As The Crow Flies by Damien Boyd

February 17, 2022 By 1 Comment


As The Crow Flies by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer, Seattle
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

Rock climbers can’t afford to make careless mistakes. But Detective Inspector Nick Dixon’s former climbing partner, Jake Fayter, died doing just that. Or so it seems. Dixon suspects foul play, but his only leads are unreliable accounts of something odd happening in Cheddar Gorge seconds before Jake fell.

The more Dixon learns about Jake’s life, the more he realises that Jake hadn’t been quite the man he remembered…and a lot of people could have wanted him dead. Once Dixon gets too close to the truth, those people will emerge from the shadows and kill to protect their secrets.

As the body count rises, Dixon bends the rules to breaking point to lure out a killer and unravel a conspiracy of silence that will rock the sleepy town of Burnham-on-Sea to its core.

It had been a number of years since DI Nick Dixon had been actively participating in the rock-climbing community, but he still had a number of good friends there and he kept in touch with their adventures online. When his old climbing partner and still very good friend dies in what appears to be an accident Nick can’t turn down his friend’s parents when they plea for Nick to help supply some answers. Jake had been a professional for many years and it seems incredibly unlikely that he made such a rookie mistake as tying an incorrect knot. But the more Nick digs into the case, the murkier everything becomes.

This is a completely new-to-me author, and I am so very glad I found this book and new series. Before I was halfway through this book, I had already ordered the second and I am very much looking forward to reading more. I thought this was a gripping and quite freshly different style of novel and story. The rock-climbing aspect to it was utterly new to me and while the author adds a good balance of technical detail (his knowledge and research is very clear from the outset) it also doesn’t get bogged down by too much data and the pace of the story moved along at what I felt was a good clip.

I enjoyed the main characters and definitely felt the author wrote this story really well. I was attached and intrigued by the characters but still found them realistic and relatable. The pace of the mystery was good – fast enough that I wasn’t bored or skipping pages, but slow enough I could actually catch everything and didn’t feel like I was racing along too fast to take everything in. For a first novel I felt this was a really good quality and standard and I am definitely eager to read more.

While in many ways this is a regular police procedural style of story, I feel enough different energy is present with both the interesting characters and in particular the rock-climbing element that this should appeal to readers as something a bit more than “just another British-inspector-murder-mystery” style of story. I certainly am pleased I gave this a shot and feel many other mystery/suspense readers will likely feel the same. Best of all this is the start of a decent length series so I have plenty more books to look forward to into the future. Recommended.

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Blood and Tears by John Carson

February 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Blood and Tears by John Carson
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Two murderers on the loose. One relentless cop on their tail. Zero hope nobody dies.
DCI Harry McNeil is finally enjoying life outside of policing. But he’s forced back into all work and no play after a transport van explodes and a pair of convicted criminals disappear into thin air. And with his resources stretched to a breaking point and the escapees armed and dangerous, the Edinburgh detective fears nothing can stop more bloodshed.

So when experienced colleagues from Glasgow join the hunt, McNeil works the extra manpower hard to get the savage killers off the streets. But after the vicious slayings resume, the expert investigator and his team must race against time to stop a deadly spree of violence.

Can McNeil trap the ruthless felons before more body count rises higher?

DCI Harry McNeil and his partner Alex once again join forces with their friends and counterparts in Glasgow – DCI Jimmy Dunbar and DS Robbie Evans – when a daring escape outside the High Court happens and two convicted murders escape in the mayhem. Time is of the essence to bring these two fugitives – and their conspirators – into line before everything turns to blood and tears.

This is the fifth book in the DCI Harry McNeil series, and I admit I am thoroughly hooked. I also feel the author has really hit his stride with both this series and his writing as a whole. I find it very “moreish” in that once I get started reading even when I’m busy with other things I just keep wanting to know what happens next, and then after that, and again. While there’s nothing trail blazing with this series, I find the plot has an exceptional balance between detective work and action, the characters are fun, realistic and appealing. I care what happens to the characters, but I also love being along for the ride as they put the puzzle pieces together and solve the crime.

