Tag: Crime fiction

CTG Reviews: AND SHE WAS by Alison Gaylin

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AND SHE WAS cover image

AND SHE WAS cover image

What the blurb says: “When Brenna Spector was a child, her older sister stepped into a strange car never to be seen again. This traumatic event triggered in Brenna a rare neurological disorder that enables her to recall every detail of every day of her life, except – cruelly – that dark day when her sister disappeared.

Nowadays Brenna puts her unusual skill to use as a missing persons investigator and it’s while she’s trying to find local woman Carol Wentz that she discovers connections to another child’s disappearance, ten years earlier. Before too long a link to her own past emerges. Could this be the answer she’s been hunting for all these years?”

Brenna Spector is a truly unique investigator – smart and dedicated to her work as a missing persons investigator, and very human in her struggle to balance the demands of her job while trying to make quality time for her daughter. She also has a rare neurological disorder that lets her recall every detail of every day since it developed.

Brenna’s latest job is to find Carol Wentz, a resident of the small town – Tarry Ridge. Hired by Nelson Wentz, Carol’s husband, Brenna starts to piece together Carol’s movements in the days leading up to her disappearance. It’s not easy, Nelson is far from forthcoming, and the town holds many memories for Brenna which cause her mind to plunge her back into the aftermath of when the young girl – Iris Neff – was taken; a case which caused Brenna to visit the town ten years previously.

Then a body is found.

With the Police looking to make a quick arrest and Brenna’s client – Nelson Wentz – firmly in the frame, Brenna finds herself out of a job. But things don’t feel right to Brenna, and she keeps digging, discovering the dead woman’s increasing obsession with the child who was abducted many years before.

Much of the book focuses on the residents of fictional small town – Tarry Ridge – and the secrets they’ve kept from each other. It explores loss, and guilt, and the devastating consequences a single decision has both in that moment and across a decade.

Brenna is a resourceful and engaging protagonist. She juggles life as a single-parent with her job, and maintains good relationship with her ex-husband and his new wife even though the memories of the good times force her to relive her loss of him every time they meet.

I especially liked the growing relationship between Brenna and Detective Nick Morasco of Tarry Ridge PD. Both sense something more is going on in the small town than at first appears, and although initially neither is sure whether they can trust the other, they build at first a truce and then a partnership that helps both their investigations reach the truth.

Beautifully written, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader perched on the edge of their seat, this is a fabulous start to a fantastic new series. I can’t wait to read the next one.

Highly recommended.

[with thanks to Sphere for my copy of AND SHE WAS]

CTG Reviews: TELL NO TALES by Eva Dolan

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TELL NO TALES cover image

TELL NO TALES cover image

What the blurb says: “The car that ploughs into the bus stop early one morning leaves a trail of death and destruction behind it.

DS Ferreira and DI Zigic are called in from the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit to handle the investigation but with another major case on their hands, one with disturbing Neo-Nazi overtones, they are relieved when there seems to be an obvious suspect. But the case isn’t that simple and with tensions erupting in the town, leading to more violence, the media are soon hounding them for answers.

Ferreira believes that local politician Richard Stotton, head of a recently established ring-wing party, must be involved somehow. Journalists have been quick to acclaim Stotton, with his Brazilian wife and RAF career, as a serious contender for a major political career, despite his extremist views, but is his party a cover for something far more dangerous?”

Eva Dolan’s debut novel LONG WAY HOME was one of my favourite books of 2014, so I was super excited to get an early copy of the second book in the DS Ferreira and DI Zigic series – TELL NO TALES.

Ferreira and Zigic are assigned to investigate the hit and run, but what at first seems a fairly straightforward case soon turns out to be far more complex than they’d originally thought. Alongside the hit and run, they’re still struggling to find suspects in a chain of recent murders. The brutal, racially motivated attacks have already claimed two victims, but Zigic’s boss wants the motive for the murders downplayed.

The attackers are well prepared and ruthless, beating their victims to death and even playing up to the CCTV cameras they know are filming them. But even with video and forensic evidence, the detectives are no closer to identifying the killers. And things are going to get worse, a lot worse, before they get more leads. With tensions rising, and violence escalating, the two investigations begin to blur, and Ferreira and Zigic find their skills, and their resolve, tested to their very limits.

As in the first book, Ferreira and Zigic make a great duo, with Ferreira’s bold ‘tell it as it is’ attitude perfectly off set by Zigic’s more steady, measured, but no less determined approach. As the investigation progresses they deal with the challenges and try to cope with the shocking brutality of the cases in their own individual ways, but despite their differences, and Ferreira’s reservations about the additional officers assigned to Hate Crimes to support them, they work well together to unravel the complex and interwoven connections that have led to these extreme acts of violence taking place in the town.

