The Final Vow by M. W. Craven

On January 11, 2026 By The Unseen LibraryIn ThrillerLeave a comment

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 12 August 2025)

Series: Washington Poe – Book Seven

Length: 390 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

One of world’s most outrageous and entertaining thriller writers, M. W. Craven, continues one of his best series in impressive fashion with The Final Vow, a captivating and highly addictive novel that I couldn’t get enough of.

M. W. Craven is an outstanding author who has written a truly interesting array of thrillers throughout his career. This includes his original Avison Fluke series, as well as the great action-focused Ben Koenig series, the latter of which I have deeply enjoyed in recent years thanks to amazing books like Fearless and Nobody’s Hero. However, his main body of work is his excellent Washington Poe series that started back in 2018 with The Puppet Show. Following a grumpy but skilled detective who gets partnered with a brilliant prodigy to solve the country’s most complex crimes, the Washington Poe novels are quite exceptional. I personally fell in love with the series when I read the dark and intense novel, The Mercy Chair. A particularly clever read loaded with an overabundance of well-thought-out twists, The Mercy Chair was an exceptional read, and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2024. As such, I have been quite eager to continue the Washington Poe books, and the seventh entry in the series, The Final Vow, was one of my most anticipated books of 2025.

The people of England are living in a constant state of terror. A murderous sniper is stalking the nation, shooting people at random and leaving no evidence behind. This brutal shooter has so far killed over a dozen people throughout various parts of the country, never missing and always killing those who least expect it. With the entire population locked down and hiding in their homes, the police and government are so desperate for results that they turn to the unconventional team of Detective Sergeant Washington Poe and his genius partner Tilly Bradshaw.

After their last major case saw Poe reassigned to the worst position in UK law enforcement, and Bradshaw snapped up by the country’s intelligence services, the two seem like an unlikely choice to save the day. But with the help of their squad leader, Detective Chief Inspector Stephanie Flynn, there is no duo who stands a better chance of finding a killer who seems to strike completely at random.

However, as Poe and Bradshaw begin their investigation, they find themselves tracking a particularly skilled and deadly killer seemingly capable of countering all their moves. Forced to rely on unconventional methods and Bradshaw’s out-of-the-box conclusions, the duo soon finds themselves narrowing in on the shooter and identifying his sinister motives. But identifying the killer and capturing him are two very different things, and if they want to take him down, Poe knows he’ll have to make things personal, no matter what it costs him.

Craven continues to showcase why he is one of the world’s best rising thriller authors, as The Final Vow was a particularly powerful and impressive read that I had such a brilliant time with. Featuring a deeply compelling story, loaded with unique characters, complex motivations, and fitted with the author’s slick humour, The Final Vow was an incredible read from start to finish. I flew through this book in less than a day, it was that damn good, and I’m still thinking about its cool twists and reveals.

The Final Vow proved to be an extremely entertaining read, and it had one of the more unique and memorable thriller narratives of 2025. Starting off with a dark hint of events to come, Craven soon perfectly sets the terrifying scene for the novel, with the country shuttered by fear thanks to a deadly sniper. With the government desperate to stop the killing, they reluctantly bring back Detective Sergeant Washington Poe, whose reintroduction here was particularly entertaining and does a good job highlighting his unorthodox style. Once again teaming up with anti-social genius Tilly Bradshaw, Poe and his other police colleagues begin their unique investigation into the crime. Using some very interesting tactics while the body count from the sniper continues to rise, Poe and Bradshaw are soon able to determine the killer’s focus, which allows them to identify who the shooter is. However, uncovering their target’s skills, background and outrageously over-the-top motive completely changes the entire story, and forces the protagonists into a particularly deadly hunt.

Craven keeps up the intensity and complexity of the plot into the second half of The Final Vow, as Poe uses his new information to try and find the killer. However, after some very tense scenes and some surprising tragedy, Poe decides on a risky gambit, and makes the killer very angry by publicly humiliating him in a glorious scene. This results in an interesting final third of The Final Vow, which goes in some dark directions, while also setting up for a big final confrontation. I must admit that while I did enjoy how this final third of the book came about, I saw the author’s big twist coming from a mile away, which removed a lot of the emotional impact Craven was hoping for. Still, it was very entertaining and compelling to see this twist play out the way it did, especially as Craven also utilised an extended sequence showcasing the background behind the twist. While this behind-the-scenes section of The Final Vow is a little self-indulgent, it does provide some interesting context and entertaining character interactions, while also showcasing how easy it is to control public perception. This leads up to a heartfelt final sequence of the book, which is a nice reward after the very dark narrative that makes up most of The Final Vow, and readers will come away from this book very entertained and extremely satisfied.

The Final Vow proved to be another awesome read from Craven, who manages to ensure that this book is somehow simultaneously dark and thrilling while also being highly entertaining and a little light-hearted. The entire set-up for The Final Vow is extremely shocking, with a calculating sniper killing seemingly at random, and creating a palpable atmosphere of fear across the entire country. The tension and terror that inhabit the scenes where the killer strikes are quite exceptional, as is the impact his shots have on the witnesses and the public. However, Craven matches this excellent tension with the outrageous and over-the-top, both in the actions of the protagonists and in the crazy motivation of the antagonist, which alters much of The Final Vow’s underlying feel, turning it into quite a zany book at times. This underlying lightness does disappear at key moments, especially when the antagonist strikes at the main character’s heart, and there are some dark sequences throughout that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. Combine that with Craven’s constant fast-paced revelations, clever investigation elements and great character work, and The Final Vow turns into quite an addictive read where you never know what is going to happen next.

Despite being the seventh book in the Washington Poe series, The Final Vow works well as a standalone novel, which is how Craven generally intends his novels to be enjoyed. New readers can easily jump into The Final Vow with no prior knowledge of Craven’s previous works and still get swept up in his entertaining storytelling, and this is a very fun author to read for the first time. While a great standalone novel, established fans of Craven and this series will probably get a little more out of The Final Vow, mainly because those readers will have a little more knowledge of the damaged protagonists, and the established relationships that they have. Watching these character elements, especially between Poe and Tilly, continue in this new novel hit a little harder if you’re already familiar with it, especially during some of the darker moments of the plot. Craven also makes some compelling references to the previous novel in the series, The Mercy Chair, throughout The Final Vow, including the utilisation of a very distinctive character from this earlier book, who has a great Hannibal Lecter inspired role in the plot. I felt this character’s inclusion was very fun, and readers familiar with their interactions with Poe in The Mercy Chair will appreciate how they continue to be used here. Throw in the utilisation of a character from another one of the author’s series, and The Final Vow is a book that Craven fans are going to have a lot of fun with, while still appealing to a wider audience.

The characters of The Final Vow were also a great highlight of this novel, and I loved how entertaining and outrageous they are at times. The continued antics of maverick cop Washington Poe and his unlikely offsider and best friend Tilly Bradshaw result in most of the book’s fantastic humour, especially when the characters are forced to interact with police and characters unfamiliar with their style. However, I really do have to highlight the antagonist of The Final Vow as my favourite character of the book. The deadly sniper who has single-handedly terrorised England with their killings works well as a fantastic villain for Poe and Bradshaw, especially as you quickly become aware of how clever and deadly they are, and they prove to be a great equal to the protagonists. However, it is their underlying motivations that really showcase just how despicable they are as a villain. While I don’t want to give too much away here, as discovering their motivations is such a fantastic part of the experience of The Final Vow, the sheer pettiness behind their actions really goes to showcase just how twisted and dark they really are. Combine that with their desire for revenge at any perceived sleight, and the lengths they will go to destroy their opponent, and this killer truly is an outstanding villain for the narrative, who you can’t help but be impressed with. This great combination of wacky protagonists, an over-the-top antagonist, and an excellent collection of supporting characters, including some recurring figures from the previous books in the series, and The Final Vow’s cast added a lot to the overall impact of the book, and it is going to be interesting to see where some of these characters go next.

