Rage and Retribution (A DI Sterling Thriller) by Lorraine Mace

I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for another Paolo Sterling thriller from Lorraine Mace having loved the previous one I read. Big thanks to Emma at damppebbles blog tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.  

The Blurb:

Can two wrongs ever make a right?

A man is found by the side of a canal, comatose and brutally attacked.

It quickly becomes clear that someone is abducting men and subjecting them to horrific acts of torture. After three days they're released, fighting for their lives and refusing to speak.

A councillor is accused of fraud.

Montague Mason is an upstanding member of the community. That is until he's publicly accused of stealing the youth centre's funds - an accusation that threatens to rip through the very heart of the community and expose his best-kept secret. But how far would he go to protect himself?

Two cases. One deadly answer.

As the two cases collide, D.I. Paolo Sterling finds he has more questions than answers. And, when torture escalates to murder, he suddenly finds himself in a race against time to find the killer and put an end to the depravity - once and for all.

Rage and Retribution was published in paperback, audio and digital formats by Accent Press on 13th February 2020.

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK

Amazon US 

Kobo 

My Review:

Rage and Retribution is the fourth in the DI Sterling series but can easily be read as a standalone. I had only read the first one, Retriever of Souls before this (review here) and didn't feel disadvantaged in any way.

DI Paolo Sterling is unveiling the plaque at the opening ceremony of the youth centre he was instrumental in renovating, but things don't quite go plan and Councillor Montague Mason (brilliant name) is anonymously accused of a crime. It seems like it might just be a stunt, but Paolo is duty bound to investigate. And also to discover who the accuser is from all the staff, volunteers, tradespeople and businessmen involved in the regeneration of the centre.

Meanwhile, an unidentified man has been admitted to the local hospital in a coma with terrible injuries that suggest prolonged, painful torture. His doctor has seen similar injuries before and and calls Paolo in to discuss the situation.

On top of all this, Paolo's personal life is in turmoil on all fronts, and sidekick Dave is being bullied by some of his colleagues. He's also a bit distracted by stuff outside of work.

I like Paolo. He's a straight arrow with a good moral compass and strong sense of right and wrong, sometimes to the point of being a bit blinkered. He loves his family deeply and clearly cares for the people who work under him. Dave too, is a great character. He's much calmer here than when I met him in book one, and is a solid, reliable member of the team.  All the characters are brilliantly described - the janitor and the swimming coach at the youth centre are standouts for me in this respect.

And it's just as well these chaps are made of strong stuff. As the seemingly unrelated cases start to look a little less unconnected, Paolo and his team have to deal with some pretty difficult and uncomfortable things. This would seem like a good time to mention that Rage and Retribution features a fair bit of graphic sexual violence, which has stayed with me since reading it, so it won't be for everyone. It made for some uncomfortable reading, but I felt it was an interesting take on the things, once the full story became clear. There's also some entertainment in a local club which is pretty twisted, but novel.

The plot line was complex enough to keep my attention without confusing me too much and there are plenty of red herrings and sub plots. The denouement was tense and had me shouting 'No!' at my Kindle screen. It was nail biting! This is a strong story, with  great characters and a hefty dose of sexual violence, perhaps a tad too much for me. But I enjoyed the book and loved seeing what was going on with Paolo - poor guy doesn't get it easy!

The Author:

Born and raised in South East London, Lorraine lived and worked in South Africa, on the Island of Gozo and in France before settling on the Costa del Sol in Spain. She lives with her partner in a traditional Spanish village inland from the coast and enjoys sampling the regional dishes and ever-changing tapas in the local bars. Her knowledge of Spanish is expanding. To stop her waistline from doing the same, she runs five times a week.

When not working on the D.I. Sterling series of crime novels, Lorraine is engaged in many writing-related activities. She is a columnist for both Writing Magazine and Writers' Forum and is head judge for Writers' Forum monthly fiction competitions.

A tutor for Writers Bureau, she also runs her own private critique and author mentoring service.

Author Social Media Links:

Twitter

Facebook

Website

Blog

Instagram

Feasible Planet by Ken Kroes

Today I am delighted to shine a spotlight on to Feasible Planet by Ken Kroes. We are destroying our planet and things need to change. This book helps us to take small steps to improving the situation, with clear explanations of the science and reasoning behind the suggested changes. Thanks to Kelly at Love Books Tours for inviting me to take part in today's blog blitz.

The Blurb:

Are we doing enough?

Are you concerned about the state of our planet and hope that governments and corporations will find a sustainable way for us to live? If you do not think about it too hard, that may work, but will it? Left on their own, with drivers of popularity and profits, I am not too convinced that it will.

The missing part of this equation is you and me. Individuals who believe that corporations and governments can do better. Individuals who believe that through action, we can buy a bit more time to develop and implement solutions to our critical issues.

Did I hear a groan out there when you read the word ‘actions’? Do not worry! Most of the actions that I am referring to will not only help save the planet, but will benefit you right away through saving money, time, better health, and having a happier life in general.

Sustainability goes beyond controlling our consumption and pollution. There are key social, political, and economic areas that need to be addressed as well, and there are several steps that individuals can take to help in these areas.

For those of you who feel we could do more, this book is for you and is loaded with actionable activities, the reasons for doing them, and explores why we are not doing them already.

  

Every journey starts with a first step. Hopefully, this book will lead to those first sustainable steps and that will change the world.

Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/2Sm9tnQ

The Author:

Ken Kroes is the author of the Percipience Eco-Fiction Series and the non-fiction books, Feasible Planet and Feasible Living. He is passionate about our relationship with our planet and applies his diverse background which includes agriculture, mechanical engineering and information systems into his writing. Born in Calgary, Canada he has bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and has had the pleasure of living in many locations in North America and has travelled extensively.

