Dead Lions by Mick Herron

 

When an old man is found dead on a bus Jackson Lamb is convinced that there are links to an underground network of Russian spies. The spooks at Slough House have to put their lives on the line to uncover the truth.

Having loved all three series of Slow Horses on TV I'm determined to read the first four books in the series before season four premiers. I read the first book in the series, Slow Horses, back in January of this year. The second season of the TV series is based on the second book, Dead Lions.

The first part of the story focuses on Jackson Lamb, the prickly, unkempt, un-PC head of Slough House in his quest to figure out what an old spy had uncovered. Discovering a cryptic message the hunt is on for a Russian spy who possibly doesn't exist and was simply invented to cause confusion and mistrust. The spy in question supposedly created the "cicadas" a long-buried network of Russian assets just waiting to spring to life and cause chaos. It is up to River Cartwright to infiltrate a small English village to try and uncover the truth. Luckily nothing can go wrong in a sleepy little village, or can it?

While all of this is happening there is a second story involving the visit to London of a Russian oligarch. Spider Webb is keen to turn the Russian to his advantage, but keen to keep things at arms length for deniability reasons. Webb enlists two of the slow horses to help, Min Harper and Louise Guy. Neither realise that Webb is using them to protect his own credibility, instead, they see the job as a possible route back into the heart of MI5.

There are lots of twists and quite a few shocking moments. As usual, people take Jackson Lamb for granted, little realising that he is usually a couple of steps ahead of them. Despite being a spy thriller this story really is character-driven. Each member of Slough House is given a chance to show their skills and personality, particularly Catherine Standish and Roddy Ho. Standish is an excellent foil for Lamb, who seems to be even more disgusting than in the first book. We also get to meet a couple of new members of the team, and I use the word team loosely since all of the younger members of Slough House are looking out for themselves. 

The pace of both stories never lets up. As the tension builds the lives of some of the characters are at risk. From reading the first book in the series I'm aware that characters are expendable so the trepidation as I read on was real. It becomes a race against time as both stories reach their explosive conclusions.

Author Details

Mick Herron is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Slough House thrillers, which have won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award, two CWA Daggers, been published in twenty-five languages, and are the basis of a major TV series starring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb. He is also the author of the Zoë Boehm series, and the standalone novels Reconstruction and This is What Happened. Mick was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and now lives in Oxford.

Plot Twist by Breea Keenan (Audiobook)

 

Becca Taylor is consumed with grief when her best friend dies. Unable to continue with her teaching job she decides to take up the offer made by a friend she has met online and go to Ireland for a short break. 

If you want something light that is filled with engaging characters then Plot Twist by Breea Keenan is ideal. Becca Taylor is a primary school teacher and an aspiring children's author. She has befriended a romance author, Riley, online and they encourage each other in their writing as well as share other details about their lives.

When Becca's best friend dies she is overcome with grief and guilt, after all, Raye was on her way to visit Becca. Life seems to go from bad to worse when she discovers that Raye was in a secret relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Drew.

In true romantic fiction style, Becca chooses to run away from life. Her online writing friend, Riley, offers her somewhere to stay, pointing out that they can support and encourage each other with their writing. In typical romantic fiction style assumptions are made which lead to unexpected outcomes. Becca assumed Riley was female, only to discover he's a very good-looking man. She then assumes he's a widow.

Becca is like a fish out of water as she adapts to life in the country. She quickly learns that in a small community, everyone knows everybody else's business, and secrets are almost impossible to keep. There is also a strong sense of support and camaraderie. 

As Riley and Becca work on their writing they playfully discuss all the usual tropes used in romantic fiction. It certainly raised a smile that the author poked fun at the genre.

The narration from Joy McAvoy added to my enjoyment as it was easy to differentiate between the different characters and her accent made you feel as if you were in Ireland. The narration of Ivy was superb, she really brought to life the cheeky child.

There are ups and downs as life throws obstacles in the way, Breea Keenan doesn't shy away from some uncomfortable topics, but we know where the story is going to end, happily.

My thanks to NetGalley and Headline Audio for a review copy.

Author Details

Breea Keenan has been writing professionally for 18 years. She has a first-class honours degree in English Literature, Journalism and Creative Writing from Strathclyde University, and worked as a journalist for various media titles before moving into communications and marketing. Her poetry was selected for inclusion in Blether (Scottish Book Trust) and Living During the Coronavirus Pandemic (Legend Times). Breea lives near Glasgow with her husband and three children. Plot Twist is her debut novel.

 

They Thought I Was Dead by Peter James

 

Sandy Grace, wife of detective Roy Grace, simply disappears one day. There are no clues and at one point suspicion even falls on her husband. As the story unfolds, we discover her reason for disappearing and what happens to her over the next decade.

