Tag: Crime Fiction

Think Twice by Harlan Coben

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller4 Comments

Think Twice Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 14 May 2024)

Series: Myron Bolitar – Book 12

Length: 419 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Legendary thriller author Harlan Coben returns with another outstanding and twisty read that forces his longest running protagonist into a dark and deadly adventure with Think Twice.

Harlan Coben is an amazing writer who has been setting the world on fire for years with his exceptional thrillers that contain impressive twists and unbelievable turns, all set around distinctive and clever story ideas.  Many of his best books have been turned into fantastic television series, and his work has a habit of transforming into excellent dark content.  I personally have come into the Harlan Coben fandom a bit late, beginning with I Will Find You last year.  I loved the excellent story it contained, and it ensured that I would continue to check out Coben’s work in the future.  I’m very glad that I did, as his latest novel, Think Twice, proved to be a particularly epic read.  The latest entry in Coben’s long-running Myron Bolitar series, Think Twice reintroduces his iconic protagonist Myron Bolitar and sets him loose for his 12th novel.

After many ups and downs, former basketball player and incorrigible troublemaker Myron Bolitar is back in the sports agent game, once again situated in his New York office, surrounded by his unusual friends.  Working hard to bring his business back to its old glory, Myron is unprepared for a ghost from his past to literally come back and haunt him in the strangest way when two FBI agents visit his office, seeking his help to find a suspect in a recent double murder.

The investigation into the murder has revealed DNA evidence that points towards Myron’s former client and rival, Greg Downing.  The only problem is that Greg Downing died three years ago, and Myron was the one who gave the eulogy.  With the FBI convinced that he is lying and knows something about Greg’s whereabouts, Myron is intrigued, especially as his complicated history with Greg has given them an unbreakable connection.

Determined to find out whether Greg could be alive, Myron teams up with his partner in crime, the dangerous billionaire Win, to seek the truth.  Their investigation leads them from New York to Las Vegas to Montana and back again as they attempt to find any hint about what happened to their old client.  But the further they dig, the more it becomes apparent that there is a dangerous killer on the loose who likes to hide their misdeeds in the most sinister of ways.  But is Greg alive and perpetrating these crimes, or is someone else setting him up for the fall? And does that someone now have Myron in their sights?

Wow, now this was such a good thriller.  Coben really pulled out another wild and clever story with Think Twice and I got so drawn into this fantastic read.  Making full use of his interesting story premise, existing character arcs, and habit for outrageous twists, Coben had me hooked the entire way through, and I had so much fun with Think Twice.

I really loved the compelling story that Coben came up with for Think Twice, and frankly I got addicted to it in the opening pages as the reader is swiftly introduced to multiple awesome aspects of the plot.  The initial scenes with main point-of-view character, Myron Bolitar, reveal that a recurring character believed dead is still alive and is the main suspect in a murder case, while separate sequences told from an unknown person’s perspective, reveal intimate details of a unique serial killer stalking the country.  The story quickly develops into a hunt for the presumed dead client, as Myron and Win seek to find and help him before the FBI can.  This turns into a great missing persons investigation for the first third of the novel, as the protagonists hunt across America, digging up clues and coming into conflict with other interested parties in the case, including a sinister mob boss with a fun nickname.

This first third of the book, while a tad slower than the rest of the narrative, proves to be a great introduction to the story, and Coben does an excellent job of setting up some key plot elements and character introductions that pay off well in the rest of the book.  The author keeps the narrative going strong, and you are soon introduced to more mysteries, secrets and threats as the protagonist tries to discover what is happening and who is truly responsible.  There is a great deal of tension and mystery the entire way throughout the story, and I really got caught up in this book, powering through the second half of Think Twice in less than a day.  Coben brings the entire mystery together extremely well, and I think that this book had a very strong conclusion.  There are some great twists in the lead up to the big confrontation, and events get very frenetic and deadly in all the most exciting ways.  After some massive moments, Coben loads up additional twists to really strike the reader hard, and you will come away feeling bruised from the resulting whiplash.  I really enjoyed how these twists came about, and I think that Coben did an outstanding job setting them up and subsequently unleashing them.  This was honestly a brilliant story that had me hooked the entire way through.

The author set a great tone for Think Twice that ensured the reader was constantly engaged and forced to keep reading.  The entire story is very fast-paced, and the outrageous characters featured within are fun and exciting, allowing you to connect both with their unique investigation methods as well as the myriad personal dramas that result from their interactions.  While most of the story is told through the eyes of main character Myron, several key parts of the book are shown from alternative perspectives.  This helped to create a much more intense read, especially the scenes that show the unknown antagonist’s thoughts and kills.  Not only does this help set up some great twists but it also ensures that the reader gets drawn into the resulting game of cat and mouse.  Other perspectives, especially towards the end and helpfully distinguished by changes in font, are also well done and herald some massive events.  Coben did a great job of blending the story’s sports-themed mystery with the more intense, character-driven elements of the plot, and I ended really impressed with how this entire book came together, especially with the clever and compelling twists.

Unlike some of the other Coben books that I have read, Think Twice is part of a series and follows on from the previous mysteries contained in the Myron Bolitar books.  Indeed, the storyline in this 12th entry is strongly related to previous books in the series, especially the third novel, Fade Away, with many of the characters introduced there coming back in a big way.  While there are many references to this previous book, Think Twice still works well as a standalone novel, and Coben ensures that all the key plot elements from Fade Away and other Myron Bolitar books are explained quickly and effectively as the story continues.  As someone who has not read any of the books in the series, I was easily able to follow the plot of Think Twice while still getting drawn into the key character arcs and storylines.  However, I feel that established fans of the series will probably get a little more out of Think Twice, especially when it comes to the continuation of some intense character interactions.  As such, Think Twice is going to appeal to a lot of readers, and someone a little newer to Coben’s work can easily jump into this long-running series with barely any issues.

