Holly by Stephen King

On October 18, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Five-Star Books, Horror, Thriller17 Comments

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton/Scribner (Audiobook – 5 September 2023)

Series: Holly Gibney

Length: 15 hours and 24 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The master of thrills and chills, Stephen King, returns with his latest exceptional read, the powerful and gruesome thriller Holly, an outstanding and utterly gripping read that brings back an amazing original protagonist.

Fans of this blog will be aware that I have been in a bit of a Stephen King mood recently, especially being quite a latecomer to his books. I have had a wonderful time reading some of his latest works, including Later, Billy Summers and Fairy Tale, each of which has been great in its own way. I have also been keeping a firm eye out for any upcoming books from King, and I was highly intrigued when I saw that he was releasing Holly in the second half of 2023.

Holly, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year, serves as a continuation of the adventures of protagonist Holly Gibney. Holly Gibney, who first appeared in Mr Mercedes, is a unique and damaged figure who ended serving a vital supporting role in all three Bill Hodges books, as well as the horror-filled thriller, The Outsider (both of which have been adapted into awesome television series). Holly is the first full novel where this quirky figure will be the main protagonist (although there was the novella, If It Bleeds), and I was very intrigued to see how that turned out. I even went back and read Mr Mercedes for the first time so I would have a better idea of the character and their fascinating story.

It is the height of the 2021 COVID pandemic, and Holly Gibney is reeling from the sudden death of her domineering and stubborn mother. Initially planning to take some time off, Holly finds herself drawn to a new case when distraught mother Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping to get help in finding her missing daughter, Bonnie. With her partner, Pete, out of commission with COVID, Holly decides to take on the case by herself, especially when Penny’s desperation breaks through to her.

Diving into the case to distract herself from her deep personal concerns, Holly begins to uncover all the details surrounding Bonnie’s sudden disappearance. But the further she digs, the more sinister the case becomes, especially when it becomes apparent that more than one person has disappeared in the same residential area. To uncover the truth, Holly will need to find out more about these other disappearances.

However, Holly is unaware of a deadly threat watching her from the suburban shadows. Professors Rodney and Emily Harris are octogenarians living an easy life as semi-retired academics. But this old married couple is keeping a dark and unimaginable secret in their basement, one that will shake Holly to her very core. Can Holly find out what really happened to Bonnie and the other missing persons before the clever and patient professors make their move?

Wow, just wow! This was such an exceptional and powerful read, and it is one of the best books I have ever read from Stephen King. Featuring an exciting, emotionally charged and highly gruesome story that will leave you breathless and horrified, Holly had me hooked from the second I started it and it refused to let me go even after I finished it. Intense, clever, and oh so beautifully disturbing, Holly gets an easy five-star review from me for so many delicious reasons.

Holly has an epic and addictive narrative that grabs the reader’s attention right off the bat, especially as you are immediately introduced to the horrifying schemes of the antagonists. This great introduction perfectly leads into the main story, which focuses on the protagonist’s investigation into the disappearance of a missing girl. This is very much a character driven plot, as the protagonist simultaneously deals with her troubled history and roiling emotions following the death of her mother. King features a range of intriguing character perspectives throughout the course of Holly, showcasing different angles to the case and introducing several additional personal stories. Thanks to these intriguing perspectives, especially those surrounding Holly herself, the investigative storyline rolls along at a fast and exciting pace, and Holly quickly begins to realise something nefarious did happen to her client’s daughter, as well as other people in the same area. King backs up these revelations with great flashback chapters that showcase the actual sinister deeds of the antagonists, while also giving you some fascinating insights into who they are and what drives them to commit these insanities.

The resulting story continues at a fast and compelling clip, as you get further drawn into both Holly’s case and the intriguing history of the Harrises and the people whose lives they impact. King writes a very tight and captivating investigative storyline around the protagonist, and I liked how Holly methodically finds connections and identifies new victims through a series of fun character interviews. Thanks to the flashback sequences, the reader already knows what the Harrises have done and what Holly is going to find as her investigation continues, which gave the protagonist’s scenes more of an edge as you wait for her to uncover the full horrors awaiting her. As this unfolds, you are also gifted to several compelling and emotionally charged scenes around Holly, as well as several other great supporting figures, as they go about their damaged and complex lives. This includes a large sub-story thread around returning character Barbara Robinson, whose foray into the literary world proves quite powerful and personal, while also revealing several major clues in the case. These multiple character-driven storylines are pretty fascinating and captivating in their own way, and they pull together perfectly into one cohesive and bloody narrative that you can’t prove away from.

