Savage Gods (A John Savage Thriller) by Peter Boland

Wishing Peter a very Happy Publication Day as Savage Gods comes out today! I'm so thrilled to be opening the tour today - along with (e)Book Nerd Reviews and Alex J Book Reviews - as I have absolutely loved this series from the get go! Big thanks to Sarah Hardy at Book on the Bright Side for inviting me and to Peter for my review copy.

The Blurb:

He only kills atheists.

Pray that God's on your side.

A serial killer stalks the streets of London, murdering atheists in the most horrific ways. So far, it's only the loud, outspoken ones who've been targeted. Specifically, a controversial group of intellectuals called The Four Pillars of Atheism. Attacking religion and angering believers, they've amassed enough hate mail and death threats to keep the police busy until hell freezes over.

DCI Roberts and her team have too many suspects and are drowning in leads. The pressure is on her to catch the killer before another horrific murder is committed. Not helped by the fact that London is in the grip of a sweltering heat wave. Desperate times call for desperate measures. DCI Roberts reaches out to John Savage and Tannaz to help her find the killer. Trouble is, Savage has his own personal demon to battle. Can he defeat one and catch the other?

Savage Gods is published today by Adrenalin Books and is available from Amazon. 

My Review:

John Savage is back! This is the fourth book in one of my favourite series. Don't worry if you haven't read the others as this works well as a standalone. But I would encourage you to, because they're great. You can read my reviews of Savage Lies, Savage Games and Savage Children by clicking through from the titles. You can also read a guest post Peter wrote a while back (when I first reviewed Savage Games) about the inspiration for John Savage here.

Savage and his sidekick (she would hate to be described as that, I think!) Tannaz are called in by DCI Roberts, whom they met on a previous case, to help to catch the person dubbed The Atheist Killer. She knows that Savage and Tannaz will look at things differently from her team, and they prove their worth very quickly. But their involvement is not welcomed by everyone....

For those of you new to the series, Savage is a retired soldier, who still keeps himself physically fit and healthy, but has reached that point in his life where he likes to take things a bit easier - elasticated trousers, reading in the garden, drinking tea. He also suffers from PTSD, from his time as a soldier, and things are getting worse of late. But he jumps at the chance to help the police.

I love Savage. Yes, he's older and that's quite unusual in a protagonist in a book of this type. He often has to get physical, and fortunately hasn't lost any of the skills he acquired as a soldier. He has a strong moral compass, and is angered by any kind of wrongdoing. He also has a love of movies. And tea. He's believable and relatable. And his mental health issues are believable too, but Peter has addressed this issue in a really original way.

Tannaz is brilliant. She is young, spiky, sassy, brave, not afraid to speak out, and an absolute whizz on a computer. Her friendship with Savage is one of the strong points of this book and, indeed, the series. They are so, so different, but have developed a deep friendship, shared their skills with each other and work well together. Basically they love each other to bits. It's a joy.

One thing I love about Peter's books is that they are original, and this one is no different. He has taken an interesting theme to run with, and it works very successfully. The plot is detailed, and clearly well researched, with a few red herrings and dead ends thrown in. This is one of those books though that I can't really say too much about for fear of spoiling it for you, dear reader.

Full of action from the beginning, tension builds throughout. There are a few moments that might make you wince, one or two in particular - best not to read this when you're eating! It's great to see some returning characters - if you haven't met Dink before, you're going to love him - but there is also a raft of new ones here. All of them, old and new, good and bad, are well drawn. From the new characters Ralph Sutherland is a standout for me, as I found him interesting.

Savage Gods is an original, interesting, fast paced and tense thriller, populated by brilliantly drawn characters. The denouement is scary and exciting. And shocking. I actually cried out. This is another strong entry to the John Savage collection, of which Peter should be very proud. And I REALLY hope we'll see another one soon!

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 swtiched to writing thriller 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 another (and keep doing that for 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. 

No Place To Die by Neil Broadfoot - Review

I was so excited to read this new one from Neil Broadfoot as I loved No Man's Land, the first book featuring security expert Connor Fraser. And No Place To Die didn't disappoint. Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group for my review copy. I'll be buying my paperback copy as soon as we're allowed out again! If you missed the extract I shared yesterday, you can find it here.

The Blurb:

Blair Charlston swapped the stock market for salvation - and now he's making a killing.

Once a controversial venture capitalist, Charlston reinvented himself as a personal and business development guru after surviving an attempt to take his own life when a business deal went disastrously wrong. So when he decides to host a weekend retreat on the outskirts of Stirling for more than 300 people, Connor Fraser is drafted in to cover the security for a man who is at once idolised as a saviour and hated as a ruthless asset stripper.

For Connor, it's an unwelcome assignment. He's never had much time for salvation by soundbite, and Charlston's notoriety is attracting the attention of reporter Donna Blake, who's asking more questions than Connor has answers for.

But when an old colleague of Donna's is found brutally bludgeoned to death, and the start of Charleston's weekend of salvation becomes a literal trial by fire, Connor must race to unmask a killer whose savagery is only matched by their cunning.

No Place To Die was published by Constable in paperback on 7th April 2020. It is also available in eBook and hardback formats. You can purchase it from Amazon, Waterstones or Hive (which supports independent bookstores). But it's worth checking if your usual independent bookseller can take orders. Many can, and they could really do with our support just at the moment.