The final thing I want to highlight about Think Twice are the intriguing and fun characters that Coben features throughout his book.  Coben clearly likes big personalities with complicated feelings, and I had a lot of fun getting to know the cast of this series, especially as there are some distinctive oddballs here.  The most prominent character is series protagonist Myron Bolitar, a former star basketball player turned sports agent, lawyer and occasional investigator.  Myron proves to be a fun protagonist to follow, and I liked his morality and sense of right and wrong, which contrasts well with other key characters.  Coben did a good job of drawing the reader into Myron’s personal issues, of which there are many, especially when it comes to the side characters in this book.  Thanks to the renewed focus on his old rival, Greg Downing, several figures from previous books are reintroduced, including his old flame and his biological son that was raised by Greg.  This leads to substantial drama, especially as the various relationships are strained from previous betrayals and lies.  Myron’s complicated relationships with these returning side characters proves to be a key part of the book, and it was interesting to see him finally get some closure with some characters, while renewing old issues with others.

Aside from Myron and the returning characters from Fade Away, the cast of Think Twice are entertainingly unusual, and it proved interesting to see the fun range of figures the protagonist surrounds himself with.  The former women’s tag-team professional wrestlers who have become Myron’s colleagues was an interesting touch from Coben that I certainly had fun with, and Myron’s entertaining family who interact with him in the background were also entertaining.  The main supporting character you have to talk about is Myron’s best friend and confidant, Win.  Windsor Horne Lockwood III is ultra-rich, ultra-eccentric and just a little bit crazy.  A deadly figure with no moral compass, Win backs his friend up in many ways, and has no problem getting lethal when the situation calls for it.  Win honestly steals most scenes he is in, and he plays off Myron really well, ensuring that they come away as an amusing and effective team.  Throw in a great antagonist with clever methods who remains hidden for much of the book, and Think Twice has some great characters whom Coben uses to their full extent to tell an interesting story.

Thanks to its outrageous story, cool plot concepts and excellent twists, Think Twice proved to be an amazing read that I could not get enough of.  Slick, clever, and highly addictive, Think Twice really showcased Harlan Coben’s ability to pull together a brilliant thriller.  I had such a great time reading Think Twice, and I cannot wait to see what unique story Coben pulls together next.  Highly recommended to both established Coben fans and new readers looking for a distinctive thriller.

Think Twice Cover 2

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Quick Review – Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Quick Review, Thriller1 Comment

Body of Lies Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 27 February 2024)

Series: Gemma Woodstock – Book Four

Length: 470 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Amazon

One of Australia’s best authors of crime fiction brings to life another complex and intense murder mystery with Body of Lies by Sarah Bailey.

Plot Synopsis:

A car crash victim clings to life and is rushed to hospital but can’t be saved. Hours later, her corpse is stolen from the morgue. No one knows who the dead woman was or why her body was taken.

Detective Sergeant Gemma Woodstock is back in her hometown of Smithson on maternity leave when the bizarre incident occurs. She is intrigued by the case but reluctant to get involved, despite the urging of her journalist friend Candy Fyfe. But in the days after the body goes missing, the town is rocked by another shocking crime and Gemma can’t resist joining the investigation.

Candy and Gemma follow the clues the dead woman left behind. As they attempt to discover the identity of the missing woman, Gemma uncovers devastating secrets about the people she thought she knew best. The closer Gemma gets to the truth, the more danger she is in. She desperately needs to confide in someone—but is there anyone she can trust?

This was another interesting and compelling read from Bailey, who really impressed me back in 2021 with her standalone novel, The Housemate, which ended up being one of my favourite books and Australian novels of that year.  Body of Lies is another outstanding book from Bailey, which serves as the fourth entry in her Gemma Woodstock series and provides the reader with an amazing and dramatic mystery.

I had a lot of fun getting through Body of Lies as Bailey comes up with an elaborate story that really draws you in.  Whilst it is part of a larger series, Body of Lies is easily read as a standalone novel, with Bailey doing a good job of reintroducing key elements from the previous novels where necessary.  Thanks to this, Body of Lies has a quick start which reconnects readers with the protagonist while also providing key information about the initial death, as well as the unusual circumstances surrounding the missing body.  Despite still being on maternity leave, protagonist and main point-of-view character Gemma Woodstock begins investigating, and soon finds herself drawn into a series of additional crimes in the Smithson area that may or may not be related to the stolen body.

This resolves into quite an awesome story, as you really get drawn into Body of Lies’s intense and intricate mystery.  Bailey keeps making the case even more complex thanks to additional deaths and other unusual events, and the constant raising of stakes ensures the reader’s attention stays on the story.  At the same time, the protagonist’s personal life also takes centre stage in the plot as Gemma deals with a new baby, a traumatised older child, a lying family, a pushy friend, and multiple work conflicts as she attempts to reintegrate back into her own job.

While I got really invested in the story, I think that the final third of Body of Lies got a little off the rails.  Not only are there a huge number of emotional and family dramas surrounding the protagonist, many of which seem a little unnecessary, but there proves to be a huge number of personal connections to the case that drive the protagonist on.  While I liked the increased motivations for the protagonist, these connections seemed way too coincidental, and honestly it stole a lot of realism from the plot.  I also did get a little tired of the many personal dramas that seemed to surround the protagonist.  While I realise that Bailey was trying to showcase the complex life of her protagonist, much of which is driven by the tragic events of the prior books, as well as the side effects of single-minded determination to finding the truth, it honestly got a bit frustrating to follow her at times.  Still, Gemma’s struggles out of her own obsessed mind added some excellent drama and substance to the narrative and Bailey certainly kept her story arc interesting.

