The Launch Party by Lauren Forry

 

When a group of people win the competition of a lifetime they are the luckiest people on earth. The competition is an all expenses trip to be the first guests at a luxury hotel on the moon. They quickly discover they are the unluckiest people on the moon when they land and find the hotel deserted. Can they survive three days until a rescue ship arrives? When one of the guests is murdered the question of survival becomes even more intense. They begin to question if they are truly alone, if so, who among them is a murderer?

The Launch Party from Lauren Forry is pure escapism. I am sure that the vast majority of readers would jump at the chance to be one of the first people to vacation on the moon. As the prospect of space tourism becomes ever more real, we realise that it will be out of reach for the vast majority of the population. A competition win is probably the only means an ordinary person would be able to participate in an trip in to space.

The competition winners are an eclectic mix of people, they range in ages, nationality, occupation and wealth. Such a mix of characters would be expected from an international competition. Unfortunately very few of them are likeable.

The lead character is Penelope, a police detective who is on a leave of absence following a bungled case. Penelope is considering leaving the police and feels that the trip will give her the opportunity to examine her future. The problem is that she can't really relax as she has a number of phobias, including flying, the dark and open spaces.

When the guests are abandoned at the luxury hotel on the moon all thoughts turn to a new form of reality TV show. One of the guests is a veteran of such shows and points out that TV producers are constantly looking for a new twist to the format. Everyone seems prepared to accept the explanation, even though they didn't sign up to take part in a reality show, until one of them is murdered.

Numerous questions arise following the murder. Firstly, are they really alone? As they begin to explore the hotel they realise that behind the luxurious front face of the hotel is a maze of hidden rooms and service corridors. It would be easy for an individual to hide and sneak around without being spotted.

The second question is if they are alone, who among them is a murderer? You really feel the unease and distrust among the group as they wonder if it is better to stay together, safety in numbers, or if they would be safer hiding alone. The thought that any one of them could be a murderer is like the plot line from a murder mystery and a few crime writers are name dropped, including Agatha Christie. 

As tensions between individuals increase you can feel the panic setting in. We learn more about the competition winners, discovering that not everyone is there by chance. 

This was an enjoyable read that allowed my imagination to picture life in a hotel on the moon, however I did feel a little let down by the conclusion, after such a novel approach to a locked room mystery.

The Launch Party by Lauren Forry will be published on 22nd June 2023 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre Books for a review copy.

The Catch by T. M. Logan (Audiobook)

 

When Ed Collier gets to meet his daughters new boyfriend he has the feeling that something is "off" about him. The boyfriend, Ryan, seems to be perfect; but is he too perfect? Ed's wife, Claire, and daughter, Abbie, think he's over-reacting. Ed has always been over-protective towards Abbie since the death of his young son, a death he feels responsible for. Unable to shake the nagging feeling that Ryan is bad news, Ed starts to dig into his background and his life begins to spin out of control.

I've recently read and enjoyed a couple of T. M. Logan's novels, so when I got the chance to review the audiobook of The Catch I jumped at the chance.

The Catch works brilliantly as an audiobook, you are immediately drawn in to the game of cat and mouse as Ed tries to discover why he's taken an instant dislike to Ryan. There's isn't a wasted second in the whole book thanks to the fantastic writing of T. M. Logan and the excellent narrator, Philip Stevens.

You are immediately sympathetic towards Ed, a protective father, and the empathy grows stronger as you learn about the tragedy which haunts the family. This is compound by the timescale of events which take place. The family are meeting the boyfriend of approximately eight months for the first time, then Abbie and Ryan announce they are engaged and plan to marry in a few weeks time.

As Ed begins to look into Ryan's background his life begins to spiral out of control. He becomes obsessed, convinced Ryan is hiding secrets. The problem is that no matter what Ed does, Ryan always seems to be one step ahead, always has a plausible excuse for anything Ed uncovers. The game of cat and mouse is gripping and leads to shocking events. I really was disappointed when I got to the end of the audiobook.

