The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

On April 15, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 11 February 2025)

Series: Standalone

Length: 360

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

New author Bronwyn Rivers bursts onto the Australian crime fiction scene in a big way with her impressive debut, The Reunion, a compelling and highly addictive read set in Australia’s iconic Blue Mountains that brings up dark secrets from the past.

Plot Synopsis:

Ten years ago, six teenagers hiked into the Blue Mountains wilderness – and only five came out alive.

The survivors have barely seen each other since the tragic bushwalk. Yet when an invitation arrives to attend a 10-year memorial of their friend’s death, Hugh, Charlotte, Alex, Laura and Jack find themselves travelling back into the rugged landscape where it all began.

The weekend at an isolated homestead in the bush – no phone signal, no distractions – should be a chance to reflect and reconnect.

But each of the friends has been carrying secrets from the fateful hike. And someone will stop at nothing to get the truth.

The Reunion was an impressive first novel from Rivers, who brings together a powerful, character-focused mystery that drags her protagonists through trying times in both the present and the past. Intense, captivating and filled with great twists, The Reunion was an excellent Australian debut that I had an amazing time reading.

This was a very exciting and intricate Australian crime fiction book that follows several damaged characters as they navigate their darkest secrets. Following five school friends reuniting for the 10-year anniversary of their friend Ed’s death, The Reunion starts with a necessary introduction of the characters in the present and their current issues. Cut with flashback chapters to the fateful group hike where Ed died, the initial 50 pages of the book are a tad slow to start with, although there is some very useful set-up here, as Rivers establishes the key characters and the scenario they are getting into. However, I didn’t think things really get started until the protagonists find themselves trapped in Ed’s family homestead in the Blue Mountains, caught up in a desperate plan by his grieving mother, who is convinced that there is more to the story then they ever told.

Suddenly finding themselves alone on the homestead with no water, no communication, and no ability to safely leave the property, the five friends start to find their secrets coming to light around them, which they must confront before Ed’s mother will let them leave. The protagonists’ attempts to survive at the homestead are perfectly cut with a variety of flashback chapters that showcase both the events of the hike and look at other key events of the protagonists’ lives that give them potential motive for killing Ed all those years ago. The blend of past and present storylines works extremely well to tell a complex story of lies, secrets and dark events, and you soon become obsessed with working out what really happened all those years before, as well as how the current scenario plays out. I felt that these storylines came together extremely well, as not only is there an intriguing end to the flashback sequences in the bush, but the main story ends with some intense and dangerous moments as the well-written and complex protagonists face the consequences of their actions. Featuring a surprisingly fast-paced but satisfying end to the captivating narrative, The Reunion came together extremely well, and I personally really liked the final twist, which wraps everything up in a fantastic way.

I felt that Rivers pulled together The Reunion quite nicely, and this ended up being a tight and powerful crime fiction read that really grabs the reader’s attention. Featuring an excellent narrative that perfectly oscillates between the present storyline and the various glimpse of the past, Rivers was able to provide a very moving and thrilling read that cleverly explored the history and psyches of the damaged characters and provided greater context for the main plot. The switches each chapter between the five characters worked well to expand each of their roles, and it was fascinating to see the differences between all the protagonists in the past and the present. While Rivers could have possibly made it a bit clearer who each chapter was focussing on (say by putting the name next to the chapter number), the switch between characters allowed for a highly personal read, as you experience each character’s growth and current damage. The author also ensures that the reader gets some interesting alternate views of the hike’s missing person, Ed, especially as the more you see of him the more you realise several characters may have had very valid reasons to kill him, which helps to deepen the mystery. Throw in the excellent use of the beautiful Blue Mountains setting as background for this story, which Rivers lovingly brings to life with her effective descriptions, and this was a very cool standalone crime fiction read that had a lot of impressive layers to it.

An overall sharp, captivating and well-thought-out Australian crime fiction debut, The Reunion was an outstanding first book from Bronwyn Rivers that proved hard not to enjoy. Featuring great twists, damaged characters, and excellent use of flashback chapters to paint a complex story of secrets, betrayal and tragedy, The Reunion comes highly recommended, especially for those readers keen for an impressive new talent.

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Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven

On December 4, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller4 Comments

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 8 October 2024)

Series: Ben Koenig series – Book Two

Length: 443 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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The always-entertaining M. W. Craven returns with another outrageous and over-the-top action thriller with the outstanding novel Nobody’s Hero.