He can be reached at Ken@feasibleplanet.com

Containment by Vanda Symon

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Containment, the third Sam Shephard novel from Vanda Symon and I'm delighted to share my review below (click through to see my reviews of the first two books, Overkill and The Ringmaster). Huge thanks as always to Anne Cater for inviting me and to Karen Sullivan at Orenda for my review copy.

The Blurb:

Chaos reigns in the sleepy village of Aramoana on the New Zealand coast, when a series of shipping containers wash up on the beach and looting begins. Detective Constable Sam Shephard experiences the desperation of the scavengers first-hand, and ends up in an ambulance, nursing her wounds and puzzling over an assault that left her assailant for dead. What appears to be a clear-cut case of a cargo ship running aground soon takes a more sinister turn when a skull is found in the sand, and the body of a diver is pulled from the sea ... a diver who didn't die of drowning...

As first officer at the scene, Sam is handed the case, much to the displeasure of her superiors, and she must put together an increasingly confusing series of clues to get to the bottom of a mystery that may still have more victims...

Containment was published by Orenda Books as an eBook on 5th January 2020 and in paperback on 5th March 2020. It is available from the publisher and all usual retailers. In these difficult times, please do try to support independent bookshops if you can. Check out if your local one can deliver to you or send in the post. Or online you could try Hive (which will link to the nearest participating indie bookshop). 

My Review:

'Though she be but little, she is fierce.'

It's not often that I quote William Shakespeare in my reviews, but this particular quote came to mind when I was thinking about Sam Shephard.

Containment is the third Sam Shephard novel, but can easily be enjoyed as a standalone. A quiet weekend of dog sitting for Sam turns into something quite different when a cargo ship runs aground and the inhabitants of coastal village Aramoana, and beyond, start looting the containers washed ashore. Sam gets into the middle of a fight between two men and ends up in hospital for her trouble. Her assailant, however, comes off worse. Returning to work after her recovery, she is sent to recover a body drowned at sea, except it turns out he didn't drown after all...

A brilliant cast of characters help bring this story to life. It was hard not to laugh at the description of Frog, whose real name was even funnier, and I had a perfect (to me) idea of the man with the walrus moustache. And Spaz, with his very unPC nickname, was my absolute favourite here. He's cheeky, funny and capable. It was great to see Symon show a disabled character with so much respect, using humour but never mocking or belittling, instead showing his abilities.

Of course at the centre of the story is Sam. I have followed her career over the last two books and was delighted to see her back. To go back to my quote at the beginning, she's a little powerhouse. She's not always taken seriously by some colleagues who don't consider she's earned her place in the team, and is frequently put down by her boss DI Johns (oh, I so wanted to punch him), often publicly, but constantly strives to prove herself. She is supported and encouraged by partner Smithy, colleague Reihana and one or two others, and she is determined to show she is up to the job. Outside of work she has best friend Maggie, who is the kind of friend everyone needs, and Paul, although she seems determined to stuff things up with him. She is strong, but not as strong as she likes to make out, and we often see her emotional side, and that just made me warm to her more. Everyone is so well described that I have full pictures of them in my mind.

The story is actually made up of two or three different strands all cleverly woven together, and what begins as a fairly pedestrian police investigation soon ramps up into something more urgent, as more discoveries are made. There are red herrings aplenty too. A real sense of place added to my enjoyment - I loved The Mole, the breakwater at Aramoana. Actually, I think I would like Aramoana, it sounds beautiful. There is humour sprinkled throughout, often between Sam and her work colleagues, but her conversation with Crystal the spider had me crying with laughter (there were drugs involved)!

I really didn't see where the story was going, and the ending had my heart in my mouth. It was very tense and unexpectedly emotional. Not everything was tied up, and there were some changes afoot both at home and work for Sam, so I'm really hoping she'll be back.

Funny, touching, tense, well paced, clearly well researched (there are one or two icky bits) and full of brilliant characters, I loved this. Sam may be little, but she's certainly fierce and fabulous, and I can't wait to join her for her next adventure.

The Author: 

Vanda Symon is a crime writer, TV presenter and radio host from Dunedin, New Zealand, and the chair of the Otago Southland branch of the New Zealand Society of Authors. The Sam Shephard series has climbed to number on the New Zealand bestseller list and also been shortlisted for Ngaio Marsh Award for best crime novel. She currently lives in Dunedin, with her husband and two sons. 

Mine by Clare Empson

I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for this brilliant book. My thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb:

'Who am I? Why am I here? Why did my mother give me away?'

On the surface, Luke and his girlfriend Hannah seem to have a perfect life. He's an A&R man, she's an arts correspondent and they are devoted to their newborn son Samuel.

But beneath the gloss Luke has always felt like an outsider. So when he finds his birth mother Alice, the instant connection with her is a little like falling in love.

When Hannah goes back to work, Luke asks Alice to look after their son. But Alice - fuelled with grief from when her baby was taken from her 27 years ago - starts to fall in love with Samuel. And Luke won't settle for his mother pushing him aside once again...

Mine was published by Orion as an eBook on 22nd August 2019 and in paperback today, and is available from all usual retailers. Why not visit your local independent bookshop? Or online you could try Bert's Books, The Big Green Bookshop, or Hive (which will link to the nearest participating indie bookshop).

My Review:

Oh gosh, where to start! This is my first book by this author but on the strength of this, I think I would enjoy her previous novel. Mine is dark, tense, emotional and heartbreaking. Alternating between dual timelines we see things from Luke's first person point of view now (2000) and Alice's then (1973).

