Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston)

For my last Orentober post (for this year anyway) I am delighted to share my review of Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen to close off the blog tour, together with Jane Hunt. Thanks, as always, to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me, and Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for my review copy.

This was my first book by Tuomainen, although I have three others in my teetering TBR pile. I'd heard Antti speak at an Orenda Roadshow in March, and knew he was a very funny man (with an excellent taste in shirts!), but I wasn't sure what to expect from the book. Now I've finished it, dear reader, I can tell you Little Siberia is a dark delight.

The Blurb:

Fargo  meets Nietzsche in this atmospheric, darkly funny thriller by the critically acclaimed author of The Man Who Died and  Palm Beach Finland. A huge Finnish bestseller, Little Siberia topped both literary and crime charts in 2018, and has gone on to sell rights in 24 countries.

A man with dark thoughts on his mind is racing along the remote snowy roads of Hurmevaara in Finland, when there is flash in  the sky and something crashes into the car. That something turns about to be a highly valuable meteorite. With  euro signs lighting up the eyes of the locals, the unexpected treasure is temporarily placed  in a neighbourhood museum, under the watchful eye of a priest named Joel.

But Joel has a lot more on his mind than simply protecting the riches that have apparently rained down from heaven. His wife has just revealed  that she is pregnant. Unfortunately, Joel has strong reason to think the baby isn’t his.

As Joel tries to fend off repeated and bungled attempts to steal the meteorite, he must also come to terms with his own situation, and discover who the father of the baby really is.

Transporting the reader to the culture, landscape and mores of northern Finland, Little Siberia is both a dark crime thriller and a hilarious, blacker-than-black comedy about faith and disbelief, love and death, and what to do when bolts from the blue – both literal and figurative – turn your life upside down.

Little Siberia was published by Orenda Books as an eBook on 17th August 2019 and in paperback on 17th October 2019. You can buy it from the publisher, Waterstones, Amazon UK, Amazon US and other good booksellers.


My Review:

A man is driving his car at breakneck speed - with amazing skill, considering he's drunk and still drinking - towards a stone wall, when a meteorite tears through the car roof and lands on the passenger seat beside him. How's that for the opening of a book?

The Finnish town of Hurmevaara is small and quite isolated - the nearest police station is an hour away. It's also very, very cold, going as low as -23 degrees! I'm moaning about being chilly at 8 degrees so I can't even imagine -23! There are a few days before the meteorite is to be taken to London for analysis, and rumours abound that the rock could be worth a million euros. A team of volunteers is put together to guard it at night in its temporary home of the town museum. On the first evening local pastor, and ex military chaplin, Joel Huhta is on guard duty when there is a bungled attempt to steal the meteorite. He has just learned of his wife's unexpected pregnancy, and resolves to keep the meteorite safe - singlehandedly - and also solve the mystery of Krista's pregnancy.

It's the start of a very eventful few days for Joel. He views everyone with suspicion. And actually, many of the townsfolk are not terribly likeable so it's easy to be suspicious of them, but they're definitely colourful and fun to read. I particularly liked the grocer, with his 'tasty greetings' for Krista - at 7.30 in the morning!

Joel is such an interesting character. As Karoliina (more later) says he's 'pretty cool for a pastor'. The events in the book shake his faith in God, but it doesn't seem to have been that strong beforehand. There are sections of the book that are quite introspective as Joel mulls issues, often deep, over in his mind. We see him at his work (I'm worried he wasn't getting enough sleep!) and he actively encourages his parishioners to question things. He doubts the value of prayer. His almost daily sessions with the man preparing for the end of the world were a highlight for me, not so much for Joel. But he's a good, principled man, who loves his wife very much, but has been rocked to the core by her news.

Karoliina is also fascinating. A barmaid at the Golden Moon Night Club which seems never to close, she's beautiful, mysterious and very possibly dangerous. And she arouses feelings in Joel that a pastor just shouldn't have.

The writing is wonderful and vivid. I picked out a phrase that made me smile, and another that tugged at my heartstrings:

'The smell of alcohol...like an aftershave made from garlic and toilet cleaner...'

'The bruise takes the most direct route to my heart, wrenching my chest open...' 

This is a dark crime caper, laced with equally dark humour and full of fascinating characters. The scenery and the weather are both integral to the story. It was easy for me to picture the scenes as the writing is so evocative. But it's also full of philosophical and religious questions, and looks at what's really important to us. It has real heart. I loved this quirky book and as soon as I get a chance, those other three Antti Tuomainen books will be moving further towards the top of my TBR pile.


The Author:

Finnish  Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when  he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In  2011, Tuomainen’s third novel, The Healer, was awarded  the Clue Award for ‘Best Finnish Crime Novel of 2011’ and was shortlisted  for the Glass Key Award. Two years later, in  2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen  the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen  was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died  (2017) became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh  Awards. Palm Beach Finland (2018) was an immense success, with The Times calling Tuomainen  ‘the funniest writer in Europe’.

Cage by Lilja Sigarðardóttir (translated by Quentin Bates)

Having recently read and reviewed Snare and Trap by Lilja Sigarðardóttir, I am delighted today to be featuring the final part of the Reykjavik Noir trilogy, Cage, as part of the blog tour. Huge thanks to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours and Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for my review copy.

The Blurb:

A masterful conclusion to the award-winning, critically acclaimed Reykjavík Noir trilogy, as drug-smuggling, financial crime, political intrigue, love, murder and betrayal come together.

The prison doors slam shut behind  Agla, when her sentence for financial misconduct ends, but her lover Sonja is not there to meet her.

