Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 11 January 2024.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Weekly website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for Dark Arena, Argylle and Deadly Game.
Tag: Thriller
Argylle by Elly Conway
Publisher: Bantam (Trade Paperback – 3 January 2024)
Series: Argylle – Book One
Length: 368 pages
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
One of the year’s most intriguing thrillers, Argylle by Elly Conway, proves to be a fantastic and highly entertaining book that I had a wonderful time exploring at the start of 2024.
Vasily Federov, a powerful Russian billionaire, is making a bid to become the new president of Russia. If he succeeds, his ambition, drive, and absolute lack of humanity, could lead to chaos, especially as he seeks to bring together the dangerous right-wing factions of Europe to form a destructive new empire. Determined to secure victory and the absolute loyalty of the Russian people, Federov promises the impossible: finding and restoring a beloved national treasure infamously looted and lost during World War II, the Amber Room.
Recognising what a dangerous threat Federov poses to the world, CIA Chief Operating Officer Frances Coffey is determined to stop him winning the election. To that end, she pulls together an elite team of agents with the goal of locating the hidden Amber Room first and keeping it from Federov’s grasp. However, Coffey believes that her team needs a unique edge, a new member with a different set of skills and outlook on life then her current operatives. To that end, she recruits a complete unknown, Aubrey Argylle.
The son of two international drug dealers, Argylle has been lost since the death of his parents, hiding out in the jungles of Thailand. Argylle attracts Coffey’s attention when he risks his own life to help a team of American agents in need. Drafted to the CIA, Argylle works to prove himself to his new team as they work to stop Federov. As Argylle starts to adapt to the life as a secret agent, his team makes headway in discovering the location of the Amber Room, which leads them on a desperate chase across Europe. However, the closer they get to recovering their target, the more apparent it is that someone on their team is a traitor, and they now have Argylle in their sights.
Before I go into too much detail about what I thought about Argylle, I should probably address the interesting possibilities regarding the authorship of this book. The identity of Argylle’s author has the potential to be one of the biggest literary reveals of the year, and the internet is already buzzing with the possibilities surrounding it. That is because Elly Conway is a pseudonym of a new author, the identity of whom is being kept secret until the upcoming film of the same name is released. While authors writing under pseudonyms is nothing new, certain facts about this particular case, including the large amount of money spent obtaining the film rights from a first-time writer, the insane secrecy surrounding the author’s identity, and the massive cast of famous actors in the adaptation indicate that someone special might be behind the pen. There are several theories currently circulating, including it being written by AI, by the film’s creative team, or it being a massive marketing campaign to raise interest in the film. However, the theory that seems to be getting the most attention is that it was authored by one of the world’s most influential singers, and there are a lot of apparent hints and easter eggs surrounding that theory.
The Argylle novel only came to my attention a few weeks ago; mainly because I had seen the cool film trailer, which features some of my favourite actors, and I figured it might be worth grabbing this related book. It was only when I subsequently dug into the underlying material surrounding the book, including the theories about the author, that I became really curious. I am not going to lie, that very much caught my attention, and it was a major reason why I got a copy of Argylle. If it turns out to have been merely a marketing stunt, at least it was an effective one! I would actually love it if someone surprising wrote this book, and I look forward to seeing how this comes into play with the upcoming film, which really looks quite hilarious. However, I’m not going to let my curiosity about who might have written it impact my review for this book, and I have tried to make a balanced analysis of this intriguing debut thriller.
With that in mind, I am going to come right out that bat and say I quite liked Argylle, and it proved to be a fun and exciting read, with a fantastic plot and a compelling main character. Featuring a fast-paced story, enjoyable writing, and a ton of entertaining action, Argylle was an awesome book that I managed to knock it off in only a few days.
From what I understand, the upcoming film will be set around the planned fourth book in this series and will feature the fictional adventures of Elly Conway when she releases it. Argylle is the first book in this in-universe series, so it serves as an introductory novel, featuring the origins of the titular protagonist as well as some of his supporting cast members. Conway initiates a strong start to Argylle, as you are given compelling visions of the disturbing main villain, as well as a great introduction to protagonist Aubrey Argylle, who risks everything to save several lives in an intense and sudden sequence, before he is recruited into a secretive team of CIA agents. The initial training montages with the new team serve as a good introduction to the spy lifestyle for the protagonist, although it does reveal an early weakness of the book that never really went away, in that there are way too many characters. With fourteen members in this main team, many of whom get cycled around each mission, the reader has a hard time remembering each of them, and with the exception of a couple who are pushed to the front early on, you never really connect to them. The author’s initially rough writing style also takes a bit to get used to, with certain phrases, pieces of dialogue and more feeling a little unnatural. Despite that, I was still really enjoying the story, and these initial introductory scenes slide nicely into the main part of the book.
This central plot of Argylle involves the protagonist’s team zipping around Europe, following hidden historical clues to uncover the location of the Amber Room before their Russian opponents. The search for historical treasures is always an awesome thriller storyline, and I think that the author did a good job of diving into the history of the Amber Room, exploring why it is so significant, and then bringing together a fun and clever hunt for the prize that combines the official historical record with some intriguing conspiracies. This results in a fun story, as the team are required to pull off a series of intricate heists, with the Russians close on their tail. There are some glorious set pieces here, and I loved the fun locations and over-the-top scenarios the protagonists found themselves in. Conway also works in a great spy thriller plot about a double agent in the team, as information about their missions keeps getting leaked to the Russians, with disastrous results. The character arcs surrounding several of the characters develop quite nicely, and it was great to see Argylle get closer to some of the other cast, while also coming out of his shell.
Everything leads up to a pretty big and violent conclusion, as the protagonists battle it out against the Russians for the prize. Most of this was very cool, although the issue I raised before about the large team did come to fruition at the end. In particular, the deaths of some character really were not that impactful, because you had barely gotten to know them, while the potential identity of the traitor was a lot more obvious, as it had to be one of the characters who was prominently featured. Still, the ending was epic and memorable, and I particularly enjoyed how the traitor storyline came full circle in an excellent and moving way. Readers come away from Argylle very satisfied, and there are some fun hints about the planned sequels that I would be quite interested to explore.
While I have noted a few writing issues that I had with Argylle, for the most part I liked how this novel came together. The author maintains a great pace throughout the book while also keeping the readers attached to the story. The jump between several different characters, including the villain, gives the novel some excellent layers, and it is always great to see the antagonist’s schemes in action. I also enjoyed the unique locations the author set the story in, including the jungles of Thailand, an isolated Greek island, and deep in the European wilderness. All these settings, including a few intriguing historical sites, are described in exceptional detail, and you can really imagine the characters walking through these wildernesses and getting up to their shenanigans. Throw in some excellent and high-octane action sequences, as well as some fun humour based around the unconventional protagonist, and I had a great time getting through Argylle.
Another excellent element that I enjoyed about Argylle was the fantastic central character, Aubrey Argylle. I was actually a little surprised by how he was portrayed here as, in the movie trailer, he is played by Henry Cavill in a particularly suave James Bond-esque way. However, the author flips the script around in this book, showing Argylle to be a much more rugged individual with a complex past. The child of two murdered drug smugglers, Argylle had a unique childhood and spends much of the book trying to reconcile his past with his current actions with the CIA. While the author potentially over-endowed him with natural spy abilities, it was not too noticeable, and indeed I quite enjoyed seeing the character’s early uncertainties as he grows into the agent he needs to be.
