Burnout by Claire MacLeary

This excellent review is the first written by my sister, Camayo. She and I are reviewing books and working on this blog together. Thanks, Cam. See you soon!

Grateful thanks to Contraband for sending us a review copy of this book.

Burnout by Claire MacLeary. March 2018. Contraband. £8.99. 288 pages. Paperback. ISBN 978-1-912235-11-7.
 
This book is described as a crime novel exploring sexual abuse in the era of Weinstein, Westminster and #MeToo. It’s the second novel in the series by Claire MacLeary centring around the unlikely crime fighting duo; Maggie and Wilma. Whilst I had not read the first in the instalment it did not affect my enjoyment of this story at all.
The story follows Maggie and Wilma and their growing Private Detective Agency, particularly a case with a new client who believes her husband is trying to kill her. It also follows the friendship of Maggie and Wilma, the (often strained) relationships with their families and other friends. Maggie and Wilma are very different to each other, and yet equally likeable, and a refreshing change to a mostly masculine led world of crime fighting.  
The duo fight over whether or not to take on the new client, and as the story unravels they discover that abuse needs not be just physical, but emotional or sexual as well; and in fact it’s the long term psychological toll that’s the most damaging.
I very much enjoyed this novel, both the story line covering something that is not often in crime novels and very relevant at the moment and also that the leading characters, the crime-fighting duo where a pair of older ladies. They held their own, tackled the mainstream power and dealt with abuse issues affecting women. I look forward to reading more from this author.
 
- Camayo Hyde
 

Care to Die by Tana Collins

This review was originally posted here last year. It is being bumped up before Tana’s third book is reviewed, to complete the set.

This is book number 2.

Care to Die by Tana Collins. 2017. Bloodhound Books. Paperback. £8.99. 277pp. ISBN 978-1-912175-28-4.

The second book by Tana Collins, CARE TO DIE, is certainly one that you shouldn't miss. This second in the series for recently demoted DI Jim Carruthers and his very capable DS Andrea Fletcher, is even more engrossing than the first. The book is so well written that it is impossible to guess who the murderer is and, when you do find out their identity, it comes as a big shock. Collins says it took her five years to write CARE TO DIE. Her attention to detail and the quality of the end result do justice to the amount of effort that she has put in to producing this fantastic novel.

In brief, the body of an elderly man is discovered in a nature reserve on the outskirts of Castletown, in Fife - where the series is set. The man isn't particularly well known and digging up information on why he might have been stabbed as viciously as he has proves to be difficult for Carruthers and Fletcher. To make matters worse, both of them are struggling with serious issues in their private lives - Carruthers’ brother has had a heart attack and Fletcher is having to deal with her ex after a rather unpleasant break up. It is hard for them to stay focused but then another body is discovered in the same area and it seems as if the deaths could be linked to both men having worked in a children's home that used to be on the site. Theories and potential suspects abound but when Fletcher is assaulted, and a possible link is made to old, unproven, accusations of child abuse, the pair have no choice but to put their problems aside and solve the case before any more lives are lost.

If you enjoyed ROBBING THE DEAD, the previous book in this series, then you are going to love this one! It has your mind working in over drive, trying to solve the clues and identify the murderer, but is full of clever twists and turns that mean solving the case is just as difficult for the reader as it is for Carruthers and Fletcher. A first rate novel, and one that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last, CARE TO DIE is one of those books where the story has hold of you long after you have finished reading it. So far I am greatly enjoying reading Tana Collins’ work and am eagerly awaiting her third in this excellent series.

Highly recommended.

Robbing the Dead by Tana Collins

This was written for Eurocrime in 2017. This is Tana’s Debut. She is now writing book 4 in this series.

Robbing the Dead by Tana Collins (2017) Bloodhound Books. 276pp. Paperback. £8.99. ISBN 978-0-9956926-9-5.

