Arrows of Fury

This is the second novel in the Empire series by Anthony Riches and sequel to "Wounds of Honour".

Marcus Tribulus Corvus has a new prefect in charge of his legion.  The new prefect has figured out that Marcus has a death warrant out for him, and he wants to know from the First Spear why Marcus is part of the legion and why he is still alive.  Marcus is surprised when he learns that the prefect is prepared to protect his identity.

To the north the tribes in conflict with the Romans are led by Calgus who holds hostages of King Brennus' family and other tribal leaders to ensure that they will fight alongside the Selgovae in future battles with the Romans.

Marcus' legion is in need of replacements, and when he and his friends go to get them, they find that they have been cheated out of a century of infantry.  They must take archers instead.  It will be difficult to train archers to be infantry.

Meantime Calgus attacks one of the Roman forts, destroying it and the men inside.  He also betrays the men who are loyal to Brennus, hoping the Romans will destroy them leaving Brennus with no support.  The Sixth Legion sets out to exact retribution.  The Romans find themselves in a battle to the death, and outnumbered, with only a narrow stream between them and the enemy.  Will Marcus and his friends survive to fight another day?

"Arrows of Fury" is an excellent read, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Fans of historical fiction are sure to enjoy it, too.

Believing the Lie

Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers return in Elizabeth George's latest novel. 

Since the death of his wife, Lynley has been having an affair with his superior officer, Isabelle Ardery.  Lynley has been called to a hush-hush meeting with Assistant Commissioner Sir David Hillier.  There he meets Lord Fairclough, and is asked to secretly investigate the accidental death of Lord Fairclough's nephew.  He is unable to share his forthcoming investigation even with his lover.  Unfortunately, someone has informed the editor of a yellow journalism rag that the investigation is to be kept quiet.  Reporter Zedekiah Benjamin is sent to expand on a story he was already working on.

Since Lynley can't take a fellow police officer on this investigation, he invites his good friends Deborah and Simon St. James to help him.  All three have to keep a low profile throughout the investigation.  As the investigation continues, Lynley has to turn to DS Havers to gather information in London for him on the quiet.

The reader begins to learn more about the family of the deceased as the story progresses.  Everything seems to point towards money, and everyone knows, money is the root of all evil.  Meantime Havers is putting together information, but is held back by a language barrier.

George's novel contains deceit, death, greed, passion and plenty of intrigue.  I am sure that like me, you will not be able to put this novel down.

The Triumph of Caesar

Gordianus has returned from Egypt and been called to attend Calpurnia, wife of Caesar.  She fears that his life is in danger.  Caesar doesn't realise it because he is so busy preparing for his triumphs.  Gordianus is reluctant to take the task of searching for the villains on, but when Calpurnia shows Gordianus the body of his friend Hieronymus, who had also been tasked with the same object, he decides to do it for his late friend.

Gordianus checks with Antony who seems to harbour some grudges against Caesar.  Next he looks to the prisoner Vercingetorix, but neither man can shed light on the impending troubles of Caesar.

When Gordianus checks in on Cicero, he is introduced to Brutus.  Can these two be conspirators against Caesar?  What of Cleopatra, Caesar's mistress, who is in Rome at the moment?  Could Arsinoe, Cleopatra's sister, who is to be executed following the Egyptian triumph be the force behind the plan.  Gordianus' investigation are leading him nowhere, it seems.

Gordianus' daughter Diana joins him in perusing the notes of Hieronymus.  He is impressed at how perceptive she is.  Maybe together the two of them can solve the case.  Author Steven Saylor does a good job of taking the reader to ancient Rome.

A Dublin Student Doctor

Dr. Fingal O'Reilly and his partner Dr. Barry Laverty are on their way home when they come across a motorcycle accident involving a young man from their town of Ballybucklebo.  Fingal travels to the hospital in Belfast with the patient.  The neurosurgeon is an old friend and classmate of Fingal's, which spurs on memories of how he became a GP.

Fingal had wanted to become a doctor since he was a lad, contrary to his father's wishes.  He ended up joining the merchant navy in order to get the necessary funds to attend university.  His first teaching hospital is Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital in Dublin.  On the first day, he is distracted by a grey-eyed student nurse.

As Fingal and his friends continue with their studies at the teaching hospital, Fingal is able to occasionally see the nurse.  Fingal makes close connections with his patients and when one dies he takes it hard.  He goes to visit his brother, but is unable to get back to Dublin in time.  His opportunity to become a doctor is jeopardised as a result.

His commitment to rugby results in missed classes and a failure on one of his exams.  At the same time, Fingal's father is diagnosed with leukaemia.  Fingal needs to focus on his studies in order to graduate with his friends, and as a result he loses Kitty, the grey-eyed nurse.

Another great read by author Patrick Taylor.  This is the sixth book in the Irish Country series by Patrick Taylor. 

The Devil's Edge

Newly minted Detective Sergeant Ben Cooper has a brutal murder on his hands.  It would appear that a young woman was killed during a home invasion, while her husband was left to die.  Fortunately the children were not harmed.  Cooper's investigation is part of a larger investigation, which is looking into a series of home invasions in the area.  The media has dubbed the culprits "Savages".

Cooper has just become engaged to his girlfriend, Liz; the woman who became a DS before him, Diane Fry is off on course and now he is joined on the investigation by a new Detective Constable.  She is an old school friend, Carol Villiers.

One evening, shortly after the home invasion, Cooper and Villiers are walking above the small town when they hear an alarm go of below in the town.  They rush down and catch the local snoop, but it would appear that he wasn't involved in the second attempted home invasion.  However, another death has occurred.  Could the snoop be the prime suspect?

As usual, Cooper doesn't feel that the lead investigators on the team are searching in the right direction.  However, with Fry's return the senior investigating team catch a break when the South Yorkshire Constabulary help them make an arrest of one of the Savages.  Tensions continue to run high in the area, culminating in Cooper's brother shooting a trespasser in the back with a shotgun.  To keep his mind from his brother's troubles Cooper continues to work.  Villiers has evidence of a Savages home invasion elsewhere on the same night as the fatal one.  It would appear that Cooper's instincts will prove correct.

Once again, author Stephen Booth has written an intriguing murder mystery.  An excellent read, well worth it.

No Higher Purpose

This large tome is the Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1939 - 1943.  This history tells of the coming of age of the young RCN.  It describes the mobilisation of the naval service during the first half of the war and how it grew in spite of many daunting challenges posed by convoy escort service.

The main focus is on the Battle of the Atlantic, but includes information on the RCN's contribution in the Mediterranean, too.  All-in-all it shows how Canadian naval forces were indispensable to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Portions of the history were dry and dull, however I did find the descriptions of the battles between escorts and u-boats to be very interesting and exciting.  This history is intended for the student of history or someone interested in the history of the Royal Canadian Navy.

Last Seen in Massilia

It is 49, B. C.; Caesar has Massilia under siege and Gordianus the Finder is on his way there with his son-in-law, Davus, when they stumble upon a temple to Artemis.  A soothsayer that comes out of the shadows knowingly states the reason for Gordianus being there is because he is in search of his son Meto.  How could he know this?

By a miracle Gordianus and Davus get inside Massilia, where they find out that Meto was discovered to be a spy, and died as a result.  While waiting for more news, they see a young woman fall, or was she pushed off a cliff into the sea?  Gordianus is asked by the father of the young woman to investigate.  What he finds out comes as a shock to many.

Caesar does indeed take Massilia, but that is not the surprising conclusion that author Steve Saylor has in wait for the reader.  A good historical novel, based on a real event, and a nice quick read.

Birth of the Kingdom

This is the third book in the Crusades Trilogy by Jan Guillou.  Arn Magnuson has returned form his 20 year exile to The Holy Land as a member of the Templars.  He is no longer a Templar knight, and has accumulated great wealth.  However, he is not afraid to us his Templar clothing to gain the things he wants. 

Upon his return home, he finds that his elder brother is in charge of his home and his father has suffered a stroke.  With his crew that he has brought home from The Holy Land he sets to strengthening his brother's home and returning his father to health.

He also finds his love, Cecilia Rosa, is still alive and waiting for him.  They plan to marry, however his uncle is dead set against it, having someone else in mind, which will tie clans together.  Cecilia's good friend, Cecilia Blanca wants to ensure the happiness of her dear friend and schemes to ensure it.  (I found that author Jan Guillou spent too much time on the wedding preparations and the wedding of these two.)

Since his return home, Arn has quietly been building up fortresses in the lands of his family.  He has also been training an army and creating and storing weapons for that army.  His purpose is not for an aggressive war, but rather for the defence of his country, because he knows that a war will come to them. Two major battles against the Danes would happen before the new kingdom of Sweden would come to be.

A great historical novel and a fitting conclusion to the Crusades Trilogy.  I thoroughly enjoyed all three novels.

Cold Comfort

Gunna Gisladottir has been promoted to the Serious Crime Unit in Reykjavik where she finds herself in charge of a murder investigation of a once famous celebrity.  In addition to this case, her right hand man Helgi Svavarsson, is looking for Long Omni Magnusson, an escaped convict.  It would appear that Magnusson has beaten up a couple of men since his release.

The investigation into the death of the celebrity brings up some unexpected dirt and points to prostitution, a syndicate, and conspiracy.  It forces Gunna to dig deeper.  Meantime Helgi discovers where Magnusson is; he wants to watch him to try figure just exactly what the escapee is up to before bringing him in.

When Helgi captures Magnusson, his girlfriend and a drug pusher, things start to point to a conspiracy to cover up a murder for which Magnusson was being paid to serve the time.  As more evidence comes to light, Gunna and her team try to assemble it into something meaningful.  She wonders if the two murders are tied together in some way.

