The Business of Dying

DS Dennis Milne has just killed three men, execution style.  He had been paid forty grand for the killings, minus the 20% to his driver, Danny.  The following morning he finds out that he had been set up.  The dead men were customs officers and a civilian.

That same morning he is assigned to the case of a brutal murder of a young woman.  Once she is identified, Milne and DC Malik investigated her flat.  They didn't find much, but while searching it, they were interrupted by her pimp.  He got away after punching Milne.  Later that evening Malik discussed the execution style killing with Milne, saying that a friend of his was involved in that investigation.  Milne sees this as a way of keeping up with that investigation.

The following day the pair of investigators try to locate the friend of the young victim.  However, she has apparently been missing from her group home for a few weeks.  Milne is concerned for her well being.  Is she dead, too?  One of the other girls living in the group home feels the same way.

Danny is sure that there is more to the executions than what Milne knows.  He is very nervous about it.  Is he going to break down and give Milne up?

Meanwhile a charge of murder is laid against the girl's pimp.  Milne isn't so sure that the right person has been charged.  He receives a couple of shocks later when he is passed over for promotion and an e-fit in the newspaper shows an identical likeness to him for the three killings.  From there things begin to unravel for Milne.

The unravelling happens quickly.  Author Simon Kernick sets a rapid pace through the remaining pages of this thriller.  As I started to read this book, I wasn't sure about the direction it was going, but it turned into a very good read.

Buried Angels

The police have been called out an island near Fjallbacka where it appears that a house a couple are in the process of renovating was torched while they were asleep.  Fortunately they got out safely.  Patrik Hedstrom is in charge of the investigation.  Gosta, a member of his team, investigated a crime that had happened in that house earlier.  Patrik's wife, Erica, knows a bit about the crime, too as a result of her research for a future crime book she is planning on writing.

Sometime later, during their continuing renovations, the couple discover what appears to be blood under the floorboards of one of the rooms.  What does this mean for the young woman who had inherited the house?  Where will the investigation lead Patrik and his team?  Because Erica writes about crime stories, she questions the woman about her past.  Unfortunately she is unable to tell Erica anything, but will that keep Erica from sticking her nose into the investigation?

Patrik begins the investigation into the blood by interviewing men, who were students at the house many years ago when the family who lived there disappeared.  All except the woman who is now involved in renovating the house, that is.  Anna, Erica's sister, has been given the job of decorating the house once it is renovated, and while there someone attempts to shoot the woman to whom the house belongs.

As the pages turn in this thriller, author Camilla Lackberg builds up the tension for the reader, providing a surprising and shocking conclusion.  An excellent read, hard to put down.

Spartacus ~ Rebellion

Spartacus and his slave army have defeated another Roman army in northern Italy on their way to the Alps.  The captured prisoners are forced to fight one another to the death.  The last man standing will take a message to Rome warning of further intervention by them will end with the same result.  Unbeknownst to Spartacus, rebellion is brewing amongst his rank and file.

Back in Rome, Crassus and a young Julius Caesar have reached an agreement.  They await their opportunity to take on Spartacus.

Arriving at the foot of the Alps, Spartacus is forced to make a decision; either cross them with only part of his army, or take all of them south.  He chooses the latter.  Although the men are happy to be staying in Italy, treachery continues to ferment inside Spartacus' army.  Meantime, in Rome, Crassus spends his own money outfitting a huge army.

It isn't long before Crassus and his legions are marching south, following in the footsteps of Spartacus' army.  Spartacus aims to take his army to Sicily, while Crassus intends to stop him by every means, including decimation of his own troops to ensure that they will not run from the enemy.

Will Crassus stop Spartacus from making it to Sicily or will Spartacus defeat yet another Roman army?  Author Ben Kane leads the reader through the many battles of Spartacus to the ultimate conclusion.  Well written, thrilling right to the end.  A good read for fans of historical fiction.

The King's List

Oliver Cromwell has been dead eighteen months, and Tom Neave, aka Lord Tom Stonehouse is unsure of the future.  He has sent a coded note to his agent in Amsterdam telling him to kill his father, who has been a supporter of King Charles II.  Meantime, Tom and those who had been in power were losing that power.  Was there a danger that the King would return?

Frustrated with his son, Luke, Tom goes in search of his illegitimate son, Samuel.  He finds that he is struggling to make a living making glass.  Sam doesn't know that Tom us his father, and is pleased with being tasked to make him a goblet in the Venetian style.  Tom and Luke are able to come to an understanding, however conflict develops between Tom and Sam.