While the first two thirds of Holly are extremely cool and addictive, the third act is where everything comes together, and boy is it glorious. King came up with an excellent and very impressive conclusion that keeps you irresistibility hooked up to the end. Several lingering questions, such as the fates of characters, are cleverly and gruesomely answered in the leadup to Holly pulling the clues together. At the same time, the author also revolves several key character arcs and storylines, which set up these various figures for the big confrontations, for better or for worse. I love how King maneuverers all the characters around through chance, tragedy and mistakes so that there is the maximum risk for his protagonists, and you are seriously left wondering who is going to survive and how the entire story will unfold. The climatic scenes are pretty damn memorable, as King brings everything together in a brutal way that only he could envision. The shock, the emotional damage and the horrors that are revealed are extremely powerful and cool, and you will come away from Holly disturbed and satisfied in equal measure.

While I already had a great deal of respect for King’s writing ability before reading this book, I have to say that I was even more deeply impressed with how he pulled Holly together. This fantastic book was the perfect blend of mystery, suspense and character-driven narrative, and there was frankly not a single second that I did not enjoy. The way that the author told his complex narrative is outstanding, and I loved how the perspective switches between the various intriguing characters, as well as featuring flashback chapters that range from heartfelt to highly sinister. The constant changes in focus helped to create a very compelling and elaborate read, and showcasing all the key characters ensures that the reader gets a much more complete and powerful narrative, especially during the main investigative storyline. While I liked the protagonist’s narrative, some of the best scenes were those that focused on the antagonists and their sinister secrets in the basement. The Harrises’ scenes are pure and exquisite horror that had me shuddering and shivering the entire way through, especially when you find out exactly what they are doing and why. I cannot fully express how gruesome King made this part of the book, and I could not stop reacting at his horrifying descriptions at times; it was that damn dreadful. Combine that with the highly personal and relatable character arcs, and this ended up being an exceptional read that you will have a hard time putting down.

While Holly is part of a larger series of books and stories that feature the main character of Holly Gibney in some way, King makes sure to cover all the relevant details from these previous works where needed, and this can be read as a standalone novel. Both I and my wife (who hasn’t read any of the books, but did watch the Mr Mercedes television series), were able to follow every point of this book without any issue, although established King readers will probably have fun seeing the story continue from these previous reads. As such, Holly is an easy and compelling read to check out, even if you are unfamiliar with King’s work, and you are guaranteed to have fun with it.

I cannot talk about Holly without discussing the outstanding and beautifully written characters that help to turn this amazing novel into such a classic and exceptional read. King has always excelled at wrapping his elaborate narratives around powerful and distinctive protagonists and villains, and Holly is a brilliant example of this. The heart of the tale lies in the motivations and actions of Holly’s excellent cast, and the simultaneous examination of their lives and the case is so very addictive.

The most prominent of these characters is titular protagonist Holly Gibney, who returns this time as the main character of her own book. Holly is such a fascinating and complex figure to focus a story around, and while much of her development occurred in previous novels, King still has a lot to work with here. Already somewhat emotionally damaged and immature, especially after a lifetime of anxiety and manipulation, Holly has only come out of her shell in recent years thanks to the help of her friends and her new career as a private investigator. However, the death of her mother brings up a whole new bag of issues, especially as it uncovers additional layers of manipulation that Holly had previously been unaware of. Most of Holly’s scenes see her try to deal with continual feelings of guilt, betrayal and regret that results from these revelations, while the words of her mother continue to play in her head, influencing her decisions. While this pain and uncertainty is a big part of Holly’s personality, King expertly balances this with some more positive character aspects, including her expert investigation skills, the emotional strength she draws from her friends, and her unyielding determination to find the truth. King really did a great job of reintroducing and utilising Holly here, and I felt that she served as an excellent central protagonist of her own novel. I did think that King really didn’t write Holly as a woman in her mid-50s, as she felt a lot younger than she should have, but a lot of this is due to how emotionally immature the character is due to her hard life. Honestly, her unique insights, thoughts and relationships are extremely refreshing and so much fun, and I would read so many more novels that have Holly Gibney as the main protagonist.