My Review:

As I mentioned above, I first met Connor Fraser, along with DCI Malcolm Ford and reporter Donna Blake in Broadfoot's previous book, No Man's Land. Don't worry if you haven't read that one, as this book works perfectly as a standalone, but you really should as it's brilliant (you can read my review here).

Following events in the last book, Connor now has a more senior role at Sentinel Security, and is overseeing a weekend hosted by businessman turned lifestyle guru Blair Charlston. There are 300 guests coming to the event and Connor is particularly worried about the security for the opening event of the weekend, which will take place outdoors. And he's right to be concerned.

Connor is a brilliant protagonist. Strong, capable, principled, practical, a real action man, he doesn't suffer fools gladly. He's got a softer side, which he shows to the people he cares about, although those times tend to be overshadowed by his work, because he does tend to immerse himself somewhat. His temper, usually kept in check, occasionally gets the better of him, but it's always justified. He's a hero. In my review of No Man's Land, I likened Connor to Bourne or Reacher, and I stand by those comparisons.

Reporter Donna Blake is now working for Sky TV and is covering the Charlston weekend for the channel. An ex colleague and an old flame both get in touch offering her background information on Charlston's dodgy business practices which she hopes will give her the edge over her competitors. But things don't go according to plan. I like Donna, she's easy to relate to. A single mother, she's trying to juggle her career with parenthood and having to rely on her disapproving mother for childcare. Always hungry for a story, she is determined to get close to this one, but has no idea how personal it will get for her.

No Place To Die opens with a bang. There has been much talk on social media about 'that first line' and it certainly is a corker! It's a line that will make you want to read on, and it sets the stage for much of what follows. Broadfoot 's writing is sharp - no wasted words here - and he knows how to ramp up the tension. Short snappy chapters and several different points of view (never confusing) add interest and momentum. But Neil also uses beautiful language where appropriate. A description of Connor's grandmother's declining health gave me a lump in my throat.

The plot covers corruption, dodgy deals, lies, personal betrayal, revenge and murder. There are descriptions here which are bloody, messy and graphic - not for the faint hearted.

With No Place To Die Broadfoot delivers a fast paced, action packed, adrenaline filled crime thriller, full of rounded, believable characters, both good and bad. I loved it, and it's great to have Connor Fraser back! 

The Author:

Taken at Bloody Scotland 2018 by Paul Reich

Neil Broadfoot worked as a journalist for 15 years at both national and local newspapers, including The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Evening News, covering some of the biggest stories of the day.

Falling Fast, which was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize, is the first in the Edinburgh-set McGregor and Drummond series of thrillers.

His new Stirling-set series, which begins with No Man's Land and features close protection expert Connor Fraser, has been hailed as "tense, fast moving and bloody" and "atmospheric, twisty and explosive" with a "complex cast of characters and a compelling hero". No Man's Land was longlisted for the 2019 McIlvanney Award.

As a father of two girls, Neil finds himself regularly outnumbered in his own home. He is also one of the Four Blokes In Search of a Plot, a quartet of crime writers who live write a story based on suggestions from the audience. The Four Blokes have appeared in England, Spain and Scotland.

No Place To Die by Neil Broadfoot - Extract

I am thrilled today to be sharing a fantastic extract from Neil Broadfoot 's latest book, No Place To Die, which came out in paperback earlier this month. You can read my review here. Before I give you the extract, here's a bit about the book and its author.

The Blurb:

Blair Charlston swapped the stock market for salvation - and now he's making a killing.

Once a controversial venture capitalist, Charlston reinvented himself as a personal and business development guru after surviving an attempt to take his own life when a business deal went disastrously wrong. So when he decides to host a weekend retreat on the outskirts of Stirling for more than 300 people, Connor Fraser is drafted in to cover the security for a man who is at once idolised as a saviour and hated as a ruthless asset stripper.

For Connor, it's an unwelcome assignment. He's never had much time for salvation by soundbite, and Charlston's notoriety is attracting the attention of reporter Donna Blake, who's asking more questions than Connor has answers for.

But when an old colleague of Donna's is found brutally bludgeoned to death, and the start of Charleston's weekend of salvation becomes a literal trial by fire, Connor must race to unmask a killer whose savagery is only matched by their cunning.

No Place To Die was published by Constable in paperback on 7th April 2020. It is also available in eBook and hardback formats. You can purchase it from Amazon, Waterstones or Hive (which supports independent bookstores). But it's worth checking if your usual independent bookseller can take orders. Many can, and they could really do with our support just at the moment.


The Author:

Neil Broadfoot worked as a journalist for 15 years at both national and local newspapers, including The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Evening News, covering some of the biggest stories of the day.

Falling Fast, which was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize, is the first in the Edinburgh-set McGregor and Drummond series of thrillers.

His new Stirling-set series, which begins with No Man's Land and features close protection expert Connor Fraser, has been hailed as "tense, fast moving and bloody" and "atmospheric, twisty and explosive" with a "complex cast of characters and a compelling hero". No Man's Land was longlisted for the 2019 McIlvanney Award.

As a father of two girls, Neil finds himself regularly outnumbered in his own home. He is also one of the Four Blokes In Search of a Plot, a quartet of crime writers who live write a story based on suggestions from the audience. The Four Blokes have appeared in England, Spain and Scotland.


And here is that promised taster from the book.

Extract:

Connor Fraser heard the laughter just as he felt his chest catch fire. It was the sound of the playground – illicit, humourless, cruel. He blocked it out, focused on the agony in his chest as the weight bore down on him. Closing his eyes he exhaled as hard as he could, pushing the weight back up, arms shaking, the heavy clang of the bar finally hitting the rack the sweetest music.

