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