The book also features several great supporting characters. While much of the protagonist’s support team is not effectively utilised, I quite enjoyed his main friends, Woody Wyatt and Keira Carter, who get a lot of attention throughout the book, and you quickly enjoy the fun trio that forms. I especially liked the character of Wyatt, the cocky muscle of the team who initially serves as Argylle’s main rival. The scene when the two characters meet and Argylle gets the drop on him is one of the funniest in the book, and I really enjoyed the entertaining dynamic that formed between them. On top of them, Frances Coffey, serves as a complicated spymaster character for most of the plot, torn between the needs of the mission and her growing attachment to her agents. The shadowy figure of Glenn Dabrowski has one of the most intriguing storylines in the entire book, and I loved seeing his alternate view of events. Finally, the villain, Vasily Federov, adds a great deal of deadly menace to the plot, and I really enjoyed the fun way he was portrayed. While I still had some issues regarding the extensive cast, I think for the most part his book had an excellent group of characters, which helped added to the emotional impact and enjoy ability of Argylle.
Overall, I really enjoyed Argylle and I thought that it was a great debut novel. While the author has some room for improvement when it comes to their writing, I felt that this was a really good first outing, especially when it came to the fantastic story, intense action and entertaining characters. No matter who actually wrote Argylle, I personally think it was a solid, fun and highly enjoyable thriller, and I would love to get a sequel at some point. As such, I am even more excited for the upcoming Argylle film, and I look forward to seeing what twists it contains regarding the potential author. If some of the suspicions regarding the author are correct, I might re-upload this review again under their real name, but until then, let us leave this one credited to Elly Conway, whose first book is pretty damn wonderful.
Quick Review – Deadly Game by Michael Caine
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 28 November 2023)
Series: Standalone/Book One
Length: 327 pages
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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.
Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont
Publisher: Allen & Unwin (ebook – 3 January 2024)
Series: The Frenchman – Book Two
Length: 456 pages
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Former French spy Jack Beaumont presents a powerful and captivating sequel to his awesome debut with Dark Arena, a gripping read with a compelling look at European espionage.
Back in 2021 I was lucky enough to receive a copy of an outstanding debut spy thriller, The Frenchman. Written by Jack Beaumont, the pseudonym of a former operative in France’s foreign secret service, The Frenchman was an incredible read that followed a French spy who attempts to stop an elaborate terrorist plot. Featuring some amazing authenticity and a great story, The Frenchman was an exceptional read and it ended up being one of my favourite debuts of 2021. I have been eager for Beaumont to follow up The Frenchman for some time, and I was extremely excited when I received an advanced copy of this long-awaited sequel, Dark Arena, especially as it quoted one of my Canberra Weekly reviews up front. The first new novel I read in 2024, Dark Arena was another outstanding read from Beaumont that combined a powerful, character-driven narrative, with a complex look at recent European events and the potential underlying intrigue surrounding it.
When a member of the DGSE, France’s foreign secret service, is brutally murdered in front of his family by a team of Russian agents, Alec de Payns is brought in to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding his attack. De Payns soon discovers that this bloody operation is related to a recent piece of intelligence the DGSE recovered, which identifies hostile actions the Kremlin is authorising throughout Europe.
Infiltrating a secret meeting of businessmen, terrorists and Russian mercenaries aboard a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean, Alec discovers details about a mysterious assassination plot that could tip the balance of power in Europe. Determined to intervene for France’s advantage, de Payns and his team attempt to uncover the target of the assassination, as well as the underlying reasons for the death sentence. But the more they dig, the more they begin to suspect that someone is manipulating the DGSE into a confrontation with the Russians.
Closing in on their targets, de Payns soon discover the full extent of their opponent’s plans, and the DGSE are soon left with hard decisions, especially as intervening could impact France’s energy security. Caught between dangerous superpowers and with a war on the horizon, can de Payns and his team make the right choice, or will doing the right thing cost their country terribly?
This was a superb and extremely clever spy thriller sequel from Jack Beaumont, who expertly follows on from his debut with another outstanding novel. Dark Arena is an incredible read, which I think I enjoyed even more than The Frenchman, due to its excellent twists and compelling examinations of European politics and espionage.
Dark Arena proved to be quite a thrilling read that got more intense the further you get into it. Starting off with a shocking but important introduction that shows a French agent killed for the information he recovered, Dark Arena quickly moves onto the main plain, as Beaumont’s protagonist, Alec de Payns, is reintroduced and set to investigate. The initial chapters of the book are a little slow as Beaumont reasserts his steady and methodical pace, but there are some vital and fascinating story elements introduced here, especially around the conspiracy the DGSE are hoping to unravel and the protagonist’s fraught personal life. I enjoyed the slow build-up that Beaumont showcased here, mainly because it added the authenticity of the plot. The story really starts to kick into high gear once de Payns begins his infiltration of a luxury yacht, and the scenes set aboard there are loaded with risk, threat, cunny tradecraft and realistic depictions of information gathering.
Dark Arena’s plot speeds up a lot more in the second half as de Payns and his colleagues begin to investigate several different angles and potential enemy agents. The reveal that the Russians are planning an assassination is quite intriguing, especially as Beaumont ties it into the invasion of Ukraine, and it adds a certain layer of extra realism and intensity to the overall plot. While I won’t go into too much detail about this here, I felt that Beaumont did an outstanding job working his complex narrative into these major real-world events, and it was fascinating to his take on some of the events leading up to the invasion and the world politics that ensured it happened. There are also some great reveals surrounding the origin of the information that the DGSE and other European intelligence agencies have been working off, especially as it appears they are being manipulated by outside sources. The protagonist’s personal life also gets thrown front and centre in the narrative, and while I wasn’t the biggest fan of the many coincidences that brought together his family with his mission, it was compelling to see him balance the two. The full discovery of the various plots being orchestrated around Europe proves to be quite clever, and the resulting chaos as the DGSE tries to intervene despite a dangerous political situation results in some captivating moments. There are some intricate action sequences, encounters between rival spies, and some big reveals, including finally getting a payoff regarding a character introduction from The Frenchman. This ended up being a fantastic and awesome story, and I hope that we get some form of sequel to it soon.
I deeply enjoyed how Dark Arena was showcased as Beaumont has a very distinctive writing style, that relies heavily on detail and authenticity to enhance his compelling spy thriller storyline. The focus on tradecraft and the multiple complex aspects of real-life espionage and intelligence work is so damn fascinating, and the author does such a good job of making all these elements seem so realistic. Nearly every action the characters makes is loaded with intricate detail as Beaumont explains the reality of the intelligence officer’s life, and you will be enthralled by the various intricate ways that the characters attempt to outwit and avoid their opponents. While references to these actions might seem a bit repetitive at times, I thought it was a great way of hammering home just how careful these characters need to be, especially after the shocking opening scene. I really loved how much detail Beaumont shoved into every page of Dark Arena, and it made the resulting plot pop as you absolutely believed this was the sort of thing real spies would go through. This already elaborate narrative is further enhanced by the multiple layers Beaumont added to the plot as he follows various members of the DGSE as they attempt to unwind the multiple mysteries presented to them throughout the book. While I did occasionally feel that Beaumont was using too many characters, the various betrayals, secrets, and complicated loyalties that emerge from the various perspectives, including from a few antagonists, helps to create a powerful espionage tapestry, and I loved how well this amazing story came about. While Dark Arena is a sequel to The Frenchman, most readers should be able to dive straight into this second novel, as Beaumont makes the plot of this book quite accessible and any necessary details from The Frenchman are covered again here. Everything about this book is so well written, and I have a lot of love for Beaumont’s meticulous and distinctive style.
