Truth be told I'm a bit of Freeman fan, especially of the Stride novels, so I was really quite excited to read The Night Bird which appears to be the Truth be told I'm a bit of Freeman fan, especially of the Stride novels, so I was really quite excited to read The Night Bird which appears to be the first in a new series. And we ALL know how much I love a new series to love, so the outlook was good with little chance of rain.
Well except within the setting, where rain occurred.
Anyway I digress - The Night Bird is a truly excellent crime novel with an intricately woven plot and an eerie sense to it that doesn't bode well if you don't like to sleep with the lights on. Brian Freeman mixes a good old fashioned and terribly well done crime story into a huge dose of psychologically thrilling themes, adds some truly creepy set pieces and a whole plethora of intriguing characters then shakes them all up into The Night Bird.
Frost Easton is an immediately engaging main protagonist, having suffered a huge loss he now is a dedicated investigator - thrown in together somewhat with Francesca Stein, a psychiatrist whose patients seem to be suffering horrific psychotic breaks due to her innovative but controversial treatment - together and separately they try to work out what is going on.
That forms the basis, but then things get more complicated, definitely more frightening and its one of those books you just want to read cover to cover without drawing breath. Some of the scenes in The Night Bird will have you randomly glancing over your shoulder, the whole thing is beautifully constructed and highly compelling throughout.
Some of the themes explored are really gripping - memory, murder, familial relationship, just the tip of the iceberg. The story fairly rocks along, throwing in some lovely twists and keeping the reader off kilter until all is finally revealed. Great writing, great storytelling, just plain great.
Another bang on target crime novel from Sharon Bolton here - cleverly twisted plot with some great characters, emotional themes and once more is a genAnother bang on target crime novel from Sharon Bolton here - cleverly twisted plot with some great characters, emotional themes and once more is a genuine page turner. Also Nuns. Loved the Nuns.
This authors plot weaving, game changing, impressively engaging prose is second to none in the crime field really, doesn't really matter what you expect to get, you'll end up sent all round the houses and back again. I loved this - clever and totally riveting.
EXCELLENT. Full review will come in April nearer publication. Highly Recommended. ...more
I just want it to be known that Jane Casey is now forgiven for making me wait over a year for this (how did I COPE) because it was worth the wait (andI just want it to be known that Jane Casey is now forgiven for making me wait over a year for this (how did I COPE) because it was worth the wait (and then some) it turns out that delayed gratification really is a thing. Just to be clear I’d rather really that she wrote a book a week but we can’t have everything in life. Never mind.
ANYWAY Let The Dead Speak then – another outing for Maeve and Derwent (swoon) and of course all the rest, much as I adore the main pair the group dynamic over the course of the novels has ingrained itself on my brain, in fact this time it was Chris Pettifer who made me snort a giggle with a throwaway comment that happened to mirror exactly what I was thinking in that moment. But I digress…
In this instalment a young girl arrives home unexpectedly to find her house covered in blood and her mother gone. A murder enquiry is launched even with the lack of a body. Derwent is back from holiday, meanwhile Maeve is fretting her new power and responsibility whilst dealing with a incomer who doesn’t seem terribly useful. The neighbours are all a bit barmy, everyone is hiding something, so you know. Best get untangling that mess then which is exactly what our guys set out to do. Things are going to be somewhat fraught. WELL it wouldn’t be any fun if they solved it CSI style in an hour would it?
Look what I love about this particular series is the intensely absorbing writing with it’s ironically humerous undertones and the characters that do almost literally live off the page. I honestly have to remember sometimes that they are all fictional, not just those we see every time but anyone caught up in the current investigation. Jane Casey has a character writing superpower, nobody does it better. And I do mean nobody.
Added to that the plotting is so gorgeously realistic and tightly drawn that you never disbelieve any of it. TWISTED too, I do love a good twisty tale and this one had that in spades, especially with reference to some of the personal relationships and goings on. The emotional trauma is in there too, fair warning given, every time I go into a new Kerrigan novel I say SHE WON’T GET ME AGAIN but every time. Bam. Dammit!
