Tag: Thriller

Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller8 Comments

Lone Wolf Cover 2

Publisher: Michael Joseph (Trade Paperback – 20 February 2024)

Series: Orphan X – Book 9

Length: 420 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Leading thriller author Gregg Hurwitz continues his high-octane Orphan X series in a big way with the epic and compelling novel, Lone Wolf.

The Orphan X books by Gregg Hurwitz is an epic series that follows a former elite government assassin, Evan Smoak, known to the intelligence community as Orphan X.  Upon leaving the program, Smoak decided to make up for his prior misdeeds by becoming an elite vigilante, The Nowhere Man, who helps those with nowhere else to turn.  This series started back in 2016 with Orphan X, although I personally started reading it with the fourth book, Out of the Dark.  Out of the Dark had a great plot behind it that really drew me in, as Evan went to war with a corrupt US President.  This resulted in an amazing and highly entertaining read that made me a fan of Hurwitz’s writing and ensured I would grab the next book in the series, Into the Fire.  Into the Fire was a particularly epic read, and the Orphan X books quickly entered my yearly must-read books list as a result.  I have since had an outstanding time reading the following releases, with Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan being awesome in their own way.  As such, when 2024 came around, I had very little choice but to read the latest Orphan X book, Lone Wolf, which took the protagonist in another interesting direction with a deadly adventure.

Evan Smoak, better known as either as Orphan X or the Nowhere Man, is suffering a personal crisis.  Having reached out to his long-lost father, Evan is in a dangerous emotional spiral, and is no longer the calm and confident secret agent he once was.  Looking for an easy mission to get back into his stride, Evan finds himself with an unusual job, helping a young girl find her lost dog.  Initially reluctant, Evan agrees to help, but this unlikely job will lead the infamous vigilant into all manner of trouble.

An elite female hitwoman is in Los Angeles, taking out a range of seemingly unconnected people.  Known only as the Wolf, she excels in targeted strikes and apparent accidental deaths, leaving no trace behind.  However, her final kill leaves behind two witnesses when Evan arrives on the scene looking for the lost dog.  Forced to intervene to save the daughter of the Wolf’s last victim, Evan finds himself a target of an assassin just as deadly as himself.

With the girl he just saved still in danger from a vengeful Wolf, Evan decides to save her and stop this killer terrorising his city.  But first, he needs to work out who hired her and what secrets lie behind their deaths.  His investigation leads him to two rival tech billionaires, both of whom had a motive for hiring the assassin and organising the killings.  To save the day, Evan needs to find out which of them is responsible and destroy them and the psychotic killer they hired.  But is the emotionally compromised Nowhere Man up to the task?

Lone Wolf was another outstanding addition to the Orphan X series that really showcased Hurwitz’s distinctive writing style.  Blending an intense, action-packed story, with some outstanding character development, this was an amazing book that I deeply enjoyed reading.

Hurwitz comes up with a pretty excellent story for Lone Wolf that dragged me in very quickly.  Starting off with some intense and personal character work around Evan Smoak that follows through from the last few books, Hurwitz does a good job setting the scene for much of the story off the bat, especially when it comes to the protagonist’s distracted headspace and his reliance on his unconventional family.  The author also spends this time introducing one of the book’s main villains, the Wolf, who serves as an effective mirror for Orphan X.  This initial setup works very well, as you quickly get drawn into the plot by the Wolf callous nature, while also getting invested in the protagonist’s emotional well-being.  These story aspects quickly collide, as Evan, who finds himself helping his recently discovered niece, accidently intrudes upon one of the Wolf’s kills.  The resulting extended action sequence is glorious, as Evan is forced to contend with the assassin and an army of cops, while trying to keep the daughter of the Wolf’s last victim alive.  This entire action scene is a major highlight of the first half of the book, and Hurwitz wrote a brilliant continuous and frenetic chase sequence that pushes Evan to the limit.

Following this chase sequence, the pace of the book slows down a little, although Evan still finds himself in trouble as he enters a game of cat-and-mouse with the Wolf over the fate of the bystander he just saved.  Forced to determine who hired the Wolf, Evan begins a compelling investigation angle where he probes two rival billionaires with twisted and unique morals.  At the same time, Evan also finds himself in several intriguing personal situations, including trouble with his half-brother, mentoring his adopted daughter, and even a rather entertaining side-story about a battle for control of his building’s HOA.  These work to keep the unique feel of the Orphan X series intact, and I loved how emotionally rich the book got at times.

The final third of Lone Wolf is mostly awesome, starting off with a great sequence that sees Evan interrogate a gang of thugs who have details he needs about the Wolf.  The very entertaining and over-the-top way he goes about getting said information is so damn good, and it was another major highlight off the book.  Unfortunately, the rest of the novel seems a little rushed, and frankly Hurwitz could have benefited from including another 100 pages or so to really wrap everything up perfectly.  While it is still a fun and exciting read, the reveal about who is truly behind everything isn’t too surprising, despite some attempts at misdirection.  In addition, the final confrontation against the main antagonists is somewhat weak, and could have been a little more epic, especially as one character went down way too easily.  Still, the deep character development aspects of the story end up being extremely strong, and I liked the intriguing final twist that is going to cause additional drama in the next book.  As such, I felt this was a really good story and I got so wrapped up in it.