Over the last year I have found myself reading several books from veteran thriller author M. W. Craven. A very talented writer with an interesting array of crime fiction to his name, Craven has impressed me with his outstanding range, as well as some of the elaborate scenarios he comes up with. His other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair, was one of the best crime fiction reads of the year, presenting readers with a dark and twisty tale that proved near impossible to turn away from. As such, I was very eager to get my hands on his other book of the year, Nobody’s Hero, which has been on my radar for a while.

Nobody’s Hero is the second book in Craven’s exciting Ben Koenig series, which started last year with the awesome novel Fearless. Following a reckless and intense US marshal on the run due to a mobster’s bounty, Fearless was a great read that set the literally fearless protagonist on a bloody revenge mission. This was an outstanding first entry in the series from Craven, and I have been looking forward to the sequel for a while, especially as Craven came up for another intriguing plot for this second Ben Koenig book.

Ben Koenig is a ghost. Formerly a decorated US marshal, Koenig is now a drifter, wandering around America trying to outrun the massive bounty placed on his head by a vengeful Russian mobster. However, Koenig is still a valuable asset to the US government thanks to his specialised training and unique mind, especially as he has a rare condition that makes him utterly fearless. But even Koenig isn’t immune to dangerous secrets from the past.

Ten years ago, Koenig was recruited to convincingly fake the death of a mysterious woman who needed to disappear to safeguard America’s safety. However, when the woman reappears in London, gunning down two muggers in broad daylight and kidnapping their intended target, an elderly academic, it sends shockwaves throughout the CIA, and see’s Koenig antagonistic handler, Jen Draper, bring him in.

The only person who knows anything about the mysterious woman, Koenig is tasked with finding her and discovering what dark secret she is hiding. Travelling to England with Draper, Koenig attempt to find a target who has successfully concealed themselves from the entire world for a decade. If he fails, a dangerous attack will be unleashed upon America, one that no-one will see coming until it’s too late. Can Koenig succeed and get the heart of this nation-killing plan, or has he met a threat even more ruthless than him?

Caven continues to highlight his ability to craft together ultra-exciting and slightly insane plots with Nobody’s Hero. A fast-paced, highly entertaining read loaded with action, twists and lots of shock-value, Nobody’s Hero was one hell of an electrifying read, and one that I had such a great time getting through.

At the heart of Nobody’s Hero lies an intriguing story that is both very clever and nicely absurd. Despite being a sequel to Fearless, Nobody’s Hero stands on its own and requires no prior knowledge of the series, which allows new readers to jump in without any issue. Craven starts the story off very strong, especially when it comes to reintroducing his protagonist, Ben Koenig, and readers quickly remember why he is such a badass (you will never look at credit cards the same way again). From there, the author crafts together an excellent overarching plot, which sees a multi-layered evil plan to destroy America unfold across several different perspectives. When the start of this plan becomes apparent, a secret government protocol forces Koenig to investigate, especially once his connection to one of the players in question comes to light. Following up the only lead they have; Koenig and his allies begin violently working their way through a variety of obstacles in both England and the United States. This leads to several outstandingly over-the-top sequences, which continues to showcase the unusual, and highly violent, nature of the protagonist.

The plot continues as a great pace throughout the entirety of Nobody’s Hero, and you really get caught up in the intense action and intrigue. The multiple alternate perspectives, especially those showing the various antagonists at work, blend well with the main storyline around Koenig, and you end up with a particularly elaborate spy thriller narrative. Koenig throws in some brilliant twists along the way, especially one major one just before the final third that really throws you entire perspective of the prior events off and changes the entire tone of the book. This all leads up to the final big set piece, which honestly is so damn excessive and insane but which fits the rest of the book perfectly and is frankly a great way to end this entire thrilling book. Craven never slows down with the excessive violence and unlikely character moments, and the reader is constantly on the edge of their seats as they wait to see how the big confrontation will conclude. I felt that Craven ended it all extremely well, and in a way that only he could pull off, and you come away from Nobody’s Hero exhilarated, satisfied, and just a little grossed out. Throw in a few intriguing reveals at the end that hint at big things to come, as well as some loose ends tied up in a fitting way, and this was an outstanding narrative that really went out of its way to entertain.

