Because two weeks later Harriet and Charlotte are both being questioned separately by the police. And secrets are about to surface.

Someone is hiding the truth about what really happened to Alice.

My thanks to Rachel at Penguin RandomHouse for my review copy and the chance to join the tour.

As a parent of young children I do find that stories about missing kids will raise my anxiety levels. Therefore reading Now You See Her caused some discomfort as I shared the anguish of a family learning that their daughter has disappeared from the school fete.

The subsequent police investigation into events leading up to the incident and the story of the two families at the heart of the book is skillfully crafted by Heidi Perks to put the reader through emotional turmoil.

Using a then/now narrative the reader is taken into the homes of Harriet and Charlotte and the curtain is lifted on their lives so we can all see the unspoken truths which have been kept off radar.

The tricky part of reviewing this book is that to discuss or reveal too much of his the story unfolds just means a review becomes a spoiler. That’s not happening here. Suffice to say that Now You See Her is a slick domestic thriller, part police investigation, which will delight fans of unsettling family dramas.

Now You See Her is available in digital and paperback format – you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Now-You-See-Her-compulsive-ebook/dp/B076VWD8SF/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532456580&sr=8-1&keywords=heidi+perks

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July 23

A Cold Flame – Aidan Conway

Five men burnt alive.
In the crippling heat of August in Rome, a flat goes up in flames, the doors sealed from the outside. Five illegal immigrants are trapped and burnt alive – their charred bodies barely distinguishable amidst the debris.

One man cut into pieces.
When Detective Inspectors Rossi and Carrara begin to investigate, a terror organisation shakes the city to its foundations. Then a priest is found murdered and mutilated post-mortem – his injuries almost satanic in their ferocity.

One city on the edge of ruin.
Rome is hurtling towards disaster. A horrifying pattern of violence is beginning to emerge, with a ruthless killer overseeing its design. But can Rossi and Carrara stop him before all those in his path are reduced to ashes?

My thanks to Finn at Harper Collins for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour.

Another chance for readers to head to Rome and join Aidan Conway’s investigative duo Rossi and Carrara. We first encountered the pair in the excellent A Known Evil and I have been looking forward to seeing what A Cold Flame would bring.

Housekeeping first – reading A Known Evil is not an essential requirement before picking up A Cold Flame. Both books can easily be enjoyed as stand alone reads, however, as is the way of recurring characters there are comments and discussions which will mean more to returning readers. Both books make for great reading so returning readers will enjoy A Cold Flame just as much as those discovering the series for the first time will.

This is another tightly plotted police procedural and I got totally drawn into the investigation. I love a story which allows us to track the progress the investigating officers are making, watch them uncover clues and follow the leads which draw them closer to the criminals. What makes A Cold Flame more entertaining is that we get multiple viewpoints and narratives so readers can see what is happening before the cops.

As a fan of recurring characters in my reading I particularly like that Aidan Conway is brining Rossi and Carrara to life for me. They are people away from the crime scenes and I want to learn more about them…I particularly want to eat in the same places as they do as their dining choices always sound delicious!

A Cold Flame features a number of attacks on citizens of Rome. However the victims are not native Romans but immigrants to the city. A plot which sadly seems too possible in current times. It made the book more relevant and engaging than many of the stories I have read of late and I was often unsettled by what I was reading. I love when a book engages me in this way – you know the author has hit the correct balance.

In short – another gripping thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters and location made the story shine and there is a cracking read waiting for you here.

A Cold Flame is published by Killer Reads and you can order a digital copy now with the paperback due in September. Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-Flame-gripping-thriller-Detective-ebook/dp/B077SK69P8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1532205084&sr=1-1&keywords=a+cold+flame

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July 23

Skyjack – K. J. Howe

When Thea Paris’s flight is hijacked over the Libyan Desert, her first priority is the two former child soldiers she is escorting to a new life in London.

As an international kidnap specialist, Thea Paris negotiates for hostage release as part of her job. She knows one wrong move could lead to deadly consequences.