Luke has recently found his birth mother, and the connection between them is immediate. Alice is delighted to meet Luke, his girlfriend Hannah and little baby Samuel. She is brilliant with the wee one. after a few meetings, Luke is thrilled that everything is going so well. So when Hannah goes back to work, Alice offers to look after Samuel and the arrangement suits everyone - Hannah can work, Luke can build a relationship with Alice and she can get to know her baby grandson. Everything igoes great. For a while. But soon Luke feels that Alice only wants to spend time with Samuel and all his efforts to get to know his mother fall flat, causing him a growing sense of unease. 

Meanwhile, back in 1973, Alice is in art school, against her parents' wishes, where she quickly bonds with Rick. Then on a night out they meet the lead singer of an up and coming band, and the encounter changes their lives for ever.

There are so many richly drawn characters here, Luke and Alice particularly. Luke's feeling of not belonging, not fitting in, is acute, but so is his worry about being disloyal to his adopted mother. His fear about meeting Alice for the first time - even I had butterflies in my tummy! Alice that we meet in 2000 wasn't immediately likeable, but my opinion of her changed as I learned more about her. Her younger self that we meet in 1973, I loved. She's nineteen years old, finding her way in life and love and determined to grab them with both hands. But mention must go to Rick, who for me is the unsung hero in this book. Such an important character.  And I loved 70s London and Italy, brought to life here so evocatively.

This is much slower than most psychological thrillers I've read, but tension builds steadily in both storylines as they move towards their respective conclusions, and towards each other. I did feel the denouement was dealt with rather quickly after building up to it through the whole book, but enjoyed it nevertheless.

Empson hasn't been afraid to tackle sensitive and difficult topics, in this case adoption and mental health, and she does so very effectively. She has clearly done her research, and it shows. Yes, this is a thriller, but a character driven one with real heart. And more than that, it's a novel about love, loss, family, grief, identity and belonging. It's an emotional read which might just make you cry. Would happily recommend.

The Author:

Clare Empson is a journalist with a background in national newspapers and has worked as a small business editor, finance correspondent and fashion at the Mail on Sunday and the Daily Express. Clare freelances for The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times, the Evening Standard and Tatler amongst others. She currently works as editor/founder of experiential lifestyle website www.countrycalling.co.uk. Him is her debut novel. Her second novel Mine is an exploration of the fraught relationship between a birth mother and her adopted son set against a backdrop of a passionate love affair in the 70s.


Be sure to check out the other awesome bloggers taking part in the tour! Details above and below. 

Happy Birthday to Me - with Anniversary Giveaway!

Happy birthday to me! Well, not quite - still a couple of months to wait for that. But this here little blog is two years old today!

This last year has been a bit up and down. I was off work for eight months with poor mental health, so things were  difficult for a while, and there were tears. Lots of tears. And anxieties. I struggled with events, mainly book ones, and festivals, but with the support of fabulous friends I made it to most things. At times blogging felt too much. Hell, at times, reading felt a bit much. I took December off, but otherwise kept going, albeit a bit sporadically. I didn't read as many books or write as many reviews as I would have liked, but that's OK.

With author Johana Gustawsson at Bloody Scotland, September 2019.
Photo taken by Thomas Enger.

The blog still needs work done to it - think I might have said that a year ago, or more😂. The number of followers has just about scraped into double figures 😂 but with a bigger presence on Twitter and shares by wonderful members of the blogging community, my posts reach a wider audience. Over the last two years, I've shared 229 posts and had over 63,500 page views. I have no idea if that is good or bad, but that doesn't matter because it's not about the numbers. It is, and always has been, about sharing the book love.

So that was then and this is now. After a lot of help, some ongoing, and making some changes my mental health is way, way better and I'm feeling much happier (except about what's going on currently) which is great.

Far too early (for me) the other morning, but wanted a recent happy, if a little messy, pic. 

But this third (blog) year isn't starting  brilliantly. I went back work last week in a voluntary capacity to settle in and will re-start my job proper next week. Hopefully. The timing, what with Covid-19 and all isn't great, and I, like many others, will be impacted. But I work with individuals who have a degree of deafblindness and many of them will need support over this time, so I expect to be out working at least some of the time. And I am determined to use this time of social distancing to catch up with 101 things, but primarily my backlog of reading and reviewing. Oh, and I should probably finish my decorating... And of course the blog will continue to be about sharing the book love! ❤

But enough of these inane ramblings, this is a birthday, for goodness sake! There should be celebrations! And cake! And presents! Well, I must be doing something wrong, because I'm the one giving out presents! To celebrate, as is now tradition - because I did it last year  - I'm doing an anniversary giveaway. And because it's also tradition - and he happens to publish books at the right time - I'm giving away the new one from Douglas Skelton, which this year is, The Blood Is Still. It's an absolute belter of a book and you can read my review here. Given the situation we're all in, I've opted not to go with a paperback which would need posted etc. and will instead be giving away THREE Kindle copies.

Douglas Skelton almost looking pleased I'd bought his book! 😂 😂 😂
At his fab launch event in Edinburgh in March 2020.

To enter, follow the blog and comment here and/or find me on Facebook (Suze Reviews), Twitter (@SuzeCM) or Instagram (simplysuze70) and follow the instructions to enter there.  A contribution in each platform counts as a separate entry (only one per platform), giving you up to four chances of winning, so go for it! Entries will be allocated a number and the winners will be selected by a random number generator. Closing at midday on Wednesday 25th March. Get entering and good luck! Oh, and I'm keeping the birthday cake to myself, sorry (not sorry)!

* Please note this competition is not affiliated in any way with Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

Mexico Street by Simone Buchholz (translated by Rachel Ward)

As always, I'm thrilled to be taking part in a blog tour for Orenda Books, this time for Mexico Street, featuring feisty prosecutor Chastity Riley. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to Karen at Orenda for my review copy.

The Blurb:

Hamburg state prosecutor Chastity Riley investigates a series of arson attacks on cars across the city, which leads her to a startling and life-threatening discovery involving criminal gangs and a very illicit love story…

Night after night, cars are set alight across the German city of Hamburg, with no obvious pattern, no explanation and no suspect.

