Payback by Simon Kernick

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My Rating: 3/5

I am a huge fan of Kernick’s after reading Relentless. I also found previous book The Last Ten Seconds was a corker of a read. With this one I feel like it was a bit flat in comparison. The story itself was okay, and we get to see Tina Boyd and her obsessions once again. I just felt it wasn’t as good in comparison to his last one.

Like I said before Tina Boyd once again makes an appearance and all of her obsessions are highlighted even more in this book. She is a really good character and with the double up along with Dennis Milne they made for great lead characters. Dennis Milne has appeared in previous Kernick books but I have yet to read them. Even if you haven’t read past books of his, this book can still be read as a stand alone.

The story is mainly set in Manila and as usual the story starts out at breakneck speed. This is one of the main things that sets Kernick apart from other authors. He managed to pick you up and chuck you headfirst straight into the thick of it. The pace hardly lets up throughout the whole book and as usual you will be turning the pages quicker than you can read.

The story itself was okay, but just okay. I loved the writing and the characters but just felt there was something missing with this book. I couldn’t even tell you what it was, just that it doesn’t read as well as some of his other books. As usual the crime scenes are gory and gritty and frighteningly realistic. This is definitely a no holds barred author when it comes to the graphic descriptions of how people die. Having said that; it’s done brilliantly and just ends up drawing you further into the story.

Overall I felt a little bit mixed about this book. On the whole it was as usual a great book from Kernick, just not as good as others he has written and was lacking that usual magic sparkle. I would still recommend and look forward to reading his other books still on my to-read pile!

Hit Girls by Dreda Say Mitchell (Gangland Girls #3)

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My Rating: 5/5

First off I want to explain a couple of things. This book can be read on its own and is by no means part of a series that you have to read in order. Having said that, this book by Dreda Say-Mitchell, features people from past stories. We meet Schoolboy (featured in Running Hot), Daisy Sullivan (Gangster Girl), and the four girls Jackie, Anna, Roxy and Ollie (Geezer Girls). The great thing about this book is that if you have had the pleasure of reading the others you feel like you have already bonded with (and in my case loathe or love) the characters.

In the very short space of 3 or 4 chapters you feel like you have been through the wringer. The tension is so high at such an early stage I wondered how much more my heart could take. Thankfully the book continued in this pace but gave us dips and highs with the tension leaving my heart room to breathe a little easier through certain parts of the book.

There are a number of storylines threaded throughout the book, and I mean throughout from the very beginning to the very end. Although there are numerous storylines they all link together but are easy to follow and they just add to the increasing drama of the book.

The characters are great from all previous books and I love the fact that DSM has kept them true to their previous form (there is nothing worse than characters having a personality change overnight). We see pieces of the puzzle begin to form but none of them are straightforward and as you progress through the book more and more secrets reveal themselves.

This book is exciting, thrilling, full of suspense, gritty, compelling, hell there aren’t enough adjectives to describe it all. If there is one thing I will say about this book, it’s that if you do not buy it, borrow it or at least consider it you are seriously missing out. This book was one that kept me breathless with anticipation, scared of what may or may not happen, and excited at the prospect that people would get what was coming to them. It has been a while since I have read a book that is such a roller coaster and I loved every single second of it.

I have read all bar one of her books and if I’m being 100% honest my least favourite was Running Hot (her first book). Her 3rd and 4th books (Geezer Girls and Gangster Girls) were top notch and I think those of you who have not read her before should start with these and finish with this one her latest book Hit Girls.

I have said in the past that Dreda Say-Mitchell is a new rising star in the Crime World. I have to be honest and say that I was wrong. She isn’t a rising star, she is already there. This is the top of her game and to be honest it makes the likes of Martina Cole and Mandasue Heller pale into comparison. I can only hope as I wait with baited breath for the next one that she continues the work she has started as it doesn’t get much better than this!

Crossed Wires by Rosy Thornton

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My Rating: 4/5

Rosy Thornton has written 4 books, and the first of her books I read was the most recent, Tapestry of Love. Having loved that, I went on and brought her other three.

This one is very different to the other two I have read so far and is more of your typical `chick lit’ with a dash of real life thrown in for good measure. The book introduces us to Mina who is working at the call centre that she doesn’t particularly like, but it pays the bills. Her next caller happens to be Peter who has had an accident in his car. For some reason the two of them click and they are eventually drawn into each others lives despite the geographical difference.