While there are several great characters in Dark Arena, the one who gets most of the focus is protagonist Alec de Payne. A dedicated DGSE field agent, de Payne is a fascinating figure who serves as the heart and soul of the series. His depiction as an agent is always very fascinating as Beaumont channels most of the espionage authenticity through his scenes. However, the most compelling aspect of de Payne’s character lies within the struggles he has balancing his secretive profession with his life as a husband and parent. Already away for long periods of time and constantly forced to lie to his friends and family, de Payne finds himself struggling more than ever in Dark Arena, especially when it comes to his relationship with his stressed wife. Thanks to the events of The Frenchman, which saw his family temporarily kidnapped, De Payne finds himself pushed even further to the brink as his is suffering from paranoia and anger following the threat to his loved ones. This really impacts his personal life, and the conflicts he experiences at home provide a powerful layer of drama to the plot, which I felt contrasted nicely with the intrigue and espionage of the rest of the book. While elements of de Payne’s personal life do blend into his professional career, it is mostly kept separate, and I loved seeing the dichotomy between a stressed family man and an accomplished spy. De Payne was such an incredible protagonist to follows as a result, and I felt his amazing story was a major highlight of this exceptional read.
Jack Beaumont provides an outstanding follow up to his epic debut with Dark Arena. Once again featuring his ultra-authentic take on spies and international espionage, Dark Arena has a captivating and realistic plot that takes his excellent and complex characters into the heart of a recent history. Intense, addictive, and so damn intricate, Dark Arena was an exceptional read from a rising star in the spy thriller game.
Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Thrillers, Crime Fiction and Historical Fiction releasing in the First Half of 2024
Welcome to my second Top Ten Tuesday list of the week, were I look at my most anticipated thrillers, crime fiction and historical fiction novels coming out in the first half of 2024. Traditionally I usually only do one list to represent the top upcoming books for the year, however, I was inspired to separate out the fantasy and science fiction novels into my previous list, while this list will feature epic reads from the other major genres that I am interested in.
Despite only just starting, 2024 is already shaping up to be an epic and exciting year for books with a huge range of impressive and highly anticipated novels due for release in the next 12 months. This includes exciting debuts, anticipated sequels and the latest entries in beloved bestselling series. The first half of the year is looking particularly awesome, with a substantial number of incredible upcoming releases that I am deeply looking forward to.
Even though I excluded fantasy and science fiction books, this ended up being a rather difficult list to pull together due to all the awesome releases coming out in Australia or on Netgalley between 1 January 2024 and 30 June 2024. There were way too many extraordinary upcoming books that I could have included, and I ended up having to make some very tough calls and cutting several novels that have an immense amount of potential. Despite this, I am rather happy with the eventual choices that I made, and I think that this list reflects the upcoming novels and comics I am going to have the most fun reading. However, there are also some interesting new books that I am discussing for the first time here, so that should give this list a bit of variety. So let us get to my selections and find out which upcoming novels are my most anticipated releases for the first half of 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
Goodbye Girl by James Grippando – 9 January 2024
A compelling legal thriller with a ton of potential.
The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox – 13 February 2024
A great crime fiction read about killers heading towards an unusual inn, introduced in a prior novel by Patterson and Fox.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 1 June 2024
The exciting sequel to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Sentinel by Mark Greaney – 25 June 2024
The fantastic sounding sequel to Greaney’s amazing action-packed Armored, Sentinel sounds very exciting and I look forward to checking it out.
Top Ten List:
The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman – 6 February 2024
First on this list is the exciting new murder mystery from Jonathan Kellerman. I have become a real fan of Kellerman’s long-running Alex Delaware series, especially after reading such excellent books as The Wedding Guest, The Museum of Desire, Serpentine, City of the Dead and Unnatural History, and I am very excited to get my hands on The Ghost Orchid. Set to follow the series’ great protagonists as they investigate a sensational double-homicide, The Ghost Orchid should prove to be very twisty, especially as both victims have secrets that could have made them the intended target of the attack. I have a lot of love for this series, and reading the new Alex Delaware book has become a fun start-of-year tradition for me.
Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz – 13 February 2024
An excellent spy thriller to start of 2024 is Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz. Part of Hurwitz’s fantastic Orphan X series (Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan), this book follows a former government assassin turned vigilante of last resort, who specialises in helping people with no-one else to turn to. This new book will set the protagonist against his deadliest enemies yet, a visionary tech billionaire and a skilled serial killer who may prove to be just as lethal as the legendary Orphan X. I look forward to diving into this awesome book and it should prove to be a great addition to a particularly cool series.
The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney – 20 February 2024
Probably the book I’m most looking forward to in early 2024 is the new Gray Man novel by Mark Greaney, The Chaos Agent. The Gray Man books are one of my favourite series at the moment, especially as all the books in the series, including The Gray Man, Mission Critical, One Minute Out (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020), Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), Sierra Six (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Burner (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), have been so very strong. This latest entry will pit the titular Gray Man against a massive conspiracy surrounding AI and force him to face off against one of his oldest friends. Sure to be one of the best books I read this year, I am so very excited to dive into The Chaos Agent.
The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry – 20 February 2024
Another awesome spy thriller that I am particularly excited to read in 2024 is The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry. Part of Berry’s awesome long-running Cotton Malone series, The Atlas Maneuver will force the series titular protagonist to unravel another world-shattering conspiracy with its origins hidden in historical secrets, including lost World War II gold, and the world’s oldest bank. I have had such a brilliant time with this series in recent years, including with books like The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom, and I cannot wait to dive into this new elaborate and captivating read.
War Cry by Ian Ross – 12 March 2024
In 2023 I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the awesome historical fiction novel, Battle Song by Ian Ross, which followed a brutal knight and his naïve squire as they get caught up in one of England’s many civil wars. A fantastic and powerful historical adventure, Battle Song was a particularly impressive read that made me a huge fan of Ross. As such, I am very eager to grab a copy of the upcoming sequel, War Cry, when it comes out here in Australia. Set to provide a follow-up to the brutal and character-forming events of Battle Song, War Cry should be another exceptional read and I cannot wait to see how Ross follows-up his previous epic novel.
White Ash Ridge by S. R. White – 14 March 2024
One of the most promising authors of Australian crime fiction, S. R. White, returns with another enticing outback mystery, White Ash Ridge. White has really impressed me in recent years with his prior novels, Prisoner and Red Dirt Road, and I am looking forward to seeing another one of his unique mysteries. His new book, White Ash Ridge, will see his unconventional detective try to solve a complex murder in an isolated hotel, where only a handful of guests of a charity dedicated to police reform were present. This will probably be one of the best Australian mysteries of 2024 and I look forward to unwinding White’s elaborate mystery.
The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill – 19 March 2024
Another great novel from an Australian author I am looking forward to in the next few months is The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill. An elaborate and personal murder mystery about a complex family and the death of a famous author, The Mystery Writer sounds so damn awesome and I cannot wait to dive into this excellent novel.
The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe – 9 April 2024
Tess Sharpe follows up her outstanding young adult thriller, The Girls I’ve Been, with a new awesome adventure in The Girl in Question. Once again following her intriguing teenage con-women protagonist as she attempts to outwit a deadly group of criminals, The Girl in Question sounds extremely awesome, and I am really excited to read this book. The Girls I’ve Been was extremely impressive and I have been waiting for a sequel for ages.
Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker – 13 May 2024
A gritty and dark psychological thriller that sees a couple get caught up in an elaborate online game where the stakes keep getting higher and higher. This is one of the most intriguing books that has caught me eye in early 2024 and I am very keen to unravel the entire sordid tale.
Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox – 4 June 2024
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the awesome thriller from one of Australia’s best crime fiction authors, Devil’s Kitchen by Candice Fox. Set to follow an elite unit of firefighters who moonlight as a dangerous heist gang, Devil’s Kitchen sounds that an extremely cool read with a great plot behind it. I have had a lot of fun with Fox’s last few books, and this should prove to be another amazing novel.
