A story of control abuse and the aftermath

Kristy Tucker is a single mum who works as a public information officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. It is her job to act as a go between to the prisoners on death row and the interest of the local media and press. Her work is relentless and as a single parent to Ryan and a carer for her dad "Pops" she has little free time. When Ryan has difficulties at school he receives encouragement and support from Lance Dobson his martial arts instructor. When Kristy is introduced to Lance she begins to believe that this strong handsome man may indeed become a future partner and a much needed stabilizing influence to Ryan. The relationship with Lance soon develops into one of terror, abuse and violence as this supposedly charming individual tries to influence and control every facet of Kristy's life.

This is superbly written story that attempts to show the reader what daily life is like in an abusive relationship. To everyone, apart from Kristy, Lance Dobson is charming and graceful but only she knows the truth and the question is what if anything can she do? The prisoners and inmates feel trapped behind "The Walls" and soon Kristy will come to realize that she, by meeting Lance, has unexpectedly built her own walls from which there appears no escape. Hollie Overton presents difficult issues in a fast and flowing writing style making a very addictive read and one that I completed in two sittings. Highly Recommended.

An edge of the seat thriller

Jim Dowd and Maureen O'Brien are sent to the notorious location of the Ardoyne a republican enclave in a divided and secular Belfast of the 1980's...."Several streets have disappeared altogether leaving large tracts of waste ground covered in the rubble of demolition. The scene resembles the shattered landscapes of Britain's cities in the aftermath of German bombing during the Second World War."... Their mission is to settle, infiltrate and befriend a deeply suspicious mainly Catholic population. Their occupation is that of school teachers, cast adrift in a world full of dangerous men, and they must use all their training and skill to avoid being outed as infiltrators and spies. Once accepted in the community they patiently await further instructions from their handlers in London. As time passes Jim becomes attracted to Kathleen McKee the daughter of Jimmy McKee, quartermaster of the Ardoyne branch of the IRA. This is a dangerous situation made even worse when orders are received to assassinate Sean Murphy the Ardoyne OC (Officer Commanding) Has Jim become too involved and understanding of the plight of the catholic population to carry out his orders? Can Maureen convince him how perilous their situation is fast becoming imploring him to do as ordered?

I have to confess that I have a keen knowledge of the politics of Northern Ireland at the time. I lived in Belfast during this period and knew firsthand what it felt like living in a country close to the brink of civil war. The constant bombings and tensions between a proud and stubborn people were a day to day occurrence creating a very nervous and uneasy environment in which to live. Stewart Binns has written a wonderful book that oozes fear and suspicion from the very first chapter creating a tour de force that is impossible to put down. His use of dialogue to build a picture of a society in meltdown creates some of the most memorable prose I have read this year....."We must have victory, victory at all costs, however long the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival."........."On the other hand, the opposite side of his head explodes. Blood and brain matter are sprayed everywhere making a shocking splash as they cascade across the inside of the windscreen. His short life is over in an instant."....."We're like so many others- civilians and military, guilty and innocent. We're all pawns in a game. So many have died; there's been so much pain, so much hurt."..........

You, dear reader, will have to read this book for yourself to discover if Jim and Maureen can escape before their true identity becomes know to the local IRA.

As always in politics life is complicated and every organization be it MI5, MI6, Special Branch etc have hidden agendas and are equally as ruthless in their ability to carry out killings..."There's a rogue unit at large; right wing, disaffected. They're on our tails and feeding intel back to the RUC which, in turn, may be leaking it to the IRA and its ASU in England."... Over the years I have read a number of books concerning "The Troubles" and Betrayal by Stewart Binns is undoubtedly one of the best. Many thanks to the good people at netgalley and Penguin UK-Michael Joseph for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. Highly Recommended.