We get to see a bigger portion of Peter’s life that we do Mina’s but as the story progresses this makes sense. The two of them share common ground in that they are both single parents. The element of real life I mentioned in the story is that of the parent role of these two people. It is written really well and we get to see the trials and tribulations their kids put them through, which I am sure many parents could relate to.

Peter and Mina find themselves drawn over experience and as a reader we get to see how things pan out, and how mistakes can be made when you only have one version of events. The thing that really struck me is the fact that there is no real storyline that is the major thread of this book. I know that sounds strange, but that is what makes it so special. This is about two people facing every day things that many people will understand. We meet their children, friends and family who also made the book even better. Peter has twin girls and Mina has a daughter and they are very close in age making the subtle link and bond between Peter and Mina very real.

The children in this book, Cassie and Kim the twins and Sal, Mina’s daughter, all played a part in the story in their own way. We get to see their lives and how things affect them and how this in turn affects their parents.

We also see Mina’s mum and stepdad Dave as they tackle the issues surrounding Mina’s younger sister Jess. On the other side of the fence we see Peter’s friends and neighbours Jeremy and Martin (who I adored as characters) as well as Trish who occasionally babysits for him.

I can honestly say that I really, really enjoyed this. I was so shocked that such ordinary events could be structured into such a lovely book, as normally we have a main story to entertain us. In my opinion this just goes to show how good a writer Rosy Thornton is, a woman that can take every day, mundane stuff and turn it into a story. My only gripe was that I wanted it to last a little longer.

Don’t be put off if you read the back and think it’s a typical story revolving around a single parent woman who wants to be rescued. It’s truly the opposite and was an absolute pleasure to read.

Welcome To My World by Miranda Dickinson

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My Rating: 4/5

I never read Miranda Dickinson’s debut novel so this second book of hers left me with no expectations. The front cover is a pretty standard affair when it comes to Chick Lit novels and as I had no comparisons I set out to read and hopefully find another great Chick Lit author.

In the beginning of the story we meet Harriet (better known as Harri) who has locked herself in the cubicle of a toilet in the village hall. You as the reader have no clue what has happened to her, and we only get snippets of how she is feeling. You are then transported back to how it all began. Throughout the whole of the book we continually come back to Harri in the cubicle and get given another snippet of the story until finally at the end it is all revealed.

We meet Harri and the people that live in the local area. The story is helped massively by the setting in which Miranda Dickinson has set it. It is painted as the typical local village where everybody knows everyone else’s business. This meant that we meet a lot of the people living around the village who are part of Harri’s life including her friend Stella, her boss George, her friend Alex’s mum Viv amongst others.

We also meet Harri’s infamous best friend Alex. Alex spent the best part of ten years travelling and has finally settled back in the village opening his own coffee shop. He and Harri have a great friendship and this shows through with the writing and creates a great pair. I also liked Harri’s work colleagues George, Nus and Tom as they added a little bit of humour to the story.

This book was so easy to read it was untrue. The writing is good and I actually really liked the characters and the setting. Having said that there are elements of this that are a little too predictable, but to honest this didn’t stop me enjoying it at all! I think to sum this kind of book up is that it is enjoyable, lighthearted and easy to read. I would definitely read another Miranda Dickinson and would recommend this to people that want an enjoyable chick lit book.

To The Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

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My Rating: 4/5

I was so excited to get Jill Mansell’s new book. It seems like forever since her last one although in reality it has only been a year. Thankfully Jill Mansell has produced a book that every chick lit fan will enjoy. When I first received the book I was please to see that even the cover looked inviting in a lovely sea blue! The strength of this author is the characters she creates and in my opinion this is what has crated her huge following of fans. This book is no exception to that rule and the main character Ellie Kendall is a great girl and one that you can imagine living next door to.

Her tragedy is the catalyst for the next stage in her life. Thankfully there is the crazy neighbour Roo who comes in to her life and reminds her what it’s like to be a `normal’ girl. As per usual there is a stunningly handsome man in the story, meet Zach McLaren. I must say that this particular male lead was an absolute corker and he worked a treat in this story. The three characters all have their own life and part to play in this story but they also all cross paths which makes the book that little bit more interesting.