Until, one night, on Mexico Street, a ghetto of high-rise blocks in the north of the city, a Fiat is torched. Only this car isn’t empty. The body of Nouri Saroukhan – prodigal son of the Bremen clan – is soon discovered, and the case becomes a homicide.

Public prosecutor Chastity Riley is handed the investigation, which takes her deep into a criminal underground that snakes beneath the whole of Germany. And as details of Nouri’s background, including an illicit relationship with the mysterious Aliza, emerge, it becomes clear that these are not random attacks, and there are more on the cards…

Mexico Street was published by Orenda Books as an eBook on 5th January 2020 and in paperback on 5th March 2020. It is available from the publisher and all usual retailers. Why not visit your local independent bookshop? Or online you could try Bert's Books, The Big Green Bookshop, or Hive (which will link to the nearest participating indie bookshop).

My Review:

This is the third book featuring prosecutor Chastity Riley but the first one I've read. I didn't feel particularly disadvantaged and enjoyed this as a standalone, but there are various incidents and relationships alluded to here that I want to investigate further so I will be seeking out the previous books.

Hamburg is being set on fire. Well, cars in Hamburg are being set on fire. Public prosecutor Chastity Riley isn't that bothered about those, but when a car set alight in Mexico Street with a man locked inside she's interested. The man is Nouri Saroukhan, an estranged member of an extensive, strict and closed off criminal clan from Bremen. His death leads Riley and her colleagues into the murky world of the Mhallami criminals, clan wars and uncovers an intense, illicit love affair.

Written in the first person, mainly present tense and mainly from Riley's point of view, although we do visit the past with Nouri and Aliza, Buchholz's style is not one I'm used to. So it took me a while to get used to it. The world she presents is dark, noirish, intense and pretty bleak. However, Riley and her team provide a counterpoint to that with their humour, sarcasm and camaraderie.

Chastity is such an interesting, layered and flawed character. She drinks too much, smokes too much and tells it like it is. She doesn't like mornings - 'The pilot-policeman tries to focus on me. It won't work. I'm fundamentally out of focus at this time in the morning.' and used phrases like 'gets on my tits'. I like her! But she doesn't do soft or emotional. There seems to be much heartache in Riley's past and she has tried to close herself off. But there is a definite frisson between her and colleague Stepanovic - I loved their exchanges - and she is completely thrown when an old face turns up.

The extended Saroukhan clan are cruel, vicious and deadly with absolutely no respect for the law. Their treatment of women is  eye watering and anger fizzles off the page every time the Mhallami men meet with the police. This feels authentic - Buchholz has clearly done her research. And in the face of all this anger, fear and hostility, love affairs must all be doomed.

Once used to it, the author's style is often surreal, frequently poetic. There is a wonderful moment when Chastity mentally throws a question out into the room and Buchholz describes the route it takes on its way back to Chastity, bouncing off walls etc. Another, a description of clothes falling to the floor, is really powerful. And I loved her enjoying a halloumi wrap because warm cheese holds together her cuts on the inside for a while. But there are many other fine examples. So, this seems a good point to thank Rachel Ward for the excellent translation which enabled me to enjoy this text.

I whizzed through this little book with its short, snappy chapters. And it would be remiss of me not to mention the chapter headings - some of the best titles ever! Favourites were 'Loneliness is like a jacket that's too tight, but without the jacket you freeze', 'Stand by me, because of the frogs and because of all the very different shit too' and 'A face to match the taste in my mouth', which I had highlighted in the text. These headings added to my enjoyment, wondering where they would fit in.

It took me a wee while, but I loved this book. Actually it's grown on me. It's very dark even though the cars are burning bright. It could be depressing but for the wonderful characters Buchholz has created, especially in Chastity Riley and Ivo Stepanovic, but the others too, and the humour shot through the writing. The whole thing brought to mind an old black and white film - in fact, I would love to see this on screen! Simone, you have a new fan!

The Author:

Simone Buchholz was born in Hanau in 1972. At university, she studied Philosophy and Literature, worked as a waitress and a columnist, and trained to be a journalist at the prestigious Henri-Nannen-School in Hamburg. In 2016, Simone Buchholz was awarded the Crime Cologne Award as well as runner-up in the German Crime Fiction Prize for Blue Night, which was number one on the KrimiZEIT Best of Crime List for months. She lives in Sankt Pauli, in the heart of Hamburg, with her husband and son.

Paper Sparrows by Nathalie Abi-Ezzi

I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for this beautiful book - something a wee bit different for me. Huge thanks to Emma Welton at damppebblestours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb:

It is the summer of 2006, and nineteen-year-old London music student, Layla, returns home for the holidays to a now peaceful Lebanon. When she arrives, though, she finds that her troubled younger brother has gone missing. "Borrowing" her father's car, she heads to Beirut to search for him, meeting a variety of people along the way. But her quest is cut short when, without warning, Beirut comes under heavy artillery fire. A new war has begun, and now she is trapped in the middle of it.

Paper Sparrows was published in paperback and digital format by Holland House Books on 5th March 2020.

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Waterstones
Foyles
WHSmith


My Review:

Before I talk about the book itself, can I just give it some cover love? I'm not easily influenced by covers but this one is really attractive. I love how everything comes together into something gorgeous.

This book is a departure for me, not my usual thing at all, but it appealed to me. I am horribly ignorant of the history and politics of this area of the world so it was an interesting read from that point of view, but this is a very human story.