As a group of foreign businessmen tries to draw Agla into an  ingenious fraud  that stretches from Iceland around the world, Agla and  her former nemesis María find the stakes being raised at a terrifying speed. Ruthless entrepreneur Ingimar will stop at nothing to protect his empire, but he has no idea about the powder keg he is sitting on in his own home. And at the same time, a deadly threat to Sonja and her family brings her from London back to Iceland, where she needs to settle scores with longstanding adversaries if she wants to stay alive…

The lives of these characters are about to collide in a shocking crescendo, until the winner takes it all…

Cage was published by Orenda Books as an eBook on 17th August 2019 and in paperback on 17th October 2019. You can purchase it from the publisher, Waterstones, Amazon UK, Amazon US and all good bookshops.


My Review:

This is the final book in the series and takes place about six years after the events in Trap. And it's a very different Sonja and Agla we meet. You can read Cage as a standalone, but I would suggest it's best appreciated if you've to read the previous two instalments.

We join Agla in prison, a month before she will be up for parole, and she is broken. Abandoned by Sonja without ever knowing why, she has pretty much given up. Until a stranger comes to visit her in prison and ignites a spark within her. Suddenly she finds herself with a purpose. But she will need some help from adversary María. And she'll have to try to not get distracted by new arrival Elísa, a drugs courier for the Boss.

María's circumstances have also taken a turn for the worse. No longer working at the special prosecutor's office, she is now an investigative journalist working out of a crappy office and in sure need of a cash injection.

This book is mainly Agla and María's story, but we do see a little of Sonja. Now living in London, she has constant 24 hour security, trusts no one and can never relax. And whilst the joy in her life still comes from son Tómas, even their relationship has changed.

In the last two books I struggled a bit to relate to Alga. I connected with her in this book. The early chapters in the prison where we see her pain, her vulnerability and the conflicting emotions that Elísa awakens in her, ones that she had numbed herself to, were the scenes that touched me most in the book. María is hurting too, and it was clear to see her sadness through the writing. I loved her concern for, and dealings with, her unofficial sidekick Marteinn. And we even see a more human side to Ingimar.

But for me, the standout character was Anton. A kind, sensitive young man who is crazy about his girlfriend, but very misguided about how to impress her. His absolute belief that what he is doing is right was quite scary, and showed the lengths someone will go to for love. But my heart kind if went out to him, for the same reason - he's trying to be the best boyfriend he can possibly be. But there are perhaps better ways for him to do it. There was a shock for me in his story too.

When I had finished Snare, the first book in the trilogy, this wasn't the ending I foresaw for Sonja and Agla, but it absolutely works. As well as being a complex, intelligent crime novel full of tension and fear, this is a story about love, both lost and gained, loyalty and hope. I'm sad to say goodbye to these characters, but I can't wait to see what Lilja Sigurðardóttir brings us next.


The Author:

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four crime novels, with Snare, the first in the Reykjavik Noir series, hitting bestseller lists worldwide. Trap was published in 2018, and a Book of the Year in Guardian. The film rights for the series have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Lilja lives in Reykjavík with her partner. Follow Lilja on Twitter @lilja1972 and on her website liljawriter.com

The Peanut Butter Falcon - Film Review

It's been a looooong time since I featured anything other than books or book related events here on the blog, but I really, really want to tell you about a film I saw last week.

Official theatrical release poster

A few weeks ago I saw a few films as part of an anime festival (my son's choice!) at the Glasgow Film Theatre. Whilst I was there I saw a few trailers for forthcoming attractions, and amongst them was one for an independent  film called The Peanut Butter Falcon, which looked utterly charming. Last Monday I went to see it, back at the GFT, and it was everything I hoped it to be.

The official blurb says this:
'A modern Mark Twain-esque adventure that begins when Zak, a young man with Down syndrome, runs away from the nursing home where he lives to chase his dream of training with his hero and becoming a professional wrestler. In a strange twist of fate, Tyler (Shia LaBeouf) a small-time outlaw on the run, becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally. Together they wind through swamps, elude capture, drink whisky, catch fish and even convince Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), Zak’s loving but stubborn caretaker, to join them on their journey.'

A still from the film

Zak is 22, has Downs Syndrome and dreams of being a pro wrestler. Unfortunately, having been abandoned by his family, he's living a dull life in an old people's care home, as there is nowhere more suitable for him in the area. But refusing to give up on his dream Zak comes up with ingenious ways to try to escape from the home and eventually succeeds. In the middle of the night. In his pants. He hides in a nearby moored up boat, and is befriended, reluctantly at first, by the boat's owner, down on his luck fisherman Tyler. Tyler agrees to help Zak find his wrestling hero the Saltcreek Redneck, and his wrestling school where Zak wants to train. But Tyler has his own demons to wrestle, having lost his much loved older brother. He's carrying a lot of hurt and anger and gets himself on the wrong side of some nasty guys, who are willing to chase him down. Also on their trail is Zak's concerned and well meaning carer Eleanor, who is sent to find and bring him back. Tyler becomes Zak's guide and mentor, teaching him what it's like to live without limits. He sees past Zak's disability and encourages him to push himself. In turn, Zak teaches Tyler how to love again.  When Eleanor catches up with them, she is persuaded to join them on their quest, and the three journey on  - aboard a raft - to search for the wrestling school.

Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen and Shia LaBeouf. 

Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images

The Peanut Butter Falcon was directed by Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz and was released on 18th October 2019. It stars Shia LaBeouf as Tyler and Dakota Johnson as Eleanor. Jon Bernthal, Thomas Haden Church and Bruce Dern also feature. But the absolute star of this movie is 33 year old Zack Gottsagen who plays central character Zak In his first film role. The film was written as a vehicle for him after the directors were blown away by his talent at a camp for actors with disabilities.

There is a lot more to this film than detailed in my summary above. I don't want to tell you too much of the plot because I want you all to see it for yourself. I don't know how wide a cinema release it had, but there will be a DVD at some point, and I can't urge you enough to see this movie. My words can't describe the magic and beauty of this film. It could have been clichéd and sickly sweet, but it's neither of those things. It's a buddy movie, yes, but it's more than that. It's quirky and  heartwarming. It's Deep South setting and Tyler's back story and current difficulties means the film is never in danger of becoming too mawkish. There is plenty of warmth, pathos and humour throughout though, and I reached for the tissues more than once.

