Waiting on Wednesday – The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

On August 2, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I jump ahead to 2024 by checking out one of the top thrillers of next year with The Chaos Agent by legendary author Mark Greaney.

The Chaos Agent Cover

Ever since I started getting into online book reviewing, one of the best authors I have been getting into was acclaimed thriller author Mark Greaney. Greaney, a veteran of the genre with a great range of books under his belt, has been producing awesome reads since 2009, and has been finding even more prominence recently thanks to the movie adaptations of his work. While I have had an amazing time with some of his standalone books, such as Armored or Red Metal (co-written with H. Ripley Rawlings IV, and one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019), I know him best thanks to his epic Gray Man thriller series.

The Gray Man novels are a brilliant spy thriller series that follows fugitive government agent, Court Gentry, known in intelligence circles as the Gray Man, a legendary and unstoppable killer. This series is so much fun as Greaney combines great characters, elaborate and clever storylines, and his addictive and well-crafted writing style, to produce some amazing read. I have deeply enjoyed every book in this series that I have so far read, including the first book, The Gray Man, and some of the more recent entries such as 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 from the first half of 2023). The Gray Man books are now a firm part of my yearly reading schedule, and I was incredibly excited to find out some details about the next entry, The Chaos Agent.

The Chaos Agent, which is currently set for release in February 2024, will be the 13^th book in the Gray Man series and will pit Gentry, and some of his recurring companions, against a dangerous new enemy.

Plot Synopsis:

Artificial intelligence leads to shockingly real devastation in this new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Gray Man series.

Someone is killing the world’s leading experts on robotics and computers. A desperate Russian scientist approaches Court Gentry and Zoya Zakharova to ask for their protection, but before they can help, they are attacked by a team of professional assassins.

They escape, but wherever they turn, it’s clear that whoever’s tracking them is always going to be one step ahead. With a danger of this level, there’s no choice but to attack into the threat.

There is one man who may hold the answers to all their questions. But he’s gone to ground in a fortress surrounded by a veritable army. If that’s not bad enough, he has a new chief of security – Court’s old comrade, Zack Hightower.

Unsurprisingly, I love the sound of this upcoming Gray Man novel and I think the story sounds very interesting. Greaney has an excellent habit of bringing in relevant contemporary issues to his stories (for example, his most recent novel, Burner, made great use of the Russian invasion of Ukraine), and I look forward to seeing the author’s examination of the artificial intelligence. No doubt this will greatly impact the lives of the protagonists, both of whom are wanted fugitives and notorious government assassins, and I look forward to seeing the established, old-school spies of Gentry and Zahkarova, deal with the shifting technology of a moving world. I also love the sound of an impregnable and well defended fortress as the end goal of the protagonists, and I am sure that will result in one of Greaney’s impressive and unmissable extended action sequences.

In addition to the cool sounding plot synopsis above, I am also keen to see how Greaney will continue some of the ongoing storylines of the larger Gray Man series in The Chaos Agent. The last novel in the series really shook up some key elements of the Gray Man universe, including in the relationship between the two main characters, and I am intrigued to see what happens there. It will also be fun to see more of Zack Hightower, Gentry and Zahkarova’s former comrade, who always plays off the other two spies perfectly. Having Hightower as a potential antagonist will be fun, especially as he knows the protagonists so damn well, and it should make for a very entertaining battle of the spies.

Honestly, there was no way that I was going to miss the new Gray Man novel when it came out in 2024, the series is that damn good. However, I am now even more excited for the next Mark Greaney book as The Chaos Agent sounds like an awesome read. With all the promised thriller antics above, as well as Greaney’s proven track record for high intensity action scenes and brilliant characters, The Chaos Agent is going to be an exceptional novel, and I already know it is going to be one of my favourites books of 2024.

Quick Review – The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

On July 30, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Quick Review, Thriller3 Comments

The Interpreter Cover

Publisher: Harvill Secker (Trade Paperback – 6 June 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 317 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Debuting Australian author Brooke Robinson presents an intriguing and captivating first novel with The Interpreter, which looks at a previously unseen player in the crime fiction genre, the person translating testimony in the background.

Plot Synopsis:

THE MOST DANGEROUS PERSON IN THE COURTROOM ISN’T THE KILLER…

Single mother Revelle Lee is an interpreter who spends her days translating for victims, witnesses and the accused across London. Only she knows what they’re saying. Only she knows the truth.

When she believes a grave injustice is about to happen, and a guilty man is going to be labelled innocent, she has the power to twist an alibi to get the verdict she wants. She’s willing to risk it all to do what’s right.

But when someone discovers she lied, Revelle finds the cost might be too high… and she could lose everything, including her son.

The Interpreter proved to be a very interesting book that I had a good time getting through. Following the titular interpreter, Revelle Lee, The Interpreter had a very cool crime fiction story to it that contained both mystery and a compelling dark thriller element to it. I loved how the story focused on an interpreter in the legal scene, and Robinson did a very good job of diving into this unique profession, especially as the author takes a ton of time to show how such individuals work and the range of scenarios they might find themselves in. The author also provides the reader with a compelling introduction to the character of Revelle Lee, a dedicated interpreter with a past who is trying to learn the parenting ropes after adopting a boy from a troubled home.

The main story quickly dives into Revelle’s life as she balances her interpreting duties with being a single parent who nothing seems to go right for. You soon begin to realise how complicated Revelle’s life is, especially as she is constantly worrying about her new child being taken away from her. Initially shown to be necessarily neutral in the courtroom, Revelle becomes personally invested in a case when someone she knows becomes the victim of a terrible attack. When she is required to interpret for the police in this case, she alters the witness’s testimony to ensure the potential suspect has no alibi. I love this intriguing slide away from impartiality that she adopts, especially as it builds off some of her prior frustrations, and she starts to implement her new idea of justice into some of her other jobs. However, this decision eventually brings some degree of regret when it turns out one of the people she worked against might have been innocent, and she tries to find out the truth.

It is around this time that the author works in a secondary point of view character, a mysterious figure who is stalking Revelle and her son, working from the shadows to destroy her. This intriguing hidden antagonist works to increase the tension of the plot, and their eventual identity is tied to the secrets from the protagonist’s past, which is being simultaneously explored to give her more depth and a tragic background. Robinson soon works these story elements together in a very interesting way, and the final third of the plot is loaded with particularly tense moments as the protagonist tries to deal with the attacks from unseen angles, as well as the increased demands on her interpreting ability as she tries to determine the right course of action to take. I liked how the plot came together, although the identity of the mysterious antagonist did come a little out of nowhere. Still, this was a well-crafted and intriguing story, and it was fascinating to see more details about interpreters.

While I did enjoy this fantastic novel, I did have some issues getting too attached to the protagonist, and this reduced my overall enjoyment a bit. I appreciated the deep dive into the world of professional interpreters through Revelle’s eyes, as well as her complex past and desire to be a good parent, but I honestly had a hard time liking her. This is probably because there was a certain narrative stupidity to her as she makes the worst decision possible for herself and her child time and time again. While this is usually fine in fiction, I found myself getting a little annoyed at times with how she acted, and this impacted how much I wanted to see her succeed. I did enjoy how Robinson tried to showcase through Revelle’s actions the importance of being neutral in the legal system, as her desire to get justice has major consequences for her. However, the protagonist fails to learn from her mistakes, even at the very end, which was very frustrating. This was probably the main issue I had with The Interpreter, and while it was mostly outweighed by the book’s positive features, these character elements really bugged me.