This nail-biting debut by Tana Collins introduces her detective, DCI Jim Carruthers, and heralds the arrival of another top notch author of Scottish crime fiction. Set in a small town, called Castleton - that is roughly based on St. Andrews but still has an operational RAF base close by, the novel is a treasure trove of interesting locations that will hook in readers who are past and present residents of this unique university town and keep their attention right to the very last page.

The story starts with a particularly gruesome murder in the town, in a back alley. You are drip fed the fact that the victim is a young Welshman, a member of the RAF and knows his assailant, and also find out about the creepy person watching events unfold. That is all you find out. Even the police don't know much more but very soon this killing is upstaged by a car bomb and what looks like attempted murder. Theories abound but all centre on the fact that somebody doesn't like the intended victim’s opinions of the Welsh, particularly Welsh terrorist groups and those who are fighting for freedom. Carruthers, newly arrived in town, is thought to be out of depth on this case and outside help is drafted in, in the form of terror expert McGhee, who once tried to seduce Carruthers’ now ex-wife. There is no love lost between the men and tensions rise as his eyes fall on Andrea Fletcher; Carruthers’ extremely efficient and capable DS.

In their hunt for the intended victim, who has simply vanished, the would-be murderer, and a motive for this crime, as well as still trying to sort out first murder, Carruthers and Fletcher find themselves face-to-face with aftermath of Bloody Sunday and have to join the dots to find out how everything is connected. They must hurry if they are to be successful as they are not the only ones looking for answers and, indeed, justice.

I loved this book! The story is captivating, well-written and has an ending that you can't see coming. Jim Carruthers is an extremely likeable cop, with enough personal trauma to make him interesting as well as good at his job. The prospect of more books about him and DS Fletcher, in their fight against crime in not-so-sleepy Castleton, is very exciting. In ROBBING THE DEAD Tana Collins has shown, extremely effectively, that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Extremely highly recommended

THE CALLER

This review was written for EUROCIME in 2017.

THE CALLER by Chris Carter. 2017. Simon & Schuster. Hardback. 471pp. £12.99. ISBN 978-1-4711-5630-4.

This is the eighth book in Carter's excellent series featuring LAPD detectives Hunter and Garcia and it is simply fantastic: riddled with tension, plot twists and nastiness, the story is gruesome enough to give you nightmares and addictive enough to keep you up late as you simply must know who did it. Carter takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride and leaves you exhausted at the end.

The story is chilling enough to give Hollywood blockbusters, like SAW, serious competition. It starts with the brutal demise of a decent, sweet, young woman and goes downhill from there. The killer adds a unique twist to his approach as he video calls the close friend or partner of his victim and, after asking questions that give the recipient of the call a fleeting feeling they might be able to save a life, graphically kills their loved one in front of them.

Hunter is completely stuck. He has no real leads, as the killer is extremely good at covering his tracks, and spends many sleepless nights going over things. The killer is also patient and meticulous. Starting with notes made of letters cut from newspapers, he stalks his victims for months, terrifying them, until making his move. One thing is for sure - the killer doesn't waste time and the discovery of a second victim a few nights later takes things up a level. Hunter needs results, especially when the husband of the second victim decides to start an investigation of his own. Hunter has a sharp mind and a keen eye for detail. You really hope he can get to the bottom of this one but, at the same time, really can't see how he can. With his boss anxious for results and the killer upping his game, the pressure is on for Hunter to deliver.

Chris Carter is Brazilian born and writes about cases in America. He qualifies for Eurocrime as he currently lives in London. In his past life he worked in Michigan as part of the District Attorney's Criminal Psychology team. There is no doubt that his experience adds an edge to his work and brings his killers shockingly to life. His opening chapters in this latest novel are first rate and leave you in doubt that this is going to be an excellent book!

Highly Recommended

AFTER HE DIED

AFTER HE DIED by Michael Malone. September 2018. Orenda books. £8.99. 300pp. Paperback. ISBN: 978-1912374335.