A still from the film

Zach Gottsagen is outstanding. He's natural, confident and very funny. Which is just as well because he spends a good part of the movie in the ugliest y-fronts you've ever seen! This role is perfect for him and It's hard to believe this is his debut movie, although I believe he'd previously acted on stage. His character Zak is just the sweetest man and, from what I've read, in real life Zach seems much the same, and had a wonderful effect on his co-stars, particularly Shia LaBeouf. LaBeouf has been in the headlines a fair bit for all the wrong reasons and he's really not an actor you would associate with a feelgood movie. But he plays Tyler with a rawness and vulnerability that's heart breaking. I've seen him interviewed and he said this film came at just the right time for him, saving him from a very dark place.

Zak and Tyler's relationship in the film is pretty special. Early on, Zak says "Tyler, I want to tell you about me. I am a Downs Syndrome man." To which Tyler replies with something along the lines of "So what? That doesn't make any difference." And that is how he continues to treat Zak - his disability is never an issue. And in a touching moment , Zak, who is excited about his forthcoming birthday, says "Tyler, I'm going to give you all my birthday wishes." It's a lovely moment. And there are too many more to tell you about.

Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen and Dakota Johnson at Global's 10th Anniversary Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show.
Source: Global Down Syndrome Foundation

Anyway, I've rambled on enough! Please see this beautiful movie, however you can. You will be a better person for it. It's a film about friendship, love, hope, redemption, challenging disabilities and the family we choose. And wrestling.

Firally here's the official trailer to give you an idea what I'm talking about.

Orentober - Trap by Lilja Sigurðardóttir (translated by Quentin Bates)

Today for Orentober I'm highlighting another Orenda Books release. Following on from my review of Snare on Wednesday, and in advance of my blog tour stop for Cage on Tuesday, I'm delighted to share my review of the middle book in Lilja Sigarðardóttir's trilogy, Trap. And it's another corker.

The Blurb:

Happily settled in Florida, Sonja believes she's finally escaped the trap set by unscrupulous drug lords. But when her son Tomas is taken, she's back to square one...and Iceland. Her lover, Agla, is awaiting sentencing for financial misconduct after the banking crash, and Sonja refuses to see her. And that's not all...Agla owes money to some extremely powerful men, and they'll stop at nothing to get it back. Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Trap is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.

'A tense thriller with a highly unusual plot and interesting characters' - Marcel Berlins, Times.
'Tense, edgy and delivering more than a few unexpected twists and turns' -The Times Crime Club .

Trap was published by Orenda Books on 18th October 2018. You can purchase it from the publisher, Waterstones, Amazon UK, Amazon US and other good bookshops.

I carried Lilja's bag when she took part in the Brookmyre Cup putting competition at Bute Noir 2019 

My Review:

Following on from the events in Snare, the first book in Lilja Sigurðardóttir's Reykjavik Noir, this can be read as a standalone, but I would suggest it is best enjoyed if you've read Snare first.

Trap opens not in Iceland but in Florida where Sonja and her son Tómas are living in a trailer park and enjoying a more relaxed way of life. Then Tómas is snatched and Sonja is forced to return to Iceland and to her life as a criminal. I'm Snare, everything she did was so Tómas could live with her full time, rather than with his father. Her motivation here is exactly the same, but she has to put together a while new plan. Especially after Adam makes it even more difficult for her to see her son.

Meanwhile her lover Agla hasn't heard from Sonja since she fled to America and misses her terribly, but has her own problems to focus on. She is still being investigated for financial irregularities by Mária from the special prosecutor's office, whilst having to do some shady deals to keep herself and other banking colleagues out of more trouble.

Given Sonja's involvement in the drugs trade, she's not a character I should really feel sympathetic towards. But she is so beautifully written, I couldn't be anything else. Her relationship with Tómas is so precious, and their love for each other shines through the writing. I was rooting for her from the opening pages through every uncomfortable, difficult encounter she had, and there were plenty of those.

Ex husband Adam is such a well written character. I have nothing but contempt for him. We learned something awful about him at the end of the first book, and in Trap he just shows again and again how nasty he is.

It was a joy to see customs officer Bragi back. Like Sonja, he's a good person forced (as far as he sees it) into doing something he really doesn't want to do. He's possibly my favourite character, and where my favourite line in the book came from, which was not about drugs, customs, banks or crime, but love.

'...he felt with this sweater on, he had Valdís's arms around him and there was more than just warmth to such an embrace.' Just beautiful.

The vile Mr José is back, but we also meet his wife Nati. Initially, I thought she was going to be a meek character, terrified of her husband, but my opinion soon changed - she's brilliantly written.

I struggled a little bit to keep up with the intricacies of the  banking side of the story, but that was probably just me. I enjoyed the development of Agla though, as she seemed to gain confidence before my eyes, both professionally (although with her own skewed ethics) and personally. And her dealings with investigator María give us more of an insight into both women.

Trap does not glamorise or sensationalise crime, far from it. Sigarðardóttir clearly shows the desperation that forces many of her characters into acting illegally. As much as this is a crime story, it is also a tale of control, fear, vulnerability,  loyalty and love. It's beautifully written, and I didn't feel anything had been lost in the excellent translation by Quentin Bates. A fabulous book, and I can't wait to read the next one.


The Author:

Bute Noir, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, August 2019

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four crime novels, with Snare, the first in the Reykjavik Noir series, hitting bestseller lists worldwide. Trap was published in 2018, and a Book of the Year in Guardian. The film rights for the series have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Lilja lives in Reykjavík with her partner. Follow Lilja on Twitter @lilja1972 and on her website liljawriter.com

Torment by Mark Tilbury

In between blog tour reads I'm trying to read other books from my TBR pile. I haven't been terribly successful so far, but I did read a recent one from Mark Tilbury, psychological thriller Torment, having been lucky enough to receive an early copy. And finally I've put my review together. 