I’m not going to say this is the best one yet because I always say that and whilst it may even be true, that is not the point. The point is that this series is consistently of the highest quality and improving ever more with age – Let The Dead Speak is simply one more pearl in an oyster bed chock full of them, it stole my Saturday (I love a good book thief) and I was happily immersed for the entire journey. Never one for backing off from the thought provoking occasionally controversial central themes, always moving her series characters forward and enveloping the reader more into their world, for me Jane Casey is the cream of the crop of UK crime writers. I look forward to each new novel with the fervour of a true believer and I have never once been let down. Not even for a moment, not even with a word.
On a personal note my love for Derwent STILL knows no bounds. Also a new respect developed for Una Burt during this read. I kind of like her. Mainly because I think Maeve really does too. YES I KNOW they are not real…
Sharp, clever, nuanced writing with a truly addictive flair and a deeply delicious dark heart.
Out of all the 2017 books I’ve read so far, with a fair few sitting on my shelf still, I think He Said She Said by Erin Kelly probably has had the bigOut of all the 2017 books I’ve read so far, with a fair few sitting on my shelf still, I think He Said She Said by Erin Kelly probably has had the biggest emotional impact. Not in a loud and sudden way that disappears almost immediately (although there is a moment in this book where that happens too) but in the way my mind has quietly wandered back to contemplate the nuances, to think about consequences and to wonder at life.
He Said She Said is beautifully atmospheric, the backdrop of eclipse chasers giving it a clever and intriguing setting that moves with the plot, but the main hook here comes with the utterly fascinating characters we meet within the pages. There is no other writer writing today (in my opinion) who draws so brilliantly on the vagaries of human nature to bring us authentic, incredibly present and vivid fictional folk to travel the reading road with. Here as with all her previous novels she has created something once read never forgotten.
Relationships are tangled, lives are changed, far reaching consequences set in motion by a few words spoken on impulse during an untenable situation, one time when Laura witnesses a seemingly violent act. Such a small thing, a tiny exaggeration perhaps but that one moment will haunt the rest of her life. Erin Kelly weaves a devilishly clever, highly unpredictable yet always solidly realistic story, slowly bringing us to the truth of what happened under the cover of darkness and often breaking your heart whilst doing so. This is not so much an unravelling of a mystery as it is an unravelling of the people caught up in it, layer upon layer peeling from the surface until you can see the true faces of those involved.
The Poison Tree is still in my top ten books of all time, The Burning Air will always and forever be the novel that with a short couple of sentences sent me tumbling out of my comfort zone and into the abyss – but He Said She Said I believe is Erin Kelly’s finest novel to date by quite some margin. Intuitive, intricate, a woven tapestry of literary delight I loved this. Beautiful and horrifying in equal measure, speaking to difficult complex subjects, you may think you know but you don’t know. Just wait…
So Highly Recommended that I fear falling. Don’t miss it....more
First I just want to say, we are on Marnie Rome 4 already. How did that happen? I remember reading Someone Else’s Skin as one of my very first proof cFirst I just want to say, we are on Marnie Rome 4 already. How did that happen? I remember reading Someone Else’s Skin as one of my very first proof copies, meeting Marnie and Noah for the very first time and boy that was a read and a half and things have genuinely only gotten better from there.
Sarah Hilary has always written with a quiet, immersive intensity, when you talk about novels that are atmospheric she is really defining that definition – she pulls you back into Marnie’s world with each instalment seamlessly and it took me all of a chapter before I was hooked into it once more. Marnie has one of the best and most haunting back stories in crime fiction today and whilst each new case is ever intriguing, the strange and compelling relationship between Marnie and Stephen and the consequences and ripple effects of that fascinate me. Quieter than Killing rewarded me on that level hugely so for that reason I think this is my favourite one yet..