Books by Michael Malone always take you on an emotional roller coaster ride and this, his tenth creation, is no exception. Dealing with another painful topic - death of a spouse - and managing to skilfully turn the aftermath of the tragic event into a psychological thriller is no mean feat. Once again I have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, mixed with the exhaustion of closely experiencing someone else’s agonies. Malone’s work continues to go from strength to strength and I am delighted to have been introduced to this first rate author’s work.

When we first meet Paula she has just had her world ripped from under her. Her husband has had a heart attack and died. Suddenly and unexpectedly and far too young. She finds the funeral extremely difficult - all the well meaning faces of people she doesn’t know - and longs to escape. When a young woman secretly slips her a note and disappears, Paula is confused. But not as confused as she will become soon after, when she reads the note and goes on to discover that her late husband is not the person she thought he was. Thomas, the successful business man, seems to have been involved in criminal activities in Glasgow, accrued vast wealth through less-than-savoury dealings and may even be responsible for murder. Paula refuses to believe it but is forced into taking action when her home is broken into and her safety threatened.

With her life in danger and her world turned upside down, can she get to the bottom of everything and somehow still hold onto her memories of her husband being the good man she always thought he was, or has she truly been deceived for years? Paula must dig deep into her memories to search for clues to the truth as well as find some strength to continue, when all she wants is to sleep.

A fabulous book. Full of twists and shocks, for you as well as for Paula. A timely reminder for all of us that not everything, or everyone, is as it first appears.

If you have yet to read anything by Michael Malone, then AFTER HE DIED is an excellent place to start. Next please!

Extremely Highly Recommended.

A House of Ghosts

A HOUSE OF GHOSTS by W.C.Ryan. October 2018. Zaffre. £12.99 Hardcover. 432pp. ISBN 978-1-785-76651-0

What a fantastic book! The story telling skills of W.C. Ryan are first rate. This novel is exquisitely crafted and winds you up to a fabulously spine chilling crescendo. The reader can visualise the ghosts in the story along with the characters who have this ability and it is all so naturally presented it is far more frightening than a hyped up horror film. This is not the first book by this author that I have had the pleasure to read. He never disappoints me.

Set at the time of WWI, Donovan is summoned by his boss, C, and sent to Blackwater Abbey for the weekend to attend a seance. We are drip fed the “whys and wherefores” extremely slowly and don’t find out the exact reason for his posting until much later. Indeed, apart from being told there is more to Donovan than meets the eye, and that he is a soldier on secondment to the War Office, we don’t know much about him at all. This adds to his appeal. He seems to be an attractive character and maybe something of a spy. Sent with him on this mission is Kate, an intelligent young woman who also works for C. Her parents are attending the seance, to try and make contact with their son who is missing in action, presumed dead. Kate knows the hosts for the weekend, Lord and Lady Highmount, as she used to be engaged to their son, who is also dead. She is reluctant to go and worried about the outcome, as she is gifted with the ability to see supernatural beings, and knows from previous visits that the house is full of ghosts - who are aware of the fact that she can see them.

To add to the tension, the house is located on an island off the Devon coast and the visitors are taken across to it in a small boat. There is a storm brewing and over the course of the first night it worsens in its intensity; with blizzards and gales lashing the house in a fury. Very appropriate for the claustrophobic setting of the novel and our first introduction to the ghostly visitors who have some very revealing things to say. Lord Highmount is involved in weapons development for the war effort and the secrets being kept in the house are not only supernatural ones. Plans for some of his weapons have reached the wrong hands and Donovan’s task is to track down the guilty party. This is not as easy as it seems and he and Kate soon see bodies begin to pile up around them. The climax to the story will leave you breathless and, with no sign of the storm abating, you can only hope that the rescue party will arrive before it is too late.

If you like crime fiction that stays with you long after you have finished the book, then you will most definitely love W.C. Ryan’s latest offering. It is full of sinister action and suspicious characters, while Donovan and Kate are fantastically likeable and work well together, with just the right amount of attraction between them to keep things interesting.

With grateful thanks to the publisher, Zaffre, for sending me a review copy of this book.