The Blurb:

When someone wants you dead, is there anywhere to hide?

Who can you really trust?

Beth couldn’t be happier. She is eight weeks pregnant and married to the man of her dreams. But after returning home from a celebratory meal, she finds a wreath from her sister’s grave hanging above the bed and a kitchen knife embedded in her pillow. There are no signs of a forced entry. Nothing is stolen. And no one other than the cleaner has a key to the house.

Then a campaign of terror begins. Beth becomes increasingly paranoid as it becomes clear that someone close to the family is behind these disturbing events.  

But who would want Beth dead?

Does the past hold the clue?

And can Beth find the answer before it’s too late?

Torment is a story of misplaced loyalty, revenge and sacrifice.

Torment is published by Tilbury Publishing and you can buy it here.


My Review:

Well, this one was a slow burner....until it exploded!

Beth has a good life. Married to David, a part time job she loves, a nice home, and in the early stages of pregnancy. But it hasn't always been great. When she was a teenager, and supposed to be keeping an eye on her little sister, she stopped to talk to a boy, and Heidi stepped into the road, and died after being hit by a car. More recently, Beth has lost three previous babies early in the pregnancies, but is feeling more settled and optimistic this time around.

All that changes when she finds the wreath from Heidi's grave hanging over her bed, and a knife in her pillow. Understandably, Beth is horrified. The police are not very encouraging about the chances of solving the mystery and David seems keen to put it behind them. But it's not that simple, as more and more disturbing incidents happen and The couple are more deeply affected. Beth and David react differently to events and this causes a rift between them, so Beth turns to her friend Kim for support. Kim understands Beth, listens to her, and eventually moves in with her and David to both escape her abusive boyfriend and support Beth. But things don't settle down...

Beth is a likeable, sympathetic character. It's hard not to feel sorry for her after she has suffered miscarriages, and also carried years of guilt over her sister's death. And her initial reaction to the mysterious goings on around her is much the same as I imagine mine would be - terror, not feeling safe in her own home. I'm sure many of us would feel that. But I did find her quite naive in her dealings with Kim, and how trusting she is. Whilst the two women have struck up a friendship, Beth knows very little about Kim before inviting her to stay. But her isolation and desperation to have someone on her side is clear. 

The majority of the story takes place in Beth's home giving the whole thing a claustrophobic feel, perfect for ramping up the tension. I spent the early part of the book wondering where things were heading, then wham! All the tension that had been bubbling blew up to give an explosive last third or so of the book. I certainly didn't foresee events turning out the way they did and thought the twist was original. A hugely enjoyable read.


The Author:

Mark lives in a small village in the lovely county of Cumbria, although his books are set in Oxfordshire where he was born and raised.

After being widowed and raising his two daughters, Mark finally took the plunge and self-published two books on Amazon, The Revelation Room and The Eyes of the Accused.

He's always had a keen interest in writing, and is extremely proud to have had seven novels published by Bloodhound Books, including his most recent release, Torment.

When he's not writing, Mark can be found playing guitar, reading and walking. You can find out more about him by visiting his website, or by following him on Facebook and Twitter.

Orentober - Snare by Lilja Sigurðardóttir (translated by Quentin Bates)

Another wee #Orentober (thanks again to Danielle and Kelly for the initiative) post from me. I was lucky enough to meet Lilja at the Bute Noir crime writing festival earlier this year and what a joy she was. I already had this on my kindle but was delighted to pick up a print copy, and also a copy of the follow up, Trap. Together with Cage, they make up Lilja's Reykjavík Noir series. All three are translated by Quentin Bates, and a very fine job he does. I so enjoy being able to read quality translated fiction - it opens so many new doors.

I caddied (well, carried her handbag) for Lilja at the putting competition for the Brookmyre Cup at Bute Noir, August 2019

The Blurb:

First in the Reykjavik Noir Trilogy. After a messy divorce, young mother Sonia is struggling to provide for herself and keep custody of her son. With her back to the wall, she resorts to smuggling cocaine into Iceland, and finds herself caught up in a ruthless criminal world. Things become even more complicated when Sonia embarks on a relationship with a woman, Agla. Once a high-level bank executive, Agla is currently being prosecuted in the aftermath of the Icelandic financial crash. Set in a Reykjavík still covered in the dust of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption, and with a dark, fast-paced and chilling plot and intriguing characters, Snare is an outstandingly original and sexy Nordic crime thriller, from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.

'This first novel of a planned trilogy is stylish, taut and compelling and a film adaptation is in the pipeline. With characters you can't help sympathising with against your better judgement, Sigurdardottir takes the reader on a breathtaking ride' - Daily Express.

'Snare will ensnare you' - Marie Claire.

Snare was published by Orenda Books on 1st October 2017. You can purchase it from the publisher, Waterstones, Amazon UK,  Amazon US and all good bookshops.


My Review:

Snare introduces us to Sonja, a drug courier and her lover Agla, who is being investigated for wrongdoing in the Icelandic banking crisis.

A drug courier isn't someone I would naturally feel sympathy for, but I couldn't help it with Sonja. She is a decent woman trapped, ensnared, into a life of crime. She is determined to escape her criminal life and make a future for her and her son Tómas, who lives mainly with his father. Everything she does is done with that aim.

Complicating things for her are vindictive ex husband Adam, who is trying to restrict her access to Tómas and her on/off girlfriend Agla. Sonja also comes to the attention of seasoned customs officer Bragi.