While Holly is a great protagonist, this book would be nothing without the fantastic figures of Rodney and Emily Harris, who might be some of the best villains that King has ever written (which is saying something). The Harrises are quickly shown to be anything but the harmless retired academics they present to the world, especially when readers are treated to a view of their basement. I don’t want to give too much away here, because you really need to read King’s excellent buildup to fully experience the horror around them, but they are gloriously and exceptionally sinister. Part of this is because their age belies how dangerous and malicious they truly are, with other characters constantly underestimating them, and watching these frail figures commit acts of utter evil is very shocking. Other elements of their sinister nature are derived from the initial secrecy surrounding their motivations as well as the uncertainty around whether their actions are normal human evil or something more unnatural. King does such a good job of diving into the mind of these characters throughout the course of Holly, and you really get some powerful and captivating insights into who they are and why they are committing their crimes. The author works in a complex layer of fear, regret, love and insanity underneath their actions, you can kind of empathise with their desires and understand why they are doing what they are doing. However, these brief flashes of empathy only ensure that the reader is even more repulsed by their actions, especially when you also get the points of view from their victims. Honestly, I could go on, but I think I will just leave it here and say that Rodney and Emily Harris are exceptional villains, and you won’t be the same after visiting their basement.

Aside from the complex protagonist and the amazing villains, Holly is also loaded with a great cast of supporting characters, each of whom have their own moments to shine. Many of these are returning figures from the previous Bill Hodges books, such as Jerome and Barbara Robinson, Holly’s friends and emotional support. Both Jerome and Barbara have had a lot of growth in the previous novels, and it was great to see their stories continue in Holly. Barbara in particular has a fascinating and moving character arc in this novel, as her horrifying experiences from the previous books inspire her to write haunting poetry. This proves to be an intriguing and moving side storyline for part of the book, which, while it does have certain implications for the main investigation, also expands on Barbara’s creativity and highlights the joy that writing and creativity in all forms can bring to a person. Barbara’s mentor, elderly poet Oliva Kingsbury, also proves to be a wonderful additional to the cast, and her canny insights and elaborate experiences add some great depth to parts of the novel. I also need to highlight the poor unfortunates who serve as the victims of this story. While many of them are only briefly featured throughout Holly, King ensures that each of them is effectively and emotionally highlighted. While each of them is primarily shown at their very worst, you really get a sense of who they are, and the inherent tragedy of their lives and what is being done to them, will stick with you. All these characters and more are so perfectly written by King, and their unique journeys and powerful emotions, help to drive Holly’s narrative in some outstanding directions.

King also injects an interesting level of social commentary into Holly by strongly featuring some of the key events of the last couple of years into this story. Holly is King’s first novel set during COVID times, and he really tries to showcase how life was changed during this period. The characters are constantly talking about masks, vaccines, and the impact of the pandemic on their lives. While this is somewhat repetitive and traumatic for people trying to put that behind them, I felt that it was a perfect reenactment of how life was a few years ago. The characters encounter all manner of different mindsets and opinions about the pandemic and other key events during this time, which will be instantly recognisable to readers, and I liked seeing the protagonists react to it, especially when it plays into their own personal experiences. While King mostly speaks through his protagonists, there is a certain level of social commentary, and you can feel that King has some strong opinions about recent events. While this commentary might not be for everyone, I really appreciated it and I felt that it gave the story some more realism, especially when the author sticks his narrative right in the middle of recent major events.

While I did get a physical copy of Holly, I decided to check out the audiobook version instead, because I had a road trip that this was the perfect accompaniment for, and also because they got the perfect narrator in Justine Lupe, who plays the character of Holly Gibney in the Mr Mercedes television series. I love it when audiobooks get fun and appropriate narrators with connections to related media, and Justine Lupe was easily one of the best examples of this. Not only does she perfectly capture Holly’s spirit, emotions and personality due to her experiences with Mr Mercedes, but she also does an amazing job narrating the rest of the story and bringing the other characters to life. Lupe really dives into all the members of this brilliant cast in a great way, and I love how each of them is gifted a distinctive and fitting voice, such as how she made the Harrises sound both innocent and sinister at the same time. I was really impressed with Holly’s perfect choice in casting, and I loved the continuation on from the existing portrayal of the titular protagonist. Coming in at around 15 and a half hours, the Holly audiobook has a decent length to it, but once you start listening to it, you really can’t stop. As such, I would strongly recommend this audiobook to anyone interested in checking out Holly in all its gory glory, especially if you also enjoyed the Mr Mercedes television series.

I could go on about Holly, but the point is that this latest Stephen King novel is pretty damn exceptional. Perfectly blending established characters and an elaborate new narrative with some gruesome and intense elements, Holly had me hooked from the first scene thanks to its brilliant storytelling. Dark, shocking and deeply personal, there is so much to love about Holly, and it was one of the strongest King stories that I have had the pleasure of reading. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough, both to new readers and established King fans, and Holly is easily one of the best books of 2023.

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Viral by Robin Cook

On October 27, 2021August 15, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller2 Comments

Viral Cover

Publisher: Macmillan (Trade Paperback – 31 August 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 418 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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The leading author of the medical thriller genre, Dr Robin Cook, returns with another eye-opening and deeply relevant novel, Viral, that takes a deep an unsettling look at America’s healthcare system and the grim horrors that could strike anyone.