This story in particular had a slightly different bend to it which I found equal parts refreshing and completely different. It’s completely normal for there to be a dead body, a killer and the police figuring out who is responsible – but this time the two murderers are known to the police from the very first page. This is a classic story about what happens AFTER justice is served and the police and court system has worked correctly. What happens when one of the guilty has a strong network of connections and ties and has unfinished business he has no intention of leaving behind?

The jailbreak (or “court break” I suppose) occurs right in the opening chapters and what follows is an action packed, fast paced chase after the two murderers who are seemingly strangers to each other, and each go their own way. I loved how this gave a glimpse into what might happen after the system has performed well and this different look at police work from a new perspective.

Readers who enjoy a good police procedural but want something slightly different to the usual “who dun it” mystery should find this is a breath of fresh air. I strongly feel this story can be picked up as a standalone though it’s a middle book in a series. While there is plenty of backstory between Harry and Alex in particular, and the teams their work with to a slightly lesser extent – I feel this story can absolutely be enjoyed fully if it’s picked up on a whim with no prior background. I’m really enjoying this author and looking forward to reading more by him.

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Bury Your Past by J M Dalgliesh

February 9, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Bury Your Past by J M Dalgliesh
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A secret worth dying for is a secret worth killing…

When a violent storm uncovers the remains of an unknown young woman, long buried among the sand dunes, DI Tom Janssen must piece together fragmentary evidence to determine how she came to be there.

In the years she lay undiscovered several young women have disappeared and as the team work through the possibilities they come to an uncomfortable conclusion… is a serial killer stalking coastal Norfolk? Each missing person had a story. Each of them had enemies. Some were more dangerous than others…

They appealed to the same men, dabbled in the occult and came to the attention of powerful figures who would brush them aside without a second thought. But who had the motivation to kill? Where is the killer now? When the past is brought into the light will they be willing to ensure their closely guarded secrets remain buried?

To do so, they will have to kill again…

Set within the mysterious beauty of coastal Norfolk, this fast-paced British detective novel is a dark murder mystery with a little humour, one that will keep you guessing until the very end when the final shocking twist is revealed.

DI Tom Janssen has settled back very well into life in Norfolk. His police work keeps him busy but isn’t hectic and he tries to spend more time with his partner Alice and Alice’s young daughter Saffy. When a huge storm passes through the coastal town the skeletal remains of what appears to be a young woman buried in the sand at a popular part of the beach shocks the locals. But this body appears to be just one of a few missing young women and something far more sinister.

This is the second book in the Hidden Norfolk series by Dalgliesh and I admit I quite enjoyed it for the most part. This story can definitely be read as a standalone – only a brief mention is made of the fact that DCI Tamara Greave was brought on to help work with Tom on a previous case together. Aside from the facts that they know each other, have worked together once before and there’s a small bit of attraction (carefully hidden on both sides) nothing else is needed or stated and so this entire story stands really well by itself, and I feel readers should feel quite confidant in picking up this book without reading the previous one.

While I admit the slight attraction between Tom and Tamara is very much downplayed by both characters and indeed from outward appearances they try to not even show or express it – this was the only part of the story that niggled at me a little. Tom is already in a committed romantic relationship with Alice and so it felt odd to me that there was some level of attraction between Tom and Tamara. This was all done very subtly and was realistic (even extremely happily connected people feel attraction to another person now and then) but it still struck a very odd tune to me, personally, and while I didn’t dislike it, it was something I found uneasy to read – partly I think because I wanted this to be a fairly straightforward police procedural mystery and also partly because it’s highly unusual for one of the heroines of the story to not be feeling (even hiding those feelings) in a very heroic manner.

That said, this was all very subtle and effectively had nothing much at all to do with the murder mystery, which truly was the main thrust of the storyline as a whole. Excepting this attraction between Tom and Tamara I felt the entirety of the rest of the story was really well handled. I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of secondary characters who were all drawn in for various reasons into the investigation and were all locals of the small coastal town. I enjoyed seeing Eric again and feel he will in the next book or two be a very strong presence as his detective and police skills grow by leaps and bounds. I also enjoyed that the plot was twisty enough to engage my mind but not so convoluted I couldn’t keep track of all the threads. I feel the author did an exceptional job balancing the plot and pacing and once I got going, I read the book quite quickly and really thoroughly enjoyed it.