To date, Dead Simple, the first book in the Roy Grace series, remains my favourite. At the start of the series Roy’s wife, Sandy, is already missing. Over the next decade, and the proceeding books, author Peter James kept his fans wondering about exactly what happened to Sandy. We had possible sightings but nothing concrete until the twelfth book in the series, Love You Dead.

They Thought I Was Dead is Sandy’s story. We find out about her upbringing and early years married to Roy. More importantly, we discover exactly why she disappeared. Sandy was a gambling addict and had run up debts with an unauthorised money lender. Worried about the repercussions and the shame she would bring to Roy she felt the only solution was to disappear.

Sandy was fortunate that she met a rich man with the connections she needed to escape, including changing her identity. What she didn’t realise was that she was exchanging one life-threatening situation for another.

As a long-time fan of the Roy Grace series, I’ve always wondered what happened to Sandy, and why she would leave what appeared to be a happy marriage. They Thought I Was Dead answers those questions and Sandy doesn’t come out of it well. Author Peter James has done a fantastic job writing from Sandy’s perspective, giving her a distinct voice, unfortunately, I found her to be shallow, self-absorbed, ungrateful and weak. Sandy never seemed to be content with what she had, always wanting more.

We are given a glimpse into the personality of Sandy’s son, Bruno. In the Roy Grace series, it is obvious that he isn’t a “normal” child and we discover exactly why. I was hoping for a little more about Bruno, particularly as I was always on edge when he was featured in the Roy Grace books.

Overall, the book gives us answers and what I consider to be a satisfying, and suitable, conclusion.

They Thought I Was Dead by Peter James will be published on 9^th May 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy.

Author Details

Peter James is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper.

Much loved by crime and thriller fans for his fast-paced page-turners full of unexpected plot twists, sinister characters, and accurate portrayal of modern day policing, he has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger.

To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 19 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 21 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage – the most recent being Looking Good Dead. 

The Puppet Master by Sam Holland

 

When an agoraphobic jumps in front of a train everyone assumes suicide. DCI Cara Elliot isn’t so sure. Why would an agoraphobic leave their home to end their life? Two more suspicious deaths in quick succession have the team wondering if they have a serial killer on their hands.

The Puppet Master by Sam Holland is book 3 in the Major Crimes series. Anyone who has read the previous books, The Echo Man and The Twenty will know that the author pulls no punches regarding serial killers. This time around the killing is far more insidious with someone seemingly persuading people to end their lives. Some of the descriptions are graphic so we still have the same dark and disturbing tone we expect from the author.

You don't need to have read the previous two books in the series to enjoy The Puppet Master, however, events that took place in the preceding books are mentioned. By reading the previous books you will have a greater understanding of the team dynamics and what motivates the actions of some of the members.

It is when three suicides take place in a short space of time that Cara realises that something is wrong. Her team is depleted following the events of the previous two books. She also needs someone she can trust, who thinks outside the box, and who understands what it is to reach rock bottom. Hence, Cara persuades her brother Nate Griffin to return to policing.

There are no obvious links between the victims so the team is expanded again by introducing a tech expert, someone who can search the internet looking for connections. However, no matter how deep they dig nothing seems to connect the individuals. While they investigate the killer claims more victims.

Fans of the series will be well aware that no one is safe in a Sam Holland book, even those trying to track down the killer. With a murderer intent on killing those struggling with their mental health more than one of the team could be in danger of becoming prey.

Unexplained deaths, fallible characters and an unrelenting pace keep you turning the pages. The conclusion will have you holding your breath. As for the epilogue, I just wonder what is lined up for the next book in the series.

The Puppet Master by Sam Holland will be published on 9^th May 2024 in paperback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for a review copy.

Author Details

Sam Holland is the award-winning author of the Major Crimes series, following detectives as they investigate murders committed by brutal serial killers in the south of England. Her debut, The Echo Man, shocked and enthralled readers and reviewers alike with its sinister depiction of a serial killer copying notorious real-life murderers of the past.

Her books have been published in 11 countries worldwide, including the US, Germany and the Netherlands, where she became the first author to win the Bronze Bat for her debut and the Silver Bat for best thriller in consecutive years at the Nederlands Thrillerfestival.

The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr

 

When Clayton Stumper’s guardian, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away he decides that it is the right time to try and find out about the parents who abandoned him as a baby on the steps of Creighton Hall, the home of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers.

The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr is a wonderfully uplifting read, although there are times when it will tug at your heartstrings. The story is filled with engaging characters, a puzzle or two, and a mystery along the way.

The story opens with Pippa discovering a hatbox on the steps of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, the home she shares with other like-minded people. The box contains a baby boy, only a few days old. Pippa has no children of her own, has never married and at sixty-seven is a little old to be thinking about raising a child but, she knows she will have the help and support of the other residents of The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers.