Nineteen year old Layla has been studying music in London but is returning home to Lebanon for the holidays for the first time in three years. She is devastated when her brother isn't there to welcome her back. Sixteen year old Ziad has stormed off to a friend's place in Beirut after an argument with his father. When he is still not home after nearly two days and there has been no contact from him, Layla borrows her father's car and heads off to Beirut to look for him, even though there is a threat of war on the horizon. When she arrives at the home of Ziad's friend Jacques, she discovers that he wasn't such a great friend. But as Layla searches for Ziad, helped by Jacques's brother Joe, the threat of war suddenly gets much closer.

I loved Layla. I felt her frustration at her brother's absence when she arrived and her sadness as she realises how different she is now from the friends she grew up with. And her surprise at the changes that her country has experienced in the time she has been away. I loved reading her memories from when she was younger, particularly ones featuring Ziad who she clearly loves dearly. She is independent, resourceful and absolutely determined to find her brother. Oh, and she's falling in love.

A sweet, earnest young man, Joe offers to help Layla find Ziad, insists actually, and they tentatively start to get to know each other. Abu-Ezzi writes beautifully, perfectly illustrating the faltering beginnings of a relationship, the highs and lows:
'He looks beautiful standing there. Not the person she interpreted outside his flat yesterday, but someone more.'

But their fledgling romance, along with their search for Ziad, is threatened when bombs start falling on Beirut. The absolute terror that people must have felt is depicted well, and also the fear of not knowing. Not knowing if you'll survive the night, or what you'll find when you open your door or whether your relatives will survive. I am lucky never to have had those fears but this gave me an idea of how it might feel.

There are so many wonderful characters in this book. As well as Layla and Joe, I was particularly touched by Fadi, Layla's father. There's a scene towards the end with him and Layla that brought tears to my eyes. But really, all the characters are richly described.

The author's style of writing, her descriptions, the flow of her words all really spoke to me. Even the scenes about bombs and fear and crying are beautiful to read. Here's another short example of the writing, one of several I highlighted:
'She...feels like a fish out of water: taken away from her element, she knows she will carry on gasping until she finds herself swimming in music again.'

This is a book about family, love, loss, identity, fear, music and bombs. The ending was bittersweet for me. Actually, it hurt my heart a little, but I think it was the right choice. I thought this book was beautiful and I loved it.


The Author:

Nathalie Abi-Ezzi was born in Beirut, and has lived in Lebanon, Austria and the UK.

It was while working on her Ph.D in English Literature at King's College London that she realized that she wanted to write her own novels rather than just analyse other people's. So, while working variously as an editor, teacher and tutor, she wrote and published several prize-winning short stories and her first novel, A Girl Made of Dust (4th Estate, 2008), which was short-listed for the Desmond Elliot Prize and the Author's Club Best First Novel Award, and was the winner of the LiBeraturpreis in 2011.

She has, for better or worse, always been given to utterly pointless yet entirely joyful activities like playing music, drawing, painting, reading, and going on long walks. She has a particular interest in animal welfare, and has volunteered at shelters and rescue centres for many years. She always has a rescue dog by her side while writing, which is perhaps why animals invariably find their way into her work ...


Author Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EzziAbi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathalieabiezzi/
Website: http://www.nathalieabiezzi.com/

Deep Dark Night by Steph Broadribb

Today is my stop on the tour for this, the fourth book in the Lori Anderson series. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for my review copy.

The Blurb:

Working off the books for FBI Special Agent Alex Monroe, Florida bounty hunter Lori Anderson and her partner, JT, head to Chicago. Their mission: to entrap the head of the Cabressa crime family. The bait: a priceless chess set that Cabressa is determined to add to his collection.

An exclusive high-stakes poker game is arranged in the penthouse suite of one of the city’s tallest buildings, with Lori holding the cards in an agreed arrangement to hand over the pieces, one by one. But, as night falls and the game plays out, stakes rise and tempers flare.

When a power failure plunges the city into darkness, the building goes into lockdown. But this isn’t an ordinary blackout, and the men around the poker table aren’t all who they say they are. Hostages are taken, old scores resurface and the players start to die.

And that’s just the beginning...

Deep Dark Night was published by Orenda Books in eBook form on 5th January 2020 and in paperback on 5th March 2020. It is available from the publisher and all usual retailers. Why not visit your local independent bookshop? Or online you could try Bert's Books, The Big Green Bookshop, or Hive (which will link to the nearest participating indie bookshop).

My Review:

Oh, it's so good to have Lori back! And what a ride Broadribb takes her and us on!

This is the fourth book in the Lori Anderson series, and the third one I've read, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone. There are references back to events in the previous book (Deep Dirty Truth) that might make you want to go and read it (and you should as it's excellent), but you don't need to have done to enjoy this one.

Lori and JT leave their daughter Dakota with 'Mr' Red and head to Chicago to do what Lori is determined will be her last job for Agent Monroe. She is in possession of a valuable chess set that mob boss Cabressa wants, and Monroe wants Cabressa. Lori just needs to take part in a high stakes poker game with Cabressa and various other players and reach a point where her and Cabressa are the only players. Which would be much easier if Lori actually knew how to play poker! JT will play the role of her security guy.

The setting for the game is a penthouse on the 63rd floor of a skyscraper. And when the power goes out across the city, the building's safety protocols mean that the penthouse locks down and essentially becomes one large panic room. Lori, Cabressa, his security man, the other players, the woman running the game and by a fluke JT (who had been elsewhere in the building) are trapped there. Tempers soon flare and violence erupts. And then things take a terrifying turn, and the players are asked to play a very different game.

I love Lori. She's kick ass, sassy and brave as hell. As a bounty hunter she is used to being a woman in a man's world and knows how to handle herself. She is feeling a bit more vulnerable after events in the last book, and she is really out of her depth in this situation. But she adapts.Steps up. She knows she must succeed to get home to her daughter. Broadribb really puts her through the ringer here, gives her a tough time. I was biting my nails with worry for much of this book! JT doesn't get off easily either - at one point  my heart was in my mouth with fear. He's such a great character too. He's not always been in Lori's life, but they are now finding their feet in their relationship. And he will do whatever it takes to protect her. I reckon he's the kind of guy most women would want.