January 1660 and General Monck is marching south to London.  Is he looking for pay for his soldiers or power for himself?  What can Tom and his colleagues do?  Tom is shocked to find out that  Luke might be spying for the royalists against him.  He is even more convinced when Luke runs away.

With Luke gone, Anne, Tom's wife decides that she wants another child, even if it means that she could die as a result.  In her mind, she has disowned Luke.  Luke is a staunch royalist, and both he and Tom are aware that Tom's name is on the King's List as a person who will be arrested and executed if the king returns.  Monck sides with The City.  What does this mean for the future?

Although author Peter Ransley gets this novel off to a slow start, the pace becomes fast and ends with an interesting twist.  Based on historical fact, this book, which is the conclusion to a trilogy starting with "Plague Child", is a good read for fans of historical fiction.  It was a hard book to put down.

Dead Man's Times

Amis Smallbone is out of prison after a twelve year stint, and he plans on getting back at the copper who put him there; Detective Superintendent Roy Grace.  Will his family ever be safe from this sadistic small time criminal?  Grace has just been called out to a crime scene where an elderly woman has been assaulted and robbed of valuable paintings and antiques.  It is questionable as to whether she will survive.

When the old lady dies, the investigation turns into a murder inquiry.  The victim is the elder sister of an antiques dealer.  Their father was a member of an Irish gang in New York.  After seeing numerous books on Irish gangs in the victim's house, Grace reviews the history of the gangs of New York to help get an understanding of what he may be up against.  Two potential suspects are beaten and Grace feels that the victim's brother and his son are somehow involved.  When two more potential suspects turn up dead in Spain he is more convinced of their involvement.

A very valuable watch was stolen during the robbery; both the victim's brother and Grace are now aware that the person possibly behind the robbery is now in New York, hoping to sell the watch.  Because Grace has a connection in the NYPD, he and two of his colleagues are able to travel to New York to further the investigation.  Who will get to the thief first?

Author Peter James' writing is fast paced throughout, leaving the reader wanting to know what happens on the next page.  I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller, and look forward to reading the next in the series.

First Cut is the Deepest

It is a dark and stormy night and Harry Devlin has an assignation with the wife of a known killer.  After making love, a tree comes crashing down on the house they are in.  She goes to telephone about it at a neighbour's house, and returns to tell Harry that she has found the neighbour dead, with his head cut off.  Now, to get their stories together before the police arrive.

It turns out that Harry knew the victim slightly.  He was a crown prosecutor.  Now, Harry, his paramour and her PA are potential suspects.  A few days later one of the former partners of the first victim is killed.  She had called Harry, wanting to speak to him the evening before she died.  Coincidence?  Harry becomes suspect again because he shows up at the crime scene.  The following morning, another solicitor informs Harry that a man has been searching for information on him.

That results in Harry ending up in the hospital after being hit by a car.  Harry is surprised by a visitor while he is in the hospital.  It turns out that his apparent stalker is his half-brother.  They spend the time that Harry is recovering getting to know each other.  Unfortunately during this time, another lawyer is killed.  Harry remains confident that the police's prime suspect is not the killer, and when he finds him, something that he says opens his eyes to the real killer.

Author Martin Edwards presents several twists to this gruesome murder mystery; tales of vampires and the methods used to kill them all play a part.  The end is surprising.  Another good, quick read.

The Devil in Disguise

Lawyer Harry Devlin has been approached by a friend of the chairman of Kavanaugh Trust because she is concerned about his wellbeing.  He himself had met with the gentleman earlier and has his own concerns.  Also of concern to the board of trustees, is the fact that the man who was to endow his fortune to the trust has recently died, but just before his death, he changed his will leaving everything to his housekeeper.  The trustees agree that Harry should hire a private detective to investigate the housekeeper.

The following day the chairman is found dead; was it an accident or was it suicide?  A bit later, Harry's PI finds out that the housekeeper had come by her job through deception.  He hopes to find out more about her.  Following the chairman's funeral, his godson approaches Harry with the idea that he could have been murdered.  He also confides in Harry that the chairman was sure that one of the trustees of the Kavanaugh Trust was going to cause trouble for the trust.

Harry surreptitiously investigates the members of the board of trustees while the niece of his PI gathers information on the housekeeper.  Everyone is shocked a bit later when it turns out that one of the members of the board is an imposter.  This is followed by the death of another board member.  Accidental overdose?  Suicide? Or as Harry believes, murder?

