The Burning Gates by Parker Bilal

The Burning Gates by Parker Bilal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not the normal setting for a PI story, this uniqueness adds a lot of atmosphere and character to what is a straight forward plot. Set in Cairo, Egypt, Makana is hired to track down an Iraqi who is believed to have stolen art treasures for sale. As you can imagine with all the wars and infighting that goes on in the Middle East it is easy to get dragged into a much more dangerous investigation, but this guarranteed when Americans get involved. Although it is the fourth book in the series it is standalone and the author cleverly avoids any long history lessons by concentrating on the current storyline. The book is written in a very easy to read style with good pace and action throughout. My favourite character is Sinbad Makana's driver, very few words but the picture of the large friendly Egyptian is very clear. Excellent book that I would recommend to most.

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Nations Divided by Steve P Vincent

Nations Divided by Steve P. Vincent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is a long time since I awarded five stars to a book, but this one has thoroughly deserved it by looking at the Israeli / Palestinian conflict from a different angle, it is one I think is ignored too often. Jack Emery an advisor to the U.S. President has been central to efforts by U.S. to develop a peace agreement in the area. Just as the agreement is reached, a terrorist organisation threatens to derail it before the countdown to peace reaches zero. Jack is tasked to resolve all the issues before the world descends into nuclear meltdown as well as tending to his own love issues. This a great book full of fast paced thrilling action which makes it a compelling read. Steve P Vincent has done an excellent job on this third outing for Jack Emery and I will be backtracking and picking up the first two.

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The Kill Box by Nichole Christoff

The Kill Box by Nichole Christoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Relationships can lead you into many strange situations and PI Jamie Sinclair is no exception. A crazed ex serviceman breaks into her house demanding her boyfriend Adam goes with him to their boyhood hometown and help Eric their mutual friend. It must come with being a PI that after a long silence by Adam she has to go and investigate. She did not reckon on being dragged into years of deceit, murder and organised crime. This an excellent novel which moves along at fairly swift pace and holds your interest the whole way through, not giving away too many clues except where necessary. My only small criticism is some of the science setting is to elaborate and not required as the strength of the story would hold up on its own. Recommended

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Powerless by Tim Washburn

Powerless by Tim Washburn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We all look to the sun as a heat source and very desirable when on holiday, but what if it spewed an enormous amount of electromagnetic energy that it destroyed our electrical infrastructure. What would that be like? Today we cannot live without our gadgets, phones and TV this book gives a very realistic insight into that scenario. The story has a few threads following the lives of different people affected by the power out including the President of the USA and the main character Zeke Marshall a Afghanistan veteran who sets out to rescue his sister and family. This is a great book full of action and some thrills but most of all it gives you that view of how the world could be. Unlike some disaster type novels where nothing is concluded Tim Washburn nicely wraps up all the loose ends. Recommended

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Close Quarters by Adrian Magson

Close Quarters: A spy thriller set in Washington DC and Ukraine by Adrian Magson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marc Portman code name Watchman is a freelance covert operative hired by the CIA to escort a state official out the Ukraine which has just become one of the hottest spots for an U.S. Official. From the start he believes he is being sold out or at least his mission is being undermined but by whom. Can he trust his minders at Langley or does the problem lie elsewhere? This is a classic spy thriller where there any many interests in play at any one time and the spy is always left out in the cold. It is not a complex book but is very entertaining for the spy thriller enthusiast. The writing is clear and concise, which I personally like. You are never left hanging for too long and answers are available for most of the plot, but it still feeds your imagination as to what it must be like in these impossible situations.

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Death on Ibiza by Katja Piel

Death on Ibiza by Katja Piel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It just goes to prove you never know who your friends really are. Nicklas Behrends is in Ibiza for a short break but lands a job with son of a wealthy islander. Invited to a party he wakes the next day to the ultimate nightmare - surrounded by dead bodies and a gun in hand but no memory of what happened. Struck with panic he flees the scene and goes on the run from the police. Struggling to understand what happened and clear his name Nicklas teams up with Alexei who is searching for his daughter. They believe his daughters disappearance is linked to the party incident so they start to investigate and snoop around for clues. Very quickly things develop beyond the normal murder investigation. Translated from German this is a very good thriller, a little predictable but very easy and exciting reading.