Craven uses a fast-paced, action-laden and all-round exciting writing style in Nobody’s Hero, which really works for the ultra-intense and over-the-top narrative. Definitely inspired by the Jack Reacher books (there are a few coy references to them) and standing in a bit of an interesting contrast to his style I saw in The Mercy Chair, Nobody’s Hero runs out the gate hard and fast and doesn’t slow down to the very end. Thanks to the quickfire chapters and great changes to perspective, you really move through Nobody’s Hero fast, and I honestly couldn’t stop reading the book at times once I got into the zone. The excellent changes in perspective to several other antagonist characters in the book, as well as a few clever time shifts, allowed for a multi-layered narrative, and I loved how Craven allowed for a larger narrative here with some distinctive characters. Of course, the real highlight of this book is the excessive action and highly violent sequences that emerged, which were both exciting and morbidly entertaining. Craven designs multiple massive combat set pieces that really pop, especially as they showcase just how deadly, and occasionally suicidal, his protagonist turns out to be. The author also pumps out several scenes that are extremely entertaining, just because they are so excessive with their violence or the insane actions of the protagonist. Highlights include a unique interrogation cleverly using a swollen finger, a brazen charge towards villains with stupid body armour and sub-machineguns, and the protagonist’s final plan to get to grips with the enemy. All this is wrapped up with several outstanding plot twists, each of which is cleverly thought out and well hinted at, which help to turn this into something very special. An exceptionally fun thriller story, if perhaps a tad too violent for some potential readers.

As with the previous book in the series, a lot of Nobody’s Hero’s appeal lies in its eccentric cast of spies, assassins, and shadowy government agents, all of whom bring a certain entertaining zest to the plot. This is especially true in the case of the book’s protagonist, Ben Koenig, a former US marshal on the run who suffers from a rare condition that ensures he can feel no fear. In some ways an even more violent and remorseless version of Jack Reacher, Koenig is a great character to follow, especially as the reader is treated to so many scenes of his unique thinking and unconventional plans. A lot of the book’s humour is derived from Koenig’s inappropriate jokes and borderline insane ideas, which really amps up just how crazy Nobody’s Hero is at times. Despite this lack of fear and seeming inability to take things seriously, Koenig proves to be a great central protagonist for this thriller novel, and his lateral thinking allows for some intriguing thoughts on the current situation. There are also some interesting additional looks at Koenig’s inability to feel fear, which he worries may lead to more problematic and potentially immoral behaviour in the future. While there isn’t an excessive amount of character development for the protagonist in this book, I still really enjoyed following Koenig in Nobody’s Hero, and I look forward to Craven’s next novel featuring him, especially as there seems to be some major drama coming Koenig’s way.

Aside from Koenig, Nobody’s Hero also features a range of great supporting characters and antagonists, each of whom proves to be more entertaining than the last. This includes Koenig’s handler, Jen Draper, a former CIA agent turned private contractor who has been assigned to watch over Koenig and turn him into a potential government asset. Despite their need to work together, there is some clear antagonism between Draper and Koenig, and the two spend most of the book sniping at each other. While this will probably lead to romance in the future (or not; you never know with Craven), their constant bickering proves to be quite entertaining and there is a certain respect between the two, especially when the chips are down. I really enjoyed the scenes when Koenig and Draper are of the same mind, mainly because it means the bad guys are going to suffer. This book also featured a range of very entertaining and memorable antagonists, who fit very well into the story. These include a murderous father-daughter team with some distinctive characteristics, a group of corrupt cops who get in way over their heads, and a deadly mercenary with something on his chest and a certain kinship with Koenig. All these characters fit into the narrative perfectly, and I loved the entertaining interactions that they ended up having with the protagonist.

Overall, Nobody’s Hero proved to be an amazing and captivating new book from M. W. Craven, who is swiftly becoming one of my favourite new thriller authors. Beautifully violent, crazy and all-round entertaining, I had such a brilliant time with Nobody’s Hero, and it was definitely one of the more exciting and addictive thrillers of 2024. Highly recommended, especially if you are a fan of exceptionally excessive action thrillers.

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The Mercy Chair by M. W. Craven

On July 25, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Five-Star Books, Thriller13 Comments

Publisher: Constable (ebook – 6 June 2024)

Series: Washington Poe – Book Six

Length: 420 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Acclaimed author M. W. Craven introduces one of the darkest novels of 2024 with the complex and highly addictive thriller, The Mercy Chair.