I really enjoyed how Lone Wolf came together, especially as Hurwitz brought his usual blend of intensity and compelling human moments to this latest book.  There is a great balance here between character development and thriller action, which I deeply appreciated.  Indeed, I felt this was one of the better-balanced novels that Hurwitz has written recently.  While the action sequences are always the highlight of this book, I have really appreciated how Hurwitz seeks to offset them with more typical moments, and the focus on character relationships and ordinary occurrences, such as a funny HOA election, adds a certain level of fun to the book.  I really do think this was a great entry in the Orphan X series, and like most of the books in this series, Lone Wolf can mostly be read as a standalone, as Hurwitz is good at revisiting the key plot points from the previous books.  However, those readers going in with a greater understanding of some of the characters, especially the protagonist and his complex relationships, will get a bit more out of this book, and it was fantastic to see the further development.

As I have alluded to a few times above, a lot of Lone Wolf’s strength lies in the excellent character work that Hurwitz layers into the story.  Much of this is done to attempt to humanise the usually deadly protagonists featured within, especially as many of them are trying to adjust to a more civilian focused life after years being government assassins.  The most prominent of these is Evan Smoak, the infamous Orphan X who his trying to redeem himself as the Nowhere Man.  While Evan is usually a calm figure, minus his OECD, in this book he finds himself completely outside of his headspace as a bad encounter with his biological father at the start throws him completely out of whack.  This was a very interesting situation, and it was really moving to see this implacable figure so out of sorts and relying on his family, both adopted and newly discovered, to find himself.  Watching Evan grapple with the many personal battles surrounding him is an amazing part of the book, and you really get drawn into his emotional concerns.  At the same time, Evan continues to struggle with the more mundane elements of a normal existence, and the various awkward encounters he has with certain family members and the residence of his building, show you just how lost and damaged he truly is.  All this results in a great portrait of a complex figure, and Evan Smoak is honestly one of the best and most unique thriller protagonists out there.

While Evan is the focus of the book, he would be nothing without the unique array of side characters that have been drawn to him over the years and who supporting him in various ways.  The most prominent of these is Joey Morales, Evan’s surrogate daughter and former trainee spy who serves as his tech support.  Flippant, immature and only slightly more normal than her mentor, Joey serves as the major humanising force in Evan’s life and is a key ally, despite being a teenager.  Joey is always a fun highlight, especially as she can push the protagonist’s buttons while bringing out his protective side.  However, I liked how Hurwitz showed in Lone Wolf that despite her advanced knowledge of the world of espionage, she is still a teenager girl, and the scenes where Evan talks her through a social crisis, is surprisingly heartwarming and really captures their close relationship.  The other major character is Tommy Stojack, Evan’s armourer and one of the few constant figures in his life.  While cantankerous and unusual, Tommy serves as Evan’s rock for much of the series, and it was great to see him in this role again.  While Tommy isn’t too controversial in Lone Wolf, there were some interesting developments with him that are going to be cool to follow in the next book.

Of course, no thriller would be complete without its villains, and Hurwitz did a great job of this with both the Wolf and the nefarious billionaire who may be behind her.  Both are threatening in their own way, although I think I preferred the Wolf, as her deadly skills, ruthlessness, and enjoyment of the kill, made her an interesting opponent for Evan.  The billionaire figure was also great, and his various monologues about the state of society and how his control of personal information allows him to control people in so many ways, was nearly as menacing as the killing.  Throw in some intriguing new family elements for the protagonist, as well as the eccentric residence of his apartment complex (minus his long-term love interest who has been seemingly cut from the books), and this was an excellent group of characters whose interactions deeply enhanced the narrative.

Gregg Hurwitz continues to impress with his latest addition to the very cool Orphan X series with Lone Wolf.  An emotionally charged thriller with powerful character work, Lone Wolf is an outstanding read that comes highly recommended.  I cannot wait to see how Hurwitz follows up Lone Wolf in the future and I remain a massive fan of this amazing series.

Lone Wolf Cover

Amazon

The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Thriller3 Comments

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

Publisher: Hachette Audio (Audiobook – 20 February 2024)

Series: Cotton Malone – Book 18

Length: 13 hours and 21 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The always exciting Steve Berry continues his long-running Cotton Malone series with the intriguing and addictive novel, The Atlas Maneuver, which once again blends modern plots with historical riddles.

Over the last few years, I have been having a wonderful time getting to know the works of acclaimed thriller author Steve Berry.  Known for his intricate and complex works that dive into the past, Berry is an amazing author whose style and story focus really appeals to me.  I have had a wonderful time getting through the last several books in his main series, the Cotton Malone books, as well as his standalone novel, The Omega Factor.  Cotton Malone is a particularly fun series following the titular Cotton Malone as he attempts to stop sinister modern-day plots that have their roots in ancient conspiracies and secrets.  All the Cotton Malone books I have read have been extremely epic in their own way, including The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web, and The Last Kingdom (one of my favourite books of 2023), and I cannot recommend them enough.

As World War II entered its final phase, the retreating Japanese hid vast quantities of looted gold and other stolen valuables throughout the Philippines.  Stored in hidden underground bunkers, the gold was supposed to be used to rebuild Japan after the war and expand its interests.  But with the location of the vaults lost, most of the gold remained hidden, except for a small fraction recovered by the United States government and the nascent CIA, who kept it for themselves in secret.

