I recieved a review copy from the publishers and was invited to join the blog tour by Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours. My thanks to both.

In 2021 I spent 11 months of the year praising a book written by Fiona Erskine. I read it in February and in December (to nobody’s surprise) called Fiona’s book the best book I had read in 2021. When the opportunity came to read the next book Fiona had written I could not resist.

The Chemical Cocktail is the third Jaq Silver thriller and despite there being some hints at past events you don’t need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. And you WILL enjoy this book as it’s an action thriller which spans continents, has some particularly nasty bad guys lurking in the background and we get more than a few tense moments for Silver as she tries to investigate a secret from her past.

Early in the story the reader learns Silver’s mother has died and Jaq has come into posession of the last of her mother’s posessions. Within the documents she finds information which will turn her world upside down. Events thereafter give the readers an insight into the background of Jaq Silver, an understanding of how she became the woman she is but also expose some of the most secret elements of her past. I imagine for returning readers this will be a welcome look at the background of a loved character but for a new reader to the series (me) it was a wonderful way to meet the character.

The information Silver received in her mother’s posessions will kick off a frantic race against time chase which stretches from England to Brazil, with some stops in Europe along the way. There is little respite for Silver as she tries to elude pursuers without understanding why she is being pursued. The reader is also kept in the dark as to what the “prize” at the end of this chase may be – not knowing what was behind the attempts to capture Jaq Silver really held my attention and kept me reading.

Silver is a terrific lead character and I understand why some reviews have drawn comparisons to a James Bond type figure. She is also an expolosives expert and the author brings the science to the story in a way which is accessible, educational and entertaining.Rembmber how Tom Clancy books would suddenly jump from the action to delivere ten pages of technical specifications on a missile? Well in The Chemical Cocktail Fiona Ersine will slip in two informative and accessible paragraphs and keep the action flowing. Both styles show the author is in total command of the information and subject matter but, sorry Tom, only one is actually fun to read.

The Chemical Cocktail is sharply written with short, punchy chapters and the constant thrill of a chase and evade makes for an exciting story throughout. I loved the time I spent getting lost in this adventure tale and now need to find time to read the first two books in the series too.

The Chemical Cocktail is published by Point Blank Crime and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09JPH6CV1/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0