A Dark Matter – Doug Johnstone

Three generations of women from the Skelfs family take over the family funeral home and PI businesses in the first book of a taut, page-turning and darkly funny new series.

Meet the Skelfs: well-known Edinburgh family, proprietors of a long-established funeral-home business, and private investigators…

When patriarch Jim dies, it’s left to his wife Dorothy, daughter Jenny and granddaughter Hannah to take charge of both businesses, kicking off an unexpected series of events.

Dorothy discovers mysterious payments to another woman, suggesting that Jim wasn’t the husband she thought he was. Hannah’s best friend Mel has vanished from university, and the simple adultery case that Jenny takes on leads to something stranger and far darker than any of them could have imagined.

As the women struggle to come to terms with their grief, and the demands of the business threaten to overwhelm them, secrets from the past emerge, which change everything…

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for my review copy and to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours who invited me to join the Blog Tour

Throughout January (and before) I have seen readers and reviewers sing the praises of A Dark Matter. I knew I was closing out the blog tour today and anticipation was high. I was not disappointed – this is an amazing book and I was glued to it.

The Skelf family run a funeral home in Edinburgh. They also have a private investigator sideline – a terrific combination with so much potential for overlapping interests. Yet we meet the Skelf family at a difficult time. Jim Skelf has died and his family have built a funeral pyre to cremated his body. His wife Dorothy, Daughter Jenny and grand daughter Hannah are left to carry on both sides of the family business while mourning Jim’s passing. However it seems Jim had more than his share of secrets and it is not long before Dorothy begins to question how well she actually knew the man she spent most of her life married to.

There is so much going on in A Dark Matter that I struggle to identify which threads of the story I want to sing praise for as they are all magnificent. Hannah (the youngest Skelf) is concerned over the disappearance of her friend, she begins her own investigation as the police don’t seem interested. Her determination is inspiring.

Jenny is the link between generations and is caught up in the private investigator side of the business. She is the character I found most compelling as her “journey” seems the most rocky but she gets some brilliant kick-ass moments which had me punching the air in delight.

Dorothy is more about the funeral services and she is also most concerned with her husband and the secrets he seems to have kept. As with all families there are secrets but the Skelf’s seem to have cornered the market on dark secrets. There are many skeletons in their cupboards.

I mention there is lots going on in A Dark Matter but it doesn’t ever feel cluttered or out of focus. Doug Johnsone has pitched this perfectly – all the Skelf’s have drama, challenges and horrible truths to face and it will shape them in the books which I understand will follow this. I cannot wait to see what comes next.

A Dark Matter allows three generations to shine and to bond. Their investigations are funny and upsetting and reveal the darker side of our society these days. The funeral home scenes show respect and sympathy and some fascinating insights into what goes on behind the scenes at a time people are most vulnerable.

Worthy of all the praise that is lavished upon it – the first “Must Read” of 2020.

A Dark Matter is published by Orenda Books and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order your copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07X9X2J4X/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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January 30

Alice Teale is Missing – H.A. Linskey

YOU HAD A SECRET. ALICE FOUND OUT.

Alice Teale walked out of school at the end of a bright spring day.

She’s not been seen since.

Alice was popular and well-liked, and her boyfriend, friends and family are desperate to find her.

But soon it’s clear that everyone in her life has something to hide.

Then the police receive a disturbing package.

Pages from Alice’s precious diary.

Who could have sent them? And what have they done with Alice?

My thanks to Sriya at Penguin RandomHouse who provided me with a review copy and invited to join the blog tour.

Alice Teale is Missing – she left school late one evening after she had completed her after-school clubs. A teacher saw her leave the school grounds but Alice has not been seen since.

The police are investigating but the officer running the enquiry is offered (and grabbed) early retirement as part of the latest round of cost cutting. He gets out just before a tricky missing person has the opportunity to (maybe) escalate into murder investigation.

We meet DC Beth Winter, sent to join the investigation to assist Lucas Black – the experienced officer to guide Beth through her first major case. However Black has a reputation for being difficult to work with. A loner, bad tempered and with a huge incident in his service career which has caused colleagues to question his ability to continue in his role. Black and Winter are a brilliant pairing as events are viewed from Winter’s viewpoint so we experience her anxiety and frustration as she tries to show her value to a new colleague. Black makes this harder than she would like.