The story itself is one tinged with sadness but is still not too dreary. We get to see Ellie try and re-build her life in the best way possible (that’s all I can say without spoiling the main plot too much). Roo was a brilliant girl and by the time I had read just a few chapters I had a real feel for the girls and Zach. This book was so pleasurable to read. It was light hearted and easy to read with a sprinkling of romance. Chick Lit in general is never going to throw many surprises up but shockingly this one did. We meet Tony Weston who is Ellie’s father-in-law and he brought a great thread to the story with a bit of a surprise at the end.

All in all as ever I have absolutely nothing but praise for Jill Mansell. She continues to produce great books that are a joy to read, I can only cross my fingers and hope that the next one is just as good.

Running Hot by Dreda Say Mitchell

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My Rating: 4/5

I only recently discovered Dreda Say Mitchell and was blown away with her two latest books Geezer Girls and Gangster Girls. I decided to buy her other two books and pre-order her newest which is due for release in March 2011. This book Running Hot was her debut novel which was published in 2004.

When the book arrived I was surprised to see it was a little shorter that the other two at just over 300 pages. I liked the sound of the write up on the jacket and was really looking forward to this one.

The book doesn’t take long to get in to but the only thing that is a vast difference to her others is the setting of this one. Set in Hackney in London we meet people from `the street’ and what goes with that is the way they talk. I worked in South East London for over 8 years so had no problem deciphering what the street lingo was but some people may struggle at times. To give you an example the word `ting’ is used for `thing’ so if you struggle with language written the way it is spoken on the street you may not be a fan.

However, this was no issue for me and I found myself being drawn into the world of Schoolboy. In actual fact I think the way the language is written makes it more urban and gritty and takes a lot less time and imagination to really get a feel for what life is like in that part of Hackney for Schoolboy.

When he discovers the phone at the very beginning, we also see excerpts from the people that are hunting the phone, and they are not happy people! The whole story is based on what on earth Schoolboy can do to get rid of the phone that everybody seems to want and at the same time get the case he so desperately needs to start afresh.

The one thing I really liked is the fact that this story and style was completely different to her other books and it makes it all the more interesting. If I was being completely honest I would have to say I prefer her newer stuff but this was still a great book. You get the impression that the descriptions and scenarios that play out sometimes are not that far from the truth of some of London’s more shady areas. We meet other characters along the way, and the most memorable would be `Queen’ who quite frankly would not be somebody I would want to get on the wrong side of. There are other people who pay a part in Schoolboy’s life but to be honest the book focuses solely on his dilemma and the highs and lows of his life.

I liked the ending and finished the book thinking that I had read something a little bit different. Like I said I couldn’t compare it to her newer stuff as they are exceptional but this is still a great read and definitely something fresh and new as far as writing goes.

The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson

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My Rating: 5/5

As always with Dorothy Koomson, I am unsure that she falls into the Chick Lit genre as her books always have an element of drama about them. Her books always seem to radiate true emotion and I always finish one of her books feeling sad that I have to wait for another. This book was no different and as I write my review I can’t help but be annoyed that I will again have to wait what seems like forever for another one of her books.

This particular story seems at first glance to be a straight cut story about Jack’s wife who died Eve. However, things are far from straightforward and as soon as you pick up the book and start to read you are drawn into the current life of Libby who is struggling with things, as well as Eve’s past life and the secrets she holds.

The story is told cleverly and although towards the latter part of the book I thought I had it all figured out, I was shocked to realise I was wrong. Libby is a lovely character who has her own insecurities about her husband Jack and the things he hides. Although it’s clear that Jack has a troubled past you can’t help but warm to him as a reader. He may not be perfect but you can’t help but feel that his heart truly belongs to Libby.

Dorothy Koomson has again written a book that is not only powerful but one that is quite heart wrenching. When the past of Jack and Eve begin to come out you begin to realise that things are quite as black and white as they seem. I found myself desperately wanting everything to be okay.

I loved the fact that story had two very separate threads, one in the past and one in the current, but the two stories would intertwine magically. I also loved the setting being mainly in Brighton as well as London. The main topics that are dealt with in the book are always the easiest for an author to deal with well but this book truly relays the situations in a great way. That may sound slightly strange as I haven’t revealed the topics but to do so would be a real plot spoiler.

As ever DK has produced an outstanding book that I literally couldn’t (or wouldn’t as my husband kindly pointed out) put down. I cannot recommend this book, or for that matter this author highly enough. I have yet to find fault with her writing or any of her books. An absolute joy to read and one I suggest that you put on your list to read!

