Seven Wonders by Ben Mezrich

Seven Wonders by Ben Mezrich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If mystery and adventure in the style of Indiana Jones is your thing then this book is for you. The Grady twins are poles apart however when Jack the adventurer discovers his brother Jeremy has linked the seven wonders of ancient and modern, he tries to discover what it all means. The excitement builds by solving the ancient puzzles whilst avoiding the booby traps and the competition who are hunting Jack and his companions to steal their secrets. Travelling around the world you do get a bit of a history lessons and some science lectures but it does add to the understanding. Quite predictable but none the less it is like Indiana Jones and reasonably entertaining.

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Sons of Sparta by Jeffery Siger

Sons of Sparta: A Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mystery by Jeffrey Siger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


At times this seemed more of a Greek comedy rather than the billed murder mystery. The relationship between the principal characters all police employees is very entertaining, almost telepathic and aids to lighten the reality of the murder itself. Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis allows his colleague Detective Yianni Kouros to investigate the mysterious death of his uncle not long after a family get together in the isolated southern region of Mani. With a tradition of family feuds going back centuries, things are not quite what they seem and soon Kaldis is guiding the investigation from Athens. This is a very entertaining murder mystery full of lighter moments, and minimal Greek history to set the background and atmosphere. This is the sixth in this series of cases for Kaldis written by Jeffery Singer as a frequent visitor to Greece uses his personal knowledge to great effect.

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Private India by James Patterson & Ashwin Sanghi

Private India by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When asked about James Patterson is he any good? I always say he is reliable and will always give you a good read. This is my first book in the Private series I have read and I am pleased to say that Private India hits the same mark. Santosh Wagh is the chief of the Mumbia office who lands a good old ritual serial killer case to solve. I think Ashwin Sanghi as co author has done an excellent job in adding the Indian flavour to this thriller making the circumstances of the murders feel more real. He also adds the right amount of background of Indian culture in explanation helping to crank up the atmosphere and is not without humour. My favourite line to describing Indian civil servants "It is a well known fact that Indian government servants reached their offices late and made up for it by leaving early". This atmosphere combined with Patterson's expertise in thrillers has produced a very fast paced and entertaining story.

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Hostage by Kristina Ohlsson

Hostage by Kristina Ohlsson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The name hostage is a little misleading it should be Hijack, but maybe the author had a reason for this, if so I missed it. Hostage or Hijack this is a very good novel full of action, thrills and cliff hanging moments. The story starts with what is almost the ending as the author describes the events leading up to that point. After a slow start the pace picks up and we meet the central character Eden Lundell head of the Security Services counter-terrorism unit in Stockholm. Eden who has previously worked for MI5 is tasked to catch terrorists responsible for the four bomb threats targeted at Stockholm and the subsequent hijacking of a flight to USA. With only scraps of evidence to work with the team of specialists try to piece together the reasons behind these actions and get the aircraft safely on the ground.

Very exciting and feels like "real time" story telling which has been expertly translated into English. Kristina Ohlsson finishes chapters on cliff hangers and you have to read on through one two more chapters before returning to that key moment to find out what happened. Frustrating but very exciting to read.

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Crude Carrier by Rex Burns

Crude Carrier by Rex Burns
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I don't often reward a book with 5 stars but when it meets all my criteria the rating is simple. This is my first Rex Burns novel and was very pleased when I found out he was a "no messing about author". He starts straight in with the plot, an unexplained death at sea to which the parents of the sailor understandingly wants some answers. James Raiford of the Touchstone Agency is hired it investigate and provide the answers. Assisted by his daughter Julie they decided some undercover work is required to find the truth about Harold Rossi's death.

The author does not waste in words in flashbacks, unnecessary background, history lessons or any of the other ploys some authors use to fill the book. Rex Burns just gives you gripping action, mystery and just enough clues to keep you entertained up to the climax of the book. Excellent high seas adventure which will make me seek out other Rex Burns novels


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The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid

The Skeleton Road by Val McDermid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Scottish murder mystery with Balkan roots. DCI Karen Pirie as the Historical Crimes Unit are sent to investigate a skeleton found in an old Edinburgh building. Short of immediate clues they call on forensics to aid with identification and start an investigation that takes them to Oxford and beyond. They quickly establish the victim from Croatia but with no apparent connections to the house in Edinburgh but an important General in the Balkan wars of the 1990's. The story is good however it good have been improved by omitting some of the background flashbacks which were overdone. It is also easy to see the author is Scottish and with the impending referendum appears to be insecure, as all things Scottish are also unnecessarliy overdone.


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Paying the Ferryman by Jane A. Adams

Paying the Ferryman: A Naomi Blake British Mystery by Jane A. Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Firstly before saying how entertaining the book was Jane Adams has tackled the thorny issue of domestic abuse / violence. She has painted a horrifying picture of the circle of violence a couple can get into and importantly how it affects their children physically and mentally. If this mirrors reality and I have no reason to doubt it then the message is clear, something has to change.

This is a Naomi Blake mystery but she is only in the background as a consultant. The main character is Inspector Ryan Steel who is charged with investigating the murder of a local family for what appears no apparent reason. As they assemble all the available evidence it is clear there is a link to organised crime families, but is this fallout between the families or some other reason. Excellent and gripping story if not very sad in places. I would recommend this to my friends.


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Rain Girl by Gabi Kreslehner

Rain Girl by Gabi Kreslehner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What seemed like a standard fatality on the autobahn turns into a difficult murder investigation for detectives Franza Oberwieser and partner Felix Herz. The crime scene is not only awash with rain but they have no witnesses. Piecing together scraps of information they establish the young girls indentity, this is the start of a long search for the truth about their victim who has a very complex past. The author adds to the mystery intertwining with Franza's own complex life and her daily struggle to understand herself. To release more information as the book progresses Gabi Kreslehner replays incidents as they happen but careful not to give away to much. It is fair to say this a pretty standard murder/mystery which could have done with a little more excitement but not bad.

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