But then he heard the laughter again.

He sat up, world swimming slightly in a moment of light-headedness from his exertion, then looked around the gym. It didn’t take him long to spot the source of the laughter or its cause. If he was being honest, he felt a chuckle tickle in his own chest.

The kid was in the free-weights area at the far end of the room, looking like he was going to have a heart attack at any moment. His cheeks were angry scarlet, sweat-soaked T-shirt plastered to a sagging chest and a pendulous gut that hung halfway over the waistline of his shorts. The effort of lifting the dumbbells rippled through his chins like waves as he grunted and panted at the floor-to-ceiling mirrors in front of him. Finally, as he curled them up to shoulder height, his eyes gave a nervous twitch to the left, and the source of the laughter.

Standing around a bench, surrounded by an assortment of weights, were three young men. In their mid-twenties, Connor guessed. They might have stepped from the pages of a fitness magazine, designer workout gear clinging to every gym-sculpted muscle. Obviously no strangers to the salon attached to the gym, their hair was perfectly styled and their tans unnaturally healthy, even with the good weather Stirling had been enjoying recently. They were in a loose semi-circle, weights abandoned as they laughed and sneered at the fat kid.

Wankers.

Connor sighed, turned back to his workout. He was just racking another twenty pounds onto either side of the barbell when he heard the clatter of weights and an explosion of laughter from across the gym.

The fat kid was sitting on a bench, weights abandoned at his feet where he’d dropped them, head between his knees, taking deep, hitching breaths, knuckles white on the edge of the bench, gripping it as though it were a raft in a typhoon. With an irritated roll of his shoulders, Connor stood up and headed for the drinks fountain in the right corner of the gym. He took a paper cup from the dispenser and half filled it with water, then headed for the kid, feeling the eyes of the chortling meatheads following him.

‘Leave him, man. Fatso’s taken a whitey. He’ll spew all over ye . . .’ one called.

Connor ignored him, touched the kid’s shoulder gently. ‘Here,’ he said, offering the water, ‘drink this. Slow sips. It’ll make you feel better.’

The kid looked up, pale green eyes watery with tears. His face was a mess of hectic colour, two scarlet plumes on his cheeks. Couldn’t be much more than nineteen or twenty. Despite himself, Connor felt a vague snarl of contempt. How the hell did anyone let themselves get this out of shape so young?

‘Th-thanks,’ the boy said. ‘Just went at it too hard, you know.’ Connor nodded briefly. He wasn’t looking for a conversation, just didn’t want to have to deal with the kid if he keeled over. ‘Take it a bit easier,’ he said. ‘Get your breathing sorted. Inhale when you’re relaxing, exhale when you’re moving the dumbbells, okay? And drop the weight you’re lifting a little, take it slow.’ The kid’s head bobbed up and down eagerly, a nervous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Connor watched the kid breathe for a moment, the gasping breaths becoming more even, the hammering vein in his neck calming. Satisfied, he turned and walked back to his own barbell. Started his set, got about halfway through when he heard the laughter again, followed by the same voice as before. ‘Aw, fuck’s sake, man, now I’m gonna puke. Lookadit jiggle!’

Connor finished his set, sat up. Saw the kid had moved to a running machine, gut and chest bouncing in time to his awkward half-jog. His eyes were locked on his own reflection, face set in loathing and bitter defiance. Despite himself, Connor felt a surge of admiration for the kid.

Decision made. He got off the bench, ignoring the small voice in his head that urged him not to get involved. Walked across to the trio of meatheads. The shortest of the three, who made up for his lack of height with width, turned as he approached and took a half-step forward. Connor watched as the other two fell in loosely behind. They might as well have painted a target on their friend’s forehead. ‘Problem, pal?’ the meathead asked. No menace, just a cold smugness born of the knowledge that he was king of this castle and could handle anything that came his way. Connor studied him: the oily skin, the over-pumped muscles, the dilated veins that snaked up his arms like a roadmap. Wondered if the perfectly sculpted little shit in front of him had any idea how deep the waters he had just waded into really were.

‘No problem,’ he said, his voice low, even. ‘Just keep it down, okay? Kid’s doing his best, doesn’t need you reminding him how far he’s got to go.’

The meathead broke into a smile as fake as the rest of him. ‘Fuck off.’ He chuckled. ‘Seriously, man? Who the fuck you think you are anyway?’ ‘I’m nobody,’ Connor said. ‘I just want to work out in peace. And I don’t need to hear your shit when I’m doing it.’

The first meathead tried to take another step forward, but Connor was already moving. He stepped to the side, got an arm around his shoulders in a we’re-all-friends embrace. Dug his fingers into the hard mound of neck muscle, heard a sharp intake of breath as he found the nerve cluster and squeezed. Leaned in close enough to smell sour sweat, eyes strafing the other two weightlifters, watching for them to make a move.

‘Like I said, I’m no one,’ Connor whispered, voice now as hard as the dumbbells. ‘So let’s keep it that way. You don’t know me, I don’t know you. Don’t want to. But leave the kid alone. Otherwise . . .’ He dug his fingers in deeper as he let the sentence trail off, pain delivering the rest of the message for him.

The meathead stepped back, his two friends crowding in on him. Connor stood, breathing slow and easy, eyes on the three of them. He saw the argument rage in the poisoned dwarf’s eyes, the battle between humiliation and pain being waged.