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Missile Game by Glenn Shepard

The Missile Game by Glenn Shepard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I got what I hoped for - a fast paced thrilling book easy to read. However what I did not bank on was the main character Dr Scott James a plastic surgeon getting involved with terrorism and drone warfare. Don't worry I have not spoiled it. The plot is fairly straight forward but the locations and characters are not, adding a little mystery into this very exciting all action thriller. The subject matter is very up to date with drone with war and terrorism in the Middle East. Alpha Charlie is a U.S. contractor making a fortune from his hobby, a gamer at heart but now zapping real people on demand. You ask yourself the question how can a plastic surgeon get involved with all this? You will have to read it to find out.

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Disposable Asset by John Altman

Disposable Asset by John Altman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ever been totally isolated for just doing your job, well Cassie Bradbury a lone female agent is in Russia and has just completed her mission to terminate a defector and is abandoned by by her bosses. To eradicate all evidence of her operation the order is given to terminate Cassie herself. On the run now from both her masters and the Russians she must battle to survive. Speaking little Russian it is difficult for even a trained operative to gain any assistance in this hostile environment, will she succeed and evade her captors? If this is not difficult enough, then if you didn't want the job in the first place and was coerced, it has got be really nasty. This is a good action spy thriller taking you across Russia in the worst of weather and demonstrating that in the spy business you just don't know who your friends are.

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Eden by Candice Fox

Eden by Candice Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Second book from Aussie writer Candice Fox following on from Hades. Part way through this I realised this is almost three books in one and not focused on Eden as the title suggests, but it tells the past of her father Hades, and how her police partner Frank reintegrates into life following the climatic end of the first book. The third story sets the main plot of the crime Eden and Frank set out to solve. All three stories are woven together but could be read apart however if you have read the first book things will be much clearer. All in all the author maintains the excitement levels but has diluted the main story by telling the Hades history. Perhaps this could have been better achieved by writing a prequel before the sequel.

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The Tears of Angels by Caro Ramsay

The Tears of Angels ( Anderson & Costello, #6). by Caro Ramsay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It has always fascinated me as to why people go without fail to the same holiday location year after year, maybe this book will provide some answers as this police murder investigation thriller unfolds on the banks of beautiful Loch Lomond, normally any time I have visited it is either drowning in rain or suffocating in midge. An unattached hand in the middle of a field with some horses starts of Anderson and Costello's investigation which quickly linked to some unresolved child deaths at a holiday park on Loch Lomond side. It appears the hand belongs to Warren McAvoy long suspected to be responsible for the loch side deaths but had escaped detection. All they need to do now is join all the dots and a cold case is cleared or is it? This is a good novel from the author but not as accomplished as her first Night Hunter.

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The Mark of Halam by Thomas Ryan

The Mark of Halam by Thomas Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jeff Bradley ex SAS now retired and running a winery is shocked when his close friend and Olympic athlete, Mary becomes the target of an assassin. Determined not to rely on police for her security, Jeff starts to dig deeper with aid of some old contacts from his service days. An old adversary from his tour of Kosovo is discovered to have entered the country, and links are made to the forthcoming visit of a US nuclear submarine following the change in the anti-nuclear law in New Zealand. The question to be answered is this a revenge mission or something much bigger, Jeff motivated by self preservation leaves no stone unturned to find out. This is a great fast paced exciting thriller normally associated with special services and does not disappoint.

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Abandon by Blake Crouch

Abandon by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Author of Wayward Pines turns his hand to the Gold Rush in the Rockies late 19th century with a mystery set in Abandon a small gold town high in a mountain pass inaccessible for several months of the year. The book tell of a modern day exploration of the town and what happened on Christmas Day 1893 when the entire population of the town dissapeared without explanation. It is soon clear as the modern day party reach Abandon something sinister is going on. This is enhanced by the author retelling the events leading up to Christmas Day and linking back to the expedition in 2009. Totally different to Wayward Pines but the author still expertly builds up that feeling of mystery. My only criticism is the switch between stories becomes too frequent and stops on cliffhangers as if it was written for a TV series otherwise a good read.