M. W. Craven continues to shine as one of the more inventive and entertaining thriller writers currently release awesome tales. His latest novel, The Final Vow, was a particularly fun and exciting read, that perfectly combines its tense and deadly narrative, with the fun antics of its outrageous cast. I powered through The Final Vow in no time at all, and this was such a great novel that will appeal to a wide range of readers. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Washington Poe novel later this year, and I’m sure it’s going to be another exceptional read.

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Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman

On June 1, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Murder Mystery2 Comments

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio (6 February 2025)

Series: Alex Delaware – Book 40

Length: 9 hours and 10 minutes

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Still going strong after 40 Alex Delaware crime fiction novels, the always dependable Jonathan Kellerman presents another clever and captivating read with Open Season, an intense novel that proves very hard to put down.

Jonathan Kellerman is an excellent veteran author, whose massive body of work has been impressing crime fiction readers for decades. While he has a couple of big series, Kellerman is best known for his long-running Alex Delaware series, which follows titular protagonist Alex Delaware, a child psychologist, and his best friend, LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis as they investigate unusual or deranged murders around Los Angeles. This is a really great series, and ever since I came across it, I’ve made a major effort to read each new entry, especially as they also provide some great mysteries and complex police investigation narratives. Books like (The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead, Unnatural History and The Ghost Orchid), have all been extremely amazing, and I eagerly await my new Alex Delaware hit at the start of each year. The latest entry in the series, Open Season, is the 40^th Alex Delaware novel, with Kellerman still going strong this far into the series.

Los Angeles is filled with all manner of dreamers and aspiring stars, but when one of them meets a tragic end, it falls to psychologist Alex Delaware and veteran homicide detective Milo Sturgis to find them justice. Called in to investigate the dumping of an aspiring actress’s drugged body near a hospital emergency room, Alex and Milo soon set their sights on a known abuser as a likely culprit. However, their hunt is prematurely ended when their suspect is found murdered, shot by a sniper.

Forced to switch to a new investigation, the two friends and their team are surprised to discover that the execution of the sexual predator is connected to two other unsolved homicides, with both additional victims shot from a distance using the same rifle. Determined to figure out how the cases are linked, the team uncover a web of seemingly unconnected innocent victims, each of whom appeared to have been killed for very different reasons.

With additional bodies starting to pile up around the city, Alex and Milo find themselves in a race to solve the case before more victims can be cut down. But are they facing a dangerous spree killer with no rhyme or reason to their actions, or a darker figure with their own complex rationales for murder? To solve the case and stop the shooter, these two friends will need to use all their combined skills to decipher their strange motivation before even more people wind up dead.

Jonathan Kellerman continues to deeply impress with this new addictive and captivating crime fiction novel that I couldn’t get another off. Featuring another brilliant and unique case, Open Season was an exceptional 40^th entry in the Alex Delaware series that takes the reader down some dark and twisty paths. This was a truly excellent read that I powered through in a very short amount of time.

Open Season was a particularly strong murder mystery from Kellerman, and I loved the compelling, multi-layered narrative that emerged. Once again bringing together his two loveable main characters, Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis, the two initially begin the book by investigating the murder of a young aspiring actress, drugged and dumped near a hospital. Starting off with the typical look at the victim and anyone who knew her, the detectives are quick to narrow in on a suspect, only for the story to take an interesting turn when their potential killer ends up dead. From there the story becomes a lot more complex, as the protagonists and a larger team begin to investigate the shooting of the first suspect, as well as several connected crimes. This allows for a larger story with a ton of distinctive potential witnesses and suspects, and the protagonists investigate in several different directions, adding a lot of different pieces to the puzzle.

Thanks to a series of varied clues, compelling research and additional discovered killings, the protagonists eventual narrow down on a potential suspect with interesting connections to each of the victims. Without giving too much away, I felt that the overall solution for Open Season’s investigation was very clever, and it nicely tied into each of the victims/cases that make up the larger mystery. The motivations for the killer were very unique and memorable, so it proved quite fascinating to see how the protagonists identified the antagonist and led to a great conclusion to the overall story. I particularly enjoyed the final confrontation that the protagonists had with the killer towards the end of the book, and it wrapped the story up perfectly. An overall excellent murder mystery narrative that will have you hooked all the way to the end.

I deeply enjoy Kellerman’s style for the Alex Delaware books and he really knows how to pull together a fascinating and intense police investigation narrative. The author prefers a slow and methodical style of investigation as the protagonists pull together various clues and connections and work them into their various theories, which always adds a great touch of realism to proceedings. There is a particular reliance on diving into the personal histories of the victims and suspects that Kellerman enjoys, which works to drag the reader further into the plot as they become even more invested in the investigations. I felt that Kellerman’s typical style worked particularly well in Open Season, and I loved the complex investigation that emerged. The multiple separate murders and the large array of connected people associated with each case allowed for a particularly elaborate story, and Kellerman carefully allowed his protagonists to explore these different elements allowing for compelling drive to the big conclusion around who was responsible. I felt that Kellerman did an excellent job layering the more important clues around the case throughout the entire story, and it was very interesting to see what discussions or personal details came into play later. I really got invested in Open Season’s complex case as a result, and this proved to be a particularly clever and well written mystery that deeply enhanced Kellerman’s already excellent story.

In addition to the very well-written story, Kellerman features some interesting characters and interactions in Open Season that help to create a unique feel that fans of the Alex Delaware series will be very familiar with. Much of this lies with the two main characters, Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis, who have an established and comfortable way of speaking with each other. These two characters, both of whom are quirky in their own ways, are an excellent centre for the story, and I love how well the play off each other. While their dialogue can be a little unique and occasionally flippant, Kellerman has spent a lot of time developing their patter, and you grow to appreciate the way these two characters work together. In addition to their usual discussions, Open Season also had some more personal interactions between the two, especially when Alex is forced to keep some information from the team to protect the confidence of a medical professional. I also liked how this was one of the Alex Delaware novels where the protagonist got to use his expertise as a psychologist to try to get to the root of the various suspects potential motivations. This psychological work comes into play nicely, especially once they identify who the killer is, and it helped to give Open Season more of a distinctive edge away from other crime fiction reads.

While most of Open Season’s focus is on Alex and Milo, Kellerman also introduces an array of interesting supporting characters, each of whom are connected to the case in some specific way. I really enjoyed the unique collection of characters that emerged, and there are some interesting storylines and connections that emerge thanks to the protagonists constant digging into the past. The characters that get the most attention are some of the victims of the case, whose lives are explored in detail by the detectives. Despite not interacting with the protagonists or readers while alive, you get to know all the victims thanks to interviews with their friends and families. These many detailed interviews not only provide key information about who the victims are and potential motivations for their murders, but they also provide compelling and emotional testimony from those that loved them, which ensures that the reader becomes very invested in finding out who killed them. You also meet a compelling group of people connected to the victims, who serve as witnesses, sources of information or suspects (sometimes all at once) in the case. Due to the nature of Open Season’s story, you meet quite a few supporting characters, often for only a scene or two. Kellerman makes these appearances count, though, and I liked some of the unique interactions that occurred, even if some of these characters were a little weird or had an unrealistic way of communicating. The eventually revealed killer was particularly outrageous when eventually revealed, which I personally thought was very entertaining, although I could see some readers finding him to be too over-the-top. Still, all these characters added something to the plot, and I enjoyed the effective way in which Kellerman introduced and utilised them throughout the book.

While I usually try to get physical copies of the Alex Delaware novels, for Open Season I ended up listening to the audiobook version, which I felt was an excellent way to enjoy this amazing book. I personally find that the audiobook format does wonders for helping readers appreciate detailed and multilayered crime fiction narratives and Open Season was a great example of this, as I soon got drawn into every level of the author’s compelling mystery. Part of the reason this worked so well was narrator John Rubinstein, who has lent his voice to a large chunk of the Alex Delaware series. Rubinstein has a fun voice that lends itself to the occasionally zanier style of the Alex Delaware books and really brings the author’s complex narratives to life. I especially enjoy how Rubinstein perfectly captures the characters featured in Open Season, including the main protagonists, Alex and Milo. A great example of this is the very distinctive voice that Rubinstein utilises for Milo, which really captures the man’s complex and entertaining nature, and frankly I don’t know any other way how this character could be voiced. The narrator also successfully captures the distinctive patter that the two main protagonists have between each other, and the way conversation flows between them in the audiobook is a ton of fun. The various other characters featured with Open Season are also well represented, and I loved the colourful array of voices and accents that Rubinstein utilises for the supporting cast and various witnesses that protagonists encounter. While a few of these voices are a little over-the-top, I personally liked them, and I felt it fit the long-running and distinctive series tone extremely well. This exceptional narration allowed me to absolutely power through Open Season’s roughly nine-hour long run time, and I had such a blast picking up every single clue or compelling character interaction in this format. As such, I would strongly recommend the audiobook version of Open Season to anyone interested in checking this mystery out, and I can personally guarantee it makes for great entertainment on a long trip.