The other players all have secrets, and Steph has assembled a pretty rum bunch. They are forced to look at themselves and each other, and there's not much good in any of them, except perhaps Otis who was the standout for me. I think probably because his reaction was closest to how I imagine mine would be and so I could relate to him. And I really felt for him.

Broadribb has taken a locked room mystery, and spiced it right up. There are hints of Casino Royale in the early part, and then things get really crazy. It's an adrenaline filled trip, dizzying in it's excitement. And terrifying. It's original and constantly takes unexpected turns. I was breathless by the end! I loved it.


The Author:

Steph Broadribb was born in Birmingham and grew up in Buckinghamshire. Most of her working life has been spent between the UK and USA. As her alter ego - Crime Thriller Girl - she indulges in her love of all things crime fiction by blogging at crimethrillergirl.com, where she interviews authors and reviews the latest releases. She is also a member of the crime-themed girl band The Splice Girls. Steph is an alumni of the MA Creative Writing (Crime Fiction) at City University London, and she trained as a bounty hunter in California, which inspired her Lori Anderson thrilliers, She lives in Buckinghamshire surrounded by horses, cows and chickens. Her debut thriller, Deep Down Dead, was shortlisted for the Dead Good Reader Awards in two categories, and hit number one on the UK and AU kindle charts. My Little Eye, her first novel under her pseudonym, Stephanie Marland was published by Trapeze Books in April 2018.

Avenge The Dead by Jackie Baldwin

My Frank Farrell binge is over, for now at least, with this third instalment from author Jackie Baldwin. Click through for my reviews of Dead Man's Prayer and Perfect Dead. I am delighted to share my review for today's stop on the blog tour. Huge thanks to Emma Welton at damppebbles blog tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb:

Sometimes murder is the only way to get even…

Four friends with dark secrets. One killer out for revenge.

DI Frank Farrell and DS McLeod are tasked with investigating the brutal murder of a defence solicitor’s wife in Dumfries.

It’s been over a year since they left the town after an investigation robbed them of a dear friend. But now they’re back and must find a way to move on.

When the son of another defence solicitor is murdered, a strange tattoo etched on his body, the case takes them into darker, more disturbing territory.

It leads them back into the past – to a horrific fire in a cottage that took a woman’s life, to four friends harbouring dark secrets – and finally to a killer waiting patiently for revenge.

Avenge The Dead was published in digital format by One More Chapter on 28th February 2020 with the paperback to follow in April 2020.


Purchase Links:

Amazon UK 
Hive.co.uk
Google Books
Blackwells


My Review:

Time has passed since events at the end of Perfect Dead - if you've not read it, don't panic as everything is covered - and Frank, Mhairi and DC Dave Thomson have relocated to Glasgow to be part of a Major Inquiry Team.

A murdered woman in Dumfries sends them back to the police station there for Farrell to head up the investigation. A lawyer's wife has been murdered. Frank and the team start to look into  her husband and his two best friends, who are also lawyers. But before they can delve too far into things, there is another murder, also linked to the group of lawyers. And is there a link to a tragedy years ago?

As a result of what happened before they left Dumfries a year or more earlier, Frank is a mess. He's drinking too much, not taking care of himself and worse. Most devastatingly, he feels distant from God. He has to face some demons as he returns to Dumfries and learns something that throws him completely off balance.

All the characters are fully fleshed out. Mhairi is really growing into herself. For me, she's the stand out character (other than Frank). Not as tough as she makes out, she's all heart. Frank's issues are dealt with density and there's real emotional depth to these characters - Frank and Mhairi particularly, but the others too.

The storyline is unsettling and tragic. The pace builds as the case gathers momentum, and things are pretty tense throughout with plenty of shocks along the way. Long hidden secrets are unearthed and reputations ruined. But the very end made my heart do a little happy dance.

I realise I've probably talked as much, possibly more, about the characters as about the central storyline. It's not that it's weak, the opposite in fact - I loved it. But for me, a good story is nothing without strong characters, good and bad, that I care about. And I was invested in this lot, big time.

I've enjoyed this series immensely and hope there will be more. I think this one just about edges it as my favourite because I love what Baldwin has done with Frank here. She could have played safe with him, but she didn't. She messed with his head. And it worked. She brought him to life for me. Skillful writing.


The Author:

Jackie Baldwin is a Scottish crime writer. Her debut crime novel, Dead Man’s Prayer, was published by Killer Reads on 2nd September 2016. The second in the series, Perfect Dead was published on 15th June 2018. For most of her working life, she has been a solicitor specialising in Family and Criminal Law. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Married with a grown family, she recently moved from Dumfries to East Lothian.


Author Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieMBaldwin1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JackieBaldwinAuthor/
Website: http://jackiebaldwin.co.uk/

Perfect Dead by Jackie Baldwin

Carrying on with my Jackie Baldwin binge today and I am delighted to share my review of the second DI Frank Farrell book, Perfect Dead.

The Blurb:

Each murder brings him one step closer to the perfect death.

Former priest DI Farrell is called on to investigate a gruesome death in rural Scotland. All evidence points to suicide, except for one loose end: every light in the cottage was switched off. Why would he kill himself in the dark?

The question sparks a murder investigation that leads to the mysterious Ivy House, home of ‘The Collective’, a sinister commune of artists who will do anything to keep their twisted secrets hidden.

And when the remains of a young girl are uncovered on a barren stretch of coastline, Farrell realises that there is something rotten in this tight-knit community. Now he must track down a ruthless killer before another person dies, this time much closer to home…

Perfect Dead was published by One More Chapter on 15th June 2018 and is available from the usual retailers. Why not visit your local independent bookshop? Or online you could try Bert's Books, The Big Green Bookshop, or Hive (which will link to the nearest participating indie bookshop).


