Julie McLaren

A new book from an author whose work I enjoy.

Invisible Damage

Amaozon.com link

My review -

Julie McLaren has taken a woman who has had her confidence destroyed and allowed us to watch her pull herself up again. She not only tells us you can recover from inner hurts but lets us see it happening. It’s not an easy transition, however, and there are problems along the way for Samantha. As we watch her re-establish herself as a successful professional woman and I found myself cheering for her. I also winced at some of the past sections as we saw her husband’s undermining and sniping. The writing is fluid and elegant and I found the transition from present to past and back clear and easy to follow. A very enjoyable story.

Will Patching

Third in this super-fast trilogy.

The Hangman

Amazon.com link

My review -

This is the explosive finale to The Hack trilogy and takes a sideways look at recent political developments. Someone is trying to foment war in the Middle East. Kate, the journalist in this set of novels, is caught up in a terrorist attack in London – but who is behind it? Doug Hunter is on the same mission at the other side of the world but longs to leave it all behind him and disappear into an ordinary life somewhere.

I am used to thriller novels building up to a massively suspenseful climax but with Will Patching, the whole thing is climactic. We reel from crisis to crisis, horror to horror and scarcely get time to draw breath. This is thriller writing at its best. The whole trilogy is highly recommended.

The Hunter

The second in Will Patching's Hack series. Compulsive reading!

The Hunter

Amazon.com link

My review -

Put together an investigative journalist and an ex-CIA agent with a vigilante attitude and you have a great premise for a thriller. The author can make you care about characters you suspect you wouldn’t like in real life. A serial killer is bad but some of the ruthless and grossly rich people he’s up against are worse. This is a thrill a minute and a worthy follow up to The Hack. I think it could be read as a stand-alone but these books are so good that I read them back to back. Great writing and a brilliant story.

Will Patching

A new author for me but I've just bought book two in this series of three! This one's free - tempted? 

The Hack

Amazon.com link

My review -

Wow, what a book! The title can be taken several ways, as its different meanings are incorporated into the story. It ranges from tabloid journalism, computer hacking, the CIA, child prostitution and pornography. It’s got a Thailand connection, a link to the president of the US, to a British Lord, to Russia – it’s an amazingly wide-ranging story which has its roots in the truth. You will scarcely get time to draw breath. It’s brilliantly written and the characters are largely not black and white, but multiple grey shades – and I found myself rooting for people I’d consider bad in normal life. This is so good I’ve downloaded and started the second in the series. Will Patching rocks!

No Remorse

Third in this super series but you can read it on its own.

No Remorse

Amazon.com link

My review -

This is the third in the Kent Fisher series and there’s enough backstory here for you to read it as a stand-alone. It begins with a bang when an old man in a care home tells Kent that someone’s going to kill him. Soon after, he dies. That starts our hero off sleuthing. We meet a new love-interest, but Gemma, his old flame, still burns brightly. Kent teases the threads from an old story and puts himself in danger.

The thing I love about these stories is that there’s no dry police procedure. I know some people love it, but Fisher is an ordinary person, like us. It puts the reader at the heart of the mystery. The characters are strong and credible, and the author’s love for the Downland countryside shines through. I love this series. A completely different take on the thriller and mystery genre, and written by a man who doesn’t fall into cliché. I think this one is the best so far. Very enjoyable.