Author Quentin Bates provides some very interesting twists to this murder mystery before drawing it to a conclusion.  This was a great sequel to "Frozen Assets", a book I found hard to put down.  Fans of murder mysteries are sure to enjoy the read.

Good as Dead

Detective Sergeant Helen Weeks and another man have been taken captive at gun point by a newsagent, Javed Ahktar, in his south London shop.  The newsagent asks Helen to call the police and ask for DI Tom Thorne.  The newsagent's, son, Amin, had been jailed for murdering another boy.  Thorne  had been the officer responsible for gathering the evidence, which ensured the conviction.  The boy had then committed suicide while in prison.  When Thorne arrives with DS Holland, they find out that Ahktar wants Thorne to prove his son's death was a murder, not a suicide.  He threatens to kill his hostages.

Thorne proceeds to the prison where Amin died to begin his investigation, while DS Holland and another DS begin to investigate those involved in the original incident.  Throughout, author Mark Billingham, keeps the reader up-to-date on what is going on in the newsagent's shop.

Tensions build within the shop, and outside as the police negotiate with Ahktar.  Thorne's investigation seems to point the fact that Amin was indeed murdered, but can he gather enough evidence in time?  As his investigation progresses he discovers a conspiracy to commit murder and much more.  Author Mark Billingham draws the story to an exciting conclusion.  I thoroughly enjoyed the read and highly recommend it.

A Bespoke Murder

The Lusitania has been sunk by the Germans, and there is a backlash throughout Britain against those with German names, whether they have been in Britain for generations or not.  Jacob Stein owns a bespoke tailor shop in London.  A mob attacks the shop while he and his 18 year old daughter, Ruth are in it.  Ruth manages to escape out the back, but Jacob is caught inside by the looters.

Inspector Harvey Marmion is assigned to investigate.  He takes Sergeant Keedy with him to the burned out shop.  They find out that Jacob has been stabbed in the back, and the safe is open.

When Marmion is told that Ruth had been raped while her father's business was being burned, he adds the task of finding the culprits to his other tasks.  The rapist shipped out to France the day after the incident, and had bragged during the rape of doing just that.  Meantime Sergeant Keedy continues to arrest and interview men who were part of the mob that burned down Stein's tailor shop.

Marmion and Keedy need to travel to Belgium to bring back the rapist.  As they continue their investigation into the fire and murder, they begin to wonder if there isn't an anti-semitism movement afoot.

Author Edward Marston has a couple of other story threads going throughout the main one, neatly tying them all together as an exciting conclusion is made to "A Bespoke Murder". A thoroughly enjoyable read.

A Sunless Sea

William Monk has been working for the River Police for some time now, and was not surprised when a body was found on one of the piers.  However, it is the gruesome way the body was gutted that appals him.  His cohort, Orme, discovers where the woman comes from and they find out who she is.  However, that doesn't solve the crime.

As Monk continues his investigation he discovers that a doctor had been visiting the victim on a regular basis.  He then discovers that the doctor is a suicide victim, and that he had been researching the use of opium as a medicine.  Monk wonders at the connection of the two and widens his investigation.  Based on evidence or lack thereof, he wonders about the conclusion of suicide.

Monk's wife, Hester, starts an investigation of her own, looking into opium use throughout London.  She discovers that its use is endemic and that huge fortunes have been made as a result of its importation.

Monk's investigation points to the wife of the suicide as being the murderer of the woman.  She asks for Monk's friend Oliver Rathbone to be he solicitor.  Monk turns to his former superintendent, Runcorn, for help.  Their investigation points to the suicide in fact being murder.  When Monk is attacked it seems all the more suspect.

Rathbone is hard pressed in court to properly provide a defence.  He must do his utmost to waste time while Monk, Hester and Runcorn gather evidence and witnesses to help his case.  Author Anne Perry presents a surprising end to this Victorian murder mystery.

The Road to Rome

Romulus returns in the third of Ben Kane's "The Lost Legion" series.  He has to fight his way out of Alexandra while joining Caesar's legions.  Unfortunately he loses his comrade Tarquinius in the battle.  On the other hand, he did see that his twin sister Fabiola is still alive.

Fabiola is the lover of Brutus and when the two return to Rome, she purchases the old brothel where she once worked.  However, on the day she does that, she runs into her old nemesis, Scaevola.  As much as she is frightened by him, she is still determined to achieve her goal; the death of Caesar.

Unbeknownst to Romulus, his friend Tarquinius did survive the battle in Alexandria.  Romulus has made a new friend in Caesar's 28th, Petronius.  Together they fight in a major battle, where Romulus is grievously injured.  That injury leads to the revelation that he was once a slave.  He and Petronius are jailed as a result and will be used as gladiators in Caesar's victory games in Rome.  Meantime Tarquinius is also bound for Rome.  Would the Fates bring them all back together?  Only time will tell.

Kane has put together a great historical novel full of adventure and lots of tension, which culminates on the Ides of March.  Well worth the read.

The Time of Terror

The setting for this novel is Europe 1793, the French have just executed their king, and declared war on their enemies, including England.  Englishman Nathan Peake is in charge of a little brig near the French coast when it is fired upon by the French.  Little does he know that this will be the start of a new adventure for him.

He is called before The Lord of the Admiralty and tasked with taking a special cargo to Le Havre.  He is given a new ship, a motley crew, but is allowed to bring the mate from his brig.  Tully is a Guernsey man, and a former smuggler pressed into the British navy, and someone Peake is sure he can rely on.  He and his crew are to masquerade as Americans.

Upon reaching Le Havre, Peake finds that the person to whom he has to deliver the cargo is in Paris.  He must travel to Paris, where his life is almost lost to the mob, when he is rescued by the American he is to deliver his cargo to, and two young women.  He is intrigued by the latter two since one knows his mother and the other is very attractive to him. 

Important characters of the Reign of Terror appear in the story such as Danton, Robespierre and Desmoulins.  Peake is asked to take a message back to his masters requesting money for Danton so he might fight for peace against Robespierre.  Unfortunately for Danton and Desmoulins, they are arrested and tried for crimes against the revolution.  Peake finds himself in a conspiracy to free the men, but he himself is arrested.  Danton and Desmoulins meet Madame Guillotine, while Peake is held without charge.  Fortunately for Peake, he doesn't have an appointment with Madame Guillotine, but is rather released because he is supposedly s friend of Thomas Jefferson.

This is hardly the end of the adventures for Nathan Peake as he finds himself in a naval battle and returning to Paris to get the woman he has fallen in love with before the revolution claims her.

Author Seth Hunter has written a well researched novel.  For any fan of history and historical fiction, this novel is well worth the read.  The Time of Terror is the first in a trilogy and I am looking forward to the sequels.

Phantom

Harry Hole has returned from Hong Kong.  He wants to investigate the murder of a drug user.  Why?  Because the accused is Oleg, son of Rakel, both of whom were an important part of his former life.  The thing is, Hole doesn't realise that he is targeted for his own death.

As Hole begins his investigation he learns of a new synthetic drug that is available in Oslo; it is called 'violin' and is very addictive.  He also surmises that it is the Russian mob that is involved because of the way murders in the drug world are being committed.

Author Jo Nesbo fills in the story of Gusto, the victim of Oleg's killing and how he started out pushing drugs small time and was then taken in by the Russian mob.  Hole sets out to learn as much as he can, working outside the law, yet for law and justice.

Oleg initially is put into protective custody, because his life is in danger from the drug cartel operating in Oslo.  Unfortunately there are corrupt police in the force, and they arrange for Oleg's release.  Harry has to find him before anyone else does.  When he does, he finds out that Oleg's silence is being bought by the cartel's holding of his girlfriend and that Harry's life is in danger, too.

Harry's life almost comes to an end when an assassin tries to cut his throat, but Harry survives, barely, and continues with his investigation.  He knows that it is going to lead to a showdown.  He is surprised to learn that the corrupt policeman is not who he suspected.  Several possible killers are presented to the reader in the last several pages of this thriller before the real killer is revealed.

Nesbo is no stranger to providing the reader with a sense of intrigue and deep suspense in his novels.  A very good top notch read.

The Cold, Cold Ground

It is the time of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.  Bobby Sands has died as a result of his hunger strike.  Detective Sergeant Sean Duffy is a Catholic policeman amongst many Protestant police, and the narrator of the story.  The police are all armed, and ready for a riot at any time.

It is shortly after Duffy has gone home that he is called out to investigate a murder.  The victim has been shot in the chest first and then the back of the head.  To symbolise that he was a Judas, his right hand had been cut off afterwards, but Duffy couldn't find the 30 coins that were normally left with such a murder victim.

The postmortem reveals that the severed hand didn't belong to the victim.  It also appears that the victim had been raped.  Duffy has a strange case on his hands.  It becomes even stranger when a second victim is found, with the first victim's hand.  The following morning, Duffy receives a post card from the killer, telling him that he is acting in the place of God to rid the earth of queers.

A puzzling case of an apparent suicide also lands on Duffy's desk.  The facts leading up to her suicide don't make sense to Duffy.  Pathologist Dr. Cathcart points to a bruise on her neck, which might be a thumb, and not her own.

Further investigation into the first victim points to him being a man of some rank in the IRA and having some connection to the UVF.  Later Duffy is taken off the case when a bomb explodes at a gay bar.  However, this doesn't prevent Duffy from continuing the investigation.  Author Adrian McKinty offers quite the twist in the conclusion to the first of a trilogy about Detective Superintendent Duffy.  An excellent read.

