Category: Book Review

Blood Guilty by Ben Cheetham

download Synopsis: After the death of his son in a freak accident, DI Harlan Miller’s life is spiralling out of control. He’s drinking too much. His marriage and career are on the rocks. But things are about to get even worse. A booze-soaked night out and a single wild punch leave a man dead and Harlan facing a manslaughter charge.

Fast-forward four years. Harlan’s prison term is up, but life on the outside holds little promise. Divorced, alone, consumed with guilt, he thinks of nothing beyond atoning for the death he caused. But how do you make up for depriving a wife of her husband and two young boys of their father? Then something happens, something terrible, yet something that holds out a twisted kind of hope for Harlan – the dead man’s youngest son is abducted.

From that moment Harlan’s life has only one purpose – finding the boy. So begins a frantic race against time that leads him to a place darker than anything he experienced as a policeman and a stark moral choice that compels him to question the law he once enforced. Continue reading “Blood Guilty by Ben Cheetham”

Review of About Last Night by Adele Parks

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My Rating: 3/5

Having only read 1 other Adele Parks before, I was looking forward to something different. A chick lit write producing what seemed like grown up chick lit made for a refreshing change. When I started the books I began to realise quite quickly that the author was producing a lot of background, thoughts and feelings with very little speech (if that makes sense).

The character Steph I found very hard to get to grips with, she seemed very cold and mechanical, whereas Pip was a delightfully scatty character that you couldn’t help but like. The story centres on the two women’s friendship and just how far you will go to help a friend.

I found that around the halfway mark I felt like the book was dragging a little bit and was struggling to keep my interest. Having said that, I enjoyed reading about the two women and how their lives had come to the stage they were at now. The writing was clever and I can certainly see where Adele Parks’s talent lays, but I couldn’t help but feel that there wasn’t much happening.

I certainly didn’t dislike the story and there is a certain element of realism to it, but I just think I struggled to keep up with the lengthy narrative. I would have loved to have seen more `real conversations’ happening between the characters. I understand that this is probably a bit more meaningful as we get to see the whys and what’ if’s with each woman, but it just felt like a really long book.

Overall, this book certainly won’t put me off reading more Adele Parks books, but in all honesty this style of book was not my cup of tea. I’m all for meaningful books, but a little more action and a little less description would have been better. Overall, not a bad read, but certainly not an out and out winner in my eyes.

Review of Killing Hour by Andrew Gross

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My Rating: 3/5

I had high expectations for this as I have loved his other books. I have to be honest and say I wasn’t as thrilled as I thought I would be. The story itself was okay, but just that, okay.

We meet Dr Jay Handler who is living happily with his wife and children when he receives a desperate phone call from his brother Charlie. Charlie’s son Evan has committed suicide. Ay decides to fly to visit them and help Charlie and his wife through this difficult time whilst grieving for Evan. What he doesn’t bank on is the fact that Evan’s death looks suspicious. Before long Jay is dragged into finding out what really happened to his nephew.

I liked the character of Jay and the story was well paced, but there were things I wasn’t keen on. Jay’s brother Charlie was lacking depth and there seemed to be a lot of the story elements that repeated too often.

I was saddened to read that the character Evan was based around Andrew Gross nephew who also committed suicide. The writing was good and the story not bad, I just don’t think this was his best.

The Night Season by Chelsea Cain (Sheridan & Lowell #4)

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My Rating: 4/5
My Review: I was so looking forward to getting this latest Archie Sheridan instalment. Chelsea Cain’s last book was my first and although I hadn’t read the first two I had enough background to pick up on Archie’s past. This book is the 4th in the Gretchen/Archie series but you actually don’t see Gretchen Lowell in this book but it didn’t make the slightest bit of difference to me.

Once again it doesn’t take long for Archie to get thrown in at the deep end quite literally. Following his absence from work he throws himself back into this new case with renewed vigour. I adore Archie as a character; he is terribly flawed but a great character that is written extremely well. We also see the return of Susan Ward who I also love. She is a reporter who is always doing the opposite of what she is told. In this book she is no different. She trails Archie as he tries to track down this latest killer.

We also at the same time see what Susan has been investigating relating to a sixty year old tragedy. Unknowingly the two cases are interlinked and Chelsea Cain works wonders intertwining the two stories. As usual the body count is pretty high and there are no holds barred for the gritty and grimy crime scene descriptions.

Her writing is as usual well paced and full of suspense with the added bonus of two characters that work well together. The story itself was good and as usual Chelsea Cain has produced a book that is highly enjoyable.

Although this book is said to be part of the Archie/Gretchen series I am sort of glad that Gretchen didn’t appear. No doubt we haven’t sent the last of her but it was nicer still to see a different killer emerge from the shadows. As usual, I finished the book in just under two days, and then found myself disappointed. Why didn’t I take my time and make the book last longer? I suppose like everybody else I will just have to be patient and wait for the next instalment.