Uninspiring

This is the first book in a series featuring DS Jessica Daniel. It's an average police thriller with an uninspiring plot. Four bodies are waiting to be discovered and at each location it is noted that all doors are locked so how did the killer enter? What if it was possible to acquire a duplicate key? As I do not want to spoil your enjoyment I will take this train of thought no further. The author does a nice job of introducing Jessica, a career minded detective, who shares a flat with her best friend Caroline. Caroline has a new boyfriend called Randy and wants her flat mate Jessica to make up a foursome with Ryan, Randy's friend. The reason I mention this is on their first meeting Jessica did not really fancy Ryan but jumps into bed with him almost immediately. I thought this a ridiculous premise an articulate and organised DS throwing all caution to the wind for a quick sh*g. As the body count mounts DS Daniel comes under pressure for a quick resolve.

The real problem I have with this story is the following. Most readers of crime (including myself) are keen to play amateur detective and try to solve if possible who might be the killer. It is obvious that an author will always try to keep the ID of any killer a mystery until the final pages. The real skill is presenting him in a small part, as an unassuming boring character, and then revealing him as the killer in the final pages, when hopefully the reader will be delightfully surprised and somewhat disappointed that he was unable to discover the truth for himself. In "Locked In", I knew immediately who the killer was as soon as he was introduced. This is the first book in a long running series by Kerry Wilkinson and I suppose we should grant some latitude in the hope that later books in the series improve. I have since read "Nothing but Trouble" and really enjoyed, so it is probably fair to say that Mr Wilkinson is improving his technique as the series progresses. Nevertheless "Locked In" remains a poor read and certainly not one that I will recall with any real enjoyment.

Laborious story with some good moments

The central character in The Intruder is William Heming and it is probably best to describe him as a type of psychopath. He is uncaring, irresponsible, over confident, selfish and quite content to become physical if the situation demands. His show of self importance and lack of understanding for others also labels him as a narcissist. Heming works as an estate agent and views it quite acceptable that he should possess his own personal duplicate key to each property within his portfolio. He does not question his odd behaviour, no harm occurs and any personal items he removes will surely not be missed by the owner. Douglas Sharp, a local resident, allows his dog to foul on the pavement immediately adjacent to Heming's house. Sharp, his wife and mistress Abigail soon become the focus of the estate agent with disastrous consequences.

The story is narrated in the first person and through the eyes and ears of Heming we learn how his childhood was a precursor to his somewhat worrying adult behaviour. Rather than remain in full time education he preferred to seek employment with a local estate agent Mower & Mower, acquiring the business when the present owner retired. Thus he finds himself in an ideal position to fulfil his fantasies and spy on all his clients. On first reading I found Heming's mindset entertaining but this soon give way to frustration as his narcissistic and psychotic personality established itself as the norm and showed little sign of being curtailed. The style of writing was at times successful in creating a somewhat creepy and uneasy atmosphere but the constant smarmy meanderings of this loathsome individual resulted in me losing interest rapidly. There were some accurate will chosen observations..."On the outside is your everyday life of going out to work and going on holiday. Then there is the life you wish you had- the life that keeps you awake at night with hope, ambition, plans, frustration, resentment, envy, regret"........"emerging towelled and pink from the steamy bathroom. There she was on the bed slowly painting her perfect toenails, a tear on her cheek. Everything I ever wanted was there. It was a perfect summit of wishes, all I had struggled for."....

In the final analysis I must confess I did not really enjoy this book or the claustrophobic style of narration. I would however like to thank the good people at netgalley and publisher Random House for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

The way horror should be written

What a great pleasure to read this re published story some 30 years after the initial print run . In some ways I had become weary with the horror genre and was hoping that something fresh could grab my attention and rekindle my enthusiasm. The Happy Man is a classic edgy horror story that follows the fortunes of one suburban San Diego resident Charles Ripley. His everyday life is about to change when newcomer Ruskin Marsh and alluring wife Sybil move into the recently sold property next door. Charles is drawn unexpectedly to the charismatic lawyer Marsh a happy gregarious character not only an expert on art but also insatiable in his pursuit of young delectable females. The writings of the Marquis de Sade feature predominately in the world of Marsh and Charles offers himself as an eager scholar keen to understand and indeed partake in violent sexual acts depicted by De Sade.