That is the end of this list. I am extremely happy with how my latest Top Ten Tuesday article turned out and this list contains an intriguing collection of upcoming books that should prove to be incredible reads. I think that nearly every one of these books has the potential to get a full five-star rating from me and I cannot wait to see what amazing and exciting stories they contain. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you, as well as what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below. Also, make sure to check out my other Top Ten List with the top upcoming fantasy and science fiction books of 2024.
Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly
Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 31 October 2023)
Series: Mickey Haller/Lincoln Lawyer – Book Seven
Length: 407 pages
My Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Acclaimed crime fiction author Michael Connelly returns with another outstanding and captivating read, Resurrection Walk, a clever and impressive legal thriller featuring two of Connelly’s best characters.
Gosh it has been a very good few years for fans of crime fiction author Michael Connelly. Not only have we got two fantastic television adaptations currently going, but Connelly has been producing several great books across his multiple subseries. Most of these books were part of his Ballard and Bosch series, with excellent novels like Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), The Dark Hours (one of my favourite books of 2021) and Desert Star (one of my favourite books of 2022), and he has also released a cool book from his fantastic Jack McEvoy series with Fair Warning (one of my favourite books of 2020). Each of these novels has been excellent in its own way, but for the best Connelly fun nothing beats a Mickey Haller novel.
The Mickey Haller series, also known as the Lincoln Lawyer books, follow Mickey Haller, an infamous and effective defence attorney in L.A who got his nickname, “the Lincoln Lawyer” by working out of a Lincoln town car. Known for intricate cases, elaborate court scenes and fantastic legal shenanigans, the Mickey Haller books are always a ton of fun and I love both the books and its current television adaption. Connelly’s last Mickey Haller book came out in 2020 with The Law of Innocence, and I was very happy to find out that he was releasing a new one this year with Resurrection Walk. Resurrection Walk was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, especially as it featured a great plot and fantastic team-up between Haller and Connelly’s best-known protagonist, Harry Bosch.
Following a successful case that freed an innocent man from prison, defence attorney Mickey Haller has gotten a taste for hopeless cases and is now working on helping those unfairly convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. Hiring his half-brother, retired detective Harry Bosch to vet the various requests for help being sent to him, Haller hopes that he can do a little good alongside his usual controversial legal practice. However, the first case that Bosch picks might be the most dangerous.
Several years ago, Lucinda Sanz was accused of killing her sheriff’s deputy ex-husband in front of her house, a crime she always claimed she was innocent of. Reading through her case, Bosch is convinced that there is far more to the murder than the files indicate, especially when he discovers evidence that the victim was part of a notorious police gang. Convincing Haller to take on Lucinda’s case, the pair begin to investigate further and begin the process of having her conviction appealed.
However, proving Lucinda’s innocence is no easy task, especially with substantial evidence proclaiming her guilt, a police force closing ranks against them, and no new witnesses willing to come forward. Worse, there are many people who don’t want Lucinda’s case re-opened, and soon Bosch and Haller find themselves being threatened on all fronts. With determined legal opponents facing them in the court and dangerous foes waiting for them at home, can even the Haller-Bosch dream team uncover the truth and save their client?
Connelly does it again with an outstanding and deeply addictive read that had me hooked from the very beginning. Expertly bringing together two of his best characters into an intense and clever legal thriller, Resurrection Walk is an amazing book, and it was probably one of my favourite Connelly reads from the last few years.
Resurrection Walk has a brilliant story around it that sees the characters of Haller and Bosch teaming up to try and get an innocent woman out of prison. While billed as a Lincoln Lawyer novel, the plot of Resurrection Walk is split between Bosch and Haller, with both characters working on the case from their own unique perspectives. Connelly dives into the fantastic story of Resurrection Walk quickly, effectively setting up the primary case, while also including some intriguing minor side cases and the compelling personal issues of the two protagonists. While a couple of the side cases and adventures at the start of the book do seem a little unnecessary in the context of the main plot, I quite enjoyed them, and Connelly does tie a couple of them back into the story in some compelling ways.
The main plot itself is extremely fun as it cleverly builds on Haller and Bosch’s existing character arcs, while also presenting the reader with a unique case. Haller and Bosch working to free a woman who pled no contest to a murder charge was always going to be a recipe for success, and Connelly turns it into gold with his writing. The author breaks the story perfectly down the middle between Haller and Bosch, and the combination of an intriguing investigation arc and Haller’s entertaining legal manoeuvrings was a ton of fun. There were also some intriguing thriller elements as the two protagonists are targeted by parties interested in stopping their investigation, which really ensures the reader gets more invested in the story. The start of the book deals with the initial investigations into their client’s claims and coming up with a game plan for a potential appeal. This proved to be a fascinating and vital part of the book as it expertly introduced a lot of the salient points to the reader while also quickly indicating that there are a ton of anomalies at play.
I really liked that Connelly took his time getting to the trial, and it helped to set up anticipation for the legal shenanigans to come. The trial in question takes up most of the second half of the novel, and it proved to be the best part of the entire novel as it brings together a lot of the story threads that Connelly previously set up. By the time you get to it, the reader is pretty invested in Lucinda Sanz’s story of innocence, and you want to see her triumph over the system that oppressed her. It also helped that Connelly was presenting a unique legal case in this book as Haller goes federal and sues the State of California with a habeas petition to try and overturn his client’s decision to plead out a murder they were framed for. This results in a very different game plan for Haller, and the resulting trial goes in some very interesting directions. Connelly really keeps the reader on their feet during the trial, and there is a blazing back and forth between Haller and his opposition, especially when both start playing some dirty tricks. Both sides have victories and defeats, and I liked how Connelly kept the reader in constant suspense, as you were never certain which way the case was going to go. Haller of course puts in his typical over-the-top and unconventional legal strategies, which throws the case in some interesting directions and leaves the reader very entertained at times. It was especially fun when some of them backfire on him, and the reminder that the protagonist isn’t legally invulnerable was a great part of the plot.
Everything leads up to a big conclusion which wraps up the plot in an interesting way. While I liked elements of the finale, I did think that Connelly got there a little suddenly, and it kind of messed up the overall flow of the book. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the fact that the major event that sealed the deal occurred outside of the courtroom, and I honestly would have preferred some form of elaborate legal tactic to save the day. Still, there are some great moments at the end, especially when Haller uses a few more tricks to make things go his way, minus some funny legal repercussions, but it was a generally satisfying ending that I deeply enjoyed.
Connelly did a wonderful job writing Resurrection Walk, and I loved how well he set out the story. I deeply appreciated how there was some real authenticity in the various legal elements of this book, from the unique trial, the boundless prep-work, and the other vital work involved in the process. Connelly also broaches some interesting concepts during the trial, including AI generated crime scene renderings, which was fascinating, even if it didn’t always go the way you hoped it would. This book has a wonderful pace to it, especially during the intense and moving trial sequences, and I loved how invested I got in events, including those associated with the main case, and the personal lives of the two dynamic protagonists. Connelly has a lot of experience of inserting his main protagonist, Harry Bosch, into other protagonists’ stories, and I think that he was a strong inclusion in Resurrection Walk as an equal protagonist to tell an outstanding story. There is an equal balance of storylines and actions between the two, and I deeply appreciated the different tenses that the author uses depending on who the perspective character is, especially as the first-person perspective is perfect for Haller and his ego, while the third-person perspective fits Bosch’s quieter personality better. This, and other elements, ensured Resurrection Walk’s narrative really popped, and Connelly amazing writing helped to turn this into an amazing read.