Overall, I felt that The Interpreter was a pretty solid debut from Brooke Robinson, who has an interesting future in crime fiction. While the plot and the characters did have some issues, this was a compelling and intriguing read, especially as Robinson expertly captured the experiences and insights of professional interpreters in the legal and criminal justice fields. I really enjoyed seeing how The Interpreter unfolded and this book is well worth the read for people interested in a fantastic crime fiction novel with a distinctive hook to it.

Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe

On July 23, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller9 Comments

Killer Traitor Spy Cover

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia (ebook – 5 July 2023)

Series: John Bailey – Book Four

Length: 310 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of Australia’s fastest rising thriller authors, Tim Ayliffe, returns with the fourth book in his outstanding John Bailey series, Killer Traitor Spy, which sees Cold War espionage re-emerge right in the heart of modern day Australia.

Over the last few years I have been having an amazing time reading a particularly cool Australian thriller series, the Jon Bailey books by journalist Tim Ayliffe. Following a damaged investigative reporter who relentlessly follows his stories no matter how dangerous they are, the John Bailey books are an outstanding series that combined intriguing storylines with compelling and highly insightful depictions of modern-day Australia. This series has so far featured three fantastic books, The Greater Good, which looked at Chinese interference in Australian politics; State of Fear, which examined Islamic radicalisation; and The Enemy Within, which presented a compelling look at Australian white supremacism. I have deeply enjoyed all three of Ayliffe’s previous novels and I was very glad that I managed to get a copy of his fourth book, Killer Traitor Spy, a few weeks ago.

After a sex worker is accidently poisoned by a deadly neurotoxin, it quickly becomes clear that someone is trying to kill Russian millionaire Dmitry Lebedev. As Dmitry disappears into the wind, reporter John Bailey finds himself drawn to the mysterious events, especially as his old friend, Scarlett Merriman, was the unintended victim. As Bailey begins to dig into the circumstances around Scarlett’s poisoning, he soon discovers a hidden world of spies, espionage and secret deals, all tied to his long-time friend, CIA agent Ronnie Johnson.

It soon becomes apparent that Dmitry was an undercover spy secretly working with Ronnie and providing insights into Russian espionage efforts in Australia. His latest bit of intelligence could expose a deadly traitor working at the highest echelons of the government, and many people wanted him dead to keep that a secret. As Ronnie attempts to bring him in, he finds himself being targeted as well, as whoever tried to kill Dmitry has just framed Ronnie for murder.

Now on the run from the authorities and with no official backup to help him, Ronnie has no choice but to call on Bailey to help him investigate the attempted assassination and uncover the traitor. But the more Bailey works with Ronnie, the more he discovers the dark side of the espionage business and the fact that nobody is what they seem. Moving from the deadly urban sprawl of Sydney to the secretive suburbs of Canberra, can Bailey and Ronnie find the truth before it is too late, or will they be the latest victims of an insidious intelligence plot threatening to undermine the entire country?

This was another great book from Ayliffe, who continues to impress me with his intense and addictive reads. Killer Traitor Spy served as a brilliant fourth book in the series, and I had such a wonderful time getting through this captivating and clever story that I ended up reading this book in a single day.

Killer Traitor Spy has a great story behind it that I instantly got hooked on. Ayliffe sets up a fast and high-stakes narrative for his fourth book that brings in some compelling real-life spy elements to increase the realism and impact of the plot. Starting off with a failed assassination, some fantastic spy elements, and a great reintroduction to Ayliffe’s relentless protagonist, the author gets Killer Traitor Spy going strong, and it barely slows down after that. The author weaves together a complex net of mystery and espionage as the protagonists try to find the missing Dmitry, while also uncovering Russian agents working in Australia. The fantastic web of murders, betrayals and lies proves to be very compelling. There are several interesting reveals and clever turns as the plot progresses, and I loved how the story soon moved to Canberra with a ton of fun scenes. Ayliffe really raises the stakes in the second half of Killer Traitor Spy, and the final reveal of who the various traitors and culprits are proves to be very satisfying.

I honestly had a hard time putting down this awesome book, and I wasn’t kidding when I said I read it all in a single day. Ayliffe did a fantastic job of making his complex and compelling story as fast-paced and addictive as possible, and there wasn’t a single scene in this book that slowed me down. There were a ton of great features to how Ayliffe wrote Killer Traitor Spy, and I personally loved how the plot featured a fun combination of journalism, espionage and mystery throughout. While there is a bit of action throughout the book, the focus is always on uncovering the deeper secrets, and I loved seeing the different methodologies that the various protagonists used. The author’s reliance on multiple character perspectives in Killer Traitor Spy was a particularly effective feature, especially as you got even more scenes from the always entertaining Ronnie Johnson. This allowed Ayliffe to really separate out the various focuses of his novel, and the contrasts between Bailey’s scenes, where he investigates, and Ronnie’s scenes, where he uses more direct methods, are a lot of fun.

Unsurprisingly, the scenes focusing on journalism and investigative reporting are very impressive and insightful as Ayliffe makes full use of his background to dive into the intricacies and secrets of the trade. However, the more espionage focused sequences are also really clever and helped ensure this book felt a lot like his original novel, The Greater Good. The focus on the various espionage concerns in Australia were really quite compelling, and it was clear that the author did a lot of research around it. I recognised quite a few espionage elements featured in the novel from Australian news stories, and the author covers a lot of compelling ground as a result. I particularly liked the focus on Australia’s strategic importance, the intelligence relationship it has with other Western nations, the examination of potential espionage elements currently running around the country, and there was even a fun inclusion of the infamous “Havana Syndrome” and the potential weapons behind it. I really enjoyed this deep dive into potential Russian espionage in Australia, and it was certainly eye opening in places, especially considering current world events. This excellent novel really draws you in quickly and I had such an outstanding time getting through it.

One of the things that I have always deeply appreciated about the John Bailey books is the way in which Ayliffe masterfully depicts and utilises his Sydney settings throughout the stories. So many of Sydney’s suburbs, iconic areas, and even several restaurants and bars serve as either key locations or have cameos throughout the series. It is always very cool to see locations you are familiar with utilised in fiction, and Ayliffe always does such a wonderful job of showcasing these locales in his stories, which really help to draw Australian readers in. This continues to be the case in Killer Traitor Spy, as several different areas of Sydney are featured strongly throughout the plot. Ayliffe, who clearly has a lot of love for Sydney, has fun bringing these locations to life throughout this book and it was really fascinating to see how he fits his narrative around these real spaces. A good chunk of the second half of the book is set in my hometown of Canberra. As the national capital hosting government agencies and politicians, Canberra is an excellent setting for a spy thriller book such as Killer Traitor Spy, and it was great to see it utilised as such within this book. I had a ton of fun seeing the characters reference areas that I see all the time, and it was awesome envisioning some of the action occurring within them, especially as most of our scandals aren’t so thrilling. I also had a chuckle at all the inside jokes or references that Ayliffe layered into the story around these settings, such as his very accurate description of the drive between Sydney and Canberra (it really is that visually boring). This excellent use of real locations as a backdrop really helped to drag me even further into Killer Traitor Spy and I really appreciate it when authors draw from their own experiences to help tell an awesome story.