Readers wanting a British style, police procedural mystery should find this really suits their mood. While a little gritty I definitely don’t feel this is too dark or edgy and I am looking forward to the next in the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Body Under the Bridge by Nick Louth

February 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Body Under the Bridge by Nick Louth
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

DCI Craig Gillard will be pushed to his limits… But will he break?

It seems like a routine disappearance, a case of musician’s stage fright. As a senior detective, Craig Gillard isn’t sure why he’s even involved. Until it turns out the woman’s father is the German Minister of Justice, and the British Home Secretary is on the case too.

But nothing about the case is simple. How does a woman on a train simply vanish? What do you do when a trail runs cold and the pressure is on?

Before long the perpetrator has another target: DCI Gillard himself. What if the detective isn’t just running the case, but is part of it? The victim merely a lure for a bigger fish.

The answer is under the bridge. The chilling setting for the biggest challenge of his life.

DCI Craig Gillard is called in on what appears to be a fairly simple missing persons case. At first he’s surprised to be called in so very early on what apparently is a completely routine situation. Until it turns out the missing woman is the daughter of a very important politician, and as the hours and then days pass this simple, routine case turns out to be anything but easy.

I found this to be a very interesting and complex story. While it is absolutely a police procedural style of mystery/suspense book, I was interested by the refreshingly different plot and a quite complex turn the missing person aspect of the case took. Before I’d reached the half-way mark of the story it was very clear this wasn’t a simple or straightforward plot but a very convoluted and well thought out story. I really enjoyed that rather than having two or three plots running simultaneously the events all unfolded quite neatly, with one aspect of the plot leading to the next and then the next after that. Often, I find it a bit difficult to believe that two or three mysteries/cases just “happen” to all dovetail and neatly intertwine – often that aspect to a story doesn’t feel realistic to me. But in this book while the missing person case is sometimes left on the backburner, the leads and red herrings and different threads the investigation leads to all widen until multiple – and not one – crime is being investigated concurrently. I found this really gripping to read and I was seriously impressed with the author’s handling of such a complex and multi-faceted plot.

I also really enjoyed the main characters. I had no idea when I picked up this book – and indeed didn’t realize until I was well past the mid-point of the book – that this story is in the middle of a series. Much of it can absolutely be read as a standalone, though I expect some of the back story to the secondary characters and police team likely would be given in the previous stories so from that perspective having read others might give the reader a deeper connection with the characters. From a plot perspective though at no time did I feel like I was missing pieces of the puzzle or that I needed more back-story to really understand the story I was reading.

Readers looking for a very complex and interesting plot – a solid mystery where there are many moving parts and is a lot more intense than your usual linear and straight-forward murder mystery, this is an excellent book to give a try to. While it’s a British based police procedural and more mystery than action based, I feel it is a solid and gripping read, and I am definitely planning on going back to the start of the series and reading more from this author.

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Starvation Lake by John Carson

February 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Starvation Lake by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Brand new series from the creator of the DCI Harry McNeil and DI Frank Miller novels, comes DCI Sean Bracken.

A killer on the loose.

A killer behind bars.

And a detective caught between them…

Ailsa Connolly was a brilliant psychologist and a respected criminologist.

She was also a serial killer.

Six years ago, DCI Sean Bracken caught her just before he was about to become her seventh victim. Every year on the anniversary of her incarceration, she taunts him with a phone call, giving him one message; when I get out, I’ll kill you.

Now, Bracken has transferred back to Edinburgh from Fife and is thrown into the deep end on his first day back on duty.

There’s a killer who is emulating Ailsa, threatening to surpass her body count.

Bracken knows he needs her on board to help him track the killer down, but she’s reluctant to get involved.

Then the case takes an unexpected twist, and she agrees to help. But this new killer is taking them down a dark, twisted path, where nobody sees the outcome.

