Crime, Thriller, Mystery – Page 50 – Best Crime Books and More

Hard Knocks by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #3)

Hard Knocks

My Rating: 4/5

I recently finished book 2 of the Charlie Fox series by Zoe Sharp and couldn’t help myself by going straight on to book 3. For those that aren’t familiar with Zoe Sharp she is a female author that has now written 10 books in a series featuring Charlie Fox. Charlie is ex-special forces who moved onto self-defense training and then on to working at a gym. For those of you that want to read the series in order maybe don’t read my review as inevitably the series has moved on and it may spoil the plots for the first and second books.

At the end of book 2 Charlie had run into her ex-comrade and lover Sean Meyer. In this book Sean returns and asks Charlie if she will help him find out what happened to Kirk Salter following an accident at an elite bodyguard training school in Germany. Charlie feels obliged to help even though she didn’t care for Salter, but feels she owes it to Sean to find out how Salter got killed. With that in mind Charlie sets off to pose as a Student at the training school and from the outset the reader soon realises things are not going to be easy for Charlie.

I really like Charlie as a character and in this book I feel like I am more attached to her as the author has drip fed readers small details about her past as the books continue. As Charlie arrives at the Bodyguard Training centre I felt almost out of breath as I read about the challenges presented to the students. Zoe Sharp has a way with words, literally! You feel like you are along for the ride with Charlie and can’t help but wince as she takes some risky chances in her quest to find out about Salter.

I don’t want to include spoilers, but I can’t fail to mention the Sean Meyer side to this story. Of course with he and Charlie having history there is some what of an underlying romance feel to this book which I like because we get to see the other side to Charlie. Having said that before all you blokes (and some women) turn your nose up; trust me when I say it’s done brilliantly. There is still plenty of action, torture, mystery and intrigue to keep the pages turning without the `romantic’ element over-riding it. As usual I found myself racing through the last quarter just having to find out what was going on. I also found myself hastily ordering books 4, 5 and 6 in preparation for the next Charlie Fox leg of my reading.

I am trying desperately not to launch straight into book 4 as I have a stupidly long to read list. However, I find myself thinking I don’t really care, I just want to see what happens next. Who knows, maybe the next review will be along sooner than I think. A brilliant series that seems to get better with each book and I can’t wait for the next one. A book and series that I would highly recommended.

Review of No Way Back by Andrew Gross

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My Rating: 5/5

I first discovered Andrew Gross as he co-writes with James Patterson. Following on from those books I picked up his novels …written by him alone and featuring Ty Hauk (major character crush going on there!). I have since read all of his books that he has written alone and with the exception of one have enjoyed all of them. His last release ’15 Seconds’ was a “hang on to your seat” kind of book and I was hoping his new one would be just as good. Thankfully Mr Gross has come up trumps once again with this newest release of No Way Back.

One thing I would point out (although minor I know) is that some people may mistake this book for his last as the covers are similar at a glance. I know this is minor but can’t help but feel it may make some people skim past it online, thinking they have already read it, which I certainly wouldn’t recommend! Wendy Gould and Laurita Velez are the two main characters in this new book and their worlds will become terrifyingly dangerous as the book starts as a pretty fast paced read from the get go!

Wendy Gould was an average mother, however now she’s the sole witness to the murder she’s being framed for. The first few chapters see Wendy in a hotel bar, and the shocking thing is that it could be any woman out there. Her situation is one that many people could have been in that day, only Wendy (thankfully fictional) was the one that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It takes mere three or four chapters for me to realise that this latest Gross book is no less thrilling than the last.

Lauritzia Velez is a suburban nanny with a tragic past and a terrifying future. After another attempt on her life, she once again leaves everything she loves behind to go on the run. Both women know too much and have no idea just how much their worlds will clash. Both characters drew my attention from the early days and as both women find their worlds becoming more and more dangerous, I found myself reading quicker. Having started this book yesterday morning, I finished it by the time I had to go to sleep. It was a book that was full of threads that have you questioning who is involved and why.

I found myself having to pay close attention in the latter part of the book as there are so many potential characters involved and different threads that are all intertwined. The book held my attention from start to finish and there were plenty of twists turns and surprises that I thoroughly enjoyed each and every page. I almost feel like the more Andrew Gross writes, the better he gets. This is certainly a thriller that has all the right ingredients, and one that will keep you up into the small hours reading. I still await the return of my character crush, with a new book featuring Ty Hauck, but until then am keeping myself occupied with his fantastic stand alone novels. Highly recommended!