‘Ah, fuck ye,’ he said at last, turning away as he rubbed at his neck. ‘Nae fuckin’ worth it.’ He stormed off, friends trailing behind him. Connor watched them, just to be sure, then headed for the bikes. He saw the fat kid nod to him in the mirror, returned the gesture. He didn’t want a friend, definitely didn’t want a lost puppy following him everywhere. That only led to trouble.

He set himself up on a static cycle, was just getting into a rhythm when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Fished it out, irritated. Should have left the damn thing in his locker. But that wasn’t an option any more, was it? As an employee, he could go off grid for a while, let Sentinel Securities run itself. But with Lachlan Jameson out of the picture, thanks to his part in three murders and an attempt on Connor’s own life, Connor wasn’t just an employee any more. The board – a strange blend of investment bankers and ex-service personnel – had asked him to stay on with Sentinel, and even elevated him to senior partner. It was, they said, good business. After all, the Jameson case had shown Connor could handle a crisis.

Connor had smiled at the compliment, but knew better. The former chairman of the board and founder of the company had been exposed as a cold-blooded contract killer with a taste for beheading his victims. The affair had very nearly brought down a government. Connor had managed to stay mostly out of the coverage. But, as always, there were rumours. And one of those rumours was that Connor Fraser was not a man to take lightly. So, along with a leg wound that still ached when the nights were cold, he had come through the Jameson affair with a reputation, and a job offer.

More money. More responsibility. More headaches. And a phone he could never switch off.

He opened the text message, read it. Let his legs come to a slow halt.

Time to go to work.


How brilliant does that sound? Check back tomorrow to see what I thought of No Place To Die. Spoiler: I loved it! 

We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker

I an so excited to be part of this blog tour. We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is a magnificent book - I only hope I do it justice. Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers for inviting me to take part and to Zaffre for my gorgeous review copy.

The Blurb:

'You can't save someone that doesn't want to be saved . . .'

Thirty years ago, Vincent King became a killer.

Now, he's been released from prison and is back in his hometown of Cape Haven, California. Not everyone is pleased to see him. Like Star Radley, his ex-girlfriend, and sister of the girl he killed.

Duchess Radley, Star's thirteen-year-old daughter, is part-carer, part-protector to her younger brother, Robin - and to her deeply troubled mother. But in trying to protect Star, Duchess inadvertently sets off a chain of events that will have tragic consequences not only for her family, but also the whole town.

Murder, revenge, retribution.

How far can we run from the past when the past seems doomed to repeat itself?

We Begin At The End was published by Zaffre as in eBook on 26th March 2020 and in hardback on 2nd April 2020. You can buy it from Hive, Waterstones and Amazon, but do check if your usual independent store is taking orders just now. Many are, and they could really do with our support. It will be released in paperback on 15th October 2020 and is available for preorder now. 

My Review:

Oh my! Duchess Day Radley, you have stolen my heart! I can't think of a character who has moved me more.

This was my first Chris Whitaker novel, but it won't be my last. I'm compiling a list for when my favourite indie bookshop reopens and his other two have been added to it. I finished this devastating, beautiful book and sat with tears streaming down my face wondering how I was ever going to write a review. But I'm going to give it a try...

The book opens when Star, Vincent, Walk and Martha May are fifteen years old, and seven year old Sissy Radley has gone missing. It is Walk who finds her body. His best friend, Vincent, boyfriend of Sissy's sister Star, is arrested and charged.

Fast forward thirty years. Walk is the chief of police, and essentially the only cop, in their home town of Cape Haven, Martha May has moved away and become a lawyer, Star gets depressed and drunk and brings home a succession of unsuitable men. And Vincent is coming home after spending all of those thirty years in prison for Sissy Radley's murder, and more. His return will impact many in the small town community, but none more so than Star's children, Duchess and Robin.

Duchess Day Radley is amazing, such a beautifully crafted character. Older than her thirteen years, she looks after her mother, and protects her little brother, who she loves more than anyone or anything in the world. Self declared outlaw, she is fierce, fearless, and full of attitude and curse words. And she doesn't cry. Anyone who threatens Robin, or bad mouths her mother, has to face her wrath. But we see her gentler side in all her interactions with Robin, the care of her mother and the bond she develops with the old gray horse at her grandfather's homestead. And Robin. Robin is five years old and the sweetest, purest wee soul. Duchess is determined for him to stay that way, as she strives to shelter him from the evils  of the world. This is their story, hers particularly.

But it's also Walk's story (the point of view swaps between him and Duchess). He's world weary, haunted by memories of the past and carrying pain of his own and others. He's yearning for a simplicity that no longer exists. And as darkness pervades his small town he fights against the flow in his efforts to get justice not only for the children, but also for his boyhood friend. And all the while trying to hide the fact that he's ill.

However, I would be wrong to say this is just Duchess and Walk's story. They are the main players in this tragedy, certainly, along with Vincent and Star, but this story belongs to everyone. There is not a wasted, redundant character here - every one plays their part in the tapestry Whitaker weaves. I loved Hal and Dolly, and Thomas Noble. And the characterisation is so rich - they were absolutely real to me. And the settings and backdrops are beautifully described - I want to visit Hal's place!

I know I've used 'beautiful' far too much in this review - need to get the thesaurus out - but the writing is that too. Whitaker has captured small town America perfectly. Ordinary folks caught up in bad decisions and life spinning out of control. He has a way with words too '...the little girl who sliced heaven open, her soul bared and burned...' but often it was the simplest of phrases that were the most devastating.

