Michael Brookes

This is the beginning of a new series and it kicks off to a great start.  

Faust 2.0

Amazon.com  Faust 2.0

My review - 

A being, an entity, springs painfully into self-awareness. It inhabits, infests, the internet. It detests humanity and seeks to influence people to greed, murder and acts of total selfishness. It takes the form of an attractive female avatar and promises its victims their deepest desires. There will be a pay-back, but this will be something within their power to give. Some people are on to it, and a group of internet security specialists (and one sad hacker) manage to slow its progress. Why is it doing it, though. What is it? Why are the victims all represented on their eventual arrest, by the same very expensive lawyer, who seems to give them all the same unwanted advice?

I found this an absolutely intriguing concept and loved the name the author gave to the entity – Misty Felice. (Say it to yourself a few times. It’s cryptic but it’s a give-away!) I loved the way the entity was able to twist the desires of inadequate people and make them believe that it, she, could grant them those deepest wishes. Isn’t it what we’d all like? One or two of its victims were greedy people but most were unhappy and needy and I felt for them. Sarah Mitchell is after it though. Can she succeed? The story, though perhaps a little involved to the computer layman, was written believably and the action carried me onwards. The ending, while a satisfying ending to this story, was also a beginning. I look forward to more in this series.

Lexie Conyngham

This is another in the Murray of Letho series and in my view, it could be the best so far!  

Fellowship with Demons

Amazon.com Fellowship with Demons

My review - 

Charles Murray is commissioned by Melville, a high-ranking Scottish nobleman, to look into the family into which his cousin is hoping to marry.  Melville feels there is something shady about them but has no proof.  This is a story of officers, young, marriageable ladies, balls, suppers and concerts at the Assembly Rooms – it all sounds very Jane Austen.  However, Lexie Conyngham puts far more emphasis on the ‘Downstairs’ part of Upstairs/Downstairs than ever Jane Austen did and we meet up with far more violence, murder and assault than was ever hinted at in her genteel writings.  Murray finds what Melville has asked him, but some of the knowledge comes with the realisation that people he loves and respects will be hurt by it too.

Lexie Conyngham’s elegant and intelligent writing comes with a sprinkling of Scottish dialect terms which give it huge charm.  The story here is one of mystery, murder, intrigue and deceit.  I love the way the author combines action and plot line with a thoughtful look at the lives of some otherwise minor characters.  She looks at the effects of dementia on an old and loved servant, and at other issues of mental instability.  It’s a gripping thriller and mystery but is also a great social comment on the times.  I enjoyed reading this very much.  I’m a big fan of the Murray of Letho series and I think this is possibly the best.  (So far – I’m an optimist!)

Jonathan Hill

This is the second book of 'mixed genre' tales from Jonathan Hill.  He handles all the stories well.  I enjoyed this so much!

Beyond Eclectic

Amazon.com Beyond Eclectic

My review 

I have looked forward to this book for months and although it’s got ten stories in, and runs to around 32,000 words, I devoured it in a day. Ok, it was Sunday and I hadn’t much else to be doing, but it’s a very good read indeed. All these stories give the reader food for thought – sometimes it’s ‘I wonder if that could really happen?’ For lovers of Jonathan Hill’s classic character, Maureen makes her appearance, as disgracefully as ever! There was one point, though, where not until the end of a story, did it click for me that there was a link with another, earlier in the book – that was a real ‘Wow’ moment for me, and I think it was very cleverly done.

The author has an approachable, comfortable writing style which quickly draws you in to each of his stories, be it dark and dangerous, amusing, or outright funny/silly (Yes, Maureen – I’m looking at you!) He has proved here that he can very capably tackle subjects in different genres and tell a good tale in each. Highly recommended!

Andrew Barrett

This is a stand-alone novel featuring some of the characters from The Third Rule trilogy.  I think it's stunningly good.