M. W. Craven is an interesting author who I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of the more I read. I started getting into his work last year with the awesome Fearless, which saw a lawman turned drifter go up against a deadly drug cartel. I had an amazing time with Fearless, and I am looking forward to the sequel, Nobody’s Hero, in a few short months. However, before we get to Nobody’s Hero, I need to rave about Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair. The Mercy Chair was a captivating and unique novel from Craven that served as a part of his Washington Poe series. The Mercy Chair is the sixth entry in this great English crime fiction series, and frankly I have still not recovered from how epic and shocking its narrative turned out to be.

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe of the National Crime Agency has seen many unsettling things during his career as a police officer, especially since he started teaming up with unusual civilian analysist Tilly Bradshaw to investigate the worst murders England has to offer. However, his latest case has impacted him in ways few others have, and months after the events in question, Poe sits down with a psychologist to tell a tale of woe and despair unlike any other.

The case is an investigation into the brutal death of controversial religious figure Cornelius Green in Cumbria. The victim, the leader of an extreme conservative church, has been found tied to a tree and stoned to death by someone who wanted him to suffer. Brought in due to the brutality surrounding the killing and the religious significance of the victim, Poe and Tilly set about trying to discover which of Green’s many enemies or supporters might have wanted him dead.

Digging into their victim’s past, Poe and Tilly begin to believe that Green’s death might be connected to another infamous slaying of a religious family that occurred in the area many years ago. Believing that the original killer, a troubled young member of Green’s church, has returned, the detectives attempt to uncover what caused her to snap and kill her parents and brother. However, their investigation soon uncovers a series of terrible events from the past that still haunt many to this day. What is the mercy chair, and how did a twisted religious figure bring so much despair to so many?

Gosh this was a damn impressive read! The Mercy Chair was a particularly epic book that I have not been able to stop thinking about. Exceedingly dark and hauntingly addictive, The Mercy Chair is guaranteed to steal your breath away with its many twists and turns. An easy five-star read; The Mercy Chair ended up being one of my favourite books from the first half of 2024 for some very good reasons.

I cannot emphasise just how good the narrative of The Mercy Chair turned out to be, as Craven really dug deep to produce the most twisted and haunting narrative he could. Starting off in an interesting way, with the traumatised protagonist, Washington Poe, recounting the events of his previous case to a psychologist, which instantly ensures that the reader knows something bad is about to happen. The resulting set-up for the case proves to be very effective, and you are soon presented with an intriguing scenario of a religious leader stoned to death. Craven also presents some compelling complications to the case in the form of an unwanted assistant for Poe and Tilly, the interest of the local bishop, and strange connections to a previous mass killing. This first half of the book is very strong, and I honestly got hooked on the book very early due to Craven’s strong writing and ability to set up a good murder case. The author does a great job of layering a lot of clues and hints about the events to come in this first half, not that it does you a lot of good, as there are so many sinister surprises to come.

While I really enjoyed the first half of The Mercy Chair, the second half is what really makes this book a first-rate thriller, as Craven brings all the darkness and thrusts the reader into a world of emotional pain. I honestly cannot go into too much detail about what happens in the second half of the book, as too many hints could ruin The Mercy Chair for potential readers. However, I will say that Craven is a dark genius, and I still cannot get over how crazy and harrowing things got. The case goes in some very disturbing and inventive directions, and the author unleashes a multitude of twists, most of which are very well-set up in advance. While I saw a few surprises coming or was able to guess the significance of certain subtle inclusions, I honestly could not predict everything that Craven’s diabolical mind came up with. Trust me when I say that The Mercy Chair’s story gets darker and darker the more you progress through it, and no matter how many times you think it can’t get any worse, it does. The author ends the narrative in a very interesting place right after a final massive twist comes out, and you really will not be prepared for every surprise that comes your way here.

I really appreciated the great way that Craven told his latest novel, especially when it comes to The Mercy Chair’s unique narrative set up where the protagonist discussed the case with a psychologist sometime after the actual case. The transition between Poe’s perspective of the case as it unfolds and his discussions with the psychologist after the fact really enhances the impact of the story in so many interesting ways. In particular, you get some fascinating discussions around the psychology and people involved in the events, and I loved the multiple dark hints that the protagonist gave the audience about how more bad things were still to come. This, combined with the multitude of elaborate and clever clues and hints featured throughout the entire story, really heightened anticipation for the later parts of the book, although even with all these hints, I wasn’t prepared for just how dark things got. I felt that Craven really hit the right balance of mystery, intriguing character development for the protagonists, and utter suspense at the events occurring, and frankly once you get stuck into the main murder, its near impossible to get away from this book. While The Mercy Chair is the sixth book in the Washington Poe series, it can easily be read as a standalone novel, even by those readers unfamiliar with the series. Craven does an excellent job setting up the story and reintroducing the protagonists, so new readers can easily drop in here without any issue at all. While long-term fans of the author/series will probably get a little more out of The Mercy Chair in terms of character growth, anybody can have an epic time with this book, especially if they love gritty and shocking mysteries with some brilliant twists.