The missing girl, Alice, is a well known and popular figure in the small town where she lives…or should that be lived? There are rivals for her attention, best friends who rely upon Alice’s support, teachers who may have been paying her too much attention and the police soon learn of a mystery man who may have been in her home without anyone else knowing. Her family seem overwhelming and Alice’s life looks to be more busy than she could cope with. In short there are many possible suspects who may know about her disappearance and they all have a different opinion of Alice.

Readers know Alice kept a journal as we get to read Alice’s thoughts on many issues and the people in her life. Soon the police know them too as someone is sending pages from Alice’s journal to Black. The burning question is who? Is it Alice herself? Her abductor? Her killer? And why send the journal pages at all?

Alice Teale is Missing is a wonderful piece of storytelling. No gimmicks, no forced and unrealistic cliffhangers, H.A. Lindley can deliver suspense and page turning drama in the best way possible…just telling an engrossing story.

This is easily one of the finest police procedurals I have read for some time. Real world just slipped away as I got back to the pages with Winter and Black. Highly recommended – easy 5 star score.

Alice Teale is Missing is available in digital, paperback and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alice-Teale-Missing-H-Linskey-ebook/dp/B07PJ48XWG/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1580337703&refinements=p_27%3AH.+A.+Linskey&s=digital-text&sr=1-2&text=H.+A.+Linskey

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January 28

Her Secret Past – Kerry Watts

Jean Angus pours the last of the lukewarm tea into her chipped cup, shivering as she looks outside into the dark night. Her eyes are drawn to a slow movement not far from her cosy farmhouse. She’s not expecting visitors. And as the back door opens with a bang, she doesn’t even have time to shout for help.

On a dark winter night, the bodies of Malcolm and Jean Angus lie cold and still in a pool of blood in their kitchen. Detective Jessie Blake is called in to find out what happened to the reclusive pair.

Searching the couple’s property, Jessie learns about a vicious dispute with a nearby land owner, Rachel Ferguson, and when Jessie looks into Rachel further, she doesn’t expect what comes up. Rachel isn’t the person everyone thinks she is and a previous murder conviction just made her Jessie’s prime suspect.

The small Perthshire town begins to gossip about the double murder and Jessie’s own past comes back to haunt her, when her abusive ex-husband begins to interfere in her new life. As the town starts a witch hunt against Rachel, Jessie is under pressure to find out what really happened in the farmhouse that night. Because if it isn’t Rachel, then who is the murderer living among them, waiting to kill again?

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through Netgalley.

Housekeeping first: this is not the first Jessie Blake story but it is the first I have read. Do you need to have read the earlier stoies? I didn’t think so – Her Secret Past stands well on its own and at no stage did I feel I was missing out on important information or was meant to know what had occurred previously.

Her Secret Past opens in pretty shocking style – a young teenage girl and her 19yo boyfriend have beaten her grandparents to death in a pre planned attack. We watch as things start to go wrong and their careful planning comes apart. Needless to say the pair are found out and prison awaits.

Spin forward to present day and we are at another murder scene and so too is Jessie Blake. Another unusual event – the grandson of one of the victims sitting at the table to eat a meal is also sitting beside the corpse of his grandfather – seemingly unperturbed by the brutal slaying which took place not long before. The boy is clearly on the spectrum but as the story develops it becomes apparent he is very focused on murderers and killers and this is a fascination which could cause some problems during the course of Jessie’s investigations.

The murder throws up a good number of suspects which kept me guessing and reassessing where I thought the story may go. The narrative switched nicely between Jessie’s current investigations and events from 20 years ago which followed that attention-grabbing opening scene. As readers may have guessed – the two stories entwined but not how I had anticipated and someone in the cast is playing a clever game.

The story is well paced and several chapters end on cliffhanger moments which are not immediately resolved on the next page. It keeps you reading but once or twice the effect felt forced and not really necessary.

All in, a good story, interesting cast of characters who mixed up the action well. I’d certainly look for more books in the series.

Her Secret Past is published by Bookouture and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0813N28BD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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January 27

A User’s Guide to Make-Believe – Jane Alexander

WELCOME TO MAKE-BELIEVE. YOU CREATE THE FANTASY, THEY CONTROL YOUR MIND. Cassie worked at Imagen, the tech giant behind the cutting-edge virtual reality experience Make-BelieveTM, and she got to know the product well. Too well. But Cassie has been barred from her escape from the real world, and legally gagged by the company. Her dream job now seems to be part of a larger nightmare, and Imagen is not done with her yet. With Imagen holding all the cards, and personal and public freedoms at stake, how far will Cassie go to end the deception?