This instalment finds Marnie and Noah investigating a series of brutal attacks that may or may not be the work of a vigilante, there may be ties to Marnie’s past, both of our favourite characters are facing family issues and danger lurks. At which point I have to say to Ms Hilary – SOMETIMES YOU ARE SO MEAN TO POOR NOAH – stop it! Oh ok don’t stop it, I’m always a sucker for being emotionally traumatised by my reading material. A strong emotive core runs through the storytelling as ever, these are books that you literally feel your way through.
Descriptively chilling, completely addictive and with a set of characters and storylines that just dig deep into your subconscious and stay there, Sarah Hilary, with the Marnie Rome series, is without doubt one of the top UK Crime writers working today. In this readers honest opinion.
Look I’ve been really helpful too – reviewed nice and early so if you have not yet read Someone Else’s Skin, No Other Darkness and Tastes Like Fear you can catch up in time for this – its like having a reading equivalent of BBCi Player. Or something.
Highly Highly Recommended. With a flourish....more
Out of all the crime series I read avidly I think perhaps the Robert Hunter novels from Chris Carter are somewhere near, if not the top of my favouritOut of all the crime series I read avidly I think perhaps the Robert Hunter novels from Chris Carter are somewhere near, if not the top of my favourites list. It is the combination of twisted plotting, riveting and heart stopping death scenes and a main protagonist to die for in the unequivocably intriguing Mr Hunter.
So with The Caller we go to a whole new level of gritty and intense storytelling - I was gripped, utterly gripped from the very first page, Chris Carter gives us an almost cinematic reading experience with his descriptive and realistic settings and events. I defy you not to gasp at the end of the first chapter, then continue to do so throughout whilst your heart goes hoppity skip. Love books like that. You can't get out of them easily you are dragged along in their wake, a willing participant in a game of many levels.
It is clever writing because yes of course serial killer vibe - entirely fascinating, we are all drawn to the dark side - but there are many more layers of story to be had here including in the personal lives of our series mainstays - and a particular character tied to this case who I REALLY hope we hear from again. It felt like we might. I say no more - no spoilers here but if that IS the case I'm really really intrigued by what might happen.
Really this is an insanely good crime series. Extraordinarily well written, high quality and high drama all the way, please lets have many many more tales from the world of Robert Hunter. Damn fine reading! Erm and I'm kind of freaked out. Even better.
Blimey this book was banging. Highly entertaining, seriously addictive and so entirely fascinating I’m almost tempted to go find out stuff on the inteBlimey this book was banging. Highly entertaining, seriously addictive and so entirely fascinating I’m almost tempted to go find out stuff on the internet. But then common sense kicks in, today is NOT a good day to die.
So anyway as a fan of Narey and Winter I’ll just say that they are put somewhat through the wringer in this one, like really I shouldn’t have expected that – but there were points in this that I actually did go NO really don’t do that. But then it happened anyway. Because Craig Robertson is evil. Or something.
The subject matter at the heart of Murderabilia, that being the collection of all things crime, no matter how macabre, by people some of whom you would not want to meet in a dark alley at night, is such an entirely gripping premise that I have been sat here for the past few hours totally immersed – paper cut type immersion, its that good.
It seems funny to call a novel with such dark happenings wildly entertaining but that is what Murderabilia is – wildly entertaining. And scary. And relatively sad in places. All the good things. Top notch crime fiction of the type all us avid crime fans devour with the fervour of true fanatics. And its great writing. GREAT writing. We all know how I love the great writing.
The story rocks along, the settings are vivid, the plotting is perfect, the resolution in no way predictable, not sure there is anything else really to say.
I’ll just echo Martina Cole and say I can’t recommend this book highly enough....more
The Intrusions is a joy to read even through the fear (switches computer off, deletes all social media never uses a credit card again fear) because asThe Intrusions is a joy to read even through the fear (switches computer off, deletes all social media never uses a credit card again fear) because as usual for this particular author it is so beautifully written both in style and substance that the world just goes away.