In the present day, retired Justice Department agent Cotton Malone, is in Switzerland, working for an old CIA friend to keep a potential asset safe.  However, when someone tries to take his target out, Cotton soon finds himself thrust into the middle of a dangerous battle between a shadowy branch of CIA and the Bank of St. George, one of the world’s oldest financial institutions, with whom the recovered gold was entrusted.

Forced to act, Cotton begins to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and discovers that the directors of the Bank of St. George are seeking to initiate a radical plot involving bitcoin, the elusive online currency, which could destabilise the entire financial world and leave them in control.  Working with a skilled Japanese agent, his lover, and a ghost from his past, Cotton seeks to stop the plot before it is too late.  But with a deadly team of CIA assassins also closing in, no-one is safe and everyone is a target.

This was a pretty interesting novel from Berry that I had an excellent time with.  Thanks to its unique thriller story combining historical secrets with contemporary mysteries and plots, The Atlas Maneuver proved to be an amazing and intricate novel that I found to be quite impressive.

I really enjoyed the compelling story that Berry came up with for his latest novel, especially as he once again successfully blends an elaborate historical conspiracy with an exciting modern thriller story.  This story came together extremely well and overall proved to be quite an exciting read as Berry comes up with several compelling story arcs that you become absorbed in.  Starting off with a glimpse at the origins of the hidden Japanese war loot, The Atlas Maneuver soon jumps to Cotton Malone as he finds himself drawn into a plot to disrupt the world economy by a powerful bank through bitcoin.  Working with an old flame whose financial brilliance is behind much of the bank’s plans, Cotton desperately tries to keep her safe, while also contending with a relentless Japanese agent.  At the same time, Cotton’s partner Cassiopeia Vitt and old CIA associate Derrick Koger attempt to discover the location of the lost wartime gold that was supposed to be in the bank’s possession.  Their inquiries lead them into conflict with the bank, as well as a shadowy arm of the CIA that attempts to take out everyone associated with the case.

The alternating thrusts of the hunt for lost gold and the attempts to stop the elaborate financial attack make for great reading, and Berry continuously raised the stakes while also dragging the story back to the past with the fun historical inclusions.  While the story did drag in places, especially around the middle, I honestly couldn’t turn away from this book at times, especially when the action got particularly intense and there were multiple fun figures to follow.  Berry perfectly sets up the big conclusion of The Atlas Maneuver, which has surprisingly more devastation than expected.  I loved the dark and ironic ending to some of the storylines that emerged, and I felt this strong finish enhanced the entire book as a result.  Berry also leaves the story on an excellent emotional cliffhanger, that I feel is really going to pay off later in the series, and I will ensure I come back for the next Cotton Malone book.

I really liked how Berry set out his methodical and intense story as he once again relied on his classic style that prioritised historical inclusions, while also ensuring that the new book is accessible to all readers.  Thanks to the author’s excellent use of multiple perspectives, you get a great wide-angle perspective story, which allows you to understand the motivations, desires and actions of most of the opposing parties.  I always love books that show the story from the antagonist’s perspective, and this was a great example of that as you got to see the leader of the evil bank manipulate one of the other main characters, while also trying to implement her wider plan.  Berry utilises these multiple perspectives to tell an excellent overarching story, and while the parts focusing on Cassiopeia Vitt and Derrick Koger felt a little too detached from Cotton Malone’s storyline, for the most part this was a very cohesive tale.  The writing is also very tight and fluid in The Atlas Maneuver as Berry does a great job moving the story along, while also including his trademark historical lectures and flashbacks.  The mixture of modern-day action, elaborate schemes and examinations of the past was pretty on-point for this latest Cotton Malone book, and you really get drawn into the story as a result.  There were also some fantastic character interactions, especially as the protagonist is forced to interact with a love interest from his past who looks set to change the status quo of the series.  I had such a good time reading this book, and it proved to be an excellent addition to Cotton Malone series.

I always love the elaborate and compelling dives into various parts of history that Berry takes the reader on in the Cotton Malone series.  Berry, who clearly does his research on all things history, once again set his new novel around a unique piece of history, which has intriguing implications for the modern day thriller storyline.  In this case, much of the story revolves around Yamashita’s gold, the infamous treasure hoard supposedly located in the Philippines.  The author does a deep dive into the subject highlighting all the history surrounding it, as well as mentioning many of the intriguing details that followed it as people attempted to find it.  Much of the plot of The Atlas Maneuver revolves around the fate of this gold, and Berry really does a great job of highlighting its importance and the cultural implications surrounding it.  While certain elements of Yamashita’s gold featured in The Atlas Maneuver were exaggerated or changed for narrative purposes, you really get a good grounding in history surrounding it.  I found this focus on the lost treasure to be highly fascinating, especially as it wasn’t something I was too familiar about before.  However, this only proved to be the tip of the historical iceberg, as other intriguing historical events were also cleverly featured throughout the book.  compelling examinations about the early days of the CIA, banking history, the financial affairs of Switzerland and Luxembourg, and post-war recovery of Japan are also covered in interesting detail, much of which helps to give context to the current story and which are cleverly inserted into the modern-day plot.  These historical elements are truly fascinating, and I love the unique conspiracies and hidden secrets that Berry creates utilising them.