Robin Cook is an interesting author who has been one of the most unique writers of thriller fiction for years. A doctor and former member of the United States Navy, Cook made his debut back in 1972 with The Year of the Intern, a medical drama about the pressures of a young doctor. He then followed it up with his first thriller in 1977, Coma, which featured criminal activities within a hospital. Since then, Cook has written over 30 additional thrillers, nearly all of which feature either medical elements or doctors as the protagonists. Cook’s catalogue of works features a huge collection of standalone reads, as well as his long-running Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery series, and all of them contain an interesting array of plots. I have been meaning to try out some of Cook’s novels for a while and I finally got a chance a few weeks ago when I received a copy of his latest novel, Viral, which contained a deep and powerful story.

As the COVID-19 pandemic winds down, former police officer Brian Murphy and his family take the opportunity to have a well-deserved vacation. After several days of relaxing times at the beach and night-time cookouts, the fun comes to an end as Brian’s wife, Emma, comes down with severe flu-like symptoms. Fearing COVID, the family returns to New York, only for Emma to suffer a traumatic seizure in the car, forcing them to the emergency room.

It soon becomes apparent that Emma is suffering from a rare and lethal disease known as eastern equine encephalitis, likely brought on by mosquito bites while at the beach. As the doctors work to save Emma’s life, Brian is forced to contend with another major shock when he receives a cripplingly expensive hospital bill, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. With his business already failing due to COVID, Brian is unable to cope with the inflated bill before him, and turns to his insurance company for help, only to be blindsided when they reject his claim on arbitrary grounds.

Forced to try and come up with the money to pay for his wife’s bills, Brian dives into the shocking world of corrupt healthcare and insurance, discovering the insidious legal practice of overcharging patients and not providing insurance coverage. Already on a knife edge due to his wife’s condition, Brian is determined to fight this injustice. However, there is little he can legally do, especially with every procedure adding more to his immense debt. But when his daughter also begins showing symptoms, and his wife’s care is being negatively impacted by his financial position, Brian will be driven to seek justice another way.

Viral is an intense and extremely fascinating novel that I had an interesting time reading. Cook has come up with an extremely fast-paced narrative here that dives into compelling contemporary issues. This results in quite an exciting and addictive read that I found to be particularly distinctive and memorable.

Cook has written a pretty cool story for Viral that takes the reader on a harrowing and dramatic ride. While it has a bit of a slow start, mostly to set up the characters and the situation, it does not take long for the book to get crazy, with the protagonist’s wife getting sick and rushed to hospital very quickly. What follows is an agonising thrill-ride of emotion as she gets sicker, while the protagonist is forced to deal with a series of disruptive situations as the hospital and the insurance company take turns to bleed him for money and impact his wife’s health. Due to Cook’s realistic portrayal of certain modern phenomena involving healthcare and finance, Viral ended up being a pretty terrifying read that was in some ways scarier than a horror novel. There are some very traumatic moments scattered throughout the novel, and two big tragedies occurring in the central part of the story result in some significant changes in the story direction. The last third of the book is pretty fast-paced and shows a protagonist tipped to the edge, attempting to find justice the only way he knows how. I rather liked how Cook ended the novel, and it was certainly fascinating the way that he utilised thriller elements to conclude what had previously been more of a medical drama. This is a really good narrative, and found myself getting quite drawn into it, especially as Cook paints such a vivid picture of the medical issues and the various problems surrounding them. I did have some issues with some character interactions and dialogue, as a lot of the communication and discussions seemed a bit unnatural to me. I also had a very hard time connecting with any of the characters featured in the novel, as they were a little one-dimensional. Still, the intense and compelling narrative more than made up for it and I had a wonderful time getting through this book.

I really appreciated the deep examinations of certain medical aspects throughout Viral, and this includes Cook’s fascinating look at viruses, pandemics, and infections. Cook is a master of examining medical concerns, including pandemics (Pandemic was the name of one of his previous books, released in December 2018), and while I will admit to a certain internal exhaustion at stories concerning pandemics (a sentiment I am sure many others share), I think he did a pretty good job of featuring these aspects here. Viral contains a range of interesting medical elements, such as examining the social and financial impacts COVID-19 had on New York, with multiple characters suffering because of it. Cook also takes the time to try and terrify his readers by highlighting what diseases he believes are going to impact us next. In particular, he focuses on eastern equine encephalitis, a disease transmitted to humans from mosquitoes. Not only does Cook take the time to highlight just how deadly and disruptive eastern equine encephalitis is, but he also explains early on in the novel that diseases like encephalitis are likely to be much more common in the future due to climate change and increased mosquito migration patterns. This focus on medical issues, especially surrounding eastern equine encephalitis, proves to be pretty scary, and I know that I am going to be a little more wary of any mosquitoes I see in the future.