Finally, I must highlight the character work featured in Killer Traitor Spy. The intrepid and damaged protagonists have always been a big reason why the John Bailey books have been so successful as you grow very attached to these complex figures. I have a lot of love for the impressive character growth that has surrounded the main character of John Bailey in the lead-up to Killer Traitor Spy and it was really moving to see him finally have his life together, despite all the traumas he has experienced. This also allowed him to focus more on his journalistic work, and watching the dogged, veteran reporter chase down several stories in his usual gruff and unrelenting manner was a ton of fun. Of course, Ayliffe did add in a few more issues for him in Killer Traitor Spy, both psychically and ethically, and I will be interested to see how they impact him in the future. Ayliffe also features quite a lot of Ronnie Johnson in this latest novel as well, which was a major plus in my book. Ronnie has always been a fantastic character (he caused a damned Harold Holt moment in the first book), and it was great to see him a much more of a central figure in Killer Traitor Spy. His more espionage and violence focused chapters balance out Bailey’s chapters in some compelling ways, and I enjoyed the fantastic deeper dive into the relationship between these two protagonists that emerged as a result. Ayliffe’s use of these two main characters was a real highlight of Killer Traitor Spy and I really appreciated the powerful story the author wove around them.

Overall, Killer Traitor Spy is a fantastic novel from Tim Ayliffe that did a wonderful job continuing his excellent John Bailey series. A complex and entertaining Australian thriller, Killer Traitor Spy was a ton of fun to read and I really got hooked on it compelling and fast-paced story. With great characters, a complex plot, and some intriguing Australian inclusions, Killer Traitor Spy is well worth the read, especially if you loved the previous books in the series.

Waiting on Wednesday – Vendetta by Sarah Barrie

On July 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an awesome upcoming Australian thriller from an outstanding local author, with Vendetta by Sarah Barrie.

Vendetta Cover

Due my geographical location, I am a massive fan of Australian fiction, especially as there are so many talented authors here creating some amazing and elaborate reads. I particularly enjoy Australian crime fiction that set dark and compelling stories in locations I am more familiar with, as this usually results in some truly outstanding reads. One of my favourite Australian crime fiction authors at the moment talented writer Sarah Barrie, who has been killing it over the last couple of years with her fantastic novels.

Barrie is a veteran author with several compelling Australian series under her belt. I am personally familiar with her due to her amazing Lexi Winter series, which so far features two great books. These novels follows titular protagonist, Lexi Winters, a vigilante hacker turned police officer, who uses her computer talents to take down the worst criminals around Sydney, often behind her superiors back. The first book in the series, Unforgiven, saw Lexi attempt to destroy a child paedophile ring that was connected to her own childhood abuse, while in Retribution, she faced off against a notorious crime family who were getting in the way of her vengeance. Thanks to their clever mysteries, complex characters, and very dark story content, both Unforgiven and Retribution were very impressive reads and they were some of the best Australian fiction I read in 2021 and 2022 respectfully. I am now a firm fan of this series and I was very happy to hear that a third Lexi Winter novel is coming out later this year.

This new Lexi Winter novel is titled Vendetta and is currently set for release in early November 2023. Vendetta looks set to continue several of the storylines from the previous two books, with the protagonist struggling to determine whether she is a vigilante or a police officer. This new book will also apparently dive deeper into her hidden criminal/vigilante past as she is forced to return to an outlaw motorcycle club she used to work for, this time to save some of her friends. It looks like Lexi is once again going to go rogue in her attempts to get justice and help the people she loves, and this should result in some compelling and emotionally charged storylines, especially as she tries to work out just what side of the legal fence she is on. The inclusion of a deadly motorcycle gang that the protagonist used to be a part of should also be an interesting feature, especially as they will find themselves at war with their former president who is out for his own form of justice. This outstanding plot has a lot of potential behind it and it should make for quite the awesome read.

This sounds like such a fun book and I am really glad that we are getting another Lexi Winter novel in a few short months. Barrie has really proven herself to be such a talented and intense crime fiction author and I cannot wait to see how she continues to explore her complex and damaged protagonist. I already know that I am going to love this book and I am very excited to see how Vendetta turns out.

Plot Synopsis:

Cop or criminal? When you’re undercover, the lines can get a little blurry. Former vigilante Lexi Winter, returns in a fast-paced, suspenseful crime thriller for readers of Candice Fox and Shelley Burr

Ace hacker, former sex worker and vigilante, Lexi Winter is now a cop and not keen to revisit her criminal past. But when old friends invoke the wrath of a local motorcycle club – the same club Lexi herself used to work for – she races to help them the only way she can: undercover.

If Lexi is to save a child’s life, she is going to have to go back – back to a life she thought she had outrun. Back to the person she used to be. But her timing isn’t great. Former club president Arthur Cronin has finished his long prison sentence and is out for revenge for the death of his wife and child. As he launches a series of bomb attacks on the club members who set him up and the cops who took him down, Lexi is caught in the middle.

Torn between old loyalties and new responsibilities, she must decide once and for all which side she’s on, but even if she does decide to break free, are her old criminal friends ready to let her go?

Waiting on Wednesday – Holly by Stephen King

On July 12, 2023December 28, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday25 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight the next upcoming book from the master of the horror and thriller, Stephen King, with the intriguing read Holly.

Holly Cover

Stephen King is an author who needs very little introduction thanks to his epic and extensive collection of thrillers, horror novels and other awesome books that cover a variety of genres. With over 50 years of writing experience and innumerable books under his belt, King is am amazing author who I have been getting into lately. I have had a lot of fun with some of his latest books, including the fun coming of age horror book Later, the intriguing fantasy read Fairy Tale, and the captivating thriller Billy Summers. As such, I am always very keen to see what King writes next, and he has a very interesting book coming out in a couple of months’ time with Holly.

Holly, which is currently set for release in early September 2023, is a pretty fascinating upcoming book that has already grabbed my attention in several different ways, not least because it brings back one of King’s favourite protagonists at the moment, Holly Gibney. Holly was first introduced as a supporting character in Mr. Mercedes before having a major role in the rest of the Bill Hodges trilogy and the more recent novel, The Outsiders. I had actually meant to try and read some of these preceding novels before getting to Holly, although I doubt I am going to have the time at this point. Still, I am very confident that King will ensure that Holly is very accessible to new readers, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

It looks like King has cooked up another excellent plot for Holly and it is one that I am very excited to explore. This time Holly, as the main character and primary detective, is investigating the disappearance of a missing girl in mysterious circumstances. However, as she investigates, she runs afoul of a pair of devious octogenarians who are hiding something very sinister in their basement which may be connected to the missing victim. I love the sound of this plot, especially as I am now exceedingly curious about what is in that damn basement. I am also very keen to see just how dangerous an old married couple can be, as King is painting them out as exceedingly ruthless criminal masterminds.

All this, as well as King’s very well proven track record for writing and the complex protagonist that is Holly Gibney, should make for quite an impressive read and I am very excited to dive into Holly the second I get it. Holly is already one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2023, and I have very little doubt that it will end up being a top book of the year. Holly has so much damn potential, and I look forward to getting dragged into another insane and addictive tale from the legend that is Stephen King.