I’ve loved all the books but I am particularly fond of the Carrigan and Miller series because of the beautifully flawed, memorable characters – and I’m not just talking about the main pair here – the gritty yet gorgeous realism ingrained into the storytelling and the fascinating, socially relevant subject matters covered. In the case of The Intrusions my eyes were opened to many many things and this one kept me up at night. Is still keeping me up at night. Will probably keep me up at night for a while.
Its not always about the crime when you read a crime book – not with the good ones anyway and oh boy is this a good one – but often about what lies beneath the crime – within the people, victims and others, a kind of peeling back of the layers of humanity, something which Stav Sherez does all too well. Razor sharp and brilliantly insightful, The Intrusions will take you to the dark side, a place that is sadly all too real.
The plot twists unexpectedly without having to shout about it, the characters who we know progress down an ever more challenging path, the ending is subtle but stunning in its impact and the entire thing is just a little bit epic. That was my smallest childs word by the way – I asked him how he would describe something that he thought was one of the best things ever – his answer, “that was epic”
Its probably no secret that I'm a bit of a fan of this series - having been in it from the start and watched it grow and go from strength to strength Its probably no secret that I'm a bit of a fan of this series - having been in it from the start and watched it grow and go from strength to strength - Promise of Wrath edges us towards a conclusion for Nate and his band of few in an addictive page turning thrill ride. I banged through it. Mind you I always do with these...
This instalment is actually a little bit more difficult to review than the others because so much happens that is spoilerific and we can't have that - no no no. But seriously its basically Nate doing what he does best, dealing with the bad guys, protecting the good guys, Steve McHugh blurring those lines beautifully so often you are not entirely sure which is which.
I like those shades of grey - Nate has plenty of them he's not the shining hero but more the type of anti-hero I adore in urban fantasy, often torn between right and the urge to just burn everything in a fiery ball of hell flame (actually I love it when he loses those battles it is an adrenalin fuelled reading rush) As a main protagonist for this ever fascinating story he is utterly perfect.
The same blend of mythology we know and love with the authors own twist and imaginative sense means that Promise of Wrath, like all the Hellequin chronicles before it, is a dream of a read for fans of this genre. One more to go. This saddens and excites me in equal measure.
I'm a HUGE fan of the Corrigan novels so was really looking forward to seeing something different from Luke Delaney - a really intuitive storyteller wI'm a HUGE fan of the Corrigan novels so was really looking forward to seeing something different from Luke Delaney - a really intuitive storyteller whose true talent comes in the sheer authenticity he brings to each tale.
Here is a standalone then - and this one is ALL about Jack King, a protagonist with an enduring ability to suck you into his world - back to work after a life defining event, he is maybe not as ready as should be, especially considering what he is tasked with.
A very dark tone and a very dark story - some of Jack's choices are questionable, Luke Delaney explores the depth of the human psyche with The Rule of Fear and it is both endlessly fascinating and deeply disturbing. Its very important I think in this case to not give away too many nuances of plot, but in any novel you read where children are targets of those who would harm them, you know that it is not going to make easy reading - if you add to that a character like Jack King, for whom the lines between right and wrong blur more and more the further you head into the story you have a poignant whirlpool of intensity and Luke Delaney pushes you every step of the way.
The plotting is tight, the prose is incredibly immersive, The Rule of Fear is a slow burn of a novel with a hugely captivating sense about it and an ending that will floor you emotionally, more so because everything leading up to the final denoument is utterly horrifically believable. I refer you back to the first part of this review.
Some incredible writing right here - it wont be for everyone, it is uncompromising, bleak, the tale of how we can never predict, how the most shining of futures can be taken apart in moments. An authentic and absolutely hard hitting insight into PTSD written with absolutely no glances towards any kind of comfort zone - I can't do anything except highly recommend it....more
Laura Lippman has been described as one of the best crime novelists writing today – and I have to say from a purely readers point of view that I wouldLaura Lippman has been described as one of the best crime novelists writing today – and I have to say from a purely readers point of view that I would absolutely agree with that.