What I especially liked about this novel was the characterisation. All the characters are so well drawn, from the witnesses and victims who are withholding information, to the suspects who refuse to talk, and the increasing political posturing and media manipulation from those looking to use the violence to whip up more unrest.

A compelling story, beautifully crafted, TELL NO TALES has tension crackling off every page. This is a must-read for police procedural fans.

Highly recommended.

 

[with thanks to Harvill Secker for my copy of TELL NO TALES]

 

CTG Reviews: Dead Man Walking by Paul Finch

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Dead Man Walking cover image

Dead Man Walking cover image

What the blurb says: “DS ‘Heck’ Heckenburg is back and facing his most challenging criminal yet in unfamiliar territory. But tracking down a psychotic serial killer with the upper hand isn’t the only issue – it’s knowing who you can trust.

Consigned to a remote valley in the Lake District, DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg is getting used to a quieter life – a far cry from the bloodbath of his former division, the Serial Crimes Unit. But wherever Heck goes, trouble is never far behind.

Unknown to Heck, ‘The Stranger’ has returned. Last seen on Dartmoor ten years earlier, this prolific serial killer has found a new home. As a dense, frozen mist descends on the Lakes, The Stranger returns to his old ways, starting with two young women lost high on the hills. Only one girl is ever found – barely alive – but able to confirm Heck’s worst fears.

As The Stranger lays siege to the remote community, Heck helplessly watches as the killer plays his cruel game, letting off his trademark call before viciously picking off his victims.

And with no way to get word out of the valley, Heck has no choice but to play ball …”

Heck has started to build a new life for himself away from the stresses and unrelenting pressure of the Serial Crimes Unit. He’s got a new woman in his life – Hazel Carter, owner of The Witch’s Kettle pub – and a keen and resourceful work partner in DC Mary-Ellen O’Rourke. Things are looking good, but that’s all about to change!

This is a rollercoaster of a read from the get-go. Using the beautiful yet remote setting of the Lake District to the maximum, The Stranger waits until severe weather descends, cloaking the community and surrounding hillsides in freezing fog. One by one, the killer picks off their victims – first those dwelling outside the main village, then becoming bolder – targeting police officers, cutting off power and telephones, and isolating the community from the outside world.

As the body count rises, Heck has to grapple with an added complication. DSU Gemma Piper – his previous boss, and former lover – was a member of the original team assigned to catch The Stranger before he disappeared ten years earlier. When she hears that the killer has returned, she travels from London to the Lake District, pitching up in Heck’s new life and bringing all the memories, and the tensions, from before with her.

Told through multiple points of view, the reader follows Heck as he tries to alert the residents to the danger in their wake and then, as the killer closes in, seeks to get them to safety; you also get a wider perspective of what’s happening in other parts of the small community through the eyes of Gemma, Hazel, and a number of other villagers (and victims).

The sense of isolation and disorientation caused by the fog ramps up the tension as the killer stalks their prey. As the loyalties and motivations of those close to him are called into question, Heck has to decide who he can trust, and who he can’t. If he makes a mistake it’s likely to be fatal.

Packed with atmosphere, and super-charged with action, this is a creepy, unsettling and suspense-filled read.

Highly recommended.

 

[many thanks to Avon for my copy of Dead Man Walking]

 

CTG Reviews: The Target by David Baldacci

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The Target cover image

The Target cover image

What the blurb says: “Government operatives Will Robie and Jessica Reel are faced with a lethal mission. An attack from North Korea looks likely as US involvement in an attempted coup is revealed, and a bond of trust has been broken at the very highest level.

Chung-Cha is a young woman who was raised in the infamous Yodok concentration camp. It’s a place where honour, emotion and compassion don’t exist. Cold, calculating and highly skilled, Chung-Cha has been trained to kill. And the task she has been given is to destroy the enemy at all costs.

A dangerous and deadly operation of cat and mouse plays out between East and West. But who will be hunter and who will be hunted when the true target is finally revealed?”

The Target hooked me into the story from the very first page. Will Robie and Jessica Reel make for a great, if rather unconventional, duo. Both highly specialist government operatives with years of difficult missions behind them, trusting other people doesn’t come easy to either of them, but with each other they’ve forged a rare bond. Which is good, because on their last mission they went against orders and now the Director is gunning for them, determined to test their loyalties to the limit before he’ll let them back into the field.

When a threat at the very highest level of national security is made, Robie and Reel are thrust into a succession of high danger missions that take every ounce of teamwork and skill they have to survive. This book is action packed and fast paced, but it also explores the characters of Robie and Reel, revealing more about their personal lives and those they hold dear (and would protect unconditionally).