Plot Synopsis:

“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.” — BILL HODGES

Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.

When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down.

Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.

Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.

Make sure to check out my review for Holly here.

Her Sweet Revenge by Sarah Bonner

On July 3, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller6 Comments

Her Sweet Revenge Cover

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (Trade Paperback – 6 April 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 408 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

Last year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the fun and twisty thriller novel, Her Perfect Twin by Sarah Bonner, an outstanding read that got a full five-star rating from me and which ended up being one my top debuts of 2022. I have a lot of love for Her Perfect Twin thanks to its murderous plot and brilliant surprises, and I have been eager to see how Bonner was going to follow up her first book. As such, I was pretty excited to see that she had a second cool thriller, Her Sweet Revenge, coming out this year, and I just finished it off. Her Sweet Revenge was another outstanding read that blends complex characters with a fantastic and complex revenge plot to create an outstanding story.

Helena is a successful fashion blogger living in Exeter and married to a seemingly perfect man. While her controlling in-laws seem to be her biggest problem, Helena is hiding a dark secret, one that could twist her entire life around and turn everyone against her. When a series of notes begin to arrive, threatening to expose her, Helena desperately tries to keep her secrets hidden from her husband and evil mother-in-law. But her attempts to stop the truth leaking out have lethal consequences.

Several years later, Thea is still mourning the loss of her best friend, Helena, and is convinced that her death was no accident. Digging into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Helena’s demise, Thea is contacted by someone who claims to have known Helena and is also convinced that her death was deliberate. Determined to get revenge for her friend’s murder, Thea dives even further down the rabbit hole and soon begins to create a lethal plot against those she thinks is responsible. But not everything is as it seems, and the secrets surrounding Helena’s death are far more complex and dark than anyone realises. As she gets closer to her target, Thea will need to determine just how far she is willing to go for revenge, and who truly deserves her wrath.

This was another exceptional novel from Bonner, who really looks set to make a name for herself in the thriller genre. Her Sweet Revenge was another brilliant standalone novel which takes the reader on a wild and dark journey through death, bad relationships and revenge, and which proves near impossible to put down.

Bonner came up with quite the intricate and complex narrative for Her Sweet Revenge, and it really worked to tell a unique and powerful story. Told in a similar style to her first book, Her Sweet Revenge is broken up into several parts and employs a series of time jumps and different character perspectives to tell a particularly intense story. The first part of the book, which is one of the more substantial sections of Her Sweet Revenge, is told from the point of view of Helena in 2018 and Thea in 2022, with the story jumping between them chapter to chapter. Both character-focused storylines set the scene extremely well, with the Helena chapters showing her turbulent life and the events that led up to her death, with the Thea chapters show the characters initial investigations into her friend’s death.

These two disparate timelines complement each other extremely well, and the reader is soon drawn into each character’s distinctive emotionally charged narratives. Both storylines are pretty powerful in different ways, with Helena’s story focusing on her abuse by her in-laws and the trauma of being blackmailed for her secrets. Watching Helena’s slow dive into instability is both shocking and moving, and you can’t help but feel for the injustices that the character is experiencing. These feelings are further expanded on in the Thea chapters, as you feel the pain the character is experiencing at the loss of her friend, as well as the guilt that drives her to investigate Helena’s death and find the truth. Bonner makes great use of this first part of the book to primarily set the scene for the rest of the plot, as well as introduce the key characters to the reader, and as such there are limited big reveals or twists at this point in the plot. However, Bonner does do a good job of whetting the reader’s anticipation for what is to come by leaving several plot points unfinished and really showcasing just how bad all the people involved are. The jump between 2018 and 2022 works really well, and it was interesting to see events from Helena’s chapters play into Thea’s storyline, especially when you know that there are still secrets being kept from both characters.

The second act of Her Sweet Revenge is where the plot really starts to fire up. This section of the book is primarily focused on revenge, as Thea finds out some truths about Helena’s death and starts to plot about how to get her justice. This section is solely shown from Thea’s perspective, and Bonner uses this to full effect to really dive down into the character and show how she got so vengeful and clever. There are a lot of great moments here, especially when it comes to the plotting for revenge, and I loved the great character focuses that emerged. There still aren’t a lot of twists at this part of the book, as Bonner is mostly building on what was revealed in the first half of the novel, but the author does do some good set-up here that works perfectly for the rest of the story.

The final third of the book is broken up into several separate parts, each of which is told from a different perspective character. I won’t go into too much detail, but it works really well in the context of the story, and it is very interesting to see who gets focused on and why. Bonner really starts to layer in her trademark twists and turns here, as everything you thought you knew about several characters turns out to be false, as motivations change, people are revealed to be something completely different, and the author includes some great dives into the past to show what really happened to Helena. All the accompanying revelations have been masterfully set up in the earlier chapters, and I loved how the twists and turns seemed to build on top of one and other, with one betrayal or lie for a character followed by a bigger lie from another. You honestly don’t know where the story is going at times, and I was extremely hooked for the last 150 pages as I waited to see who was going to come out on top and just who was getting revenge on whom. While there are a lot of twists and reveals, Bonner keeps the story pretty tidy, and at no point did things get too convoluted or unbelievable. I loved fully untangling the clever web that Bonner came up with, and the final result is pretty amazing and highly satisfying, especially as the very last reveals are some of the best, with everyone who should be punished getting what they deserve. This was such a well-written and impressively crafted thriller narrative, and I guarantee that you won’t be able to stop yourself from reading more and more, just to see how everything ends.

In addition to the meticulously crafted narrative, I really need to highlight the outstanding characters featured throughout Her Sweet Revenge, each of whom is driven to edge in various different ways. Bonner does an excellent job of introducing and building up several great characters throughout the course of her plot, and each of them was distinctive in their own way. A good chunk of the plot’s focus is on the initial point-of-view characters, Helena and Thea, old friends who go through quite a lot during the novel. Bonner introduces some excellent development to both in different ways, with Helena given a crash course in personal destruction, while Thea is slowly built up as a caring friend with a scary vengeful streak. You get very invested in both of their respective storylines, one because of how sudden and emotionally crushing it is, and the other because of the reader’s natural sense of justice and loyalty, and I felt they were great focuses for so much of the book. The rest of the cast is interesting and distinctive as well, mainly because so many of them are just naturally bad or dislikeable characters, with Helena’s mother-in-law, Geraldine, being an extremely good example. Everything about Geraldine is designed to aggravate the reader and make them feel extreme sympathy for Helena, and Bonner made excellent use of her throughout the plot as a compelling side character. These complex figures and more added a ton to the impact of the narrative, and I deeply appreciated Bonner’s ability to create intriguing characters with such fantastic nasty streaks behind.

Her Sweet Revenge was another outstanding thriller from Sarah Bonner, who produces a brilliant and captivating narrative, loaded with fantastic twists and surprising turns. The revenge focused story is deeply addictive, and you find yourself quickly getting dragged into the intense and clever book. I had a wonderful time reading Her Sweet Revenge, and it comes very highly recommended to anyone who wants a slick and memorable thriller read.

Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2023 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)

On June 27, 2023June 27, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, List, Murder Mystery, Thriller12 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2023. While my previous list looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.