Even after all these years, Jonathan Kellerman still shines as one of the masters of the crime fiction genre. The 40^th Alex Delaware novel, Open Season, was an outstanding addition to the series, and I love the compelling and awesome narrative that emerged. Slick, addictive and featuring some interesting twists, Open Season was a truly impressive read, and I am still having so much fun with Jonathan Kellerman’s incredible books.

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Pacific Heights by S. R. White

On April 15, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery4 Comments

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 25 March 2025)

Series: Standalone

Length: 279 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Over the last couple of years one of the more compelling authors of Australian crime fiction has been S. R. White. A former member of the UK police, White has been writing intriguing crime fiction novels since his move to Australia. His main body of work has so far included excellent reads like Prisoner, Red Dirt Road and White Ash Ridge (part of the Detective Dana Russo series), which featured complex mysteries centred around layered suspects. I really enjoyed the compelling way in which White’s investigators break down the motivations and personalities of the suspects and the victim to get to the truth, and the author has a unique and striking writing style. As such, I was eager to read his 2025 novel, Pacific Heights, which is a standalone spin-off of White Ash Ridge, featuring one of the supporting characters from the previous book in a more substantial role.

Plot Synopsis:

FIVE WITNESSES. FIVE DIFFERENT STORIES. WHO IS THE KILLER?

In the courtyard of the Pacific Heights building, a local waitress is found dead.
Five apartments overlook the murder scene. Five people witnessed a crime take place.
Finding the killer should be simple.

Except none of the witnesses’ stories match.
They all saw something – from a different angle, at a different time.
None of them saw everything. Anyone could be the killer.

Detectives Carl “Bluey” Blueson and Lachlan Dyson, each with their own careers in peril, must solve what others assume is a straightforward case. But to unmask a killer they must unpick a complex puzzle – where the motivations of the witnesses are as mystifying as the crime itself.

How can you solve a crime if anyone could be lying?

This was a very clever and addictive Australian crime fiction read that I had such a blast getting through. White wove together a very compelling mystery narrative for Pacific Heights that cleverly explored a range of great characters and examined how people view events differently.

White starts Pacific Heights off well by introducing the detective protagonists and swiftly bringing them to the scene of the crime, where they attempt to ascertain the events leading up to the victim’s death by interviewing several people who either witnessed part of the murder or knew the victim. The author takes his time with these initial interviews, ensuring that readers get a complete picture of what the witness’s account of events, as well as how they knew the victim. It doesn’t take long for the reader and the protagonists to realise that the witnesses’ stories don’t match and none of them can definitively say who the murderer was.

By this point in the book, you’re strongly hooked, especially as the author has raised some interesting question about the victim and you are very intrigued by the main five witnesses and their potential secrets. White rewards your interest with a series of insightful re-interviews, as well as bringing in new suspects and additional investigation methods to paint a larger picture of events, none of which quite fits together. There is a great methodical style to the investigation, as the police chip away at all the inconsistencies and questions, although they are never quite as close to an answer due to the conflicting testimonies.

Everything leads up to the final third of Pacific Heights, which I honestly thought was a tad rushed, but which presented a solid and very clever ending. Thanks to a brilliantly laid-out series of clues throughout in the plot, the protagonists are eventually able to solve the case, and I felt that the solution was extremely smart. While I did predict who the killer would be, getting to their motivations behind the murder, as well as finding out how events unfolded, ensured that this was a powerful conclusion that fit the rest of the story really well. I especially loved the twist around which of the witnesses were lying, and it tied in nicely to the complex character profiles White provided for the supporting cast, as well as utilising the protagonist’s own prejudices. The result was an extremely impactful and captivating crime fiction story that I couldn’t stop reading and managed to power through in a couple of short days.

Pacific Heights proved to be an excellent read, and I really appreciated the intricate, character-focused mystery that White came up with. Featuring a similar style to his Detective Dana Russo novels, the investigation is primarily based around understanding the people associated with the case, including the victim, witnesses, and other potential suspects. This ensures that the author spends a lot of time carefully constructing and utilising his cast of supporting characters, and the array of motivations, personal issues and hidden histories, results in a particularly complex and emotionally charged read. The focus on the various witnesses blends well with the character arcs surrounding the detective protagonists, and there is also a complex dive into the life of the victim, Tahlia Moore, even though she never actually appears alive in the plot. Thanks to the protagonists diving into every aspect of her life, Tahlia comes to life through the descriptions of the other characters, and you soon begin to realise that she wasn’t as innocent or perfect as you are initially led to believe. While I did feel that the author could have revealed some key history around certain witnesses earlier, for the most part I really appreciated how well White set up these compelling characters, and it helped to create a very powerful novel with some heavy emotional edges to it.

I also must commend how White worked this character-focused plot into Pacific Height’s police investigation narrative, as the protagonists are forced to wade through the conflicting testimonies to get the truth. There is a certain amount of gritty realism to how White examines witness testimony and people’s motivations that really enhances the impact of Pacific Height’s plot, and I liked the underlying theme about how the way we see the world is flawed. This focus on witness testimony blended well with the additional investigative tools featured in the plot, and this entire story came together extremely well. These combine nicely with the series of subtle clues that White lays down throughout the course of the book, and I loved how effectively this mystery came about. While I did once again have minor issues with the author’s vagueness around where in Australia this book was set, this was honestly a very impressive crime fiction read that works well as both a standalone novel and a continuation of White’s existing series.

Loaded with great characters, a deeply addictive mystery, and an excellent story hook, Pacific Heights was a very impressive read, and I had such an amazing time with this new novel from S. R. White. Pacific Heights is White at his very best, and I really cannot recommend this book enough.

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Quick Review – The Ascent by Adam Plantinga

On January 21, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller7 Comments

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Paperback – 12 November 2024)

Series: Kurt Argento – Book One

Length: 343 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Intriguing new author Adam Plantinga presents one of the most entertaining and exciting debuts of 2024 with the outstanding and brilliantly over-the-top thriller, The Ascent.

Plot Synopsis:

Kurt Argento, an ex-Detroit street cop who can’t let injustice go—and who has the fighting skills to back up his idealism. If he sees a young girl being dragged into an alley, he’s going to rescue her and cause some damage. When he does just that in a small corrupt Missouri town, he’s brutally beaten and thrown into a maximum-security prison.

Julie Wakefield, a grad student who happens to be the governor’s daughter, is about to take a tour of the prison. But when a malfunction in the security system releases a horde of prisoners, a fierce struggle for survival ensues.

Argento must help a small band of staff and civilians, including Julie and her two state trooper handlers, make their way from the bottom floor to the roof to safety. All that stands in their way are six floors of the most dangerous convicts in Missouri.

The Ascent was a particularly awesome read that I had a fantastic time reading. The debut novel from Adam Plantinga, a police officer who has previously written some non-fiction books on the experiences of law enforcement officials, The Ascent was a bonkers, balls-to-the-wall novel loaded with fun storytelling, intense action, and all the carnage you would ever want.