The solution to the big mystery turns out to be pretty darn bonkers, and I guarantee most people won’t see the full extent of it coming.  While Bailey did do a good job of setting this reveal up and laying down some hints, it ended up being a very surprising and over-the-top solution that might not work for everyone.  Still, readers are left with an excellent final confrontation and the mystery ends up wrapping up in a satisfying and intriguing way.  There is also a really good twist around a hidden antagonist, which is guaranteed to shock readers and keep them on their toes.  As such, this was a pretty awesome story, and I had a wonderful time getting through it.

In the end, Body of Lies proved to be an outstanding and highly exciting novel that drew me in with its elaborate mystery.  While I didn’t love everything about Sarah Bailey’s new narrative, Body of Lies was still an amazing piece of Australian crime fiction, and well worth a read for anyone looking for a complex and impressive mystery with compelling character elements behind it.

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Quick Review – Glenrock by Lee Christine

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Quick Review1 Comment

Glenrock Cover

Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 30 January 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 320 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Bestselling Australian author Lee Christine brings together a compelling and intriguing crime fiction read with the excellent Glenrock; a fantastic mystery set around the Australian city of Newcastle.

Plot Synopsis:

A murdered judge. Two missing lawyers. A thrilling tale of mystery and suspense from the bestselling author of Charlotte Pass and Dead Horse Gap.

When Justice Maurice Tempest is murdered in the Glenrock State Conservation Area in Newcastle, local detective Senior Sergeant Callan O’Connor is the first on the scene. News of a second body, found in the same location days later, makes what had looked like a revenge killing into so much more.

Angela Avery, formerly a political journalist, is spending a lot of time at the Hunter Valley Prison interviewing a soon-to-be-released forger, Benjamin Reid. When O’Connor’s investigation reveals an interest in Ben, Angela is determined to protect both her source and her fledgling relationship with O’Connor.

Meanwhile, two young, female lawyers have disappeared after making a devastating discovery in an upcoming case. Can O’Connor unravel the connections before the body count rises further? And how much does Angela Avery really know?’…


Glenrock was a great and fast-paced crime fiction novel that I had the great pleasure of reading earlier in the year.  Christine came up with a fantastic story that really drew you in thanks to its multilayered mystery, compelling characters and high stakes.

The main mystery of Glenrock is set around the murder of a prominent judge in the Glenrock National Park area, which sets off an elaborate investigation primarily seen through the eyes of Senior Sergeant Callan O’Connor.  O’Connor is a great central protagonist, and I enjoyed his intriguing insights into the case, especially as it pairs well with his complex family life and adversarial past with the Sydney homicide detective who arrives to take over the case.  While the murder of a judge would be an interesting focus for the book by itself, especially when the apparent murderer is found in the most unlikely of scenarios, Christine raises the stakes by introducing two parallel storylines that combine into one heck of a novel.

The first of these storylines revolves around Angela Avery, a journalist for the local paper who finds herself drawn into the larger murder story thanks to the human-interest story she was writing.  Thanks to her relationship with Callan, which provides a good romantic subplot for the story, Angela gets more involved with the case, especially as her investigation reveals connections to two young lawyers who disappeared the day of the murder.  These two lawyers, who went on the run to save themselves, provide the third overlapping storyline, and it was fascinating to see their attempts to flee, especially as they provide some compelling context to the main mystery.

All three storylines prove to be very entertaining on their own, but their real strength is the way that they wrap together and form a complex, overarching narrative.  Christine ensures that all three character-focused storylines stand on their own before bringing the various characters together in a sensible and compelling way.  I really enjoyed seeing the various story arcs come together, and Christine enhances this with several moving dives into the complex characters.  The focus on O’Connor’s family life is a prominent one, although I was particularly drawn to the character of Angely Avery, the plucky reporter who drives much of the plot’s investigative angle.  Christine draws together a complex and harrowing past for Avery, as her previous reporting experiences resulted in great pain, and I would be very interested to see Christine revisit these characters in the future.  The entire story, including the clever mystery, comes together extremely well, and Christine ensures there are some intriguing twists and reveals that keep you hanging in to the very end.  Throw in some excellent depictions of Sydney and the picturesque area surrounding Newcastle, including Glenrock, and this proves to be quite an impressive read.

Overall, Glenrock was an excellent piece of Australian crime fiction by Lee Christine that I had a wonderful time reading.  The combination of a compelling story, fantastic characters and an intriguing mystery is hard to resist, and readers will come away from Glenrock very satisfied.  An amazing and exciting read from a talented Australian author.

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Waiting on Wednesday – The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an excellent upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe.

The Wrong Man Cover

As regular readers of this blog will know, I consume a lot of Australian fiction each year, mainly because of my geographic location and the focuses of my local publishers.  A large portion of this Australian fiction tends to be crime fiction, with my fellow Australians coming up with an amazing range of thrillers, murder mysteries and other crime-focused reads.  Some of the best of these make full use of the Australian setting to tell their compelling stories, and I have become a huge fan of Australian crime fiction as a result.  One of my favourite authors coming up with awesome Australian crime fiction is journalist turned author Tim Ayliffe, who has had some great success with his John Bailey books.

The John Bailey novels are an excellent series that follows the titular character, an alcoholic and damaged journalist, as he finds himself involved in a series of dangerous situations related to his investigative stories.  Not only do these novels feature captivating thriller storylines and compelling mysteries, but Ayliffe often laces them with intriguing insights into Australian society, featuring plot points that have parallels to real life headlines, social issues or controversies.  These include examining foreign interference in Australian politics, terrorism, the growth of right-wing extremism, and the impact of international spies in Australia.  As such, I have had a wonderful and thoughtful time with each of the John Bailey novels, and they are often some of the top pieces of Australian fiction I read each year.  This includes The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021), and Killer Traitor Spy (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023).

Due to how much I have enjoyed Tim Ayliffe’s work in the past I was excited when he recently announced he had a new novel coming out in 2024.  That book is The Wrong Man which is currently set for release in early July.  The fifth entry in the John Bailey series, The Wrong Man has an amazing plot behind it that I am really excited for.