Immerse yourself in a near-future world akin to Black Mirror and Vox with an all-too plausible slant on reality and fantasy for our ‘connected’ times.

My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the opportunity to join the blog tour and to publisher Allison and Busby for sending me a review copy of the book.

Welcome to a world where virtual reality is real. Where people can escape the humdrum of their lives for short periods to live out a fantasy. They can fly, act how they wish, own flash cars or see the far flung corners of the world. Escapism at the cutting-edge of technology. The gift of another life is offered by Imagen – they have huge influence and are one of the most upwardly mobile companies in the world. By offering a subscription service to users they ensure repeat customers and a steadily growing client base – people can’t get enough of Make-Believe.

But people CAN get enough of Make-Believe. Too much. As it becomes addictive for some people, the limited time they are allowed isn’t enough for them and they want to use it more and more. The most determined find a way but invariably they are caught – so it is for Cassie. She worked for Imagen but when she got caught abusing her position she lost her job and lost access to the Make-Believe network. As the system captures and records a user’s DNA there is no way Cassie can forge a new identity and re-join Make-Believe. When we first meet her she is at a support group, mixing with drug users and alcohol dependents she chooses to sit in the group sessions but not to share details of her addiction (or of her suspension from the system).

At one meeting Cassie meets a kindred spirit. A young man who has also been abusing the system and spending too much time in Make-Believe. He too was caught and banned and now the couple are, against Cassie’s better judgement, a couple and together they are trying to work out why Imagen is showing a drop-off in income. Could the couple just be the tip of the iceberg and are there hundreds of users being kicked off Make-Believe for becoming addicted? If this was the case then how could it have been hushed up? If Imagen’s downturn is NOT due to addicts being removed from the service then why would their financial performance be dropping off? The company have explanations but Cassie isn’t buying it and she sets out to uncover the truth.

Pitting herself against big business is dangerous and Cassie is not the most stable of people. Her addiction has cost her the trust of family and friends and there are few with the skills or the inclination to help her get behind the scenes of Imagen. Jane Alexander sets up the situation perfectly. Cassie has weaknesses and vulnerabilities which she must overcome. Her reliance upon Make-Believe and what she begins to uncover about the product Imagen are so efficiently promoting to its subscribers is actually quite chilling. When we consider the rapid development of computers and the speed at which they have taken over our lives it is quite easy to believe there are improper and alarming decisions being taken behind the doors of corporate boardrooms.

This is a thought-provoking adventure. Not too far removed from reality but heavily influenced by the potential of virtual reality. Engaging reading and the story holds together well. Enjoyed this – a departure from my usual reads but a very welcome change.

A User’s Guide to Make-Believe is currently available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0749025107/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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January 25

The Dark Phoenix Saga – Stuart Moore

One of the most popular X-Men epics of all time, revealing the birth of perhaps the deadliest force in the galaxy—Dark Phoenix

Piloting a shuttle through a deadly solar flare, Jean Grey saves the X-Men, but is possessed by one of the universe’s most powerful forces—the Phoenix. As she adapts to her new powers, the mutant team launches an assault against the clandestine organization known as the Hellfire Club. Once inside, however, Jean is tricked by the villain Mastermind into betraying her teammates. She becomes first the Hellfire Club’s Black Queen and then Dark Phoenix, as the power to destroy worlds bursts forth uncontrolled.

Shooting into deep space, Jean destroys an entire star system, then encounters a cruiser piloted by the spacefaring race the Shi’ar. When the cruiser is obliterated, the Shi’ar queen decrees that the Phoenix must die. But only the X-Men can hope to stop Dark Phoenix, and save Jean Grey.

I received a review copy from Titan Books

Currently streaming to a tv screen near you (and recently released on Blu-Ray and DVD) is the latest X-Men film: Dark Phoenix. To coincide with the release of the movie, Titan Books published the full prose novel of the Dark Phoenix Saga and it adds new depth and dimension to the original comic by Chris Claremont.