Riot Act by Zoe Sharp (Charlie Fox #2)

My Rating: 4/5

Okay, so in July 2012 I gave in to the nagging feeling that I was missing out. Every time I looked on Facebook I kept seeing people take about Zoe Sharp and the character Charlie Fox. Not one to miss out I immediately read the first book in the series and LOVED it. I have finally got around to book 2 and finished it in less time than the first.

Charlie Fox is ex-special forces, however that may sound like a `bog standard’ character template for a female lead, but she is far from standard. Charlie Fox is an ordinary woman with a very interesting past. Yep, she was in the special-forces but eventually kicked out due to a harrowing event that has gone on to make her a little bit cynical. Currently working at a gym and house-sitting for her friend she has no idea that things are about to go a little crazy in her life. I really like Charlie Fox as a character and although she certainly has some skills, she isn’t what you would call the most settled of people.

The thing about a good series is that you begin to learn about the characters as each book is released. Sharp does a cracking job of feeding enough to keep the reader interested, but too little for you to feel you really have the whole picture. It’s what makes people continue to read series like these. With Charlie’s house stay coinciding with a rush of violence on the estate, she finds herself trapped between toeing the line with the law, and getting involved to help get to the truth of what’s going on. In typical Charlie style, the trouble comes looking for her.

With the London riots reasonably recent, it made the events in this book that little bit more real for me. What I didn’t account for was a character from Charlie’s past, Sean Meyer’ turning up and rocking the boat. There are a number of threads to this story and as you keep reading it’s like peeling back the layers of an onion! I changed my mind a number of times as to who was behind the violence and riots, but as the story went on I realised I should give up trying to work it out and just enjoy. Enjoy it was what I did in the bucket load! I love Charlie, her close friends and work colleagues and now Sean. However, the number one spot has to go to Friday, the dog of her friend for whom she was house-sitting. He absolutely made his mark and I thought he and Charlie made a great match (ridiculous I know, but true).

Having promised other people I would read other books next, I decided to completely ignore my promises and have already started book 3. I can see this series taking all preference for a while yet! I would absolutely recommend this book and the series. Start at book 1 and you have at least 9 to catch up on…I can’t wait!

Ultimatum by Simon Kernick

My Rating: 3/5

Okay let me point out firstly that I am a big Simon Kernick fan and there aren’t many of his books that I don’t like. Sadly I felt a bit let down with this latest offering. His last book The Siege was a 5 star read that was absolutely brilliant and I literally couldn’t put it down. When I realised this was a follow up of sorts I looked forward to it. What I found frustrating was the beginning seemed so difficult to get into. Kernick has a magic touch when it comes to writing in that fast paced `what’s going to happen next’ kind of way. His writing is still just as brilliant but I found myself irritated with this book for a number of reasons.

Tina Boyd is currently a DC as she has been demoted because she tends to break every rule given to her. Mike Bolt is also back and running a special operation on Terrorism. These characters I have previously really liked, but for some reason they just grated on me this time around. How on earth Tina Boyd still has a job is beyond me! That aside, the story once again features Terrorism at the heart of it which I can understand especially in this day and age. We also see the return of William Garrett (AKA The Fox) who featured in The Siege. Boyd and Bolt are racing against the clock to stop an atrocity before it’s too late.

Like I said the writing quality is still there but this time around I just felt like the story was falling a little flat. I think aside from the characters irritating me, I would have liked to see Kernick make a departure from UK based terrorism and maybe do something a bit different. I know that a lot of people will enjoy this book, however I just felt like Kernick could do better. By no means do I mean that to sound condescending, I just wonder how I can be blown away by one book, and indifferent with another. The second half of the book was a lot easier to read and was much better than the first half as the pace picked up and there was a lot more going on. However, overall I was left feeling a little bit hard done by.

This latest release from Kernick will probably satisfy most readers, but is certainly not what I would call a shining example of his best work. I can only hope that the next one is just as brilliant as his books normally are.

Trapped by Jacqui Rose

My Rating: 4/5

Jacqui Rose came to my attention last year in 2012 with the release of her debut novel Taken. It was a brilliant debut and I have been looking forward to and hoping that this new release is just as good. Maggie Donaldson is a young girl who has just come back to her hometown. Growing up with her father Max certainly wasn’t easy. Max is a face and he and the family the Taylor’s have a bit of rivalry going on that show no sign of letting up. When Maggie returns home, she realises that her time away has changed nothing. Her Dad Max seems even more violent than before, but Maggie is determined to get on with her life.

Jacqui has that knack that certain writers such as Cole, Heller and Chambers have. She creates a character that is believable and Maggie is no exception. Brazen and with a filthy temper, you can almost imagine what her reputation is like. Having said that she is a really likeable character, if only I could say the same about Max! On the opposite side to the Donaldson’s is the Taylor’s. Frankie and Gypsy Taylor have been married for years and their grown up son Tommy is part of Frankie’s firm. The Taylor’s are a much more likeable family but with the sheer violence the Donaldson children see every day it was no surprise that the family members are all slightly deranged in their own way.