Plot Synopsis:

The fifth novel in the John Bailey thriller series. Bailey is trying to solve two murders, ten years apart – unfinished business from his former flame Sharon Dexter. But will it cost him his life?

Detective Holly Sutton has been seconded to work with the New South Wales Homicide Squad to investigate the murder of Sydney socialite, Tottie Evans, who was found dead at the Palm Beach home of a millionaire property developer.

Alec Blacksmith isn’t like other real estate guys. He’s a former mercenary soldier who shot to fame after appearing on a reality TV show. Blacksmith is refusing to cooperate with police because he has his own secrets.

John Bailey is an old school reporter with a nose for a story.

He gets a call from the police about a break-in at the house he inherited from his former girlfriend, Sharon Dexter – a cop murdered in the line of duty.

Whoever crowbarred the lock was looking for Dexter’s case file about the murder of a waitress named Sally King at an exclusive Sydney gentlemen’s club a decade earlier. After examining the file, Bailey discovers something that will blow up the Homicide Squad’s investigation into Tottie Evans’s death – a link to the murder of King.

The only problem is that a serial killer is already serving a life sentence for the crime.

Catching killers is Holly Sutton’s job. But for John Bailey, solving the case offers him a chance to finish a job for the woman who saved his life.

I really like the sound of this latest John Bailey novel as it a lot of interesting elements to it.  A pure murder mystery focused book will make The Wrong Man stand out a little bit from the previous entries in the series, and I like the scenario that Ayliffe introducing here.  Controversial figures, linked murders, and a potentially falsely imprisoned serial killer has some real potential for a narrative, and I cannot wait to see how it unwinds.  The inclusion of a controversial soldier as a prominent figure was also interesting to me, and it made me wonder if Ayliffe is going to allude to a high-profile legal case that recently played out in the Australian media.  I am also interested in the character of Detective Holly Sutton, and I am looking forward to seeing how she plays off the older John Bailey.  Bailey, a damaged figure who has slowly been pulling his life together throughout the series, will also be a great inclusion, and I am curious to see how his character continues to evolve, especially after the additional health issues that were raised in the previous book (those darn Russian sonic weapons).

Based on my previous positive experiences with Tim Ayliffe’s work, I am very keen to get my hands on the new John Bailey book when it comes out in a few months’ time.  The Wrong Man has a very exciting and compelling story behind it, and I am keen to find out how it all comes together.  I have no doubt that The Wrong Man will probably end up being one of the top Australian novels of 2024 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Waiting by Michael Connelly

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday10 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out one of my most anticipated crime fiction reads of 2024 with The Waiting by Michael Connelly.

The Waiting Cover

Amazon

Over the last few years, I have become a pretty major fan of acclaimed crime fiction author Michael Connelly, whose books usually end up being amongst my favourite reads each year.  Known for his ability to create iconic characters and elaborate narratives across the crime fiction subgenres, Connelly dominated the genre for decades, for a very good reason.  I have had a wonderful time with some of his most recent books including, the Jack McEvoy novel Fair Warning (one of my favourite books of 2020) and the Mickey Haller books, The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk (one of my favourite books of 2023).  However, some of his best recent work has been centred around his key female protagonist, Renée Ballard.

A tough, intelligent detective in the LAPD introduced in the 2017 novel, The Late Show, Ballard has been featured in several books which combine intriguing cases with a powerful focus on the protagonist’s battles with sexism and opposition from the LAPD top brass.  Her more recent novels have seen Ballard team up with Connelly’s iconic protagonist, Harry Bosch, and the two prove to be an intriguing pair, especially in excellent books like Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), The Dark Hours (one of my favourite books of 2021) and Desert Star (one of my favourite books of 2022).  Each of these Ballard focused novels have been pretty exceptional, and I have been excited to see what was next for this compelling protagonist in the future.  Luckily, we will be getting another addition to this series in November 2024 when Connelly releases his new book, The Waiting.

Set to primarily follow Ballard as she continues her work in the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit, The Waiting has an intriguing plot behind it as the protagonist investigates several compelling cases.  It also features a double hit of Bosch, as Conelly features both Harry and his daughter Maddie in this cool book.  I’m actually really looking forward to seeing Maddie Bosch as the focus of one of Conelly’s novels, especially considering how she is featured in the Bosch: Legacy television series.

All three cases highlighted below in the plot synopsis sound very exciting, and I look forward to getting an elaborate cold case investigation, which should make for some great reading when combined with the present-day issues.  Throw in the unique partnership between Ballard and Harry Bosch, as well as the mentor role Ballard will form with Maddie, and this should be a pretty powerful and character-focused book.  I have no doubt that I am going to absolutely love The Waiting when it comes out, and this will probably be one of my favourite novels of the year.  An exceptional sounding upcoming book from one of the very best crime fiction authors!

Plot Synopsis:

LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a terrifying serial rapist whose trail has gone cold, with the help of the newest volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Unit: Patrol Officer Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter.

Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The arrested man is only twenty-three, so the genetic link must be familial. It is his father who was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the city of angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun, and ID are stolen—a theft she can’t report without giving her enemies in the department the ammunition they need to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her solo mission leads her into greater danger than she anticipates. She has no choice but to go outside the department for help, and that leads her to the door of Harry Bosch.

Finally, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit. Bosch’s daughter Maddie wants to supplement her work as a patrol officer on the night beat by investigating cases with Ballard. But Renée soon learns that Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city’s library of lost souls.

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackon Bennett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Five-Star Books, Murder Mystery16 Comments

The Tainted Cup Cover

Publisher: Hodderscape (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Shadow of the Leviathan – Book One

Length: 420 pages

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Acclaimed fantasy author Robert Jackson Bennett kicks off a brilliant new series with the captivating and impressive novel, The Tainted Cup, which sees two unique investigators dive into an enthralling magical murder.