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Climax by Paul Lederer

Climax by Paul Lederer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It has been years since I read or even watched a Western, I guess it could have been John Wayne in True Grit. Here John Wayne is Giles Frost the town Marshall in Climax ( a dog-tired pretence of a village in the San Jacinto mountains). The job had been a welcome change from being a driver with no real hassle, money every month and free meals. When a stranger comes to town things start to change with the mayor and the richest citizen conspire to sack Giles as Marshall. Even his only "friend" Clara Finch is no help and is forced to leave town. On his journey to find a new place to live he discovers Climax is in jeopardy from a group of outlaws and has to decide if he will go to their rescue. This was a pleasure to read partly because of the time gap away from this genre but also the storyline is very good. Hero to the rescue?



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Trouble on the Thames by Victor Bridges

Trouble on the Thames by Victor Bridges
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A classic spy thriller set in pre-war late 1930 's and written by the author at that time. Owen Bradwell a distinguished and courageous naval officer fears his career is blighted by colour blindness but is offered a chance for a career change by checking up on an acquaintance who has been betraying state secrets to the Nazis. His mission starts out as a regular surveillance operation, then bodies start to fall. Lucky to escape he is taken in by an interior decorating partnership, yes no spelling mistakes. Any more and I would reveal the plot, however the the most enjoyable part of his book is the language. As it was written pre-war it appears to give an accurate of reflection of the syntax of the day which is frightfully good and admirable. This apart it is a competent spy thriller.

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Last Date by Uwe Andreas Siebert

Last Date by Uwe Andreas Siebert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Internet security is a hot a topic today with only just recently Ashley Madison client details being lost to the cyber thiefs. This book highlights the risks of online dating and the weaknesses of the Internet. Adrian Richter has been trying to meet the right girl but to date no success, he then meets Doreen with whom he has a great connection until she is brutally murdered, with Adrian a prime suspect. Avoiding detention by the police and with the help of his friends they start to track Doreen's killer unaware she is only one of four. This is an excellent translation from German, easy reading and fast flowing exciting story. I should warn those a little squeamish that some scenes are extremely disturbing due to their graphic content. But don't let this put you off it is minimal but I think necessary to get the message across - be safe online.

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The Collector by Anne Laure Thiéblemont

The Collector by Anne-Laure Thiéblemont
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have read a few of Le French Book translations and all have been pretty good and this is no different, except for the ending which for me was disappointing. Marion Spicer is a private investigator within the arts and antiquities market in Paris. Inheriting a huge and prestigious collection from a father she never knew, Marion's life changes dramatically as she is plunged into murderous chaos, while she tries to find three priceless statues which are conditions of her fathers will. The writing style is easy reading and the translation excellent, as no attempt has been made to make it French by adding little words or phases to create the atmosphere, this done solely in English which I prefer. It might have been awarded four stars but the ending on its own prevented this.

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A Spy Came Home by H.N. Wake

A Spy Came Home by H.N. Wake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book had it's attractions from the beginning - spies, politics, corruption and gun violence. A mix of subjects that for me were not going to disappoint. But after getting started I realised apart from being an entertaining book it is also very thought provoking. We all know how mad some Americans are about guns and the havoc they reek in schools, malls and theatres to name a few mass shooting locations. In the UK we are conditioned to abhor guns and their use as the laws are very restrictive on guns and their users, so when we are introduced to the Society For Guns, it is difficult to believe such an organisation even has a chance to influence government far less corrupt it. How much is fiction and how much is based on reality we do not know, but it does make you think. Once this is all mixed in with an ex CIA spy using their tradecraft to prevent the gun lobby from stopping the passing of a very important ban on assault weapons, HN Wake has delivered a very good book that not only entertains but educates as well.

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Killer Jam by Karen MacInerney

Killer Jam by Karen MacInerney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I knew when I selected this book it was not in my normal type of murder mystery with a name like "Killer Jam" and a cover that gave the feel of the WI. I was not disappointed, it did feel like a WI baking / cooking journal with murder and fraud only as the sideline. That aside the actual storyline was okay with with standard murder induced by greed. This style is definitely going to appeal to an older female readership or Great British Bake Off fans. Lucy Resnick has retired from her job as a journalist in Houston, Texas to buy and run her grandmother's farm in Buttercup ( one of the many quaint names which tell me WI ). As she struggles to get set up in her new role of homesteader Lucy is drawn into being a suspect for the murder of a local VIP. This turns her back to her journalistic instincts and she starts to track down the killer to avoid her own incarceration. Not to spoil the book, but you do get the recipes for all the mention jams, cakes and pies at the end.