Sonja is immediately relatable, a likeable character. She could be any one of us, caught in a terrible situation after things spiral out of control. She is in a position which she will struggle to get out of, but that doesn't stop her making the most of it, living for her weekends with Tómas and the occasional night with Agla.

Snare doesn't glamorise crime at all - we see how vulnerable, scared and, at times, desperate Sonja is, but also determined to get out of that life. She is just beautifully written. Her relationship with son Tómas is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Their love for each other is so strong, every moment apart is a wrench.

Another beautifully written (actually, they all are, but I'm just picking out one or two) character is customs officer Bragi. Advancing in years and living alone after his wife's dementia out her in a care home, his love and tenderness for her just shines through, it's beautiful.

The second strand of the story features Agla who is embroiled in the Icelandic banking scandal and fighting for survival. She's such an interesting character, not immediately likeable and often displays self destructive behaviour. And whilst she is often almost consumed by her passion for Sonja she is also pretty repulsed by it. And it's a constant battle for her.

This is an original, intelligent and gripping thriller. Two fascinating story lines with such interesting, beautifully crafted characters. There's a shocking reveal - I actually gasped out loud - and a cliffhanger ending - what more could you ask for! I can't wait to move on to the next book.


The Author:

Rothesay putting green, Isle of Bute, August 2019

Icelandic crime-writer Lilja Sigurdardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written four crime novels, with Snare, the first in the Reykjavik Noir series, hitting bestseller lists worldwide. Trap was published in 2018, and a Book of the Year in Guardian. The film rights for the series have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California. Lilja lives in Reykjavík with her partner. Follow Lilja on Twitter @lilja1972 and on her website liljawriter.com

Savage Children by Peter Boland

I am totally stoked be opening the tour today for Savage Children. And a huge happy publication day to Peter! This is the third John Savage book - I absolutely loved the first two in the series and couldn't wait to read this one. Huge thanks to the lovely Sarah at Book on the Bright Side Publicity and Promo for inviting me to take part and to Peter for my review copy.

The Blurb:

FROM #1 BEST-SELLING AUTHOR IN AMAZON CRIME ACTION & ADVENTURE.

Children are disappearing from London parks. Caught on CCTV, they go in but never come out again…

Days after each disappearance, the distraught parents receive a hand-drawn picture of their child as an angel. A sign they’ll never see them again. The police have no clues or leads. All they have is a nickname for the abductor – the Archangel.

When Savage’s neighbour’s ten-year-old son Callum becomes a victim, he vows to find him, and catch this Archangel. Savage has his headstrong friend Tannaz to help him. This time it’s going to take more than her brilliant computer skills to find the truth. They’ll have to enlist the help of some new friends – and some old enemies.

As more children go missing, Savage realises the Archangel is a formidable adversary. Clever, elusive and terrifying. Savage also has the police on his back, watching his every move. The deeper Savage becomes involved, the more he realises all is not what it seems…

A twisty, chilling, action-packed thriller for fans of Lee Child and David Baldacci.

Savage Children is published today by Adrenalin Books and is available to purchase it from Amazon UK and Amazon US.


My Review:

I loved the first two books in this series, Savage Lies (review here) and Savage Games (review here). They were both stand out reads for me, so I was really excited for this one, and lucky enough to see an early copy.

Although this is the third in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone, as all you need to know is explained. But I heartily recommend you read the first two as they are awesome, and well worth taking the time for. You can also read a fab guest post Peter wrote about the inspiration for John Savage here.

John Savage has reached that point in his life when all he really wants to do is sit in his back garden in his lounge trousers and crocs with a good book and a bucketload of tea. But his young neighbour disappears - he went into the local park and never came out again. Then his desperate parents receive a drawing of Calum as an angel. And it turns out he's not the only missing child.

I am so pleased to see Savage back. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm a little bit in love with him. Underneath the tee shirt and elasticated trousers is a very fit man, with a serious set of skills and a heart for justice. He's an unusual protagonist, being older and retired, but that just makes him more interesting. It was also great to see Tannaz back. She and Savage are so different, but they complement each other, and I love their easy, relaxed relationship.

The story line is a disturbing one as it features children, but it's very original and tense, with a twist in the tale. It's quite high tech in places - Peter has clearly researched computer hacking, video analysis and manipulation.

There are some great new characters here, particularly Vikram, Carl Cooper and Sutcliffe. When I say great, I mean colourful, and really well drawn, not necessarily nice. Actually, not at all nice in some cases. Someone I wasn't keen to see again was Jeff Perkins. If you've read the previous books you'll know why but, if you haven't, all is explained. Anyway, he's back big time in Savage Children in a really interesting and creative development - really keen to see where that goes.

Although the story is serious, there is a lot of humour to be found in this book, often in the dialogue from Savage or Tannaz, but also in the writing. I loved Savage's explanation of how to use the word 'literally' properly, whilst disarming a gang member of his knife. It shouldn't work, but it does. There's a very funny description of Waitrose, and a genius name for a misguided group of paedophile hunters. And as with previous books there are a ton of movie references, with  one film even suggesting a fighting technique.

Original, exciting and beautifully written, Savage Children is a strong addition to the John Savage series. I am already excited for the next instalment, particularly after reading the very end of this one. Please write faster, Pete!


The Author:

After studying to be an architect, Pete realised he wasn’t very good at it. He liked designing buildings he just couldn’t make them stand up, which is a bit of a handicap in an industry that likes to keep things upright. So he switched to advertising, writing ads for everything from cruise lines to zombie video games.

After becoming disillusioned with working in ad agencies, he switched to writing novels (or was it because he just wanted to work at home in his pyjamas?). He soon realised there’s no magic formula. You just have to put one word in front of the other (and keep doing that for about a year). It also helps if you can resist the lure of surfing, playing Nintendo Switch with your son, watching America’s Next Top Model with your  daughter and drinking beer in a garden chair.


Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeterBolandWriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeterBoland19
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7102414.Peter_Boland

Marah Chase and The Conqueror's Tomb by Jay Stringer

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of this book, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to read it for a while. And I'm sorry to admit it then took me a ridiculously long time to write up my thoughts. But finally I've got myself together and done it, after decoding my chaotic notes! Huge apologies to Jay for the delay.


The Blurb:

Rogue archaeologist Marah Chase is approached by MI6 with an impossible mission: to help them recover a dangerous treasure lost after the death of Alexander the Great.

Once a rising star in the field of archaeology, Marah Chase is now a black-market treasure hunter, her services available to the highest bidder. But when she’s caught “rescuing” relics in Syria before they’re destroyed by war, an MI6 officer named Joanna Mason approaches her with an offer she can’t refuse: help save the world or rot in prison.

All Chase has to do is find Alexander the Great’s lost tomb, recover an ancient weapon of mass destruction he may have used to conquer the earth, and destroy it before the bad guys can get it. Among those adversaries are a powerful church that believes in a forgotten epoch of advanced alien technology, the white supremacist thugs in its employ, and the rival archaeologist who recently left Chase for dead.

Chase can’t resist a challenge - or the British spy recruiting her. There’s just one problem. If Chase has any hope of unearthing Alexander’s tomb before the forces hot on her heels do, she’ll need the help of the one person she’s been afraid to see since her fall from grace: Zoe Forrester, the heir to a hidden journal that holds the key - and Chase’s ex-girlfriend.

A contemporary homage to the best adventure stories of literature, television, and film, Marah Chase and the Conqueror’s Tomb is an action-packed, globe-trotting quest, perfect for anyone who’s ever thought Indy really ought to be Jewish, female, and gay.

Marah Chase and the Conqueror's Tomb was published by Pegasus Books on 2nd July 2019 and you can buy it from Waterstones, Amazon UK, Amazon US and other good bookshops.


My Review:

This was my first book by Jay Stringer, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it was going to be different from my usual read, but the blurb really appealed to me. And I'm so pleased I went for it, because I loved it.

This was a complicated story line (for me, anyway 😀), which I needed to focus on. But that was easily done, because this is a fun action packed tale full of colourful characters. And it is absolutely begging to be made into a movie - the references to Indiana Jones (with an added dash of National Treasure, I reckon) in the blurb are justified, but Marah has her own kick ass way of doing things!

The story begins in Syria, where relic hunter Chase is separated from her colleague and friend Ryan whilst trying to outrun the mercenaries chasing them. And from there, things just get crazier!

Marah is tasked by MI6 to find an ancient weapon with an immense power. A weapon from stories and myth - Hitler and Ian Fleming both get a mention - that it seems actually exists. And The Church of Ancient Science has plans for the weapon that need to be stopped...

I loved Marah. She's very much her own woman, confident, capable and sassy. And whilst she doesn't quite have a girl in every port, she certainly has an interesting love life! I also really liked her pilot pal Chuy Guerrero. He's a charmer with the ladies, and full of tall tales. He's very fond of Marah and their relationship is great.

I can't tell you much about the plot without spoiling it for you! It's full of Egyptian and Greek mythology, some real (if you know what I mean!) and some that the author has made up. All the major characters, and there are a fair few of them, are well drawn and, in the main, really interesting. Some of the MI6 guys are (deliberately) a bit grey though, lol. It's an adrenaline filled story from beginning to end, with moments of genuine peril, when my heart was in my mouth. And there are some epic, and varied, chase scenes!

I loved every minute of this read - it's loads of action packed fun. A great, imaginative story, brilliantly written. I'm not sure if there are any plans for it, but I would love to see more of Marah. Whether that happens or not, I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Stringer's work.


The Author:

Jay Stringer was born in 1980, and he's not dead yet.

He was raised in the Black Country, in England, but has lived in Glasgow for a decade now, and his loyalties are divided.

Jay is dyslexic, and came to the written word as a second language, via comic books, music, and comedy.

As a child, he spent his time dreaming of living in the New York of Daredevil comics and crime fiction, but as an adult he's channelled those dreams into fiction of his own.

Jay writes hard boiled crime stories, dark comedies, and social fiction. His heart beats for the outsider, and for people without a voice. He's coined the term "social pulp fiction" to describe his style.

You can find out more by visiting Jay's website or following him on Twitter.

Orentober - Spotlight on Matt Johnson

Whilst I attempt to catch up with my reviews (it's a losing battle!), I'm visiting the archives (although not that far back) for today's Orentober focus on author Matt Johnson and his Robert Finlay trilogy. I read the first two instalments before I started the blog, but I am sharing my Amazon review of the first book, and my blog review for the third one.

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The Author:

Matt Johnson served as a soldier and Metropolitan Police officer for twenty-five years. Blown off his feet at the London Baltic Exchange bombing in 1993, and one of the first police officers on the scene of the 1982 Regent's Park bombing, Matt was also at the Libyan People's Bureau shooting in 1984 where he escorted his mortally wounded friend and colleague, Yvonne Fletcher, to hospital. Hidden wounds took their toll. In 1999, Matt was discharged from the police with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While undergoing treatment, he was encouraged by his counsellor to write about his career and his experience of murders, shootings and terrorism. One evening, Matt sat at his computer and started to weave these notes into a work of fiction that he described as having a tremendously cathartic effect on his own condition.

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Wicked Game:

2001. Age is catching up with Robert Finlay, a police officer on the Royalty Protection team based in London. He's looking forward to returning to uniform policing and a less stressful life with his new family. But fate has other plans. Finlay's deeply traumatic, carefully concealed past is about to return to haunt him. A policeman is killed by a bomb blast, and a second is gunned down in his own driveway. Both of the murdered men were former Army colleagues from Finlay's own SAS regiment, and in a series of explosive events, it becomes clear that he is not the ordinary man that his colleagues, friends and new family think he is. And so begins a game of cat and mouse "a wicked game" in which Finlay is the target, forced to test his long-buried skills in a fight against a determined and unidentified enemy. Wicked Game is a taut, action-packed, emotive thriller about a man who might be your neighbor, a man who is forced to confront his past in order to face a threat that may wipe out his future, a man who is willing to do anything to protect the people he loves. But is it too late?