I mentioned how well the author switched between these two well-established protagonists, but Resurrection Walk also had some awesome character dynamics and arcs that added to the overall impact of the plot. Both Haller and Bosch have been going through some intriguing ongoing storylines for several of their last appearances, and it was great to see some resolution or continuation of it here. Haller, for example, has been trying to come to terms with what he wants to do as a lawyer as he has been having a certain amount of dissatisfaction with being a defence attorney for the city’s scum. Bosch, on the other hand, has been slowly (ever so slowly) dying of cancer for the last few books, and his work with Haller in Resurrection Walk is due to Haller getting him on his insurance. However, this raises even more issues for Bosch, as he, a former cop, is now working for a defence attorney, and he finds himself on the other end of the law process as a result. This results in some intriguing and tense interactions between the two protagonists, especially as these brothers have different interpretations of the law, and it was really fascinating to see them come at the same case from very different angles. Tension, inner drama, and other personal concerns added some excellent emotional weight to Resurrection Walk’s plot, and I really enjoyed seeing these protagonists in action, especially as there is a certain amount of respect gained between them as the case proceeds. The author handles both characters extremely well in Resurrection Walk, and while I am a little dissatisfied that Connelly seems to be backing away from Bosch being on death’s door (an experimental treatment is making him better), both of Connelly’s amazing and iconic protagonist have an amazing time in this book and their collaboration was pure gold.
Michael Connelly once again produces one of the best crime fiction books of the year with the exciting legal thriller Resurrection Walk. This is a captivating and powerful novel that combines a fascinating and intense legal case with two fan favourite characters to produce an exceptional and awesome read. I powered through Resurrection Walk in no time at all, and it ended up getting an easy five-star rating from me. One of my favourite books of the year, I cannot recommend the clever, moving, and highly addictive Resurrection Walk enough.
Vendetta by Sarah Barrie
Publisher: HQ (Trade Paperback – 15 November 2023)
Series: Lexi Winter – Book Three
Length: 392 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
One of Australia’s most impressive crime fiction authors, Sarah Barrie, returns with the third book in her gritty Lexi Winter series, Vendetta.
For the last couple of years one of my favourite new Australian crime fiction series has been the Lexi Winter books by Sarah Barrie. Set in Sydney and central New South Wales, the series follows Lexi Winter, a vigilante hacker who bears a massive and righteous hatred for child molesters. The first book in the series, Unforgiven, saw Lexi attempt to take down a serial killing paedophile with connections to her complex past in a dark and bloody read. This first book in the series served as a great introduction to Lexi and her police supporting characters, while also giving some fantastic insights into the events that formed her. The second book, Retribution, saw Lexi as a newly initiated police officer who still broke the rules, especially when it came to hunting down her nemesis and destroying everyone who helped him. The first two books in this series are so damn good, and I have been keen to see how this series would continue. I recently got my wish as I just finished off the third book in the series, Vendetta, which proved to be an exceptional and dark read.
After taking down a notorious crime family, maverick rookie police officer and occasional vigilante hacker Lexi Winter is riding high. However, a sudden phone call is going to take her down a dark path that will force her to revisit some of the worst parts of her past. Two old friends she owes deeply are in trouble with a well-connected local motorcycle club, Chaos Reigns, and the only way Lexi can save them is to go undercover and pretend to work for the gang.
However, as Lexi begins her new assignment, she finds herself confronting a long-hidden ghost from her past. Years ago, Lexi found a family with another outlaw motorcycle club, the Combat Crew, who harnessed her natural talent with computers and taught her every dirty trick she knows. With members of Combat Crew making up the senior levels of Chaos Reigns, Lexi finds herself forced to deal with hardened criminals who know more about her troubled history than anyone else. Forced to assume her old persona, Lexi works to once again earn their trust, but not everyone is convinced that she is on the level, especially when her connections with the police are discovered. Worse, members of her police team are convinced that her undeclared past with Combat Crew makes her too much of a liability and soon Lexi’s loyalties are tested like never before.
But suspicions and secrets are the least of Lexi’s problems when she finds herself in the middle of a series of explosive attacks aimed at the members of Chaos Reigns. The former president of Combat Crew, Arthur Cronin, has been released from prison and is more than willing to blow up anyone he feels was responsible for the murder of his wife and child. Caught between deranged bikies and suspicious friends, Lexi must use all her skills to survive and save who she can. But as the case takes more from her and more of her colleagues begin to turn on her, Lexi will be forced to finally decide where her loyalties belong and what side of the law she truly exists on.
Sarah Barrie continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s fastest rising crime fiction stars with another powerful and gritty read. Vendetta had one of the strongest plots of the entire Lexi Winter series so far, as not only did it present the reader with a great murder mystery/thriller plot but it also featured some intriguing character work. Barrie does an excellent job of moving the plot of Vendetta away from the previous novels, and the interesting redirect towards a motorcycle club, a firm favourite villain organisation in Australian crime fiction, makes for an interesting change of pace.
The main story proves to be an intricate and compelling mixture of character driven narratives as the plot jumps across several excellent characters, most of whom were introduced in the prior novels. The story primarily follows troubled protagonist Lexi Winter who is forced to go undercover in a motorcycle club to save some old friends. Initially pretending to be a criminal, Lexi soon finds her cover blown and must work all sides as she tries to retain both the trust of her police colleagues and her old associates. Having the protagonist forced back with the bikies who trained her was a masterstroke from Barrie, and I loved how conflicted it made both her and the reader, as you don’t know which way she’s going to turn. Barrie really hammers home the importance of Lexi’s chapters by showing everything from her perspective in the first person, and you really feel connected to her adventure as a result. The author makes things even more interesting by introducing a crazed bikie leader seeking revenge, internal police politics making things difficult for Lexi, and personal conflicts amongst the protagonists finally coming to the surface in some damaging ways.
The last half of Vendetta is probably the best. After the great set-up at the start, Lexi is fully imbedded in Chaos Reigns and is committing all manner of criminal acts for them. Watching Lexi at her worst was so damn powerful, especially as she appears to turn on her friends, and the resulting drama, anger and conflict made for some excellent reading. You are constantly on your edge of your seat as the various story elements start to come together and the police start to close in on Lexi, Chaos Reigns’ criminal actions, and the mad bomber. Things get pretty dark at times, and Barrie works in some big twists. I saw a few of these coming, but the main reveals at the end were cleverly hidden and well set up in the first half of the book. I loved the exciting and compelling end to the plot that allowed the protagonist to really shine and setting up some interesting future adventures. Everything about this story was extremely awesome, and I really got invested in the high-stakes plot and the deeper personal aspects that resulted as well.
Despite the central crime being unconnected to the main series antagonist, Vendetta was a great Lexi Winter novel that masterfully moved the series and characters along. I honestly think that the series needed a book with a different investigative target at this point in the ongoing narrative, and it builds up anticipation for the next interaction with the main villain in future entries. The change in focus also allows Vendetta to be enjoyed more as a standalone novel than the second book, although I did notice a few minor plot gaps from the previous entries that Barrie could have done a better job exploring. Barrie also continues some of the prevailing themes of the previous book, including comparisons between vigilantism and official police work, as Lexi tries to decide what side of the law best works for her to get her required revenge. Naturally, those readers who checked out the prior novels are probably going to get a lot more out of Vendetta, and indeed it helped to explain certain character actions from the previous book that never quite made sense to me. However, Vendetta is honestly a great and gritty piece of Australian fiction anyone can enjoy.
