The Caregiver by Astrid 'Artistikem' Cruz Review

Title: The Caregiver

Author: Astrid 'Artistikem' Cruz 

My Rating: 3/5

Part of a series? Yes

Genre(s): Crime, Thriller

Description/Blurb:

Scarlett Lang always dreamt of becoming an Interpol agent. When her hard work pays off and she's given the chance to work as an undercover agent with London's biggest drug lord, Armand Sayer, she can't help being ecstatic about it. She's employed by Armand's sister (to aid in his recovery from a gun attack) as both caregiver and bodyguard. Her resourcefulness in both areas helps her win much more than Armand's trust, to the dismay of both his right-hand man and her ex-boyfriend / colleague. As she makes her way into the business she swore to help tear down, she's faced with the dilemma of choosing between being loyal to her profession or her heart. And we all know it can't be both.

My review: 

This book deals with more violence than the average crime novel with a female protagonist  Scarlett isn't an investigator really she's more of a hit-man (hit-woman?) which made a nice change. There's not really an overly complicated plot or loads of detail for the reader to get bogged down in which makes it a nice light read, easily readable in an hour or two.

I did have a couple of issues believing that the book was set in London though, it felt a lot more like some of the American cities I've read about. I'm not sure if it's because I'm more familiar with London than cities in the U.S. so it's harder for me to just go with the flow of the plot or something along those lines. I felt that maybe there was a bit too much gun crime going on, normally you read of more stabbings than gun crime in the papers so that didn't really feel right with me. There also weren't many landmarks mentioned so you could easily have been in any generic city. 

Anyway despite that little niggle I still found the book enjoyable, it was good for a quick read. I might even end up reading the sequel to learn more about Scarlett's past as I don't think we learnt enough about it in this book, I love to know what motivates a character when I'm reading but I appreciate that because this book is a rather short one an in-depth run down of Scarlett's history would have felt out of place and slowed down plot development massively.

I would quite happily recommend this book to anybody who wants a short, fast paced thriller or somebody who fancies a break from traditional romance novels. 

Letters From a Murderer by John Mathews Review

Title: Letters From a Murderer

Author: John Mathews

My Rating: 5/5

Part of a series? This is book one of the Finley Jameson & Joseph Argenti series.

Genre(s): Mystery, Historical fiction, Crime, American literature.

Description/Blurb:

New York, 1891. A prostitute is found brutally murdered. The victim bears the same hallmarks as a notorious recent killing spree in England. Could it be that killer has crossed the Atlantic to fresh killing grounds? Or is this simply a copycat murder? Fear spreads through a city already rife with cut-throat gangs, corruption and vice. Aristocratic English pathologist, Finley Jameson, is teamed up with Joseph Argenti, a streetwise New York cop, to solve the case. But as the body-count rises and the killer taunts his pursuers in open letters, Jameson and Argenti find themselves fighting not just to prevent yet more victims, but also to save the city’s very soul.

My review: 
I know this is jumping right into things but I need to say it, I really hope the author carries on with this series. The plot is based on the notorious murderer 'Jack the ripper', a mystery that has gripped people since the time of the murders in Victorian London, so it's something a lot of readers will go into already being comfortable with the setting. The idea of the ripper going to the U.S. and carrying on with his work isn't exactly a new one but Mathews explores it well. The author provides the reader with well fleshed out characters and the reader gets to see parts of the story from the points of view of different characters, allowing the reader to know more about events than the characters but not enough to get too far ahead and sit around waiting while the characters play catch up.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to fans of literature set in the 1800’s particularly those who also enjoy mysteries. Fans of Conan Doyle may also find this book to be of interest. The answer to the riddles aren't obvious and at many points in this novel the characters find themselves having to face more than one adversary and question exactly what can be trusted. All in all a good read, there’s nothing in there likely to give you nightmares so I’d suggest this one as a good bedtime read. 

The Hard-Boiled Detective Series by Ben Solomon Review

Ok, I know I don't normally put a whole series up as a review, and  I'm not really doing it here either as I'll be reviewing "No. 3: Simeon Von Runck" rather than the series itself but as the series is an on-line subscription rather than a traditional book it makes sense to use the series as the post title rather than the story itself.

I know I probably explained that really badly so pop along to thehardboileddetective.com if you want to find out more about how that manages to work.