While you would think that the part of the book looking at deadly diseases and crazy new infections would be the scariest part of this novel, it is Cook’s examination of the American healthcare system that is the most horrifying. Throughout the course of Viral, the protagonist experiences firsthand how ruinous it can be to fall sick, when he is hit with a massively inflated bill after rushing his wife to the hospital. The situation only degrades even further when his new health insurance company continues to reject his claims and the company controlling the hospital immediately starts a lawsuit to get their money back. This takes the protagonist and the reader on a deep and intense dive into the current realities of the American healthcare system, including hospitals, medical billing, private health companies and health insurance agencies, and how they combine to cause major problems for sick people and their families. There is a focus on how most hospitals are run for profit these days, artificially inflating their bills to get the most money. At the same time, there is an examination of how insurance companies are offering bogus coverage, with multiple hidden clauses that make it possible for them to reject claims for the most ridiculous of reasons. This examination of the healthcare system soon becomes the major focus of Viral’s plot, as the problems associated with it soon prove to be more lethal than the eastern equine encephalitis. Cook is very critical of how the healthcare system is being allowed to operate in America, and it was fascinating and disturbing to see his impressions of it, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19. This proved to be a very intriguing and powerful inclusion to this novel, and readers are guaranteed to come out of it with a pressing need to review their insurance policies to make sure the same thing won’t happen to them.

Overall, Viral by Robin Cook proved to be an excellent and memorable medical thriller with a lot of fantastic features to it. I deeply appreciated the way in which Cook takes the time to focus on contemporary issues, including his look at viral diseases and current issues with the American healthcare system. While I did have some issues with Cook’s writing style, Viral ended up being a really intriguing and realistic novel that will leave most readers with an intense sense of unease. A very eye-opening book that has made me very curious about some of Cook’s other medical thrillers.

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Blood Trail by Tony Park

On August 26, 2021August 14, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller4 Comments

Blood Trail Cover

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia (Trade Paperback – 1 August 2021)

Series: Standalone

Length: 384 pages

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

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One of Australia’s leading thriller authors, Tony Park, presents another clever and intense thriller set in the nature parks of Africa with his latest action-packed novel, Blood Trail.

Tony Park is a talented author who has written several amazing thriller novels over the years, all of which make use of a distinctive African setting with a focus on wildlife parks and poachers. I have previously enjoyed three of his great books, Scent of Fear, Ghosts of the Past and Last Survivor, and his latest novel, Blood Trail, features another exceptional and exciting tale, which was an extremely fun and captivating read.

Life is always dangerous on the game preserves of South Africa, as poachers and opportunists are constantly looking for a way to make some serious money by harvesting endangered species. In recent years, the counter-poaching patrols and police have made great strides in defending the critical wildlife, with the poachers aware that entering the reserves means death or imprisonment. However, with South Africa severely impacted by COVID-19, more desperate locals are turning to poaching to survive, relying on the magic of their traditional medicine to protect them.

At the Lion Plains game reserve, something strange is happening. While conducting a virtual safari, park guide and ace tracker Mia Greenway witnesses a poacher kill a rhino. Chasing after him, Mia and her backup find no trace of him as his trail mysteriously disappears, with the killer appearing to have vanished into thin air. At the same time, police captain Sannie van Rensburg, is called to investigate two missing local girls, who also disappeared in suspicious circumstances. Sannie soon learns that the local populace fear that the girls have been killed and their bodies used as ingredients by a dark practitioner of traditional medicine.

When a young female tourist is kidnapped within the reserve, once again vanishing with no trail to follow, Mia and Sannie begin to realise that their cases are connected. With the locals convinced that the poachers are using dark witchcraft to evade the police and the anti-poaching teams, all evidence suggests that the kidnapped girls are going to be killed and harvested. However, something far more sinister is afoot, with a dark conspiracy working its way through the very heart of the game preserve. Can Mia and Sannie uncover the truth before it is too late or will the poachers and their dangerous benefactors continue to bring terror and death to the wilds of Africa?