It’s hard to talk about The Mercy Chair without mentioning the outstanding characters featured within, although I honestly risk spoiling certain story elements if I discuss the new figures in the book. However, I do need to highlight the great way that Craven continues the outstanding partnership between main character Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and civilian analysist Tilly Bradshaw, which has been such a fantastic part of the previous Washington Poe books. Poe, a gruff and fractious veteran cop, plays off the brilliant and socially awkward Tilly perfectly, and they form a rather unusual pairing that works extremely well throughout the course of the mystery. There is a certain level of humour to their interactions, especially as both can be outrageous in their own way, and I liked the sibling vibes that Craven set up between them throughout the book. While the author does reiterate a lot of his protagonist’s character traits from the previous books, there is also some excellent emotional development amongst the two. Poe, who has grown from an angry loner into somebody capable of holding down a romantic relationship, ends up going through some major emotional and psychological issues thanks to the grim impacts of this case. Watching Poe lose his grip on his calm is very powerful, especially as his deteriorating mental state corresponds with growing intensity of the investigation and the terrible revelations he uncovers. I honestly grew so attached to Poe because of his frank narration of events throughout the book, and his partnership with Tilly honestly made this book for me. Craven leaves Poe and Tilly’s story in an interesting place at the end of The Mercy Chair, and I look forward to seeing how they overcome their latest obstacles in the next book. Throw in a great cast of supporting characters, including some complex victims and perpetrators and a bunch of fun recurring figures, and The Mercy Chair’s characters really help to make this story something very special.

With The Mercy Chair, M. W. Craven has officially become one of my favourite thriller authors and I cannot emphasise just how incredible this novel is. Craven produces an outstanding and powerful story that features a particularly clever and shocking mystery that I could not get enough of. Loaded with elaborate twists, complex characters, and so many dark revelations, The Mercy Chair is guaranteed to make you an instant fan of Craven, no matter how hard you try to forget his narrative’s intense tragedy. I loved this book so much, and I honestly wonder what would have happened if Craven had gotten his way and made it even darker.

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Quick Review – Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead by Jenny Hollander

On March 11, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Drama, Quick Review, Thriller2 Comments

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead Cover

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 326 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Debuting author Jenny Hollander presents a memorable first book with Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead, an excellent read that provides a powerful insight into grief and trauma.

Plot Synopsis:

THEY CALL ME THE LUCKY ONE. THEY DON’T KNOW I LIED.

Nine years ago, Charlie Colbert’s life changed for ever.

On Christmas Eve, as the snow fell, her elite graduate school was the site of a chilling attack. Several of her classmates died. Charlie survived.

Years later, Charlie has the life she always wanted at her fingertips: she’s editor-in-chief of a major magazine and engaged to the golden child of the publishing industry.

But when a film adaptation of that fateful night goes into production, Charlie’s dark past threatens to crash into her shiny present.

Charlie was named a ‘witness’ in the police reports. Yet she knows she was much more than that.

The truth about that night will shatter everything she’s worked for. Just how far will she go to protect it?

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead is an outstanding first book from Hollander, who provides a gripping and intense narrative for readers to get stuck into. Told through the eyes of main character Charlie Colbert, the story quickly engrosses you. Charlie has rebuilt her life after a brutal attack years ago, but when secrets from the past threaten to come forth, Charlie is forced to interact with her fellow survivors once again. At the same time, Charlie also begins reliving the events leading up to that fateful night in her head, desperately trying to remember everything that happened to truly understand everything that she’s been running from.