Title: No. 3: Simeon Von Runck

Author: Ben Solomon

My Rating: 3.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is part of the The Hard-Boiled Detective on-line sbscription series.

Genre(s): Retro detective, Crime. 

Description/Blurb:

The Hard-Boiled Detective Statement Series goes back to the school of old-school detective fiction. There isn’t really a set time period so in your head it could be anything from the 1920’s to the 1950’s as you follow the cases of the P.I. who “seeks truth, justice, and sometimes a living”. The stories are the detective’s statements to the police, in his own words of course.

No 003: Simeon Von Runck: "Have you ever planned a murder?" That's one hell of an opener. And it makes for one hell of a party game. Or is it a game?

My review: 

My first thought after reading this short story was, ‘well I’m guessing “Sometimes my line of work calls for it” might just be out detective’s catchphrase’ I admit that’s not the most useful first thought when I’m trying to write a review but the P.I. does say it a couple of times, it might even turn into some sort of joke.

Anyway, this was quite a good little story, it wasn’t dark or ‘heavy’ and it’s easily readable in a lunch break if you feel like escaping a little. The detective was the stereotypical old style detective though, with all of the language and mannerisms you’d expect from a 1940’s movie policeman, so bear that in mind if you’re thinking of taking out a subscription. If you don’t like that sort of character then this series really isn’t for you. However if you are the type who enjoys old timey detective novels where the crimes are of the traditional type rather like a condensed version of Sherlock Holmes where the clues are easier to spot and follow, then these stories might just be for you. So basically at times it feels a bit corny, but this story was a bit of good fun that could be easily read to assume yourself on a commute or lunch break.

The author has a couple of samples up on the Hard-Boiled Detective website if you want to sample some of his work.

Dukkha Reverb by Loren W. Christensen Review

Title: Dukkha Reverb: A Sam Reeves Martial Arts Thriller

Author: Loren W. Christensen

My Rating: 2.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is book two of the Sam Reeves series. 

Genre(s): Thriller, Martial arts.

Description/Blurb:

Up until six weeks ago, Sam Reeves, a respected Portland, Oregon police detective, martial artist, and teacher, had a good life. That is until a series of unimaginable events turned it upside down some good, some very, very bad. Still reeling from this maelstrom of fate, Sam takes a leave of absence and heads to exotic Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam seeking refuge with his family, and to reflect on his deadly past. Sam is captivated by the contrast of beauty and struggle of a country still recovering from war, and by the warmth of his newfound family his father Samuel, wife Kim, half sisters, and the beautiful enchanting Mai. But the grief-crazed mob boss, Lai Van Tan, seeks revenge against Samuel who he holds responsible for the death of his son. Ever the protector, Sam Reeves joins the fight to thwart Lai Van Tan s deadly attacks on the family. Dealing with a crazed mob boss is difficult enough but when the family learns that Lai Van Tan s people have kidnapped 27 young girls to be sold into the sex trade, and that the corrupt police and government won t help, Sam, Samuel, and Mai, along with a bizarre group of seemingly old and disabled Vietnamese soldiers with unique fighting skills, join forces to rescue the young girls. Enraged, Lai Van Tan strikes back with a fury that tests the mettle of these warriors. Before it s over, the family is forced to defend themselves again and again, including in a warehouse full of life-sized Buddha statues. The results well, if you re going to fight the bad guys you might as well make them really mad at you.

My review: 
Before reading this I'd never found myself reading a martial arts thriller before, I didn't even know a lot about the genre itself and I'm slightly ashamed to admit this but pretty much all of my (extremely limited) martial arts knowledge comes from watching films, so I apologise now in case my ignorance insults somebody.

This book had considerably less violence than I expected, that's not saying there was no violence as this book has its air share of fights, murders and distressing content at times, but the author concentrates on more than the violence, and he would be forgiven for doing so in a thriller book, instead he focused more on the chi, state of mind and energy required in a fight. This did lead to the book feeling a bit like a fantasy at times due to the frequent talks around chi, moving faster than the eye can follow, 'mind reading' and other skills displayed by Samuel and 'Sifu'. Other elements were a lot more realistic, Sam's post traumatic stress following the events of the previous book (which I have not had the opportunity to read) showed that the main character was in fact a human being, the post traumatic stress as well as adding some realism to the novel also allowed the reader to learn enough of the key elements if the previous book to understand this one without having read the first book in the series.

