45) Beside the Syrian Sea by James Wolff As anyone who's read the last several reviews will be able to tell, it's been mostly crime and thrillers in the last few weeks - and mostly the quality has been high. I had high hopes for this as well, as it came armed with blurbs and quotes… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 45: Beside the Syrian Sea
Category: thriller
Year 4 / Book 44: The Katharina Code
44) The Katharina Code by Jorn Lier Horst I've read quite a few of Horst's 'Wisting' novels, and I've liked his more gentle, cerebral, character-driven approach to Scandi crime for a while - generally, not understanding why he doesn't get as much attention as some of the others. But he does seem to be breaking through,… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 44: The Katharina Code
Year 4 / Book 43: The Secret Place
43) The Secret Place by Tana French Tana French is widely feted in the crime-writing world, but I didn't really get on that well with the previous book I read by her (Broken Harbour) and have subsequently avoided her, despite myriad positive reviews from all directions. So finally I succumbed to The Secret Place and, whaddyaknow, it… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 43: The Secret Place
Year 4 / Book 42: Black Widow
42) Black Widow by Chris Brookmyre Some slightly delayed book reviews forthcoming, which also usually means some slightly delayed recall on what I've actually read. This twisty, relevant thriller by Chris Brookmyre is highly memorable, though. It tells the tale of Diana Jager, a female surgeon who may (or may not, naturally) have killed her new-ish husband… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 42: Black Widow
Year 4 / Book 40: A Darker Domain
40) A Darker Domain by Val McDermid Val McDermid is probably best known for her Tony Hill & Carol Jordan books, but I think I prefer Karen Pirie, the independent, funny female detective who features again here in A Darker Domain. It is her character and believability which drives forward this complex and at times… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 40: A Darker Domain
Year 4 / Book 38: The Spy and the Traitor
38) The Spy and The Traitor by Ben MacIntyre This was recommended to me while we were on holiday by our friends Claire and Matt, who said it was "as good as a thriller, except it's real". And how right they were. It's an amazing tale of the most famous Russian mole who spied for… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 38: The Spy and the Traitor
Year 4 / Book 35: The Liar
35) The Liar by Steve Cavanagh I’ve read a couple of books by Steve Cavanagh (The Defence and Thirteen) and I like the cut of his authorial jib. The main hero of his legal thrillers, Eddie Flynn, is a likeable ruffian with a Perry Mason-esque ability to make things happen in the courtroom, whilst having… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 35: The Liar
Year 4 / Book 33: The Chain
33) The Chain by Adrian McKinty I’d never heard of Adrian McKinty, but I’d seen this book rocket up the bestselling charts, and wondered about it. And then, what do you know, someone had left the hardback in the place we were staying - thank you mystery person in mid-to-South France. Because it was great… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 33: The Chain
Year 4 / Book 32: Blood Orange
32) Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce This one had been lying dormant on the Kindle for a while, and a holiday seemed as good a time as any to see whether it was as thrilling as some of the reviews had suggested. It’s a bit like Anatomy of a Scandal or Apple Tree Yard meets… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 32: Blood Orange
Year 4 / Book 31: Past Tense
31) Past Tense by Lee Child Yes folks, it’s Jack Reacher time. I think I’ve been reading these at a steady one a year for a long time now - someone in Acton generally buys the most recent one and leaves it in May/June time at the station community bookshelf: which is how this beauty… Continue reading Year 4 / Book 31: Past Tense