I first need to address the fact the movie seemed to receive mixed reviews – the first voices were not too flattering but I felt that as more people saw Dark Phoenix the perception shifted and the response seemed pretty positive. The original source material is a classic X-Men story and Stuart Moore’s novel of the story covers a lot of story, adds background and gives us more time with the characters we love and does a great job in bringing this much loved story to new readers. Also – it is a well established rule that the book is always better then the film!

We join the story just as the X-Men are facing imminent destruction. Only Jean Grey can save her friends but to do so will result in her own death. Jean knows she has only one option open to her and takes the heroic decision to make the supreme sacrifice to ensure the other X-Men survive.

Needless to say her death casts a long shadow and the X-Men take time to regroup and come to terms with the loss of their friend. Realising there are other mutants who may also need their help and guidance Storm and Colossus try to track down a young woman who has just come into possession of her powers – Kitty Pride. Unbeknown to the X-Men, Kitty has also come to the attention of Emma Frost. Ms Frost is Queen of the notorious Hellfire Club and she wants Kitty to come and learn under her guidance.

Dark Phoenix brings the X-Men into their first confrontation with the Hellfire Club and it is a great overview of how two powerful forces in Marvel’s universe became aware of each other. Clearly the characters are substantially developed in the comics and their original appearances don’t reflect the subsequent alliances which may be forged. However the book takes a good snapshot into a significant moment of X-Men history and gives much more background detail.

Here was where I found it a little strange – that expanded background. To take an iconic storyline and bring more detail and information to such a well known piece must have been a fascinating challenge. There were times I felt I was being treated to slightly too much additional detail and once I actually lost the thread of where we were in the narrative. But it was pulled back and the story progressed with me in tow.

Very much a story for the fans of the franchise. Despite being a big Marvel fan the X-Men has never been my favourite – just too many characters to keep track of down the years and I found it hard to dip in and out. But this book did what I wanted by delivering an exciting story with characters I knew well. Can’t ask for much more than that.

The Dark Phoenix Saga is published in Hardback and digital format by Titan Books. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/X-Men-Dark-Phoenix-Stuart-Moore/dp/1789090628/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1798QSFP0MP9H&keywords=dark+phoenix&qid=1559592020&s=gateway&sprefix=dark+pho%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-3

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January 21

Hitler’s Secret – Rory Clements

Autumn 1941. The war is going badly for Britain and its allies. If Hitler is to be stopped, a new weapon is desperately needed.

In Cambridge, professor Tom Wilde is approached by an American intelligence officer who claims to know of such a weapon – one so secret even Hitler himself isn’t aware of its existence. If Wilde can smuggle the package out of Germany, the Third Reich will surely fall.

But it is only when he is deep behind enemy lines that Wilde discovers why the Nazis are so desperate to prevent the ‘package’ falling into Allied hands. And as ruthless killers hunt him through Europe, a treacherous question hangs over the mission: if Hitler’s secret will win them the war, why is Wilde convinced it must remain hidden?

My thanks to Zaffre for my review copy and to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for allowing me the opportunity to host this leg of the blog tour.

War time action thrills are the order of the day in Hitler’s Secret. In 1941 the war is dragging on and Germany, fighting a war both to the East and West, are firmly under control of Adolph Hitler and his National Socialist party. The British and their allies know success in their campaign relies upon toppling Hitler – if the figurehead of the Third Reich could be removed then Germany would surely step down from their fighting.

Clearly the Germans also knew the importance of keeping Hitler safe and also in protecting his image. One man held a position of power and influence which exceeded that of Hitler’s Generals and closest advisers – the “Gatekeeper”. This man, Bormann, worked alongside Hitler in his offices and was responsible for his diary, his appointments and for deciding which telephone calls Hitler would receive and which party members would be granted access to meet with him. Bormann is a powerful man who kept out of the spotlight but a man who would do whatever it took to protect his Leader and his own position of importance. He knows a secret, one which very few people know. He has information which cannot be shared with anyone else; the British cannot have the information as it would be used to damage Hitler. Hitler’s allies cannot know the information as it would undermine his authority and Hitler himself doesn’t even know this information – for him to learn the truth may also cause him to lose focus on the matters at hand. The secret must never be known and if people have to die to ensure the truth remains hidden – so be it.

The problem with secrets is that, invariably, truth will out. As we begin Hitler’s Secret, the British know of the highly sensitive information and they are sending Tom Wilde undercover behind enemy lines to recover a package which will expose Hitler’s Secret to the World. Bormann is also taking decisive steps to have the package destroyed – anyone who comes into possession of the package must also be removed. The chase is on and with everything at stake it’s a mighty story.

