A brilliant edition to the series - 5 star

A badly mutilated body is discovered, limbs appear to have been ripped from the victim in this unimaginable crime. Detective Inspector Jane Harrison is the CIO and is able to call on the services of DI Tony McClean. It is true to say that DI McClean has a more secondary role in this murder enquiry as it unfolds. For readers familiar with the series it is pleasing to note that the eccentric characters from earlier books are all present namely: Madame Rose, Grumpy Bob and Mrs McCutcheon’s cat.

What sets James Oswald’s books apart is the feeling of something supernatural in the background, something uncanny, something that adds to the great and growing uneasiness throughout. Due to the lack of evidence at the murder site it takes a considerable time for the victim to be identified and by then a second body is discovered with a similar modus operandi to the first. Tony’s girlfriend Emma is working at an archaeologist dig nearby uncovering a viking longship and most disturbingly a naked man, of great height and strength is discovered asleep on a beach. Who is this “herculean” figure and is he in any way connected to the police investigation.

This is a brilliant story, I love the use of the spooky, the unravelling of a bygone era and a prophecy that needs to be fulfilled. Thanks to netgalley for this early review copy which I enjoyed immensely. Highly recommended.

Yet another brilliant audiobook with first class narration - 5 star

I can't get enough of these audiobooks they are a brilliant and immersive experience. Leopold and Loeb (Dickie & Babe) were two affluent young men who lived in chicago in 1924. They were highly educated, intelligent and bizarrely decided to murder a 14 year old boy to see if it was possible to commit the perfect crime. The unfortunate victim has his face destroyed (in an attempt to hide his identity) by acid and his body stuffed in a drain. The two did not deny the crime, the trial was held in front of a judge in order to ascertain if the appropriate penalty should be death or a long term of imprisonment.......

The trial comes alive on the audio, there is a first class narrator and a very colourful list of characters in particular prosecution and defence councils who theatrically use the courtroom to present their individual cases. I felt I was actually present as the proceedings progressed and look forward to further instalments in this brilliant series.

I laughed and cried in equal measures - 5 star

From his very moving Man and Boy to the brilliant Max Wolfe series I have always been a great admirer of the writing of Tony Parsons. The Max Wolfe books in particular with a very human cop Max, a single dad responsible for his daughter Scout, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Stan residing in a loft apartment overlooking the historic Smithfield meat market. So I was delighted to be given early access to Man & Dog to read and review, and what a pleasure this has been. Man & Dog shows the importance and love that dogs can bring to our lives enriching us on every level…..”Dogs teach us so much. How to love without condition. How to squeeze the last drop of joy out of every day you are alive”......

We follow the author as he makes the big decision to purchase a puppy for his daughter Jasmine but more importantly as the story unfolds we see the unbreakable connection that forms between the new dog Stan (now where have I heard that name before :) and his master Tony. This is a delightful self- affirming read filled with moments of unbelievable joy as Tony and Stan become inseparable, having many and varied adventures walking Hampstead Heath. Stan is a lifelong and loyal companion and helped rescue the author from writing doldrums as he completed his first Max Wolfe novel which immediately went to No 1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list and was heavily praised for its character development. There comes a time at the end of the book that the family have to say goodbye to their beloved Stan, and what a heartbreaking occasion that was. I, as a dog owner, know only too well the bond that develops very quickly between dogs and their human guardians. We owe them so much they enhance our lives and….”show us how to live and they teach us how to die. You have your time and then your time is done”.....

Wonderful writing, an absolute joy to read, I cried and laughed and savoured every moment I spent with Tony, his family, and their beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Stan.

 

A brilliant audiobook with first class narration - 5 star

There can be no doubt that the increase in listening to, and the availability of audiobooks has been helped greatly by the quality of the narration. It is the job of the narrator(s) to create a believable scenario and by the use of sound and words convey the listener to another dimension…..The trial of Doctor Crippen is the start of a number of audiobooks bringing to life the excitement, anticipation and horror that is the life and eventual death of the said doctor. This was an amazing experience, I was transported to the Old Bailey of 1910 and I felt privileged to be a spectator as the story unfolded. Crippen was accused of the murder of his American wife Cora Crippen (stage name Belle Elmore)  , described by some as an overbearing and dominant woman . The couple moved to London in 1900 and she was last seen alive Jan 31st 1910. She was reported missing after Doctor Crippen reported she had returned to the US and later died. The good doctor was arrested aboard the SS Montrose as it approached Quebec Canada…Crippen was fleeing with his lover, Ethel Le Neve, who was disguised as his son.

A truly brilliant audiobook, expertly narrated, a trial brought to life inside my head and with nervous tension, I waited for the outcome of the jury….surely they could not get it wrong? Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the privilege of an early hearing…simply wonderful :)

A superb audiobook highly recommended - 5 star

The state of Alabama views abortion as a crime punishable by up to 99 years in prison. The resident judge in Union City Alabama is Mary Stone who is about to preside over one of the most controversial cases in the city's history. A well regarded and respected doctor Dr. Bria Gaines has performed an illegal abortion on a 13 year old rape victim. The forth coming trial will divide the community like no other as pro and anti abortion supporters stand ready to fight for their beliefs. In addition Judge Stone has to fight to retain the family farm that she runs and treats as a sacred responsibility along side her court duties. With a wonderful narration by Viola Davis this legal thriller is one of the very best and highly recommended.

Utterly Brilliant! - 5 star

A number of contract killings have taken place throughout Scotland as well as the assassination of a well known author in York, possibly by Islamic extremists. DS Max Craigie works for the Policing Standards Reassurance (PSR) team within Police Scotland. This unit is a small, specialized team, Series & Organised Crime (SOC) Max and his colleague DC Janie Calder are based at Police Scotland's corporate headquarters at Tulliallan, Fife. They operate under the radar, often reporting directly to the Chief Constable to investigate the most serious crimes, particularly those involving police corruption. 

This is a complex case with numerous threads connecting local Drug gangs with mysterious assassins and Russian Kingpins with interesting names such as The Cashier and the wonderfully strange “X” The audiobook is brilliantly narrated by Angus King. I believe that the success of an audiobook is due in no small way to the ability of the narrator to bring alive not only the story, but the characters, and to do this he must be quite expert at language and dialect. Angus King’s narration is so accomplished, the story he tells just comes alive in my head, creating such drama and excitement.

This is the first book I have read (listened to) by Neil Lancaster, and am totally in awe of his storytelling ability. The reason he can write such vivid accomplished books is because he has lived that life first as a military policeman, and then a detective with the Met where he investigated the most serious of crimes in the capital and beyond. This involved specialist covert work using any means he could to gain information and evidence from and against murderers, human traffickers and drug dealers. So the books that Neil Lancaster writes reflect a life he knew so well, and oh my goodness what intense, fearful, exciting stories they are………

This is now my No 1 crime author and I heartily recommend this book, so if you are a crime fan you must read. Accomplished, marvellous, wonderful, it will stay with you for many days as will his dark humour!

An ok read - 3 star

Pepper is arrested by police and left in New Hyde Hospital, psychiatric unit simply because the police cannot be bothered to do the paperwork. He becomes lost in the system and an alteration at the unit results in Pepper being held indefinitely. The book is really a study of mental health and how it appears to be more beneficial to keep patients in a drug induced state rather than educate and help them return to the community. I quite enjoyed.