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Killing Maine by Mike Bond

Killing Maine by Mike Bond
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The synopsis of the book was really attractive with a mix of politics and murder mystery set in Maine. Yes it was a good story and merits the three stars on that basis however I found the writing style not an easy one to read. Pono Hawkins a surfer and veteran special forces travels from Hawaii to Maine to help his services colleague prove his innocence of murder and criminal damage of wind turbines. Maine is in the grip of industrial wind corporations who regularly paid off the local politicians in order to line their pockets with federal wind subsidies. To provide additional entertainment the author gives us the lowdown on Pono's attraction to women. Overall the book is a good story but I was distracted by the style which ultimately diminished my enjoyment.

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Those We Left Behind by Stuart Neville

Those We Left Behind by Stuart Neville
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A steady and reliable murder mystery crime novel. What does that mean? It is very readable but does not thrill, the story is good but predictable and the ending is not surprising. DCI Flanagan gets involved in an old case she assisted in several years ago. She got to be the only Police person 12 year old Ciaran Devine would talk to after confessing to murdering his foster parent. She believes there is more to his confession than is visible to everyone else. It is now seven years later and Ciaran is being released from lock up. His probation officer Paula Cunningham calls Serena Flanagan to get first hand understanding of her new assignee. As always curiosity is irresistible and his release starts a deadly chain of events.

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Starfire by Paul Preuss

Starfire by Paul Preuss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are a fan of Sci-Fi you will like it, if not you will still like it. This is actually an older novel written in 1988, however it is not dated. Difficult to imagine but when this was written you did not have mobile phones, Ipads, Kindles or laptop computers. So the author has shown great skill in detailing this solar adventure in a believable way. The main character is a veteran astronaut using his fame and buliding his reputation as the premier person with knowledge of asteroids. Appearance of a freak asteroid gives him the opportunity for a last trip into space. It is an excellent book but I have withheld my fifth star because he used flashbacks and bios to give the background on the other characters. This disrupts the flow of the book and if detail was deemed essential then it could have handled better, but who am I ? do I write thrilling Sci-Fi novels?

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The Teller by Jonathan Stone

The Teller by Jonathan Stone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was a little nervous when I selected this book, as a teller in a bank is hardly the most popular subject for a crime thriller, but looking for something different I struck oil. Elaine Kelly does not have much luck, a dead end job, no boyfriend and a sick mother to look after. How could it get any worse? Well it does when a regular depositor who always uses Elaine is run down by a truck and killed outside in front of the bank. In that moment Elaine makes the decision that would change her life forever. I don't want to spoil but suffice it to say she will experience a full life in a very short space of time. Jonathan Stone has written an excellent crime thriller with an unusual and interesting starting point and even more unusual ending.

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Evil Games by Angela Marsons

Evil Games by Angela Marsons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Solving crime often involves understanding a deranged or damaged mind. Here the DI has to live with her own damaged mind as well as solve crime. Kim Stone had a very destructive childhood, and the author uses this fact to build a very interesting character, who has a mutually respectful relationship with her sidekick Bryant. The tension is immediate with a child abuse case to investigate, but this builds even further with the suspicion of Doctor Thorne a psychiatrist resident at a local care home. Unfortunately the suspicion is only Kim's and she has to dig deeper if she is to get any real evidence, exposing her own fragile state to the doctor. Angela Marsons has written a gripping thriller with a frighteningly real to life storyline. She weaves the investigation details with Kim Stone's own story very skilfully to ensure you are always anticipating the next page.

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Cold Fire by Dustin Stevens

Cold Fire by Dustin Stevens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Working as a tour guide in the Montana wilderness Jeremiah Tate, known as Hawk, Is abruptly dragged back to his past as a DEA agent. Hired to track down a missing brother hiking the wilderness, the client attacks the brother. Narrowly escaping with his life Hawk starts to work with his old colleagues to find the killers and uncovers information on the death of his family. Dustin Stevens does little to disguise what happens next, and is fairly predictable detracting from the enjoyment of what is a fairly good book. I personally struggled to complete this read as it did not capture my attention fully early on. It would have been much better if I had read it on holiday with less distractions.