Once again, a major highlight of this series is the outstanding cast of compelling and damaged protagonists, each of whom has their own unique stories. This is particularly true of the series’ titular protagonist, Lexi Winter, who Barrie has turned into quite a conflicted and complex figure. We have already seen quite a lot of Lexi’s dark past in the previous books, especially in Unforgiven, and Vendetta builds on this extremely well, giving us insights into her criminal past, including the origins of her hacking abilities. I loved how well this past was explored and featured throughout Vendetta, and it gave this already fantastic character some extra layers, especially it explores why she is more reliant to do things on her own then go through official channels. This complex past with the motorcycle club ensured that Lexi had a particularly compelling and exciting storyline in Vendetta as she finds herself caught between her prior loyalties and the friends she made in the last two books. As such, the reader spends much of the story unsure whose side Lexi is truly on, especially when key police characters turn against her, and I was constantly on the edge of my seat waiting to see how this would turn out. I think Barrie resolved this extremely well, as Lexi’s strong moral compass always guided her along the right path, and I also enjoyed how parts of Lexi’s narrative come full circle, especially when she finds herself a protégé. There is also some intriguing examination of Lexi’s view on relationships and love, much of which is impacted by her past, and I appreciated the compelling and mostly tasteful way that Barrie explored this. I cannot wait to see how Lexi’s story continues in the future, as she is without a doubt the best character in the series.
In addition to Lexi, Vendetta features a brilliant and compelling cast of additional characters, many of whom have appeared in prior novels in the series. Barrier introduces some great development and personal drama to surround these characters and it works to enhance the already powerful story. Detective Senior Sergeant Finn Carson is once again very solid as the male lead of the book, and Barrie makes good use of his unique friendship/relationship with Lexi to build up some serious drama as he tries to work out her actions and motivations. Lexi’s mentor, Detective Inspector Rachael Langly, also proves to be compelling figure in Vendetta, especially as, after going to bat for Lexi time and time again, it looks like her protégé has turned on her. Finally, I was particularly happy that we got some further developments around Detective Sergeant Lisa “Cass” Cassidy. Cass was an interesting inclusion in the second novel, although for some unexplained reason her main character attribute was being dismissive and hostile towards Lexi. Barrie expanded on this in Vendetta, as Cass was revealed to have a hidden connections to Lexi’s past which is explored in this current case. As such, Cass spends much of the book trying to hide her involvement with Lexi and her prior mistakes involving the bikies. This adds some major fire and drama to the plot, and while Cass proves to be one of the more unlikable characters in the story Barrie masterfully paints her as a victim, and I deeply appreciated her journey and the deeper pain behind her actions. Throw in a great collection of bikies and other criminals, including her old mentor and protector, and the intense personal connections in Vendetta really jump up, resulting in an outstanding read.
Sarah Barrie continues to showcase why she is one of Australia’s best current crime fiction authors with the outstanding third Lexi Winter book. Featuring a particularly strong story that takes the reader on a dark journey in both the past and the present, Vendetta is a great read that had me hooked all the way to the end. Loaded with violence, bad decisions and damaged characters, Vendetta one of Barrie’s best novels yet and I cannot recommend it enough.
Waiting on Wednesday – Upcoming 2024 Thrillers
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 highlight three outstanding sounding thrillers coming out in the first half of 2024.
In recent years I have really grown to love the thriller genre, having had a lot of fun reading a variety of different books from this awesome category of fun novels. Something about the action, intrigue and adventure really speaks to me, and I always have an outstanding time with a good thriller. Thanks to my increased interest in this genre, there are several series and authors I am a massive fan of, and whose books I am always going to grab whenever they come out each year. As such, there are three particularly outstanding thrillers coming out in the first half of 2024 that I am very excited for, and I cannot wait to check them out.
The first book I want to look at is the awesome sounding Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz. Lone Wolf is part of Hurwitz’s Orphan X series that follows a former government assassin turned resourceful vigilante as he attempts to help those who have nowhere else to turn. This is a very fun series and I have enjoyed several epic entries so far, including Out of the Dark, Into the Fire, Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan.
The next Orphan X book, Lone Wolf, is set for release in February 2024 and has another epic sounding plot behind it. This time the protagonist is caught between a dangerous assassin who might be as good as he is and a mysterious tech billionaire, each of whom have their own twisted agendas. This upcoming novel sounds pretty awesome, and I cannot wait to see what carnage, intrigue and deep personal growth occurs in this next fantastic book.
Plot Synopsis:
AN ASSASSIN IN FREEFALL: Following a career in which he was always the most dangerous man in the room, ex-government assassin Evan Smoak is the last person his friends should ever have to worry about. But when Evan, formerly codenamed Orphan X, drops out of sight they’re concerned. They were right to be. A personal crisis has left him on his knees.
A RECLUSIVE BILLIONAIRE: If anyone remembered his first name they never cared to use it. But Allman’s lack of empathy hasn’t proven any barrier to building a tech empire whose tentacles reach into every aspect of people’s lives. And in the rush to praise his genius, no one’s asking what it could mean for humanity. Nor what Allman’s got coming next.
A KILLER AT LARGE: Someone is leaving a trail of dead in their wake. Apparently chosen at random, their deaths dressed up as accidents or suicides. The woman responsible is known only as the Wolf and looks to be every bit Evan’s equal. She now has him in her sights.
How does it all connect? What is at stake? And will Evan rediscover the instinct and skill he needs to prevail? Or die trying . . .
The second book I want to highlight is the complex and entertaining sounding new release from Steve Berry, The Atlas Maneuver. The 18th entry in Berry’s long-running Cotton Malone series, The Atlas Maneuver contains another intricate conspiracy laden storyline whose origin lies in the depths of history. I have a lot of love for this awesome series as Berry constantly works outrageous moments from history into elaborate modern day thriller storylines, and I have really enjoyed the last few entries, including The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web and The Last Kingdom.
This next Cotton Malone book, which is coming out in late February 2024, will see Cotton Malone thrust into another conspiracy, this time involving hidden Japanese war gold, the world’s oldest bank and the CIA, all wrapped into a story about bitcoin. I am very intrigued to see a financial based thriller plot, especially with such awesome sounding historical elements, and I know Berry will do a wonderful job bringing this all together. As such, The Atlas Maneuver is currently one of my most anticipated releases for 2024 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
Plot Synopsis:
From celebrated New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry comes the latest Cotton Malone adventure, in which Cotton unravels a mystery from World War II involving a legendary lost treasure, Yamashita’s Gold, worth billions.
1945. In the waning months of World War II, Japan hid vast quantities of gold and other stolen valuables in boobytrapped underground caches all across the Philippines. By 1947 some of that loot was recovered, not by treasure hunters, but by the United States government, which told no one about the find. Instead, those assets were stamped classified, shipped to Europe, and secretly assimilated into something called the Black Eagle Trust.
Present day. Retired Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, is in Switzerland doing a favor for a friend. But what was supposed to be a simple operation turns violent and Cotton is thrust into a war between the world’s oldest bank and the CIA, a battle that directly involves the Black Eagle Trust. He quickly discovers that everything hinges on a woman from his past, who suddenly reappears harbouring a host of explosive secrets centring around bitcoin. The cryptocurrency is being quietly weaponized, readied for an assault on the world’s financial systems, a calculated move that will have devastating consequences. Cotton has no choice. He has to act. But at what cost?
From the stolid banking halls of Luxembourg, to the secret vaults of Switzerland, and finally up into the treacherous mountains of southern Morocco, Cotton Malone is stymied at every turn. Each move he makes seems wrong, and nothing works, until he finally comes face-to-face with the Atlas Manoeuvre.
The final book I want to highlight is Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven, an author I only recently became a fan of. Craven has written several intriguing thriller novels over the years, and I was lucky enough to get a copy of his latest book earlier this year with Fearless. A fast-paced and over-the-top read that focussed on a cocky and deadly protagonist who literally feels no fear, Fearless was an exciting and exceedingly entertaining revenge romp that saw the protagonist destroy a sinister organisation.