Review of Reckless by Andrew Gross

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My Rating: 3/5

This is Andrew Gross fourth novel as a solo author. He has co-written a number of books with James Patterson. I was excited when he started writing his own stuff and really enjoyed his first and second book. His third novel Don’t Look Twice however, was a book that I was really disappointed with. I was looking forward to his new release `Reckless’ as I thought we may see the return of his brilliant writing and the character Ty Hauck.

 

This story does indeed bring back Ty Hauck and we find he has now moved on from his career in law enforcement and now works for a private security firm. He soon realises that working in this sector doesn’t stop him thinking and behaving like he was still a cop. When a Wall Street Trader is murdered in his home along with his family everyone assumes that it’s a burglary gone wrong. But when another trader dies in what looks like a suspicious suicide, things start to go very wrong. Ty finds himself pulled into the case along with Naomi Blum, a US Treasury agent. Naomi is investigating a financial paper trail that go back to the two dead traders. Between them they start to uncover a murky trail that could lead higher than either of them could ever imagine.

Initially the story trundled along as I got to grips with the characters that were introduced and the detailed storyline. I can honestly say that although I enjoyed the book, there seemed to be a major key to the story missing, I just can’t tell you what it is. The characters were as good as before and Ty in particular is a well written and really likeable character. Naomi is also written incredibly well. I just found myself checking who people were a second time which is unusual for me. The story becomes quite in-depth in some parts and I would say that this is not the sort of book you can ‘go back to’. You have to concentrate on the story and people so that you don’t lose pace with it. Overall I would give the book 3.5 out of 5 and say that it wasn’t a bad read. I do on the other hand think that Andrew Gross can produce much better material than this.

Evil At Heart by Chelsea Cain (Sheridan & Lowell #3)

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My Review: 4/5

 Having never read Chelsea Cain I had not read the first and second instalment in the “Gretchen Lowell” series however this didn’t’ make the slightest bit of difference. There is enough history about the characters to be able to get a feel for the previous 2 books in this current story. Having said that I think I would like to go back and read the other two to get the bigger picture.

The story picks up with Archie Sheridan who is busy facing his own personal demons when Henry Sobol his old partner comes along and shatters his world with the news he has been hoping he won’t get. The serial killer who made Archie’s life hell and had escaped was not only on the run but was now back on the warpath and murdering once again.

Susan Ward is a journalist who found herself involved in the last case between Gretchen and Archie and finds herself once again embroiled into the dark world of murder. Between them they follow various murder victims to what they hope will be Gretchen’s hiding place. The murders themselves are quite gruesome in detail and not for the squeamish or faint hearted. WE learn quite a bit about Susan who is a fantastic character. She is a reporter/journalist who is quite feisty and tends to not listen when told she cannot do something. Her and Archie spend an awful lot of time together chasing demons and both getting caught out in situations they shouldn’t have been in, in the first place.

The finale of this book was great and without giving any spoilers Archie is faced head on with all his demons at once and by the final chapter I was already wondering when the next instalment is out. Although I wouldn’t rate this as one of my favourite crime thrillers I thought this was a fantastic read and would definitely recommend.

Review of The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross

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Synopsis: GET UP. KISS YOUR FAMILY GOODBYE. GOT TO WORK. DIE…

They say bad luck comes in threes. But for Karen Friedman’s family, bad luck is just the beginning.

It starts with her husband Charlie’s investments going wrong and the sudden death of a family pet. Then one morning Charlie takes the train to work – straight into a lethal terrorist blast. For his widow Karen and their children, all that remains of Charlie is a shared past.

Or is it? When the Friedmans begin to receive terrifying threats Karen turns to Detective Ty Hauck for help. Hauck’s family fell apart too, after a tragic accident he still blames himself for. Now he’s determined to keep Karen’s safe. But Hauck doesn’t know about how people who investigate Charlie have a way of ending up dead…

Kat’s Rating: 4/5

Kat’s Review: I first read Andrew Gross who co-wrote with James Patterson and loved the book. I then read the Blue Zone which I thoroughly enjoyed and decided to pre-order The Dark Tide. I was not dissapointed.The book tells the story of Charles and Karen Friedman who live a wonderful life in a wealthy suburb with their two children. Charles runs a successful Hedge Fund and all is well until he is killed in a bombing in Grand Central Station. Karen then discovers that her husband may not really be dead. Along with Ty Hauck a cop with the violent crimes unit they follow the leads they get about Karens husband Charles and his supposed death. The story is excellent and keeps you reading until the very last chapter. I think Andrew Gross is a fantastic author who clearly writes his own novels just as well as Patterson. I look forward to his next book with just as much anticipation. Well worth the read