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Trident Code by Thomas Waite

Trident Code by Thomas Waite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What is the worst thing that can happen? Ask Lana Elkins it all happens to her, first time out the U.S. Held to ransom by disrupting the national power grid, this time it is even worse. Cyber hackers penetrate a U.S. nuclear submarine intending to melt the ice caps, for who and for what. The author, Thomas Waite has the knack of describing catastrophe that to you and I is unimaginable, it is as good as going to the movies to see a disaster film. We follow Lana as she works with a mysterious hacker to try and stop the madmen destroying the world by flooding it. If this is not enough her daughter is again, unwittingly drawn into danger putting even more pressure on Lana to get a quick result. This is another great book from Thomas Waite entertaining and thrilling from start to finish.

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Mariner's Ark by Peter Tonkin

Mariner's Ark: A Richard Mariner Nautical Adventure by Peter Tonkin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is a long series of Richard Mariner books however this is my first and was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it was. After a slow start which included unnecessary meal descriptions and other fillers, and the author started on the main subject of the storyline, things got measurably better. As an adventure story excluding the start it is full of exciting action and written in a way that makes it easy to visualise the experience. Mariner is in Long Beach with his wife when warnings are issued for an Arkstorm that would be bigger and more destructive than all the recent storms and tsunami. As he heads into the storm with emergency supplies aboard his container ship he is unsure of his wife's location or condition. Will she be safe in the luxury yacht Maxima as they go south following a high tech competition yacht?

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Wrongful Death by LJ Sellers

Wrongful Death by L.J. Sellers
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This my second LJ Sellers book and got a little less than I expected on the excitement side, however as a regular cop murder mystery it was fairly good. Detective Wade Jackson is given the task of solving the murder of a cop, who in his spare time worked to help the homeless. During the first cold night in Eugene, Officer Dan Thomson is murdered immediately after handing out blankets he had collected to the residents of a homeless camp. The investigation is difficult enough due lack of witnesses, but with the complication of his partner being related to the victim nothing is easy. He is given a sex attack case to keep him out of the way to keep emotions in check. The investigation follows the normal steps you would imagine, obvious clues are red herrings and the press are involved. It takes a while but don't give up the story does take some unexpected turns and livens up towards the end of the investigation and identification of the murderer. A good story but my preference is the Agent Dallas series.

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Relentless Savage by Dave Edlund

Relentless Savage by Dave Edlund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The synopsis says fast paced, action driven adventure and that's exactly what you get. Peter Savage's son volunteering in Sudan, is kidnapped with his friends by the Janjaweed for no apparent reason. As the story progresses we find what the real horrors are surrounding the kidnappings and other local dissapearances. The Chinese have set up a lab to conduct experiments on the locals, but what and why? Peter with his friends and assistance from a special forces team attempt a rescue unaware of the real purpose of the lab. This is a really exciting book, with great action and a fantastic story line.

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Blood of a Stone by Jeanne Lyet Gassman

Blood of a Stone by Jeanne Lyet Gassman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Demetrios the lead character, a young man violently abused by his father, is sold into slavery in Palestine during the time of Jesus and his movement. Initiated by a horrific assault by his Roman master, Demetrois escapes slavery with his friend and companion Elazar to start a new life as a trader and caravan driver. It is during this time that he struggles with his past life and is tormented by nightmares and visions. This journey is main theme of the book and is more of a moral lesson than a thriller/ mystery. It is not really my type of book and purely coincidental that I read it just before Easter. I would like to award it half marks at two and half stars but unfortunately that is not possible. It covers quite a range of moral issues from the slavery to religion but in the end there are no miracles only an okay book.

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The Dead Key by DM Pulley

The Dead Key by D.M. Pulley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Newly qualified engineer Iris Latch is assigned a job working in an old disused tower block, the old home of a now defunct bank. Intrigued by the abandoned items in the bank, Iris begins to discover interesting and compelling history of the bank. This history is detailed in alternating storylines past and present, and introduces the main character from the past, Beatrice. The deeper Iris digs the deeper she falls into trouble as does Beatrice in the past. It is an interesting story of greed power and corruption which ends in a fairly predictable outcome, but this does not spoil your enjoyment as you read on to confirm your predictions. It is not a big thriller but does provide most of the element of a good mystery story, not bad.