In addition to this 20th century history, Berry also chooses to dive into something a little more modern with a detailed look at bitcoin, which also has a significant impact to the plot of The Atlas Maneuver.  Berry dives into the history surrounding bitcoin, how it came into being and how it eventually expanded out in a major currency.  While some of this history is altered for the book, there is still a lot of detail about its origins and how it become prevalent throughout the world, which I honestly didn’t know a lot about, and was quite fascinating.  Berry also tries to capture other aspects of bitcoin, such as its function, how it is mined, and how it is currently viewed throughout the world.  There is a focus on bitcoin’s potential, and how it can be used to change economies and grant financial freedoms to people.  I liked how Berry took a neutral, if hopeful, stance around bitcoin, as while certain characters are critical of the cryptocurrency, many see its potential and hope to make the world a better place through its usage.  I honestly found the entire inclusion of bitcoin to be highly interesting, and the focus on its manipulation, creation and exploitation drove the plot to some cool places.

Another aspect of all Berry’s books that I really enjoy is his highly detailed examinations of various intriguing places that his protagonists end up in.  These background settings are always a key part of the book, and I like how well Berry incorporates them into the story, especially as the history or unique locations are invariably explored or utilised in the plot.  While The Atlas Maneuver lacks some of the grandiose sites that I enjoyed in the previous books, there is still a range of cool locations featured here that are well done.  This includes deep looks at several cities and locations with Switzerland and Luxembourg, as well as a lengthy excursion to Morocco.  Berry loving describes all the historical cities, lakes and other key locations in high detail, and it is always very clear when he is working from memory, especially as some of his characters’ reactions clearly mirror his own.  These detailed depictions always allow the reader to effectively envision the locations quite clearly, and it is a lot of fun imagining the daring exploits taking place in these picturesque locales.  I always love Berry’s descriptions of these locations, not only because I find the history fascinating, but because there are so many places featured in these books that I want to visit.  As such, this is a great part of The Atlas Maneuver, and I cannot wait to see what cool locations Berry features in his next book.

As has been my custom with most of the Cotton Malone series, I ended up listening to The Atlas Maneuver on audiobook, which ended up being a pretty great way to enjoy this book.  Coming in a nearly 13 and a half hours, this is a moderately long audiobook, so it took me a little while to get through it.  However, I felt that the way it helped to portray the intense action and thrilling storyline was very impressive, especially as having the story read out to me engrained the elaborate historical details a little better.  The Atlas Maneuver once again featured the fantastic voice work of veteran audiobook narrator Scott Brick, who has lent his voice to all the previous Cotton Malone books.  Brick has a very serviceable voice that works well for the thriller books he usually narrates, especially as it helps to highlight the great action sequences and elaborate conspiracies.  Thanks to his good voice work, the plot of The Atlas Maneuver moves along at a brisk pace, and I really got swept up in the elaborate story.  As such, I feel that the audiobook version is a great way to enjoy The Atlas Maneuver, and I had an excellent time getting through it.

Overall, The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry was an amazing book that I had an outstanding time getting through.  Once again successfully combining intriguing and elaborate historical conspiracies with an exciting thriller storyline, The Atlas Maneuver was a blast from start to finish and will be deeply appreciated by both fans of the long-running Cotton Malone series and new readers experiencing Berry’s writing for the first time.  A compelling read that comes highly recommended.

Amazon

Quick Review – I Will Find You by Harlan Coben

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller5 Comments

I Will Find You Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 16 March 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 407 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Last year I was lucky enough to read and review the new Harlan Coben novel, I Will Find You.  This was the first book I had read from Coben, a man renowned for his twisty and tricky thriller books, and it proved to be a pretty cool read.  While I really enjoyed I Will Find You, I never actually got around to reviewing it, which was a pretty major regret I had about my writing last year.  However, as I just received a copy of Coben’s new book, Think Twice, I figured this would be a good time to finally review this amazing book.

Plot Synopsis:

David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream – married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three year old son named Matthew – when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way.

David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own – his son’s. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely.

Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl’s sister arrives – and drops a bombshell.

She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar – and even though David realizes it can’t be, he knows it is. It’s Matthew, and he’s still alive.

David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible – save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.

The first thing I need to point out about I Will Find You is that Coben came up with a pretty awesome standalone concept that really draws your attention from the get-go.  An innocent man trapped in prison for a crime he didn’t commit is always a great start to the story, but combine that with proof that his murdered child is still alive and with someone else, and you have yourself a real winning plot that I really fell in love with.  Coben easily has the writing chops to back this story idea up, and the resulting book turns into an impressive read.

I really enjoyed so many great elements of I Will Find You, especially as Coben throws in his trademark twists, elaborate action-set pieces, and fantastically complex character motivations.  The book starts with an awesome, if slightly coincidental, prison break (thank God for family connections) and develops into a good fugitive storyline with an investigative bent to it.  The resulting chase between the protagonist and his pursuers, both official and unofficial keeps the pulse racing, and I loved the combination of two fast-talking cops leading the main pursuit, and a shadowy, influential family invested in his capture/death.  The investigation angle works out very well, and the combination of Matthew’s straightforward methods, and the subtler results from Rachel, the sister-in-law, allow for some intriguing progress towards the plots conclusion.