Until it’s too late.

Needing a change, DCI Bracken transfers from Fife back to his original home base of Edinburgh. He’s hoping to start a fresh chapter, but when a serial killer begins mimicking Bracken’s biggest arrest – Ailsa Connolly – he finds his life changing but not in a good way.

I really enjoyed this full length novel. It’s the first of a new series, and I was eager to try it given I’m a big fan of one of this author’s other series – DCI Harry McNeil. I found this book absolutely lived up to my expectations and I’m really pleased to now have another series to look forwards to.

I thought the pacing of this story was good. While it’s absolutely a Scottish police procedural the plot might feel a little slow to readers looking for a more action-based or full throttle type of story. Yet I found the plot really well balanced, between introducing new characters, setting up the police team so I could get a handle on all the new people, and really begin to dig my teeth into the murder mystery plot. I also enjoyed that while Ailsa – the previously caught serial killer – was a strong part of the storyline she didn’t overshadow any of the main cast of characters.

There was a very, very light touch to the first bloom of romance between DCI Bracken and one of the pathologists. I was also fairly pleased with this. I often don’t mind there being no romance at all in my mystery reading (especially the more police procedural style of stories) but I felt this book didn’t have the romance or attraction take over from the actual mystery and thriller parts of the plotline.

Readers looking for a well plotted, slower paced and character centric style of story should find this book really fits the bill. I personally adored that it was set in Scotland and felt it added a lot to the ambience and general atmosphere of the story without feeling too cliched or overdone.

A good book and a new series I’m looking forward to getting into.

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Beautiful Heart by Cooper McKenzie

January 31, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Beautiful Heart by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Mystic’s All Night Café—where the city’s supernatural world meet for the best coffee, tea, and pastries.

Gerri Markham wakes and walks the streets in the wee hours of each morning as physical therapy after a car accident left her a widow. When a pair of street rats try to mug her, a tall, dark man comes to her rescue. Little does she realize he’s going to expand her horizons and completely change her life.

Livingston Daniels, Prince of the city’s vampire coven, has been looking for his mate for nearly two hundred years. He never expected the woman he would spend the rest of his unnatural life with to be the bland woman he saves from two homeless men.

Can Gerri change her life for the vampire Prince? Will Livingston give his mate the time she needs to accept him and his lifestyle? Will Mystic’s predictions come true?

For years now, Gerri had consistently woken up each morning around 2am with recurring nightmares about the car crash which had killed her husband and left her with a permanent limp. With a bit of work, she’d managed to find a route she could – with difficulty – walk safely in these early-morning midnight hours, which helped dispel the memories and thoughts that plagued her. Gerri had never been bothered on these early morning walks, but one evening when two drugged out hoodlums try to change that, Livingston Daniels steps in. Gerri didn’t need the assistance, but she’s happy to allow Livingston to walk with her to Mystic’s All-Night Café, a small but interesting diner Gerri hadn’t known existed. Will both Gerri and Livingston find more than they bargained for together?

This is the second story based around Mystic’s café and I found it really enjoyable. Gerri might be mentally and physically scarred but she’s far from weak or unable to protect herself. She has the sort of stubborn strength only those who have survived can achieve and I found this really interesting to read. I also enjoyed the fact that Livingston was more than he initially appeared to be, being the prince of the local vampire coven. I was pleased that Gerri was exposed to the paranormal element of this book’s world fairly early on – though I will admit I had to completely suspend my disbelief at how readily and easily she jumped on board with the whole “werewolves and vampires are real and hey I’m the Prince of all vampires” thing. While these stories are great to read, I find I really struggle with how readily and easily these kinds of reveals are taken. I think readers will need to disconnect their brains a fair bit and just relax into the story and enjoy it for the fun tale it is – and not expect anything too rational or logical.