Dead Like You

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace returns in Peter James' latest mystery, "Dead Like You".  He is now in charge of cold cases.  A woman has been raped on New Year's Eve in a Brighton hotel.  The case is disturbingly similar to the case of the Shoe Man back in 1997.

Author Peter James offers the reader parallel stories, which flip back and forth between 1997 and now.  Grace was in a loving relationship with his wife, who has been missing for nine and a half years.  Now his girlfriend is expecting their first child.  Then, a young woman had gone missing; possibly a victim of the Shoe Man, who assaulted women and took their panties and one shoe.  Now, the assailant takes all of their clothing.

A potential culprit is presented early on in the story, but later on a second potential culprit is also presented, leaving the reader second guessing themselves.

Grace is given a group of ex-coppers to work the cold cases.  As he starts with them he informs them that he had been reviewing the Shoe Man case, and when he returned to it the following day he discovered that several pages were now missing.  Another mystery is offered up to the reader, and it is just after this that the reader is presented with a third potential culprit.

Grace also has a good team to help him with the current rape cases, but can they solve the crime before another rape occurs, because the current rapist seems to be following the pattern of the Shoe Man.  The team is slowly gathering evidence when Grace reveals information to the press, which he hopes will cause the perpetrator to make a mistake.  Unfortunately at this same time, Grace is presented with another possible perp.

As the investigating team eliminates suspects, another young woman is kidnapped.  Grace and his team are now in a race to save her.  Time stretches out for her and Grace's team as author Peter James ups the tension while drawing the reader along to a surprising conclusion.  A great read!

The Nightmare

Lars Keplar's latest thriller starts with a young couple at sea running for their lives.  They have been having sex on a remote island.  When they return to their boat they find the woman's sister dead on board.  They flee to another island and the boat drifts free.

Detective Joona Linna has been called to what appears to be a murder by hanging, but his knowledge and experience in the National Criminal Investigation Department tells him it is actually a suicide. 

While discussing the suicide's autopsy, Linna is shown the remains of the young woman.  She has drowned, but her clothes were dry.  Linna has another mystery on his hands.  The pathologist agrees with Linna that it is mysterious death.  During his examination of the boat Linna's attention is continually drawn to a bucket of sea water swinging each time the boat moves.  He realises that she was drowned in it and that is why her clothes are dry.  Linna also fears for the life of the murdered woman's sister.

When Linna goes to the sister's apartment he is attacked and barely manages to escape with his life.  Linna realises that this was a hit, well planned and organised, but why?

Further investigation of an Internet cafe computer ties the boyfriend to the suicide.  As the investigation progresses, Saga Bauer, team leader of an anti-terrorism agency helps Linna.  Evidence points to gun running.

The young woman, whose sister was murdered, and her lover are on the run from someone, but they don't know who.  Will they be able to survive in the wild on their own, or be able to get to safety before they are caught and killed too?  As the story progresses, author Lars Keplar lets the reader in on more of the background to the deaths, filling in details bit by bit.

Keplar keeps the reader guessing and tense as this thriller take you to its gripping conclusion.  An excellent read, hard to put down.

Bethlehem Road

A Member of Parliament has been murdered and his body left hanging on a lamp post on Tower Bridge.  Inspector William Pitt has been tasked with investigating it.  Was it a targeted murder, a random act, or an act of anarchists?

Meantime, Pitt's wife Charlotte has been to a meeting of women suffragettes, who are demanding the right to vote.  Unfortunately an argument broke out amongst some of the women and a melee ensued.

When a second MP is killed in the same place in the same manner, Pitt is left wondering if it is the actions of a lunatic, a copycat murder or was the first victim a case of mistaken identity?  It is later during his investigation that fingers start to point to a possibility that a suffragette could be the culpable one. 

Pitt's investigation leads to a woman who had a conflict with one of the MPs.  This in turn brings his wife, Charlotte, into the case because the suspect is the niece of a friend of her great-aunt, Vespasia.  They set out to create their own investigation.

When a third MP is murdered in similar circumstances and location the police are left scratching their collective heads.  Pitt has his suspicions, but no evidence.  Charlotte and her fellow investigators are at a loss, too.

When one of the MPs offers to act as a decoy in a sting operation, the police take him up.  Unfortunately the MP shoots the assassin moments after the attempt is made on his life.  Pitt is left with niggling questions.  Will his visit to Bedlam help him find the answers?

Author Anne Perry once again presents a well written Victorian murder mystery.

Death on the Rive Nord

It is now October, 1963, and Inspector Lucas Rocco is well settled in as a citizen of Poissions-les-Marais.

His latest case involves human smuggling.  Africans from Algeria are secretly being smuggled into France and their destination of choice seems to be Amiens, near Rocco's home of Poissions-les-Marais.  Unexpectedly he comes face-to-face with one, only he is a floater; found dead under a barge.

Shortly into his investigation, and while clearing his head at a nearby grotto, Rocco briefly meets a young, attractive woman who piques his interest.  His interest is also piqued by a new assembly factory in Amiens where he feels that the men in charge are lying through their teeth when he shows them a photo of the dead man.

Later, the young woman approaches him and informs him that she has entered the country illegally and her husband is a criminal set in killing her.  When he checks with his former senior officer in Paris, the details she provided turn out to be true.

A police sting is set up in Amiens to catch illegal immigrants, however, the factory that Rocco thinks has the most potential is put off limits by the Ministry of Defence.  Meanwhile the criminal set upon killing his wife for his loss of face has landed in France and is set to take over the Algerian gangs in France.  Violence and murder ensue as the net closes in on the young woman, and she has come to Rocco in search of safety.

Author Adrian Magson does a great job of building up the tension in this sory for the reader before bringing it to the grand conclusion.

Death on the Marais

It is 1963; France and Inspector Lucas Rocco has been sent, from Paris, to Poissions-les-Marais, in rural France by his superiors for reasons as yet unknown to the reader, however hints are given at the beginning of each chapter.  It appears to be a part of a nation-wide shuffle of officers at all levels.  He finds himself back in time when it comes to services like running water and a telephone.

Just as he is settling in on his first day, while visiting the local cop, Claude LaMotte, a body is reported of a woman in the local British cemetery, and she is dressed in a Gestapo uniform.  Unfortunately Rocco will find that the transfers include a new commissarie, whom he knows from his wartime experience in Indochina. Will this new commisarie help or hinder his investigations? Things take a strange twist when the body is released by the pathologist almost immediately after he had received it.

The following day the pathologist provides the name of the deceased.  She is the daughter of a wealthy person in Paris.  Rocco decides to go to Paris, which is outside his jurisdiction, to investigate.  Roadblocks quickly appear, and a twist appears in the story when the local scrap dealer has his hand blown off by a grenade that may have been booby trapped with plastique.  Is the scrap dealer a target because of his history with the Resistance?  Is there a connection between him and the dead woman?  Rocco's investigation leads him down a path of treachery, across time and through differing social levels.

The sub-climax is very exciting, leading the reader on to a very interesting conclusion to this thriller.  Well written and a great read.  Kudos to the author, Adrian Magson.  I look forward to the sequel.

Odin's Wolves

This is the third of the Raven trilogy.  Raven and his Norse friends narrowly escaped in their longboats from the Franks at the end of the last book, and in doing so saved two groups of Danes and their boats.  Now the four boats have headed south in search of more treasure.

They run into a group unknown to them that are fierce fighters, but have strange wrappings around their heads.  They also don't worship the Christian god, but bow down twice a day in prayer to the sound of some strange chanting.

Further south they pass the Pillars of Hercules.  As they head east for Constantinople, their ultimate goal, they run into sea raiders with whom they do battle.  Later as winter settles in they find an island to create a winter camp on.  After the winter the group move on to Rome, where they are left in awe of the huge structures.

In Rome, Raven and two of his friends end up fighting in a battle to the death as part of a bet by his jarl.  Unfortunately his friend, Bram, is killed, but they win the bet and plenty of silver.  This victory will set them onto their next adventure and on to Constantinople.

Author Giles Kristian tells of a great battle the Norsemen fight in Constantinople as he draws the reader to the conclusion of this saga.  An intensely good read.

All Hell Let Loose

Author Max Hastings, a well known journalist, takes a different look at World War II in this book.  He doesn't emphasise the major battles (nor does he ignore them), but rather he looks at the personal involvement and investment of ordinary people in the war.  Stories from the war are told by soldiers, sailors and airmen alongside those of ordinary citizens.

Hastings does emphasise the efforts of the main belligerents; those on the Axis side of Germany and Japan, while on the Allied side Britain, the U. S. A. and Russia.  The nations of the British Commonwealth are glossed over as part of The British Empire.  This is unfortunate as "The Colonies" did much to help the Allied cause.

  Hastings draws good conclusions at the end as to what ultimately would happen to the countries involved in the decades following the war.  It is a good read for fans of history who want to see both sides of the war.

Rome ~ The Coming of the King

This novel by M. C. Scott is the sequel to "Rome ~ The Emperor's Spy".  It is AD 66; Pantera continues to work for Nero and has travelled to Judaea in the hopes of stopping Saulos who is working to destroy the Roman Empire.  Pantera is aided by Mergus, a former legionnaire.  They travel in disguise.  Saulos has a woman Berber, Iksahra, on his side; she has mythical powers over animals, hunts with falcons and keeps a cheetah at her side.  Pantera also has Hypatia, an Oracle, on his side.

Saulos travels to Caesarea and becomes a powerful adviser to the king.  He has help from his crew.  He is followed by Hypatia in her guise as the Oracle.  She befriends Berenice, the queen.  Pantera and his centurion friend, Mergus, arrive in disguise.  Riots break out in the city, so the king and his family flee to Jerusalem.  Pantera and Mergus need to fight their way out in order to follow.

