Kill Zone by Harry Ledowsky

Kill Zone by Harry Ledowsky
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From dealing with fallout from the Cold War in his first book Harry Ledowsky has moved onto the fallout from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a nuclear nation Pakistan scientists have developed a nuclear bomb in a small briefcase and is now in the hands of terrorists. This exciting thriller follows Major Ryan Nash as he works with the CIA to track down and recover the bomb before it is used. The author describes very clearly the problem with the secret services, there is too many secrets, lots of corruption and who can you really trust. This story got its hooks in from page one kept me captivated until the end. It has special services combat, black ops, double cross and treason, it has all the ingredients you need for a good thriller and Harry Ledowsky's recipe is first class. I like that for his second book characters are not repeated from his first. I look forward to the third book.

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Chasm by James Bruno

CHASM by James Bruno
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

As a West Wing fan I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. It started slowly and this is the reason I have only rated it at 3 stars, so don't give up it gets much better. The storyline is very good with political wrong doing at the centre. The main characters are Mike Gallatin, an insurance investigator and Lisa Valko, a White House publicist, they meet each other as Mike investigates his daughter's close escape from serious injury. Chasm is a hidden operation to resettle war criminals in the US, as an easy way to remove a problem, and provide a peace dividend in the world's trouble spots. This novel makes you wonder what is actually hidden from sight in the US government, and how close this is to reality. James Bruno considers the age old problem of power corrupts and corrupts at the highest level. The corruption can also be very violent as the gains are taken at almost any cost. Even if this is only partially true, it is very scary

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Dark Side by Margaret Duffy

Dark Side: A Gillard and Langley British Police Procedural by Margaret Duffy
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

My status for this book is a lie, I have not read it, well not all of it, only three quarters and I reached my limit of frustration. A short format book was unfortunately not short enough. The writing style of Margaret Duffy I found, as another reviewer also suggested was challenging. The story was very difficult to follow and there was a total absence of hooks to keep your interest. This book would be a contender for a high score on the Hawking Index, for books that readers are most likely not to finish reading. The crime mystery is one in a series of featuring the Gillard and Langley partnership where one of their colleagues is the target of a drive by shooting in London. After the first chapter it becomes increasingly difficult to follow and understand who is who and where you are. It may be me and my expectations are set to high, but I don't think so.

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Rollover: A Dan Mahoney Mystery by Susan Slater

Rollover: A Dan Mahoney Mystery by Susan Slater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Getting a lift after a breakdown was never expected to turn into a can of worms. Dan Mahoney an insurance investigator is sent to resolve a claim for a necklace insured for half a million dollars, following a robbery at the Wagon Mound bank. Prior to his arrival in the remote town things start to go wrong when his car unexpectedly breaks down, a nice old man in his beat up truck offers a lift and before you know it he is in hospital. To follow on the author adds suicide / murder and all sorts of deception and lies mixed in with a tiny bit of romance. This book has been very cleverly crafted to keep feeding you excitement and information to retain your interest whilst keeping the climax for the end. Sometimes you find authors struggling to fill the pages, resorting to giving lectures or adding an irrelevant second storyline, not here Susan Slater sticks to the plot faithfully. The view is always from the investigators perspective, you are privy to all his meetings and also hearing his thoughts, so can you work it out, I couldn't.

This is the first book I have read from this established author, her second Dan Mahoney mystery, but is now into double figures as a whole. I now plan to read the first Dan Mahoney mystery and thoroughly recommend Rollover to any crime, mystery and thriller reader.

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The Spartan by Charles Purcell

The Spartan by Charles Purcell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fans of Spartacus on the TV you're book is here, modernised into the 21st century. The only thing missing is the gratuitous sex which is probably a relief. Spartan is at the top of his profession above Tier 1 of US special forces only doing black ops. A specialist at hand to hand combat always resulting in lots of blood and extremely high body count. Partnered with an ex Mexian policewoman with some interesting high tech equipment, Spartan is assigned to retrieve biowarfare canisters spread around the US by a mad Chinese General. Only one mad General is not enough as Spartan is pursued by another.

If you are not into bloody, needless killing, action thrillers then please do not read. The book is overflowing with it, however it is a very real terrorist scenario cleverly thought out by the author, who does not waste any lines of the book with padding or irrelevant information. From start to finish you are kept on your toes with action. If you thought John Rambo was tough wait till you read about this guy.

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The Good Suicides by Antonio Hill

The Good Suicides: A Thriller by Antonio Hill
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What could happen on a team / motivation week away for employees of Alemany Cosmetics at a remote country house? This is what Inspector Salgado of Barcelona has to unravel whilst trying to control his emotions stirred up by the disappearance of his wife Ruth. The suicide of an employee and his killing of his wife and child may be connected, or is it? This is a good story but you have to be patient, it is a very slow burner. Partly necessary, the early chapters are filled with background to the characters including that of Inspector Salgado.You are always wondering what has actually happened and why the picture of strangled dogs hanging from a tree is so important. The author Antonio Hill refuses to give any real clues other than a few crumbs, which doesn't give you any chance of understanding what happened until it is revealed. Is it to do with the cosmetics industry and vivisection protest groups, is a the company a depressing place to work - sorry but you have to wait.

This is the second book in the series and I have rated it with 3 stars, but if it had been a little faster paced it would certainly deserve 4 stars.

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Scotch Rising by SJ Garland

Scotch Rising by SJ Garland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With Scottish independence vote due in September, this novel set in 1707 when Scottish and English parliaments agreed to Union is very topical. Just returned from the new world Captain Clyde-Dalton is assigned a post as an excise collector in the highlands of Scotland. This post is punishment for his misdemeanors in the New World but turns quickly into a murder investigation. Battling against the local culture and weather the Captain starts to learn the murder of his predecessor is more complicated than the locals believe. His experience in the New World, as he finds out does not always translate to the village environment he is now in.

SJ Garland has tackled the Scottish language issue by using a set list of old Scottish words and a list of normal English words misspelt to portray the accent. It does not really work that well but it does convey the atmosphere of the setting very well. Markinch today is village in Fife and not the highlands however it does not really affect the story. It is a good story in a historical setting but with the thrills and twists of a good murder mystery.

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