My Review:

This is the second book in the series, but can easily be read as a standalone.

Former priest DI Frank Farrell is called out to investigate a suspicious death. A promising young artist is dead, having apparently taken his own life. But he had everything to live for, and a few things about the scene of death don't sit right with Frank, and he's not convinced it was suicide and determines to investigate further. And then human bones are discovered ...

Meanwhile, DI Kate Moore is looking into a possible art forgery ring in the area. She only has a small team at her disposal but fortunately a local art expert has offered up his services to help.

Relations between Farrell and his mother have thawed considerably, as they have between him and Detective Superintendent  Walker. Frank's friend, and immediate boss, John Lind and his wife Laura are struggling following events in the first book, and Mhairi has a lovely new boyfriend. So there is plenty going on!

I loved the idea of 'The Collective', a kind of creative commune, which over the years has attracted all sorts of artists, but now has just three members. But they're a hard bunch to crack, clearly with secrets they want to keep. And the mysterious painter who nobody really sees is a fabulous creation. I had a great image of him in my mind!

I struggled to keep track of the movement of real paintings and forgeries but I think that was down to me rather than the writing. But I loved seeing Stirling and Thomson going undercover - they made a great double act!

There is humour throughout, which I always welcome in a crime novel. But there are plenty of shocks too. It was great finding out more about the characters, although sometimes it was hard to read. I've become very invested in some of these folk and sometimes I was sad for them. Or scared for them. And faith figures heavily too, for Frank anyway. I think Baldwin has been very clever adding this in. It sets Farrell apart, gives him depth and adds so much interest for the reader.

The foray into the art world was an interesting one for me, and some of the paintings are vividly described by the author. - to the point where I could see them clearly in my mind. Great writing.

The conclusion was unexpected, tense and shocking. My heart was in my mouth as I turned the pages (well, swiped them on my Kindle). It was a 'Woah!' moment and one hell of an ending. It certainly left me wanting more, and I'm not sure I can ask for much more than that. A very enjoyable read.


The Author:

Jackie Baldwin was born in Dumfries. She studied law at Edinburgh University returning to Dumfries to practice criminal and family law for the next twenty years. During that time she married and had two children and a variety of pets. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Her DI Frank Farrell series is set in Dumfries and Galloway in SW Scotland. She has recently moved closer to Edinburgh.

Dead Man's Prayer by Jackie Baldwin

In preparation for my blog tour stop on Thursday for Avenge the Dead, the third DI Frank Farrell book, I'm having a wee Jackie Baldwin binge! And I'm starting today with my review of the first book in the Frank Farrell series, Dead Man's Prayer.

The Blurb:

Ex-priest DI Frank Farrell has returned to his roots in Dumfries, only to be landed with a disturbing murder case. Even worse, Farrell knows the victim: Father Boyd, the man who forced him out of the priesthood eighteen years earlier.

With no leads, Farrell must delve into the old priest's past, one that is inexorably linked with his own. But his attention is diverted when a pair of twin boys go missing. The Dumfries police force recover one in an abandoned church, unharmed. But where is his brother?

As Farrell investigates the two cases, he can't help but feel targeted. Is someone playing a sinister game, or is he seeing patterns that don't exist? Either way, it's a game Farrell needs to win before he loses his grip on his sanity, or someone else turns up dead.

Dead Man's Prayer was published by One More Chapter on 2nd September 2016 and is available from all usual retailers. Why not visit your local independent bookshop? Or online you could try Bert's Books, The Big Green Bookshop, or Hive (which will link to the nearest participating indie bookshop).

My Review: 

I heard Jackie read a short section of Dead Man's Prayer as part of Crime in the Spotlight at the Bloody Scotland festival maybe four years ago and knew then I wanted to read it. It took me a while to buy it and another while to read it, but I got there in the end!

Eighteen years ago Frank Farrell left the priesthood to join the police, but his faith remains strong. He has just been transferred to his home town of Dumfries when his former senior priest is murdered, quite horrifically. But before that investigation can really get anywhere, two young brothers are kidnapped spreading police resources thin.

Frank is such an interesting character. He's the second policeman I've read recently with a strong Catholic faith, but Frank has actually been a priest. We see him attending Mass and kneeling in prayer at home. His faith is deep, and we see his compassion for his fellow officers in the way he worries about them. He hasn't had a relationship for a long time and his last proper girlfriend is now married to his boss! But he finds himself considering a bit of romance here. The calm moments in the book are provided by Frank, when he finds his own times of peace.

There is dark humour throughout, and Frank's first meeting with his new superior is hysterical. And I loved Mhairi. She's a bit of a party girl, often turning up barely on time or even a little late, looking tired and a bit hungover, and isn't hugely respected by her colleagues. Frank gives her a chance to shine, and she steps up. Their exchanges are a joy.

The case is a tricky one. Frank has to revisit old hurts, and open up to those around him about his own past. And he has to look at his relationship with his mother. He feels that the case is somehow connected to him, and this affects his mental health and judgement.

This is a tense story, particularly as it has children at its centre, and that always gets to me. It's pretty twisty, and twisted actually. it kept me turning the pages because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I certainly didn't foresee how things would turn out.

A fabulous debut, with an original storyline and an interesting, likeable protagonist. I can't wait to see what's next for DI Farrell! 