Black by Rose

Amazon.com Black by Rose

My review -

In this new stand-alone novel by Andrew Barrett we again meet Scenes of Crime Officer Eddie Collins.  He has stormed out of a crime scene and resigned, and has been recruited to the Major Crimes Unit.  Eddie is his usual self here – irascible, sarcastic, almost permanently angry and yet vulnerable.  He becomes involved in unravelling the deaths of an undercover policeman and his wife and with investigating the murder of one of the local gang members.  There’s unrest in the Crosby gang and there’s a territory fight between them and another local group.  There are sub-plots going on in the background, as you would expect if you’ve read any of the author’s previous work.  The story is sprinkled with clues – it’s up to us to link them together.  As always, Eddie’s heart is in the right place, but acting for someone else’s good results in some heart-breaking scenes.

This is an energetic and exciting novel.  There are some heart-stopping moments here, which I read with a lump in my throat - if you read it you’ll find it hard to forget.  Amongst its other themes, it deals with rape, and its after-effects, and with male domination of women.  Hard topics to read about but as well as food for thought they provide a fast and thrilling story.  The book is at once gruesome and beautiful, containing as it does, violence, tough language, wonderful writing and some very poignant moments.  Amazing contrasts and thrilling highlights make this an utterly absorbing read.

David Haynes

This is a novella length tale which follows nicely from the short stories.  It can be read on its own though.  Thrillingly nasty!

Seance of the Souls

Amazon.com  Seance of the Souls

My review - 

In this novella length story, Matthew Napier tells of the deaths of his family.  He and his sister visit a fortune teller and are given a short but very grim reading.  Matthew turns to drink in his despair and the dark alleys and gutters of Victorian London infested by dreary and desperate creatures are very evocatively described.  He comes under the insidious influence of members of a spiritualist church and discovers more about his family than ever he suspected.

The author creates a dismal London and gives us a character who is an evil genius.  If you’ve read his earlier Victorian horror tales, you will recognise this man.  The novella allows us the opportunity to go a little deeper into the main character than the short stories did, and we almost come full circle.  I was struck by the fact that although we are dealing with séances and spiritualism, with the supposed terror and pain of the recently dead, the real evil in this story comes straight from the human soul.  An atmospheric chiller!

Alex Roddie

I've just read the book to which Crowley's Rival (see earlier post) is a prequel.  This is a wonderful idea.  It takes real historical figures, combines them with invented characters, puts them in a situation which might have happened and then stands back for the fireworks!

The Only Genuine Jones


Amazon .com  The Only Genuine Jones

My review - 

This is an imaginary account which is based around a number of real people.  The main character, Owen Glynne Jones (the Only Genuine Jones) was a real person but much of the action of the story is fictional  It has a number of themes, including a rivalry between Jones and Aleister Crowley, the disputes between the traditionalists of mountain climbing (we do it this way because we’ve always done it this way) and the progressives.  The latter were prepared to use shorter-handled, curved ice axes and crampons with forward facing points, which made previously impossible mountains climbable.

The story isn’t all blow-by-blow accounts of accents, however.  There is a good deal of the social history of the times as the book deals with the fact that wealthy gentleman climbers and talented, poorer people were able to climb together in friendship.  The mountains are great levellers. There are dodgy business dealings here, patent-stealing, double-crossing, potential polygamy, murder – and all this, with added mountains!  Alex Roddie’s writing is elegant and accessible and the story reaches a gripping climax.  I found this book enthralling.

Darren Humphries

This spin-off from the Man from U.N.D.E.A.D series is bound to be hugely popular with those of us who love his witty humour and mad plots.

Penny Kilkenny Saves the Day

Amazon.com Penny Kilkenny Saves the Day

My review - 

This story is a spin-off from the popular Man from U.N.D.E.A.D series. Penny is the super-efficient and slightly sarcastic assistant to the head of the Agency, but here we see her in uncharacteristic 'off-duty' mode. She has been persuaded to attend a reunion at her school and we meet her schoolmates fresh from their exploits as high achievers and icons in their fields. We also meet her first boyfriend!

This is another very enjoyable UNDEAD romp, with all the action, deaths, monsters and humour you have come to expect from a Darren Humphries book. I always wonder if he can do it again. I've not yet been disappointed!