In Blood Trail, Park has included another intense and action-packed story that makes full use of the author’s love of all things Africa. Set in a game reserve under siege, this multi-perspective story starts off fast, with a poacher on the loose and the trackers, led by the tenacious Mia attempting and failing to find him. There is also an intriguing criminal case happening concurrently, as police detective Sannie attempts to find two missing girls. Both central narrative threads are soon drawn together as Mia, Sannie and their colleagues work to solve the connected cases. Park has come up with a very exciting, character-driven narrative here, and it honestly did not take me long to get really invested. This book is loaded with some amazing action sequences, and the reader is treated to one electrifying scene after another as the protagonists face extreme opposition. The overarching mystery surrounding the poachers and the missing girls is very good, and I loved the complex and clever story the author wraps around them, especially as it ties into various aspects of life in Africa and the game reserves. The author makes sure to include a huge number of twists and reveals, especially towards the end of the novel, and while I was able to predict how a couple would go, I ended up being pleasantly surprised by some of the others, and I really enjoyed seeing how everything came together. I also liked the huge range of intriguing characters featured throughout this book, and I really got invested in some of their stories, especially the two strong lead female protagonists, Mia and Sannie, who overcome a lot in this novel and go through some excellent development. Blood Trail is set in the shared universe of Park’s other works, with characters from some of his prior novels and series either featured or mentioned. Despite this, you really need no prior knowledge of these books, and Blood Trail is a very easy novel to get into. This is an overall exceptional and thrilling narrative, and I found myself powering through the last half of this book in a day.

Easily the best things about Tony Park’s novels are his exceptional portrayals of the African wilderness and the amazing and insightful discussions about the troubles faced by game preserves. Park, who has spent a significant amount of time in Africa and the game reserves, is clearly very passionate on the subject, and he injects all his novels with some gritty realism about the parks and the poachers who prey on them. Blood Trail is a particularly good example of this, as a large amount of the narrative revolves around poaching on the park, the park’s anti-poaching detail and the local police who support them. It is always incredibly interesting to learn about poaching and anti-poaching techniques and Park includes a lot of detail about both. I found this to be extremely fascinating, and Blood Trail includes compelling detail about some of the modern techniques some of the parks potentially utilise, such as drones and even WhatsApp. Park also weaves a particularly good story around poaching, and I loved all the thrilling sequences of poachers versus authorities that this fantastic novel contained. You also have to love the outstanding and beautiful depictions of the African bush and the communities that serve as a backdrop for the story. Park clearly puts all his personal experiences into these depictions, and his writing brings in a strong visual element. I really enjoyed this use of setting, and it really sets Park’s novels apart from other contemporary thrillers.

In addition to the outstanding setting, Park also includes a deeply intriguing and fascinating examination of traditional African medicine and magic in Blood Trail, which becomes a very amazing and key part of the plot. This traditional medicine, known as umuthi, is utilised by the South African people as protection from a variety of dangers, with the poachers, and even some protagonists, using it in the hope that it will stop bullets or impair their opponents. This becomes a very interesting part of Blood Trail’s plot, as the characters encounter various unusual phenomenon, such as their targets vanishing without a trace or unexpected illnesses, which some blame on dark magic. This proves to really fascinating, especially as Park keeps including several mysterious events or occurrences, and the reader is left wondering whether it is just a coincidence, a psychological ploy, or something more spiritual in nature. I found this inclusion to be extremely intriguing, and I really appreciated the detailed and balanced examination that Park included in this book, as he goes out of his way to respectfully examine all the aspects of this traditional medicine, as well as the perceptions surrounding it. Various characters of differing backgrounds are shown reacting to the idea of umuthi, including local Africans, foreigners, academics, and white South Africans, each of whom have differing opinions on the validity of the magic behind it. I loved this fascinating range of views, which seems to accurately reflect the differing opinions you would find throughout South Africa, and there are some truly unique views and beliefs which Park has clearly researched. The character of Mia proves to be a very intriguing inclusion here, as she is a white South African who was raised by black South African women, and was brought up to believe in umuthi and other traditional beliefs. This results in some intriguing identity issues, as she and some of the other people who partake of umuthi attempt to work it around their modern perceptions or Christian teachings. This unique and captivating examination of umuthi and other traditional beliefs was extremely interesting and I am very glad that Park took the time to include this in his latest novel.

Another extension of Blood Trail’s game reserve setting that I enjoyed was the tracking. Several characters in the novel, particularly Mia, are trackers, who spend their days trailing animals and poachers through the bush. As such, there are some fascinating scenes where these characters use their tracking skills to chase after the antagonists. This proves to be extremely interesting, and Park ensures that his book features a lot of details about they various tracking techniques, and the counter techniques that poachers would use to try and avoid the trackers. Not only is this a very captivating inclusion by Park but it also flows extremely well into the narrative, with the protagonists forced to question their abilities when the villains keep getting away. The way in which the antagonists manage to avoid the trackers ends up being quite clever, especially as Park also includes some false leads to confuse the eventual reveal. I deeply enjoyed this awesome look at the work the trackers do in the park, and it produces some really fantastic scenes.