I had an amazing time with Fearless and I was very excited to see that there was another Ben Koenig book coming out in June 2024. This outstanding book will see the protagonist thrust into another daring adventure, this time involving the CIA, a deadly killer in London and a long-hidden agent with a ton of secrets in her head. Nobody’s Hero sounds extremely fun and impressive, and I am expecting another crazy and bloody action romp from Craven.
Plot Synopsis:
The man who can’t feel fear is back, in a race against time to find the woman who knows a secret that could take down the world as we know it.
When a shocking murder and abduction on the streets of London leads investigators to him, Ben Koenig has no idea at first why the highest echelons of the CIA would need his help. But then he realises he knows the woman who carried out the killings. Ten years earlier, without being told why, he was tasked with helping her disappear.
Far from being a deranged killer, she is the gatekeeper of a secret that could take down the West, so for years she has been in hiding.
Until now.
And if she has resurfaced, the danger may be closer and more terrifying than anyone can imagine.
So Ben Koenig has to find her before it’s too late. But Ben suffers from a syndrome which means he can’t feel fear. He doesn’t always know when he should walk away, or when he’s leading others into danger . . .
Fast, brutal, smart, and violent, Nobody’s Hero is an engrossing story of contract killers, international terrorism, hard choices — and a fearless man.
Early 2024 is shaping up to be a hell of a year for thriller readers. The three books above sound so damn awesome and I am very excited to continue all these great series. I imagine all three are going to be some of my favourite books of the year and I look forward to seeing what elaborate new adventures these amazing authors have come up with.
Kill Your Husbands by Jack Heath
Publisher: Allen & Unwin Australia (Trade Paperback – 28 November 2023)
Series: Kill Your Brother – Book Two
Length: 384 pages
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
One of my favourite Australian authors, the scarily good Jack Heath, returns with another twisted and brilliant thriller, Kill Your Husbands.
Easily one of the best Australian thriller authors at the moment has to be the always impressive Jack Heath. Hailing from my hometown of Canberra, Heath has written a compelling range of epic thrillers over the years, all of which have been fun and captivating in their own way. I am a major fan of his Timothy Blake series (check out my reviews for Hideout and Headcase), which follows the gruesome adventures of a murder-solving cannibal. Heath has also produced several other great standalone or Australian series, including his 2021 novel, Kill Your Brother. An intense and shocking thriller that forced a highly damaged protagonist to choose between killing her guilty brother or dying herself, Kill Your Brother was one of the best pieces of Australian fiction in 2021 and I had such a great time reading it. As such, when I saw that Heath had a new Australian thriller coming out this year, I was very excited, especially when I found out it was a sequel to Kill Your Brother. This new book, Kill Your Husbands, had a wicked plot synopsis, and I fell in love with it the moment I read it. One of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2023, Kill Your Husbands was a shocking read that I had so much fun with.
It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend away for three couples, longtime friends since school the six overworked and stressed adults decide to escape their taxing lives for a weekend up in the mountains. With no internet or cell reception, their getaway was supposed to be a quiet time of drinking and bushwalking. However, after the topic of partner-swapping is raised on the first night, the entire mood of the weekend shifts. What starts as a joke soon turns into an elaborate plan to ensure anonymity between partners, with the lights turned off and the men choosing a bedroom at random. No one will know who they’ve been with, and no one will ever be certain if they slept with anyone other than their spouse.
However, when the lights come back on, one of the participants is missing. A search soon reveals their body outside, clearly the victim of a violent attack. With no cell reception and the keys to the cars missing, the remaining five people quickly become suspicious of the other survivors. As the weekend continues and more people begin to disappear and die, old wounds, festering grudges and decaying relationships come to the fore, turning husbands against wives and friend against friend.
Two weeks later, Senior Constable Kiara Lui returns to the murder scene with her girlfriend, Elise. Having interviewed the survivors, Kiara is certain at least one of them is lying and the killer is within her grasp. Kiara knows that the answers lie within the house, but with strange occurrences occurring around the property, one person still missing, and her own girlfriend’s strange behaviour starting to concern her, can Kiara break through all the lies and secrets and find the truth before the killer strikes again?
This was another excellent and thrilling read from Heath, who pulls together another insane, yet highly clever, mystery that you really cannot put down. Making full use of Heath’s outrageous plot, Kill Your Husbands is a dark and twisty novel that I had so much fun reading and which is easily one of the best pieces of Australian fiction I have read all year.
I loved the unique, memorable and very twisted central idea that Heath came up with for Kill Your Husbands, as murderous partner swapping is honestly it was one of the more amusing and outrageous plot focuses I have seen. Starting off with a quick introduction sequence, the reader is soon enthralled in split focus narrative throughout Kill Your Husbands as half the chapters recount the weekend of the murders and the events leading up to the killings, while the rest of the chapters are set after the murders and focus on Senior Constable Kiara Lui, a supporting character from Kill Your Brother, as she attempts to solve the crime. This proves to be a very clever and impressive way to showcase the plot, and I loved the simultaneous look at the investigation, the weekend in question, and all the key events that led up to the crime. Both separate storylines are very interesting and compelling in their own way, especially as they paint two different pictures of the chaotic events in question. Thanks to Heath using first names during the chapters set in the past and only referring to surnames when it comes to the later investigation, you don’t get any spoilers about what is going to happen during the weekend. As such, it isn’t until the end of the book that you are completely certain about who dies and who survives, and this allows you to remain on the edge of your seat as your watch the chaotic events unfold.
Heath paces out both arcs of the story extremely well, and they work well together to tell an intriguing and powerful story. The scenes set in the past tell a powerful and character-driven tale, with flashbacks to prior interactions, details about their turbulent relationships, and a great range of petty slights that ensure everyone had a motive for killing the rest of the group. Heath ensures that the characters are all stewing in this during the early chapters in the mountain before the partner swapping scene occurs. The author sets this up perfectly, with the subterfuge, secret plans, and hidden desires all coming into their choices, and the resulting chaos sufficiently messing with them. As such, all of them are primed to be the killer when the first victim emerges, and the subsequent environment of fear, suspicion and hatred make for some outstanding scenes, especially when all their secrets come to light.
At the same time, the reader gets a fantastic look at the ongoing investigation being undertaken by Kiara as she tries to get to grips with the case. There are some great scenes here, especially as Kiara independently uncovers the secrets of the three married couples, which works into the other timeline extremely well. There are some fun moments in this part of the investigation, especially when Kiara and Elise make the interesting decision to book out the murder house for a holiday so they can try and find some answers, while also dealing with their own intense personal issues. While there are some excellent moments in this part of the book, the investigation angle of Kill Your Husbands is the weaker half of the novel, mostly because it lacks the juicy details the lead up to all the murders. I also didn’t think that Heath needed to shoehorn in the characters from Kill Your Brother into the plot, as fresh new police protagonists would have also been just as effective. Still this second half of the book was very fascinating, and the clues revealed within give you some great hints about who the killer is and how they got away with it.
The eventual solution for Kill Your Husbands is exceedingly clever, and I really liked how all the key events of the book played out. The climax of the murderous weekend is pretty damn shocking in its entirety, and I loved just how well Heath managed to keep secret who survived and who died right until the end. The killer’s motivations and the events that drove them to it are well set out, and the scenes where they commit their crimes really drive home just how dangerous they are. Certain other reveals towards the end of the book, especially when Kiara gets close to the truth, reveal just how clever this entire story is, and I loved how certain innocuous mentions or clues are well utilised later in the story. The entire solution of the book, as well as the final confrontation between Kiara and the killer are just perfect, and you will come away from Kill Your Husbands extremely satisfied after travelling through such a captivating, unique and brilliant mystery.