Just like with my list about fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together. Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut. I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Killer Traitor Spy by Tim Ayliffe – 5 July 2023

Killer Traitor Spy Cover

Agent Eighteen by John Brownlow – 8 August 2023

Assassin Eighteen Cover

A cool sequel to Seventeen, one of the best debuts of 2022, Agent Eighteen will continue Brownlow’s thrilling tale of elite assassins trying to kill each other.

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin – 8 August 2023

Dark Corners Cover

The Exchange by John Grisham – 17 October 2023

The Exchange Cover

A sequel to the classic John Grisham novel, The Firm. Need I say more?

Top Ten List (by release date):

Kill for Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh – 3 August 2023

Kill For Me Kill For You Cover

A fantastic and intense standalone thriller from the always impressive and fun Steve Cavanagh. I am a big fan of Cavanagh’s legal thrillers (see my reviews for The Devil’s Advocate and The Accomplice), and I look forward to powering through this awesome book, especially as it has a fantastic Strangers on a Train vibe to it.

Ripper by Shelley Burr – 30 August 2023

Ripper Cover

Shelley Burr, the author of Wake, one of the best debuts and Australian fiction novels of 2022, returns with an intriguing new crime fiction novel, Ripper. Set in a dying Australian town made famous for its serial killer heritage, Ripper sounds like another outstanding read from Burr, and I am interested to see how she continues the cool story started in Wake.

Holly by Stephen King – 5 September 2023

Holly Cover

The master of suspense, Stephen King, has yet another awesome book coming out later this year with Holly. Following one of his most compelling recurring protagonists, Holly Gibney, this new novel from King will see Holly face off against dark secrets, hidden opponents, and a mysterious set of married, octogenarians, to find a missing child. This sounds like a very cool new book and I cannot wait to dive into the latest, captivating Stephen King novel in a few months’ time.

Code Red by Kyle Mills – 12 September 2023

Code Red Cover

For the last few years, I have had a lot of fun with the fantastic Mitch Rapp series, going out of my way to get a copy of each new release in the series. Following a dangerous government agent who faces off against all manner of elaborate threats, the Mitch Rapp books are a ton of fun and I have deeply enjoyed the excellent stories that author Kyle Mills (who took over from original author Vince Flynn) has come up with (check out my reviews for Red War, Lethal Agent, Total Power, Enemy at the Gates and Oath of Loyalty). The next book in the series, Code Red, will see Rapp once again face off against the Russians in a deadly conspiracy, and I know I’m going to have a fun time getting through it.

The Last True Templar by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 14 September 2023

The Last True Templar Cover

Few new books from 2022 impressed me as much as the fantastic historical fiction novel, The Lawless Land by the team of Boyd and Beth Morrison. Following an excommunicated knight as he tries to regain his honour by saving a precious artefact from a corrupt cardinal, The Lawless Land was a brilliant, exciting, and powerful historical adventure, and one that I took great joy in reading. I was very happy to see that the Morrison’s were returning for a sequel this year with The Last True Templar, and I know it is going to be an outstanding read. I already have a copy of The Last True Templar and I am hoping to read it soon.

The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – 15 September 2023

The Last Devil to Die Cover

Few books in 2023 are going to be as awesome as the new Thursday Murder Club book, The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman. Following on from the exceptional novels, The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite novels, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite novels and audiobooks of 2021) and The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite novels and audiobooks of 2022), The Last Devil to Die sounds like an incredible read and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. Continuing the story of the titular Thursday Murder Club, a group of bored retirees who solve elaborate murders, The Last Devil to Die will no doubt feature Osman’s trademark humour, intelligence and outstanding character work, which is always so impressive. I already know this is going to be one of the top books of the year and I am so damn excited for it.

The Armour of Light by Ken Follett – 26 September 2023

The Armour of Light Cover

I was very happy to find out that Ken Follet was releasing a new historical fiction novel in 2023, especially as it is part of his iconic Kingsbridge series (see my reviews for The Evening and the Morning and A Column of Fire). This outstanding series follows a range of unique protagonists at various points in the history of the English town of Kingsbridge, and every novel in this series has been pretty damn incredible. This new book will be set during the start of the industrial revolution and the war with Napoleon, and you just know that Follett is going to have a lot of fun diving into this complex period. I have no doubt that this epic read is going to effortless grab my attention and this will prove to be one of the best historical novels of the year.

Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson – 17 October 2023

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect Cover

Few Australian authors are impressing me as much as Benjamin Stevenson these days, especially with his work in the crime fiction genre. As such, I am very keen for his new book, Everyone on This Train is a Suspect, especially as it is a sequel to his fantastic 2022 novel, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone. Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone was one of the funniest and cleverest novels of the year and Stevenson wove together a brilliant narrative that combined a clever mystery with messy family dynamics, all while hilariously parodying classic detective novels/whodunits. Everyone on This Train is a Suspect looks set to continue this trend by forcing the protagonist to solve a murder on a train full of professional crime fiction authors. I have no doubt that I am going to laugh myself silly reading this book and I am so damn excited to read it.

Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly – 7 November 2023

Resurrection Walk Cover

What would the end of a year be without a new novel from legendary crime fiction author Michael Connelly. I have had an amazing time reading some of Connelly’s recent novels, including Dark Sacred Night, The Night Fire, The Dark Hours, Desert Star and Fair Warning, and I am always excited for a new novel from this amazing author. Luckily, I won’t have to wait too much longer as Connelly is releasing the intriguing novel, Resurrection Walk in November. The seventh book in the Mickey Haller series (make sure to check out my review for the sixth book, The Law of Innocence), Resurrection Walk will see the Lincoln Lawyer, Mickey Haller, defend another desperate client. Featuring a collaboration with Haller’s brother, Harry Bosch, Resurrection Walk should be an amazing read, and I cannot wait to see what cool shenanigans and heartbreaking character moments Connelly will feature.

Rebellion by Simon Scarrow – 14 November 2023

Rebellion Cover

The final upcoming book I want to highlight tonight is the outstanding upcoming historical fiction novel, Rebellion by Simon Scarrow. The latest book in Scarrow’s long-running Eagles of the Empire series (The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome and Death to the Emperor), Rebellion will follow two veteran soldiers as they try to stop the hordes of Boudica’s rebellion. I have had an amazing time with the Eagles of the Empire books over the years and this new book from Scarrow is going to be pretty awesome. The perfect upcoming book to end this list with!

Well that’s the end of my second list. As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads. Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2023. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow

On June 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery, Thriller10 Comments

Dead of Night Cover

Publisher: Headline (Trade Paperback – 14 February 2023)

Series: Berlin Wartime Thriller – Book Two

Length: 422 pages

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

One of my favourite historical fiction authors, the always impressive Simon Scarrow, dives back into turbulent World War II Germany with his latest compelling read, Dead of Night, an excellent and intense historical thriller with a dark twist to it.