As you would imagine from a book with the very cool plot synopsis above, The Ascent was a very fast-paced novel designed to grab a reader’s attention fast and keep them hooked with the appropriate offerings of violence, extreme moments and over-the-top characters. Plantinga delivers all that in spades as he quickly introduces his main characters for the book, with a particular focus on protagonist Kurt Argento, a damaged former cop with a hero complex who has left his home city to find himself. Encountering injustice in small town Missouri, Argento is framed by the corrupt sheriff and sent to the Whitehall Correctional Facility, a maximum-security private prison. Serendipitously, secondary protagonist Julie Wakefield, the governor’s daughter, arrives at Whitehall with her security detail at the same time as Argento for an educational tour. While coincidental, this proves to be a rather impactful and effective introduction to the main characters, and I honestly found myself getting really drawn into the book at this point, as you have all information you need before things go to hell.

With the prison’s systems failing and convicts being released from their cells, Argento’s aid is reluctantly accepted by a small group of police, prison guards and other staff to help take Julie from the bottom level of the prison to the roof. Forced to fight up one level of the prison to the next, the plot gets extremely crazy, as the protagonists encounter even worse criminals on each floor of the prison, are hunted by an assassin gunning for Argento and are forced to contend with the demons of several members of the group. Plantinga keeps the action going hard and fast through this part of the book, and you honestly can’t turn away from the intense scenes that occur as the protagonists keep moving up. There is a certain gritty realism to the desperation of the protagonists as they try to survive, and you become even more enthralled by the narrative as they constantly battered main characters fight higher and higher up the prison facing worse odds the entire way. There are some intense betrayals, clever twists, and some truly dark moments as the plot continues, and you will honestly find yourself hooked right up to the brutal finale, with Plantinga featuring a satisfying conclusion that hints at more adventures to come.

I really loved how The Ascent came together, and Plantinga wrote an impactful, hard-hitting action thriller that proved very hard to put down. Between its compelling, if exaggerated plot, gritty action and intriguing characters, there is a lot to love about The Ascent, and I honestly got really hooked on this book as it continued, getting through the last 300 pages in one enjoyable chunk of late-night reading. The wonderfully over-the-top story moved at such a quick-fire pace, while shoving so much cool action into the reader’s face. Plantinga clearly knows what he’s talking about when it comes to the fights in this book, and the reader is gifted to a truly awesome and outrageous amount of violence and carnage, which only gets crazier the further in you get. Between warring gangs, brutal ambushes, desperate battles against killers, and encounters with some truly scary and unhinged beings, the protagonists go through hell, and you honestly are left waiting to see if they will survive, especially as Plantinga throws in some dark sacrifices to keep you on your toes. These intense inclusions work extremely well with the fantastic storytelling, and I had so much fun seeing the characters race from bloody fight to bloody fight. I will say that this is an excessive book at times, and the descriptions of brutal violence and other darker things might not be for every reader, but for those fans of bloody thrillers or brutal action films, this is the perfect book for you to check out.

While I have tended to highlight the action a lot in this review, I must point out that Plantinga brought together a well-written tale of survival that proves to be intense, entertaining and powerful at the same time. The plot about moving up the levels of the prison was cleverly set out, and the actions of the characters always seem quite reasonable and realistic, especially the combination of doubt and determination that resulted from the increased conflict and catastrophe. You could honestly feel the desperation of the characters as the book continued, and while things got quite crazy the further along you got, there was always a grain of realism to the plot, especially as the protagonists struggled more and more the further along they got. If I had one complaint about The Ascent, it’s that they never fully explained or explored the reasons behind the issues impacting the prison, which seems like a major oversight in my opinion, although I may forgive that if it becomes a plot point in later books. I will also say that it is very clear that The Ascent is written by a police officer, although I did think that Plantinga tried to cover the profession with some nuance, which was appreciated.

A key thing about The Ascent that I need to compliment is the excellent character work. Kurt Argento is an outstandingly damaged protagonist going through some real grief at the loss of his wife. Plantinga does a great job setting up his current hero complex and death wish as a consequence of this loss, and you really feel his pain as he keeps trying to do the right thing, even if it kills him. The other main protagonist, Julie, is another well-written character, as this somewhat sheltered character learns to fight back against those coming for her as she comes face to face with the dark side of humanity. These two characters form a great duo, and I appreciated how Plantinga played them off each other, especially towards the end of the book. The other supporting characters in The Ascent were also well-written, and Plantinga introduces an interesting array of disparate personality types that conflict against each other in compelling ways, especially when things get particularly bad. These excellent characters helped to evolve The Ascent above a typical action thriller, and readers will find themselves quite invested in seeing how these figures will survive as a result.

Overall, The Ascent by Adam Plantinga was an epic and highly captivating debut that I had a really, really fun time with. Plantinga presented a true action classic guaranteed to keep your attention the entire way through, and it honestly proves hard to put The Ascent down at times. Dark, bloody and intense in all the best ways, The Ascent was one of the most memorable debuts of 2024 and I am so damn glad I decided to check it out. I cannot wait to read more from Plantinga, and I am already very keen to grab the sequel to The Ascent, Hard Town, which is coming out in a few months’ time.

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Endgame by Sarah Barrie

On December 30, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller4 Comments

Publisher: HQ (Trade Paperback – 1 November 2024)

Series: Lexi Winter – Book Four

Length: 398 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Outstanding Australian author Sarah Barrie brings her dark and powerful Lexi Winter series to a compelling conclusion with the exceptional novel Endgame.

Over the last couple of years, I have been really enjoying Australian author Sarah Barrie’s epic Lexi Winter crime fiction series. One of the darker Australian series I have had the pleasure of reading, the Lexi Winter books follow a former vigilante turned police officer as she takes down some of the worst criminals in Sydney, including a deadly paedophile ring. This series started with the amazing read, Unforgiven (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021), and continued with the excellent follow-ups Retribution (one of my favourite Australian books of 2022) and Vendetta (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023). Due to this, Endgame has been one of my most anticipated books of 2024, and I was very eager to see how this novel would unfold, especially as it was marketed as the final book in the Lexi Winter series.

Former vigilante hacker Lexi Winters finally has her life together. Now a decorated police officer studying to take her detective exams, Lexi’s biggest challenge is balancing her career with her hectic personal life, especially when it comes to looking after her ward, the former runaway Cait. However, despite her best efforts at normalcy Lexi can never truly relax, especially as she knows her nemesis Vaughn is waiting to get revenge on her.

When a series of brutal murders begins around Sydney, Lexi finds herself brought aboard when it becomes clear they are connected to a resurfaced Vaughn. Determined to prove that he is better than her, Vaughn challenges Lexi to a very public game of murder. Five people will be killed by the end of the month, but if Lexi can identify and save the final victim, Vaughn will turn himself in.

With the eyes of nation on them and public support seeming to lie on Vaughn’s side, Lexi finds her sanity tested like never before. The more she digs into Vaughn’s dark crimes, the further she finds herself slipping over the edge, especially as she begins to see strange figures and ghosts wherever she goes. With Vaughn’s attacks on her becoming even more personal and her own colleagues losing faith in her, Lexi has no choice but to keep playing her nemesis’s twisted game, even if it will lead to her death. But Lexi has come too far to lose now, and she will do whatever she must to force an endgame between her and Vaughn.

Barrie continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s most compelling crime fiction authors with this shocking and powerful final Lexi Winter novel. Featuring a complex and captivating story loaded with dark moments and intense character work, Endgame was an exceptional novel that I honestly could not get enough of.

Endgame has an excellent and layered narrative behind it that not only stands on its own but helps to bring the entire Lexi Winter series to a powerful end. Starting off with an interesting and horror-esque introduction that initially seems detached from the main plot, you quickly get drawn into the main narrative when Lexi discovers that her old nemesis, the long-feared Vaughn, has returned to finally get his revenge on her. Barrie ensures that the story gets very addictive very early as you are drawn into the villain’s challenge, stop him murdering five people and he will turn himself in.