The Catch by T. M. Logan is available in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for a review copy.

The Reckoning by Jane Casey

 

Three men, all convicted pedophiles, are murdered in the space of a few days. The police are at a loss to figure out how the men are linked. Even more puzzling is how the killer discovered the identities of the men. Is there someone on the inside of the police force feeding information to the killer? As part of the investigation Maeve Kerrigan is paired with the new DI, Josh Derwent, and they really don't get on.

As part of my quest to read the back catalogue of the Maeve Kerrigan series after reading the tenth book in the series, The Close, I'm now on to The Reckoning. The story has moved on slowly from the first book in the series, The Burning, where we are introduced to Maeve. This time around we get to know more about her character and her struggle to be taken seriously in a male dominated squad. 

The start of the novel raises the issue of someone murdering convicted pedophiles. Some members of the police believe that the murderer is providing a community service, others, Maeve included, are adamant that the murders should be investigated in exactly the same way that any other murder is. As we learn the backgrounds of the victims we also question if their crimes were genuine or fabricated out of maliciousness.

The story swiftly changes to one of a missing teenage girl, the daughter of a violent criminal, who has been on the run from the police for years. We soon realise that the two cases are linked.

Maeve's love life continues to cause problems. Her relationship with fellow detective Rob is "on again, off again" as they try to hide it from the rest of the team, knowing that they can't be a couple and work together. When Maeve moves to a new flat she inherits some strange neighbours and a stalker, which cause further complications.

The police team gains two new members. Liv Bowen seems to be the complete opposite of Maeve but they gradually realise they are allies in a department full of men. The second addition to the team is DI Josh Derwent. Derwent really does not come across well. There is constant friction between the pair as Maeve feels he's patronising, condescending and mercurial. The pair lock horns continually throughout the investigation.

As the story builds to the conclusion there is action, excitement and tension. At times I felt myself holding my breath as the characters put themselves in dangerous situations.

I desperately want to move straight on to the next book in the series but need to take a break as I have a mounting pile of new books to review. I will be back soon though to discover what Maeve Kerrigan is up to next.

The Last Passenger by Will Dean

 

Caz Ripley is on the trip of a lifetime with her relatively new boyfriend, Pete. A luxury cabin onboard RMS Atlantica, an ocean liner crossing the Atlantic. Caz has had a difficult life so this type of luxury is alien to her. When Caz wakes after their first night onboard she discovers that Pete isn't in their cabin. Thinking he may have already gone down to breakfast she heads to the dinning room only to realise that the entire ship is empty, she is the only passenger onboard.

This is going to be a difficult review to write as I really don'y want to give away any spoilers for the completely surreal The Last Passenger from Will Dean. This is a completely new author to me but I regularly see a buzz on Twitter concerning Will's books so decided to try one. I certainly wasn't disappointed and if The Last Passenger is anything to go by I'll certainly be reading Will Dean's back catalogue.

Surreal really doesn't do the story justice as Caz Ripley lurches from one extreme incident to another onboard the abandoned ocean liner. The twists and turns just keep on coming and after a while you can almost predict what is about to happen, only to have the rug pulled from under you.

Caz Ripley is formidable. As the story progresses we learn about her unhappy background, an upbringing that has forged her into the woman she is, a woman who is determined to meet every challenge head on. Throughout The Last Passenger you are willing Caz on, to survive the nightmare she has found herself in.

And what an ending! When you finally reach the conclusion and think you can relax Will Dean throws one final twist into the mix.

The Last Passenger by Will Dean will be published on 11th May 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a review copy.

Eleven Liars by Robert Gold

 

Returning home one evening, investigative journalist Ben Harper stumbles across a fire in the derelict community centre attached to the local church. Realising someone is trapped inside Harper quickly goes to their aid but is dismayed when they flee the scene. Harper's curiosity is piqued. Who was inside the building and what were they doing? When a body is discovered in the burnt out foundations Harper begins to investigate and discovers links to drugs, long forgotten missing people, pillars of the community and close friends.