My Thoughts on Wicked Game:

I love crime novels and thrillers, and was made aware of this book on Twitter. I am so pleased I bought it - I loved spending my nights with Matt Johnson and Robert Finlay! Brilliantly written, this book is thrilling and tense, right from the start. In Robert Finlay, Matt has created a totally believable hero - ex SAS, now police and looking forward to a less stressful life in uniform for the sake of his young family. But fate has other ideas, and Finlay's secret past is slowly revealed, and he has to reawaken old memories and skills to protect himself and those he loves. The story moves at a great pace, and there is no time to get bored. There is plenty of 'technical' speak, both army and police, but it is never cumbersome and is presented so the layperson can understand it.

It is clear that the author has personal knowledge of his subject, and I know that Matt has experience in both these areas, and began writing to help deal his PTSD (details on his website). I think this level of personal knowledge is of huge benefit to the book, and helps present events in a very real way. There are very raw moments in the book, where Finlay struggles with how he feels, and the actions he must take, and I thinks this gives us a tiny insight into the minds of the amazing people who work in law enforcement, and the decisions and actions that they must make every day.

I think this is a fantastic well written debut novel and I can't wait to read more from Matt.

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Deadly Game:

Reeling from the attempts on his life and that of his family, Police Inspector Robert Finlay returns to work to discover that any hope of a peaceful existence has been dashed.
Assigned to investigate the Eastern European sex-slave industry just as a key witness is murdered. Finlay, along with his new partner Nina Brasov, finds himself facing a ruthless criminal gang, determined to keep control of the traffic of people into the UK. On the home front, Finlay’s efforts to protect his wife and child may have been in vain, as an MI5 protection officer uncovers a covert secret service operation that threatens them all…

Aided by new allies, he must not only protect his family but save a colleague from an unseen enemy … and a shocking fate.

Deadly Game is a stunning, terrifying and eye-opening thriller from one of the most exciting new names in crime fiction.

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End Game:

The final instalment in the critically acclaimed Robert Finlay series, as his past continues to haunt him...

Robert Finlay seems to have finally left his SAS past behind him and is settled into his new career as a detective. But when the girlfriend of his former SAS colleague and close friend Kevin Jones is murdered, it's clear that Finlay's troubles are far from over. Jones is arrested for the killing, but soon escapes from jail, and Finlay is held responsible for the breakout. Suspended from duty and sure he's being framed too, our hero teams up with MI5 agent Toni Fellowes to find out who's behind the conspiracy. Their quest soon reveals a plot that goes to the very heart of the UK's security services. End Game, the final part in the critically acclaimed Robert Finlay trilogy, sees our hero in an intricately plotted and terrifyingly fast-paced race to uncover the truth and escape those who'd sooner have him dead than be exposed.

My Thoughts on End Game:

I was super excited about this book, because I'm in it! Well, my (other) name is! In 2017, I was lucky enough be the winner of Matt's lot in a huge author auction to raise money for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Part of the prize was to have my name used in Matt's forthcoming book.

I had been looking forward to this book for ages, having loved the first two in the series, Wicked Game and Deadly Game. And I wasn't disappointed. Time has moved on a bit from the second book, Robert Finlay has a second daughter, and has settled in at work. But then his friend Kevin's girlfriend is murdered and everything goes haywire! Once the action gets going, it doesn't let up.

It can easily be read as a standalone, although there are references back to previous events, but you would enjoy it if you came to it fresh. However, if you get the chance to read the first two then do, because they are well worth it.

I love Finlay. He is such a well written, well rounded character. His love for his wife and daughters shines through, as does his commitment to the job. And his relationship with Kevin is brilliant - complete trust both ways. It was good to see Toni Fellowes back with her no nonsense approach. One of my favourite characters in this series has been Toni's assistant, Nell - a very bright, focused young woman, possibly with autistic tendencies who is incredibly good at her job of researching pretty much anyone or anything. She's a really interesting character.

I don't want to say too much about the story itself for fear of spoiling it. Suffice to say, we meet some slimy individuals and some downright nasty ones, as Findlay fights to help his friend, and himself. And the action doesn't stop til the end.

What makes this series stand out is that it oozes authenticity. Matt Johnson is an ex policeman and has drawn on his own experiences when writing. His story is a really interesting one, and you can find out more at his website.

I am sad that this is the last in the trilogy, and hope this doesn't mean we've heard the last of Bob Finlay. But whatever comes next from Matt, I can't wait to read it.

And my character? Well, that would be telling... You'll need to read it to find out.

You can see my original post here.

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All three books are available from Orenda Books and all usual suppliers.

Orentober - Spotlight on Matt Wesolowski

So, October is here which means #Orentober is too! Orentober is a month long celebration of all things Orenda. It's the brainchild of Danielle at The Reading Closet (@book_obsessed1) and Kelly at From Belgium with Book Love (@kellyvandamme), who were themselves inspired by #Fahrenbury, brought to us by Mart at The Beardy Book Blogger (@LaughingGravy71) and Matt at It's An Indie Book Blog (@ThatMattKeyes). I will be sharing reviews, old and new, of books published by Orenda throughout the month.

Orenda Books is a British-based independent publishing house that publishes literary and crime fiction, half of which is in translation. The London-based publisher was established in 2014 by the powerhouse that is Karen Sullivan.

For my first #Orentober post, I'm going back to the beginning of the year when I read the amazing Six Stories series by Matt  Wesolowski and it was like nothing I'd ever read before. 