That said, I really enjoyed pretty much every other aspect of this story. I thoroughly enjoyed that while Livingston and Gerri had a lot of chemistry and were attracted to each other almost immediately they had a little bit of time getting to know each other before jumping into bed together. I also liked that Gerri continued to ask questions to Livingston and she tried to learn more about the paranormal element to the world she’d never known existed before. I thought the slight plot twist in the middle of the book really helped add some conflict and tension to the story. Readers wanting a very heavily erotic story might find that these other plot elements take up a lot of the story, but personally I found the balance was really well handled and the author did a good job of adding a proper plot along with enough bedroom shenanigans to keep a range of readers satisfied.

I felt this book definitely stood well alone and I don’t feel readers need to read the previous story to thoroughly enjoy this one. Grab a large drink, sit back, relax and just roll with the story – I found this to be a fun and sensual paranormal romance with a few decent intertwining plots and some strong and interesting characters.

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Smoke And Ashes by Abir Mukherjee

January 25, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Smoke And Ashes by Abir Mukherjee
Publisher: Pegasus Crime
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Captain Sam Wyndham and his sidekick Surrender-Not Banerjee return in this prize-winning historical crime series set in 1920s Calcutta.

India, 1921. Haunted by his memories of World War I, Captain Sam Wyndham is battling a serious addiction to opium that he must keep secret from his superiors in the Calcutta police force.

When Sam is summoned to investigate a grisly murder, he is stunned at the sight of the body: he’s seen this before. Last night, in a drug addled haze, he stumbled across a corpse with the same ritualistic injuries. It seems like there’s a deranged killer on the loose. Unfortunately for Sam, the corpse was in an opium den—and revealing his presence there could cost him his career.

With the aid of his quick-witted Indian Sergeant, Surrender-Not Banerjee, Sam must try to solve the two murders, all the while keeping his personal demons secret, before somebody else turns up dead.

Captain Sam Wyndham is a British officer in Calcutta’s Imperial Police Force in the early 1920s. Keeping his battle with opium addiction a fiercely held secret, everything begins to unravel on him the evening he barely escapes an opium den during an unscheduled police raid and discovers a murdered man on his exiting the building. With his police partner Surrender-Not Banerjee can they discover what’s really going on and manage to keep Sam’s secrets safe?

I found this to be an interesting and well plotted story. This is the third book in the series and while I strongly feel it can be read as a stand-alone, I equally feel most readers will find a lot more depth and interest in the characters if they begin at the start and read the series in order. That said I definitely believe the plot and mystery can absolutely be read intact in this story and no previous knowledge about the characters and their relationship would be necessary.

While this book is absolutely a mystery set in historical times, there is an incredibly tepid “romance” between Sam and Annie. I strongly feel this relationship is utterly superfluous to the story as a whole and I just don’t understand why the author doesn’t drop it. Indeed, calling whatever lies between Sam and Annie doesn’t really fit into the category of romance to my mind at all, considering there are only two or three scenes between them in the whole of this book and while they did date off stage between two of the prior books, certainly neither of them feel there is currently a relationship between them – merely history. Added to that I felt no chemistry, no meaningful connection or spark really between them so I just don’t really understand why the author continues with Annie being present in this story. I feel in most ways the book would be a lot stronger without this aspect to it.

In all other ways I found this story really strongly written and entirely engrossing. I enjoyed the fact that Sam and Surrender-not’s working relationship and friendship continued to grow stronger. I also adored Sam’s growing knowledge and acceptance of the historical British-ruled-India that the story is set in. The historical aspects and exotic setting really helped sell the series as a whole to be and I loved delving in once more. I was also impressed with the strength of the plot of the mystery itself. I feel the author is really beginning to find his feet with each book and his pacing was really on point for me.

Finally, I really enjoyed how Sam in particular is growing as a character. His opium addiction really came to a head in this story – partly forced upon him by circumstances in general, but I feel it was clear that Sam, himself, was also coming to the strong realization that he couldn’t coast along for much longer – that a firm decision either to get clean or to move on would be needed. I felt this aspect of the story was particularly well handled and I found it both realistic and satisfying.

Readers looking for a strong mystery/police procedural story set in a historical setting (1920s British-ruled-India) should find this enjoyable book is deeply satisfying. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to future installments in this series.