Described by the Sunday Times as a “What If” story, I find the Tom Wilde books to be great action thrillers from one of our darkest times. Rory Clements builds on events from the War and weaves his stories into the events of 1941. Familiar people and places will appear and the characters Clements introduces will phase in and around them, it gives the story a feeling of authenticity and makes scene setting very realistic.

Wilde is putting himself against one of the most resourceful figures in the Nazi party. He will need to place his trust in a select few individuals and the feeling of David vs Goliath was ever present as I read Hitler’s Secret.

I don’t read many thrillers set during WW2 but I have read a few books by Rory Clements and each has been a satisfying experience. Perhaps the best way to articulate this would be trying to describe how, after each reading session, I found I was mentally adjusting back to 2020 life and popping the world of 1941 into the background. Clements built the world around me as I read and after putting down the book I could still easily picture the environments he had described.

If you enjoy spy thrillers and stories of wartime heroics then this book is for you.

Hitler’s Secret is published by Zaffre on 23 January 2020 and is available in hardback, digital and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07VV5RLP8/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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January 14

Her Last Goodnight – Michael Scanlon

Eddie stands at his door anxiously waiting for her to arrive, touching the box in his pocket for luck. He doesn’t hear the footsteps behind him until it’s too late…

Detective Finnegan Beck is called to a violent crime scene – a remote house near the rural Irish town of Cross Beg – where a dog lies whimpering beside his beloved owner’s body.

At first it looks like a burglary gone wrong. But Beck spots something his colleagues didn’t. The victim, Eddie Kavanagh, was wearing his smartest clothes. He’d brushed his hair. And, on closer inspection, a small velvet box containing an engagement ring is discovered in his pocket, along with a letter to a nameless woman, which seems to suggest she’s in danger.

Those who knew Eddie have no idea about a female friend though – there’s been no one in his life since a girl who he’d loved and who’d broken his heart decades before.

So who was the woman Eddie was waiting for? And did his connection with her ultimately lead to his murder? When a beautiful young woman is then found beaten to death, murdered exactly as Eddie had been, Beck has to ask – is the danger over? Or is it just beginning?

I received a review copy from the publishers through Netgalley.

The third book to feature Detective Finnegan Beck but my introduction to the series. It’s always a bit of a worry to jump into a series and not be sure if you need to know the background of the characters to enjoy the newest title. Having not read the first two books I can honestly say I didn’t feel there were aspects of the stories where I had no idea what was going on. Important facts and characters were introduced in what felt a natural way so I didn’t feel detail was being shoe-horned into the plot to ensure newbies like me could keep up. Naturally I will expect there are some subtle or less critical details which will slip by unnoticed and I have no doubt a returning reader will pick up on them.

Her Last Goodnight opens with a violent killing of an elderly man. He is in his good clothes, has an engagement ring in a box in his pocket and police find a letter to a lady-friend which suggests the victim (Eddie) was hoping to save someone from a life he did not feel she should be leading. Eddie’s friends are bemused – they had no idea he had a companion and the manner of his death is deeply shocking to the whole community.

Beck is an experienced police officer but Eddie’s death leaves him deeply troubled and Beck isn’t going to be on top of his game during this investigation. The reasons for his discomfort are revealed through the story and as Beck turns to a bottle to help him cope with events the author handles his situation very well. I found Beck’s situation upsetting and the support his colleagues tried to offer was heartening.

While trying to find a murderer Beck uncovers a seedier side to his small town and I was highly amused by the revelation of how two local residents would supplement their income. Their information led to a peek behind the curtains of a quiet suburban house where all was not as it seems.

But for Beck the real mission was to track down a murderer. For the murderer the stakes have been raised and more proactive action is required to keep their secrets safe. The one thing you can count on in a crime thriller – secrets will out.

I read Her Last Goodnight over 2 days, thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to a new series and will be picking up the earlier books to catch up. That’s a sure sign this was a hit with me – I want more.

Her Last Goodnight is published by Bookouture and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081576NZB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2

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January 13

Black 13 – Adam Hamdy

It has been too long since I last had the opportunity to welcome a guest to my blog so I am utterly delighted to be joined today by Adam Hamdy, Co-Founder of the Capital Crime festival and author of the terrific Pendulum series.