What I particularly loved about this story was the build-up from a seemingly sedate middle class development to a world with no barriers where murder and sexual deviation are accepted as the norm. Was Charles Ripley prepared to sacrifice his home, job and wife in pursuit of excitement to feed his ever increasing need for gratification under the auspices of Ruskin Marsh? This is a great example of how horror can be used to structure the every ordinary day into a place of evil and pleasure with no responsibility nor limit. Many thanks to the good people at Valancourt Books for providing me with a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review. This small independent company specialize in rare neglected and out of print fiction promoting authors and works that might otherwise remain unknown. Recommended.

Irresistible nonsense

I really wanted to dislike this book but found myself racing through the text and you know what I enjoyed! The plot is absurd and reads as follows; It has been discovered that within each one of us there a "match" gene. The secret of a successful relationship is to find your future partner who will have exactly the same "match" gene, and once you find each other future happiness is assured. To do this all that is required is a simple DNA swab  which will be entered into an online database and then wait patiently for a confirmation email that you future partner has been found...hurrah! The entrepreneurial founder Ellie (also chasing a life partner) is fast becoming a very rich lady. It is not difficult to berate this premise, for in order for this "imatch" to be successful every human being on the planet must donate their DNA working on the assumption that there is only "one" life partner.

We follow the story through four main characters; Ellie, Jade, Mandy and Nick nicely presented in alternate and clear chapters. The reader never loses interest as the separate adventures for all four is quite different but as will be discovered not everyone's intentions are honourable. Now if you add to this mix a deranged serial killer then we have all the ingredients for an additive read or a tale of nonsense depending on your viewpoint. John Marrs is the kind of author I like to delve into periodically when I simply want some entertainment. He doesn't take himself too seriously, presenting a fun read with little concentration needed. I'm not saying I am about to dash out and acquire his latest book but just like a cup of hot chocolate, nice to drink occasionally.

Disappointing

Having enjoyed immensely The Loney with the quiet and isolated Lancastrian coast, I was hoping to be equally enthralled by Devil's Day where John Pentecost returns to the place of his childhood, the rural farming community of the Briardale Valley known as the Endlands. On this trip he is accompanied by his wife Katherine who is heavily pregnant with their first child. The reason for the journey is to attend his grandfather's funeral affectionately known to everyone as Gaffer.

Whereas The Loney had a great story to tell with a very unsettling conclusion, I found Devil's Day a rather laborious exercise and almost give up at the half way point. It is really a story of rituals, local folklore and introverted hillside sheep farmers. Legend has it that once a year the Devil returns to the valley in an attempt to unsettle the community and cause mischief amongst the sheep. By telling tales, regurgitating stories from the past, and redrawing the boundary lines it is hoped that the Devil can be kept isolated and the people of Endlands kept safe for another year. Endlands is that rare thing a place separate from the intrusion of the modern age entrenched in tradition and a population willing to fight for independence to maintain their link with the past. John Pentecost is drawn to the beauty and harshness, his wife Kat feels very uneasy as she is seen as an outsider and viewed with suspicion; tolerated more than accepted. There is however one acceptation, Grace Dyer, a young and rather consused teenager who with her odd power of prediction forms a very disquieting attraction towards a pregnant Kat.

The story is somewhat confusing and at times hard to follow as we view Endlands both in the present and the past. The narration is through the eyes of John Pentecost and we meet him in the present, in the company of his son Adam, trying to instil him the ways of his ancestors then, without warning we are immediately in the past again with a pregnant and suspicious Kat. Whereas The Loney used the landscape to great affect creating a wonderful modern horror story Devil's Day has some good ideas and moments played out through the characters of John, Kat, Adam, Grace and Dadda but essentially little seems to happen and ultimately leading to a somewhat predictable conclusion. Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher John Murray for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

Simply sublime

In the winter of 76 and 77 in the area of Oakland in the county of Michigan four children aged between the ages of 10 and 12 were abducted, held for days before finally being brutally murdered their bodies being left either naked or partially clothed in the frozen landscape. The babysitter killer, as he came to be known, was never apprehended and The Dark Gray Blanket is a fictional novel about this event.