I loved the authors description of the traffic in Saigon, it was so easy to imagine the close shaves that I found myself gripping my e-reader a bit too tight whilst reading these passages almost as if I was gripping some car part for dear life. I didn't have such an intense reaction to the fight scenes despite them being equally as well written but it is much easier for me to imagine crazy traffic which I have experienced  than mortal combat, which I hope to steer well clear of.

Anyway, back to the point. I would recommend this to somebody who is interested in martial arts and interested in thrillers as they would perhaps appreciate the more spiritually components more than myself. I'd also recommend this to somebody who fancies a bit of escapism, there are plenty of points where you could easily put the novel down for a few hours making this a suitable read for a commute.

Where the Dead Men Go by Liam McIlvanney Review

Title: Where the Dead Men Go

Author: Liam McIlvanney

My Rating: 4.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is the second book in the Conway Trilogy

Genre(s): Crime, Mystery, Glasgow, Journalism

Description/Blurb:

After three years in the wilderness, hardboiled reporter Gerry Conway is back at his desk at the Glasgow Tribune. But three years is a long time on newspapers and things have changed - readers are dwindling, budgets are tightening, and the Trib's once rigorous standards are slipping. Once the paper's star reporter, Conway now plays second fiddle to his former protégé, crime reporter Martin Moir. 

But when Moir goes AWOL as a big story breaks, Conway is dispatched to cover a gangland shooting. And when Moir's body turns up in a flooded quarry, Conway is drawn deeper into the city's criminal underworld as he looks for the truth about his colleague's death. Braving the hostility of gangsters, ambitious politicians and his own newspaper bosses, Conway discovers he still has what it takes to break a big story. But this is a story not everyone wants to hear as the city prepares to host the Commonwealth Games and the country gears up for a make-or-break referendum on independence. 

My review: 

I haven’t read the first book in this series which might be why I wasn't hooked straight away but I've got to say that this book really grew on me while I read it. For the first couple of chapters I kept wondering when the story was going to pick up pace but I grew to appreciate the pace of the story telling. The slower pace made the events feel more realistic, the main character/narrator Gerry is a journalist not a policeman so he doesn't have a team of people to help him make discoveries, and he doesn't have access to all of the details. He makes his discoveries slowly; a newspaper story that doesn't make sense, unusual phone numbers, a policeman who hears thing. The reader gets to feel the frustration that Gerry feels at the lack of progress, this helped me connect with Gerry, I could understand why he had to miss a few of his sons’ events, I could see why his marriage fell apart and what could happen to his current relationship without it needing to be spelt out in plain letters.

McIlvanney is quite heavy on the description in parts of this book which I know isn't to everybody’s taste, but as somebody who hasn't yet lived in Glasgow or even a city of a similar size for a reasonable length of time I found the detail helped me with getting to grips with elements of the plot and picturing the locations in my mind’s eye.

All in all this is decent crime novel, and I’d say this book is well worth a read, especially during a holiday or when you’re on a long journey, where you can appreciate the pacing of the plot. Although I haven’t read the first book of the trilogy yet I'm going to tentatively recommend reading it and working through the books as the character and story development were really quite enjoyable once I got into the book properly. 

Unleashed by Emily Kimelman Review

Title: Unleashed

Author: Emily Kimelman

My Rating: 3.5/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is book one of the Sydney Rye series

Genre(s): Mystery, Dogs, Chick lit, Crime, Adult themes. 

Description/Blurb:

When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller's dog-walking business on Manhattan's exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people.

But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim--and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way.

When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit--cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.

My review: 

It took me a while but I've finally worked myself up to reading Unleashed. I was a bit worried about something horrible happening to the dog leaving me a blubbering wreck but it wasn't too upsetting on the animal front, the human front was a different matter but that’s easier to handle.

I finished the book last night and it’s taken me a while to figure out how I feel about the book as a whole. I loved the character of Joy, she felt like the everyday person you'd meet on the street, her move from witness to investigator wasn't an instant one and while it wasn't a completely gradual transformation it was slow enough to appreciate the situation Joy was in and understand why she might be curious. After all, the investigating starts with gossip and who doesn't like to hear the latest gossip?

A couple of things didn't sit quite right with me though, the motive behind the murder and how the person spotted near the seen managed to get away without being seen seemed very much like the sort of thing you'd find in a children's book which made me do a little bit of a double take when the clues started to come together. I'm not saying that these parts weren't well written though, because they were and the momentum of the story does pull you along so you don't have any real time to wonder where Kimelman came up with the motive.