One of the stand out elements of the novel is the deadly operative Chung-Cha. Raised in the Yodok concentration camp in horrendous conditions and with brutal treatment, she is a lethal assassin who strikes without emotion, or so her commanders would believe. Her journey is a compelling, shocking and thought-provoking narrative that adds another layer of emotion and depth to the story.

With high stakes, and ever-rising tension, this book is a must-read for thriller fans.

Highly recommended.

 

[with thanks to PAN for my copy of THE TARGET]

 

CTG Interviews: Alison Gaylin, author of AND SHE WAS

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Author Alison Gaylin

Author Alison Gaylin

I’m delighted to welcome today’s guest – best selling author Alison Gaylin – to the CTG blog. Alison’s kindly agreed to answer a few questions for us.

So, to the interview …

Your fantastic new novel AND SHE WAS came out earlier this month, can you tell us a bit about it?

Sure! It’s the first book in my series that features Brenna Spector – a missing persons investigator with hyperthymestic syndrome (perfect autobiographical memory). In it, Brenna investigates the case of a missing suburban woman — and soon finds ties between her disappearance and a missing child case of ten years ago. The mystery that drives Brenna throughout the first three books in this series is the disappearance of her own sister, which happened when she was just 11. It’s the event that brought on her hyperthymesia (which is a real thing!) and haunts her constantly. And so of course, it plays a strong role in AND SHE WAS.

Your investigator, Brenna Spector, is really compelling protagonist – smart and dedicated to her work as a missing persons investigator, and very human in her struggle to balance the demands of her job while trying to make quality time for her daughter. She also has a rare neurological disorder that lets her recall every detail of every day since it developed. What was your inspiration to create her?

Back in 2007, I read an article about hyperthymestic syndrome. It had just been named a year earlier. And it fascinated and frightened me. I’ve said this before, but it struck me not so much as an ability to remember, but an inability to forget. My own ability to forget unpleasant experiences has been a lifesaver — and to be robbed of that ability would be horrifying. So that was my inspiration. I thought about how a perfect, relentless memory would affect someone like me, how it would affect my relationships. I gave Brenna a daughter because I have a daughter. I thought about what a struggle that would be, trying to be present for your child with the near-constant intrusion of the past in the form of visceral memories. I’m married, but I gave Brenna an ex-husband that she can’t even be in the same room with — not because of the bad memories, but because of the good ones. At the same time, the world is a lot smaller than we think it is, and I figured being someone that literally “never forgets a face” would be an incredible asset for a private investigator.

Much of the book focuses on the residents of Tarry Ridge and the secrets they’ve kept. Is Tarry Ridge a real place or somewhere you created for the story?

Tarry Ridge is a fictional town, but the county that it’s in is real. For people who know Westchester County, New York, Tarry Ridge is White Plains meets Scarsdale on steroids. If you don’t know those places, it’s a very wealthy New York bedroom community with some dark secrets. (The dark secrets wholly fictional!)

AND SHE WAS cover image

AND SHE WAS cover image

How do you set out to write your novels – do you jump right in and see where an idea goes, or do you plot the story out in advance?

A combination of the two. I always have to know where a novel ends up – the key to the mystery. But how I get there is more flexible. So I figure out the basic story ahead of time and then I start writing. After I hit around 100 pages, I start outlining two-three chapters in advance. When I finish, I do a very extensive revision, streamlining and rearranging. I used to make very detailed outlines, but I always wound up diverging from them. This way seems to work better.

When’s your favourite time to write – are you a lark or an owl?

Both! Late night is usually when I write scenes for the first time. I find morning is the best time to edit them, when my head is clear.

What advice would you give to crime writers aspiring to publication?

Be persistent, but don’t be inflexible. If you are getting the same criticism from everyone who rejects your manuscript, and it’s about character or plot (as opposed to “this will never sell.” Or the dreaded, “this isn’t for us”) it’s probably worth listening to. Constructive criticism can be a wonderful thing. Use it to write the best book you can.

And finally, what does 2015 have in store for you?

In the UK, the next book in the Brenna series, INTO THE DARK, will be released. As for me, I am currently working on a standalone novel called WHAT REMAINS OF ME. The main character is a convicted murderer — so she’s very different from Brenna. It will be coming out on HarperCollins in the US.

A huge thank you to Alison Gaylin for letting us quiz her!