We then jump back to 1979 and learn about how Pippa founded The Fellowship. Pippa is a well-known compiler of cryptic crosswords, although she hides behind a masculine pseudonym. Knowing that there must be like-minded people out there she decides to form a club in the upstairs room of a pub. She is surprised by the variety of people that turn up, many of whom feature throughout the remainder of the story. The meeting becomes a regular event and after a few years Pippa comes up with the idea of buying what was once her ancestral home, Creighton Hall, to form a type of commune for some of the members of The Fellowship.

It is not a surprise that Pippa decides to form a commune, she sees like-minded people who accept her for who she is and her accomplishments. Despite being "presentable", her intelligence has always frightened ordinary men and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. As a result of this, she’s a little lonely. You get the impression that the men who make up the majority of The Fellowship are loners too. What Pippa offers them is a sense of community, a family.

As we learn about the establishment of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers we also follow Clayton on his quest for information. At twenty-five he’s had a fairly sheltered upbringing, surrounded by the elderly residents of The Fellowship. Clayton doesn’t resent them for this, he’s always been happy, it is only recently that he’s begun to wonder about his parentage. Pippa always knew this day would come so prepared a series of puzzles for Clayton to follow.

For Clayton, this is a voyage of self-discovery as he leaves the warmth and protection of The Fellowship. You can feel his trepidation, he has no idea of where the journey will lead him or who he will meet. As Clayton follows the clues laid out for him, he meets new people along the way, some of whom will have quite an impact on his life. He also learns a little bit more about Pippa.

There is heartbreak along the way, I became so invested in these characters that I felt the pain. You also feel immense sympathy towards Pippa when she feels as if she has let the rest of The Fellowship down because she struggles to relinquish control or ask for help.

As Clayton finally gets the answers he was looking for and Pippa learns that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness we realise that family isn’t necessarily the one you are born into. Family can take many guises, it’s the people who love and nurture you, accepting you no matter what.

The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr will be published on 9^th May 2024 in hardback, ebook and audio format. My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for a review copy.

 

Author Details

Samuel Burr is a TV producer who has worked on popular factual shows including the BAFTA-nominated Secret Life of 4-Year-Olds. Samuel’s writing was selected for Penguin’s WriteNow scheme and in 2021 he graduated from the Faber Academy. He previously studied at Westminster Film School.

 

                          

The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone

 

It is six months since the Enceladons arrived on earth and they've all but disappeared. Ava is on trial for her husband's murder. Lennox and Heather are being held captive at a military site and used in experiments to try and communicate with the aliens. 

The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone is the second book in The Enceladons trilogy. To get the most out of this wonderful story you really must read the first book in the series, The Space Between Us. Don't let the thought of either of these books being science fiction put you off, they certainly don't come across as typical of the genre. It would be better to think of the books as modern fairy tales or morality tales.

With events taking place six months after the Enceladons descended from the sky it is amazing that there is virtually no public interest. The event has been manipulated by the government and media and passed off as fake news. The only people who have shown any interest are those who feel a connection to the creatures and have set up a camp on the outskirts of the military base on the edge of Loch Broom.

The military sees the aliens as a threat to the status quo, particularly because the different species are able to live together in harmony and pose no threat to humanity, they are simply looking for a new home. By experimenting on Lennox, Heather, Ava and her baby, Chloe, they hope to find out how the Enceladons communicate and track them down since they have gone into hiding.

Thankfully, there are people both inside the base and outside who are willing to help the captives, they realise that "people have power when they work together" and that power is multiplied beyond belief when they work with the Enceladons. I'm trying my hardest to keep this a spoiler-free zone, you really do need to read, and experience, this book for yourself. I read it in a day because I was so invested in all the characters I wanted to know what happened to them.

There is so much to unpack in the novel, this would make an ideal choice for a reading group. As well as the misinformation and media control mentioned at the beginning there is also the plight of refugees, military powers akin to Nazi Germany, animal welfare and the fragility of the human body. These, and so much more, are all wrapped up in a story where the pace never lets up for a moment. And now, it's a case of waiting for the third book in the trilogy to discover what happens next.

The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone is available now in paperback, ebook and audio format.

Author Details

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, includingThe Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for  In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.

March 2024 Reads

 

March was a good month for reading. Not only did I manage to read nine books but I also got through four audiobooks. To make things even better, there wasn't a dud among them. Each month one or two books really stand out but it is almost impossible to pick from the superb selection I read last month.

The month began with one of my favourite series. Neil Lancaster takes the “prisoner escape” story and turns it on its head in The Devil You Know. One of the Hardie crime family offers information in exchange for better conditions during his term in prison, but, he insists Max Craigie must not be involved. Craigie knows never to trust a Hardie, so you fully expect him to say “I told you so” when the police transport containing Hardie is ambushed. Fast-paced, action-packed and a conclusion that has you filled with fear.