Overall I'd say that this book is quite a fun read, it's not overly long (I managed to finish it by using it as bedtime reading for a couple of nights) or complicated. There are just enough characters that Joy can have relationships with other people and progress the story but few enough characters that it doesn't take long for the reader to remember who is who. Also Joys rescue dog Blue is a little bonus to any dog owners, the way his actions are described are spot on and I think most dog owners can relate!

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery that isn't all darkness and gore or somebody who just fancies an interesting/quirky read.

21:37 by Mariusz Czubaj Review

Title: 21:37

Author: Mariusz Czubaj (translated by Anna Hyde)

My Rating: 4/5

Part of a series? Yes, this is book one of the Rudolf Heinz series, but is currently the only one translated into English.

Genre(s): Crime, Mystery, European Literature. 

Description/Blurb:

Rudolf Heinz’s life is far from perfect. His son avoids him, he’s a terrible guitar player, and he lives in constant pain. But there is one thing Rudolf Heinz is really good at – he’s the best profiler in Poland when it comes to serial killers.

When the police find the dead bodies of two young men, their heads covered in plastic bags marked with the numbers 21 and 37, Heinz faces his most challenging case. Taking on a killer who likes to play games, the investigation is complicated when he discovers the victims are priests, and the local police close ranks against him. As he analyses each lead, Heinz’s search for the killer pushes him deep into his own past, unaware that he will soon have to save his own life. And he’s running out of time…

My review: 

My first thought after finishing this book was something along the lines of "I think I might have weaned myself off (Ian Rankins) Rebus books". Czubaj manages to create a gritty believable crime novel that keeps the reader guessing until the end, we have the grizzled police profiler Heinz with his slightly alcoholic tendencies and dysfunctional family life and a personality that takes his colleagues a while to warm to. The case itself is interesting and kept me guessing until the end but it wasn't the only mystery in this story, we have the mystery of Heinz's past to deal with, what exactly was the inquisitor (a series killer from Heinz's past) talking about and why exactly does he want to get in touch with Heinz again all of a sudden. Not everything was solved in this novel but Czubaj gives the reader enough to be satisfied with this novel but holds back enough for the reader to want to read the next instalment in the Heinz series. I know I'm now eagerly awaiting the English translation of the next book.

My only real gripe with this novel is that there are a few faults in the translation, a few turns of phrase that don't work as well in English and a couple of sentences that could have been arranged slightly differently. This doesn't really take away from the enjoyment of the book however as the translation for the most part is good and you can't really expect a novel to be translated perfectly and still retain the writer's style it's just that sometimes I found myself being pulled out of my little fantasy world and instead focusing in the words themselves rather than the story they create. 

Murder Most Fab: You'd Kill to be that Famous - Review

Title: Murder Most Fab: You'd Kill to be that Famous

Author: Julian Clary 

My Rating: 3/5

Part of a series? No

Genre(s): Humour, Contemporary, Crime, Adult. 

Description/Blurb:

Hello, I'm Johnny Debonair and this is my book - Murder Most Fab. Buy it. You won't regret it. Everything that has happened so publicly is explained. Of course, I'd prefer it if you remember me as I was at my height, before the past caught up with me so spectacularly - TV's Mr Friday Night with an enviable lifestyle and the nation at my feet. My fame might have looked easy to you at the time, but getting to the top of the celebrity ladder is hard work. It took talent, beauty, commitment and, uniquely in my case, a number of unfortunate deaths. If we were being picky you might describe me as a serial killer, but I really don't see myself that way. It sounds trite to say 'one thing led to another' but it's true.

My review: 

This book is quite funny if you can have a twisted sense of humour at times. I started reading this book as something to read on the train without particularly high expectations but found it quite enjoyable despite not me being more of an urban fantasy fan. I managed to find myself sympathising with a murderer, and find myself seeing how one thing could lead to another. The sex scenes were probably the most intensely described scenes in the book, some of the other scenes/settings could have been more detailed in my opinion. However this book doesn't pretend to be a literary classic (though it does use some classic poetry in rather fitting moments in the boom through Johnny's love of poetry) so the lack of detail doesn't take away any enjoyment from what is essentially a light hearted novel.