The final inclusion that I found really compelling was Blood Trail’s examination of the impacts of COVID-19 on South Africa, and how it is driving people to poaching. While I am sure that many people are getting sick of reading about COVID, even in thriller novels, I felt that Park did a really good job featuring it in Blood Trail. Park paints a pretty grim scene surrounding the impacts that the pandemic is having in South Africa, with many side characters either out of work or negatively impacted by the government’s harsh lockdown rules, such as an alcohol ban. This becomes quite a key theme of the novel, with the stress and loss of income impacting everyone and driving them to commit crime on the understaffed game reserves. The author really dives into the unexpected impacts the global pandemic is having on the nature reserves, and it adds some complexity to the dark story. Other featured aspects of COVID in South Africa are also pretty interesting, such as the increased roaming of certain animals, as well as the advent of virtual safaris, with streaming projects sharing the beauty of the wilds to a world in lockdown. Overall, this examination of the impacts of COVID was very fascinating and topical, and Park did a fantastic job including it in his story.

The fantastically talented Tony Park once again shows why he is one of the best and most distinctive Australian thriller authors out there. His latest novel, Blood Trail, contained an intense and compelling story that takes the reader on a wild and thrilling journey through the game reserves of Africa. Filled with some amazing action and fantastic characters, Park makes full use of his powerful setting to craft a memorable and addictive narrative. I loved all the unique elements that Blood Trail contained, and you are guaranteed an exceptional time if you check this awesome book out.

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The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly

On November 15, 2020April 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Thriller21 Comments

Publisher: Allen & Unwin (Trade Paperback – 10 November 2020)

Series: Mickey Haller – Book six

Length: 421 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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The master of the modern-day crime fiction novel, Michael Connelly, presents his second release of 2020, The Law of Innocence, which sees the return of one of his most iconic protagonist, the Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller, who is forced to defend his most important client yet: himself.

Defence lawyer Mickey Haller is flying high after a series of high-profile wins in court. However, his life is about to come crashing down around him when he is pulled over by police and the body of a former client is found in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is swiftly charged with murder and slapped with an unpayable $5 million bail that forces him to stay in the infamous Twin Towers Jail in downtown Los Angeles.

Determined to prove that he has been framed, Haller chooses to defend himself and starts to construct his case in prison. With the help of his expert team, including his half-brother, Harry Bosch, Haller attempts to discover who is really behind the murder and why he is being targeted. However, the answers and a viable alternate suspect seem elusive, and Haller soon finds himself the target of everyone in the criminal justice system that he has managed to alienate throughout his career.

With the trial quickly approaching and a vengeful prosecutor angling to get Haller the death sentence, the defence will need every trick at their disposal if they are to save Haller’s life. However, this entire case sits at the centre of an elaborate conspiracy, one where anyone who knows anything is at risk. Can Haller survive the case and his dangerous prison sentence, or will this be the last trial for the Lincoln Lawyer?

The Law of Innocence was an impressive and enjoyable book from Michael Connelly, who has once again written a top-notch crime fiction novel. I have really been getting into Connelly’s work over the last couple of years and I have had an exceptional time reading his last three novels, Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire and Fair Warning. Due to this, and the fact that I really liked its plot synopsis, The Law of Innocence was one of my most anticipated reads for the year, and I have been looking forward to it for a while. This is the sixth novel to feature Mickey Haller as its protagonist and point-of-view character, and the 35^th overall novel to be set in Connelly’s overarching crime fiction universe. I had an amazing time reading this book, another fantastic outing from Connelly.