Wilde Lake is perhaps my favourite of hers so far – multi layered, intensely engaging, a story about family secrets, community, perception and reality, with some intriguing and brilliantly drawn characters and an atmospheric and authentic setting.
The story uses the past/present narrative in a slightly different way, as Lu enters the fray on a murder case that may have deep rooted and hidden links back to her own family. As she prepares to make her case, the past starts to intrude on the present and things Lu thought she knew suddenly look very different from her now adult perspective.
She is in some ways a divisive character which makes things all the more interesting -this author knows how to drag you deep into the story, I loved the relationships drawn between Lu, her father and her brother. A family pulling together through all things, the normal and sometimes not so normal life events, the picture painted is a fascinating one. Throw into that a death from the past and one from the now, start moving one towards the other and you will be unable to put this one down.
Laura Lippman shows us how Lu came to be, her influences and experiences growing up which all feed into her behaviour and reactions in the now -there is a mystery element that has many nuances, this is not a black and white whodunnit but a tale of many levels. Moral lines blur, Lives are changed. The whole thing is extraordinarily gripping.
I loved it. I loved the use of language to convey and invoke emotion, loved the dark and genuinely clever plot and the ending made me cry. Brilliant.
Its interesting in the explosion of the psychological thriller how difficult it is to find the good ones. There arRead this in one sitting yesterday.
Its interesting in the explosion of the psychological thriller how difficult it is to find the good ones. There are lots of good ones to be fair but you you can't always find them. Mark Edwards for me has ALWAYS written good ones so I was looking forward to this and well. Read in one sitting so obviously I was not disappointed.
If anything I would say this is his best one yet, not only a banging thriller but beautifully plotted with many surprises, some really intriguing characters and a strong narrative voice that keeps things real. Scary real at times. Emotionally real at others. Often both at the same time. Plus really addictive storytelling in his usual style and in this case a beautifully layered multi faceted tale that also has zombies. ;)
Setting it in the world of publishing it appealed to me on more levels than one - managing to keep the reader off balance in the "what the heck" stakes was done with a fair amount of flair and the whole thing fairly rocked along to a heart stopping conclusion. Loved it. Consider me happy.
I loved Dare Me. I was so excited to get a copy of this new novel from Megan Abbott I actually did a little dance. Its ok nobody was watching. I hope…I loved Dare Me. I was so excited to get a copy of this new novel from Megan Abbott I actually did a little dance. Its ok nobody was watching. I hope…
Anyway, that aside You Will Know Me was quite simply a marvel of utter reading joy. Beautifully poetic prose that immersed you directly into the lives of the Knox family – most specifically Katie, mother to Devon, a gymnastics prodigy around whom their entire world has been built. When that world begins to crumble Katie discovers that she may not know as much as she assumed she did about her loved ones…
This was entirely brilliant. Atmospheric, genuinely absorbing, incredibly insightful when it comes to the nuances of relationships, those things below the surface. And the story is SO addictive, I just fell into it and didn’t come out much, the dramatic senses were tingling throughout the whole of the reading experience – that sense of something coming that won’t be good for anybody. The underneath of family life comes into sharp focus within the narrative and it is just entirely fascinating and one hell of a story.
I loved the layers that spoke to the life of an athlete, a prodigy, the work, the focus, the leaving behind of everything that isnt about THAT – it was authentic and telling and always compelling. The group dynamic of the parents, a set of people both supportive of each other and forever in competition was fascinating, then of course you throw a death into the mix, a death for which somebody was responsible and all loyalties change. Megan Abbott does a simply superb job of twisting and turning things around, forever moving the goalposts on Katie and what she trusts and believes. This is a journey, a road trip through one families life and as such it is mad good. Really. MAD good.
I loved it. I shall read it again I’m sure I missed some subtleties of plot whilst banging through it to discover the outcome -for Katie, for Eric, mostly for Devon and well, everyone else that the author throws into the mix here to create a character driven, hells bells of a tale that will hold you enthralled from first page to last.
