Category: Crime, Thriller, Mystery

Review of 11th Hour by James Patterson (Women’s Murder Club #11)

My Rating: 4/5
First off I need to say that if you haven’t read previous books in this series and you intend to read them in order please don’t continue reading the review as some of the storyline will inevitably contain spoilers.

In my ongoing love/hate relationship with James Patterson; I once again pre-ordered this book (even after convincing myself I shouldn’t) and set about catching up with the ladies from the Women’s Murder Club. I have read each book in this series and probably like many others feel like you have a history with these women. Lindsay Boxer, a detective, Claire who is a medical examiner, Cindy the reporter and Yuki a District Attorney have been friends for a long time and their tight knit circle will never change. In the 9th book in the series I thought I would give up as some of the characters seemed to have lost their edge; however the tenth book gained some ground as the ladies seemed back to their present form. This current book also showed the ladies back to form and it was a pleasure to see them in their usual roles.

The major difference now is that Lindsay Boxer is pregnant but she certainly doesn’t allow this to stop her working at her usual pace. When she and her partner Rich Conklin get called to the first murder scene they find millionaire Chaz Smith gunned down in a school. As usual, this case turns out to be one that has many elements, especially as the murder weapon was stolen from the department’s evidence locker.

Shortly after both Lindsay and Rich are called to another murder scene where two heads are discovered. Being pregnant and trying to run two murder cases see Lindsay at her most vulnerable, and for a change it really suited her. The story is the typical Patterson style with short and sharp chapters keeping your interest as the story picks up pace as the two investigations take on their own leads.

This book features Lindsay as the main lady and we see a little more of her personal life creeping into her work life as she tries to manage pending motherhood, along with maintaining her marriage to ex-FBI agent Joe. We also see a lot of Cindy as she does her usual trick of trying to get the lead on a story, whilst also battling her own issues surrounding her relationship with Lindsay’s partner Rich. We see less of Yuki and Claire although they still feature in the story as the ladies try to close both cases. We see Warren Jacobi, Lindsay’s boss feature in the story which for me was a welcome return.

The book was written well as usual and the story itself held my interest but after finishing it, I felt like there was no real progress with the ladies. I think maybe I was expecting something major to happen with one of them to keep this series from going stale. Having said that; I still think that Patterson will keep his fans happy with this latest release.

I enjoyed the book and would certainly say it’s a good one for the series. I am actually really looking forward to the next one, as I think with Lindsay having a baby and Yuki dating Lindsay’s boss things may heat up for the next book. It would also be nice to see the return of Jacobi more frequently as I always thought he spiced things up. Like I say, a winning formula but would like to see something to shock in the next one.

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”

Catch Me by Lisa Gardner (DD Warren #6)

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My Rating: 4/5

 Lisa Gardner has been on my must read list for some time now and I have particularly loved the Quincy/Rainie series. However, in more recent books the DD Warren series has been predominant which I have taken my time to grow to like as much as the Quincy books. Having said that; after Lisa’s last book in this DD Warren series I can honestly say I was hooked. DD Warren is a typical no-nonsense Detective, and she has her work cut out for her in this latest book.

Charlie Grant is the main focus of the story and from the very beginning we are shown her sheer terror. Charlie is convinced that on 21st January she will be murdered. Whilst dealing with another crime scene, Charlie confronts DD and asks her to make sure she investigates her imminent death properly.

The nicest thing about this book is we see the slight change in DD’s character and she comes across as a much softer woman following the birth of her son. DD and her team are also working on the killing of people involved in sex crimes. This storyline interlinks with the main one regarding Charlie nicely. From the very beginning the plot is very fast paced and there is a sense of frenzy as we read about Charlie trying to out-run the person coming to kill her.

The story picks up considerable pace around the halfway mark and the two stories run alongside each other nicely. The best part about this book for me was seeing much more of DD’s personal life and the ways in which she has changed. The story kept me turning the pages quickly and the story kept me guessing until the very end. We do see glimpses of characters from previous books such as retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy, as well as fleeting glances of J.T Dillon and Sergeant Roan. Although I have grown to love DD Warren, I would still love to see another book released featuring Quincy!

Overall, this was one of the best in the DD Warren series and although part of a series could certainly be read as a stand alone book. I think Lisa Gardner fans will be thrilled with the new, softer DD Warren and new readers will be pleased to read such an engaging book. A definite page turner and I would definitely recommend it.

Siege by Simon Kernick (Scope #1)

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My Rating: 5/5

I am a huge Kernick fan and love his style of writing. I can only compare reading his books to driving a Ferrari at full speed and no brake pedal in sight! This book was no different for each of the 368 pages. The awful thing about this book is that the world we live in today presents many situations like this one. This situation is where people are held hostage fearing for their lives; while others fight their own war.

From the very beginning of the story we are plunged into the horrific situation that many will find themselves in. You are quickly introduced to quite a lot of characters and in the beginning I wondered why there were so many. However, pretty soon you realise that all these people are going to collide in the most horrific of circumstances.