The resulting story moves at a fast and powerful pace as the protagonists do their best to try to find Vaughn and uncover his murders, all while he seems to be one step ahead of them utilising the media to his advantage. The author keeps increasing the stakes for this main case again and again as Lexi is attacked close to home (literally and figuratively), and she finds herself a desperate mess as well as a constant target by the public. At the same time, Endgame features a parallel plot involving the mysterious deaths of several teenagers that appear to have been committed by a vengeful spirit. This secondary storyline, whilst initially a bit odd in the wider context of Endgame’s main narrative, works pretty well, and I liked the unique directions it helped to take the plot, and it links into the main case very well by the end. Barrie ends up producing quite a fascinating and complex mystery for the protagonists to unfold and I loved some of the intriguing twists that unfold as a result. While I was able to predict a few things, many of the major reveals were pleasantly surprising and I really appreciated the way in which Barrie layered the relevant clues and hints throughout the earlier plot. Everything leads up to the big conclusion, which constantly has you on the edge of your seat and serves as a fitting finale to this amazing Australian series.

As with the previous entries in the Lexi Winter series, Endgame is a particularly intense character-driven murder mystery with a very gritty edge to it. Making good use of its Australian urban setting, Endgame features a powerful plot that both stands on its own, while also serving as a compelling conclusion to the rest of the series. While Barrie provides more than enough background in the main plot to allow new readers to come in and read Endgame as a standalone novel, for the most part readers are advised to read the rest of the books in the series first, especially as that allows you to get the full emotional impact of the book thanks to the great conclusion of several ongoing storylines and character arcs.

The overall narrative of Endgame is complex and moving, and I appreciated how it was told through several intriguing character perspectives that allowed for a multi-layered view of events. The way in which the two separate murder plotlines and the multiple character arcs are brought together works extremely well, and Barrie ensures readers are constantly left guessing about how events are going to unfold. The author also keeps things very dark, as not only are there multiple references to rape and brutal murders but the protagonist endures a range of attacks on herself and those closest to her that are guaranteed to shock most readers. I appreciate how Barrie doesn’t hold back when it comes to highlighting the impacts of these various crimes, although I can imagine some readers may have a hard time with it. Throw in some interesting modern commentary about how manipulation of social media and the tabloids allow monsters to become heroes to certain people, and Endgame proved to be one of the more intense Lexi Winter entries, but one that perfectly fits the series’ uncompromising themes and content.

One of the best things about Endgame was the multiple intriguing characters who the plot was set around. The most prominent of these is series protagonist Lexi Winter, who has had a unique and damaging storyline throughout the series. However, thanks to the help of her friends and family who she has learnt to let in, Lexi has managed to pull her life together to where it is now. While Barie does continually make Lexi way too combative and unreasonable, for the most part she is a great protagonist to follow, and I have really appreciated seeing her grow throughout the series. It was particularly moving to see her take on the role of mentor and guardian in this final book for the runaway Cait, especially as she seeks to help her ward avoid the same mistakes she made when younger. There is also a good end to a long-running will-they, won’t-they romance arc, which I felt got handled well and which allowed for some additional stakes for the plot. Much of Endgame revolves around Lexi trying to hold onto her new happiness when her enemy reappears, and the resulting battle to stay in control and not give in to her old habits makes up much of the books dramatic core. I felt that Barrie did an outstanding job showcasing her protagonist’s battle for self-control in the face of great adversity and trauma, and the author made sure to really build on the dark events of the previous novels. As such, you get a compelling bit of character work in Endgame around this distinctive and damaged protagonist, which really helps to turn this final entry into something extremely moving.

In addition to Lexi, Endgame also features an array of compelling supporting characters, which includes a mixture of established figures from the previous books, and several new characters who come into this story for this final entry. Most of these characters proved to be quite interesting, and while a couple, such as Olivia, prove to be quite hard to like in a detrimental way to the plot, for the most part they add a lot to the book. Highlights for me include Lexi’s ward, Cait, who proves to be a fun addition to the story, especially as she serves as a great foil to the now more serious Lexi. Lexi’s biker associates were also interesting, especially as they allowed for some memorable interactions with the various police characters, while a new police bodyguard for Lexi ended up being a great addition to the plot. However, it’s the villains of the narrative who really shine here. This includes a group of wild teenagers, whose dark behaviour dives into a certain modern societal problem. Another hidden antagonist added some interesting horror flair to the book, and I appreciated how well Barrie inserted them into the plot. Finally, the main villain, Vaughn, was such a brilliant and impactful overarching antagonist that you could not wait to see get taken down. Barrie has used Vaughn as an intimidating bogeyman figure since the first Lexi Winter book, and his long-awaited reappearance here really did not disappoint, especially as he creates a cult of personality around himself as he terrorises the protagonist. Vaughn proves to be a particularly despicable figure, driven by his own ego to finally beat Lexi, and his nefarious use here was a key part of why Endgame was so impactful.

Overall, Endgame was a deeply captivating and impressive piece of Australian crime fiction that I could not get enough of. Sarah Barrie did an excellent job bringing her Lexi Winter series to a powerful end, and Endgame’s unique mystery and compelling high stakes really helped to drag readers in. This was one of the better pieces of Australian fiction this year, and I cannot recommend this series enough to those looking for a darker crime fiction read in the Australian setting. While I am sad that the Lexi Winter series is over, I am glad we got such an impactful final entry, and I look forward to seeing what Sarah Barrie writes next.

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Quick Review – The Death of Dora Black by Lainie Anderson

On September 29, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Quick Review5 Comments

Publisher: Hachette Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 August 2024)

Series: Petticoat Police Mystery – Book One

Length: 312 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

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Australian author Lainie Anderson presents a fun and compelling historical murder mystery that looks at a unique Australian historical figure with The Death of Dora Black.

Plot Synopsis:

Summer, Adelaide, 1917. The impeccably dressed Miss Kate Cocks might look more like a schoolmistress than a policewoman, but don’t let that fool you. She’s a household name, wrangling wayward husbands into repentance, seeing through deceptive clairvoyants, and rescuing young women (whether they like it or not) with the help of a five-foot cane and her sassy junior constable, Ethel Bromley.

When shop assistant Dora Black is found dead on a city beach, Miss Cocks and Ethel are ordered to stay out of the investigation and leave it to the men. But when Dora’s workmate goes missing soon after, the women suspect something sinister, and determine to take matters into their own hands. After all, who knows Adelaide better than the indomitable Miss Cocks?

*In 1915, Fanny Kate Boadicea Cocks became the first policewoman in the British Empire employed on the same salary as men. This novel is a rich exploration of that little-known chapter of Australian history.*

The Death of Dora Black was a particularly interesting and entertaining read from Lainie Anderson, who has struck upon a fascinating figure to set her book around. The first book in Anderson’s new Petticoat Policy Mystery series, The Death of Dora Black was a clever novel that blended the real-life history of the infamous Miss Kate Cocks with the author’s own crime fiction narrative.

Starting out in Adelaide, 1917, the book’s story sees formidable real-life police officer Miss Kate Cocks become embroiled in a deadly murder mystery when shop assistant Dora Black is found dead on the city’s beach. What follows is an excellent story that blends the historical exploits of Cocks, which included helping the needy of Adelaide in her own unique way and attempting to save the morality of the young women of the city with her cane, with a gritty informal murder investigation. This later investigation of course adds most of the meat to the story, as Cocks, and her junior constable Ethel Bromley, uncover a dark conspiracy of murder, drugs and kidnapping, with its roots deep in the heart of the city.

Anderson brings these disparate elements together into a fantastic overall read, and it was fascinating to see the more cozy and historical elements you would associate with Kate Cocks and her real-life actions blend with a darker murder plot. I felt that Anderson’s main murder mystery was very well set out, and the resulting investigation by two underestimated women got quite thrilling and exciting. There are some dark moments and intriguing twists featured throughout this plot, and Anderson produces a particularly powerful crime fiction narrative. The entire murder mystery and the investigative arc came together extremely well, and I really enjoyed seeing Anderson’s unique protagonists trying to solve the case in their own unique way. The background setting of Adelaide during World War I also added quite a lot to the narrative, and the author provided a complex and detailed recreation of the historical setting.