Readers of this blog will know that I have long been a fan of Simon Scarrow ever since I read his first exceptional novel many years ago. I particularly enjoy his long-running Eagles of the Empire series, an outstanding adventure series that follows two Roman officers as they travel throughout the empire. The Eagles of the Empire books are some of the best historical fiction I have ever read, and I have had the pleasure of reviewing several of them, including The Blood of Rome, Traitors of Rome, The Emperor’s Exile, The Honour of Rome and Death to the Emperor. Aside from his Roman novels, Scarrow has also written several other series and standalone books set in various periods of history. This includes his 2021 release, Blackout, a gritty and complex murder mystery set in Nazi-controlled Berlin. Blackout was an awesome book, and I was very happy to hear that Scarrow was producing a sequel, Dead of Night, which turned out to be another outstanding read.

Berlin, January 1940. As Germany’s invasion of Poland rolls along, the Nazis continue to take complete control of their own country. While the people of Berlin wait to see how the Allies will retaliate, a mysterious death is about to occur with massive ramifications. A prominent SS doctor and his wife return home, having had a seemingly normal night attending a concert with the Nazi elite of the city. However, by the morning, the doctor will be dead in his study, the result of an apparent suicide.

After his last near-fatal brush with the Nazi state, Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke of the Berlin Kripo is determined to simply do his job and stay off the party’s radar. However, when Ruth Frankel, the Jewish woman whose life he saved during his previous investigation, reappears, Horst is once again dragged into unwanted trouble. The dead SS doctor is an old friend of Ruth’s family, and Ruth has promised his widow that she would help find out the truth behind his death, and Horst is her tool to do so.

Reluctantly agreeing to help, Horst looks into the case and quickly realises that the doctor’s death was no suicide. However, his superiors soon pull him off the investigation and forbid him from digging any further. But with his curiosity peaked, Horst cannot turn away, especially when he manages to connect the victim to the mysterious deaths of several children throughout Germany. Determined to find the truth no matter what, Horst soon discovers a terrible secret that places him in the firing line of the entire Nazi party and other volatile factions in the city. Can Horst survive this new case, or will the regime he despises finally take him off the board?

This was an excellent read from Scarrow, who has been on a real roll lately with his awesome books. Dead of Night not only served as an incredible sequel to Blackout, but it also features an intense and historically powerful narrative that had me hooked from the very beginning.

Dead of Night follows several of the same characters from the first book, primarily Criminal Inspector Horst Schenke, who serves as the main protagonist and point of view character, in another intriguing and complex case. Schenke must again work with Ruth Frankel to investigate the apparent suicide of a prominent SS doctor, which produces an intriguing and compelling early investigation storyline that I really enjoyed. However, Schenke soon runs into political problems, as well as threats of violence, which force him to conduct a subtle investigation. At the same time, Schenke’s socially crusading love interest, Karin, requests that he look into the mysterious deaths of several children at a remote medical institute. This second investigation takes up a good chunk of the novel and the protagonists dive into really starts to enhance the intensity of the plot. This is because Scarrow starts to utilise particularly sinister elements of Nazi history in the plot, which ensures that the novel gets fairly dark in tone and content. Scarrow is very subtle in how he brings these elements to the character’s attention, and there is a lot of emotion and disgust that emerges in the story as the protagonists realise what is going on.

From there the two divergent investigations start to come together as subtle clues that the author introduced in the first half of the book are brought to light again. The revelation of how the two cases are connected is pretty captivating, especially as it gives the ‘antagonists’ of the novel a very compelling and relatable motivation. The protagonist is forced to make some hard decisions as they come to terms with just what is going on and this leads to some great scenes about the differences between duty and what is right. Everything leads up to an emotionally charged confrontation which cleverly brings the entire story together and wraps up all the remaining mysteries and character arcs. This final major sequence is pretty damn awesome and it results in some of the most dramatic and powerful moments in the entire novel. I really liked how the entire novel came together at the end, especially as the protagonist is left in several unenviable positions while he watches his country descend further into darkness. I felt that the entire novel was very well paced out, and it doesn’t take long for the readers to get hooked on the story, especially with the two quality mysteries that Scarrow came up with. The blend of mystery, dark historical moments, and intriguing character interactions is pretty perfect, and it works to create a memorable and haunting tale. Combined with some of the great twists, many of which are based around evil parts of real-life history, and I felt that Dead of Night surpassed is predecessor in some very awesome ways

For me, the best thing about Dead of Night was the fantastic and distinctive wartime setting that surrounded the plot. Stories set in Nazi controlled Germany are always intense and dark for obvious reasons, but I felt that Scarrow did a particularly outstanding job of capturing it, especially as he pairs the dark mood with a gritty winter backdrop. Just like with Blackout, there is a focus on the evils of the Nazi regime in Dead of Night, and quite a lot of the plot is devoted to seeing how normal citizens, including non-political police officers, view what their city and country has turned into. There is a good focus on the fear and control that the Nazis blanket the city with, and the investigation angles of the narrative become even more complex and compelling due to the protagonist being constantly blocked by his Nazi and SS superiors. However, the best, or worst, historical elements of the book revolve around one of the cases that Inspector Schenke is dragged into, specifically around the death of several children. This case thrusts the protagonist right into the heart of some of the darkest things the Nazis ever did to their own people, which really gives this entire book a powerfully tragic edge. Scarrow uses this historical inclusion to his full advantage, as not only does it provide an excellent motivation for some of the crimes being committed, but it also increases the emotional conflict of the protagonist. Scarrow really does not hold back when it comes to showcasing these historical horrors and the readers get a full idea of what is going on and the sort of people behind it. This dark historical inclusion really helped to turn Dead of Night’s narrative into something particularly distinctive and captivating, and I felt that Scarrow did a fantastic job of drawing the reader in by giving them knowledge of this terrible moment from history.

I also need to highlight some of the excellent characters featured within Dead of Night, several of whom carry on from the previous novel in the series. Most of the focus is around Inspector Horst Schenke, one of the few senior police officers left in Berlin without a connection to the Nazi Party. Dedicated to the law, Schenke, a man already traumatised by his past, keeps finding it harder and harder to do his job in the new regime. Despite his best efforts, Schenke keeps getting dragged into the middle of the several Nazi plots and hidden schemes, which constantly place him in political danger. I loved the deep conflict that this builds within him as he is forced to choose between ignoring what he discovers, or trying to get justice and doing something. Further complicating matters are his relationships with the two women in his life, his girlfriend, Karin, and the Jewish women he previously saved, Ruth Frankel. Both keep pushing him to do more to oppose the Nazis or get to the truth of crimes they are covering up, and he is forced to balance his desires to help them with his sense of pragmatism while trying to protect them from the Nazis.

Other great characters in this book include Schenke’s police backup, Sergeant Hauser and former Gestapo agent Liebwitz. These two are great supporting characters and they provide interesting counterviews to German life, with Hauser being a more everyman figure, while Liebwitz is bound up by his Gestapo training. Despite the apparent differences between Hauser and Liebwitz, the two work together well and serve as good support to Schenke, and I liked the fun odd-couple team that they formed. They also have some intriguing moments throughout the book, especially when they encounter some of the horrors of the Nazi regime. While Hauser has some great emotional reactions, especially when it comes to the death of children, Liebwitz has the more intriguing responses, as he balances his loyalty to the state with his own past experiences and conscious. Watching him come to terms with some of the evils he witnesses makes for some powerful reading and I am glad that Scarrow added in these intriguing alternate characters. I also really enjoyed the complex main antagonists of the story, as they had quite a powerful motivation for some of the crimes committed in the book. While they are not as noble as they believe, the antagonist’s goal still serves to trouble the protagonist’s sense of justice, and interesting compromises have to be made as a result. I deeply appreciated some of the deep characters that Scarrow featured in this novel and I look forward to seeing how they are utilised in any future books in the series.