Robert Jackon Bennett is an outstanding author who has been writing since 2010 with his debut novel, Mr. Shivers.  Best known for his iconic The Divine Cities trilogy, as well as the intricate The Founders trilogy (of which I read Foundryside), Bennett has been on a real roll of late, and I have been meaning to read more of his works.  I finally got the chance when I recently received a copy of his latest novel, The Tainted Cup, an intriguing combination of the crime fiction and fantasy genres.  I instantly fell in love with The Tainted Cup’s awesome sounding plot and The Tainted Cup ended up being one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 for very good reason.

In an opulent mansion in the backwater province of Daretana, an unusual case emerges when an important Imperial officer is apparently killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body.  Even in the unpredictable Empire of Khanum, which is constantly besieged by Leviathans, giant beings from the ocean whose blood and bodies can mutate the land and create unique contagions, this is a shocking death.

The job of discovering what caused this unusual death falls to Ana Dolabra, an Imperial investigator known both for her staggering intellect and her many oddities.  Able to make connections no-one else can, Ana begins her unique investigation, using her new assistant, Dinios Kol, as her proxy.  Din, an engraver magically altered to possess a perfect memory, acts as his boss’s eyes on the case, and begins to gather all the raw information Ana needs to uncover the full mystery.  The conclusion she makes about the case: murder!

Determining the case to be an unusual and deadly form of magical poisoning, Ana and Din manage to find one of the culprit’s accomplices.  But it quickly becomes apparent that this is only the beginning of their investigation when several engineers responsible for maintaining the great outer walls of the Empire against the Leviathan threat are killed in a similar manner in the next canton.  Determined to discover who is responsible for both the murders and the resulting Leviathan attacks, Ana and Din journey to the wall to find out more.  What they discover is an elaborate conspiracy, one that threatens the entire Empire and could result in the death of everyone to the Leviathans.

The Tainted Cup ended up being an incredible read from Bennett who masterfully blended a complex mystery with unique fantasy elements and amazing characters to tell a gripping and powerful story.  I had such a great time with this book and honestly couldn’t put it down until I worked out every secret and twist that Bennett loaded into this outstanding five-star read.

Bennett comes up with an excellent premise for The Tainted Cup that is essentially a twisty Sherlock Holmes tale of intrigue and conspiracy, set in a cool new fantasy realm besieged by giant monsters.  Told from the perspective of main character Dinios Kol, who works as the eyes of his peculiar master, Ana Dolabra, the eccentric criminal investigator, Bennett quickly and effectively introduces the mystery of a man killed when a tree explodes out of him.  I’ve read a lot of amazing mystery novels over the years, and frankly this must be one of the more unique murder tools I’ve seen, and Bennett uses it to full effect to tell such a great story.  The initial investigation proves to be quite impressive, as Ana manages to quickly solve the murder using the observations provided by Dinios, finding the catspaw responsible for this first crime in a fantastic scene that really highlights to the author what a great investigator this protagonist truly is.

However, this is only the start of the case, as several similar deaths occur in the next town over, killing multiple engineers and damaging the massive walls that protect the Empire.  The resulting chaos results in Dinios and Ana travelling to the nearby garrison town where the engineers were billeted to try and work out who is responsible and why.  The situation swiftly degenerates as the protagonists uncover additional murders, corruption, secrets and lies, as everyone tries to hide who is responsible for the killings.  What results is an elaborate and addictive investigation as Ana sends Dinios on a series of investigative missions to get closer to the truth and uncover the conspiracies infecting the Empire, while the threat of an approaching Leviathan literally looms on the horizon.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire way through the second half of the book, as I desperately waited to see who was responsible and why.  While I saw a couple of the big twists coming, the full picture that emerged was extremely impressive, and I honestly loved every clever reveal and surprise that Bennett loaded into the story.  Not only are the main mystery and the underlying conspiracies behind it solved perfectly, but Bennett sets up the entire trilogy to be something truly special.  I cannot wait to see how this series continues in the future, and I already know it is going to be amazing.

I really loved how Bennett set out The Tainted Cup, especially as his great blend of storytelling elements and genres helped to turn it into a particularly fun and captivating read.  The elaborate and intriguing mystery blended well with the other unique elements of the book, and Bennett did an outstanding job of keeping the pace of The Tainted Cup fast and exciting, layering the story with reveals and hints to keep the reader firmly attached.  There were so many times that I needed to stop reading but just couldn’t as I wanted to see what was going to happen next.  While this book is mostly a little dark and emotionally charged, Bennett also layers the plot with a good amount of humour, mostly tied into the main investigator, which I think really turned The Tainted Cup into something special.  This humour tied in nicely with both the more serious mystery and fantasy elements and helped to cut down the tension in an effective and targeted way.  Throw in some fantastically elaborate action sequences, unique fantasy battles, and vivid descriptions of the world through the eyes of a complex protagonist, and you will come away with a great appreciation for Bennett’s fantastic writing style.

One of the more memorable features of The Tainted Cup was the awesome new fantasy realm that Bennet imagined for the plot, as well as the intriguing and unique magic that infested it.  The plot of the book is completely set within the Empire of Khanum, a walled-off nation completely dedicated to protecting itself from the Leviathan, gigantic, mutated creatures from the seas that are constantly trying to make landfall and destroy everything within.  I also loved how the magical elements of The Tainted Cup revolve around the manipulation of strange plants and biological grafts that enhance the physical and mental abilities of the humans.  A lot of these plant elements are tied into the Leviathan, and it was fascinating to see the impacts it has both on the land and on the people within it.  This is a pretty awesome background for this already fantastic plot, and it reminded me pretty strongly of Attack on Titan or Pacific Rim.  Bennett does an outstanding job working the plot of The Tainted Cup around this cool background, and it was fascinating to try and work out how the protection of the wall and the threats of the Leviathan and other magical concerns plays into the main plot.  There are some unique conspiracies produced as a result, as well as a some very distinctive killers and suspects, and I was really impressed with how Bennett came up with all these new elements and ensured that become so intrinsic to the plot.  The author also makes sure to hint at some future secrets throughout The Tainted Cup, such as the true nature of the Leviathan, which I have no doubt will be revealed in future novels in a big way.