The real highlight of The Death of Dora Black was the intriguing main protagonists, Miss Kate Cocks and her junior constable Ethel Bromley. The two protagonists play off each other extremely well throughout the course of the novel, and the blend of personalities, with the strict but caring Kate and the sassy and exceedingly keen Ethel, proved to be a winning combination. Readers will particularly enjoy Anderson’s portrayal of Miss Kate Cocks in this book, especially as the author tried to capture all this unique figures’ quirks and historical reputation. Anderson, who is a major expert on Kate Cocks, paints her as a particularly complex and conflicted figure driven by her religious principals but also willing to do the moral choice and help anyone in need. It was fascinating to see Miss Cocks wander around historical Adeliade, distributing her moral judgement with her cane, while also solving problems no-one else can. Anderson succeeded in capturing various aspects of her occasionally controversial history, and I really appreciated the way in which she converted her into a fearsome crime-fighting force, capable of hunting down murderers and drug smugglers. The utilisation of this very distinctive figure helped to turn The Death of Dora Black into something very special, and I look forward to more exploits with Miss Kate Cocks in the future.

Overall, I felt that The Death of Dora Black was an amazing and highly entertaining novel from Lainie Anderson, who successfully brings her real-life historical protagonist to life and sets a wonderfully enjoyable crime fiction book around her. Clever, fascinating, and with a lot of crossover appeal to many different readers, The Death of Dora Black was a great book, and I had a ton of fun getting through it.

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White Ash Ridge by S. R. White

On June 2, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery5 Comments

White Ash Ridge Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 12 March 2024)

Series: Detective Dana Russo – Book Four

Length: 343 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of Australian’s most distinctive new crime fiction authors returns with a complex murder mystery the blends compelling characters with unique methods, White Ash Ridge by S. R. White.

Over the last few years, I have really been enjoying the works of new author S. R. White. White, a former UK Police officer who emigrated to Australia, has been producing some amazing pieces of Australian outback crime fiction. His work has so far been part of his Detective Dana Russo series, which follows the titular detective as she investigates complex cases out in the Australian bush. This series has so far featured three impressive reads, Hermit, Prisoner and Red Dirt Road and these amazing books have been very fun to read, especially as White comes up with some unique crimes which require the protagonist’s more unusual methods to solve. I have really enjoyed White’s previous books, and I jumped on his new novel, White Ash Ridge, the moment I got my hands on it.

Murder, deceit and controversy are all that are on the limited menu of the White Ash Ridge hotel, especially when tragedy strikes its guests. An isolated and decaying hotel, hidden away in the Australian wilderness, White Ash Ridge has been booked out by the inner circle of a high-profile charity organisation for urgent discussions about its future. As the relentless heat raises tensions, the body of one of the charity’s founders is found dead on the track outside, his death caused by a blow to the head.

Called to the scene, Detective Dana Russo anticipates another complex murder case. With no one else spotted in the area and tensions running high amongst the charity’s founders, it seems likely that one of the four remaining guests at the White Ash Ridge is the murderer. However, as she begins to investigate, Dana is unprepared for the chaos that is about to descend upon her small command. The charity the victim work for was founded by two parents whose son was killed after intervening in a violent assault. The subsequent failed police investigation sparked public outrage and launched the boy’s mother into Australia’s political orbit.

Now thrust into the centre of a controversial family familiar with the police, Dana must quickly solve the case before events get out of hand. With a lack of physical evidence, Dana and her small team are forced to pull the truth from the four suspects to determine their history with the victim and why anyone would want to kill him. However, they only have limited time before the overwhelming public interest forces her to let the suspects go, likely at the cost of her career and reputation. Can Dana convince her suspects, none of whom have any love of the police, to cooperate before it’s too late, or will the killer walk free thanks to the will of the people?

S. R. White delivers another complex, impressive, and highly distinctive piece of Australian crime fiction with White Ash Ridge. Blending White’s unique murder mystery style with great characters and a compelling situation, White Ash Ridge was an amazing read that I could not get enough of.

I have always really enjoyed White’s take on the Australian murder mystery, as his focus is always on finding out all the details of the victims and the suspects to solve the case, often through the medium of interrogation. This was once again the case in White Ash Ridge, as the protagonists, under pressure to solve the case quickly, need to find out which of the four suspects committed the crime. As such, the story develops in a very interesting way, as the detectives both investigate in the traditional way, including finding witnesses and evidence, while also diving into the lives of everyone involved in the case. Much of this revolves around the eight main interviews of the investigation as the protagonists talk to each of the suspects twice to gain the relevant insights into themselves and the murder victim. White, through his main protagonist, Detective Dana Russo, has a very person-centric take on the interrogation progress, and the resulting character-driven focuses become a key part of the plot.

This proves to be a very clever way to set out this excellent mystery and subsequent investigation, and thanks to White’s expert writing ability White Ash Ridge ended up being an extremely clever and captivating book. The focus around the charity and its anti-police sentiments added some great intrigue to the narrative, and I liked the ticking clock aspect of the plot it brought in. All eight of the main interviews were very intense and compelling in their own ways, and you soon get a great idea of the various people drawn into the case. White combines this expertly with the personal dramas of the protagonists, including some ongoing storylines from the prior books, although the overarching threat of Dana’s new supervisor is getting a little stale at this point. At the same time, the reader gets the full blast of the Australian wilderness from the unnamed part of the country that White sets his novels in, which adds a lot of character to the story in its iconic and beautiful ways. The central mystery of White Ash Ridge comes together extremely well, and the eventual solution is smart, intriguing, and very well set up. The entire story comes together in a powerful way, and I loved this unique mystery which was another strong story from White.

As with all of White’s books in the series, White Ash Ridge is a hugely character-driven read, not only because of the compelling and damaged protagonists, but because his style of writing relies on diving into the lives of the various suspects and victims of the case to solve the crime. This all results in some exceptional character development and focuses, and I loved how complex and powerful the various stories that emerged were. Most of the protagonists focused development occurred around returning main character Detective Dana Russo, who serves as the solid and empathetic centre of the investigation. Dana once again showcases her unique investigation style that focuses on character interactions, history and mindsets to solve the case, which proves to be quite effective at diving into the minds of her targets. This time Dana is backed up by new detective, Mila Jelovic, who serves as a great support for the main character. While the development around Dana is a little light in White Ash Ridge, you do get an intriguing and powerful examination of Mila, whose previous undercover work has cost her severely in more than one way.

Aside from the police characters, the reader also gets an intense look at five specific figures who become the focus on the investigation, with the murder victim and the subsequent four suspects. All five of these people are members of a high-profile charity formed in the aftermath of a botched police investigation, with goals of stopping teen violence and keeping the police accountable. Due to the way the mystery is set out, there is a lot of focus on these characters and the events that brought them together, which provides the reader with an intriguing backstory to get familiar with. All five of these characters are interesting and complex in their own way, with various interactions, lies, manipulations and plans bringing them all together. Probably the most interesting of these is the charity’s figurehead, Keena Flynn, a major public figure following the death of her child. Due to her previous interactions with the police and politicians, Keena proves to be a tough nut to crack, and her pain, anger and distrust become a major obstacle to overcome. White does a wonderful job exploring these five characters, and indeed you often get more about them than the police protagonists. There is such a dark and compelling web of relationships surrounding these characters, and the subsequent reasons for why one of them was killed and by who was pretty impressive and helped to produce an incredible mystery.

S. R. White continues to flourish with another awesome entry in his compelling murder mystery series that is setting him up as one of Australia’s most distinctive crime fiction authors. Expertly combining his ability for complex murder scenarios and character-focused investigation methods to produce an outstanding story, White did an amazing job with White Ash Ridge, and I had an incredible time reading it. One of the cleverest mysteries of 2024 so far, this book comes highly recommended.

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The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman

On February 9, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Murder Mystery7 Comments

The Ghost Orchid Cover (2)

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Alex Delaware – Book 39

Length: 293 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

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Legendary crime fiction author Jonathan Kellerman returns with another outstanding read in his long-running Alex Delaware series with The Ghost Orchid, which presents the reader with another gripping murder mystery.

Over the last few years, I have developed an awesome and highly enjoyable habit of starting the new year off by reading the new Jonathan Kellerman book as soon as I can. An excellent and well-established crime fiction author, Kellerman has been producing amazing reads for decades, with his best-known works being the Alex Delaware novels, following that follow a plucky psychologist and his cop best friend as they solve the most unusual or mysterious murders in Los Angeles. While I got into Kellerman’s work late, I have had an outstanding time with some of his more recent books, including The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History. All of these novels have been amazing and filled with great mysteries, and I am always very excited to check out a new Kellerman book. That is why I made sure to grab a copy of the new Alex Delaware novel, The Ghost Orchid, as soon as I could, and boy did it prove to be another outstanding read.