The resulting story is very good, and Hollander has come up with a gripping, character-driven book that you can really sink your teeth into. The combination of past and present storylines is quite effective, and I liked how you got to see the protagonist’s dark reactions in the present while slowly learning about the events that traumatised her and the people involved. The way in which Hollander reveals all the secrets of the past is handled exceptionally well, and I loved the combination of flashbacks, discussions in the present, and quotes from fictional news articles that hint at what happened. The full events of the past storyline turn out to be far more complicated than you initially think, and the author throws in some incredibly clever twists. I honestly was surprised at some of the more brilliant reveals that come to light, and you really appreciate Hollander’s ability to misdirect the audience into assuming certain things happened. The full reveal and the fallout in the present for the protagonist are pretty amazing, and I loved how everything came together. The reader really comes away feeling satisfied, especially as everyone gets what they truly deserve at the end.

While I loved the intricate story that Hollander pulled together for Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead, I think the most distinctive aspect of the book is the author’s focus on trauma and how different people deal with it. This is mainly done through the eyes of the main character, Charlie, who is forced to continuously live with the trauma, guilt and emotional damage that followed the college massacre. While a lot of this trauma results in a memory black hole for the protagonist, you get to see other aspects of it as the book continues, as she is dragged back into the past and begins to relive all the dark feelings that emerge. The author’s portrayal of how a person would deal with such events, as well as how it would impact their memory, feels extremely realistic, and you can really feel the emotional damage done to Charlie and those closest to her as they try to help. Other characters are also forced to deal with the trauma in other ways, and the different levels of regret, involvement and despair prove to be a captivating part of the book. Throw in a cynical, if realistic, look at how the public idolises dark events, and Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead proves to be quite an emotional rollercoaster. This emotional charge really enhances the impact of the book, and I deeply appreciated how Hollander worked the protagonist’s attempts to remember and overcome her past into the overarching story.

Overall, I found Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead to be an excellent and compelling first novel from Jenny Hollander that is really worth checking out. Thanks to the great blend of personal storytelling, moving emotion, and dark secrets, readers come away from Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead deeply moved, and I look forward to seeing what intriguing reads Hollander writes in the future.

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Fearless by M. W. Craven

On August 13, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller13 Comments

Fearless Cover

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 27 June 2023)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 435 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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The talented M. W. Craven debuts an awesome thriller protagonist with his epic and intense new novel, Fearless.

Craven is an interesting thriller author who has been establishing himself over the last few years. Craven already has a fantastic catalogue of novels behind him, including his Washington Poe and Avison Fluke series, although I had not previously had the pleasure of reading any of his books. As such, I was intrigued when I received a copy of Fearless, which looks to be the first book in an awesome new series. I really liked how cool Fearless sounded and I was glad I got the opportunity to check out another author who was new to me this year.

Ben Koenig is a man who knows how to disappear. The former leader of the US Marshals’ elite Special Ops Group, Koenig was the man who brought the very worst fugitives to justice, and his relentless attitude and uncanny abilities made him feared throughout the criminal community. But after an operation goes bad, Koenig goes into hiding, drifting from small town to small town.

After managing to stay off everyone’s radar for six years, Koenig suddenly finds his face plastered across every television screen in America. His old boss at the US Marshalls desperately needs Koenig’s help for a personal mission, and he’ll do anything he can to get his attention. Soon Koenig finds himself back on the job, but this time he has no limits, no backup, and no idea the amount of trouble he is about to find himself in.

His assignment will eventually lead him to the small town of Gauntlet in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert. Someone in Gauntlet has a dark secret that they will do anything to protect, and they have the entire town, and more, at their disposal. However, they have never encountered anyone like Koenig and they soon begin to realise that Koenig has no fear, no mercy and no desire to stop. But against the dangerous forces in front of him, as well as dangerous assassins from his past, can even the fearless Koenig stay alive and complete his mission?

Fearless was a very fun and over-the-top thriller from Craven, who crafts together a very intense and addictive narrative for this new book. Starting off with a strong introduction to the character of Ben Koenig, the reader gets quickly swept up in both his unusual life and his new mission as he is drafted in to find a missing girl and revenge on the people that hurt her. Fearless’ story has a lot of great elements to it, and Craven takes his protagonist on a wild and blood-soaked thrill ride through several great locales and impressive scenarios. Most of the story takes place in the Texas town of Gauntlet, where Koenig investigates a mysterious solar energy company involved with his case. Craven does a great job setting up the antagonists of this series, as well as a compelling underlying mystery about who they are and why they are there, and I loved the combination of suspense and intrigue that emerged, as well as the fear and brutality of the villains as they try to take Koenig down. At the same time, Craven works in several compelling flashback chapters that give greater context to Koenig’s character and flesh out why he was on the run and the implications that has on his current situation.