Yes, there is a crime at the centre of this story, an awful, sad one, but We Begin at the End is so, so much more than a crime story. It's a character driven tale of regular people making awful, difficult choices in the worst of circumstances. It's a hugely emotional read and as truths were revealed at the end, I was knocked back again and again. Wow. Just wow. It's a story about love, loss, sacrifice and hope. And Duchess Day Radley made me smile but also broke my heart. We Begin at the End will be one of my books of this year. Buy it or borrow it (don't steal it!), but read it. You will not be disappointed.

The Author:

Chris Whitaker was born in London and spent ten years working as a financial trader in the city. His debut novel, Tall Oaks, won the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger. Chris's second novel, All The Wicked Girls, was published in August 2017. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and two young sons.

Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour to see what everyone else thinks! 

Sister by Kjell Ola Dahl (translated by Don Bartlett)

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Sister, the fab new book from Kjell Ola Dahl and I'm delighted to have a giveaway for you - find out more below. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the author and publisher for w the prize. 

The Blurb:

Oslo detective Frølich searches for the mysterious sister of a young female asylum seeker, but when people start to die, everything points to an old case and a series of events that someone will do anything to hide...

Suspended from duty, Detective Frølich is working as a private investigator, when his girlfriend's colleague asks for his help with a female asylum seeker, who the authorities are about to deport. She claims to have a sister in Norway, and fears that returning to her home country will mean instant death.

Frølich quickly discovers the whereabouts of the young woman's sister, but things become increasingly complex when she denies having a sibling, and Frølich is threatened off the case by the police. As the body count rises, it becomes clear that the answers lie in an old investigation, and the mysterious sister, who is now on the run...

A dark, chilling and up-to-the-minute Nordic Noir thriller, Sister is also a tense and well-plotted murder mystery with a moving tragedy at its heart, cementing Kjell Ola Dahl as one of the greatest crime writers of our generation.

Sister was published by Orenda Books as an eBook on 29th February 2020 and will be released in paperback on 30th April 202. It is available to buy or pre-order (depending on format) from the publisher, Amazon, Waterstones and Hive. It's also worth checking if your usual independent bookshop offers an order service. Many do, and they could do with our support just now (and always).

The Author:

One of the fathers of the Nordic Noir genre, Kjell Ola Dahl was born in 1958 in Gjøvik. He made his debut in 1993, and has since published eleven novels, the most prominent of which is a series of police procedurals cum psychological thrillers featuring investigators Gunnarstranda and Frølich. In 2000 he won the Riverton Prize for The Last Fix and he won both the prestigious Brage and Riverton Prizes for The Courier in 2015. His work has been published in 14 countries, and he lives in Oslo.


Giveaway:

I have one copy of the eBook of Sister to give away over on my Twitter account @SuzeCM. Just head over there and check out the pinned tweet for details. Closing at 5pm BST on Friday 24th April and the winner will be chosen using a random number generator. You don't want to miss out! Good luck! 

Power Play by Tony Kent

I read Killer Intent, the first book to feature Devlin and Dempsey, and loved it (and have Marked for Death waiting for me) so I was super excited for this one, and am delighted to be sharing my review as part of the blog tour.  Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me and to Elliott & Thompson for my review copy.

The Blurb:

When a plane explodes over the Atlantic Ocean, killing hundreds of passengers, including controversial US presidential candidate Dale Victor, it appears to be a clear-cut case of terrorism. The suspect has even confessed to the bombing. But as criminal barrister Michael Devlin is about to discover, everything is not as it seems.

Also suspecting there are other forces at work, intelligence agent Joe Dempsey is driven to investigate. Who would have wanted Victor out of the way - and would commit mass murder to do it? As the evidence begins to mount, everything seems to point to the US government itself, all the way to the top. And now someone is determined to stop Dempsey and Devlin from discovering the truth. At any cost.

With countless more lives on the line, Dempsey must find a way to prove who's pulling the strings, and free the White House from the deadly grip that has taken hold of power.

Power Play was published by Elliott & Thompson on 16th April 2020. It is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Hive. It's also worth checking if your usual independent bookshop offers an order  service. Many do, and they could do with our support just now (and always). 

My Review:

Phew! I'm exhausted! This was an adrenaline filled thrill ride from beginning to end.

There's one heck of an opener - it grabs you by the scruff of the neck, pulls you in and keeps you there. The action just keeps on coming - I don't think I drew a breath for the first nine chapters or so!

A plane is blown up during its flight from the UK to the US killing over 500 people on board, including a popular US presidential candidate. And it turns out he had hinted just a week earlier that he might have a secret or two to reveal about the President. Could there be something more sinister behind the explosion than the terrorist attack which was initially assumed? Joe Dempsey of the International Security Bureau is ordered to investigate. Meanwhile a young man walks into Stoke Newington Police Station to confess to planting the bomb on the plane, but DCI Bruce Bull isn't convinced all is what it seems. Barrister Michael Devlin is soon on the case, but so are the US Secret Service.

It was great to get reacquainted with Dempsey and Devlin but readers new to the series need not fear - these characters are fully fleshed out here. And both are very real and very likeable. They're really different but both determined to see justice done, even when it puts the people they care about at risk. But they are not the only players here - Power Play has a large, varied cast of characters, and there are some absolutely cracking baddies! A standout for me from amongst the supporting players is Father Sam Cooke, Dempsey's friend and confidante, who dispenses words of wisdom over mugs of tea - loved him. Also Secret Service Agent Eden Grace - there's a woman who can handle herself if ever I saw one. She's right in the thick of things, and I'm hoping we see more of her in the future.