Connelly has come up with an exceptional story for this excellent book, and it is one that I really enjoyed. Indeed, I actually got so caught up in The Law of Innocence’s awesome narrative that I managed to read the entire book in just one day, not even realising that I had stayed up till 3am to finish it off (work the next day was not fun, but staying up was worth it). The story that Connelly utilises in this novel is extremely compelling and intriguing, as it forces the protagonist to not only solve a murder but also prove to the court that he did not commit it. This leads to an intense, emotional and clever story that combines a fantastic murder mystery plot with some excellent legal thriller elements, while also placing the protagonist in significant danger while being held in prison. There were a number of amazing elements to this book, and the story flows at an extremely fast pace whilst following a crafty but likeable protagonist. Connelly makes sure to continue to explore Haller’s personal issues at the same time, featuring the supporting characters and family members from the previous Mickey Haller novels, including an old flame with whom Haller finally gets some closure. The Law of Innocence also featured Connelly’s most iconic protagonist, Harry Bosch, who attempts to help Haller clear his name. While Bosch was a little underutilised, especially considering how much he was featured in some of the pre-publishing advertising, it was great to see him in another book and it was interesting to see more of the relationship between these estranged half-brothers. The Law of Innocence also contains some interesting connections to previous Mickey Haller novels, and fans of this protagonist will be intrigued to see which characters make a return. While I really enjoyed most of the story, I did feel that ending was a little weak. The entire conclusion to the case occurs rather suddenly towards the end of the book and it feels a little forced and simplistic. It also lacked the excitement of the rest of The Law of Innocence, and I would have much preferred something a little more shocking or some major courtroom shenanigans to really round out the book. While this ending was a bit disappointing, I still think that The Law of Innocence’s story was still substantially strong, and I had an exceptional time getting through it.

One of the things that impress me about Connelly’s writing is his ability to create substantially different crime fiction novels based on the protagonist he is featuring. For example, his Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch novels are excellent police procedurals, while his Jack McEvoy books feature clever investigations by a journalist. The Law of Innocence, on the other hand, was written as a legal thriller, due to it being a Mickey Haller novel. This proved to be an interesting change of pace from the previous Connelly novels I have read, but I really enjoyed it, mainly due to the sheer amount of legal detail that the author fits into the novel. Connelly does an amazing job fitting an entire fascinating legal case into this book, going all the way from the arrest to the conclusion of trial. Along the way, The Law of Innocence covers everything from case preparation, pre-trial hearings, bail, jury selections and the main trial, while also containing a lot of descriptions and discussions about the criminal justice system in Los Angeles. Due to the fact the book is told solely from Haller’s point of view, there is a natural focus on the art of defending a client, with a number of the tricks of the trade being featured. I found all of the legal aspects of The Law of Innocence to be extremely fascinating, and Connelly makes sure to explain all of these legal details in a comprehensive and easy to follow way. I loved seeing Haller work his legal magic throughout the book, especially as the reader gets to see into Haller’s mind and find out what he was actually planning and how successful his various gambles actually are. It was also particularly cool to see him forced to deal with the handicap of defending himself whilst being stuck in jail, especially as he was not able to investigate the crime himself or have access to his usual resources. Overall, my first experience of one of Connelly’s legal thrillers turned out to be very enjoyable and I thought that the author wrote an awesome story around it. I look forward to seeing what cool legal cases Connelly comes up with the next time he utilises Haller as a protagonist, and I am sure it will make for another fun read.

Another interesting part of this book that I quite enjoyed was the clever inclusion of COVID-19 into the plot. The plot of The Law of Innocence is set over the course of a couple of months, from late 2019 to March 2020, with the coronavirus slowly becoming more prevalent as the book proceeds. This starts with some throwaway mentions of the virus and Wuhan in the parts of the book set in November, which the reader would initially attribute to a cute mention that was not going to go anywhere. However, as the book progresses, the references to the virus become more and more numerous, until it actually becomes a major part of the plot, with the protagonist suddenly facing the reality of it when his legal team walk into prison wearing face masks. I found it deeply fascinating to see the author utilise the coronavirus in his book and it was rather compelling to see the impacts it had on the central plot, with elements of the court case, such as jury selection, fast-tracked to ensure that the case could be held before everything got shut down. Connelly was actually quite subtle with how he featured the coronavirus in his story, and I felt that the growing levels of concern that the characters show in this book realistically matched what people felt in real life, with excellent depictions of the shift from mild indifference to panic buying. This was honestly one of the first books I have read that mentioned the coronavirus (although I imagine quite a few books next year will have it as a central plot point), and I felt that Connelly handled it extremely well, being an accurate and impactful part of the book, without overly distracting the reader from the central case or overwhelming them with details or experiences everyone is currently extremely familiar with. This excellent inclusion of real-life elements into a great fictional story is one of the reasons I always enjoy Connelly’s writing, and I look forward to seeing how he addresses the coronavirus in some of his future books (for example, how it might impact murder investigations in a Renee Ballard or Harry Bosch novel).

The Law of Innocence by Michael Connelly is another captivating and awesome crime fiction novel that comes highly recommended. Featuring the antics of defence lawyer Mickey Haller, The Law of Innocence is an amazing legal thriller that readers can really sink their teeth into. Fun, exciting and compelling, The Law of Innocence is an excellent novel, and both established fans of Connelly and newcomers to his work will be able to dive into this book extremely easily. I had an amazing time reading The Law of Innocence and I look forward to Connelly’s next exceptional read.

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