There is a review of Black 13, Adam’s new thriller, further down this post. Before we get there I wanted to share this short Q&A, when you see which books and authors Adam makes reference to when contemplating his influences it may give you an indication why I was totally hooked on Black 13.

I would be keen to hear the novels which you feel shaped your own writing.

The authors who influenced me most growing up were John Wyndham, Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Alexander Dumas, Michael Crichton and Thomas Harris. More recently I’ve learned a great deal from the works of Anthony Horowitz, Mari Hannah, Deon Meyer, Kate Rhodes, Michael Connelly, Candice Fox, Peter James, David Mitchell and James Patterson. Individual novels that really stand out for me are The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas, The Stand by Stephen King, Crimson Lake by Candice Fox, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, and Black Sunday by Thomas Harris.

What is it about each of those particular books which makes them memorable. Is it a plot device, the twist, a character journey?

The Count of Monte Cristo is a brilliant tale of revenge. Neuroscience is unlocking the secrets of our brains, and it seems that humans are born with an intrinsic sense of right and wrong. Studies carried out on groups of babies show they have a strong sense of justice. The righting of wrongs appeals to some ancient part of our minds and it may be why there is such a strong appetite for revenge stories in literature and on screen. The Count of Monte Cristo is a vengeance epic, packed with twists, turns and adventure. The scale and scope of The Stand was simply mind-blowing when I first read it as a teenager. It redefined what a book could be for me. I love Crimson Lake by Candice Fox. The story centres on two misfit investigators and the characterisations and their journeys were brilliantly executed. Cloud Atlas is a work of immense ambition. The plot device of multiple timelines all linked by an idea of past lives repeating the same journeys resonated because of the way David Mitchell brought the characters to life. Epic and imaginative, it’s one of my all-time favourites. Black Sunday was another book I read as a teenager. It’s a brilliant study of a man who perceives himself to have been wronged and the devastating consequences of his misguided quest for vengeance. Thomas Harris handles the ticking clock and the action brilliantly.

Which recurring characters do you look forward to reuniting with?

I’m currently working on the next book in the Private series with James Patterson, so I’m somewhat biased towards Jack Morgan, the main protagonist of the series. I’m also a big fan of Roy Grace, Peter James’ wonderful detective and I love Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch.

“What If” time…You receive a panicked telephone call from the director of a large book festival – travel carnage has meant all the guests for one panel will not make the event. You need to step in and discuss the works of one author – is there one body of work you could wax lyrical about to save the day?

I’d do a pretty good job with the Private series by James Patterson. I also have a good grasp of most of the authors I’ve mentioned above, but if I had to pick one, it would be Tom Clancy. Clancy’s American editor recently posted on Twitter challenging people to spot a mistake in the blurb of the most recent continuation novel, and I got it immediately. I devoured Clancy’s books as a teenager and have uber-nerd level knowledge of his work.

Many thanks to Adam for taking time to answer my questions.

The timing of Adam’s guest appearance today is not entirely coincidental as his new book, Black 13, is due to release next week. Publication date is 23 January. Thanks to the kindness of his publishers I received a review copy and I share my thoughts below.

Black 13 – Adam Hamdy

Black 13 is the brilliant first novel in the Scott Pearce series from Adam Hamdy. In this addictive and fast-paced thriller, ex-MI6 officer Pearce is about to show us that in a world where there is no loyalty to the nation state, it’s time to burn the espionage rule book.

An exiled agent. A growing threat. A clandestine war.

The world is changing beyond recognition.
Radical extremists are rising and seek to enforce their ideology globally.
Governments, the military and intelligence agencies are being outmanoeuvred at every step. Borders are breaking down. Those in power are puppets.
The old rules are obsolete. To fight this war a new doctrine is needed.
In a world where nothing is at it seems, where trust is gone, one man will make the difference.
Meet Ex-MI6 agent and man in exile, Scott Pearce.
It’s time to burn the espionage rule book.
Watch Pearce light the fire.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy of Black 13 and to Tracy Fenton a Compulsive Readers for the chance to join the Black 13 blog tour.