This is an epic, transatlantic tale, taking us from the streets of London to the heart of the White House. It's a hefty tome, coming in at 500 odd pages, but it doesn't feel like that thanks to the short, snappy chapters and the action packed storyline. It's also told from multiple points of view, but never feels muddled.

I believe TV/film folk have expressed an interest in this series and I'm not surprised - Kent's books have a real filmic (is that a word?) feel about them - they are screaming out to be on the screen.

Action packed throughout, full of brilliant characters and with a fabulous finale, or two, Power Play delivers everything I am looking for in a thriller - loved it.

The Author:

Tony Kent is a criminal barrister who draws on his legal experience to bring a striking authenticity and accuracy to his thrillers. Long ranked within his profession as a 'leader in his field', for twenty years Tony has prosecuted and defended the most serious criminal allegations, specialising in terrorism, corruption, murder, kidnap, extortion and fraud. His case history is littered with nationally reported trials and has included close contact with GCHQ, the Security Service and the Ministry of Defence. He has also defended in matters with an international element, involving agencies such as the FBI. Out of court, Tony has lectured on international criminal law, bribery and corruption, and has been engaged to teach trial advocacy to Public Defenders and State Prosecutors in the United States.

Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour! 

Whirligig by Andrew James Greig

I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for Whirligig by Andrew James Greig, a book which had intrigued me as soon as I saw the cover. Huge thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb:

Just outside a sleepy Highland town, a gamekeeper is found hanging lifeless from a tree. The local police investigate an apparent suicide, only to find he’s been snared as efficiently as the rabbit suspended beside him. As the body count rises, the desperate hunt is on to find the murderer before any more people die. But the town doesn’t give up its secrets easily, and who makes the intricate clockwork mechanisms carved from bone and wood found at each crime?

Whirligig is a tartan noir like no other; an exposé of the corruption pervading a small Highland community and the damage this inflicts on society’s most vulnerable. What happens when those placed in positions of trust look the other way; when those charged with our protection are inadequate to the challenge; when the only justice is that served by those who have been sinned against?

This debut crime novel introduces DI James Corstophine – a man still grieving for a wife lost to cancer; his small close-knit team of passed-over police and their quiet Highland town. He’s up against a killer who plays him as easily as a child. For a man whose been treading water since the death of his wife, he’s facing a metaphorical flood of biblical proportions as he struggles to understand why these murders are happening, and who is behind each carefully planned execution. All the time, the clock is ticking.

Whilrligig was published on 26th March 2020 by Fledgling Press and is available as an eBook and in paperback.


Buy Link:

https://amzn.to/2IhVKIX

My Review:

Before I get going, can I just give this book some cover love. When I first saw the front cover (illustration by Graeme Clarke) I had no idea what the book was about, but was mesmerised by the tree. And desperate to find out more. That doesn't happen often with me - normally I need to read the blurb too, but not in this case. I was sold on it straight away. Great job.

DI James Corstorphine, DC Frankie McKenzie and their small team - only five of them in total - have to follow up on a suicide, only to find it's not a suicide at all. The man has been snared and hung with careful and ruthless efficiency. But before they really even get chance to investigate this death, they have another body to deal with. And an old notebook comes to light, raising questions about a crime years earlier. To try to distract himself from work, Corstorphine has started dating for the first time since his wife died, but it's fair to say he's pretty anxious about it.

The prologue pulls you in, with its description of the hanging rabbit, and the mechanism that's keeping it there. The first chapter grabs you and keeps you there. The details are fascinatingly gruesome and so original. Greig has a great turn of phrase. I can't think of anywhere else I've seen the term 'arboreal ossuary' used, and I loved the description of the two bodies, rabbit and man, hanging from the tree - '...they performed an aerial pirouette, bloodied bodies coyly facing each other then slowly turning away again.'

The gruesome originality continues throughout the book and I was fascinated by the details of the crimes, the planning put in by the perpetrator and the level of skill required. There is a beauty in how  the author describes these scenes. As someone who knows nothing about clockwork mechanisms, I was enthralled. But there are also some scenes that require a strong stomach!

The investigation into the original death and subsequent crimes raises more questions than it answers and threatens to blow up in Corstorphine's face. But it becomes clear that an old case needs reopening, despite the protestations of senior people in the community. In this novel, Greig touches on both domestic abuse and child abuse, but does so sympathetically - although the alleged crimes of one man are very similar to a real high profile case, which is perhaps inappropriate.

There are some great characters here. I loved Corstorphine with his errant eyebrows and his wee exchanges with his late wife, and Frankie is presented as an intelligent, capable woman, more than able to hold her own in a team of men. There are a few unlikeable characters too  - my favourite of these was the laird as I was able to build up a complete picture of him in my mind.

The cases, present and past, start to weave together with each unearthed horror. There are tales of trusts betrayed, crimes ignored and lives damaged or lost. Tension is maintained throughout and kept me turning the pages. I did work out the identity of the perpetrator but the ending still surprised me.  It was gentler (for want of a better word) than I expected and I'm still in two minds about it.

Whirligig is a highly original, clearly well researched and well written genre debut which I really enjoyed. I don't know if a series is planned, but I hope this won't be the last we'll see of James Corstorphine, Frankie McKenzie et al.