“Exposure” was a Saturday buddy read with my good friend Christine of Northern Crime her review HERE
Well what to say about Exposure…
Anyone who has rea“Exposure” was a Saturday buddy read with my good friend Christine of Northern Crime her review HERE
Well what to say about Exposure…
Anyone who has read Untouchable, the previous book from Ava Marsh will already know about the sexy, sassy writing that drags you into a different world and holds you there utterly enthralled for the entire reading time, now she has done that again with Exposure. Both books are centred around intriguing and cleverly drawn female main protagonists and here we have Kitty – a girl you will never forget.
Kitty needs money. That is how it starts. A broken relationship, leading to a need to make a living, leading to an inexorable fall into a dark place – Exposure does exactly what it says on the tin, telling me more than I ever thought I’d know about the porn industry.
This is CLEVER sexy sassy writing – Ava Marsh leaves any sort of judgemental tone out of it and just tells a banging (often literally in this case) story about one girl and the life she leads. Kitty is at turns engaging and sympathetic, you will attach to her like a limpet and stick with her all the way as she sells her soul, attempts to retrieve it and ends up somewhere unexpected. This author is explicit and intuitive, the tale fairly rocks along, addictive, thrilling and endlessly fascinating, I couldn’t look away.
There are beautifully written layers to the storytelling – around Kitty a vibrant, instantly likeable (or not) cast of eclectic and utterly gripping characters who live a very different life to what might be considered normal and yet are for the most part very normal people. Kitty never looks forward, doesnt envision the consequences of this particular life choice yet over the course of the book comes to know it. By then there is no turning back, the inevitability of this modern world is shown here in all its wonderous and darkly devisive glory.
To write a thought provoking, authentic and credible piece of fiction set in this world and still manage to make it sexy as hell, although sometimes worthy of a slight cringe and an “aargh” followed by a nice cup of tea (yes yes I’m British I can’t help it) is a mean feat indeed and Ava Marsh has pulled it off with a flourish, Exposure is hard hitting and realistic with a side of mystery and a slice of psychological thriller, top notch storytelling first page to last.
Ava Marsh takes apart her characters and puts them back together, gives you a brilliantly gripping and provocative ending and leaves you there to consider the ramifications of this particular industry and what it can mean to the people inside of it. There are two sides to every coin, this writer looks at both, Exposure is an absolutely fantastic piece of fiction that could so easily be fact.
I was a HUGE fan of Mary Kubica’s “The Good Girl” one of my favourite books of its year, not QUITE so fond of “Pretty Baby” even though it was still hI was a HUGE fan of Mary Kubica’s “The Good Girl” one of my favourite books of its year, not QUITE so fond of “Pretty Baby” even though it was still heads and shoulders above a lot of psychological thrillers, so Don’t You Cry was much anticipated. The fact that I banged through it like a grasshopper on acid probably tells you that I’m a big fan of this one too…
The two points of view work very well in tandem and Mary Kubica has such a gorgeous turn of phrase and ability to suck you in. It really didn’t take long for me to be totally immersed in the problem of the missing Esther, the roommate she left behind and the mysterious girl wandering the streets of a small community inspiring a keen obsession in one of the residents.
The plot weaves a spell and twists and turns towards the ultimate resolution, which I won’t say anything about because obviously that would spoil things – but once again the author spins you around and uses pretty classic (and cool) misdirection to keep you on your toes. Meanwhile there are some great engaging characters and fascinating family dynamics that give a realistic edge to things and will keep you turning those pages.
The psychological thriller is definitely not dead. Not when authors like Mary Kubica can give such good book – whilst a lot of the standard tropes are in here they are often not recognisable as such, plus the prose is authentically atmospheric and intensely absorbing.
Bang on thriller, proper page turner, brilliantly written and top notch. My favourite from this author so far. By about a mile. And you know I QUITE lBang on thriller, proper page turner, brilliantly written and top notch. My favourite from this author so far. By about a mile. And you know I QUITE liked the others.