This elaborate story and murder mystery wouldn’t be possible without the great characters featured in Kill Your Husbands. I particularly loved the six friends who journeyed to the cabin and who end up being pulled into the deadly partner swapping/murder plot. Heath does a wonderful job of effectively introducing them and you get drawn into their complex lives, filled with emotional damage and occasionally petty problems. While you do feel sorry for some of the characters, most of them are somewhat despicable and unlikeable to a degree, which ensures that are highly interesting and fun in the context of the main murder. I loved how many personal issues and secrets came out as the story progressed, and you really get invested in seeing who the killer is, possibly more than finding out who survived. I loved how fun and interesting these main characters where and Heath did such a great job featuring him in this crazy story.
The other major characters are Senior Constable Kiara Lui and her girlfriend, Elise, who serve as the main figures in the investigation arc of the book. As I mentioned about, Kiara and Elise both appeared in Kill Your Brother, with Elise serving as the main character of that novel. However, Elise takes more of a backseat here with Kiara stepping up and leading the investigation. While I don’t think Kill Your Husbands really needed some of the drama and ongoing trauma surrounding these characters, I did enjoy seeing them still together after the events of Kill Your Brother, and I liked how Heath moved Kiara more to the fore in this book. Kiara was a badass investigator, and it was great to see her try to prove herself while also still concerned about her clearly traumatised girlfriend. For her part, Elise is still trying to prove herself after her controversial past the helpless position she found herself in during the events of Kill Your Brother. As such, she takes some big risks and acts very recklessly in this book, often to the detriment of Kiara’s investigation or emotions. This extra layer of emotional charge ensured that Kill Your Husbands’ plot was a little more convoluted and intense, and I did enjoy seeing these two characters again. That being said, you don’t need to have read Kill Your Brother to full appreciate these characters in this sequel, and you can get the full range of emotions from reading Kill Your Husbands as a standalone read. I honestly came away from Kill Your Husbands very impressed with how Heath introduced and utilised his characters and they were such a distinctive and fun group of figures who were perfect to get wrapped up in a murder.
Overall, Kill Your Husbands was another outstanding and compelling novel from Jack Heath, who continues to show why he is the master of crazy Australian crime fiction. Heath had a lot of fun with his outrageous plot and the way he worked his excellent and damaged characters into this complex murder mystery was very impressive. A captivating and dark read from start to finish, Kill Your Husbands is one of the most memorable and intense Australian thrillers of 2023 and Heath is a must-read author for anyone looking for some truly shocking and mental crime fiction.
The Defector by Chris Hadfield
Publisher: Quercus (Trade Paperback – 10 October 2023)
Series: The Apollo Murders – Book Two
Length: 369 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Former astronaut turned thriller author Chris Hadfield returns with his second excellent novel, the intriguing and clever historical read, The Defector.
Back in 2021, I was lucky enough to receive a copy of superstar astronaut Chris Hadfield’s cool and much-hyped debut novel, The Apollo Murders. Set during the Cold War, The Apollo Murders depicted an alternate history adventure where a fictional Apollo flight mission to the moon suffered all manner of calamity, including murder, treachery, and unexpected Russian hitchhikers. Thanks to Hadfield’s knowledge of history and spaceflight, this turned out to be quite the gripping read, and The Apollo Murders ended up being one of my top debuts for 2021. As such, I have been eager to see how Hadfield planned to follow up his first book, and I was quite excited when I saw that his second novel was a sequel to The Apollo Murders. This book, The Defector, was an excellent and compelling thriller which I had a brilliant time getting through.
Israel, 1973. On the eve of the Yom Kippur War, a Soviet test pilot makes the bold decision to fake a crash in his state-of-the-art MiG fighter and secretly land in Israel. Claiming that he wants to defect to the United States, the pilot, known by his codename, Grief, and his plane are traded to the Americans, who desperately want to know the secrets of the MiG and how it achieves such impressive altitude.
Having witnessed Grief’s defection while on holiday in Israel, NASA flight controller and former Navy test pilot Kaz Zemeckis is quickly drafted in to take carriage of the captured MiG and to work with Grief to fully understand the plane’s limitations and capabilities. Their unlikely partnership eventually takes them to the most secure and secret location in the United States, Area 51, where Grief looks set to provide all the information the Americans have ever wanted about the MiG. However, not everything is as it seems, and it soon becomes apparent that Grief has his own reasons for wanting to defect to the United States. Can Kaz get to truth before it is too late, or has he let a wolf right into the heart of America’s most secret air base?
This ended up being an excellent and exciting novel from Hadfield that successfully follows up his original debut and provides a cool and intense new story that proves very hard to put down. Hadfield tells a pretty tight and compelling story in The Defector that starts strong with the mysterious Grief defecting right in the middle of the Yom Kippur War. This initial excitement morphs into an intense and gripping game of cat and mouse, as Kaz attempts to utilised Grief’s knowledge and keep his defection secret from the Soviets, while the Russian pilot works to initiate his own plans.
This continues for much of the book, and I thought this ended up being a much more focused and well-structured thriller narrative than we previously saw from Hadfield in The Apollo Murders. The focus on espionage and military secrets was a great centre for the plot, and Hadfield did a good job on also utilising some intriguing characters, especially Kaz and the mysterious Grief. The inclusion of a couple of fictional supporting characters from The Apollo Murders, namely a cosmonaut and a major Soviet antagonist, was also quite interesting, although as they were mainly there to set up a future entry in the series it did disrupt the narrative flow a little. Everything leads up to the big conclusion, which Hadfield set up nicely throughout the course of the story. While I do think that Hadfield might have considered utilising a twist to change the antagonist around, it was still really fun to see the full plan unfold, as well as the real reasons behind the defection. Watching the manipulation and the resulting violence unfold was very impressive, and it led to a satisfying, if slightly predictable, final showdown with the protagonist that ended everything on a high note.
I really enjoyed how well The Defector came together, especially as Hadfield reused all his best writing elements from The Apollo Murders, while also strongly utilising his own personal experiences and knowledge as a test pilot. The constant switching between perspective characters, as well as several interludes and flashback sequences, helped to produce a complex, multilayered storyline, and I liked seeing the various players in the plot attempt to work out what everyone else is doing. It also allowed Hadfield to hide some good hints about the antagonist’s true motivations and feelings, which came out perfectly at the end of the book. There was also some great character growth around the protagonist Kaz, especially as Hadfield successfully built on his personality and relationships from the first book, and it is clear that the author has some future adventures planned for him.
However, the real strength of The Defector lies in Hadfield’s encyclopaedic knowledge of military airplanes, Cold War espionage history and spaceflight, which was masterfully inserted into the plot. Much of the plot revolves around the desire for both sides of the Cold War to get a better understanding of their opponent’s aircraft capability, and Hadfield expertly examines the history and mechanics around this. The discussions about aircraft, fighter capabilities and more, are all quite fascinating, and Hadfield does a wonderful job of exploring them in a highly detailed way that readers unfamiliar with aircraft can easily understand. His experience also allows for some highly realistic and intense aerial combat sequences, and I really enjoyed the elaborate scenes that resulted, especially the cool conclusion. This grasp of aircraft, the history surrounding their development, and the espionage involved, are well worked into the plot of The Defector, and I loved how much it increased the authenticity of the book, making it so much better.
Overall, The Defector was an outstanding second novel from Hadfield that I had a wonderful time reading. Containing a clever and well-paced spy thriller narrative loaded with intriguing details about aircraft and the cold war, The Defector had me hooked from its first awesome scene, and I managed to power through this book in no time at all. Compelling and action packed, The Defector was an outstanding follow-up to The Apollo Murders and I cannot wait to see what Hadfield writes next.
The Unseen Library 