All the Reviews

A crime debut from New Zealand author Christina O'Reilly, INTO THE VOID is a short novel with considerable promise. Introducing DSS John (Archie) Baldrick, DC Ben Travers and the rest of their investigation team whilst presenting the reader with a well crafted plot all in 158 pages is quite an undertaking but O'Reilly manages it without letting go of character development, plot, intrigue or pace.

The story revolves around the sudden disappearance of banker Richard Harper who appears to have run out on a desperately ill wife, and a pregnant girlfriend. The only glimmer of ... Read review

LONELYHEART 4122 sees the introduction of Miss Lucilla (Lucy) Teatime to the mayhem that is Flaxborough and the series is all the better for her presence.

Originally published in the late 1960's, this is a time of matrimonial agencies (and is now a good time to admit I was getting Carry on Loving flashbacks... ), although there's considerably more subtlety in the wordplay and characterisations in these novels than was ever attempted in those movies (and no connection whatsoever!). Anyway, pre-Tinder and like "apps", matrimonial agencies, seemingly run by happily married ... Read review

To be honest, I took one look at the blurb for OVER MY DEAD BODY and wondered whether or not it sounded ... quite right (well to be brutally honest, I thought to myself, it sounds as daft as a brush), but if there's one thing I've learnt in quite a lot of years of crime fiction reading, it's expectation and outcome are out the back having a bloody good argument most of the time.

Reading the Author Note at the back of this book is probably something that would be advisable for any readers having an insurmountable WT moment with this one - understanding the thinking and the ... Read review

I have to confess to being very disappointed that the only Audible version of THE LAST HERO available seems to be an abridged version (4 hours and 24 minutes worth), unless I'm older and blinder than I thought I was. Which is also part of the reason that I really love this book so much. Cohen the Barbarian is no youngster, and he's on a final quest to climb the highest mountain in the Discworld and meet his gods. He doesn't like the way they let men grow old and die, and they should be bloody worried about that. Cohen might struggle to remember where he put his teeth these days, but ... Read review

Even if you kind of think you know the story behind the infamous Halifax Slasher story, this podcast was an outstanding listen. Particularly in this day and age when you'd think we'd realise how easily things go pear-shaped when you have people involved. Makes you despair for the human race really, as there are echoes in today's world. Very apt listen for current day studiers of human inexplicability.Read review

Having been lucky enough to be offered a copy of PRIOR VIOLATIONS for review I was intrigued to see it come with it's own curated Spotify music list. Made for a particularly unusual reading experience although the music would probably mean more to fans of American TV and movies, nearly all of which I've not seen.

PRIOR VIOLATIONS is the prequel novella to BRAZEN VIOLATIONS, both of them are high-octane, action based thrillers in styling, dark and violent with a believable, sympathetic central character. Given the restricted length of a novella, there's no mucking about ... Read review

The third novel in the Flaxborough series, I've always thought that it was here that Colin Watson declared his hand and intentions most firmly. Everything about this novel is slightly wacky, very English in humour and stylings, and slyly clever.

As you will get from the opening line of the blurb:

The gripping sight of four burly policeman manhandling a bath down the front path of a respectable villa isn't one the residents of Flaxborough see every day.

One would hope not, else the net curtains subsequently ... Read review

Miller Hatcher made her debut as a character in NOTHING BAD HAPPENS HERE. In my review of that book I noted that she was "a flawed character, frequently almost pathetic, but there's enough in her back story, and the way her problems presented to make her understandable, if not completely sympathetic, and as a result absolutely real". In this second novel, THE MURDER CLUB, she's more stable, together, and focused, and taking some responsibility for her life and her mistakes. And still absolutely real. So real, that the fear she feels over the death of women who live alone, and her ... Read review

A Discworld take on crime fiction, THE TRUTH features William de Worde, Discworld's first investigative journalist. A job which came about more by accident than desire, but one that he turns out to be remarkedly good at. With assistance from his staff, and the unintentional help of some dark forces who stupidly try to plot the overthrow of Lord Vetinari.

When I was grabbing the blurb for this novel from Goodreads I noticed somebody had posted this quote:

“There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who, when presented with a ... Read review