After she is forcibly separated from the boys and the other passengers, Thea and her tactical team quickly regroup. And in their desperate search for the hostages that follows, unearth a conspiracy involving the CIA, the Vatican and the Sicilian Mafia, and a plot far more sinister than Thea could ever have imagined

My thanks to Sophie at Midas PR for my review copy and the chance to join the blog tour

K.J. Howe first introduced us to Thea Paris in the action packed thriller The Freedom Broker. Now Thea returns in Skyjack and there is no let-up in the thrills and danger which she will have to face.

Housekeeping first – reading The Freedom Broker will ensure you know a bit more about Thea and you will have a bit of a heads-up on the backstory – not having read the first novel will not stop you enjoying Skyjack!

Thea is traveling to London in the company of two young boys who are heading to the UK to start a new life after events in The Freedom Broker). However, the plane which Thea is traveling on is hijacked mid-flight – the pilot diverts his course and locks himself in the flight cabin. Working with the co-pilot but not knowing who else on the plane she may be able to trust Thea has to find a way to use her extensive training and regain control of the situation.

Why has Thea’s plane been targeted? Is it a random chance or could one of the other passengers be a strategic target for the hijackers?

What follows is a tension packed thrill-fest which is sure to delight readers that enjoy their action adventures to be tightly plotted but with a global reach. K.J. Howe gives us an international tale and she taps in to some very relevant modern themes with one of the main villains of the piece motivated by an obsessive desire to target a specific race.

I will admit to flying through my read of Skyjack. Events just keep coming and the “one more chapter” dilemma was very much in play while I was reading. There seemed to be loads going on and as the narrative switches around between various characters you know that K.J. Howe is pulling the strings to ensure all her players will deliver a cracking pay-off as the book reaches its conclusion.

Breathless entertainment across a large scale it has all the feel of a Hollywood summer blockbuster and should be a definite summer holiday read to keep beside you at poolside.

Skyjack is available in hardback, digital and audiobook – you can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skyjack-Full-Throttle-Hijacking-Thriller-Never/dp/1681443015/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

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July 22

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…

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy.

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

Get your copy ordered early for this one – dark as the blackest night and wonderfully disturbing. Captivating reading and a 5 star shoe-in.

The Lingering releases on digital format on 15 September 2018 with the paperback to follow in November (making it a perfect spooky Christmas gift idea). You can order copies here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lingering-SJI-Holliday-ebook/dp/B07DFVXVDX/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1532205577&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lingering

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July 18

Bloody January – Alan Parks (Audiobook)

When a teenage boy shoots a young woman dead in the middle of a busy Glasgow street and then commits suicide, Detective Harry McCoy is sure of one thing. It wasn’t a random act of violence.

With his new partner in tow, McCoy uses his underworld network to lead the investigation but soon runs up against a secret society led by Glasgow’s wealthiest family, the Dunlops.

McCoy’s boss doesn’t want him to investigate. The Dunlops seem untouchable. But McCoy has other ideas . . .

In a helter-skelter tale – winding from moneyed elite to hipster music groupies to the brutal gangs of the urban wasteland – Bloody January brings to life the dark underbelly of 1970s Glasgow and introduces a dark and electrifying new voice in Scottish noir.

My thanks to Canongate Books for my review copy which I received through Netgalley – I also bought an audible copy which I listened to through Audible.co.uk

Last September I attended the Bloody Scotland festival and one of my pals suggested I read Bloody January as it seemed like “my kind of story”. Ten months later I finally started reading and I am really regretting that ten month wait. Bloody January is very much “my kind of story” I utterly loved it. So much so that I cheated on the audiobook version with a digital copy so that I could “read” it quicker – it’s that good!

Alan Parks takes us back to Glasgow in the cold, damp January of 1973. The lead character is Detective Harry McCoy, he enjoys the company of a working girl, drinks heavily, takes drugs, smokes (everyone smokes) and his best friend is head of one Glasgow’s criminal gangs. I rather liked McCoy, we find he has come through some tough times and is not coping well.