The various resulting twists that lead up to the end of the book are well handled, and I loved how compelling Coben was able to make the plot of I Will Find You.  I particularly loved the elaborate, sinister, and slightly oddball motivations behind the actual crime, as well the lengths the antagonist was willing to go to secure what they wanted.  The unique relationships that also emerge make for some fun reading, and the compelling and over-the-top main story is well balanced with the inherent tragedy of the protagonists and the sorrow they feel for their loss.  The entire book comes to quite a fantastic conclusion which, while it could have used a little more explaining, proved to be very satisfying.

While I did enjoy the story that Coben came up with for I Will Find You, and he presented it extremely well, I did myself disliking certain elements of the plot, namely that the author relied way too much on coincidence and story elements that come out of nowhere.  A good example of this is the machinations of a certain mob-boss, which helped lead to the protagonist’s situation.  While the eventual confrontation between David and this mobster is really well written, I honestly think their involvement in the whole affair could have been set up better, as their actions, while interesting to the plot, was a bit of a sudden inclusion.  This, and other confidences and unanswered questions, conspired to throw me off the groove of the story at key points of the book, so I didn’t have as much fun as I possibly could of.  Still, this is a mostly minor issue for me, and I had an overall exceptional time with this book.

I Will Find You was a pretty novel book, and it proved to be a fantastic introduction to Harlan Coben for me.  The elaborate and intense story writing really grabbed me, and I loved the author’s ability to pull together a great character-driven twist.  As such, I Will Find You is well worth checking out, especially to those who are already fans of the author.

I Will Find You Cover 2

Amazon

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

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Drama, Quick Review, Thriller2 Comments

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead Cover

Publisher: Constable (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 326 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Amazon

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

Plot Synopsis:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Amazon

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

Amazon

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

Amazon

The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller16 Comments

The Murder Inn Cover

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 13 February 2024)

Series: The Inn – Book Two

Length: 307 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The superstar writing team of James Patterson and Candice Fox produce another wildly entertaining and captivating read with the impressive and over-the-top thriller, The Murder Inn.

As one of the world’s best-known authors, James Patterson needs very little introduction, especially with a huge range of exciting thrillers and gripping murder mysteries to his name.  Patterson has been particularly prolific in recent years, as he has been writing collaboratively with talented authors to create a range of unique reads.  I have had a wonderful time reading some of the more recent Patterson collaborative books, including Blow Back with Brendan DuBoise, The Perfect Assassin with Brian Sitts, Lost with James O. Born, Death of the Black Widow with J. D. Barker (one of my favourite books of 2022) and the short story collection 3 Days to Live (featuring three additional authors).

One of my favourite authors that Patterson regularly collaborates with is Australian writer Candice Fox.  Fox is one of Australia’s best thriller authors with some great books to her name, including the excellent Crimson Lake series, and impressive standalone thrillers like Fire With Fire, Gathering Dark and The Chase.  Patterson and Fox have written several books together in the past, including the highly addictive read, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, which saw two mismatched women forced to investigate a brutal crime after finding out they’re sisters.  I really enjoyed the intriguing story this fantastic writing team cooked up and I have been keen to read more from this pairing for a while.  I finally got my chance this week as I just got my hands on an early copy of the upcoming thriller by Patterson and Fox, The Murder Inn.  The sequel to their previous novel, The Inn, The Murder Inn was a particularly fun and enjoyable book that I powered through in no time at all.

Former Boston police officer Bill Robinson has found his life getting increasingly complicated ever since he set up his little coast-side guesthouse.  Known as The Inn by the Sea, the picturesque dwelling in Gloucester, Massachusetts, has become something of a safe house for several unusual long-term boarders, including his former FBI agent girlfriend, the town’s sheriff, disturbed veteran Nick Jones, an elderly former gangster, and other mysterious or outrageous residents.  However, trouble always seems to find the occupants of the Inn, especially when secrets from their complex pasts resurface.

Bill Robinson once again finds himself on the receiving end of this trouble after attending a funeral for former police colleague Mark Bulger.  While Robison has fond memories of his dead friend, Bulger was a particularly crooked cop, whose secret stash of stolen evidence could put many dangerous people away, including notorious drug lord Norman Driver.  When Driver’s thugs come looking for it, the Bulger widow, Shauna, finds herself caught in the crossfire, but she quickly proves that she isn’t the frail old lady everyone thinks she is.

As Shauna embarks on a one-woman crusade against Norman Driver, Robinson tries to help, but his actions only put him and the Inn in the crosshairs of the crime lord.  At the same time, he also finds himself trying to uncover the secrets surrounding his best friend, Nick Jones.  Nick has been receiving threatening messages regarding his former squad in Afghanistan, whose dark deeds might soon come to light.  Caught between criminals, dangerous vigilantes, and a dark killer stalking Nick, the Inn soon finds itself under siege, and not everyone will survive the night.

This was an extremely awesome and compelling read from Patterson and Fox that had me hooked the entire way through.  Featuring a great story, loaded with action, intrigue and fun characters, The Murder Inn was an outstanding novel and one that proves near impossible to put down.