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Beautiful Soul by Cooper McKenzie

January 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Beautiful Soul by Cooper McKenzie
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Mystic’s All Night Café—where the city’s supernatural world meet for the best coffee, tea, and pastry.

Five years after her ex-husband left her scarred, 51-year-old Lena Wellings continues to hide from the world. In the wee hours of the morning, she meets a man online. When he invites her to Mystic’s All Night Café, she reluctantly agrees.

Mage Kingsley James gave up on love decades ago, devoting himself entirely to his craft, and to his position as the city’s negotiator between the city’s supernatural species. Meeting Lena online intrigues him. Meeting her face to face enthralls him.

When rogues kidnap Lena, Kingsley must bring vampires, shifters, and other supernatural creatures together to rescue her.

Will Lena learn to see herself as Kingsley does? Will Kingsley rescue Lena in time? Will they be able to keep the city from war between the supernaturals?

After continually waking within minutes each morning of 2am and being unable to go back to sleep, Lena joins a local online chat community for insomniacs and workers on the graveyard shift. One of the frequent chatters in particular has helped ease Lena’s transition into embracing being awake for much of the earlier hours – someone with the screen-name of KingJames. Kingsley James has no idea what, exactly, it is about Lena that draws him, but he can’t resist the allure. His nights are crammed full of mediating between the constant bickering between the local vampire coven and the restless shifter clan and so joining the message board on a whim had seemed like a good, lowkey way to keep his mind off his real-life troubles. Can Lena and Kingsley find something special together during their very long nights?

I admit I just couldn’t go past the idea of a mystical all night café where people get set up – there’s just something inherently romantic about that sort of image to me. While the plotline itself is fairly dated (I recall reading countless “magical cat/shoes/busybody sets the hero and heroine up together” style of stories in the late 90s and early 00s) I have to admit it’s still to this day a strong storyline and plot device. Even in these pandemic times people want to connect with each other and feel that magical spark of attraction and romance. So I really feel this storyline will appeal to a wide range of readers, especially those looking for something fairly straight-forward and maybe even slightly vintage in style of plotline.

Added to this slightly old-school feeling I absolutely loved the more modern reading elements. Lena was not some shy, retiring virginal miss, but a middle-aged, battle scarred woman who had survived an abusive and difficult previous relationship and come out the other end. I was so pleased Lena wasn’t a cookie-cutter style of heroine and – even more importantly – was still willing to take careful and calculated risks to help change her own life for the better. I really feel she will appeal to many modern readers. The paranormal aspects to the story, while not delved into in great depth, also really helped give the whole story a more modern and slightly whimsical feel to my mind.

Readers looking for an intense and graphic sexy story should find that this fits the bill. While Lena and Kingsley don’t jump into bed immediately, they do become sexually intimate very quickly and I feel the speed of this likely will mostly appeal to readers who like insta-love stories or those where the hero and heroine don’t spend a lot of time getting to know each other outside the bedroom first. I was pleased that even though Kingsley and Lena become intimate very quickly they do begin to grow a far strong and more emotional connection that helped sell me on the believability that their relationship should last long-term. This helped me feel more connected and invested in their relationship rather than just feel they were a fling or more interested in a quick romance.

Readers who like a steamy and sexy story with elements of the paranormal world dabbled through should find this a quick and enjoyable read.

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The City Below by William Meikle

January 20, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The City Below by William Meikle
Publisher: Severed Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

THE CITY BELOW continues the adventures detailed in THE LAND BELOW and THE SEA BELOW

Our adventurers have escaped a conflagration only to find themselves in a great underground city.

They quickly discover they are not alone.

And when a natural disaster threatens to engulf them it becomes a battle for survival.

Can they find the route home to the sun before it is closed to them forever?

Danny, Ed and Stefan have made a monumental discovery – a hidden city under the Earth. With paves streets, temples, homes and even terraced gardens the abandoned landscape was equal parts eerie and amazing. Can the three adventurers find their way back up top amidst all the dangers that lurk below?