The Author: 

Jackie Baldwin was born in Dumfries. She studied law at Edinburgh University returning to Dumfries to practice criminal and family law for the next twenty years. During that time she married and had two children and a variety of pets. She later retrained as a hypnotherapist. Her DI Frank Farrell series is set in Dumfries and Galloway in SW Scotland. She has recently moved closer to Edinburgh                    

The Blood is Still by Douglas Skelton

I was delighted to receive a copy of The Blood is Still by Douglas Skelton, as I absolutely loved last year's Thunder Bay (you can read my review here), the first book featuring young journalist Rebecca Connolly. And I loved this book just as much. And you don't have to wait too long to get your hands on a copy - it's out on Thursday, just a few short days away, and you can pre-order it now (details are below). Huge thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb:

When the body of a man in eighteenth-century Highland dress is discovered on the site of the Battle of Culloden, journalist Rebecca Connolly takes up the story for the Chronicle.

Meanwhile, a film being made about the '45 Rebellion has enraged the right-wing group Spirit of the Gael which is connected to a shadowy group called Black Dawn linked to death threats and fake anthrax deliveries to Downing Street and Holyrood. When a second body - this time in the Redcoat uniform of the government army - is found in Inverness, Rebecca finds herself drawn ever deeper into the mystery. 

Are the murders connected to politics, a local gang war or something else entirely?

The Blood is Still is published by Polygon on 5th March 2020. It is available to pre-order at Amazon, Waterstones and Hive.co.uk, or visit your local bookshop.
  

My Review:

This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year, so my expectations were high. And I knew by the end of first chapter that I was reading something special.

The Blood is Still is a follow up to Thunder Bay but can easily be read as a standalone. It is a completely new storyline, and whilst events that took place in Thunder Bay are referenced, the reader is always given enough information (but you should read Thunder Bay anyway because it's terrific).

A body is found on Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness, in full historical Highland dress. There is nothing on the body to identify him or his murderer. And no clue as to why. DCI Val Roach has her work cut out. Journalist Rebecca Connolly is keen to get ahead of the story before her competitors do but is being hampered by changes afoot at The Chronicle. And she is also distracted by another story - a community's outrage when they hear that a paedophile is due to be housed in their neighbourhood. Spirit of the Gael, or Spoiraid, a right-wing political group led by charismatic Finbar Dalgleish, seems to be linked to both stories.

This is an intelligent, gripping story with great attention to detail which builds steadily throughout. There are so many exquisitely drawn characters. Mo Burke, matriarch of the criminal Burke clan, who is leading the community campaign. Living in Inverness but with Glasgow through her veins, she is fierce, proud and loyal. John Donahue, ex cop and head of security for the film set -  arrogant, aggressive and not used to being told what to do. There are too many to mention but they all have the little details to flesh them out, to make them human, relatable. For me, Nolan Burke and Rebecca's former boss Elspeth, both colourful characters, are standouts.

This is a tale steeped in history but right bang in the present. Skelton switches effortlessly between describing the eerie silence and stillness of Culloden Battlefield, the heated conversations in Mo Burke's kitchen and the scuffles at a community protest. The writing is reflective in places, almost lyrical in others. A couple of beautiful examples:

'... a red shirt, a scream of colour in a room that was a conversation in browns and dust.'

and

'... there was the sun ... bursting through in a brilliant flash, striping the sky with colours and bathing the serrated surface of the water in a golden spotlight.'

There is also a lovely observation about a butterfly hair clip. And of course, there are other darker examples but, you know, spoilers.

It's shot through with dark humour, and some lighter moments, often provided by Chaz's partner Alan. There's a wee sneaky mention of one of the author's previous books and I thought I maybe recognised the traits and characteristics of one or two other crime writers. It's educational too - not only did I learn about Scottish history, I also learned about getting horsed and going sadfishing.

The crimes at the centre of the book are brutal and shocking. The reasons behind them equally shocking, and deeply sad. Hints are given to the reader little by little through distressing flashbacks. The denouement is tense, terrifying and, in its final moments, poignant. I had an unexpected lump in my throat.

In the coming days and weeks other reviewers will find better words to describe this book. But for me, it shows how versatile a writer Skelton is and that he is just going from strength to strength. It's a triumph. I absolutely loved it and everyone should read it!


The Author:

Douglas Skelton has published 12 non fiction books and eight crime thrillers. He has been a bank clerk, tax officer, shelf stacker, meat porter, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), reporter, investigator and editor.

His first thriller Blood City was published in 2013.

The gritty thriller was the first in a quartet set on the tough streets of Glasgow from 1980 onwards. It was followed by Crow Bait, Devil's Knock and finally Open Wounds, which was longlisted for the first McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year in 2016.

His two Dominic Queste thrillers, The Dead Don't Boogie and Tag - You're Dead lightened the tone but didn't skimp on thrills.

He followed this with his New York-set chase thriller The Janus Run in 2018.

Thunder Bay, a dark and atmospheric tale of secrets, lies and murder on a Scottish island, was published to great acclaim by Polygon in 2019. and was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for 2019. The second in the series The Blood is Still is the second in the Rebecca Connolly series.

Douglas is often recruited by documentary makers to contribute to true crime shows on TV and radio and is a regular on the crime writing festival circuit.

He also takes part in comedy shows with other crime writers. To date he has written three Carry on Sleuthing plays in which he also appears along with Caro Ramsay, Michael J. Malone, Theresa Talbot, Pat Young and Lucy Cameron, with occasional guests Alex Gray, Lin Anderson and Neil Broadfoot.

He is one quarter of Four Blokes in search of a Plot, along with Gordon Brown, Mark Leggatt and Neil Broadfoot. This is a fun show in which they invite the audience to give them a murder weapon and a protagonist. They then take it in turns to create a crime story (usually developing into something wild and wacky) while also answering audience queries about the craft.

His one man event, You the Jury, invites audiences to deliver verdicts on real life but heavily disguised cases from around the world. In 2019 the format was extended into a court drama, thanks to the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, and in Stirling Sheriff Court played to three sell-out houses during the Bloody Scotland festival. There are plans to take the production further in 2020.