TICK TOCK BY JAMES PATTERSON (MICHAEL BENNETT #4)

My Rating: 3/5

I have become very jaded with JP’s work recently, especially those that are co-written with the exception of the books following Michael Bennett. In particular his most recent Bennett novel Worst Case was a great read so I had high hopes for this one.

The greatest part of a book is when an author develops characters you like and Michael Bennett is no exception. I did find that in this book he didn’t seem quite the same. I love the fact that he is a hardworking cop that has a huge brood of children that make up his family. I also love his Grandfather Seamus who is a cheeky but lovable part of Michael’s life. I can’t put my finger on why Bennett was so different this time round, maybe it was the fact that we see him enter into dangerous territory with two women and he just doesn’t handle it all that well.

The biggest let down for me was the story itself, it was lacklustre and to be honest a wash-out compared to the last one. The plot was pretty weak and the killer was all too predictable this time round. The addition of Emily Parker to the case didn’t add much to the actual plot with the killer and it lacked being genuine. It felt like the story plodded along and there was no real urgency like there is with many other Patterson novels.

Having said that I haven’t written off the Bennett series altogether yet I just hope that in the next instalment the main plot is a lot stronger than this one. I think that the majority of fans will enjoy this book but it certainly won’t stay in your memory as being a `great’ book.

The Make by Jessie Keane

My Rating: 4/5

Jessie Keane started off her books with an absolutely brilliant trilogy featuring a character by the name of Annie Bailey. When I finished them I was a little worried about whether her follow on books would create such good characters. Thankfully her following book Jail Bait was a great book too with brilliant plot and characters.

This latest book is of exactly the same making. We meet Gracie Doyle who is far from perfect but is great to read about. There is no hanging around waiting for the plot to develop, we get thrown straight into it with the mysterious disappearance and assault on her two estranged brothers.

What I especially loved about this book was the fact that JK split it into two sections. We read Gracie’ story and see the story develop as she learns about her brothers before launching herself into their life down in London. We then also see the story a few weeks prior to that involving Harry and George.

Gracie’s ex-husband Lorcan runs his own casino in London and help’s Gracie in her search to find out what has happened. That element in the story adds another thread as we get to see the ex-partners battle out their own problems whilst trying to help Gracie’s brothers. I loved the fact that the story is really fast paced and the fact that it is no-hold barred. I shouldn’t have worried that Jessie Keane wouldn’t produce the goods because as ever she has written a great book.

I really like the fact that the story moves down south as it has a lot more gritty realism being set on the streets of London (or at least it did for me). The story does touch on some sensitive issues but it is dealt with really well. I loved the ending as well which was an added bonus.

All you need for a good crime book in my opinion is a great story, strong characters and great writing. I can assure you that Jessie Keane has all three in abundance. If I am being 100% honest, I still miss Annie Bailey the character from her first books a little bit but to be fair her current books are just as good. Highly recommended!

You Belong to Me by Karen Rose (Baltimore #1)

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My Rating: 4/5

When I received KR’s latest book I wasn’t surprised to see it was a humdinger of a hardback at 480 pages. This was actually something I relished, a meaty book that I could get my teeth into.

In the past Karen Rose has been criticised for her style of writing with some saying that the romance element shouldn’t be there. I disagree and see nothing wrong in a crime or thriller novel having a splash of love about it.

In this particular book it took me no time at all to get straight into the heart of the story. The opening few chapters throw us into the world of Lucy Trask and the grisly discovery of a body. Lucy does follow a tried and tested type of character, a strong and independent woman with a murky past. I must say though, although it may seem a tires type of character, Karen Rose does it perfectly. Lucy Trask was a great character and a lot of the gripping elements of the story relate to her past and her current hidden secrets. JD Fitzpatrick is also a strong and cleverly written lead character. I wouldn’t be spoiling the plot by saying that the love interest is not hard to work out in this book but it was done subtly.

As ever Karen Rose’ strongest attribute is the crimes themselves. As usual we have a gritty and sometimes disturbing plot with a very high body count and a race against time before more people become victims. The crime scenes themselves are very descriptive and the tension runs pretty high too and I found myself sitting up a little more, and nudging my tush further towards the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen.

The story doesn’t let up pace throughout the whole book and the ending was a pretty good round up too. Overall it took me around three days to finish the book which isn’t surprising with the size of it. However, I didn’t once get tired of reading it and the story remained fresh throughout. I think her stories only get better and she manages to keep it interesting with the characters she creates. Overall, another great book by Karen Rose and one that I would highly recommend.