This story picks up exactly where the previous story left off (The Sea Below) and in a similar vein to both the other books in the series is an action orientated adventure style of short story. This time though, Danny and Stefan are determined to escape back up to the surface and Ed, too, soon realizes the three of them need to regroup and agrees to head for the surface.

I have to admit I’ve come to adore our three main adventurers – the younger Ed who has an unquenchable thirst for adventure and discovery, the more elderly Stefan who remains brave and strong – the wiser, more seasoned local and calm head of the ground. And Danny, the old soldier and reluctant hero of the group. I love how while the three characters are quite different, they’re each at heart strong, brave and heroes in their own right, and through those adventures they’ve forged a friendship and bond that has been amazing to follow along with and watch develop. While I absolutely found their time discovering amazing sights and monsters under the ground has been well worth the read – these three characters and their interactions, growth and slowly building friendship has been a true joy to read and journey along with.

While our group’s explorations are full of new discoveries, danger still lurks everything – from enemies as well as monsters. I really enjoyed the pace to this story – it wasn’t crazily fast but it was definitely a good clip most adventure readers should really enjoy.

This book seemed to me to span a good mixture of adventure, suspense and paranormal “monsters dwelling below the earth” and I feel should appeal to a wide range of readers and they should thoroughly enjoy it. While it can definitely be picked up by itself, I feel reading this will have a stronger impact and better experience by going back and reading the two previous installments first. These are short, sharp, witty and exciting stories and well worth the investment in reading them in order.

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Hour Of Need by John Carson

January 13, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Hour Of Need by John Carson
Publisher: Vellum
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A death in the family. A man cut down. A cold-blooded killer with no boundaries.
DCI Harry McNeil wasn’t fond of his stepfather, but he never wished him dead. And there’s no time to comfort his mother when he’s pulled away to upscale Edinburgh to investigate a sadistic doorstep stabbing. But despite the victim having lived a perfectly ordinary life, McNeil suspects a gruesome hit.

When the deceased’s widow witnesses a dark stranger lurking in the neighborhood, the seasoned detective is certain he has the assassin in his sights. But when his hunt for the culprit swerves too close to home, McNeil fears the killings have become personal.
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Will he track down the murderer before death knocks on his own door?

DCI Harry McNeil and his girlfriend DS Alex Marshall are with Harry’s family at the funeral for his stepfather. Their grieving is interrupted when both Harry and Alex are called away for a difficult crime. A man has been brutally murdered on his doorstep practically in front of his wife and kids. The victim appears to be an ordinary man with a boring Bank job – so why does this look like a professional hit? Can Harry, Alex and their team solve this before anyone else gets hurt?

This is the fourth book involving DCI Harry McNeil and I have to admit I’m really enjoying the series. The mysteries are interesting, police procedural style of cases and while there are often a few coincidences that make me squint a little the quick pace, light tone of writing and interesting characters always have me reading these books pretty quickly. I find them very “moreish”. I’m starting to feel that Harry and Alex’s relationship – while progressing well – is the only aspect to the story that isn’t very “stand alone”, in that all other aspects of the story (the team, the plot, the victim, the crime etc) all stand very independently and well if this was the first book I had ever picked up. And while Harry and Alex are obviously explained, their connection, teasing and history thankfully isn’t rehashed over and over. So while as a reader who has been on board since the first book, I know what’s going on and how this relationship has evolved, it’s the only point I’m beginning to feel might give a pause for someone who picked this book up by itself not having read the previous ones.

I really enjoyed that in this book we get to know more about Harry’s family. His mother and brother are strong secondary characters throughout this story and his sister is also mentioned though not shown on page very much. I also really enjoyed catching up with Harry’s team again and refreshing my memory on some of the exceptionally memorable characters there.

Readers who are sensitive to character deaths should probably be warned that a supporting/secondary character dies in this book. I truly feel that this should add deeply to the plot and hopefully also the character development of Harry and I have to give kudos to the author for having the gumption to kill off an important character. I doubt it was done lightly or easily and I definitely feel it makes the story stronger for it.

Fast paced with an interesting plot and a good-sized cast of wonderful characters this is a great book and a good addition to the series. I’m eagerly looking forward to reading more.

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