You can find out more about Alison and her books over at www.alisongaylin.com and follow her on Twitter @alisongaylin

 

CTG Reviews: The Dying Place by Luca Veste

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The Dying Place cover image

The Dying Place cover image

I blogged about this fantastic book in October as part of the eBook blog tour. Today The Dying Place is released in paperback, and in celebration I thought I’d re-run the review …

What the blurb says:

“Once inside THERE’S NO WAY OUT…

DI David Murphy and DS Laura Rossi make a grisly discovery. The body of a teenage boy, dumped in front of a church in Liverpool. His torso covered with the unmistakable marks of torture.

And a shocking fact soon comes to light. Seventeen-year-old Dean Hughes was reported missing six months ago, yet no one has been looking for him. A known troublemaker, who cared if he was dead or alive?

But soon the police realise Dean isn’t the only boy who’s gone missing in similar circumstances. Someone has been abducting troubled teens. Someone who thinks they’re above the law. Someone with terrifying plans for them.”

As a big fan of Luca Veste’s debut novel – Dead Gone – I was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of the second book in the Murphy and Rossi series – The Dying Place. And, as with his first book, Veste weaves a twisting, turning plot to skillfully produce a fast-paced police procedural that keeps you guessing right to the end.

When the body of a murdered teenager is found outside a church, Murphy and Rossi are called in to investigate. As they delve deeper into the case it becomes clear that someone, or some people, are taking teenagers off the street and holding them against their will, trying to ‘re-train’ them through a brutal form of national service.

This is a hard book to review without giving away any spoilers [and you know how I hate to do that!] but what I will say is that Veste’s Liverpool is an unsettling, dangerous place where frustrations between the older generation and the young run high.

Told through multiple points of view, the story highlights the impact of violent crime on victims’ families – on the parents whose children don’t ever return home and on the adult children whose elderly parents fall victim to teenage gangs – with a nod towards how depending on where you live, and what job you (or your parents have) the value of your life might be perceived by the media.

It also shows how grief can twist into vengeance and how that can be a powerful motivator, exploring the theme of vigilante justice in an up-close and disturbingly convincing way through the eyes of the characters.

As in Dead Gone, Murphy and Rossi are a brilliantly paired double act; the strong bond between them showing through their ever-present banter, and their unswerving loyalty in the face of adversity.

Engaging and thought provoking, The Dying Place is a truly gripping read.

Highly Recommended

CTG Reviews: WANT YOU DEAD by Peter James

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Want You Dead cover image

Want You Dead cover image

What the blurb says: “When Red Westwood meets handsome, charming and rich Bryce Laurent through an online dating agency, there is an instant attraction. But as their love blossoms, the truth about his past, and his dark side, begins to emerge. Everything he has told Red about himself turns out to be a tissue of lies, and her infatuation with him gradually turns to terror. Within a year, and under police protection, she evicts him from her flat and her life. But Red’s nightmare is only just beginning. For Bryce is obsessed with her, and he intends to destroy everything and everyone she has know and loved – and then her too…”

DCI Roy Grace returns in the latest book in Peter James’ best selling detective series – Want You Dead. He’s juggling the new responsibilities of parenthood with planning for his approaching wedding when his team is called to inspect the scene of an apparent suicide. But the suicide is suspicious, and when the dead man is found to be the current boyfriend of Red Westwood, a women whose previous boyfriend – Bryce Laurent – is known for his violent outbursts, Grace and the team are pulled into a deadly race against time to find the killer before he strikes again.

Red is a survivor of domestic abuse, determined to rebuild her life after being betrayed and brutalised by the man she loved. She’s started a new career, and is beginning to date again. But when her boyfriend is found dead, and she starts to catch glimpses of her ex – Bryce Laurent – her confidence begins to crumble.

Bryce is a smart and terrifying villain, able to be both utterly charming and brutally violent. Obsessed with Red, and destroying her and all she holds dear, anyone who threatens his success instantly becomes a target.

Told in short chapters, with points of view alternating between viewpoint characters including Grace, Red Westwood, Bryce Laurent, and Sandy (Roy Grace’s wife who disappeared many years previously) the tension continues to rise as Brighton becomes the setting for a series of devastating fires. Alongside the case, Grace and his fiancé – Cleo – prepare for their wedding, but unknown to them, in the background someone is watching – Sandy, Grace’s first wife, who has now been declared legally dead.

The story twists and turns at break-neck pace towards its dramatic showdown with plenty of shocks along the way. It’s a must-read for fans of the series, and all those who love police procedurals.

Highly recommended.

 

 

Your chance to win: The Escape and The Target by David Baldacci #bookgiveaway

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This week I’m thrilled to be partnering up with those wonderful folks over at Pan MacMillan as a stop on the David Baldacci Blog Tour and to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a copy of David Baldacci’s latest books – The Escape (out in hardback last week) and The Target (published in paperback last week).