The Author:

Matt Wesolowski is an author from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the UK. He is an English tutor for young people in care. Matt started his writing career in horror, and his short horror fiction has been published in numerous UK and US based anthologies such as Midnight Movie Creature, Selfies from the End of the World, Cold Iron and many more. His novella, The Black Land, a horror story set on the Northumberland coast, was published in 2013. Matt was a winner of the Pitch Perfect competition at Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival in 2015. His debut thriller, Six Stories, was an Amazon bestseller in the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia, and a WH Smith Fresh Talent pick, and TV rights were sold to a major Hollywood studio. 

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Six Stories:

One body. Six stories. Which one is true?

1997. Scarclaw Fell. The body of teenager Tom Jeffries is found at an outward bound centre. Verdict? Misadventure. But not everyone is convinced. And the truth of what happened in the beautiful but eerie fell is locked in the memories of the tight-knit group of friends who embarked on that fateful trip, and the flimsy testimony of those living nearby.

2017. Enter elusive investigative journalist Scott King, whose podcast examinations of complicated cases have rivalled the success of Serial, with his concealed identity making him a cult internet figure. In a series of six interviews, King attempts to work out how the dynamics of a group of idle teenagers conspired with the sinister legends surrounding the fell to result in Jeffries’ mysterious death. And who’s to blame…

As every interview unveils a new revelation, you’ll be forced to work out for yourself how Tom Jeffries died, and who is telling the truth.

A chilling, unpredictable and startling thriller, Six Stories is also a classic murder mystery with a modern twist, and a devastating ending.

My Thoughts on Six Stories: 

"It's well paced, intelligent, absorbing, beautifully written, atmospheric, dark and creepy as anything. And I did not see that ending coming - blew me away!"

You can read my full review here.

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Hydra:

A family massacre. A deluded murderess. Five witnesses. Six stories. Which one is true?

One cold November night in 2014, in a small town in the north west of England, 21-year-old Arla Macleod bludgeoned her mother, father and younger sister to death with a hammer, in an unprovoked attack known as the Macleod Massacre. Now incarcerated at a medium-security mental-health institution, Arla will speak to no one but Scott King, an investigative journalist, whose Six Stories podcasts have become an internet sensation.

King finds himself immersed in an increasingly complex case, interviewing five witnesses and Arla herself, as he questions whether Arla’s responsibility for the massacre was a diminished as her legal team made out.

As he unpicks the stories, he finds himself thrust into a world of deadly forbidden ‘games’, online trolls, and the mysterious black-eyed kids, whose presence seems to extend far beyond the delusions of a murderess…

Dark, chilling and gripping, Hydra is both a classic murder mystery and an up-to-the-minute, startling thriller, that shines light in places you may never, ever want to see again.

My Thoughts on Hydra:

 "Suffice to say, in my opinion, it's another triumph for a fabulous new voice in crime fiction. Inventive, creepy, disturbing and authentic. A must read!"

You can read my full review here. 

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Changeling:

On Christmas Eve in 1988, seven-year-old Alfie Marsden vanished in the dark Wentshire Forest Pass, when his father, Sorrel, stopped the car to investigate a mysterious knocking sound. No trace of the child, nor his remains, have ever been found. Alfie Marsden was declared officially dead in 1995.

Elusive online journalist, Scott King, whose ‘Six Stories’ podcasts have become an internet sensation, investigates the disappearance, interviewing six witnesses, including Sorrel and his ex-partner, to try to find out what really happened that fateful night. Journeying through the trees of the Wentshire Forest – a place synonymous with strange sightings, and tales of hidden folk who dwell there, he talks to a company that tried and failed to build a development in the forest, and a psychic who claims to know what happened to the little boy…

Intensely dark, deeply chilling and searingly thought provoking, Changeling is the latest in the critically acclaimed, international bestselling Six Stories series, written as six Serial-style podcasts, and which are being adapted for TV by a major US studio.

My Thoughts on Changeling:

 "It's original, dark, atmospheric, immersive, chilling and authentic. Phenomenal - yes, I know I've used it before... Matt is a huge talent..."

You can read my full review here. 

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So there you have it. Please do check out the reviews - I actually ran out of wonderful things to say about these books (and Matt's writing), and raved about them to everyone. You can buy them directly from Orenda and all usual outlets (some links are provided in the original reviews).

And the REALLY EXCITING news is that a fourth instalment in the series is coming in February, and it sounds AMAZING! Take a look below:

Beast:

Elusive online journalist Scott King examines the chilling case of a young vlogger found frozen to death in the legendary local ‘vampire tower’, in another explosive episode of Six Stories…

In the wake of the 'Beast from the East' cold snap that ravaged the UK in 2018, a grisly discovery was made in a ruin on the Northumbrian coast. Twenty-four-year-old vlogger, Elizabeth Barton, had been barricaded inside what locals refer to as 'The Vampire Tower', where she was later found frozen to death.

Three young men, part of an alleged 'cult', were convicted of this terrible crime, which they described as a 'prank gone wrong'

However, in the small town of Ergarth, questions have been raised about the nature of Elizabeth Barton's death and whether the three convicted youths were even responsible.

Elusive online journalist Scott King speaks to six witnesses – people who knew both the victim and the three killers – to peer beneath the surface of the case. He uncovers whispers of a shocking online craze that held the young of Ergarth in its thrall and drove them to escalate a series of pranks in the name of internet fame. He hears of an abattoir on the edge of town, which held more than simple slaughter behind its walls, the tragic and chilling legend of the ‘Ergarth Vampire…

Both a compulsive, taut and terrifying thriller, and a bleak and distressing look at modern society's desperation for attention, Beast will unveil a darkness from which you may never return…

See, I told you - it sounds amazing! It's available to pre order now, and I can't wait. Why don't you catch up with the others so you'll be ready for Beast?