All the Reviews

Hell's Fire, Chris Simms

HELL'S FIRE is the fourth book in this Manchester based series featuring DI Jon Spicer, although this is the first book in the group that I've read.  An error of omission on my part that I'm going to have to do something about!  

As you'd expect with a story that concentrates on the torching of churches, there are a lot of religious elements to this book.  Although organised religion and the satanic ritualism as part of the church destruction is only part of a complex intertwining of religious elements.  Satanic ritualism at the scenes connects to a Satanic styled rock ... Read Review

Closer Still, Jo Bannister

Jo Bannister has an impressive back catalogue to her name with over 20 novels now, standalones and in a number of series groupings.  CLOSER STILL is the 8th Brodie Farrell book, released in 2008 with LIARS ALL the next in the series, released in 2009.

It's probably worth getting this out in the open up front.  I'm not a fan of Brodie Farrell, and that's not just because she's one of those "gifted" amateurs who seem to climb over the backs of the cops.  In particular, her "partner" Jack Deacon who seems to do most of the graft and take most of the professional hits, whilst ... Read Review

Dead I Well May Be, Adrian McKinty

Dark and funny, tough and confrontational, lyrical and even poetic in places, quintessentially Irish, DEAD I WELL MAY BE is the first in a series of books featuring Michael Forsythe, a young Irish man with a flair for danger, drinking, and fighting his way out of impossible situations.

McKinty writes in a style that's easy to associate with noir Irish writing, a sort of a stream of consciousness thing, that alternates between incredibly compelling and making the reader want to hide under the bed blankets.  Michael is a young Irish man, older and wiser than his age would ... Read Review

Fan Mail, PD Martin (review by sunniefromoz)

FAN MAIL is P. D. Martin’s third in the Sophie Anderson series and her strongest to date.  Martin follows Sophie and Detective Sorrell as they conduct the investigation.  So many detective novels are linear; we start at point A, go to point B and end at point C. Not so FAN MAIL.  It twists and turns; sometimes at breakneck speed, other times almost stalls as they hit dead ends.  There is backtracking to re-question witnesses and suspects and frequent revisiting of evidence in light of new information.

Martin has also managed to pull off something that I don't think too ... Read Review

Tropic of Death, Robert Sims

TROPIC OF DEATH is the second book by Australian journalist, author Robert Sims, featuring Detective Rita Van Hassel, Criminal Profiler.

Criminal Profiling isn't overly common in Australian Police Forces, and Rita is one of the first in Melbourne in TROPIC OF DEATH.  Begrudgingly, finally allowed to set up her own speciality support "department", she is called to Whitley in Queensland to assist when the grisly body count starts rising.  Whitley is one of those sleepy Queensland idyllic towns from the tourist brochures - beach and rainforest.  What Rita finds is all the ... Read Review

Death Wore White, Jim Kelly

There's nothing better than a well-executed version of one of the good old staples of crime fiction - a twist on the locked room scenario.

DEATH WORE WHITE is the first in a new series from CWA Dagger Winner Jim Kelly, an author well known for his ongoing Philip Dryden books.  DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine are a good pairing - Valentine the older cop, ex-partner of Shaw's father, his career has seen higher points.  Shaw, on the other hand, is a rising star, keen to prove himself and to clear his father's, and consequently Valentine's, reputations over the last ... Read Review

Salvation, Vikki Petraitis

With the publication of SALVATION Vikki Petraitis has written 9 true crime books, but in her notes at the back of SALVATION, she particularly mentions a book that was released in 1999 - Rockspider. The author wrote that book, with Inspector Chris O'Connor of the Victoria Police Child Exploitation Squad, to give the public an insight into how paedophile's operate. The suffering of the victims struck a chord when Rod Braybon first contacted her.

SALVATION is the story of Rod's life as a ward of the state. He was 6 years old in 1950, when his father died, leaving his mother ... Read Review

Dining with Devils, Gordon Aalborg

After spending a fair amount of time in Tasmania in the 1970's, Canadian Gordon Aalborg did what all red blooded Canadian-Australian men do, he turned to writing romance novels.  20 or more of those novels later, he's now turned to crime fiction as well, and DINING WITH DEVILS is the second of those.

Set in Tasmania, DINING WITH DEVILS combines crime and caving - not a combination that you'd immediately think of (unless you're inclined towards the belief that activities in the dark are best when that dark is rocky, hard, damp, and far underground!)

Sergeant ... Read Review

Bleeding Heart Square, Andrew Taylor

Storytelling or Storyweaving?  BLEEDING HEART SQUARE is a classic example of a carefully woven psychological suspense story written by one of the English masters.  Mind you, this isn't going to be a book for everyone.  It's one of those stories that starts out with central threads that slowly are interwoven towards the conclusion. 

Something has happened in connection to 7 Bleeding Heart Square.  In 1934, Lydia Langstone seeks refuge there from her violent husband.  It's a decaying London cul-de-sac, in a time that is feeling the threat of war.  It's a seedy part of the ... Read Review