About the Author:

Born in London, moved to historic Monmouth as a young teenager and escaped as soon as I could to the bright lights of Bristol where I combined the careers of sober aerospace engineering and libertine sound engineering for as long as I could juggle these disparate and separate worlds.

Now living happily in central Scotland, where I enjoy writing books, playing music and exploring the great outdoors with my best friend who happily is my wife.

You can find out more about Andrew and his writing at 

https://andrewjgreig.wordpress.com


Be sure to check out the other stops on the tour! 

No Place To Die by Neil Broadfoot - Publication Day Promo

A very happy paperback publication day to Neil Broadfoot for No Place To Die! This is the second Connor Fraser novel, the follow up to No Man's Land, which I loved - you can read my review here. I haven't had chance to read No Place To Die yet, but I've taken a peak, and it's got a corker of an opening. Just can't wait to get stuck into it, and I'll share my review as soon as it's done. But for now, you can find out more about the book below. 

The Blurb: 

Blair Charlston swapped the stock market for salvation - and now he's making a killing. Once a controversial venture capitalist, Charlston reinvented himself as a personal and business development guru after surviving an attempt to take his own life when a business deal went disastrously wrong. So when he decides to host a weekend retreat on the outskirts of Stirling for more than 300 people, Connor Fraser is drafted in to cover the security for a man who is at once idolised as a saviour and hated as a ruthless asset stripper. For Connor, it's an unwelcome assignment. He's never had much time for salvation by soundbite, and Charlston's notoriety is attracting the attention of reporter Donna Blake, who's asking more questions than Connor has answers for. But when an old colleague of Donna's is found brutally bludgeoned to death, and the start of Charleston's weekend of salvation becomes a literal trial by fire, Connor must race to unmask a killer whose savagery is only matched by their cunning.

No Place To Die is published by Constable in paperback today. It is already available in a hardback format. You can purchase it from Amazon, Waterstones or it's worth checking if your usual independent bookseller can take orders. Many can, and they could really do with our support just at the moment.

The Author: 

Taken at Bloody Scotland 2018 by Paul Reich

Neil Broadfoot worked as a journalist for 15 years at both national and local newspapers, including The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Evening News, covering some of the biggest stories of the day.

Falling Fast, which was shortlisted for the Dundee International Book Prize, is the first in the Edinburgh-set McGregor and Drummond series of thrillers.

His new Stirling-set series, which begins with No Man's Land and features close protection expert Connor Fraser, has been hailed as "tense, fast moving and bloody" and "atmospheric, twisty and explosive" with a "complex cast of characters and a compelling hero". No Man's Land was longlisted for the 2019 McIlvanney Award.

As a husband and father of two girls, Neil finds himself regularly outnumbered in his own home. He is also one of the Four Blokes In Search of a Plot, a quartet of crime writers who live write a story based on suggestions from the audience. The Four Blokes have appeared in England, Spain and Scotland.

Keep up to date with news on Neil's books by signing up to his mailing list at http://eepurl.com/gISGZr  

I Am Dust by Louise Beech

I'm absolutely delighted that we've reached my stop on the blog tour for the beautiful and haunting I Am Dust by the lovely Louise Beech. Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part and to Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books for my review copy. I also have a copy I bought at the Orenda Roadshow in Glasgow.

The Blurb:

When iconic musical Dust is revived twenty years after the leading actress was murdered in her dressing room, a series of eerie events haunts the new cast…

The Dean Wilson Theatre is believed  to be haunted  by a long-dead actress, singing her last song, waiting for her final cue, looking for her killer…

Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough  to take on  the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan  Miller, who was murdered  in her dressing room?

Theatre usher Chloe Dee is caught up  in the spectacle. As the new actors arrive, including an unexpected face from her past, everything changes. Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination? Is someone playing games?

Not all the drama takes place onstage. Sometimes murder, magic, obsession and  the biggest of betrayals are real life. When you’re in the theatre shadows, you see everything.

And  Chloe has been  watching…

I Am Dust was published by Orenda Books as an eBook on 16th February 2020 and will be released in paperback on 16th April 2020. It is available to purchase from the publisher and Hive and for purchase or pre order (depending on format) from Amazon. It's also worth checking if your usual independent bookseller can take orders. Many can, and they could really do with our support just at the moment.


My Review:

This is only the second Louise Beech book I've read - don't judge me, I'm on it - but I loved Call Me Star Girl. But I knew that all Louise's books are very different, so I wondered what treats awaited me with this one.

Dust the Musical is coming back to the Dean Wilson Theatre 20 years after its first brief run. Brief, because star Morgan Miller was murdered on the fourth night.

Chloe was ten when she saw Dust with her mum and was mesmerised by it. Loved it and memorised all the songs. Six years later she's part of a youth theatre group meeting in an old church along with friends Jess and Ryan. Ryan suggests they play a game. With a Ouija board. It's a game that will change all their lives. In the present day, Chloe is an usher at the Dean Wilson Theatre and excited for Dust's return. But also fearful. She's begun to see and hear things she can't explain, but they fill her with unease.

Written in a dual timeline, we join Chloe as she begins to remember snippets from 2005 - her friends, rehearsing Macbeth, playing the game, while in 2019 she and the theatre prepare for its biggest show in 20 years and Chloe is struggling to explain some of the things she sees and feels.