In Jerusalem Saulos puts his plan into play, to take over the city for his own purposes.  Hypatia discovers his plans aided by Berenice's niece Kleopatra and passes them on to Pantera.  Unfortunately Pantera's plans to prevent Saulos' actions are exposed by a spy in his camp and he is taken.  He is badly beaten by Saulos before Hypatia and Iksahra, who has changed allegiance, can free him.

Although Saulos has control of Jerusalem, Pantera vows to take Masada and fight on, and only he knows the secret way to scale the cliffs of Masada.  Will Pantera and his friends be able to save Jerusalem?

The Secret Speech

Leo Stepanovich Demidov is a former MGB agent during the reign of Stalin  and is now, in 1956, in charge of a murder squad.  He has since married and adopted two girls, one of whom hates him for what he did to their family.  His past is now about to come and haunt him and his fellow former agents under the rule of Khrushchev.

Khrushchev has made a speech in which he denigrates all that Stalin did.  Those that suffered under Stalin look for revenge.  Demidov and his former colleagues are now targets.  Demidov's eldest daughter, Zoya, is kidnapped and his wife, Raisa, is severely injured during the kidnap.  A few hours later he finds out from the wife of a priest he had arranged to have arrested is behind the terror.  She demands he arrange the release of her husband from a gulag or she will kill Zoya.

Demidov travels to the gulag in question and after receiving a punishment from the prisoners manages to free Lazar.  Meantime Zoya tries to become a part of the gang that has imprisoned her.  When Demidov returns to Moscow, he is in for a terrible shock.

Author Tom Rob Smith spins an interesting thriller that takes the reader throughout the Soviet dominated world of 1956 bringing to life the terror the citizens of those nations lived under at the time.

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie

Sidney Chambers is the canon of a church near Cambridge following World War II and  he never intended to get into the detection business.  However, after one service he is asked by a female parishioner to look into a suicide, which she feels was really a murder.  She and the victim had had an affair.  Sidney discusses the case with his friend Inspector Geordie  Keating and finds out that no note was left.  This case is the beginning of what is to be a minor career in helping the police solve crimes.

However, later, the secretary of the victim shows Sidney a note that appears to be a suicide note.  Sidney also receives the victim's diary in which he would erase his daily notes.  The initials A. M. and P. M. Play a prominent role in the diary.

Sydney makes some calculated assumptions and puts forth his thesis to the inspector.  Together they concoct a plan to draw the murderer out, and are not surprised when another murder is attempted.

New Year's Eve and Sidney is in London to attend a party.  One of the guests is given an engagement ring, but before she can accept it, a minor mishap occurs in the room.  While the mishap is being attended to, the ring disappears.  It would appear that none of the guests has taken it.  Naturally, the priest is asked to quietly investigate, otherwise calling the police might do harm to the host, an MP.

Lent has rolled around and Sidney is asked by his friend, Inspector Keating, to quietly query a woman and her fiancé, who is a doctor, about the death of her mother and rather hasty marriage that is about to ensue.  Was it a medical mistake or a matter of murder? 

Later in the spring, while in London taking in a jazz concert, Sidney and Inspector Keating are thrust into another murder investigation when the daughter of the nightclub owner is strangled during the drum solo.  Is her death a vendetta?  It is when Sidney is on the train home, and a parishioner asks for a clue to a crossword that Sidney comes up with a solution to the crime.

Summer has arrived and Sidney is visiting Lord Teversham's home.  Teversham has an extensive art collection, and Sidney offers to have his friend Amanda Kendall come evaluate it.  She discovers that one of the restored pictures is actually a copy of the real thing.  Now they must find out what happened to the original.  Unfortunately Amanda begins her own investigation on her own leading her into trouble.

Once autumn arrives Sidney finds a new diversion, acting in a modern version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  Unfortunately during the play Julius is really done to death.  Since the actors were all wearing black, it was difficult to determine who the murderer actually is; plus the murder weapon has disappeared.

To be honest, this book was not one I would rate highly.

The Hypnotist

A family of four has been foully attacked in Sweden.  The father at the soccer centre and the others at their home, all stabbed numerous times and their bodies dismembered.  Only the son survives, covered with multiple cuts.  Detective Joona Linna wants to hypnotise the young lad to find the perpetrator and save his older sister from the same thing happening to her.

Linna wants to investigate the case.  He feels that it is much more than just a local case, but his superiors disagree.  It is only when he is proven right about the sequence of the murders that Linna is given the case.

Erik Bark is the doctor Linna is trying to convince to hypnotise the young victim.  It takes some convincing, but interesting information is revealed when the first hypnosis occurs.

As the story unfolds author Lars Kepler tells the reader about each of the characters in the story.  Things don't seem to be as they should when the missing sister is found.  As more evidence comes to light and other people become threatened the story takes on a very chilling aspect.  From that point on the novel becomes more and more intense until the ultimate climax.  Well written and very much worth the read.

The Keeper of Secrets

It is 1810 and Tobias Campion has been appointed the new parson of St. Jude's.  He comes from a wealthy family, but doesn't want anyone to know it.  The evening before taking on his new parish, he stays with a cousin, and while there punches a young man who is trying to molest a maid.

It doesn't take long for young Tobias to see how different life is for the common working person compared to the life of luxury he is familiar with in the early 19th century.

When the husband of Tobias' cousin dies in suspicious circumstances Tobias and his doctor friend, Edmund Hansard, set out to determine the truth of the matter.  Late one afternoon Tobias is attacked, robbed of his possessions and left to succumb to the cold night.

Later in March Tobias discovers the body of the maid servant who had worked for his cousin.  She had been brutally murdered.  Dr. Hansard and Tobias feel obligated to discover the culprit.  They travel to Bath in search of their main suspect.  Once there, they discover that he is held in an asylum, and under the control of laudanum.  However, they do manage to gain valuable information, which means that they must rush home to prevent further carnage.

Author Judith Cutler has written an intriguing novel.

Bereft

At the age of 16 Quinn Walker was found with a bloody knife in his hand and his 12 year old sister, Sarah, dead at his feet.  He panicked and ran.  Afterwards his family and community thought the great outback had gotten him, but rather the army had.  He served in the Great War and was returning home to set the record straight.

He finds his mother stricken with influenza, but he can only approach her when his father has left the homestead.  His mother believes in his innocence, but no one else does.  Those that believe in his guilt would kill him if they knew he was back.

One morning Quinn awakes in his campsite to find a young girl watching him.  She is a waif who seems to know everything.  Sadie Fox is an orphan.  She knows the outback and how to supply them with food.  Quinn is able to spend a little time with his mother each day quietly talking and caring for her.  As he cares for her, we learn his story of what happened to him following Sarah's death.

Sadie draws the story of Sarah's murder out of Quinn and what he saw that day.  She encourages him to exact revenge.  Author Chris Womersley draws the tale to an interesting conclusion.  A very good read.

The Betrayal of Trust

Torrential rains have flooded Lafferton, but in so doing they have released a long buried body.  DCS Simon Serrailler has a 16 year old cold case on his hands, and it doesn't take long to identify the remains of 15 year old  Harriet Lowther.  Serrailler is on his way to inform Harriet's father of the discovery when he is called of the report of another body found in the vicinity of Harriet's.

Author Susan Hill runs stories of two other people parallel to the crime story.  Jocelyn is suffering from a motor neuron disorder that will eventually kill her; and she has come to the conclusion that an assisted suicide in Switzerland is the best way to conclude her life.  Assisted suicide is illegal in the UK.  Lenny's partner has Alzheimer's and is no longer allowed to stay in her hospice.  Simon's sister Cat is a doctor and is working on solutions for such cases in Lafferton.  The reader wonders what the relevance is to the cold cases is as their stories are interwoven with the cold case. 

Serrailler works hard at the cold case despite having limited resources and other current cases on his plate.  A reconstruction of the incident is planned for TV, which does help to bring new information to light.  Serrailler has a lot on his mind, including a new love.

It takes time, but Serrailler manages to tie the loose strings together and find the murderer.  In the end, it all makes sense.

Cromwell's Blessing

Peter Ransley continues the story of Tom Neave, which he had written about in "Plague Child".  Tom's surname is now Stonehouse and he is now heir apparent to Lord Stonehouse.  He is also married and father to two children. 

As the story re-commences, Tom is now a major in Cromwell's New Model Army.  Issues result in him returning home to London where he runs into conflict with the lord, and meets up with his father.  It is the death of his daughter that forces Tom back into the clutches of Lord Stonehouse.

Circumstances force Tom to do the bidding of Oliver Cromwell.  He is given two tasks.  Retrieve the king and bring Tom's traitorous father back to London for interrogation.  Unfortunately Tom's fortunes take a turn for the worse after he has captured the king and he finds himself in jail. 

Tom is freed because, when arrested he had given the name Neave, instead of Stonehouse.  He begins a new life as a printer of pamphlets, shut out of the lives of his wife and son.  He hopes that Cromwell will be able to bring freedom and the vote to all men through the new parliament.

Throughout, Tom is confused about his allegiance to his father.  His father has tried to kill him, gain his confidence and take advantage of him.  His father is for King Charles and Tom supports Cromwell.  What will they do when an assassination attempt is planned on Charles?  Treachery abounds!

Tom discovers that he has an illegitimate son after an affair with a young woman during his time as a printer.  He sets out to help his son, while at the same time, not letting him know he is his true father, nor letting the son of his legitimate marriage know of his half-brother's existence.

An excellent historical novel based on the time of Oliver Cromwell.  I look forward to the third in this trilogy.