As we waved goodbye to 2019 and ushered in 2020 I was reading a very entertaining crime thriller. Just to be clear – I wasn’t reading as the bells chimed the New Year – the book I was enjoying was started on Hogmanay and I was about a quarter of the way through it. Well, one week later I was STILL a quarter of the way through that book as on New Year’s Day I picked up Black 13 by Adam Hamdy and I got hooked. Every opportunity I had to sit down with my book it was Black 13 I was seeking out – what a start to 2020’s reading!

Black 13 is an action packed adventure, the kind of tale which zips from action sequence to action sequence and you never feel the lead characters are safe. It is such a refreshing change of pace when I have been on a run of reading police procedurals and whodunnit murder tales. Suddenly I am caught up in a book where mid-conversation of the two parties may whip out a concealed blade and try to wipe out the other…this never seemed to happen to Inspector Morse. The unpredictability was very welcome.

Black 13 kicks off with an undercover operative trying to infiltrate a secure site. He is after information for his employers and as a highly skilled former operative he is confident in his abilities. However all does not go to plan and things do not end well. New talent is required and that is were Scott Pearce comes in.

Pearce has been working undercover for months but his work is undone in a matter of moments when a British lawyer tracks him down to the remote tourist spot in the southern hemisphere. The lawyer has been followed and led some very dangerous people to Scott’s door. Fortunately for Pearce is is also a “very dangerous” person and is able to escape and place some distance between his unknown pursuers and himself. But now Pearce needs answers and the lawyer is the only person who can provide them, can he get her safely back to the UK? That’s what it is going to take as until he sees her home in one piece the lawyer isn’t prepared to risk losing her new asset.

What follows is a relentless chase, a deadly game of cat and mouse where Pearce and his trusted colleagues must take on unknown enemies who have a reach and resources far beyond what a few lone operatives can muster. But Pearce is the best at what he does and he takes on everything that they throw at him.

As I mentioned, Black 13 was the first book I read this year and it was a real page turner. A summer blockbuster in the waiting, this is a must read for anyone who enjoys a thrilling action packed adventure.

Black 13 is published on 23 January 2020 by Macmillan and can be ordered in Hardback, Digital and Audiobook format. You can order your copy through this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Scott-Pearce-Adam-Hamdy-ebook/dp/B07TGJQTJY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1578872770&sr=1-2

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January 10

Backlash – Marnie Riches

Keep your enemies close and your neighbours closer…

When Private Investigator Beverley Saunders is tasked with going undercover, she relishes the chance to disguise herself as a cleaner in order to get close to Manchester bad boy Anthony Anthony, aka 2Tone. Anthony’s neighbours are suspicious of his wealth and sick of his anti-social behaviour, and Bev’s just the woman they need to find out what’s going on behind closed doors.

As Bev begins to infiltrate Anthony’s world, she soon realises she’s in danger – and this time, she might be too far in to get out. Alongside her sidekick Doc, Bev must fight to discover the truth – but when people begin to die, she has to ask herself – is exposing Anthony worth risking her own life?

I received a review copy from the publishers via Netgalley.

PI Bev Saunders is back. Fresh from her exploits in Tightrope Bev now enjoys a degree of minor celebrity. The case she broke in her original outing was newsworthy and as a consequence Bev’s name and reputation is familiar to many of the residents of the North West.

Unfortunately for Bev, fame alone doesn’t pay the bills and she needs work but cannot afford to be fussy. So when a couple turn up at her door asking for evidence to help them calm the excessive disruptions of their noisy neighbour Bev cannot turn down the case.

The neighbour in question is a local businessman who is well known for the excellent work he does for charity. But his building/landscaping business brings him into daily contact with a number of more “earthy” workers and these guys are not the fine upstanding members of the community that their boss aspires to be. It becomes clear to Bev that her target (the amusingly named ‘2Tone’) is not the most pleasant of fellows – but is his behaviour over the top or are her clients prudish NIMBYs?

Early investigations don’t go well and Bev has an alarming brush with death which sees her resort to taking drastic action – undercover work in 2Tone’s house. It ain’t a glamorous job but Bev is determined to know more about 2Tone’s unusual activities.

Away from the domestic dispute is a darker tale. A Romanian man is looking for someone. His life has been horrific. Trafficked into the UK and hooked upon the increasingly popular and dangerously damaging drug spice, he is looking to find and save a family member. He also wants to identify the man at the root of his suffering and bring that life to an unpleasant end.