Chloe. Oh, Chloe. My heart ached for her. She is exquisitely written. I felt her longing, her pain, her fear and her anger. There is such a delicate vulnerability about her that's just beautiful. There is such depth to her character and I loved that we were on the journey with her as she slowly put the pieces together from both the past and present until the puzzle was complete.

Both the church where the youth theatre group meet and the Dean Wilson Theatre itself are additional characters in this story. Both can be spooky and chilly. Full of history, darkness and shadows, I heard every door shut, felt every draft and heard the hiss as candles blew out. But in contrast, I loved seeing the theatre gearing up for the new show, and the staff going about their work. Beech has clearly drawn on her own experience to take us behind the scenes in the theatre and it's brilliant. I enjoyed getting to know the staff and special mention has to go to Chester - he's someone I'd love to go for a drink with because I reckon he'd have a story or two to tell me! And it all reminded me how much I'm missing the theatre in this strange time we find ourselves.

I don't consider myself very open to the idea of ghosts, magic, a sixth sense, second sight, that kind of thing, but this book gave me chills. I'm closing the blinds more firmly, checking the doors are locked and looking behind me frequently! I think this is down to the beautiful writing and the world that Beech builds and the possibilities she presents.

I Am Dust is a beautiful book about love, longing, pain, desire, betrayal, magic and murder. It broke my heart but I adored it.

Oh, and I'm terribly jealous of Chevalier's purple top hat and coat!


The Author:

Louise Beech is an exceptional literary talent, whose debut novel How To Be Brave was a Guardian Readers’ Choice for 2015. Her second book, The Mountain in My Shoe was shortlisted  for Not the Booker Prize. Both of her previous books Maria in the Moon and The Lion Tamer Who Lost  were widely reviewed, critically acclaimed and number-one bestsellers on  Kindle. The Lion Tamer Who Lost was shortlisted for the RNA Most Popular Romantic Novel Award  in  2019. Her short fiction has won the Glass Woman Prize, the Eric  Hoffer Award for Prose, and the  Aesthetica Creative  Works competition, as well as shortlisting for the Bridport Prize twice. Louise lives with her husband on the outskirts of Hull, and loves her job as a Front of House Usher at Hull Truck Theatre, where her first play was performed in 2012.

Payback by Claire MacLeary

I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for Payback by Claire MacLeary and I loved getting to know Maggie and Wilma. Huge thanks to Kelly Lacey at Love Books Tours for The invite and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb:

When police are called to a murder scene at the home of Aberdeen socialite Annabel Imray, they find themselves under pressure to get a conviction, and fast. Meanwhile, local PIs Wilma Harcus and Maggie Laird are at rock bottom, desperate for income. As Maggie contemplates replacing Wilma with an unpaid intern, an eccentric widow appoints them to search for her lost cat – and Wilma goes off-piste to negotiate a loan, with terrifying terms.  As the fear caused by a series of sinister break-ins escalates, Maggie blames the aggressive language in public discourse for inciting violent crime. But before long, she finds she is in the danger zone herself.

Will Wilma manage to save her?

Payback will be published by Contraband on 23rd April 2020 and is available for pre-order now.

Pre Order/Buy Links:

Amazon
Waterstones
Saraband


My Review:

This is the fourth book featuring Maggie and Wilma, but it's the first one for me (I know, I'm hanging my head in shame). There are references to events that took place in previous books, but everything I needed to know to enjoy this one was there.

Maggie and Wilma are private investigators in desperate need of cash. So they're looking to take on as much work as possible, even resorting to searching for a lost pet. And Maggie is wondering if she needs to sell the house and downsize. Meanwhile, the body of socalite Annabel Imray has been found and DI Allan Chisholm and his team have been tasked with finding her killer, as well as dealing with a spate of recent burglaries.

Maggie and Wilma are fabulous characters. Next door neighbours turned best friends, they are chalk and cheese. Police widow Maggie is nicely presented, well spoken and polite. Wilma, not so much. I winced at some of her outfits! She made me laugh out loud in places, often with her filthy mouth! She's an absolute delight.

The supporting cast are all brilliantly described too. I definitely like the sound of Allan Chisholm, but wanted to give Douglas a good shake - that man needs taken down a peg or two!

The story moves quite slowly, simmering away before hotting up towards the end. The different main threads are weaved carefully together with one or two other wee story lines until it all becomes clear at the end. And I didn't see that ending coming. There is humour throughout, often from the exchanges between Wilma and Maggie. Great chapter headings too, although I was slightly thrown when I read 'A Six Foot Oiler' as 'A Six Foot Otter'! Lock down fever, clearly!

But this is all about Maggie and Wilma. Two fabulous, feisty, funny, ballsy and brave women of a certain age. It's fantastic to see two such well drawn, engaging and entertaining female protagonists  - a wonderful partnership that is a credit to MacLeary's writing. Payback was a joy to read.


The Author:

Claire MacLeary lived for many years in Aberdeen and St Andrews, but describes herself as “a feisty Glaswegian with a full life to draw on”. Following a career in business, she gained an MLitt with Distinction from the University of Dundee and her short stories have been published in various magazines and anthologies. She has appeared at Granite Noir, Noir at the Bar and other literary events. Claire’s debut novel, Cross Purpose, was longlisted for the prestigious McIlvanney Prize, Scottish Crime Book of the Year Award 2017, and Burnout was longlisted for the Hearst Big Book Award 2018. They were followed by Runaway and Payback is her fourth novel and continues the Harcus & Laird series.