Pages

Jan 1, 2014

Shadow Protocol, Andy McDermott

Agent Adam Gray isn’t a mimic or a memory man. He’s a crack operative armed with a new ultra secret technology which enables him to download another personality over his own. For 24 hours he can become America’s greatest enemy, a sleazy card sharp or a nuclear scientist complete with all the mannerisms and speech patterns, then he’s back to being Adam Gray again.

New addition to Adam’s team Dr. Bianca Childs awakens the realization that he has no memory of who he was before he joined the ‘Persona’ program. Could it be that the greatest threat to America is Adam Grey himself?

Never heard of S J Bolton?

Nope, neither had I until I happened to be thumbing through 'Deadly Pleasures best books of 2013' and saw the blurb for her book, Dead Scared. I was a bit confused at the time because I saw the SJ and tacked Watson onto the end of it. SJ Watson wrote Before I Go To Sleep so you can see how easy it was to make that mistake.

Having worked this out I ordered a copy of Now You See Me, the first in the Lacey Flint series and wow. Even though the book is about a serial killer who seems to want to keep young DC Flint very close to the case, it's not that gory, your imagination fills in the blanks. The plot is the definition of twisty turn-y and just when you think you know what's going on the action shifts. It's clever without arrows saying 'look at me I'm clever' I loved it. Dead Scared is on order. NB Bolton has written other stand alone books, including Awakening, Lost and Blood Sacrifice.

The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches, Alan Bradley

"The Gamekeeper is in jeopardy."

So says the stranger on the station platform. Before Flavia de Luce can find out more the man has an unfortunate accident. Harriet is coming home to Buckshaw one final time and to distract herself from her mother's impending return, Flavia raids the attic, unearthing an old reel of film. Footage of her mother and father in happier times.

As Harriet's funeral draws ever closer questions crowd Flavia's mind, who shot the footage? how many branches of the De Luce family are there? and why on earth are those in the know talking about pheasant sandwiches?

Flavia hatches a plan to resurrect her mother and the De Luce fortunes at a stroke, the plan veers off course but Flavia and her trusty bunsen burner are about to reveal a shocking secret one that could take her away from her beloved Buckshaw forever.

Blood Promise, Mark Pryor

Hugo Marston, head of US embassy security, is stuck with babysitting duty. His charge, blue collar senator Charles Lake is a potential presidential candidate. Lake is in Paris to sort out a minor diplomatic matter and bolster his foreign policy credentials. The talks come to a crashing halt when Lake accuses his hosts at Chateau Tourville of going through his papers.

The matter takes on a different complexion when fingerprints taken from the senator’s room link one of the guests at the Chateau to an unsolved crime. A murder that unearthed a secret dating back nearly two centuries; one that puts Hugo’s close friends in danger.

This is the third in the Hugo Marston series (Bookseller and Crypt Thief)

The Last Dead Girl, Harry Dolan

David Malone first met first year law student Jana Fletcher the night her car hit a deer. David and Jana have ten days together before someone ends her life and David becomes a prime suspect. Jana had secrets, the mark on her face, the trip to New York she never took, the innocence project, but she’s not the only one with secrets, David carries his own big one. Sophie.

David begins obsessing about the same things Jana did, but as he retraces her steps, he doesn’t realize that Jana’s killer is watching his every move.

The Red Pole of Macau, Ian Hamilton

Ava Lee’s assignment has a much more personal edge in her third outing. Despite only having met her half brother Michael in passing just a few weeks ago Ava’s on her way back to Hong Kong at the request of her father.

Michael and his business partner have money tied up in a lucrative land deal that is rapidly becoming a nightmare. Ava’s plan to rescue the business blows apart when kidnapping enters the equation. Hesitant to involved her partner Uncle in her family business Ava has to seek help from May Ling Wong who has her own reasons for wanting to mend fences with the forensic accountant. Ava is on a rescue mission and somebody is going to get hurt.

The Girl with a Clock for a Heart, Peter Swanson

George Foss wished for a little excitement in his humdrum daily existence and as if summoned Liana Decter comes back into his life. His old college lover needs a favour and when it’s Liana that’s asking you say ‘yes’ hold on tight and hope to survive the experience. George’s real life femme fatale is about to get him in trouble all over again…

Happy 2014!

Another great year for books, some thrilling new series, newly established authors start to hit their stride and a trip to London with the mystery book club. 2014 is going to be fantastic. I'll give you a couple of for instances, Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson, should be on every Stieg Larsson fan's list. Blood Promise by Mark Pryor, third in the Hugo Marston series, Chris Pavone's The Accident will keep you glued. Andy McDermott's new series starts with the Shadow Protocol, as fast and tech-laden as his previous Wilde/Chase adventures. Under a Silent Moon, Elizabeth Haynes new police procedural, hope this is the start of a series. In true crime Walter Kirn's Blood Will Out is a fascinating portrait of a psychopath, whom the author considered a friend at one time.

There are many others so consider this a taster.

I do a regular 'mystery pick' on TKE's blog now and you can also find me on Riffle (which is way better than goodreads imho)