Long Time Lost is what a proper thriller looks like.
Full review on 5th May for publication. Plus something a little extra.
So when an author you’ve admired from their very first book hits the sweet spot in the writing and storytelling stakes it is a real moment of reading So when an author you’ve admired from their very first book hits the sweet spot in the writing and storytelling stakes it is a real moment of reading joy, such as has just happened with Emma Kavanagh and “The Missing Hours”. I was a huge fan of the previous two novels but this was a pretty much one sitting completely immersed practically inhaled read that actually I’ve just put down. And had to write about straight away.
I could just leave it at that but I like to talk so I won’t.
The Missing Hours is told from multiple points of view, has some fascinating characters (I can’t even pick one particularly to rave about so just assume they are all pretty perfect) a fascinating background (that of Kidnap and Ransom) a really engaging and well plotted mystery story (No I really had no idea so this author joins the ranks of the “Got Liz with a twist” brigade) and is beautifully written throughout.
Loved the brother/sister police duo, the Cole family were highly intriguing – Emma Kavanagh has the magic touch when it comes to character study – in “The Missing Hours” you have that tenfold, probably why I had no idea as to the outcome. I was too busy being caught up in the lives of these people, and ok I guess I DID have a bit of a soft spot for Beck, but the entire cast were utterly alluring. Always a rocking good read when you actually care.
It is gripping, for me especially with relation to the little side pieces which I won’t say too much about to avoid spoilers, but I rattled through it in true grasshopper on acid fashion until the final pages. With a perfectly placed atmospheric ending that just put the icing right on top of the already delicious cake, The Missing Hours comes highly recommended from me.
Fellside then. One of my most anticipated for 2016, even given that Mr Carey had the probably intense pressure of following up his incredible previousFellside then. One of my most anticipated for 2016, even given that Mr Carey had the probably intense pressure of following up his incredible previous novel “The Girl with All The Gifts” a book I still throw at people now, so madly did I feel that one at a time I needed a reminder of why I read.
So did Fellside live up to my hope and expectation? Oh yes and then some but I would caution that the two novels are entirely different entities when it comes to the storytelling. Both brilliant in their own way, but completely in their own way – if someone said “but which did you like better” it would be like asking me which of my children I love more. Impossible to answer. Well apart from one of said children made me toast this morning so at the moment…
Fellside is a novel you should go into cold – like The Girl with All the Gifts the more you know about it the less you will feel it -for that reason I will speak about plot as little as possible – but from the opening page it is peculiarly haunting, beautifully constructed and embeds itself into the darker recesses of the mind so you think about it at odd moments of the day. To me this was a sign that I was both going to adore it and have to endure a certain amount of book trauma at the end – and that turned out to be absolutely true.
Jess Moulson is a character to die for, undeniably conflicted, following an unknowable path to very dark places, you are with her all the way – and honestly that is the least of it, the author has a real talent for group dynamic within a story and setting this one in a prison, an eerie place and a character in its own right, just added more atmospheric layers into an already desolate landscape. You never know what might be just around the corner, often I was not sure I wanted to find out but kept going anyway unable to stop.
Blurring the lines between light and dark, good and evil, creating a mythology that lingers in the mind, Fellside is not one thing but many – a novel I shall return to as I’m sure I missed some nuances, but also the descriptive language in parts is so beautifully perfect you just want to read the words again for the sheer pleasure of it. If like me you like to be challenged and emotionally disturbed by a novel then Fellside and indeed The Girl with all the Gifts will hit the sweet spot on that particularly. The best way I can describe my feeling while reading this is it was like having that falling dream, where coming out of it leaves your heart pounding. I was distraught at the end, a little tearful but mostly AGAIN going “Yes see? This is why I read”…
I’m fairly sure this will divide opinion – when you write a novel that does what The Girl with all the Gifts did, then as I said at the start you are probably going to be under a particular pressure – but MY opinion, for what its worth is that Fellside is both charming and horrific, creepy and engaging, it gets under your skin and stays there. Jess and the numerous other people I found inside the walls of Fellside will not leave my head anytime soon. Nor will the place itself, so the only thing I can do is say….