Another awesome element I really need to highlight about The Tainted Cup was the two main protagonists, Dinios Kol and Ana Dolabra.  These two honestly make this entire book, with Dinios serving as the harried subordinate while Ana is the brilliant, if slightly unhinged and blunt, investigative savant.  Bennett expertly captures the classic detective/sidekick dynamic that was made so famous with Sherlock Holmes and Watson, with Dinios serving the Watson role as point of view character and the sounding board for Ana’s observations and solutions to the various murders encountered.  Not only is this very cool in the fantasy context, but Bennett works to make Ana even more outrageous than some of the more recent Sherlock Holmes adaptations, as she is an agoraphobic, disgraced, drug-addicted figure, who mostly goes around wearing a blindfold and terrifying everyone she encounters.  I loved Ana so much, and so much of the humour of the book comes from her unusual behaviour.  Despite these eccentricities, Ana is still shown to be a brilliant investigator, and I think that Bennett masterfully found the balance between genius and madwoman for this protagonist.

I really appreciated how Dinios proves to be the perfect foil for his unusual master, and it was great to see the story unfold through his eyes, especially as he proves to be a keen student and an interesting figure in his own right.  Initially shown to be a little desperate and naive, with secrets of his own, Dinios slowly becomes more confident as the book continues, and I enjoyed seeing him come into his own the more involved with the case he became.  His student/friend relationship with Ana was heartwarming at times, and he also serves as the more responsible member of the team, using rules and commonsense to stop Ana from going too far.  Dinios gets a well-written glow-up as the book continues, thanks to a revelation about his abilities, and while that potentially makes him a little overpowered as a character, I assume that Bennett has some interesting long-term storytelling involved with them that I cannot wait to see.

Thanks to the masterful combination of mystery, unique fantasy elements and amazing characters, The Tainted Cup was an outstanding read that really showcased Robert Jackson Bennett’s ability as an author.  Inventive, entertaining, and emotionally charged, The Tainted Cup is perfect for both fans of fantasy fiction and unique mysteries, and there is so much to fall in love with here.  Easily one of the best books of 2024 so far, The Tainted Cup comes highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how Bennett follows this amazing read off in the future.

The Tainted Cup Cover

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Waiting on Wednesday – We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday8 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I look at one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2024, with the outstanding murder mystery novel, We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

We Solve Murders Cover

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Since his debut in 2020, comedian and British television personality Richard Osman has been on an incredible roll with his crime fiction career, producing four exceptional murder mystery novels as part of his Thursday Murder Club series.  Following four complex pensioners who solve murders out of their retirement village, the Thursday Murder Club books are something very special, as they combine clever mysteries with great characters, amazing humour, and unique situations.  I have so much love for the Thursday Murder Club series and each of the books, including The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), have gotten full five-star ratings from me.

Due to how exceptional Osman’s first four books are, I have been keeping a close eye out for his next novel, and it looks like we have another interesting release on the horizon.  Osman appears to be putting the Thursday Murder Club series on hold for the moment as his next novel will focus on two new characters, with We Solve Murders.  Set for release in September 2024, We Solve Murders will introduce a father/daughter crime solving duo as they take on an intense and compelling new case.

Plot Synopsis:

A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve…

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job…

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

There is a lot here that I am very excited for when it comes to this upcoming book.  I love that we are getting a new novel from Osman later this year and while I would have really enjoyed another Thursday Murder Club novel, it is probably good to let that series breath for a little while, especially after the emotionally charged fourth book.  As such, I am looking forward to seeing how Osman goes with a new series, and We Solve Murders certainly has a lot of potential.  Not only does it have a cool story behind it, but the two main characters also sound very intriguing.  I can’t wait to see Osman’s take on a father/daughter relationship, especially when both are detectives.  At the same time, the author maintains the generational divides and retiree protagonist that made the Thursday Murder Club books such a joy to read.  Throw in Osman’s subtle humour and ability to craft together likeable protagonists and intricate mysteries and We Solve Murders has a lot of potential.

Look, at this point I am automatically going to read anything that Osman writes, especially after how exceptional his first four novels have been.  However, I am quite intrigued about his new upcoming book, We Solve Murders, and this is easily one of the books I most looking forward to later this year.  I cannot wait to see how this new series unfolds and I have very high hopes that We Solve Murders will be just as good as the amazing Thursday Murder Club series.

Three-Inch Teeth by C. J. Box

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller6 Comments

Three-Inch Teeth Cover

Publisher: Head of Zeus (ebook – 27 February 2024)

Series: Joe Pickett – Book 24

Length: 378 pages

My Rating 4.5 out of 5 stars

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In the mood for a fantastic and over-the-top thriller that makes great use of an American wilderness setting? Then look no further than the latest awesome novel from bestselling author C. J. Box, Three-Inch Teeth.

Ever since I started getting more involved with the crime fiction genre, I have been slowly working my way through some well-established mystery and thriller authors who I was previously unfamiliar with.  As such, I just had the pleasure of reading my first book from veteran thriller author C. J. Box, Three-Inch Teeth, which I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of.  Box is an outstanding author who has been writing for over 20 years.  While he has written several stand-alone novels, as well as his Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell series, Box is best known for his Joe Pickett books.  Following a game warden in the mountains of Wyoming who gets involved with various murders and other criminal activities, the Joe Pickett books are an amazing series, and I wish I had gotten into them sooner.  Starting with Box’s debut novel, Open Season, back in 2001, this series has featured some interesting stories behind it, which I might have to come back and read at some point.  The latest book, Three-Inch Teeth, is the 24th novel in the series, and it presents the reader with a unique and captivating story about nature, revenge and tragedy.