Mother Love

DI Sarah Quinn has a missing person case on her hands.  A note has been delivered to the police indicating that Olivia Kent has been abducted.    When a copy of the note is shown to Olivia's mother, she indicates that the note is in Olivia's handwriting.  Quinn is unaware that Olivia's best friend is Caroline King, her old journalist nemesis.

Shortly after the investigation begins, another note with a picture of Olivia in a wire noose arrives, as does Caroline King, the journalist friend, hellbent on getting as much information to the media as possible.  Quinn has other ideas.  She questions the head of the school where Olivia teaches and is left feeling suspicious.  During a media briefing information comes in of a fire and a body at the site.

Only the body is a survivor, and the survivor is Olivia Kent.  Unfortunately, due to smoke inhalation she is in a coma.  Quinn's team turns up two Persons of Interest.  One is the head of Olivia's school, while the other is a governor of the school.  Journalist King has some information, which she is not sharing with Quinn; the story is more important to her.

Olivia refuses to talk to anyone when she regains consciousness.  It is at this point that author Maureen Carter throws a spanner in the works putting the reader on edge until the totally unexpected climax.

Conqueror

In "Conqueror", Conn Iggulden completes the story of the Mongol hordes of Genghis  Khan.

The grandsons of the famous Mongol leader struggle amongst themselves to rule the area once claimed by Genghis.  To avoid conflict,  Batu retreats to the forests of Russia.  Guyuk is a fierce ruler and within a short time he is dead.  His cousin Mongke is chosen as the next khan.  Mongke discovers that there is hard work to ruling a vast empire.  He assigns his brother Hulegu the task of ruling what would become Persia.  His scholarly brother, Kublai, is given the task of expanding the empire to the east.

Kublai's task is the most difficult because he has to fight against millions.  In so doing he learns to be a fighter and brilliant commander.  Unfortunately it is very costly to fight such a war, and Mongke marches to find out what has happened.  He leaves his youngest brother Arik-Boke in charge of the capital.

While on campaign Mongke dies.  By tradition, the Mongols are to gather in Karakoram to name a new khan.  Kublai refuses to attend because he feels that he has unfinished business in the east.  He doesn't realise that his decision will lead to civil war amongst the Mongols.  Arik-Boke declares himself khan, while Kublai does the same.  Kublai realises that he must return to Karakoram to claim his rightful place.

Iggulden tells a powerful story of how Kublai Khan became the ruler of the largest empire in the world.  For history buffs and those who love a good historical novel, this is a great read.

Dead Image

England, 1874 and goods are transported either by canal barge or trains.  When a canal barge explodes for no reason, Scotland Yard Sergeant Earnest Best is assigned the task of determining the cause and identifying the young lad and young woman who died in he explosion.  Were Fenians behind the explosion?

An autopsy determines that the young woman had been stabbed.  Constable Smith, who has been assigned to work alongside Sergeant Best, with the aid of his mother, who takes in laundry, determine that the young woman was working class, but not hard labour.

A barmaid is reported missing.  But that was too early; however not if she was kept in a cool place Best's Chief Inspector suggests.  Best investigates an ice house, however the body of the barmaid turns up shortly after.  When a young woman comes to Best about her younger sister being missing, he thinks he might be on the right track, but the young woman continually provides him with mixed messages, so Best is angered and confused.

The lead suspect turns up dead while Best searches for him and Constable Smith discovers that the missing woman had 'been spoken for' and he now knows by whom.  However, author Joan Lock throws a twist at the reader when Best discovers a new potential identity for the female victim and Smith discovers that the paramour is missing as well!

The Hanging Shed

Author Gordon Ferris had me right from the get go with this murder mystery.

Post-war Glasgow, and journalist Douglas Brodie has returned to help a friend in need.  His friend, one he had presumed dead, was badly burned inside a bomber that had been shot down.  Now he sits in prison, found guilty of killing a young boy. 

When Brodie meets Hugh Donovan's advocate, Sam Campbell, he discovers that the evidence points to the guilt of Donovan.  However, Brodie was a police officer before the war and he finds that the evidence doesn't fully ring true.

And thus begins Brodie's search for the truth.  He will encounter cops whose brutal methods obtain confessions from innocent people and people who don't want to be involved.  Things turn into a holy mess when two thugs he had had an earlier encounter with toss him off a ferry.  Connecting the dots, the finger is pointed at a priest who knew he would be on that ferry.  Is that priest in cahoots with the local drug baron?

What Brodie turns up for answers surprises him and Sam.  In order to get more he has to enter the drug baron's lair.  But what he finds isn't sufficient.

About two-thirds of the way through the story, author Ferris gives the reader a sudden twist, taking the reader in a totally new direction.  Like the reader, Brodie and Campbell can't resist.  Things take a turn for the worse when Sam goes missing.  The author builds the suspense to a point where it is almost too much to take in!

The Ring of Death

DCI Monika Poniatowski  has been handed her second murder case and a new DS who haas just returned from sick leave.  DS Cousins had been declared mentally unfit for work following the death of his wife.  Monika was unsure whether he was one of the old boys club who didn't want a female DCI.  He allays her fears when he uses his contacts to find out that the victim was a Para involved in "Bloody Sunday".

A real monkey wrench is thrown at her team when a man from 'the' ministry tells her to keep him abreast of the investigation.  A second similar murder makes the investigating team wonder if there are any connections.  Poniatowski sets one of her team to spying on the spy, but here hands are seemingly tied when her boss is forced to follow the orders of the ministry.

Could the IRA be involved?  After all, it is the time of The Troubles in Ireland.  When Monika and her team investigate that lead they find themselves in a quandary.  Later two more men are murdered, and their bodies left on the local football pitch.  What does it all mean?

Author Sally Spencer gives the reader a shocking, unexpected and totally surprising conclusion to this excellent murder mystery.

Water For Elephants

Jacob Jankowski is an elderly man, in a care home, when the circus comes to town.  One of the other men living in the home mentions that he had carried water for elephants, and Jacob argues with him because he had worked for a circus.

Author Sara Gruen then takes us through Jacob's story with the circus through flashbacks as he waits with the rest of the residents to go to the circus.  Jacob meets a variety of characters in the circus including Marlena, wife of one of the managers of the circus.  He finds himself falling in love with her.  This creates problems for both of them.

When Rosie, an elephant, joins the circus a new twist is thrown into the story.  Jacob earns the respect of the various members of the circus with time, but also the animosity of August, husband of Marlena.  The climax of the story is very surprising as is the sub-climax.

This is a well written story.  A very good read that I am sure you will enjoy.

War and Peace

I finally took it upon myself to read Tolstoy's huge novel that is set in early 19th century Russia.  It took some time to get the central characters in my mind, however, once I did I began to thoroughly enjoy the stories of the various families Tolstoy introduces the reader to.

War and Peace is not just about the Napoleonic Wars between Austria, Russia and England on the one side and France on the other.  It also looks at the war and peace that exist within families.  Not only do countries at war have truces, so do family members.  Tolstoy looks at the human condition and human frailties in this gigantic novel.  Love, loss, anger, treachery, tragedy, death and pain make up integral parts of this story.

If you are not one who enjoys historical novels, this is not a book for you.  If you don't have the patience for a long read, this is not the book for you.  Tolstoy has a tendency to ramble off on tangents at times.  His concluding chapters are a series of rambling thoughts about theories behind history and the causes of historical events.  Unfortunately this detracts from the overall story line.  On the other hand, if you enjoy both reading, history and historical novels you will enjoy this novel.

The Excalibur Murders

Author J. M. C. Blair introduces us to King Arthur's court where all the central characters are there with the exception of Sir Percival.  He has just sent word that he has found and is bringing the Stone of Bran to the court.  Morgan plans an elaborate ceremony to welcome it.  Guinevere shows up and expects to take her royal place at court with Lancelot.  Meanwhile Merlin stays in the background with his protege Nimue (disguised as a young man).  Just before the ceremony one of Arthur's squires is brutally murdered, the stone is stolen as is Excalibur!

Arthur charges Merlin with the investigation, which is made easier by an early winter storm as all of the guests are confined to the castle.  Or so it seems; for shortly thereafter the murdered squire's twin brother is also murdered.  As the weather warms, the guests leave.  Fears are that the murderer will get away, but all the guests are to return for the Midwinter Court.

Evidence points to four possible suspects.  Merlin and his retinue travel throughout England in search of evidence.  His plan is to reveal the true murderer with a bit of drama at the Midwinter Court.

A Play of Isaac

A group of players have arrived in Oxford.  It is 1434 and they have just presented a play at an inn when a young, well-dressed mentally handicapped youth approaches them.  He wants them to come to his place, much to the dismay of his guardians.  He has his way.  When Basset, leader of the players, meets the head of the household with Joliffe, one of the players, Joliffe is sure that some unspoken message passes between the two.

Because the household is hosting an upcoming event, the group of players is welcomed to stay, as long as they provide free entertainment and allow Lewis, the handicapped youth, to be one of the players in a play to be presented to the household.  It is the morning following the presentation that the body of a man is found outside the barn the players are lodged in.

As the group prepares for their Corpus Christi play in Oxford, Joliffe is left wondering about the future of the group and what secrets Basset holds.  Later, when hosting a gathering, the household is struck by food poisoning, and Lewis dies.  Will fingers now point at the actors?  Joliffe has to find evidence pointing to the real culprit quickly in order to help the crowner find the real culprit.

Author Margaret Frazer has provided the reader with an amusing, yet intense historical murder mystery with a surprising end.