The wonderful team of Patterson and Fox came up with an excellent narrative for The Murder Inn that really draws you in quickly.  Initially starting with background on side-character Nick Jones, The Murder Inn soon introduces several intriguing storylines as protagonist Bill Robinson finds himself drawn into the various troubles of his residents and friends.  What starts as a funeral for a friend soon sees Robinson drawn into a war against a crime lord, as his friend’s widow, the wildly entertaining Shauna Bulger, finds a stash of evidence and then goes to war in the name of justice.  At the same time, Robinson finds himself drawn into Jones’s military past, as the consequences of a deadly massacre come to light.  Throw in a mysterious guest, personal dramas surrounding the various characters, and other dark secrets emerging, and this proves to be a full and compelling story.  This explosive mixture of storylines comes together extremely well as the book continues, and I loved how each of the major characters are expertly explored, especially Shauna and Nick, which allows you to get really drawn into their personal histories and demons.  Thanks to a series of betrayals and dark secrets, you are never quite sure who is going to survive this dangerous story, and the constant threat and brushes with death upped the ante in a huge way.  I loved some of the great twists and turns that emerged, and Patterson and Fox ensured that parts of the story got wonderfully over-the-top in all the right ways, especially when it comes to key character deaths.  This was such a fun and exciting story to read, and I managed to blow through it so damn quickly.

Unsurprisingly, The Murder Inn utilised Patterson’s typical writing style, which I think worked extremely well for this impressive and enjoyable story.  The use of a huge number of short, sharp chapters really draws the reader in and sets an incredibly fast pace for the story.  Due to how quick these chapters are, and the exciting and constantly evolving story that accompanies it, you honestly have a hard time putting this book down; especially as it is so tempting to read a couple more pages just to see what is going to happen next.  This frenetic pace really increases the impact of the story in places, and I loved how well the authors continued to transition between multiple point-of-view characters.  The intriguing range of perspectives increased the complexity of the plot, especially as you get to see events through the eyes of all the affected characters, including the villains, and I loved the amazing storylines that emerged as a result.  Thanks to this, it proves very hard to stop reading The Murder Inn once you start, and the authors reward you with a ton of great action and some joyfully over-the-top moments.  Despite being a sequel, The Murder Inn is essentially a standalone novel, and no knowledge of the previous book is needed to enjoy it.  This was such a great story, and the team of Patterson and Fox made sure to display in the best way possible.

Patterson and Fox came up with some great characters for The Murder Inn, and there are some amazingly likeable protagonists showcased throughout the plot.  A lot of this focus revolves around protagonist Bill Robinson, the proprietor of The Inn by the Sea and a former cop who is trying to find redemption after a questionable police career.  Bill is a great straight man for much of the chaos going on in this book, and his dedication to helping his friends no matter what, made him a very likeable figure.  I liked how Robinson’s chapters were the only ones told from the first-person perspective, especially as it gave those chapters some additional importance, and the change of pacing surrounding that was quite fun.  It also allowed the reader to get a better look at the nice romance arc surrounding the protagonist, and it was great to see him finally get some happiness, if only temporarily.  Robinson’s friend, Nick Jones, also gets a lot of focus in The Murder Inn, as one of the primary storylines revolves around him.  Jones, an army veteran, is deeply traumatised by his time in Afghanistan, especially after a dark mission made him question everything.  Already damaged by his time in the war and the paranoia that followed, Nick finds himself coming to terms with his past in a big way here, and his battle for redemption is a powerful part of the book.

Probably my favourite character in The Murder Inn was new character Shauna Bulger.  The widow of a dirty cop, Shauna finds herself in a dark situation when criminals break into her house, searching for her husband’s secrets.  Rather than lying down for them, Shauna fights back and this awakens something primal in her that sees her wage war on the local criminals.  Shauna proves to be a hilariously badass vigilante, and it was interesting to see how she finally processed years of trauma into such a violent and over-the-top response.  Her counterpart, the crime lord Norman Driver, proves to be an outstanding villain for the story, and I loved how despite being a dangerous man with a dark history, even he was overwhelmed by the unusual inhabitants of the Inn and the other deadly people coming for him.  Throw in the other great residence of the Inn, many of whom have interesting history and stories that will no doubt get explored in future books in the series, and you have an amazing cast you can’t help but fall in love with.

Overall, The Murder Inn was an exciting, awesome and captivating read that was everything I hoped it would be and more.  James Patterson and Candice Fox once again from to be an effective writing team, and I loved the impressively insane and compelling story they came up with here that I absolutely absorbed.  A wonderfully entertaining novel that any thriller fan will have an amazing time with, The Murder Inn is really worth reading.

The Murder Inn Cover 2

Amazon

Quick Review – The Holy Terrors by Simon R. Green

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Horror, Quick Review, ThrillerLeave a comment

The Holy Terrors Cover

Publisher: Severn House (ebook – 6 February 2024)

Series: Standalone

Length: 214 pages

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Established thriller author Simon R. Green produces a fun and compelling read with The Holy Terrors, a cool book with an interesting plot idea behind it.

Plot Synopsis:

Six people locked in a haunted hall . . . Cameras watching their every move . . . And then someone dies . . . This first in a spine-tingling new paranormal mystery series from New York Times bestselling British fantasy author Simon R. Green will make you doubt your judgement – and believe in ghosts!