With the feud between the two families getting worse, Maggie fears that her secret will be exposed and there will be no turning back from the repercussions that will take place if people found out. It’s clear to the reader what the big secret is from the early days (but I dislike spoilers so will refrain from mentioning what that is!). As the story continues there are quite a few plot twists that involve extended family members from both sides making the suspense raise another notch. By the halfway mark I found myself constantly getting twitch when you just know something is going to happen, but not quite sure when. BY the last quarter I was practically sitting on the edge of my seat and got that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

I must say by the time I had finished (it took me just a day and a half!) I was so pleased that Jacqui Rose has proven she can write just as well as some of the others. The violence in this book was worse than in the previous one, or maybe she has just done a stellar job in creating a monster with Max Donaldson (what a vile man!). I truly loved this book and would recommend it to anybody who favours the likes of Mandasue Heller, Kim Chambers and Jessie Keane. A class book that kept me reading and I can’t wait for the next one!

When Good Men Do Nothing by Paul Grzegorzek

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My Rating: 5/5

Paul Grzegorzek self-published his first book The Follow which I recently read and absolutely loved. It was a brilliant debut and I was really looking forward to getting stuck into book 2. In this book we meet Detective Sergeant Rob Steele who is the only bloke in Sussex who is a specialist in Firearms Positioning. He’s called into an investigation where a body is found and it looks like a professional job. The first few chapters waste no time in throwing you straight into the deep end of the crime scene and we meet his two colleagues on the case with him, Karl and Nat.

Pretty soon the standard murder investigation jumps up a notch when MI6 get involved. An MI6 agent Merrington becomes part of the team and the standard murder case starts to become a lot more serious when they try to hunt down terrorists. With Paul’s first book I really liked the lead main character Gareth Bell and was disappointed that I wouldn’t see him again in this book. Well, that was until I started reading about Rob Steele. He’s a brilliant character and although the book is really fast paced and the storyline brilliant, the lead character is what made it for me. Although the book has a serious theme and there are many tense moments where you start to edge towards the end of your seat (well I do anyway), Rob Steele has these genius flashes of dark humour which pop up throughout the book. There is a particular part in the book where Rob Steel has a bit of a wind up with his colleague Nat where he mentions the Peter James ‘Dead’ books. If you have read Peter James and this series in particular it will make you laugh, I thought it was legendary!

The second half of the book I had to do in one sitting as I couldn’t bear to wait and see what happened. Plenty of action, last minute plot twists and enough danger to shake a stick at. How Paul Grzegorzek has not been snapped up by a Publisher is beyond me. This is his second book and it’s and absolute blinder. His books are like a cross between a Peter James and a Simon Kernick, if you get where I’m going with that description. The fact that this book is available on Amazon Kindle for less than £2/$3 means it would be a crime not to buy yourself a copy. Once again I was blown away by how good this book was. I can only hope that next time I read one of his books it’s because his publisher has sent me an early review copy. A highly recommended read!

The Trap by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #1)

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My Rating: 5/5

In KC’s latest book we get to meet the wonderfully nutty family The Butlers. Having read all of Chambers books you get to the stage where you wonder what she is going to come up with next. Thankfully she still has a head full of ideas and crazy characters that had me both laughing and gasping in shock at the same time. Vinny and Roy Butler are the apple of their Mum Queenie’s eye. They can do no wrong, even if they do operate outside the law. IN the early part of the book we get introduced to a lot of characters. At first I felt like I couldn’t keep up as there were so many, but luckily I got to grips with everybody well before the first quarter of the book. By the second half of the book I could see why Kim had created so many characters as it makes for a very interesting read!!! Continue reading “The Trap by Kimberley Chambers (Butlers #1)”

Living on A Prayer by Sheila Quigley (Seahills #3)

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My Rating: 4/5

Well it’s been a while since I have read about Lorraine Hunt in Sheila Quigley’s series. I decided it was high time I re-acquainted myself with them. I am very glad I did and as ever can’t wait to read the next one in the series. In the 3rd book in the series we meet up with the Detective Lorraine a few weeks before Christmas.

It begins with the tragic apparent suicide of a young lad named Richie Stansfield who is found hanging from a tree at the Seven Sisters. The beginning of the book was a brilliant re-introduction to everybody for those that haven’t read any other books in the series. We once again meet Lorraine’s collagues Luke as well as Carter and Jacobs (who I despise by the way!).