Malice in the Highlands

Scotland Yard Detective Erskine Powell is on holiday at a fishing lodge on the River Spey when another fisherman hooks a something, but not a fish, rather a man.  Also on holiday with him is Superintendent Bennett of Inverness.  Bennett is tasked with the investigation and asks Powell to help.  When it is discovered that the victim is a rich Canadian, the Canadian embassy puts pressure on, so Scotland Yard assigns Powell to the investigation.

Author Graham Thomas presents us with several suspects through the course of this novel.  Is it the Canadian investor who had visited the victim the day of his death?  What about the owner of the lodge where Powell was staying?  The victim had been heard loudly arguing with the owner the night of his death.  Could it be the lodge owner's son?  He had a love interest in the daughter of the victim.

Powell duly investigates each, and it is only in the last few pages where the author reveals to the reader who the culprit truly is.  A nice quick read.

Call Me Princess

A brutal rape has occurred in Denmark and Detective Louise Rick has been assigned the case.  The victim is unsure of what her attacker looked like, and finally admits that she had met the perpetrator online and that this had been their first meeting and date.

Unable to get any clues on the perp because he had wiped his profile from the dating site, the police are frustrated.  Lieutenant Suhr, Rick's senior officer wants Rick to put herself on the dating site in the hopes of trapping the culprit.

A second rape victim is found while Rick is away for the weekend, only this time the victim has died.  While attending the autopsy, Rick fears that the victim is her friend Camilla when the sheet covering the victim is removed from her face and hair similar to Camilla's is revealed.  Rick knew that Camilla had a date this weekend with a new online friend.  Fortunately for Camilla it is not her.

The investigation runs into difficulty when they go through the victims' computers looking for the culprit's emails.  He used different ISPs for his contacts.  Fortunately they do manage to glimpse his profile on a CCTV film with the second victim.  They hope to catch him at an online dating event, and although Rick sees him the police are unable to apprehend him.  Can she find him online and rouse his interest?

Author Sara Blaedel has written a thrilling conclusion to this mystery novel.

A Question of Despair

It is every parent's nightmare, to have their child taken from them.  DI Sarah Quinn is called to just such a scene.  Six month old Evie has been snatched from in front of a news agent while her mother went in to get a magazine.  The mother is hysterical when Quinn and her partner DS Hunt arrive.  Thus starts a massive search for baby Evie.

At the ensuing press conference Quinn comes face-to-face with her old nemesis Caroline King, a reporter from London.  The two do not care for each other.  King tries to get to the mother while Quinn puts roadblocks in her way.

The police and mother are thrown into a state of shock when the kidnapper sends each a photo of baby Evie propped up in front of the TV on which is an image of the tearful mother begging for her child's safe return.  At the same time King finds a bag containing a lock of the child's hair on her wind screen at the hotel where she is staying.  What to do with the information? How did King find out about the photos?  When King releases her information it puts the case in jeopardy as far as Quinn is concerned.  Shortly thereafter Evie is found dead by jogger.

King's release of information, obviously given to her by a police informant, angers the kidnapper and another baby is snatched in the middle of the night from its cot.  King angles for more and approaches the parents of the victims unbeknownst to the police.  The story she creates puts Sarah Quinn in a very bad light when it is released.

That doesn't prevent Quinn from solving the case, and as she does, several shocking truths are revealed.

Author Maureen Carter has written an intriguing, suspenseful murder mystery, one the reader will have a hard time putting down.  I am looking forward to the sequel.

The Thief Taker

Bow Street Runner Henry Morton is called upon when a guest shows up dead at Lord Darley's one evening.  Morton is not convinced when the doctor, who just happened to show up, states that the young man had died as a result of asphyxiation from his own vomit.

Morton is told by the chief magistrate to not investigate any further into the young man's death.  However, his fiancé wants to know more and pays Morton to investigate.  It is discovered, during the course of his investigation that the young man had been to a house of ill repute earlier in the evening of his death.

As Morton continues with his investigation his life is threatened a couple of times.  He also discovers that one of the other Bow Street Runners is corrupt and may be running the house of ill repute.  He now has to gather the proof.  Unfortunately he is foiled, and arrested for possession of stolen goods which are discovered in his home.

Will he be able to prove his innocence while jailed or will the hangman's noose be tied around his neck?  Author T. F. Banks has written an engaging mystery set at the time of Wellington's victory at Waterloo.

A Darker Night

Sub-Inspector Max Romero and his friends are alerted by a dog barking in pain only to discover the body of an ex-con.  Romero is not convinced the death is the result of a heart attack.  Nor is he convinced, as is his superior, that the first person on the scene is responsible.

In addition to the investigation into the death, Romero is assigned duty on a conference being held in Granada.  His task is to find out if there will be any violence planned.  While there he meets Margarita, an attractive young woman, and they develop an intimate relationship.

Margarita is the daughter of a wealthy businessman with whom she does not see eye-to-eye with.  He is involved in some shady real estate business that is trying to take land in order to build a huge hotel complex.  Evidence points to the possibility the death of the ex-con might be tied in to the land grab.

Romero's investigation is hindered at many points, so he accuses a fellow officer of corruption.  As a result, Romero is suspended from duty, but however is picked up by an Anti-Corruption squad, which is investigating the real estate group and Romero's police force.

The investigation takes some dramatic turns, which leave Romero reeling.  "A Darker Night" is an intense thriller by P. J. Brooke.

Why Mermaids Sing

When a body is found near Westminster Hall, Sebastian St. Cyr is asked by the magistrate to investigate.  It is the second body in recent months to have been found in similar circumstances; bled and mutilated.  St. Cyr is unsure as to whether he will take on the investigation until the father of the victim tells him to stay out of it.

Aided by his young protege, Tom, St. Cyr sets out to investigate.

Meantime his girlfriend Kat has been threatened by Lord Jarvis; turn over the French spymaster or she will be in trouble.  She is unsure as to what she should do.  What would Sebastian do to her if he ever found out?

As St. Cyr continues his investigation, despite being warned off,  Kat's life is tossed and turned upside down like a small boat in a storm.  As St. Cyr proceeds with his investigation, he discovers things that tie people together.  People who had barely survived a sinking ship and actions that have led to the death of many sons.

Author C. S. Harris builds the suspense well in this thriller and leaves the reader with several surprises.

Conscience on Trial

This is an excellent book on Stalin's Soviet Union.  It outlines how 14 people were arrested for their religious beliefs, tried and sentenced summarily.

In 1952 fourteen poor, barely literate Seventh Day Adventists were tried for advocating pacifism and refusing to work on Saturdays.  Author Hiroaki Kuromiya has carefully gone through the police and court documents to reveal how the defendants were arrested and charged with the above crimes.  In many cases the recorded charges were made days after the actual arrest.  Police interrogations would appear to have possibly included tortures of some sort (although nothing is recorded).

When the trials occurred, those charged recanted their original guilty pleas.  However, the short trials still found all guilty.  And each was sentenced to lengthy times in the gulags.

This book gives a real good snapshot of the Stalinist police state.  Well worth the read for those interested in the history of the former Soviet Union.

City of the Dead

When the Grand Vizier's friend and foreman of the Pharaoh's pyramid  is found dead with his throat slashed, Khufu's pyramid is put in jeopardy.  The Grand Vizier, Hemiunu, wants to find the murderer, but he can't stop the construction of the pyramid in order to investigate.  He also wonders about the significance of the death mask found on the body and why a finger was taken from the body.

Further consternation occurs when the wife of the pharaoh is killed in a similar fashion.  Why was one of their fingers taken?  The Grand Vizier sets out to investigate.  But he must first appoint a new foreman.  The man chosen has a beautiful daughter who leads Hemiunu to The People of One God, a secret sect in Egypt.

When a third person is killed in a similar fashion, it is Hemiunu that comes under suspicion due to the whisperings of a priest in the ear of Khufu.  Hemiunu is imprisoned.  How will he secure his freedom and prove his innocence?  Author T. L. Higley has done a fine job creating suspense in this thriller of ancient Egypt.

The Astronomer

Amaury Faverges  is a student of theology in Paris in 1534, a time when the Catholic church is under siege from numerous Protestant factions.  When a friend of his is murdered, Amaury is asked by the Inquisition to try to get inside the Lutheran movement to discover their plans.

One of his tasks is to attend a meeting where Jean Calvin was speaking.  There he met a prostitute, Vivienne, with whom Amaury becomes enamoured.  Following the meeting the man tasked with delivering messages on behalf of the Lutherans is murdered.  Amaury is tasked with the job of delivering the messages, and Vivienne joins him.

He is shocked when he arrives at Nerac to discover the woman who was his first love is also there.  When Amaury discovers his friend's murderer he is torn; does he kill him in retribution and risk his assignment or carry on as before?

In his search for evidence, Amaury comes across a document written by Copernicus, which presents evidence to show that the earth revolves around the sun.  The earth is not the centre of the universe as claimed by the church!  Unfortunately, Amaury is betrayed and arrested by the Inquisition.  Beaten and in a dungeon he thinks all hope is lost until his former love, Helene rescues him.

Betrayed, Amaury realises that his friends in Paris are now in jeopardy, as is the astronomer who has proven the sun is the centre of the universe.  He must travel to Paris and beyond to save their lives.  Helene is willing to travel with him.  Will they succeed?

Author Lawrence Goldstone has created an excellent thriller in "The Astronomer".

When Gods Die

The Prince Regent has been found in a room in The Pavilion in Brighton during a party he is hosting, holding a young noblewoman in his arms.  The problem is, a knife protrudes from her back.  Sebastian St. Cyr has been called upon to investigate.