Craven works a ton of brilliant and action-packed set pieces into the story as he goes, and the reader really sticks around to check out all the violence that emerges as a result. The author goes pretty over the top multiple times throughout the book as he tries to make the scenarios, and his protagonist, as explosive and unpredictable as possible. These memorable sequences mesh well with the investigative and character driven aspects of the story, and the reader really gets drawn into the entire compelling plot. Everything leads up to the big finale, where the author unleashes several massive and exceptionally brutal fights, which really draw the reader in and ensure that they cannot stop turning the pages. Everything ends on a very interesting note, although a couple of the final twists are clearly only there to set up the future books. Still, this ended up being a very thrilling and enjoyable story, and I honestly managed to knock off this lengthy book in a couple of fun-filled days.

Craven utilises a pretty effective style for this book that is focused on making the novel as fast-paced and easy to read as possible. Fearless is dominated by multiple short and impactful chapters which are very easy to power through and which encourage the reader to keep going, especially as you can get through the next exciting chapter with only a few page turns. I honestly found myself just going and going as I was reading, as I really wanted to see what awesome event was going to pop up next in the story. The author did a really good job of quickly and effectively setting up the protagonists, the story, and the general vibe of Fearless, and you quickly realise what sort of fun and compelling story the author has planned, which helps to keep you hooked. The primary focus on protagonist Ben Koenig is nicely balanced with several chapters told from the perspective of the antagonists, and I loved seeing some of the different angles of the story, especially as the villains get more and more desperate, and ruthless, as the book continues. This ended up being quite an attractive and highly accessible new series to test out, and Fearless will appeal to most thriller readers, especially those who are interested in something with a ton of action and a fun plot. There are obviously some interesting parallels between Fearless and the Jack Reacher novels, which Craven does cleverly and humorously reference at the start. I think this book will appeal to anyone who appreciates intense, fast, and unpredictable thrillers, and this really was a great treat.

One of the more interesting and distinctive elements of Fearless is the over-the-top protagonist, Ben Koenig. Written as an elite former government agent on the run after upsetting the wrong crime family, Koenig is a very capable and effective killer who serves as the book’s main point-of-view character and narrator. Koenig is a fun central figure for Fearless, and I loved his unique and entertaining viewpoint of the world, which translates through his chapters and gives the book more of a humorous edge. Most of the novel is designed to introduce readers to the author’s new major protagonist up and I liked the intriguing background that Craven built around him in several fantastic flashback chapters. There is a certain arrogance and cockiness to Koenig that some people might not like, but I though it fit his story arc well, and he does get called out on it a bit. There is also a great ruthlessness to him at times, which does make you wonder if he is really a good guy. These elements are cleverly tied into Koenig’s most defining character feature: due to a medical condition, he lacks the ability to feel any fear. While this does seem like a bit of a weird character element, Craven does an excellent job working it into the story, and the entertaining interactions that emerge from Koenig failing to react with any fear make for some fantastic reading. It was surprisingly fun to see Koenig blithely walk through a range of scenarios without any concern at all, such as when he’s digging his own grave, and the resulting reactions from his opponents are so much fun. The character’s inability to feel fear does has some downsides, as Koenig’s risk assessment capability is shot, so he does end up making some mistakes from a lack of caution, which was a useful narrative handicap. Still, the inventive ways that he gets out of several unfortunate scenarios makes for some compelling reading, and Craven really manages to stretch his imagination thanks to this protagonist. I honestly enjoyed seeing the story from his perspective, and I look forward to reading a larger series featuring this character in the future.

Overall, I had an absolute blast reading Fearless by M. W. Craven, and it really was a particularly fun and exciting thriller. While the story might get a bit to over-the-top crazy in places for some readers, I honestly enjoyed how silly and insane it got, as it made for some entertaining reading that I could quickly power through with a big smile on my face. As such, I am giving Fearless a pretty good rating, and I would strongly recommend this novel to anyone who wants a huge dealing of action, funny characters, and wonderfully violent thriller storylines.

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The Throne of Caesar by Steven Saylor

On May 30, 2018November 22, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery1 Comment

The Throne of Caesars Cover

Publisher: Constable

Australian Publication Date – 6 March 2018

World Publication Date – 20 February 2018

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Steven Saylor’s long-running ancient Roman detective series returns as Gordianus the Finder deals with the most infamous murder in Roman history: the assassination of Julius Caesar.