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Follow the Leader by Mel Sherratt

Follow The Leader by Mel Sherratt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is not a murder mystery but a police procedural story following the solving of the murders you have already been witness to. Patrick Morgan is the murderer, who as a young child was beaten and abused by his father, but also always the target of school bullying. Tasked as part of the team investigating the murders DS Allie Shenton was at the same school as Patrick but a few years younger, her sister Karen though was in that year but cannot help Allie, as she was left invalided after a viscious rape attack. If you think you are a good amateur sleuth then and you like guessing who dunnit, I would steer away from this story as there are no mysteries. The story is is purely the police investigation however it is a interesting read but not thrilling.

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The Demeter Code by Russell Brooks

The Demeter Code by Russell Brooks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a farming spook story, it may sound unappealing as a regular spy story, but add in the all the normal elements you expect like car chases, gun fights, big business corruption and national emergencies then it takes on a whole new look. CIA Agent Doctor Nita Parris working with Ridley Fox to run down an arms smuggling operation, uncover a plot with the potential to exceed 9/11 destruction by a factor of ten. It is a race against time and internal politics to save the nation from disaster. As with all 007 style adventures there is tech - in the shape of analyst Dewan Douglas who appears to have access to any system worldwide in an instant, all relayed to the agents in real time through their tiny ear buds. It sounds a little stretched, but like 007 it is entertaining and keeps the pace going. A good read but a little slow to get underway.

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The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A lot of readers seem to miss the point of this book, it is one hundred percent entertainment. If you ponder to much on whether or not it could be true you are wasting energy, it is fiction. The author has written a fantastic story all senses of the word but it is fast moving, lots of action and a credible plot. We all know the Chinese want to proud of their nation and will go to extremes to demonstrate it. It is a bit like the Great Wall of China, we know it is real but your mind struggles to get around how they built it. This story is a bit like this, they have kept a secret for forty years, how could no one know? Matthew Reilly cleverly exploits all the advancement in technology and wealth that China has made in recent years to turn out one of the most enjoyable books I have read recently.

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The Hangman's Song by James Oswald

The Hangman's Song by James Oswald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mysterious hangings capture Tony McLean's attention in James Oswald' third offering in this series. Unfortunately for Tony his colleagues are looking for the easy life and dismiss them as regular suicides. At this point you are brought up to date with history relevant to this story obviously from the first two novels, it is done well with the author only providing the minimum information required to make sense. James Oswald paints a very graphic picture of the crime scenes and you almost feel as if you are there. Death and injury seems to personally follow Tony McLean and this book is no different, his life is continually being shattered by unfortunate happenings. Overall this is not a bad murder / detective mystery, I would have preferred however a different approach to the ending.

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Dead Simple by Shirley Wells

Dead Simple by Shirley Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

We have all read crime novels featuring a retired or disgraced policeman turned private investigator, well here is another one. Dylan Scott however was a disgraced policeman taking the blame for someone else. A informant / friend from his police days is found dead, murdered in his own flat, as Simple Stevie had no enemies, Dylan was determined to give some payback and find out who killed Stevie. Although slow to start the novel starts to pick up with Dylan compiling his list of suspects, little did he know his investigations would lead him into the world of football and politics in the same case. The story develops further with twists and turns but the clues are there. A very good murder mystery which could easily be turned into a good TV series.

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Captured by Neil Cross

Captured by Neil Cross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kenny Drummond finds out he only has a few weeks to live due an aggressive brain tumor. With this information Kenny relives his life and writes a list of the the people he has not thanked for helping him in the past. His childhood love is on the list as she was the only person ever to be nice to him in junior school, however Callie Barton proves to be difficult to track down. Enlisting some help Kenny is determined to find out where Callie is but finds out more than expected. Kenny's condition allows the author to consider more extreme reactions to the obstacles placed in front of his quest. If you look at the front cover you will get some clues as to how extreme this dying quest is. This is a good murder mystery novel and compelling reading.

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Hades by Candice Fox

Hades by Candice Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As brother and sister relationships go this is a strange one, Eric and Eden Archer are police detectives in Sydney. When Eden lost her partner he is replaced by Frank Bennett the main character. They are called to an incident of attempted murder at the harbour and a grisly murder scene is discovered. It turns out that there must be a serial murdering surgeon on the loose. As Frank and Eden investigate the case, Frank becomes curious about Eric and Eden's background, and starts his own little investigation unearthing some strange things. The author fills in the gaps about the siblings to keep pace with Franks own questions. It all builds to a great climax and is delivered in an way to read style although the fill in parts could have been identified better. Good crime thriller.

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