Extremely highly recommended.

CROSS PURPOSE

Another older review. New ones are coming soon!

Cross Purpose by Claire MacLeary. February 2017. Contraband. 360pp Paperback £8.99. ISBN 978-19101-9264-1

Another fantastic new voice in the Scottish noir scene. Maggie and Wilma, the two main characters in this book, are driven to survive against the odds and in so doing carve themselves a niche in the murky world of private detecting - an arena dominated by men.

The story is set in Aberdeen and begins with death. A natural, albeit untimely, death that leaves a woman without her husband and children without a father. The man who died is an honest man who left the police force in dishonourable circumstances, which leaves his family without financial support. Desperately in need of an income that is greater than her current part-time support teacher's salary, Maggie reluctantly decides to take over her husbands business. Her neighbour Wilma, a loud, uncultured, overweight woman, who contrasts Maggie in every way, becomes an unexpected ally and together they drag the detective business back onto its feet. Clients slowly take them on and the money starts to come in. It looks as if they will do very well. Behind everything, though, is Maggie's desire to clear her husband's name with the police. She digs around and finds out things that land her in hot water but keeps on, determined to reach her goal.

At the same time there is another death. This one is not so clear cut and results in the body of a young woman being found, partially clothed and violated, in a graveyard. Despite being warned off, Maggie accidentally ends up on the trail of the murderer, as it ties in with her own surveillance of the area. You, the reader, are taken on a rough ride, over the waste ground in that part of Aberdeen, as you get sucked into the case and want Maggie to get the closure she deserves before the police catch up with her.

An excellent novel of strength and survival in the face of adversity. It would have been so easy for Maggie to give up but she doesn't. It is also the story of unlikely friendship. Two women who are the polar opposites of each other overcome their prejudices and discover they are not so different after all. Contraband, now not such an unknown Scottish publisher, goes from strength to strength and the books it publishes are always first rate!

Many thanks to Contraband for sending me the review copy of this book. Highly recommended.

THE PASSENGER BY F.R. TALLIS

I wrote this review a couple of years ago. The book is still one of my favourites.

The Passenger by F.R.Tallis. 2016. Picador. Hardback £12.99. 371pp. ISBN 978-0-230-77055-3.

F.R.Tallis is an accomplished, award winning author and a clinical psychologist. In this latest book he tells a sombre tale of SS officer Siegfried Lorenz and the happenings on his U-boat, U-330, while WWII rages around him. It is a thought-provoking read: the hero of the story and his crew are all too human and vulnerable as they struggle with the horrible conditions onboard and attempt to do their duty during the war.

All starts out ordinarily enough, despite the fact that you, the reader, empathise with a member of the "Other Side". Lorenz and his men have a mission to destroy as many enemy boats as possible but are then sent north to collect two mysterious prisoners that they are to take with them. Given no information on what they are really doing, the crew are uneasy about the prisoners but they follow Lorenz's orders and everyone soon settles down again. Lorenz is particularly disturbed by the book of ancient runes that one of his prisoners has on his person but this becomes the smallest thing for the crew to worry about because disaster strikes and the mission takes a sinister turn. Not long afterwards, the crew begin to sense something strange on their boat. People have accidents and insist they were pushed, while Lorenz himself sees people on his boat that shouldn't be there. With suspected hauntings and everyone unhappy, their home furlough is much appreciated - but when they return to the boat, Lorenzo realises their troubles are only just beginning.

I read this book while it was really cold recently. The frosty conditions outside made the icy chill of the ocean in this moving story even more unwelcoming and I could easily imagine myself to be on the U-boat with Lorenz and his crew, enduring the stench and the mound as they battled to survive. An excellent read that left me with a cold, empty feeling after it was over, as well as a new appreciation of the bravery of these vulnerable men. The book is a little different to the usual for Eurocrime, so I am grateful to both Karen and Picador for giving me the opportunity to read and review it.

Extremely Highly Recommended