The short sharp chapters kept me turning the pages until I realised it was past my bedtime and I had demolished over half the book in one sitting! The characters in the book seem to grab at your emotions for one reason or another and there are so many different stories about why people are there you become intrigued to the point of distraction. One character named Scope really caught my eye and I would just love to see him feature in other books, but who knows what My Kernick will bring us next.

There are plot twists and surprises by the bucket load, so you won’t be disappointed in that sense. The only un-nerving thing for me is that this is all too much of a reality. Working in any major city on the world you will feel all too easily the reality bursting through the seams of the pages. Simon Kernick has once again released a book that will have you on the edge of your seat and as ever I end up disappointed that I have to wait so long for the next one!

The Drop by Howard Linskey (David Blake #1)

My Rating: 5/5

 This book was recommended to me by a fellow reader, and I am extremely glad that I took their advice! Howard Linskey released this, his debit novel in April 2011 and his follow up book is due for release in April 2012.

It takes less than two chapters for me to be utterly engrossed in this book. David Blake is a gangster, except he isn’t your ordinary violent and ruthless man. He is somebody that has worked his was on to Bobby Mahoney’s firm by giving his sound judgement on things and proving his loyalty. When David returns from his holiday, he gets news that Bobby is not a happy man. David, who is head of Bobby’s security, has managed to leave an important drop to another man in the firm who, it seems, has disappeared off the face of the planet. Pretty soon David realises that he has to find the money and the person responsible.

I really liked David Blake from the off and as he races to find the people who have Bobby’s money I found myself liking him even more. This was not your typical gangster that roughs everybody up; he merely asks politely and leaves the roughing up to his colleague Finney. The story has a relentless kind of pace as David uncovers more and more things that aren’t quite right.

Although David is the main character, we meet a hell of a lot more along the way, all who make the story that little bit more interesting. Bobby, David’s boss features heavily as does Bobby’s young daughter Sarah. We also see some of the other people who are either on the firm or were once part of it. The characters and storyline kept me turning pages late into the night.

There is actually an underlying humour to this book too which I loved. The setting up in Newcastle was done perfectly, with no overkill on either the accent or the place. I loved the ending, and the fact that this is the perfect opener for the second book. An absolutely cracking debut novel and the follow up is already pre-ordered. If you haven’t heard of Howard Linskey, take note, this man is already a well remembered name in my never ending list of great authors.

No One Left To Tell by Karen Rose (Baltimore #2)

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My Rating: 5/5

One thing I want to make clear is that this book along with all of Karen Rose books falls under the genre of Romantic Suspense. Now I am a fan of both romance and crime so the mix of the two doesn’t bother me at all. For those that want zero romance, you may want to look elsewhere. For those that, like me, quite like that element of the book then get yourselves out and get a copy of her latest release.

No One Left To Tell starts as it means to go on when we see Paige Holden make her way to a pro bono clients house. The story starts with a bang as Paige witnesses Elena Munoz gunned down and while Paige is trying to save her, Elena whispers in her ear and sets off the chain reaction that will turn her life upside down.

Paige as a character is very easy to like, a lady that has her own past and is trying to make a fresh start in a new city. When Elena Munoz dies, Paige is determined to get to the bottom of the secrets she was holding. We also meet Grayson Smith, who also has his own secrets but has made a success of himself as an attorney.

Paige meets Grayson and together they try to piece together the evidence they have and set about finding the killer for numerous murders. This book, even by Karen Rose standards was quite a long one but this one seemed more intricate in detail. The storyline keeps expanding with new possibilities and leads at every corner.

At just over the halfway mark I couldn’t put it down, and although it got more and more complicated and dangerous I just had to keep reading. The list of crimes that they uncover, seem get longer by the hour with murder, corruption and suicides to name a few.

As usual we also get to meet a whole host of other characters such as Grayson’s family along with some familiar faces. One of the things I love about Karen Rose books is that I have read them all so the feature of some characters is an added bonus for me. We get to see Detective Stevie Mazzetti, Investigator Clay Maynard and Dr Lucy Trask who all feature in other books.

The pace is kept up from start to finish and although the book is lengthy it kept my interest from the first page to the very last. This book is a fine example of Karen Rose’s brilliant writing. Once again, I will have to wait impatiently for the next instalment.

Death Bed by Leigh Russell (Geraldine Steel #4)

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My Rating: 4/5

I have read each of the books in this series and was looking forward to this one which is book 4 of the series. However, with the relocation of Geraldine to London I found myself feeling like we were back at the beginning in a certain sense.

After finishing book 3 which I loved and rated a full 5 out of 5, I had high expectations and I think the new setting may have thrown me slightly. Geraldine is once again on uncertain ground as she tries to get to grips with her new role and new colleagues. I loved Ian Peterson, an ex-colleague of Geraldine’s but found myself being introduced to a new sergeant that she will be working with (who I am undecided about at the moment).