Here’s some more about the books …

The Escape cover image

The Escape cover image

The Escape by David Baldacci

What the blurb says: “Military CID investigator John Puller has returned from his latest case to learn that his brother, Robert, once a major in the US Air Force and an expert in nuclear weaponry and cyber-security, has escaped from the Army’s most secure prison. Preliminary investigations show that Robert – convicted of treason – may have had help in his breakout. Now he’s on the run, and he’s the military’s number one target.

John Puller has a dilemma. Which comes first: loyalty to his country, or to his brother? Blood is thicker than water, but Robert has state secrets which certain people will kill for. John does not know for sure the true nature of Robert’s crimes, nor if he’s even guilty. It quickly becomes clear, however, that his brother’s responsibilities were powerful and far-reaching.

With the help of US intelligence officer Veronica Knox, both brothers move closer to the truth from their opposing direction. As the case begins to force John Puller into a place he thought he’d never be – on the other side of the law – even his skills as an investigator, and his strength as a warrior, might not be enough to save him. Or his brother.”

With masterful storytelling and a quick-fire pace that’ll have you hurtling through the pages unable to put the book down, The Escape is a must-read for all thriller fans.

 

The Target cover image

The Target cover image

The Target by David Baldacci

What the blurb says: “A time to kill – or a time to die? The mission is to enter one of the most dangerous countries in the world. The target is one of the toughest to reach. The result could be momentous – or it could be Armageddon.

There is no margin for error. US government operatives Will Robie and Jessica Reel have to prove they are still the best team there is. But are they invincible when pitted against an agent whose training has been under conditions where most would perish?

An old man is dying in an Alabama prison hospital, it seems there is one more evil game he has still to play. And it’s a game which comes close to home for Reel and Robie. But this time the stakes might be way too high.”

The Target hooked me into the story from the very first page. Will Robie and Jessica Reel make for a great, if rather unconventional, duo. With high stakes, and ever-rising tension, this book will leave you breathless.

About the author …

David Baldacci has published twenty-eight novels – all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and tv. His books have been translated into more than forty-five languages and sold in over eighty countries. He’s received many accolades for his writing, and most recently was inducted into the International Crime Writing Hall of Fame, and received the Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award. You can find out more about him by popping over to his website http://davidbaldacci.com/ and follow him on Twitter @davidbaldacci

So, to the competition …

*** THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED AND THE WINNER NOTIFIED ***

For a chance to win all you need to do is tweet the link to this post (using the Twitter button below) OR retweet one of the CTG tweets about the giveaway. [You’ll also need to follow us on Twitter, so that we can send you a direct message should you win].

Rules
(1) One entry per reader (2) UK residents only – due to postage costs – sorry! (3) We will draw the winner at random (4) No cash alternative (5) The competition closes for entries at 9pm GMT on Sunday 30th November 2014 (6) The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Good luck!

 

The Escape by David Baldacci is out now £18.99 (Macmillan)

The Target by David Baldacci is out now £7.99 (Pan)

For more opportunities to win David Baldacci books check out the rest of the blog tour stops …

 

David Baldacci Blog Tour Poster

David Baldacci Blog Tour Poster

CTG Reviews: Falling by Emma Kavanagh

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Falling cover image

Falling cover image

What the blurb says: “A plane falls out of the sky. A woman is murdered. Four people all have something to hide. Jim is a retired police officer, and a worried father. His beloved daughter has disappeared and he knows something is wrong. Tom has woken up to discover that his wife was on the plane and must break the news to their only son. Cecilia had packed up and left her family. Now she has survived a tragedy and sees no way out. Freya is struggling to cope with the loss of her father. But as she delves into his past, she may not like what she finds.”

This is another fantastic debut for 2014. Right from the start, this psychological thriller is high on tension and drama, plunging us – literally – into the free fall of Cecilia’s plane in the opening scene. Told through the eyes of the four main protagonists, the narrative circles around two seemingly unrelated incidents – the murder of a young woman, and the shocking crash of a passenger plane in a small community – but as the events leading up to both incidents are gradually revealed it becomes clear that the two tragedies might have more in common than it had originally appeared.

It’s an unsettling story, pitching the reader into the worlds of the four main characters and giving a close-up view of their failures and regrets, and how each of them, in their own way, is haunted by their past, and by the lies they tell themselves and others. But it’s also a redemption story – a journey of people facing their deepest fears, overcoming adversity and loss, and finding a way to move forward.

A thought provoking and emotive read that grips you from the first page to the last.

Highly recommended.

 

[with thanks to Arrow Books for my copy of Falling]