Eleven Liars is the follow up to Robert Gold's debut novel, Twelve Secrets. Once again the setting is the small town of Haddley and features investigative journalist Ben Harper along with many of the characters we were introduced to in the first book. Eleven Liars take place fairly soon after the events of Twelve Secrets but there is no need to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one. In fact the opening chapter gives a quick recap of Ben's story, almost like the scene setting narration at the start of a film.

This story focuses on PC Dani Cash, one of the main characters from the first book. We gain more of an insight into her background and her current, unhappy, relationship. Many of the events link to Dani and as the story progresses we see that her childhood is littered with false memories.

The novel starts slowly, mainly because we are introduced to a vast range of characters. As I was reading my mind was in a whirl trying to work out how all the different characters and threads fitted together. Some are obvious, some less so. Robert Gold has laid out an intricate plot line which is impossible to guess and this makes many of the revelations shocking to both the characters and the reader.

Eleven Liars by Robert Gold will be published on 30th March 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown UK for a review copy.

Perfect Prey by Helen Fields

 

At a music festival in Edinburgh a young man is murdered in the middle of a crowd, across the city a woman is crushed to death in her own home. In a city with a low murder rate for two to happen on the same night is unthinkable. There doesn't appear to be any link between the two murders, but when another two happen the police have to dig deeper, including delving in to the dark web.

Back in November 2021 I read and reviewed One For Sorrow. I loved the book and was very surprised that I'd not come across the DI Luc Callanach series before. I promised myself I would read the earlier book in the series. It took until January of this year for me to finally get around to reading the first book. Perfect Prey is the second in the series by Helen Fields. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series but feel that Perfect Prey is even better.

There's a lot happening in this story, from the brutal murders to cyber crimes. The deeper you get into the novel the more these crimes become inter-twined. The dark web features heavily, thankfully it isn't jargon filled so doesn't spoil the story, and it makes you realise how little we know about what goes on in the murkier depths of the internet. We also discover that the "experts" on the dark web are far more accomplished that the people trying to track them down and maintain law and order.

Obviously the central characters, DI Luc Callanach and DI Ava Turner, take centre stage in the story-line. Nine months on from the first book they have developed a close friendship that they both value in and out of work. The reappearance of an old flame of Ava's drives a wedge between them. There is a little bit of obvious jealousy on Luc's part but his the over-riding concern is Ava's well-being as the new man is thoroughly unlikeable. The tension between Callanach and Turner is palpable and impacts on their investigations.

The supporting characters really come into their own in this story. We learn more about both DC Tripp and DC Salter and their lives outside the police force. DS Lively, who doesn't hold Callanach in high regard, even appears to be softening. However, it's the characters outside the police force that have the biggest impact on the story. Callanach joins forces with a journalist and a computer hacker to delve into the dark web. I do hope that both of these characters show up again in future stories, even if just fleetingly.

From the opening murders the pace is blistering. As far as the murders are concerned the crimes are shocking. The cyber crime has more of a moral dilemma, a kind of Robin Hood aspect. Twists galore keep you guessing and turning the page. I'm already looking forward to the third book in the series.

February 2023 Reads

 

Six books read this month so my reading rate is slowly improving. Quantity may be a little low but the quality was outstanding. All six books were thrillers and all the authors are known to me so my expectations were high to begin with but I know that each author delivers quality.

February started with I Will Find You from Harlan Coben. I've been a fan of the author since the 1990's when I discovered the Myron Bolitar series but have always found Harlan Coben's standalone thrillers to be far superior. He has a knack for taking ordinary people and putting them in precarious situations, this makes you really empathise with the characters. In I Will Find You David Burroughs has given up on life having been sentenced to life for the brutal murder of his son. He's adamant he's innocent but feels he deserves the punishment for not protecting his son. When his sister-in-law uncovers a possible photo of her nephew taken recently David breaks out of prison to learn the truth. Plenty of action, tons of coincidences and pure escapism. It's the characters that really make this story and I love it when Win Lockwood puts in an appearance.