A necklace found on the body turns out to have once belonged to St. Cyr's mother, but she had died at sea wearing that necklace.  How could this be?  As St. Cyr's investigation continues, evidence points to a possible conspiracy to replace the mad Hanoverian dynasty with the former Stuart line.

St. Cyr's investigation will lead to the uncovering of a new Gunpowder Plot and the arrest of his protege, Tom, on trumped up charges of theft.  Tom will be sent to Newgate.  Will St. Cyr find him before he is summarily hung?

St. Cyr's own life will be threatened a number of times, ruining his clothes each time much to the chagrin of his valet.  As St. Cyr investigates this crime he will discover shocking information that will set him back, but will not prevent him from finding the murderer.

A good thriller set in Georgian England by author C. S. Harris.

Zoo Station

John Russell has been in Berlin for a decade by early 1939.  He has a son with his German ex-wife.  For the most part he is happy, he sees his son regularly and he has a beautiful girlfriend.  However, life in Nazi Germany is not as happy as the Germans portray.  Jews are being sent off to concentration camps for no reason at all.  Life is becoming regimented and certain things are becoming harder to come by.

Life changes for Russell when a fellow journalist supposedly commits suicide.  He had been working on a story that the Nazis didn't want to get out, and Russell was privy to the basic information that the Nazis planned to euthanise those who were mentally handicapped.

In addition, the Soviets have asked Russell to write a series of stories for Pravda that would tell the Soviets about the Third Reich.  He is about to become entangled in the world of espionage.  How can he stay in Germany, help his Jewish friends and keep his son and girlfriend safe, and be a spy all the while maintaining his front as a legitimate journalist?  Fear of the Gestapo was constant.

As I started reading "Zoo Station" I wasn't sure that it was going to be a good read, but David Downing does a tremendous job building the story and tension. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Trick of the Light

Letters from the past, a murdered Confederate soldier in Leith, seances, brothels at war, Arthur Conan Doyle and monsters in the night are all in the mix in this Inspector McLevy mystery.

Madame Jean Brash has a new competitor in the brothel business, known as The Countess.  Two of her magpies have flitted over to Jean.  The Countess will not countenance this and a fierce rivalry ensues that will lead to violence and death.

A robbery at the friend of Doyle's mother result in the introduction of Doyle to Inspector McLevy.  Doyle is a fan of 'deduction' and requests to tag along during the investigation.

When a businessman is found murdered, Doyle is able to tell McLevy that the victim had caused the medium, Sophia Adler, to scream and faint during a seance.  Another murder puts Jean right in the mix as the main culprit. 

It is up to Inspector McLevy to either tie all of these leads together or rather unravel the whole mess.  Author David Ashton does a fine job of leading the reader on a merry chase.

Blood Wedding

Leila is a young Moslem woman from Scotland doing research on the Spanish Civil War in Spain.  When her body is discovered the local police look to blame her sometimes boyfriend, a Moslem lad, who is working at the local Moslem retreat for up and coming Moslem businessmen.

Sub-Inspector Max Romero from Granada is inclined to disagree, feeling that the lad is not someone the police should be investigating.  Meantime he is also involved in working with the Spanish anti-terrorist group.  Feelings are running high against the Moslem community because of the war in Iraq.  As the investigation is progressing, the local police brutally beat the prime suspect in hopes of gaining a confession.

The head of the ant-terrorist group orders a raid on the retreat.  In the ensuing raid one of the young men is shot and later dies.  Hoping to keep bad news at bay, pornography is planted on a computer at the camp by the police.

Shortly afterwards the prime suspect in Leila's murder commits suicide.  The local police are convinced that his suicide is evidence of his guilt.  Romero is not convinced.  Will further investigations prove him right despite being told not to by his superiors?

A good mystery by author P. J. Brooke, however, I was disappointed with the editing.

The Emperor's Assassin

England, the summer of 1815, Napoleon has been captured and is on a ship in Plymouth Sound.  Hopefully peace will reign.

Unfortunately for Henry Morton, a Bow Street Runner, that is not to be the case, for the body of a young woman has been found.  The coroner determines it is murder.  With the help of his actress friend, Arabella Malibrant, Morton is able to determine that she is French.  She is also the mistress of a French count.  The count is Louis XVIII's ambassador to England.  A few days later the count is also brutally slain.  Are the deaths the work of French royalists or Bonapartists? 

Spies are spying upon spies and reporting back to their masters in France.  One group wants to ensure that a king remains on the throne of France while the other wants a Corsican to have a safe retirement in the country that was once her enemy, for English law could not prosecute Napoleon once he was on English soil.  England is caught in the middle.  Treachery, murder and mayhem ensue.

This is the first book of T. F. Banks I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Dead Hand of History

Monika Paniatowski has just been appointed Detective Chief Inspector of Whitebridge.  She has earned her way up through the ranks, and on her first day she is presented with a gruesome case.  A woman's hand has been discovered in town.  Her team is in place, but one member, Sergeant Walker doesn't really want to help make it easy.  It is 1973 and women just aren't promoted to such positions.

It isn't long before a man's severed hand is presented to the police.  It had been discovered by a reporter who was provided with an anonymous note.  This reporter also doesn't have much use for women being in positions of authority and before long he writes a news article condemning DCI Paniatowski for not making an arrest because the prime suspect is also of Polish background.  This makes the DCI's work that much more difficult as she is now under pressure from her Chief Constable.

Author Sally Spenser has written a very good thriller here, full of clues, none of which point to the real villain in the story until Paniatowski pulls all them together in the final chapters of the book.  A very good read.

The Calling

What person would tie up and gag a young woman and then leave her in a remote place to die from exposure to the elements?

This is the latest case put before the Cambridge police when a young woman is discovered to be missing.  DC Kincaide seems to have the case all wrapped up after he charges her uncle with the murder.  An anonymous phone call suggests looking at someone else and DC Gary Goodhew can't let that information go. 

As Goodhew is putting together his case, author Alison Bruce introduces us to the the potential culprit and the issues that he has in his relationships with women.  They are rough and dangerous for the women, but none of them has become a murder victim.

It is only when Goodhew finally meets the anonymous caller that he is able to piece together the connections between the culprit and his victims.  Two near tragedies draw the story to its ultimate, fast paced climax.

A great read by author Alison Bruce.

What Angels Fear

London, 1811; King George III is on the throne, but utterly mad.  The Prince of Wales is about to be made regent.  Great Britain is at war with France and there is a French spy in London.

Sebastian St. Cyr has been wrongly arrested for the brutal murder of a young actress.  During the arrest he pushes back at one of the constables who pulls a knife and then accidentally stabs his fellow constable.  St. Cyr finds himself accused of the stabbing, too.  Fortunately he makes his escape.

Covered in the blood of the constable St. Cyr makes his way to the seedier part of London.  At an in a young lad tries to pick his pocket and is caught.  Tom, as the lad is known, is released and will become St. Cyr's right hand man as he goes about trying to prove his innocence and stay free of the law.

Author C. S. Harris writes this murder mystery like a compass gone wrong.  In his investigations St. Cyr has several potential culprits, but when the evidence seems to point to one, new evidence points to another.  It is only near the end of the story that we find the true culprit.  Well written and enjoyable.

The Siren

Alison Bruce's sequel to "Cambridge Blue" is another page turner.

Two young in Cambridge have a secret which will lead to the death of one of them.  When the news of the death of a young man in Spain is broadcast they are in panic mode.  That evening one of their houses goes up in flames and she dies within. 

DC Goodhew happens upon the fire and is almost knocked to the ground by the young man who calls in the fire.  While at the fire he meets the other young woman who is in a panic because her young son was with the other woman.  When his body is not found in the remains of the house, and the dead woman's husband turns up missing, the Cambridge police realise they have a kidnapping and murder on their hands.

Now DC Goodhew, with the help of a new, and the not altogether co-operative WPC, Sue Gully, need to work together to unravel several crimes knotted together.

Lives are endangered and threatened as the story draws to its climax.  A very good read and I am looking forward to the next installment.

Death and the Jubilee

Victoria's Jubilee is fast approaching, and London has to be prepared and secure for the celebration.  However, some in Germany think that it is time to end Britannia's rule of the world must end.  Secret societies exist to that end.

When a body without its head and hands is discovered in the Thames, Lord Powerscourt is called upon to help the police investigate.  When it is discovered that the body is that of an influential banker, Powerscourt's investigation moves on to that family.  Soon after, the family home goes up in flames and another body is found in the wreckage. 

Compounding the investigation is the fear that some Irish radical might attempt to assassinate Victoria.  Could the murders, the secret societies, the planned assassination attempt and the family all be tied together?  What role does the family bank have to do in the whole scheme of things?

Kidnappings and gun running play an integral role in the story as villains attempt to bring down the most powerful nation on earth just before the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Author David Dickenson has written a very good sequel to "Goodnight Sweet Prince".

Princes Gate

1940 London, the blitz hasn't struck yet, but England lives in fear of what Hitler might do.  A scientist is run down by a hit and run driver on the darkened streets of London.  Shortly thereafter a secretary from the American embassy is found floating in the Thames.

Thus starts the investigation into the murder of Joan Harris by DCI Frank Merlin and Sergeant Bridges.  Both men had wanted to join up, but were unable to so this is their lot.  Another inspector is given the task of investigating the hit and run.  It isn't long after that one of the chauffeurs from the embassy is found murdered in his room.  Are the three deaths tied together?

Mark Ellis' "Princes Gate" is his first novel, but it is very well written drawing the reader in quickly and maintaining interest.  The reader is left wondering how the Ambassador Joseph Kennedy might be involved.  What role does the seedy underworld of London have to do with it all?  A great read that I am sure you will not be able to put down.