Frank Pellegrini, an experienced detective, works with the Child Victims Investigative Unit of the Detroit Police Department. He is tolerated by his boss Captain McDougal who knows that Frank has the best wishes of the greater community at heart even though at times his methods are somewhat unorthodox. He lives a lonely bachelor life having been greatly affected by events in his childhood disclosed later in the novel. His days are days of routine usually complemented with a visit to his favourite watering hole "O'Malleys"..."Frank's evening up until now had been predictable the medicinal shots of Wild Turkey 101 at O'Malleys, his favourite meal, two hours of mulling over his cases at his desk while dressed only in his underwear, and the final dose of Wild Turkey launching him into a deep, worry-free sleep." When the naked body of a child is found partly buried in snow Frank, together with his new partner Jimmy Wilson, is tasked with the job of bringing the killer to justice. As the body count rises, and the word serial killer is uttered, the good citizens of a frightened community are demanding answers exerting justifiable pressure on an overworked Detroit Police Dept.

The writing of The Dark Gray Blanket is sublime narrated in unhurried deeply descriptive prose. We learn a little of the history of the area made famous by the automobile industry in particular Henry Ford and also two renowned musicians; Vincent Damon Furnier and Robert Clark Seger better known as Alice Cooper and Bob Seger. The cold frosty snowbound Michigan winters of 76 and 77 add a frosty and chilly feeling to the developing nightmare...."The dark black night sky was being punctuated with the soft, fluffy, white falling snow, and the huge boughs, stretching in every direction from the gigantic Douglas firs, were gently swaying under their white burden and the gently blowing wind."....

Pellegrini's personal mission to solve a difficult case, his dogged unflinching determination and the relationship with his new young partner Jimmy Wilson create a spell bounding work of genius and a story that I found once started was very difficult to leave until completed. Throughout is a lingering uneasiness and a sense of morbid anticipation as we wait for the killer to strike again..."He still could not believe his eyes. In all his years, he had never viewed a scene quite like this-the solemn, cold, naked isolation of the frailest among us, having endured the most unimaginable horrors form something so evil."....

I always wonder when reading a detective novel if the author will have the ability to create a unique conclusion something that will be totally unexpected. The final chapters produced a sequence of events that thrilled me in their audacity and inventiveness, naturally I cannot disclose them to you (dear reader of my review!) for to do so would spoil your enjoyment of a novel that I rate as totally unique, and possibly the best book I have read this year. Many thanks to the good people of netgalley and publisher Howard Schrack for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written. Highly, highly recommended.

Wily old fox

After so many years it is still great to read about that wonderful creation from Ian Rankin, that wily old fox who even in retirement can never let go; John Rebus. "Even Dogs in the Wild" is once again written to a very high standard and inevitably sees Rebus not so much confronting but consulting with his great adversary Big Ger Cafferty. As the years have passed they have developed perhaps not a fondness but a grudging respect for each other. The plot revolves around the murder of a well known MP and his association with "Acorn House" a care home for children. Given the amount of news coverage attributed to sexual abuse and in particular sexual abuse of minors it comes as no surprise the direction and shape this story takes. To me the bolder than life characters are more important than the theme and in this Rankin excels with shady underworld connections in the guise of Darryl Christie and Morris Cafferty and the robust old fashioned policing, nor forgetting the deadpan humour, of Detective Inspector John Rebus (retired) Rebus is everything you would expect a detective, whose routes lie in the past, to be. His methods are more suited to dogged hands on police work rather than as I am sure he would describe...fancy computers. He has no interest in the comforts of this world preferring to drive an old Saab, listen to bygone bands on his record player (The Steve Miller band and the amazing Rory Gallagher) and relaxing at the end of the day in his favourite watering hole The Oxford Bar with a pint of IPA close by.

Those readers acquainted with the style and wit of Ian Rankin will devour this story, just like stepping into a comfy pair of slippers. The only sadness is knowing that in the not too distant future John Rebus must surely finish leaving the reader to ponder if he will finally be stopped... his own decision? ill health?  or perhaps have his life ended suddenly by an old acquaintance or underworld operator!