Pandora Deception by David Bruns

The Pandora Deception by David Bruns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bearing in mind we amidst a worldwide pandemic of Covid19 this story has a lot of relevance. With the threats facing the world changing day by day, a new agency is set up to identify and proactively dissipate new threats before they become a problem. Good idea but not that simple. David Bruns paints a picture of the worst possible scenario with WMD and Bondesque type villains. He builds the tension to a level where it could go any way and you are left imagining all sorts of awful outcomes and will the heroes of the day resolve it before the box is opened. Recommended.

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The Black Art of Killing - Matthew Hall

The Black Art of Killing by Matthew Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A career in killing is all Leo Black has known. Finally forging a different life an old colleague dies and he finds out he was murdered. Is this the catalyst to draw him back to his old life. Matthew Hall let Black wrestle with the problem for a while until he is ultimately back in action trying to save the world from crackpot tycoons trying to utilise far reaching scientific breakthroughs. It will become clear early on that Black is a man of no compromise when it comes to combat. An exciting and thrilling novel full of action.

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Arkhangel by James Brabazon

Arkhangel by James Brabazon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Normally I would love this type of story but this seemed to drag a bit. The authors style is okay and easy to read however this one was missing some real oomph. It had all the ingredients of a great story of an assassin traveling the world trying to understand what and why he was given a certain job. As a billy no mates he also finds a friend but never makes it work. Maybe because the weather is great outside at the moment and I was distracted is why for me it just did not hit the mark.

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Double Agent by Tom Bradby

Double Agent by Tom Bradby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good spy thriller, a follow on from "Secret Service". Kate Henderson's world has been turned upside down but she has to carry on and try and resolve the credibility question of the UK Prime Minister. This is mix of the normal spy stuff I love and relationship problems at home which have been become intertwined. Who done it or who could of done it dominates with Kate and her colleagues trying work it out and if any of them were involved. It is pretty routine spy stuff but entertaining nonetheless and if you like the genre worth trying and reading the first book helps.

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The Dark Continent by Scott Reardon

The Dark Continent by Scott Reardon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good action thriller with government created super human soldiers. The programme was stopped but someone has started again and looks like they going to create havoc. The race is on to try and sort the problem and stop the project for good. This is an action all the way book, making it very easy to read as well as exciting. There is no flowery type language bulking it out, its just action. This is my kind of book and excellent for our current unprecedented situation, substituting a real disaster for a make believe one. It helps to while away some hours whilst in isolation breaks you away from news updates. Just remember its not real.

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Brixton Hill by Lottie Moggach

Brixton Hill by Lottie Moggach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Was expecting a little more but a nice story it is not however a thriller but a drama mystery. Rob is in prison close to release and gets involved with a women named Steph. Things seem to being going his way but things are changing and people are not who they seem to be. It is a very gentle story not the fast action stories I usually read but keeps your interest throughout. The author writes in a easy manner making it effortless to follow with no sudden changes of direction or misdirection, and like the characters in the book their secrets are revealed very slowly. As I said its not my normal read but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

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Power Play by Tony Kent

Power Play by Tony Kent
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have only awarded 5 stars a handful of times and this is one of them. It is a books that panders to all my needs - action, thrills, political intrigue and requires your non stop attention. Jack Dempsey is an agent who is tasked with one of the most sensitive investigations possible, is the sitting President of USA corrupted? The author tells a great story of how the American dream can also be a horror story. Located in US, UK and Afghanistan, page after page you are drawn into the book and don't want to put it down. With "special services" action combined with corrupt political power is one of my favourite combinations. An excellent novel and will be seeking out other Tony Kent books.

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Ishmael Covenant by Terry Brennan

Ishmael Covenant by Terry Brennan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not a religious person so you might find reading a book based on religious writings and stories a little strange. This however is only the background for an excellent geopolitical thriller with the US diplomatic service. Brian Mullaney is an agent of the diplomatic security service assigned to protect Ambassador Cleveland in Turkey. The author starts with a little history and background which is brief but informative, moving quickly to the main plot of a high stakes chase of a centuries old prophecy. With world peace in the balance Mullaney and his team have a roller coaster of a journey with the ambassador as he is posted to the Israeli mission. Recommended.