His path will cross with Bev’s and she will find herself drawn into a second investigation. Can the impulsive investigator keep herself safe from harm and prevent a desperate man from killing someone?

All these challenges and Bev still has to deal with her ex who continues to make her life as awkward as he can. At least her daughter is safe from all the madness…isn’t she?

Backlash is another great read from Marnie Riches. Bev is a strong, energetic and engaging lead character. She makes terrible life choices and I just want to read more about her. The story is well paced, darker scenes and action sequences nicely interspersed with lighter/funny interactions.

Backlash is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format and can be found in all the usual places.

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January 9

The Stone Song (Audiobook) – Tom Bale

A dystopian sci-fi thriller set in a small Sussex village.

On a sweltering summer’s night, teenage siblings Jack and Lily witness a helicopter crash on the main road between Brighton and London. The next morning they wake to find their village has been sealed off from the entire world. A terrorist cell is holed up in Stenhurst – or at least that’s the official story, put out by sinister government agent Wynter and his vicious sidekick, Major Kellett.

But later that day, Lily and Jack stumble on the truth: the authorities are hunting for a mysterious creature, labelled CatX, who escaped during the crash. Together with their friends, Erin and Oliver, Lily and Jack take it upon themselves to defy the lockdown and protect the creature, no matter what the risks.

The stakes are raised still further when a team of American agents arrive with their own unique technologies. Nobody who sees the CatX must be allowed to survive, and yet it soon becomes clear that there is a much bigger secret here…one that threatens the entire world.

With four teenagers pitted against deadly opposition, this is a story of supernatural menace that will appeal to fans of Stephen King and Stranger Things.

I received a review copy from the author in exchange for a fair an honest review.

First review of 2020 and I get to chat about the audiobook which kept me company through what was a challenging festive period. Apologies to Tom Bale for taking slightly longer than anticipated to listen to this Audible Exclusive story – I had to take a few unexpected breaks from bookish things.

Now the New Year is in full flow and I am able to give my focus back on the stories (a very welcome treat) and I can share my thoughts on this delicious science fiction thriller. Delicious? A strange choice of words perhaps but I savoured the time I had listening to the plight of an alien creature which escaped captivity and sought safety in a small Sussex village.

I am very much a fan of rooting for the underdog (I think we Scots need to be born with this trait) and from the first chapters I found myself rooting for the CatX as, following the crash of a military helicopter which had been transporting CatX, it fled from the military and tried to escape from the only life it had known. CatX sought refuge in secure locations but became trapped in the chimney of a large house in the village of Stenhurst. Help would soon appear in the form of 4 teenage kids and a deadly game of hide and seek begins.

The children soon realise that CatX can communicate with them and an alliance is formed. CatX needs the help of the children to continue to hide from the military forces who are souring Stenhurst to find it. The village is shut down and a total media blackout has been imposed. But tracking an alien life form which is small enough to hide in a rucksack and climb down a chimney is no easy task and the longer the government take to locate their lost asset the more attention they bring to their activities in Stenhurst. Naturally desperation begins to set in and the arrival of American government agencies the pressure to get a prompt resolution to the situation leads to an overspill of aggression from the soldiers on the ground.

The Stone Song is a David vs Goliath tale which kept me thoroughly entertained. Tom Bale sets a vivid scene as he depicts the military oppression of a seemingly sleepy English village. There was a slow reveal throughout the story of what CatX may be, some clever clues passed me by as the story progressed and it was only with the benefit of hindsight I realised I should have been a bit quicker to spot some of the surprises which interweave through the book.

As with every audiobook review I need to comment on the narrator. In this case we are treated to the skills of Raza Jeffrey and he delivers a great performance. There is quite a large cast for The Stone Song and a range of accents are required – all handled perfectly. Raza is very “listenable” which is a trait you would expect to be found in all audiobook narrators but (sadly) this is not always the case.

The Stone Song is only available in Audiobook format and it clocks in at around 11 hours (slightly vague on the run time as the download includes an interview with Raza Jeffrey as a bonus for the listener). I always assess the success of a story on whether I would pass it to my family to read. My teenage son is looking for more fantasy type stories to enjoy and I have recommended he tries The Stone Song. The balance of adventure, alien life, military intervention and the conspiracry theories thrown out to deflect the world media tick all his boxes. First finished book of 2020. A good start!

The Stone Song is and Audible Original and only available as an audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07XVPLLFK/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3

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