McCoy is summoned to Barlinnie (Glasgow’s famous prison) to speak with a man he helped convict. He is given advance warning of a murder…can he stop a life being taken? Despite his reservations over the accuracy of this information McCoy tries to track down the girl but he arrives too late to prevent her very pubic death. The murderer then takes his own life but the question of WHY needs addressed and McCoy, with his young trainee “Wattie” in tow, are tasked with finding answers.

Much of the appeal in reading came from the interaction between the characters. McCoy and Wattie were especially fun to accompany on their investigations. Wattie has been moved from rural Ayrshire to learn how policing in “the big city” works – watching him find his feet is a blast.

Bloody January is a police procedural where none of the conventional procedures seem to be followed. It is a rough time, political correctness is totally unheard of and sexual equality is a tricky area for McCoy (as we get to see). Alan Parks has done a cracking job of making the old town come back to life around his readers. The story, the setting, the corruption and poverty all makes for brilliant reading and I loved reading about “old” Glasgow.

As I indicated at the outset I listened to the majority of the book on audiobook. Narration duties are in the very capable hands of Andrew McIntosh. I maintain that the narrator can make or break the audiobook experience – if the story sounds wrong then it will stop me enjoying the book. The good news is that McIntosh is perfect. Glasgow sounds suitably gritty and the characters come to life under his care.

I loved this step back in time. Bloody January is, without doubt, one of the books which I have enjoyed most in recent months. I can only hope that the characters which survive the tale (no spoilers) will return for another outing.

Bloody January is published by Canongate Books and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-January-Harry-McCoy-novel-ebook/dp/B072M55NHT/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

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July 9

Cold Desert Sky – Rod Reynolds

No one wanted to say it to me, that the girls were dead. But I knew.

Late 1946 and Charlie Yates and his wife Lizzie have returned to Los Angeles, trying to stay anonymous in the city of angels.

But when Yates, back in his old job at the Pacific Journal, becomes obsessed by the disappearance of two aspiring Hollywood starlets, Nancy Hill and Julie Desjardins, he finds it leads him right back to his worst fear: legendary Mob boss Benjamin ‘Bugsy’ Siegel, a man he once crossed, and whose shadow he can’t shake.

As events move from LA to the burgeoning Palace of Sin in the desert, Las Vegas – where Siegel is preparing to open his new Hotel Casino, The Flamingo – Rod Reynolds once again shows his skill at evoking time and place. With Charlie caught between the FBI and the mob, can he possibly see who is playing who, and find out what really happened to the two girls?

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

Charlie Yates is back and it feels like it has been too long since we last spent any time together. Reuniting with characters I love to read about never grows old – picking up a book and slipping back into their world is such a treat.

Charlie’s world is 1950’s America and once again I find myself marvelling at the way Rod Reynolds can make a time and place which I have never visited seem so realistic. So much of what I love about these stories is based in the way I feel I become part of the telling…sucked into the world of Yates and his wife Lizzy.

In Cold Desert Sky the world is not a happy place for Charlie and Lizzy. They are facing constant jeopardy as Yates has upset Benjamin (Bugsy) Siegel. A gangster who will let no man stand in the way of his business plans – certainly not a hack from a second rate newspaper. Much of this book carries the feeling that Charlie is one wrong question away from a bullet to the head.

He is doggedly chasing down two missing girls. Wanna-be actresses who have vanished but leave a the suspicion that they may have been prepared to go one step further than most to secure a role in the movies.

Charlie finds himself at the mercy of Siegel, to protect his family he will be expected to perform ‘services’ for the gangster. He hates the position he finds himself in and his turmoil is brilliantly compelling to read.

I ploughed through Cold Desert Sky in 2 days, a great start to my holidays. Rod Reynolds is building a cracking series and I urge everyone to find out for themselves why I keenly look forward to each new book.

Cold Desert Sky is published by Faber and is available in paperback, digital and audio. You can (and should) order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-Desert-Sky-Rod-Reynolds-ebook/dp/B07C86J9DX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530833463&sr=8-1&keywords=Rod+Reynolds

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