Next up was the cozy crime novel A Pen Dipped In Poison from J. M. Hall. This is the second book in a series featuring three retired primary school teachers. Set in North Yorkshire I really felt as if I knew the people and places. The mystery to be solved this time around was a little more gentle than in the first book, poison pen letters are being sent to staff at a primary school. Descriptions of school life are spot on thanks to the author working in a primary school. He also, sadly, describes the nature of academisation very well, showing how schools are more of a business now than a place of nurture. 

Book three of the month was the much anticipated (by me) Blood Runs Cold, the fourth installment in the Max Craigie series by Neil Lancaster. This series just gets better and better with each installment. The author uses his background of working in the Met to produce a novel which feels extremely real and very timely. Max Craigie and the rest of his team work to uncover police corruption. When a young girl goes missing they don't realise initially that corruption within the force, and other agencies, are involved. Great characterisation, particularly as we learn more about the individuals in the team. A story with a very human element, it certainly made me think a little bit more about some of the conclusions I jump to. There's also a couple of villains who make you shiver and fill you with trepidation as you read. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Conviction by Jack Jordan was next up. Anyone who has read Do No Harm will see some similarities, this time around a barrister is being blackmailed to throw a trial and ensure her client is found guilty. From the opening pages there is an air of mystery and you are filled with numerous questions, not least of which is how Neve Harper is going to resolve her predicament. The story is fast paced because of a condensed timeline, this means the momentum never lets up. By the end I was as exhausted as the lead character.

When I read The Close by Jane Casey in January I didn't realise it was book 10 in the Maeve Kerrigan series. I loved the book so much that I promised myself I would read the rest of the series so February saw me making a start on book one, The Burning. Someone is assaulting young women and burning their bodies. When victim five is found Maeve isn't convinced it's "The Burning Man" who's responsible and starts to dig into the life of the victim. This is a brilliant introduction to the series as I really got to know Maeve, an ambitious detective in a male dominated team. As she investigates Maeve meets some cold and calculating individuals, people you'd hardly want to call friends, and a possible link to a seven year old accidental death.

Final book of the month was The Twenty by Sam Holland. I raced through this wanting to know where the story was going. Five bodies are discovered on wasteland, each one is numbered as if counting down from 16 to 12. The police realise quickly that they are racing against time to prevent the killer reaching the end of the countdown as more bodies are uncovered. The countdown is reminiscent of a serial killer who has been in prison for twenty-five years. Is there a connection? I loved the characters but early on had an ominous feeling that things were going to turn out badly. The descriptions are stomach churning at times in this gritty and fast paced serial killer thriller. When I was trying to decide on my rating for this I wavered between a 4 and a 5, finally settling on the 4. The downgrading was because I felt that the author was a little too descriptive at times, I'd have preferred the "less is more" approach.

One audiobook this month, Death Of A Bookseller by Alice Slater. This is a very modern crime thriller, I thought it would sit well with other recent novels such as How To Kill Men And Get Away With It by Katy Brent and How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie. A tale of obsession told from the perspective of two people. Brogan Roach, fan of true crime and serial killers, becomes obsessed with new employee Laura Bunting. The characters are the complete opposite of each other but Brogan is convinced they have a connection. The more she tries to get closer to Laura, the more she alienates her, resulting in murder. The narrators were fantastic, portraying each character to perfection. As an audiobook this worked really well.

More detailed reviews of each book are available on my blog.

Publication dates to watch out for are:

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben will be published on 16th March 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

A Pen Dipped In Poison by J. M. Hall will be published on 30th March 2023 in paperback, ebook and audio format.

Blood Runs Cold by Neil Lancaster will be published on 13th April 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Death Of A Bookseller by Alice Slater will be published on 27th April 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Twenty by Sam Holland will be published on 11th May 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Conviction by Jack Jordan will be published on 22nd June 2023 in hardback, ebook and audio format.