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Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a good story, but is somewhat hampered by the style adopted. I stuck with it and enjoyed it more than I expected early on. The story moves around forward and back in time to fill in the gaps in the story line. I personally do not like this, and find it a little frustrating. The plot develops in a small village by the sea outside Cork in Ireland. An Instagram influencer has gone missing from a holiday home and the story follows a social media reporter who is investigating. The style does allow the author to hold back from revealing too much too early and add in some nice twists. All in all apart from the time jumps it is a very good read.

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The Last Hunt by Deon Meyer

The Last Hunt by Deon Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Unexpected and great story, translated from Afrikaans it chronicles the struggle of the South Africa to live up to the promise of the Mandela era. With corruption rife the Hawks ( special operations group) pride themselves as not being "captured" or corrupted, are landed a peculiar case of a murder on a luxury train. Another thread follows Daniel and his life in Bordeaux, what is the connection? This a well written thriller, as it switches from story to story the gaps get shorter as the tension builds. It is difficult to say too much without spoiling, except you won't be disappointed. Try it.

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Blind Target by Brent Ladd

Blind Target: A Codi Sanders Thriller by Brent Ladd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my kind of book, something to keep your interest the whole way through. A great story originating with events taking place during the Cold War and resolving themselves in current day. Codi and Joel are FBI agents who always seem to attract trouble, but this means we get entertained. The author has a style that is effortless to read but does the main part of providing the information needed for a good story really well. You would wonder how on earth two FBI agents end up in China trying to "save the world" but they do, Brent Ladd writes in a very direct way which is very refreshing, no waffle, no fillers, allowing you to totally immerse yourself in the story. This is the second in the series and I will now look to read the first one "Terminal Pulse".

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Critical Incidents by Lucie Woodhouse

Critical Incidents by Lucie Whitehouse
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good enough story but got very slow about half way through and had to work at it to finish. This novel is about a detective with a lot of self doubt, is it me or them? Encompassing all the common ailments of society with corruption, drugs, prostitution and violence. By setting it in Birmingham the author illustrates that these problems are not just the preserve of the capital where police detective Robyn Lyons trained and got experience. Sacked from her job she goes back to her home town where life does not get much better.

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All the Rage by Cara Hunter

All The Rage by Cara Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who knows what goes through a teenagers mind? This is an age old problem and central to the story line of this detective novel. Cara Hunter's fourth DI Adam Fawley story is very easy to read and up to date with all latest problems of today's teens - sex, sex id, peer pressure and mobile phones. Two crimes are committed, potentially linked by geography but more worryingly linked to an old case from Fawley's early career. Overall it is a great book that moves along fairly fast and always presenting new elements that add complications to the plot but never confusing. Only down side is there is nothing new in style or content, however it is a great format that works well used by many of the good crime novelists.

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17 Church Row by James Carol

17 Church Row by James Carol
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Very topical with AI and possibly what the future holds. The story starts with a house move to make a new start after a family tragedy, but this develops into a very sinister view of the downsides of high tech. We have all seen the rise of AI with Alexa and Siri, but it can be used in many ways and for the most part the intelligence is missing. But imagine something different and you may just touch on James Carol's thoughts. He expertly uses the tough times being experienced by the Rhodes family to good effect by using their distraction to penetrate their weakened natural defences. This is a good story but to tell you any more will spoil the plot, so this is your chance to have a peek at an alternative AI future.

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Scrublands by Chris Hammer

Scrublands by Chris Hammer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those books with a story, which if you thought things were bad they just might get even worse. Martin Scarsden is in a small outback town to report on the anniversary of a mass killing, but whilst having to battle the heat and drought he also has to contend with the fact there is more to this than just a mass killing. Using his talent for journalism Martin unpicks the history of the killing and find more about life in an unforgiving outback town. The author paints a very real picture of hardship inescapable if living in the outback - drought, heat, dust, heat and yet more heat.

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The Coldest Warrior by Paul Vidich

The Coldest Warrior: A Novel by Paul Vidich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A CIA story based on a true story of cover up. When ever the CIA is mentioned you always picture the worst. Spying missions and assassinations immediately spring to mind with a liberal dose of foreign despots. The despots are not in this story however something equally despicable is, the US Government is conducting drug experiments on their own, but who? Jack Gabriel is suspicious and starts to investigate and build a case. I guess as this is based on true events the author has given himself a very narrow window to work in and as a consequence it has made not as exciting as you would expect. I found it dragged a little whilst the back story was told,which made it more predictable. It was not billed as thriller so I was not disappointed on that score, but a little more action would have helped.

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