We are at Charlie Parker 14 now and honestly this series just gets better and better, each novel adding layers to the last, the mythology that John CoWe are at Charlie Parker 14 now and honestly this series just gets better and better, each novel adding layers to the last, the mythology that John Connolly began creating way back in “Every Dead Thing” is brilliantly imagined, incredibly dark and insanely addictive. When I go into a new instalment my expectation is always high and this author meets and exceeds it every time, A Time of Torment was no different in that respect.
This had a slightly different vibe to it, shaking things up a bit, A Time of Torment is a slow burner full of tension and brimming with atmosphere. Following Charlie and his indomitable sidekicks Louis and Angel on the one hand as they track and deal with some very bad folk, on the other we have the Cut – an isolated and inbred community hiding a terrible secret, who keep the wider world away using fear and often violence. When Charlie hears a strange tale told by a man named Jerome Burnel, the two sides are set on a collision course that brought me to one of the most chilling endings Mr Connolly has yet achieved in this series. Now the wait for more begins once again. I hate that part.
The Cut as a concept was extraordinarily chilling, the characters within it endlessly fascinating and very scary – with his usual flair for setting and descriptive prose, the author paints a picture and leads you towards the inevitable clash, the journey is once again dangerous and taut, completely riveting I was utterly gripped and fully immersed back into Charlie’s world once more.
The mythology deepens, Charlie’s daughters, one living, one dead are becoming inceasingly important to the whole – this layer which speaks to the ongoing saga is incredibly alluring and honestly creepy. Shiver. The relationships between all the main protagonists are constantly in ebb and flow over the course of the entire body of work so far – the absolute creative genius the author brings to the core storyline is what inspires comments like “the best crime series currently in existence” although for me personally I don’t like the crime tag for these when taken on its own. Yes it is crime in a lot of the elements but it is so much more, an epic and increasingly spellbinding series that has too many facets to call it any one thing.
On a personal note one thing “A Time of Torment” did for me was knock Stephen King off his perch, from this point on I will happily tell anyone that asks that John Connolly is my favourite author – I would dump a new King book for a new Connolly book in under 10 seconds, if he wrote a book a month it would not be enough for me. As an emotionally charged reader I need an emotionally charged novel and this is what I get every single time, so what can you do except acknowledge that and so I have.
Character driven, literary and always always bang on the money, from my point of view the Charlie Parker series is the best series currently in existence. Forget the crime tag.
So actually I was vaguely nervous about reading Zero-G because hey, you love a book then you think “hSome of you may remember how much I loved Tracer.
So actually I was vaguely nervous about reading Zero-G because hey, you love a book then you think “hell, how can that be topped?” and you circle around the next one carefully – no need. No need at ALL. Seriously, trust the writers when they know what they are doing and Rob Boffard knows exactly what he is doing and does it bloody brilliantly, Zero-G was the most fun I’ve had with a book this year so far…
Scream if you want to go faster – and Zero-G will oblige, this IS fast, furious, terribly exciting edge of the seat stuff start to finish. But what about the characters I hear you cry? Well they are perfect and delectable, you’ll eat them up and if you were not in love with Riley Hale before this you will be after it. She is only the beginning too, the whole novel is beautifully imagined with a whole plethora of people peppering the pages for you to adore with a passion and hate with a fiery vengeance.
Heart stopping stuff right here, the story drags you along in its wake, with twists and turns and lots of hanging from cliffs by fingernails (that was just me) with an ending that will make you willing to sell your soul to get book 3 (drums fingers impatiently)
Not sure what else to say really. I’m certainly not going to spoil anything. You’ll feel like someone just threw you out of a plane without a parachute but boy it is one HELL of a ride.
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