For decades, Gordianus the Finder has been the most respected investigator in all of ancient Rome. After a lifetime of solving crimes and murders for the city’s rich and powerful, Gordianus is determined to retire from the investigative game and enjoy a life of luxury. However, one last surprise has been thrust upon him: Gordianus’ adopted son Meto has spent years in the service of Caesar as his trusted aid and ghost-writer, and Caesar now seeks to reward Meto by making his father a senator. Reluctantly accepting this rise in station, Gordianus’ ascension will take place in five days’ time, on the Ides of March.

Caesar has an ulterior motive for meeting with Gordianus. Warned by visions and prophets, Caesar believes that his life may be in danger, and that disaster may strike before the conclusion of the Ides. He requests that Gordianus keep his ears to the ground and quietly question leading members of the Roman nobility to see if there is any basis to his concerns. While initially sceptical of any attempts on the dictator’s life, Gordianus’ suspicions are aroused when one of Caesar’s old rivals, Senator Cicero, also asks him to watch out for potential conspiracies. As Gordianus begins his investigation, he finds himself in the middle of dangerous historical events, and even the legendary Finder may be unable to stop what is to come. The Ides of March are approaching, and Caesar’s life isn’t the only one at risk.

The Throne of Caesar is the 16th book in the Roma Sub Rosa series, a series that also includes three prequel novels and two collections of short stories. Saylor began in 1991 with Roman Blood, set in 80 B.C. some 36 years before the events of this book, and he has slowly been working towards the assassination of Julius Caesar. Indeed, the last three instalments of the series were prequels produced while Saylor perfected his account of this famous murder. It was definitely worth the wait, as Saylor has produced an extremely detailed and well-researched account of the infamous killing.

Gordianus’ investigation and social interactions are used to introduce the reader to many of the key people involved with the plot, as well as to discuss the political atmosphere that lead up to the assassination. The Ides of March is the centrepiece of the novel. It is clear that Saylor has consulted the key historical records of the killings, as he has made sure to include several of the lesser-known events that happened on the day. For example, Saylor includes descriptions of the supposed visions Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, had the night before, and Decimus Brutus’ intervention at Caesar’s residence the morning of the Ides. Saylor also dedicates a good part of the book to examining the aftermath of Caesar’s death, including the political manoeuvrings that immediately followed, as well as the violent funeral. As a result, the description of the killings and the surrounding circumstances are first rate, and this aspect of the book will appeal to Roman history buffs.

As Saylor discusses in the author’s notes, writing a murder mystery around the assassination of Julius Caesar is particularly hard, as his death is one of the most well-known events in Roman history, with all the conspirators condemned to historical infamy. Saylor, however uses this to his advantage and manages to create a large amount of suspense by counting down the days until the 15^th of March and hinting at the events that are to come. All the reader can do is keep going through the novel, knowing that Gordianus will be unable to stop the murder, even as he gets closer and closer to the truth.

Saylor also compensates for the lack of mystery around the death of Caesar by including a second murder subplot. Elements of this additional murder mystery are hidden in the background of most of the book, as the reader’s attention is directed towards the upcoming assassination, and the investigation into the second murder comes to the fore after Caesar’s death. The actual events of the second murder are unique and will be of particular interest to fans of a certain Shakespearean play.

One of the best features of The Throne of Caesar is the significant incorporation of Greek mythology throughout the book. Several Greek myths are discussed, and parts of the plot mirror elements of these myths. Many of these myths are also included as centrepieces of two Roman epic poems written by Gaius Helvius Cinna, a famous historical poet, which are a major part of the plot. While one of the plays featured is completely fictional and with no historical basis, the other play is Zmyrna, considered by Cinna to be his greatest achievement, the text of which is unfortunately lost to history. Saylor provides an interesting possible narrative for the lost play, which flows into the plot of his mystery with great effect. The overall effect of Saylor including these myths and legends is very striking, and it provides the reader another viewpoint into the lives of the ancient Roman characters who put great stock in these old and religious stories.

The latest addition to the Roma Sub Rosa series is a meticulously detailed and well-crafted book that acts as a unique and powerful chronicle of an important historical crime. A suspenseful and compelling read, The Throne of Caesar serves as a great continuation of the story of Gordianus the Finder, and it will be interesting to see where Saylor takes the series next.