Welcome to Spooky Time, the hit TV ghost-hunting show where the horror is scripted . . . and the ratings are declining rapidly. What better way to up the stakes – and boost the viewership – than by locking a select group of Z-list celebrities up for the night in The Most Haunted Hall in England (TM) and live-streaming the ‘terrifying’ results?

Soon Alistair, a newly appointed Bishop, actress Diana, medium Leslie, comedian Toby and celebrity chef Indira are trapped inside Stonehaven town hall, along with June, the host and producer of the show. The group tries to settle in and put on a good show, but then strange things start happening in their hall of horrors.

What is it about this place – and why is the TV crew outside not responding? Are they even on air?

Logical Alistair attempts to keep the group’s fears at bay and rationalise the odd events, but there are things that just can’t be explained within reason . . . Can he stop a cold-blooded would-be killer – even if it’s come from beyond the grave?

This locked-room mystery with a paranormal twist is classic Simon R. Green, featuring his trademark humour and imagination, irresistible characters, and thoroughly entertaining plotting.


The Holy Terrors was an intriguing book from Simon R. Green that I had a fun time getting through.  Short and very sweet, The Holy Terrors made good use of its compelling plot idea, which saw a bishop, a diva, a comedian, a celebrity chef, a psychic and a TV producer become trapped in a haunted town hall.  While that sounds like the set up to an elaborate joke, it produces a great plot background for an entertaining novel that you can quickly power through.

I loved the author’s idea of simultaneously parodying ghost shows and the reality television crowd, while also presenting the reader with a unique locked-room mystery scenario that might or might not be caused by supernatural forces.  Thanks to these ideas, I think the overall story was pretty good and proved to be quite exciting.  Green sets everything up nicely, and you are quickly drawn into the plot, especially as you know that there is something bad on the horizon.  After a few early scare elements, you are led nicely to the centre of the story, where one of the characters dies and the rest are left scrambling to figure out who or what is trying to kill them.  This proves to be a great backbone for much of the story, and the initial range of characters are fun.

While I enjoyed how the book was set up, I think that it slightly fell apart in the second half.  The story gets a bit silly in places, and it is easy to predict what the subsequent order of death was going to be.  I did enjoy how Green tried to keep the reader guessing about whether this was a horror novel or a murder mystery, especially as there are some great psychic inclusions, apparitions, and other mysterious occurrences.  However, despite the included misdirection, the answer to this question proved to be a bit obvious.  The eventual culprit reveal was predictable, as it was literally the most obvious suspect there, and Green’s method reveal was pretty unsubtle.  Still, the final confrontation was nicely written, and I liked the cool conclusion to the plot.  in the end, The Holy Terrors proves to be quite an easy book to get through quickly, and I manage to finish it off in two sessions.

While Green proved adept at creating a chilling atmosphere and utilising it well in his story, I did have certain issues when it came to the characters.  The author does come up with six interesting main figures for the story, each of which is a celebrity reality star archetype, and there are some fascinating dives into their backstories, especially during an emotional sequence near the climax.  However, for the most part I felt these characters were underdeveloped, and Green could have showcased them a little better.  Certain relationships between some of the characters were a bit forced, and quite a few interactions felt unusual.  I also found some of the dialogue to be a bit stilted and weak in places, and it could have come across as a bit more natural.  These elements let down The Holy Terrors’ promising plot to a degree, although I still managed to have fun getting through it.

Overall, The Holy Terrors was an interesting read from Simon Green that you can have an entertaining time with.  The author’s intriguing scenario does prove quite compelling, and while certain elements of the book were not as strong as I would have hoped, you can easily power through this book in no time at all.  As such, The Holy Terrors is a great book for anyone looking for a quick and efficient novel that tries to blur the line between horror and murder mystery.

Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday – Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday4 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, I check out an awesome upcoming thriller, Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart.

Assassins Anonymous Cover

Amazon

Over the last few years, I think I have shown that I have a lot of love for unusual, clever or outrageous thrillers.  I’m eager to sink my teeth into any thriller with a distinctive and ultra-fun plot behind it, and usually that works out for pretty well for me.  As such, I am always on the lookout for my next unique thriller experience, and at the moment that looks to be the epic sounding Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart.

Set for release in June 2024, Assassins Anonymous is an outstanding and impressive upcoming book that I am deeply excited for.  Following a former assassin who attempts to get clean from his unfortunate addiction to killing people by joining a support group of former hitmen, Assassins Anonymous sounds pretty damn awesome and I love the fantastic plot synopsis.  I think this book has incredible potential and I look forward to diving into this amazing story in a few month’s time.

Plot Synopsis:

In this thriller full of action, humor, and charm, the world’s most lethal assassin has left the violent life behind and joined a 12-step group for recovering killers. But when he’s attacked and barely survives, he must figure out who’s after him and why—without breaking his pledge never to kill again.

Mark is the most dangerous killer-for-hire in the world. His nickname—the Pale Horse—breathes fear into the cold heart of every rival who hears it. But after learning the hard way that this life has made him more monster than man, Mark has left all of that behind. With the help of his sponsor, Kenji, he has joined a group of former assassins who meet in secret for support in recovery.

Then he’s viciously attacked by an unknown assailant. Thrust back into the shadowy world of betrayal and assassination, injured and on the run from New York to Singapore to London, Mark must solve the mystery of who’s coming for him and why. Has the Agency decided he knows too much and must be taken out? Has a rival decided to attack now that he’s laid his weapons down? Has one of the thousands of people who might want revenge finally come for it? And how will he survive the onslaught without killing anyone? For an assassin, Mark learns, non-violence is a real hassle.