Love, revenge and deceit are all in the air when two bodies are found beside the pool in an upscale Bel Air mansion. The two victims have been mercilessly shot down in what appears to be a targeted hit. But who was the intended victim? Was it the rich playboy heir who lived in the mansion or was it his wealthier neighbour with whom he had been having an illicit affair?

Noting the apparent anger behind the case, LAPD homicide detective lieutenant Milo Sturgis calls in his old friend and colleague psychologist Alex Delaware to help unwind the twisted threads of both victims’ lives. Only recently recovered from a dangerous encounter on their last investigation, Alex is keen to get back into the saddle, even for what appears to be a simple case of revenge from a spurned husband. However, it soon becomes clear that this murder is anything but simple.

As Alex and Milo dig deeper into the case, they discover that both dead lovers had troubled pasts and dark secrets that they were running from. To discover who was behind the deadly murders, the two friends will need to uncover everything about their victims’ lives, including any dark connections that could identify the killer or their motives. But neither Alex nor Milo are prepared for just how convoluted the lives of these two Los Angeles elites truly were or just how far they went to escape their pasts.

This was another brilliant read from Jonathan Kellerman that I instantly fell in love with. The 39^th entry in the Alex Delaware series, The Ghost Orchid featured Kellerman’s trademark investigative style and iconic character as they dive into another excellent mystery.

The Ghost Orchid’s story proved to be extremely interesting and addictive as it once again followed the protagonists as they embark on another fascinating investigation. Mostly shown through the eyes of main character Alex Delaware, Kellerman paints a fantastic picture at the start of The Ghost Orchid, as he sets up the crime scene and then introduces the reader to the two murder victims. From there, the plot advances at a steady pace, as the protagonists begin to dive into the lives of their victims and learn about their past, their secrets, and their deeper motivations. Much of this investigation involves methodical interviews of the victim’s various friends, acquaintances, and relatives, and the running down of any leads that come their way.

Kellerman effectively moves this story along, and you are soon given some great clues regarding the case, as well as some potential additional crimes. I loved how well the author kept up a level of suspense and uncertainty regarding which victim is the most likely intended target, and the expert blending of their backstories worked extremely well. At the same time, Kellerman also adds in some more personal elements for the main character, including examining the fallout of the last book and his own work as a psychologist. The entire mystery comes together extremely well at the end of the novel, and I loved the compelling story that resulted, especially as one character’s past holds the secrets for the solution of the case. I did think that Kellerman wrapped everything up a little suddenly and with less involvement from the protagonists than you would expect, although there is a certain amount of realism in the final confrontation. However, this proved to be an overall extremely epic story that you can’t help but get drawn into.

I really love how Kellerman structures his outstanding mysteries in the Alex Delaware series, and The Ghost Orchid is a great example of this. Kellerman’s methodical and more realistic style of investigation always stands out to me, and I deeply appreciate how the protagonist’s attempts to solve the crime usually requires talking to multiple intriguing suspects or people with any sort of connection to the case. While some of the dialogue between these witnesses and the protagonists occasionally feels a little off, for the most part Kellerman succeeds in building a powerful and massive picture of events that fills the reader’s mind’s eye and really draws them into the mystery. The entire mystery in The Ghost Orchid was extremely well structured, and the slow move towards answers really drew me in and made for some great reading. Like most of the books in the Alex Delaware series, The Ghost Orchid can be easily read as a standalone novel. While parts of the main character arc do discuss events from the prior book and there are some callbacks to earlier novels in the series, you honestly don’t need any pre-knowledge of these books to completely appreciate The Ghost Orchid. Due to how insular the main mystery is, as well as how well Kellerman effectively covers any relevant prior events, anyone can dive into the series here without any issue, and The Ghost Orchid proves to be an excellent addition to the Alex Delaware books.

Like all the Alex Delaware novels, the heart of The Ghost Orchid lies in the fantastic and heartfelt partnership and friendship of main characters Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. Due to their long association together, the two have become best friends whose insights into the way the other thinks result in them being quite an effective investigative team. These two have a great patter as they investigate their cases, and it always so much fun to see them bounce ideas, suggestions and insights off each other. This friendship is always a great part of the series, and it was interesting to see it changed to a degree in The Ghost Orchid. Due to the closing events of the previous novel, Unnatural History, Alex was badly injured while investigating a case and has been out of action for a while. This led to quite a bit of guilt from Milo, who blamed himself for Alex getting hurt. This changed the dynamic between the two for much of the book, especially as Milo was reluctant to bring Alex into another investigation. It was moving and a little heartbreaking to see this guilt induced damage in their relationship, especially as Milo was a lot more protective as a result. As such, this was a great addition to the series, and I enjoyed seeing Kellerman try to stretch the bounds of this well-established partnership in some new ways.

Aside from Alex and Milo, the two character who impact the plot of The Ghost Orchid the most are the murder victims, Giovanni Aggiunta and Meagin Lea March. While dead for the entirety of the plot, their lives and legacies cast a shadow over the whole book, and the protagonists, as well as the reader, need to dive into the past to find out who the killer is. Kellerman does an excellent job of featuring these two dead characters in The Ghost Orchid, and the slow-burn examination of their lives becomes a key part of the story, as the protagonists talk to family, contacts and more, while also doing copious research. As such, you really get to know both dead characters as the book continues, which proves to be quite intriguing and powerful. Both victims are revealed to have complicated pasts, and the disentanglement of these secrets and the examination of all their interactions, relationships and motivations raises the tension of the plot while simultaneously increasing the reader’s attachment to solving the case. Kellerman ensures that there is a balanced focus on both victim’s pasts for much of the narrative to disguise who the intended target was for. This really enhances the mystery of the story, and you are constantly wondering what new secret or hidden truth will be uncovered to finally allow the reader to pinpoint why they were killed. As such, these dead characters prove just as important to The Ghost Orchid as the protagonist, and I was once again impressed at Kellerman’s ability to make me care about character we never actually see alive.

Even after decades of writing, Jonathan Kellerman continues to produce fascinating and complex mysteries that readers can get so easily lost in. The Ghost Orchid was an outstanding novel, that saw Kellerman’s fantastic protagonists dive into another elaborate mystery. Powerful, loaded with great characters, and making full use of Kellerman’s distinctive style, The Ghost Orchid was an excellent novel from start to finish, and I cannot recommend this latest Alex Delaware novel enough.

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Ripper by Shelley Burr

On January 23, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller6 Comments

Ripper Cover

Publisher: Hachette Australian (Trade Paperback – 30 August 2023)

Series: PI Lane Holland – Book Two

Length: 344 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Impressive rising Australian crime fiction star Shelley Burr follows up her amazing debut with the complex and addictive rural murder mystery, Ripper.

In 2022 I had the very great pleasure of reading Shelley Burr’s debut novel, Wake. An awesome book that followed two compelling protagonists as they investigated an infamous missing persons case in a small Australian town, Wake really had me hooked from the get go. Wake ended up being one of my favourite debuts and favourite pieces of Australian fiction in 2022, and I have been eager to see how Burr would follow that up for a while. Burr did not disappoint, as she recently released an intriguing sequel, Ripper (also released as Murder Town).

Seventeen years ago, the small town of Rainier was rocked by a series of brutal killings that saw three people murdered and the infamous killer captured in a heroic effort by the police. Thanks to these tragic events, Rainier is now known as an infamous murder town, with people far more interested in checking out the site of the Rainier Ripper’s trial of destruction rather than the town’s quaint charm and bush location.

Now, after years of neglect and changing economic times, Rainier is starting to financially fail. The town’s only hope might be a dark tourism company that is eager to exploit Rainier’s infamous name. However, when the tour operator is brutally killed in the same location as one of the Ripper’s victims, it opens old wounds and forces the locals, long traumatised by the events of that massacre, to uncover long buried secrets.