Simon Scarrow continues to impress me as one of the best historical fiction authors out there with this incredible new read. Dead of Night has a brilliant and powerful story behind it that takes full advantage of its bleak and historically rich setting. Featuring an outstanding investigation narrative and some dark insights into the horrors of the Nazi regime, Dead of Night will easily grab your attention and ensure you will not forget it anytime soon. A highly recommended novel from one of my favourite authors.

Waiting on Wednesday – Cave 13 by Jonathan Maberry

On June 7, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday2 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I dive into one of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2023 with the awesome new thriller by Jonathan Maberry, Cave 13.

Cave 13 Cover

I have made no secret over the last few years that I am a massive fan of talented thriller author Jonathan Maberry who always wows me with some elaborate and over-the-top novels. I first got into Maberry when I started reading his iconic Joe Ledger series, which follows a paramilitary agency who take out villains with ambitious technological plans. The Joe Ledger series was so damn cool and featured a range of stories that set the protagonist against zombies, realistic vampires, eldritch horrors, alien spacecraft and insane terrorist groups. All the books in this series were extremely epic and I loved all of them, including Patient Zero, The Dragon Factory, The King of Plagues, Assassin’s Code, Extinction Machine, Code Zero, Predator One, Kill Switch, Dogs of War and Deep Silence.

Maberry has also dived outside the thriller genre many times and I have had the pleasure of reading several of these books recently. This includes the fantastic horror novel Ink (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2020) and his recently released Kagen the Damned dark fantasy series. This series includes the outstanding and brutal novel Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and his early 2023 book, Son of the Poison Rose. I have had a wonderful time with each of these novels, and I honestly expected that the next Maberry novel I would have the opportunity to read would be the third Kagen the Damned book probably coming out next year. However, it looks like we’re going to be lucky to get two Maberry books this year as there is a very intriguing thriller coming out in a couple of months.

This upcoming book is Cave 13, which will be the third book in Maberry’s ongoing Rogue Team International series. The Rogue Team International books are a sequel series to the Joe Ledger novels which follows the same protagonists as they engage in more international escapades against some very deadly foes. This sequel series has proved to be an excellent continuation of the Joe Ledger books and I have had a lot of fun with these new novels, including Rage (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2019) and Relentless (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021). I have been waiting for the third book in the series for a while now and I was very excited to discover that Cave 13 is coming out in late August 2023. I mentioned this book in my Winter TBR list last week, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to highlight it again in a Waiting on Wednesday post.

Plot Synopsis:

Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International plunge into mortal peril as this new and deadly arms race threatens to ignite new wars throughout the Middle East.

After years of searching, a new cave filled with Dead Sea Scrolls is found, and among them are bizarre books of actual magic. Terrorist groups and multinational corporations scramble to acquire these treasures in the hopes that magic is the true WMD of the 21st Century. But everyone who goes near those scrolls goes insane. The fabric of reality is shredding. Is this the result of ancient magic, or is it a new bioweapon that fractures the mind of anyone exposed?

Cave 13 pits Joe Ledger against warring factions of ideological terrorism, corporate greed, and massive international crime syndicates in what might well become a new Age of Miracles.

While the details in this plot synopsis are a tad light, it definitely sounds like Cave 13 is going to be another epic book. Crazy diseases in an ancient cave filled with the Dead Sea Scrolls is a very intriguing concept, and it is one that I know Maberry can do some amazing things with. Pitting Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International against a group of deadly arms dealers, terrorists, criminals and corporate types should be pretty damn epic, and I look forward to seeing if any recurring enemies or organisations make an appearance. Maberry always makes such elaborate plots and conspiracies in his novels, and I am very interested in seeing how he manages to work this archaeological discovery into a world ending narrative.

On top of this awesome sounding story, I also am very keen to see what is happening to the main characters featured in the series. Maberry always does such a good job of building up his various cast members and dealing with their complex problems, and there are several ongoing storylines that I hope he picks up on again. I particularly want to see more of protagonist Joe Ledger, who has been going through even more trauma than usual in recent books, including going off the murderous deep end in the last novel. I am sure that this is something Maberry will dive into in some detail, and I am highly invested in finding out how this character is going and what mental chaos he is experiencing. It will also be very cool to see what new complex and motivated villain appears in Cave 13, especially after some of the compelling and unique figures Maberry has created in the past. While I am assuming that Cave 13 will probably feature a new antagonist, there is always the possibility that certain recurring bad guys can reappear here, and I love seeing the author diving into the deadly histories they have with Ledger and his team. There is one particularly deadly and chaotic villain I would love to see more of, although he might be a bit busy over in the Kagen the Damned universe to make an appearance here.

Look, if I am being honest here, there is absolutely no way in hell that I am not going to have an incredible time with Cave 13 when it comes out. Maberry’s trademark combination of elaborate storylines, over the top violence, and complex characters never fails to enthral me, and I have very little doubt that he won’t do that again in Cave 13. I am also already extremely hooked on the Rogue Team International books and any new entry that Maberry produces is going to be epic. As such, I am predicting that this will be one of my favourite books of the year and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy as soon as possible, especially in its audiobook format with Ray Porter narrating it.

Fire With Fire by Candice Fox

On May 27, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller9 Comments

Fire With Fire Cover

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia (Trade Paperback – 4 April 2023)

Series: Standalone

Length: 480 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of Australia’s most exciting and compelling crime fiction authors, Candice Fox, returns with another intense and impressive novel, the powerful and memorable Fire With Fire.

Over the last several years, few Australian authors have dominated the crime fiction market as effectively as veteran author Candice Fox, who has produced some outstanding reads. Fox is a very interesting author who started off focusing on the Australian market with several books set out in the wilds of Australia, including her Archer and Bennet series and the Crimson Lake books, the latter of which was recently adapted into the Australian television show, Troppo. However, in more recent years, Fox has moved on to the larger international audience and has produced several great books set in America, as well as collaborating with legendary author James Patterson for their Detective Harriet Blue series. I personally know Fox more for her international work rather than her Australian fiction, as I have been lucky enough to receive copies of her last few books, including the gritty standalone read Gathering Dark, the elaborate prison break novel The Chase, and the fantastic and heartfelt 2 Sisters Detective Agency co-written with James Patterson. Each of these novels has been fun in their own way, and 2 Sisters Detective Agency ended up being one of my favourite Australian books of 2021. Due to excellent books like these, Fox is now a key addition to my yearly reading schedule, and I just had to grab a copy of her latest novel, Fire With Fire, especially as it had a pretty epic plot behind it.

What starts as a normal day at the understaffed Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Centre in Los Angeles swiftly turns deadly when two people take over the lab, holding three people hostage. However, this is no ordinary hostage situation, as the kidnappers are husband and wife Ryan and Elsie Delaney. Two years earlier, the Delaneys’ daughter Tilly went missing at the Santa Monica beach, which the police eventually ruled an accidental drowning. However, Tilly’s body was never found, key evidence was lost, and her parents never believed the official story and resented a lacklustre police investigation.