Author Martin Edwards has a few twists to knot up the reader before he presents his surprising conclusion.  A good, quick read.

The Harvest Man

The Harvest Man has struck again, killing a couple in their bed.  Dr. Kingsley has started his part of the investigation.  DI Tiffany has discovered that two children are missing, but Kingsley wants DI Walter Day helping him.  Unfortunately he has been assigned desk work due to injuries to his leg as a result of his last investigation.

Tiffany asks Day to find the children, because Day is sure that they are hiding nearby and that they may have seen the killer.  Nevil Hammersmith comes to help Day, although he is no longer a policeman.  Both men had suffered brutally during the last investigation they worked on together.  Unfortunately nightfall arrives before the men can find the children.

Hammersmith is sure that Jack the Ripper is still at large and he wants to catch him.  A convict friend shows him the bodies of three young women that night who he says were murdered each a week apart.  Each killing getting more gruesome.  That same night, while in his backyard, Day looks up into his tree and comes to the realisation that the children he had been looking for had hidden up in the trees, not in the lower bushes.

The next day both men continue their pursuits.  They are tied together by Fiona Kingsley because she is a talented artist and she knows someone who might be able to help Hammersmith with a clue he has.  Day is convinced, after going through his files, that there are three murderers at large in London.  How will he be able to find them?  Can he keep his family safe this time?  What about his own safety?

Author Alex Grecian has written a spine tingling murder mystery that will keep the reader engrossed throughout with a very surprising conclusion.  I can hardly wait for the sequel.

King's Man

Robin Hood and Alan Dale have returned from The Holy Land after serving with King Richard on crusade.  Robin's wife is under siege at their castle by Sheriff Ralph Murdac, lackey of John Lackland.  A surprise attack in the middle of the night on the besiegers by Robin and his men relieves the castle.

The following months are ones of relative peace.  Alan is sent by Robin throughout England to gauge the situation.  At Pembroke, he hears from William the Marshal that there are people in England who want to bring Robin down.  There is also a Templar Knight there who tells Alan that Robin is going to be summoned to an inquisition into his ungodly behaviour.  Shortly after this news is received of the capture of King Richard by Duke Leopold.  A summons comes from Queen Eleanor to Westminster.

While in London, Robin's son, Hugh is kidnapped by the Knights Templar.  He must submit to them in order to get the child back.  Will Alan's own testimony at the inquisition condemn Robin to a fiery end?  But before Alan can know Robin's fate he and his German friend, Hanno, set off to Germany in search of King Richard on behalf of Queen Eleanor.  While in Europe, Alan hears a rumour that Robin had escaped custody and was back in Sherwood Forest.

Having found King Richard a prisoner of the Holy Roman Emperor, Alan and Hanno must now take that news back to England.   It is a trip filled with jeopardy.  Knowing that he would be unwelcome with Robin, Alan is convinced to swear allegiance to Richard's brother, John.  He and Hanno travel to Nottingham to do this.  There Alan is assigned to be a tax collector.  Ostensibly the taxes were to pay for the king's ransom, but everyone seemed to skim off some, except Alan.  Then Robin started to hit the tax collectors.

Will Robin steal enough from John Lackland's tax collectors to free King Richard?  Can Alan ever earn the trust of Robin again after condemning him at the Templar inquisition?  Author Angus Donald has written a rollicking novel of the times of Robin Hood.  It is full of exciting adventures and battles, a fun read for the fan of historical fiction.

Already Dead

DS Diane Fry has been tasked with looking after CID in Edendale since DS Ben Cooper was injured a few months past.  She is working with DC Gavin Murfin, DC Becky Hurst, DC Carol Villiers and DC Luke Irvine.  The latter group are concerned about Ben because he seems to be shutting everyone out.

Due to all the recent rain flooding is occurring.  A call is received at the police station about a body which was causing s blockage. Fry and Irvine start the investigation and call in Hurst to help.  Fortunately they are able to identify the body quickly.  The pathology report indicates the possibility that the victim had been tortured.

Fry finds out that the victim had planned on suing the paintball company which had caused the bruises once thought to be caused by torture.  The insurer of the paintball company is the company that the victim worked for.  Two people named in the suit are known to Fry.

Villiers turns to Cooper for help, despite him being on extended medical leave.  Throughout Ben has been chasing his demons as a result of the loss of his fiancé in a fire.  Surprisingly it will provide him with information that he can give to Diane, which will help her solve the case.

Once again author Stephen Booth has written an engrossing murder mystery that flows smoothly and quickly.  A very good read.