As a new hunting season begins in the wilderness of Wyoming, game warden Joe Pickett prepares for a busy period of monitoring the excited hunters coming into his domain.  However, he is unprepared for the savagery set to befall those closest to him as he encounters two very different killers.  The first is a wild animal, a massive rogue grizzly bear that goes on a rampage, killing several people, including the prospective fiancé of Joe’s daughter.  Desperate to stop the bear before it kills again, Joe and a team of expert hunters engage in an exhaustive hunt for it, which leaves Joe unprepared for a danger from his past to re-emerge.

Former champion rodeo star Dallas Cates has been released from prison.  Filled with anger over everything he lost, including his land, his family and his stardom, Cates plots his revenge against the people he blames for ruining his life, including Joe, Joe’s best friend Nate Romanowski, the local judge, prosecutor and more.  Spotting the chaos being caused by the enraged grizzly, Cates seeks a way to unleash similar attacks on those targets he wants dead.

Teaming up with a mechanical genius and another ghost from Joe’s past, Cates begins his deadly revenge plot, and soon all of Wyoming is in turmoil at the sudden upsurge in bear attacks.  With the incidents hitting closer and closer to home, Joe works to find the apparent rogue bear before its too late.  But is he ready to face Cates and his cohorts, or will his enemies finally get the best of him?  Whatever the case, tragedy and death await all those who enter the bear-infested wilderness.

This was an extremely fun and exciting read from Box, who pulls together an epic and memorable novel.  Three-Inch Teeth has a brilliant and addictive story behind it, and you will swiftly get drawn into this over-the-top book.  It’s an amazing read that I really could not put down.

I loved the epic story in Three-Inch Teeth, as Box comes up with an electrifying, intense and over-the-top thriller narrative that you can really sink your teeth into (pun intended).  Starting off with the first brutal bear attack, Box does a great job setting the scene for the reader as the protagonist, Joe Pickett finds himself leading the hunt for the culprit.  This proves to be a brilliant start to the book, and it serves as a good introduction/reintroduction to the protagonist, the setting, and the general vibe of the series.  While this is interesting, Box amps the plot up even further when he brings in main antagonist Dallas Cates, who has previously appeared in other Joe Pickett books.  Cates had a great balance of anger, patience and intelligence in him as a villain, as he seeks revenge against those that wronged him.  Teaming up with an interesting crew of accomplices, including another recurring Joe Pickett villain, Cates comes up with an igneous idea that allows him to capitalise on the bear attacks and kill those who wronged him without arising suspicion.

While I won’t go into too much detail about how Cates and his cohorts kill their targets, I will say it was extremely entertaining and very over-the-top, which I deeply enjoyed.  The resulting murder spree creates an intense plot as Joe tries to work out why a bear is killing several people close to him, and what the strange attacks could mean.  Box keeps the plot moving along at a quick pace once the killings begin, and I really enjoyed the switches in focus amongst the various characters.  The one exception to this is probably the storyline which focused on Pickett’s daughter, Sheridan, which honestly felt a little disconnected, and its payoff didn’t really add a whole lot to the overall plot (the falconry was cool though).  Still, I had a lot of fun with the story, and you really get drawn in to the book, especially once the protagonist gets closer to the truth.  The final leg of Three-Inch Teeth had me hooked the entire way through, as the antagonists gear up for their final confrontation with Joe and his friends and family.  The big finale is just as intense and deadly as you would expect, and long-term readers of this book will be shocked at some of the events that occur.  I loved how Box ended everything on a dark note, especially regarding a key side character, and there are some interesting hints about the future of the series.  I honestly had such a great time with this amazing story, and while it does get a bit outrageous at times, that is part of its rugged and exciting charm.

I really enjoyed how Box showcased his over-the-top story in Three-Inch Teeth, especially as it provided me with all the action, carnage and revenge that I was hoping for.  Featuring a very fast pace designed to lure you in, Three-Inch Teeth honestly never slowed down from the first brutal bear attack, and the author ensured that the excitement levels stayed extremely high.  I liked how Box set his story out in a typical thriller fashion of showcasing multiple character perspectives, which I think helped to showcase the story even better.  The constant shift between the scheming antagonists and the mystified, but increasingly suspicious, protagonists really enlivened the plot, and it was great to see both sides of the crazy scenario that emerged.  I personally also appreciated how accessible Box made Three-Inch Teeth to new readers.  I must admit that I was initially a little worried about coming into the Joe Pickett series at book 24, however, my fears quickly left me once I got stuck into the story.  While the plot of Three-Inch Teeth does rely heavily on elements from the previous novels, especially when it comes to the returning antagonists, you really don’t need any prior knowledge to get stuck into the story.  Box does a great job of recapping the key events of the previous novel as the book continues, and you quickly understand the grudge that the antagonists bear.  While long-term readers will probably get a lot more out of Three-Inch Teeth, especially when it comes to some of the character development, surprise deaths and continuation of existing storylines, any thriller fan can easily start the series here and have a wonderful time with this book.

One of the things that really stood out to me about Three-Inch Teeth was the outstanding background setting that much of the story is based in.  Box really works to feature his beloved Wyoming wilderness in his novel, and I loved the great depictions of the beautiful landscape, isolated towns and interesting locals.  This mountain area makes a great background for a lot of the book, including in some tense hunting scenes, and you can see that Box has a great appreciation for the location and the creatures within it.  As such, quite a lot of attention is paid to some of the local animals in these mountains, with the grizzly bear getting quite a look at in Three-Inch Teeth.  Due to the bear’s importance to the plot, Box goes out of his way to explore the habits, behaviour and biology of the grizzly throughout the plot, which adds a fascinating edge to the book, and understanding how a bear acts ended up being a key plot point.