Fall from Grace

A warehouse on the quay has been burned.  Within the remains of the building is found a body, and under the body an oil lamp.  Arson!  Inspector McLevy and Constable Mulholland are investigating.  As the investigation proceeds, author David Ashton provides the reader with flashbacks to another case that McLevy had been investigating; the collapse of the railway bridge over the Tay.

Proof is provided that the owner of the building might be involved in the arson, but Mulholland strikes out on his own to confront the suspect.  The suspect is a competitor for Mulholland's love, so his jealousy plays a part and as a result the suspect and his confederate flee.

How will McLevy rectify the situation and bring the culprits to justice?  A rollicking tale of Edinburgh and its environs in the 1880s.  Enjoy!

Cambridge Blue

It takes some time for the author, Alison Bruce to set the scene and develop the characters in "Cambridge Blue".  A young woman is out walking her dog, off leash, when she is attacked by a man with a knife.  In the ensuing struggle, she manages to slip the dog's choke chain over his head and strangle him.  She then tumbles the body into the Cam.

Later, another young woman is asphyxiated in Cambridge by someone she knows, and the reader is left wondering, who is David?

DI Marks and his two DCs Goodhew and Kincaide set out to solve the latter murder.  When a former schoolmate of Goodhew's points out that he and his friend knew the victim it would appear that the two murders are tied together, but how?

As the reader nears the climax of this novel, Bruce spins and twists the theories of DC Goodhew so much you wonder if you are being led down the garden path.  The climax is both surprising and good.

Shadow of the Serpent

Inspector John McLevy is in charge of Leith, a suburb of Edinburgh.  Victoria is on the throne, Disraeli her Prime Minister and an election has been called.  Will Disraeli lose his position to William Gladstone?  Victoria prefers Disraeli, but do the people?

A foul murder of a prostitute has been committed in Leith; she was struck down by an axe.  McLevy and his constable Mulholland begin the investigation.  Soon a second prostitute suffers the same fate.  McLevy is now under pressure to find a serial killer.  A young woman comes to him with information which points to a high ranking culprit; Gladstone himself!  McLevy needs further information and proof.  After watching Gladstone make a speech on the eve of the election, McLevy is prepared.  He will follow Gladstone to gain the necessary proof.

Author David Ashton presents Victorian Scotland and England in vivid terms.  He takes great effort to set up the crimes and the final climax.  A good read.

London Calling

As I started to read James Craig's "London Calling" I wasn't sure I would enjoy it.  However, Craig's method of backtracking to the 1980's and interspersing it with the current date, was the author's way of establishing characters within the story.

It is modern times and the United Kingdom is on the verge of a general election.  Edgar Carlton would appear to be set to be the next prime minister.  His twin brother is his right hand man, and together they have established an impressive election machine.  That is until some of their friends start to get murdered.

Inspector John Carlyle is tasked to investigate the first of the murders.  He discovers as each new victim appears that each of the victims, plus the two Carlton brothers were members of the Merrion Club while at Cambridge.  As each victim appears he is able to determine that the Carltons could be potential victims.

Back in the 1980's Carlyle was a young constable involved in controlling the riots that occurred as a result of the miners' strikes.  It was there that he made friends with another police officer, Dominc Silver and enemy of another, Trevor Miller.  Both of these men would leave the police force, one to become a drug lord and the other the head of security for the Carltons.  Each will play an important part in Carlyle's investigations.

Power and money corrupts and author John Craig shows how it does in this thriller.  Although, as I said, I was unsure whether I would enjoy the book, I did and I highly recommend it.

Cold Cruel Winter

This is Chris Nickson's sequel to "The Broken Token", which I had finished earlier.  I had enjoyed it so much I decided to read the sequel immediately.

Winter has set in solidly in Leeds in 1732; many people are dying of the cold.  On his rounds John Sedgewick finds a body, which really doesn't surprise him because of the cold.  However, when he turns the body over he discovers that a large patch of skin has been removed from his back.  The body is of a well known Leeds wool merchant.

It isn't long after this that Constable Nottingham receives a book that outlines the murder and the reason for it.  The murderer has long standing grievances against the merchant.  Nottingham is shocked when he finds out that the book has been bound with the skin of the merchant!  The book also states that it is the first of four volumes.  Nottingham has suspicions who the murderer is and when he reviews the case in question, he knows whose skin two of the other three volumes will be bound with.  Who can the fourth victim be?

He sets his men to watching the potential victims in hopes of catching the murderer.  However, Nottingham's mind is not fully on the case because recently his eldest daughter has died.  She had been married for a short time before dying.  Grief has bothered Nottingham since.

Nickson has done a superb job of gaining the reader's interest and holding it throughout this historical murder mystery.  A book I could not put down until I was done reading.

The Broken Token

Leeds, 1731 and Richard Nottingham is the Constable.  John Sedgewick is his deputy.  They have a town of about 7 000 people to keep safe from pickpockets and drunks fighting.  But when a whore and her customer are murdered things take a whole new turn for the team.  What shocks Nottingham the most is that the whore is a young woman who once worked as a servant for him.  How had she come to be in this line of work?  She had married well and moved away a few years back.

When another similar set of murders occur, it would appear that one of the local drunks is the prime suspect.  But shortly after the drunk is arrested another set of murders occurs, obviously they have the wrong person under arrest.

As Nottingham and Sedgewick go about their investigation, we get an insight into their lives.  Nottingham is happily married with two daughters, one of whom is a bit of a concern for her father.  Sedgwick's marriage, on the other hand isn't quite so happy.  Their stories give some humanity to this murder mystery.

Author Chris Nickson has portrayed 18th Century Leeds very well.  If you are a fan of historical murder mysteries, you will enjoy "The Broken Token".

From the Dead

DI Tom Thorne's life is just about to get very busy when a private detective presents him with evidence that a murdered man is still alive.  Anna Carpenter has been investigating the death of this man on behalf of his wife, who has received photos in the mail showing him well and alive.  Anna realises that she is in over her head, so goes to Thorne with the evidence.

Thorne is forced to allow Anna to accompany him on his investigations by his superiors.  Shortly after interviewing the man, in prison, found responsible for the murder of Alan Longford he in turn is murdered by a fellow convict.  It isn't long after that that the prison guard who had been there at the time of the prisoner's death is in turn killed.

Through further investigation and cooperation with the Spanish police, Alan Longford is found to be in Spain.  How will Thorne be able to bring him back to England to face justice for the string of murders he is accused of?

Mark Billingham's thriller "From the Dead" is an excellent read.  Face paced and hard to put down.

Revenger

John Shakespeare has had a quiet five years since his last job as an intelligencer.  He and his wife Catherine have a five year old daughter, Mary.  John now runs a school for young orphan boys.  But that quiet life is about to be disturbed.

He is requested by Lord Essex to find a young woman who may have returned to England from the colony established by Sir Walter Raleigh at Roanoke.  Shakespeare doesn't know the reason why he is to look for the woman, and decides not to, until the strong man of Essex, a certain McGunn, threatens the life of Shakespeare's wife and daughter.

Within a short time, Shakespeare is also requested by Robert Cecil to investigate Essex himself.  Essex is a threat to Good Queen Elizabeth.  Shakespeare can't refuse this request, so he is now a double agent.  He must keep one investigation secret from the other.  And, on top of that, Topcliffe continues to threaten his wife, who is a Catholic in a protestant England.

How will Shakespeare manage to balance all of this without losing the lives of his loved ones, and his own life for that matter.  This is an excellent historical murder mystery thriller by author Rory Clements, and I thoroughly enjoyed it as I am sure that you will, too.

The Counterfeit Madam

Pat McIntosh's Gil Cunningham has a couple of mysteries placed on his plate in this novel and somehow both seem to be tied to each other.  With the help of his wife Alys, Gil is able to solve the mysteries.

Recently counterfeit silver pennies have appeared in the Glasgow area.  Obviously this does not make the merchants happy.  Gil wants to investigate, but has been put off it by his Archbishop.

He, his wife and father-in-law for some time now, have been looking after an orphaned boy.  John Semphill had offered to make him his heir, but now his wife's godmother has offered up some land and tenancies if the lad is no longer Semphill's heir.  The hope is that Semphill's wife will provide him with an heir.  Gil needs to investigate the properties to check the value first.  While doing so, he is hit over the head and tossed in a burn.  Fortunately for him, a woman in a nearby bawdy house saw it happen, and he is taken there to recover.  A short time after that the godmother is killed.  Are the two events tied together?  How will Gil and Alys solve these mysteries?  Read on!

The Templar Knight

Author Jan Guillou continues the story of Arn and Cecilia that he started in "The Templar Knight".  Arn is now in The Holy Land as a Templar Knight and Cecilia is confined to a cloister in western Gotaland, without her newborn son.  Both have 20 years to serve before they are free.

At the beginning of the story, Arn saves Saladin from robbers, which puts creates a friendship between the two.  Back at home Cecilia meets another Cecilia in the cloister who has been put in the cloister for her own protection while war wages between two rival factions trying to gain control of the country.  Together they outwit the abbess, yet at the same time manage to bring wealth to the cloister.

Arn is involved in several battles in the Holy Land with the Saracens and he gains their respect.  But in his mind, although living the austere life of a Templar Knight, he only wants to fulfill his time and return home to Cecilia and his child.  He looks forward to living a life without fighting.  One big battle remains against the forces of Saladin.  Will Arn survive because of the treachery of those who have come to The Holy Land only to procure riches?

The novelist tells a great story of what life was like in The Holy Land at the time of the crusades and also what it was like back in a country that will someday become Sweden.  I thoroughly enjoyed the read and am looking forward to Book Three, "Birth of the Kingdom".