Quick Review – Hollywood Hustle by Jon Lindstrom

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller2 Comments

Hollywood Hustle Cover

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (ebook – 6 February 2024)

Series: Standalone/Book One

Length: 261 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

I was recently lucky enough to receive an early copy of the intriguing thriller debut, Hollywood Hustle.  Written by actor Jon Lindstrom, who has appeared in quite a few crime fiction shows and films himself, Hollywood Hustle had a cool story about the price of fame and the dark side of Hollywood which I really liked the sound of.

Plot Synopsis:

Winston Greene, a has-been film star, wakes one morning to find his six-year-old granddaughter at his bedside—traumatized, unattended, and gripping onto a thumb drive. She comes bearing video proof that her mother, Win’s troubled adult daughter, has been kidnapped by a murderous gang demanding all his “movie money” for her safe return. But what they don’t know is…his movie money is long gone.

Unable to go to the police for fear the kidnappers will make good on their promise to kill his daughter, Winston turns to two close friends—a legendary Hollywood stuntman and a disgraced former LAPD detective.

There’s no easy way out for Winston or his daughter—the gang is violent and willing to do anything to get the money they’re after, and Winston begins to realize that to get his daughter back, he’ll have to beat the kidnappers at their own game.

This propulsive and tense thriller will transport readers to the seedier side of LA, depicted in bold prose by a Hollywood insider.


Hollywood Hustle ended up being a fun first book from Lindstrom, which takes the reader on an exiting and fast-paced adventure through a dark Hollywood kidnapping.  Lindstrom starts things off quickly, with the readers given an effective introduction to the main character, fading actor Winston Greene, and the unthinkable scenario he finds himself in.  After an initial focus on Greene, the author branches out the focus of the story, splitting the perspective between various characters, including Greene, his two loyal friends, the kidnappers, and more, to create a wonderful and highly entertaining narrative.

Much of the story follows Greene, as he is forced to try and raise cash he doesn’t have to secure his daughter’s release.  While he goes about that, you get to see what the kidnappers are up to, as their botched operation quickly comes undone in several different ways.  At the same time, one of Greene’s friends begins an investigation into the case, while a nosey tabloid journalist tries to scoop up dirt on the troubled actor.  These various storylines all come crashing together, and I liked how well Lindstrom was able to tell a cohesive tale while also focusing on his characters.  I did find that some of the dialogue was a little weak in places, and the story did get a little derivative at times, but this was mostly a great read.  I especially enjoyed how Lindstrom took the plot in some surprising and unpredictable directions, and several over-the-top deaths really spiced things up.  While I didn’t love one plot twist at the end that relied on an overused writing cliché, I ended up having a lot of fun with this cool story, and I managed to finish it off in only a couple of days.

I really enjoyed Hollywood Hustles’ great story, and there were some excellent writing elements that helped it stand out.  Lindstrom set a great pace for the entire book, and I appreciated how he got right down to business.  I felt the entire story flowed efficiently and effectively, and he didn’t make the story overstay its welcome, finishing it off at just the right time.  Splitting the perspective chapters between the various characters involved in the plot also worked well, as you quickly get multiple eyes on the dangerous unfolding situation.  I liked the great mixture of distinctive character perspectives that emerged, and the slow-burn introduction of the three kidnappers was pretty awesome, especially as they all have compelling individual backstories, and it quickly becomes apparent that none of them are natural team players.  Honestly these three antagonists proved to be a major highlight of the entire story, and their dysfunctional relationship, over-the-top actions, and well-crafted pasts that examine interesting, failed takes on the American dream increased my enjoyment of the entire book.

However, most of Lindstrom’s character work revolves around protagonist Winston Greene, who serves as the heart and soul of the book.  A formerly famous actor who has reached has-been status and now only works bit gigs, Greene is a character with many parallels in real life, which makes his story even more relatable.  Initially shown to be a flawed but caring man, Lindstrom slowly reveals several of his darker demons, including the price he paid for fame, his battle with alcoholism, his struggles being a father and husband, and the guilt he harbours for his past mistakes.  Lindstrom builds in a very good narrative about Greene trying to redeem himself throughout the course of Hollywood Hustle, especially when it comes to his daughter and granddaughter, and you really find yourself pulling for him as a result.  The author also uses Greene’s character to help highlight the many negatives involved with a Hollywood career, which adds an interesting and personal edge to much of the plot.  The protagonist’s cynical views of the acting scene, especially after a complicated and currently expired movie career, make for a great inclusion, and I personally loved the fun fictional movie quotes attributed to Greene that are scattered throughout the novel.  Greene really felt like a character that Lindstrom was pouring himself into, and I deeply appreciated how compelling and powerful his story got at times.

Overall, I quite liked Hollywood Hustle, and I felt that it was a good, solid debut from this interesting author.  While Jon Lindstrom has some growing to do as a writer, this was an excellent first effort, especially when it comes to creating great characters, and I hope we see some more entertaining books from Lindstrom in the future.

Amazon

Ripper by Shelley Burr

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller7 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

Amazon

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

Amazon