A Clock Stopped Dead by J. M. Hall sees a return to the retired primary school teachers Pat, Thelma and Liz as they investigate a spooky disappearing charity shop that may be the cause of a woman’s death. The investigation causes a rift in their friendship as they strike out in different directions looking for answers.

I couldn’t put Clickbait down. In a similar style to her previous book, The Ugly Truth, author L. C. North uses a variety of media to highlight the façade of reality TV. During a long-running TV show featuring a “real” family, an old clip re-ignites interest in a missing person case. We learn that lies and manipulation are used to gain, and keep, fame.

A thriller with a great twist is The Gathering by C. J. Tudor. When a teenager is murdered in a remote Alaskan town it’s the people that live on the margins of society that are the suspects. In this case, those people are a colony of vampyrs. It’s up to a detective to decide if the colony poses a threat to the rest of the town and authorise a cull before the inhabitants take matters into their own hands.

Twitter has been abuzz with praise for The Night In Question by Susan Fletcher so I decided to see what I was missing out on. Set in a residential home where the manager falls from a third-floor window we have an elderly resident, Florrie, investigating if it was attempted murder. BUT, this isn’t really a crime story, it’s all about Florrie as we delve into her past and journey with her through all the exotic places she’s lived and all the people who have loved her. Florrie, along with many of the supporting characters, are wonderful and I was sad to end my time with them.

Part crime thriller, part legal mystery, Seven Days by Robert Rutherford takes us from Whitley Bay, to Paris and on to New York as Alice Logan tries to find proof of her estranged father’s innocence. He was convicted of a brutal murder and his execution date has been set for seven days time. I enjoyed the moral questions this book brought up.

Profile K by Helen Fields is a cat-and-mouse thriller about a psychopath and an analyst who has identified his disturbing data as they race to track each other down. There are some dark and disturbing scenes as we see inside the killer’s mind, along with a multi-national organisation that has Big Brother tendencies. Definitely one to read with the lights on.

Another book that has been all over Twitter is The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr. If you enjoy a mystery (no murder this time around) and puzzles then this book will be right up your street. Pippa Allsbrook forms a commune of like-minded puzzle lovers. When a baby is abandoned on their doorstep, they raise the boy together. Twenty-five years later the boy, Clayton, has to follow a series of clues to discover his parentage. This is one of those books filled with such wonderful characters, particularly Pippa, that you’ll be hooked from the first page.

I rounded the month off with a serial killer thriller in the form of The Puppet Master by Sam Holland. Book 3 in the Major Crimes series is as dark and disturbing as you would expect but the killing is more insidious as the murderer persuades the victims to commit suicide. Not even the team are safe as they search for links connecting the victims.

Audiobooks

The Final Hours Of Muriel Hinchcliffe M. B. E. by Claire Parkin had me gripped. Ruth is Muriel’s carer, they’ve been friends all their lives. When Muriel predicts she’ll be dead in 72 hours, Ruth’s life spins out of control. We learn of the life-long friendship filled with jealousy, resentment and manipulation.

Looking for some light relief I decided to listen to something by Beth O’Leary as I’ve seen the author mentioned a lot on Twitter recently. Luckily BorrowBox had her first novel, The Flat Share, available as an audiobook. This is one of those stories where you know exactly where it is going to end, the fun is in how it gets there. I loved the main characters, Tiffy and Leon, they felt very real. I’ll certainly try more by this author.

Mother Of The Bride by Samantha Hayes introduced one of the most hateful characters I’ve come across in a long time. Lizzie and her fiancé find themselves with nowhere to live when they return from living in Dubai. She reluctantly agrees to live in her childhood home with her mother Sylvia. Sylvia is bitter, resentful and controlling. Living at home brings back unhappy memories for Lizzie and raises lots of questions.

A Lesson In Cruelty by Harriet Tyce initially seems to be three separate stories. Anna, newly released from prison and trying to find out why her cellmate killed herself. Lucy is obsessed with her professor. Marie, lives in a cabin on the shore of a remote loch. Gradually, the stories of the three women begin to converge and you wonder who is dangerous and who you can trust. The narrator really makes the hairs on your neck stand on end.

Publications dates to look out for:-

A Clock Stopped Dead by J. M. Hall will be published on 11/4/24 in paperback, ebook and audio format.

Clickbait by L. C. North will be published on 11/4/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor will be published on 11/4/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

A Lesson In Cruelty by Harriet Tyce will be published on 11/4/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Night In Question by Susan Fletcher will be published on 18/4/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Seven Days by Robert Rutherford will be published on 25/4/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

Profile K by Helen Fields will be published on 25/4/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Fellowship Of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr will be published on 9/5/24 in hardback, ebook and audio format.

The Puppet Master by Sam Holland will be published on 9/5/24 in paperback, ebook and audio format.