In addition, Box also tries to capture the personality and feel of the inhabitants of Wyoming, especially those living in the mountain communities, and this is where Three-Inch Teeth might become a little less appealing to some readers.  While the protagonist and his family generally try to stay away from politics, pretty much everyone they meet is very right-wing in their political ideology, and they generally all have something to say about it one way or another.  Having never had the pleasure of visiting Wyoming, I can’t really comment on the accuracy of this, but the huge number of conservative locals does come across as a little strong.  While I am sure this was done for realism, it does get a little much as the book continues, especially when politics is worked into all manner of unrelated conversations.  While it didn’t dramatically ruin my reading experience of Three-Inch Teeth, I could see it alienating some readers who are looking for a little escapism from the current political climate, and it might prove to be rather tiring for those readers interested in chain-reading this series.  Still, this is a minor complaint and I think most people can just have fun with Three-Inch Teeth’s over-the-top action.

I loved the range of eccentric and compelling characters featured throughout Three-Inch Teeth, and I deeply appreciated how each of them was rather easy to follow as Box expertly reintroduces each of them.  The protagonists, particularly Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowski, are very sympathetic figures, and Box ensures you quickly get across their relevant character aspects and enjoy watching them try to solve the unique crime coming their way.  However, I felt that the antagonists carried the day in Three-Inch Teeth.  Box features several great villains in this novel, including two recurring antagonists from the prior Joe Pickett books, and it was a lot of fun seeing them attempt their outrageous revenge mission.  The author does a good job of diving back into the two main antagonists’ backstory, especially as its pretty vital to the plot, and you quickly understand their obsession with revenge and the deadly relationships they have with the protagonists.  These exceptional antagonists were so much fun, and I love the future storylines that Box sets up through one of them, that hints of even more carnage to come.  Each of these great characters added so much to the plot, and I am excited to see what happens to them in the future.

C. J. Box easily wooed me with this wonderful and impressively exciting addition to this long-running series. Three-Inch Teeth was a great introduction to the Joe Pickett books, and I loved the thrilling story that he came up with. A very fun and intense read, I will probably dive back into this series in the future, especially if Box comes up with another captivating and awesome plot like Three-Inch Teeth had.

Three-Inch Teeth Cover 2

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Waiting on Wednesday – Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Waiting on Wednesday13 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy.  I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings.  Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them.  For my latest Waiting on Wednesday post, I look at the next upcoming book in one of my favourite historical fiction series with Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis.

Death on the Tiber Cover

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Fans of this blog will know that I have a lot of love for historical fiction, as it was the genre that I started my reviewing career with.  While I do not read as much historical fiction these days as I would like, one series that I always go out of my way to read is the Flavia Albia series by Lindsey Davis.  A sequel to Davis’ iconic Falco series, the Flavia Albia books follow the titular protagonist as she investigates a series of compelling crimes in ancient Rome, while also trying to manage her chaotic personal life.

I have had a wonderful time reading and reviewing all the books in this great long-running over the years, with several appearing on this blog.  This includes The Third Nero, Pandora’s Boy, A Capitol Death, The Grove of the Caesars (one of my favourite books of 2020), A Comedy of Terrors, Desperate Undertakings (one of my favourite books of 2022) and Fatal Legacy.  All these books were awesome in their way, and I love the elaborate mysteries, unique historical insights, and fun comedic moments that Davies adds into her stories.  As such, I always make an effort to grab the new Flavia Albia book each year, as I know I will have a great time with it.

Well it looks like I do not have too much longer to wait before getting my next Flavia Albia fix as Davis has a new novel coming out later this year with Death on the Tiber.  Set for release in Australia on 9 April 2024, Death on the Tiber will draw the protagonist into another deadly case, one that will force her to go up against an old enemy from her past.

Plot Synopsis:

The brilliant new novel in the must-read, laugh-out-loud Flavia Albia series.

Rome is in chaos. The empire of a mobster chief is falling apart following his death. Rivals, fearsome relatives and associates are taking up position to vie for the spoils.

With hideous murders in the streets of Rome, a lone female traveller arrives with an agenda of her own. But when her corpse is dragged out of the river bearing signs of foul play, Flavia Albia is drawn in, concerned about her fellow Briton’s fate.

Albia’s quest to find the killer becomes deeply personal when she discovers a man at the centre of the plot is an old adversary of hers. Will she be obsessed by revenge? Can she let the past go, or will it consume her?

There are many cool bits in the above synopsis for Death on the Tiber that has me very excited.  Not only do we see Albia sticking her nose into the middle of a gang war, but the murder of an involved party has some great potential.  It is always fun to see Albia go up against some of the most dangerous people in Rome, especially as she is always dramatically underestimated, and I am expecting some fun humour around that.  I am also once again holding out for a big, over-the-top set piece somewhere in the book, as those usually end up being pretty damn fun.

However, the big element of the synopsis for Death on the Tiber that has me most excited is the mention of an old adversary.  A different synopsis online reveals that this adversary is Florius, an enemy of her father in the Falco series, who caused great harm to Albia years ago in The Jupiter Myth.  Albia has been bearing emotional wounds from this event for years, and it has come up a few times throughout the recent books.  As such, it will be interesting to see another confrontation between the two, especially as Albia might go out of her way to get revenge.  It will be pretty heartbreaking to see Albia risk the unorthodox family she has spent the last several books building up to settle this old grudge, and I am sure it will make for some excellent and emotionally charged reading.

Look, there is no way that I am not going to grab and enjoy Death on the Tiber when it comes out in April.  I am such a huge fan of Lindsey Davis and her Flavia Albia series, and I am always so excited to dive into her new mystery.  Death on the Tiber sound like it is going to be a particularly interesting and memorable part of the series that continues some long-running storylines.  I cannot wait to see how Death on the Tiber turns out and this has the potential to be one of my top books of 2024.

Death on the Tiber Cover 2