When Geraldine is assigned to work on a case, she doesn’t realise the potential media impact, as the case could have a racist element to it. The story itself was as usual a good one, and the descriptive gruesomeness of some scenes was brilliant. However, I think that after finishing this book there were some elements missing. I feel like just as I was getting to know characters and Geraldine’s setting, we are thrown in with new settings and characters which made me feel like it was harder work than it should have been.

I also think that because of all of that, the actual crimes that were taking place seemed to take a bit of a back seat for me. Towards the end of the book the pace was picked up, but there was an element of it being wrapped up too neatly at the end for my liking.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and loved re-visiting a character I have grown to look forward to reading about. I just wish that I didn’t feel like we have gone back a few steps with the character, and can only hope that I grow to like Geraldine’s new colleagues as much as the old!

Gone For Good by Harlan Coben

My Rating: 4/5

 I have read one of Harlan Coben’s stand alone novels, albeit some time ago, and am slowly working my way through his back catalogue. In this book we meet Will Klein and I found that it didn’t take long for me to like him. What also became apparent pretty quickly was that Will Klein is an ordinary bloke. He isn’t somebody who can ruthlessly take down bad guys and he isn’t a brooding lead character that has an issue with authority. In other words, a welcome change from the ordinary leading male cop type character!

The story itself is quite interesting and before long you realise that the disappearance of Will’s girlfriend is far from ordinary. There is also the added plot thread that includes the disappearance of Wills brother who is trhe main suspect in the murder of Julie Miller 11 years prior.

One of the things that really struck me with the Myron Bolitar series of books was the great characters, this book was no different. Will Klein’s friend Squares is a brilliant added character and I found that I would have like to have actually seen more of him in the book. Even with that as a negative this book was still an absolutely brilliant read.

Towards the end I found myself reading even quicker and I must say that the last few chapters had many twists and surprises in store which I absolutely loved. All in all it was another winner from Harlan Coben.

I’m Watching You by Karen Rose (Chicago #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

One thing that tends to irritate me is people that read a book and then complain about the content, it’s either too romantic, or doesn’t have enough. Karen Rose writes romantic suspense, the giveaway is in the description! Having read most of Karen’s books, there are still a couple I haven’t got around to reading and this was one of them.

It doesn’t take long to get down to the nitty gritty of the crux of the story. We are introduced to Kristen Mayhew who has a chance meeting with Abe Reagan in a car park and discovers a gruesome find in the boot of her car. It becomes apparent pretty early on that this killer is intent of proving himself and Kristen is right in the middle of it.

The characters are easy to get to grips with and Kristen, although pretty tightly sprung was quite vulnerable and likeable early on. Abe Reagan was another matter, but after another few chapters I began to understand his background and warmed to him too.

The story was quite gripping and we see the killers’ perspective as he plots his next murder. However, having read most of her newer stuff, coming back to her second published book there was a marked difference. Karen Rose most definitely has some serious talent. However, I realised at the halfway point that my interest was leaning more towards the romantic side of the book; certainly not what I am used to when reading this sort of thing. I think that on reflection, in the early days the balance wasn’t quite there and in more recent books the balance is just right.

Having said all of that the book was definitely a page turner and kept me reading until the very end. I liked the fact that were a few plot twists and to be perfectly honest I thought the romantic side was brilliant (just not everybody’s cup of tea). The additional characters such as Mia (Abe’s partner) and the Reagan family added some much needed interest to the story as we see the interactions with everybody change. I especially liked the progression of Mia and Abe as partners and thought she was a great supporting character. This certainly wasn’t Karen Rose’s best work, but is definitely still a page turner and an enjoyable read. 

Bad Moon Rising by Sheila Quigley (Seahills #2)

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My Rating: 3/5

Sheila Quigley is still a relatively new author to me and I only recently finished her first book in the series featuring Detective Inspector Lorraine Hunt. In the first book we meet Lorraine as well as some of her colleagues she works with such as Carter, Luke and Sara. We also see featured some of the Lumsdon family who were in the first book.

The one thing I liked about reading book two is that I already have a feel for the area and the characters and how they interact with each other. I know Lorraine’s feelings on certain people which makes me feel like I know the characters that little bit more. Having said that, it certainly isn’t necessary to read the first book as this book gives you adequate background.

The story itself sees Lorraine and her team tackling a series of murders at a time when the town is preparing for an annual event called Feast Week. There is also an interesting second thread concerning a missing young girl which made for an interesting take on all the things happening in the town.

The book, as with the first one, was very easy to read and there was plenty going on. However, this one was not as good as the first on, although I can tell you I will certainly be buying book 3! The one thing that irritated me in this book was Lorraine trying to deal with her feelings for a certain fella’. This is a woman who has numerous jobs to juggle and murders to solve, yet when it comes to a man, she seems to become a simpering wreck? That aside, the story was great and the writing style good enough to keep me turning the pages.

One thing that readers should know is that the book and characters are from the north of England, so Sheila Quigley has written the narrative exactly as the dialect is spoken. It certainly doesn’t bother me and I think adds to the realism of the people; however some may find it a little hard work. Although I didn’t think the story was as good as the first, Sheila Quigley has me hooked on these characters and I am looking forward to the third book in the series.