Before long the apparent suicide seems to be too sut and dried when Richie’s friends appear to be holding something back. This particular story takes on a very sinister feel when there are rumours of cults but the story is fed in pieces really building up a picture of horrifying possibilities. I really like Lorraine as a charchter and the relationship she has with her Mum and her Mum’s best friend brings a lighter hearted side to the story, which I enjoyed.

Having read the first two I certainly wouldn’t put this down as my favourite so far, but there are certain developments with Lorraine that made it a lot more interesting. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me occupied, especially when it came to Luke and his past!!! I also loved seeing the return (albeit brief) of Jacko who featured in a previous book. Overall this book seemed to have a much darker theme that previous ones but it made it no less enjoyable. I would highly reccomend these books as they are brilliant. Really looking forward to the next one:-)

Screams In The Dark by Anna Smith (Rosie Gilmour #3)

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My Rating: 4/5

I only read Anna’s first book in October but as I knew her new one was due out at the end of January I figured I’d better catch up with Rosie and how she was doing. In Anna’s second book To Tell the Truth we start off by seeing Rosie on holiday. She’s taking a well earned break, but as usual nothing stays quiet when Rosie is about. In a scene that is hauntingly similar to a news story a few years back, a young girl is snatched from a beach in the Costa del Sol.

When Rosie realises the huge news impact she speaks to her boss and she decides to cover it herself. Rosie’s boss McGuire sends out Matt to help her cover and between them they start the task of trying to get to the bottom of what’s happened.

The same as her last book, Anna doesn’t mess about, and throws the reader straight in at the deep end. I really love Rosie and after reading this current one I love her even more. As usual, she likes to get involved irrelevant of the danger and this case is no different. Rosie knows from the off that the mother of the missing girl is covering up for what really happened that day, and in addition she is approached by an illegal sex worker with information about the abduction.

The pace is full speed pretty much from start to finish and with this book and the last there is a certain frenetic energy about the books which I love. The only other author who I can think of that has that same kind of pace is Simon Kernick. What I also loved about this book is that although we see Rosie completely absorbed in the case we still see glimpses of her personal life and her real vulnerability. A friend of Rosie’s named Adrian made a brilliant addition to this story and I would love to see him appear again at some point. Towards the ending I dismissed dinner, TV and phone calls just to make sure I finished it. I cannot believe I didn’t read her books sooner, but having said that I am pleased that I can get straight onto book three entitled Screams in The Dark.

Anna also added a wee bit of a question mark right at the end of this book with regards to Rosie’s personal life. All this made me do was groan “For GODS SAKE!” but in a good way. I would say in all honesty that her first book held a slight edge for me, probably just in terms of story. Other than that I loved this book. Absolutely itching to get started on book three and cannot recommend her highly enough. If you haven’t read an Anna Smith before, you may want to start now!

Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner (Tessa Leoni #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

I am a pretty big Lisa Gardner fan, especially of her DD Warren series. Her newest release Touch and Go is due for release in February 2012 but I was fortunate to receive an early reader copy. Her latest book features Tessa Leoni (who also appeared in Love You More) who is called in after the Denbe family are abducted. Upon arrival at Justin and Libby Denbe’s home, there are no signs of a break in, and there is no ransom demand. It seems like the couple and their teenage daughter have vanished into thin air. The more Tessa digs, the more it seems a little too perfect. To the outside world they are the perfect couple, with Justin running a very wealthy and successful company and a beautiful home.

As usual the pace is pretty frenetic from the very beginning. Justin and Libby are on date night when then enter their home and are taken by surprise. As the reader we see both sides of the story, both from the family’s perspective and the Detectives as well. As the story progresses we also meet Sergeant Wyatt Foster who participates in the case with Tessa. Having read the book Love You More I was familiar with Tessa’s history, however if you haven’t read it there is certainly enough background for readers to understand her past. I really loved Tessa and Wyatt working together and thought they made a good team

From the very early stages, although we see what is happening to the family (can’t say too much for fear of spoilers) we also see the police trying to solve the puzzle. With no clear cut motive it means examining every person who is close to the family. I found myself constantly changing my mind on who I thought was culpable, and thankfully it only became clear towards the very end (which is always a bonus in my eyes). The family were easy to read about and part of that attraction was seeing them crumble under the immense strain they are put under in their kidnapping situation. Layers are peeled away to reveal a family far from perfect and this makes the story even more interesting than the bog standard murder novel.

When I got to the end I was not entirely shocked at the outcome but thought that the book was another great read by Lisa Gardner. Admittedly I still favour DD Warren, but I think Tessa Leoni could be the star of another series. If she is I can only hope that Wyatt Foster goes along for the ride. Not my favourite Lisa Gardner book, but an awesome read that will keep you guessing until the end.