Gemma Guillory knows everything about the Rainier Ripper, especially as her teashop was the location of the original Ripper’s final killing. When the new murder occurs, Gemma is brought back to her painful past and is determined to discover whether this new crime was done by a copycat or if the real Rainier Ripper escaped justice years before. Receiving unlikely help from incarcerated investigator Lane Holland, Gemma begins to chip away at years of secrets and lies she didn’t even know surrounded her. But is Gemma truly ready for the truth, especially as a dangerous killer is still hiding in town, waiting to kill again?

I really enjoyed Ripper and felt that it was a fantastic follow-up to Burr’s first novel. I deeply appreciated the complex, moving and character driven murder mystery storyline at Ripper’s centre, especially as it forced its complex protagonist to simultaneously look at events in the past and current concerns.

The book starts off very strong, with a flashback to the original killings, followed by a good recap of the events that made Rainier infamous, and some excellent set up around the current day town, including the proposal to start a dark tourism company and some of the personal problems impacting the key locals. Naturally, things get dark quickly, as a new body is found in the same location of one of the Rainier Ripper’s victims, and the population of Rainier, especially primary protagonist Gemma Guillory, is dragged back into their complex history. The following story is very powerful, as the protagonist begins to dive back into her towns past to try and find the killer, which also forces her to look at those closest to her in a new light. At the same time, the returning protagonist from Wake, imprisoned investigator Lane Holland, is tasked by his prison warden to interrogate the Rainier Ripper to determine if he has any additional information about the case.

Burr moves Ripper’s intriguing plot along at a quick pace, and I liked how complex and intricate the mystery soon became. Solving the crime involves a great mixture of current intuitions about the key characters, memories of the past, and interrogations by Holland in prison. The mystery branches off into some interesting places, and the protagonists need to do some emotionally charged digging to find out what really happened. The resulting solutions to the mystery are very clever, and Burr did a wonderful job laying down subtle but effective clues throughout the main body of the book. I really enjoyed how there wasn’t just one solution, but multiple secrets and reveals that had to come to light for the full truth to be revealed, and there was an outstanding domino effect of revelations and twists. I cannot emphasise enough just how impressive this full range of reveals was, and Burr did a great job weaving together the solutions into one moving and complex narrative.

I think Burr hit the right blend of mystery, excitement and character storylines in Ripper, and the author ensured that everything moved along at an exciting and enjoyable clip. I really enjoyed how much of the story relied on diving into the complex lives of the key Rainier residences, and the author balanced some interesting character storylines in both the present day and in the past. This was especially true of main character Gemma Guillory, and her return to the past, coupled with revelations around the lies of her loved ones, added some powerful emotion to the story. If I had one complaint, it would probably be that Burr worked a little too hard to insert Lane Holland into the plot. While I do appreciate that Burr is trying to set up an ongoing series with Lane Holland as the connecting character, the plot of Ripper might have been a bit sleeker without him. Still, it was fun getting a sequel to Wake and I’m very keen to see what exciting mysteries Burr cooks up in the future.

Ripper by Shelley Burr was another outstanding and compelling read from a talented, rising Australian author. This second rural Australian murder mystery from Burr was extremely compelling and featured an intense narrative, loaded with great twists and complicated characters. I had a brilliant time getting through Ripper and it was one of the top pieces of Australian crime fiction I read last year.

Murder Town (alternate Ripper) Cover

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Quick Review – Deadly Game by Michael Caine

On January 13, 2024January 15, 2024 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller1 Comment

Deadly Game Cover

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 28 November 2023)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 327 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Legendary actor Sir Michael Caine presents his debut novel, the fun and ultra-exciting thriller, Deadly Game, which follows a maverick cop investigating a case with world-changing implications.

I’m sure I’m not the only person who was surprised when they saw that Michael Caine was releasing a novel in late 2023. While I absolutely love Michael Caine as an actor, I didn’t realise he had any aspirations as an author, so Deadly Game was easily one of the more interesting releases of last year. As I am a fan of unusual thrillers, I naturally had to get my hands on a copy of this book, especially as it had an interesting plot behind it. While I was mainly intrigued by its author, Deadly Game proved to be a wonderful and compelling book that I had a great time reading.

Plot synopsis:

DCI Harry Taylor has no respect for red tape or political reputations – but he’s great at catching criminals.

And all his unorthodox skills will be needed as an extraordinary situation unfolds on his a metal box of radioactive material is found at a dump in Stepney, East London, but before the police can arrive it is stolen in a violent raid.

With security agencies across the world on red alert, it’s Harry and his unconventional team from the Met who must hit the streets in search of a lead. They soon have two wildly different suspects, aristocratic art dealer Julian Smythe in London and oligarch Vladimir Voldrev in Barbados. But the pressure is on. How much time does Harry have, and how many more players will join the action, before the missing uranium is lighting up the sky?

Caine had an interesting story idea for Deadly Game that I think worked quite well. The mysterious and violently taken radioactive material amps the stakes of the book right off the bat, and it perfectly sets up the story about DCI Harry Taylor’s team being let off the leash to hunt down the material without any oversight or restrictions. The early goings of this story are a lot of fun, and I liked the build-up of different villains who might be involved in the theft. The book got particularly fun when Caine introduced the two rival crime lords, Julian Smythe and Vladimir Voldrev, who come in as major suspects to the crime. Due to their connections, it is likely that at least one has the material or knows where it is, and their extreme hatred for each other means that they are willing to trade stories about their rival to the police. I loved the fantastic way that Caine portrayed both these over-the-top villains, and their introductory scenes with the protagonist, as well as some of the fun background that went into them, were highly entertaining, especially as they both played off the serious protagonist extremely well.

The second half of Deadly Game is where the fun really begins, as Taylor and his team get close to finding the material, only for their various opponents to get the drop on them in several ways. There are some great scenes here, and I liked the efficient way in which Taylor and his team deal with the neo-Nazis for example. However, things take a pretty major turn near the end, and it was a bit surprising just how far Ciane took this part of the story. I loved the sudden darker tone that resulted, and it made for quite an intense final third of the book. Everything leads up to the big confrontation with the hidden antagonist of the novel, and I really loved the fun, well-planned out and utterly over-the-top twist that resulted here. It was somehow simultaneously smart and ridiculous, and I loved everything about it. The story wraps up quite nicely from there, and there are hints that Caine might have some sequels in the works, which I personally wouldn’t mind, as I had a lot of fun with the outrageous narrative in Deadly Game.

Deadly Game had a quite a unique feel to it that revels in its roughness and over-the-top nature. Something about how the characters talked and acted felt very cockney, and it honestly reminded me a lot of some of the author’s tough-guy roles in film. While certain elements of this writing style aren’t going to appeal to everyone, I had a fun with it, and particularly enjoyed the amazing action scenes, the intriguing characters, and the elaborate and fun scenarios that emerged. While some of the characters, both protagonist and antagonist, are a little silly and weird in places, they still proved to be a fantastic group of people to follow, and the resulting chaos from their actions makes for an excellent story. The main character’s portrayal as a cop who hates politics and red tape and just wants to get the job done wasn’t amazingly original, but it worked for the story being told, and Caine did try to make him somewhat nuanced. I think that Caine got the right balance of intrigue, mystery, suspense and action throughout the course of Deadly Game, and I was very interested in finding out who was behind the events and how things unfolded. There was something cinematic in a lot of the resulting scenes, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Caine had a film adaptation in mind whilst writing it. Indeed, a Guy Ritchie directed version of Deadly Game could be pretty fun, especially if they got Hugh Grant in to play either of rival gangsters.

Overall, I had a great time with Deadly Game, and it proved to be an awesome and interesting debut from the legendary Michael Caine. While not everyone is going to love this novel, I felt it was really entertaining, and it was great to dive into its outrageous plot, especially with some of the big moments and twists towards the end. As such, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something exciting, and if the idea of a thriller written by Michael Caine appeals to you, then you’ll probably enjoy Deadly Game. It will be interesting to see what happens to this in the future, and I personally wouldn’t mind some sort of adaptation or sequel at some point.

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