Now, desperate for answers, the Delaneys offer the LAPD an ultimatum: find Tilly dead or alive within 24 hours or they will destroy evidence in several major cases, all but destroying key investigations. Armed with uncanny knowledge of which evidence is the most vital to the LAPD and which samples are too valuable to lose, the Delaneys appear to hold all the cards against the police. However, the LAPD have no intention of validating the Delaneys’ actions by searching for Tilly.

However, one LAPD detective, Charlie Hoskins, has more motivation to save the evidence in the lab than the rest of the department. Hoskins has finished up a gruelling five-year undercover stint within the ruthless Death Machines biker gang, an experience he barely survived. All the evidence that he collected against the gang is now sitting in the lab, and if it goes up in flames, everything he tried to accomplish would be for nothing. With the rest of the police force angling for a more lethal solution to the Delaney problem, Hoskins decides to find Tilly himself.

Helped by recently fired rookie Lynette Lamb, the woman responsible for blowing his cover with the Death Machines, which saw him literally thrown to the sharks, Hoskins begins a new investigation into Tilly’s disappearance, hoping to find any evidence that can convince the Delaneys that their daughter really did drown. However, the more they dig, the more Hoskins and Lamb begin to realise that there is something far more sinister behind Tilly’s disappearance. With time running out before his evidence is destroyed, and with the Death Machines hunting him across LA, can Hoskins find out what happened to Tilly before it’s too late and a lethal gang of killers are set free?

This was another excellent novel from Fox that featured an outstanding and captivating story. Fox sets the entire narrative up perfectly, first introducing the main characters of Hoskins and Lamb by showing them on the very worst days of their life, as Hoskins is tortured out by the gang he infiltrated, while Lamb is fired on her first day as a rookie cop for being responsible for the leak. From there, the story focuses on the start of the lab siege as the Delaneys take over and send the police their demands. I really love this cool main scenario for the Fire With Fire as it is such a brilliant way to gain leverage over a police force. Fox uses this to great effect to engage the major storylines of the book. Firstly, there is an intriguing and intense siege storyline as police, led by LAPD Chief of Police Saskia Ferboden, attempt to resolve the situation without the destruction of evidence. Fox examines many different sides of this situation, from the desperation of the Delaneys, the fear of the hostages in the lab, the emotions of the Delaney’s remaining daughter outside, and the growing hostility of the cops as they watch their evidence get destroyed. This leads to a captivating series of events as Saskia and her FBI negotiator try to resolve the situation peacefully, only to hit setback after setback, as the Delaneys get violent, the hostages try to be heroic, and all her cops get mutinous at her decisions.

While the storyline around the siege is pretty intense and emotionally powerful, the real meat of the story focuses on Hoskins and Lamb as they attempt to find the Delaneys’ missing daughter, Tilly, before it is too late. This entire storyline falls together extremely well as the unlikely partnership of Hoskins and Lamb are forced to work together and soon form an entertaining team as they simultaneously investigate the disappearance while also dodging the vengeful gang gunning for Hoskins. The investigation angle takes them into some interesting directions, and I liked the compelling mystery that Fox wove together for this part of the book. The author loads in a ton of misleads, alternate suspects, and problematic witnesses, each of whom muddy the water and ensure that the ultimate solution to the case isn’t too clear until the end. The confrontation between Hoskins and his former gang also forms a great part of this story, especially as there are some excellent twists involved there, and the resulting carnage adds some major danger to the book. However, the best part of this storyline is the partnership between Hoskins and Lamb, which steals the show with its genuineness and fun moments.

Fox has a highly readable writing style that I felt lent itself to this story and helped to turn it into an enjoyable read. Pretty much everything about this book, including its flow, its pacing and the balance of story elements is set up really well, and I had a fun time getting through it. The fast-paced and sharp chapters really move the plot along quickly, and you find yourself reading page after page, trying to see what awesome or intense event will occur next. I liked how Fox split the story focus around Fire With Fire and the constant changes between the investigation for the missing girl and the deadly siege at the lab, really helps to amplify the intensity of the plot and keep the stakes very high. I was also very impressed by the excellent blend of mystery, intense drama, high-octane action, and powerful character development, that were the primary features of the plot. There is a barely a page where Fox isn’t portraying something pretty damn interesting or moving, and you are constantly intrigued with what is going to happen to the characters or the plot moving forward. This ended up being a pretty amazing read, and I had such a great time getting through it.

One of the major writing highlights of Fire With Fire has to be the complex and damaged characters who formed the basis for much of the story. There are some exceptional and well-written characters featured throughout this book, and Fox does a great job of showcasing their inner pain, motivations, and compelling personal pasts to the reader as the focus switches between them. Two of the most notable are the characters of Detective Charlie Hoskins and Lynette Lamb, who serve as the main figures of the investigate arm of the plot. Hoskins is a tough and independent figure who spent five years infiltrating a deadly criminal gang trying to find evidence to put them all away for murder, only to be discovered at the last minute and tortured. Barely recovered from his ordeal, Hoskins spends the book trying to protect his hard-won evidence by finding the missing girl. There is a lot of desperation behind Hoskins as he tries to make all the sacrifices and bad things he did over the last five years matter, and this leads to some great character moments throughout Fire With Fire. There is also a major trauma component behind Hoskins, as he tries to get over the dark things he experienced during his torture and escape, which leads to him making some reckless decisions.

Hoskins is well matched up with his young and somewhat naïve partner Lynette Lamb. Lamb is a rookie cop who was targeted without her knowledge and used to find information that exposed Hoskins to his gang. Fired on her first day on the job, Lamb manages to find Hoskins out of both guilt and determination, hoping that he can get her job back. Thrust together by circumstance, Lamb stubbornly partners up with Hoskins and works with him to find the missing girl. There are a lot of great elements to Lamb’s storyline, and out of all the characters in Fire With Fire, she has the most growth as she tries to prove she is tough and capable enough to be a police officer. The pairing of Hoskins and Lamb is an excellent highlight of the book and I loved how Hoskins reluctantly takes Lamb under his wing and tries to toughen her up., quickly realising there is far more to her than he initially though. The two make an outstanding team, and they both cover the other’s weakness extremely well.

Aside from Hoskins and Lamb, some of the other standout characters include Ryan and Elsie Delaney, who take over the forensic lab and hold the evidence and people there hostage. Fox does an outstanding job portraying the desperation behind these two characters as their obsession about finding their missing daughter, bought on by guilt and anger, drives them to extremes. These two are some of the most complex figures in the entire book, especially as their actions, while bad, are understandable. Other characters, such as Chief Ferboden and Hoskin’s entertaining friend Surge, help to round out the excellent cast of this book and I felt that these great figures really helped to turn Fire With Fire into a powerful and highly enjoyable read.

Overall, this was an amazing novel from Candice Fox, who once again shows why she is one of Australia’s premier crime fiction authors. Fire With Fire had an outstanding and clever narrative to it that really drew me in and kept me extremely engaged the entire way through. The excellent blend of intense narrative, amazing characters and a unique crime fiction scenario was highly effective, and I had a wonderful time reading this awesome book. Fire With Fire comes highly recommended, and you will get really drawn into this great standalone crime fiction novel.