Blind Justice

Having just turned thirteen, and newly orphaned, Jeremy Proctor finds himself in court, hauled in by a thief taker.  Fortunately the magistrate, who is blind, recognises the voice of the witness as another criminal and the boy is released into the custody of the court.  The court being the magistrate, Sir John Fielding.  After court is adjourned, Captain Benjamin Bailey, of the Bow Street Runners, gives Jeremy a tour of the area around Covent Garden.

Following evening, Bailey informs Fielding that there has been a shooting at Lord Goodhope's residence.  The pair take Jeremy along with them to the investigation.  It appears that Lord Goodhope has committed suicide, however his wife assures Fielding that he would never have done that.  It is Jeremy's observation on how clean the victim's hands are that sets Fielding off on further investigation.  He requests that a surgeon look at the body.

The surgeon, Dr. Donnelly, reports after performing an autopsy, that the victim had died as the result of a poison and not the gunshot.  Back at Lord Goodhope's house, Jeremy quite accidentally discovers a secret exit to the room in which the victim was killed.

Author Bruce Alexander completes this historical murder mystery with quite a surprise.  Fast paced throughout, this was a page turner and well worth the read.  I'm looking forward to the sequels.

The Hanging Girl

Carl Morck, Head of Department Q receives a call from a police officer asking for help on a cold case, but Morck refuses it.  Later he is told by his assistant, Rose, that the police officer has committed suicide.  With Assad, another of his assistants and Rose, he heads up to the island where the officer had worked.  The officer had become obsessed with a hit and run, which had resulted in the death of a young girl many years earlier.  He was positive that it was no simple hit and run, but was actually a murder.

The team is shocked to find the son of the officer has also committed suicide.  It is when they get to the first suicide's home that they find information pointing to a possible suspect in the hit and run case.  Now they just have to make sense of it.

As the investigation progresses, Morck and Assad are sure that the hit and run victim knew her killer.  It isn't until Morck's friend, Hardy, lends a helping hand to the case that they are able to come up with a name of a possible suspect.  Unfortunately it isn't enough.  Also, it appears that the suspect may have taken on a new identity.  As they piece the puzzle together, they find a professor of theology who taught the suspect.  They gain an insight into the mind of the man.

When they are presented with opportunity to confront the suspect, they meet a woman who seems to Carl to know something about the events of the past.  Could she possibly interfere in the investigation?

Adler-Olsen's side story seems out of place to begin with, however, as the team makes progress in their investigation, it begins to make sense as the author adds bit by bit to the story.  It is an intense story, that fires up right near the end with plenty of action.  A thoroughly good read.

Young Bloods

Born in Ireland in 1769 in Ireland, Arthur Wesley was not expected to live following his birth, but somehow he did.  He grew up a sensitive child, and learned to play the violin.  On the other hand, the young Corsican, Naboleone Buona Parte was healthy and strong from birth in the same year.  He grew up to be a strong child, wanting to be a soldier.  Both boys were sent off to school, away from their family.  Naboleone was sent to France, while Arthur stayed in Ireland until his father decided to move to London to get away from the troubles brewing in Ireland.

It is at the school in France that Naboleone becomes Napoleon, more in line with the French pronunciation.  It isn't long afterwards that Napoleon is sent to the military school in Brienne.  It is there that he develops a love of history and studies the battles of the ancient world.  However, it is difficult for the Corsican to fit in with the French aristocracy.

Unfortunately for Arthur, the smog of London was not good for his father's health, and it would kill him.  What will the future hold for the now impoverished family?

Fortunately for Napoleon, he is accepted into the Military School of Paris.  Arthur on the other hand is sent to Eton to further his education.  Napoleon finds out that he is to serve in the artillery, and he must learn from the bottom up, despite being a lieutenant.  However, he takes the opportunity to get to know the men and the job.

Arthur is not an academic and after three years at Eton, his studies end there.  He then spends some time in Brussels with his mother before ending up in a military academy in Angers.  In 1787, Arthur was gazetted as an ensign in the 73rd Highland Regiment.  It isn't long before he is sent off to Ireland.  It is while he is in Ireland that he hears of the troubles brewing in France.

Meanwhile in France, Napoleon is studying and learning all he can about he artillery.  He is also paying attention to what is happening on the political scene.  He is angered by the starvation he sees amongst the peasants.  Shortly after July 14, 1789 news arrives about the taking of the Bastille.  Will France now tear itself apart?  Because his loyalties are suspect, Napoleon is ordered to go on leave in Corsica.

Arthur is persuaded by his brother, William, to stand for parliament.  Having requested leave from the army, he is successfully elected as Member for Trim.  Napoleon takes on political action of his own in Corsica, becoming an active member of the radical Jacobin Club.  He attempts a coup in Corsica, but fails.  He is then ordered back to France.

By 1792, France has declared war on Austria.  And, surprisingly Napoleon is promoted to captain.  Unfortunately Prussia has joined the war against France.  When King Louis is executed on January 21, 1793, Napoleon realises that France will now have all of Europe against it.  Forced to return to Corsica, Napoleon ends up endangering his family, and they are forced to flee to France.

Meanwhile Arthur is deeply in debt and hopelessly in love with Kitty Pakenham.  Unfortunately, Kitty's brother denied Arthur any chance of marrying her.

In 1793, Napoleon is placed in charge of the artillery sieging Toulon, a royalist port in the south of France.  There he meets Sergeant Junot, who will aid him in the siege.  It is Napoleon's plan that results in the capture of Toulon.  As a result, the Committee of Public Safety appoints him brigadier; a very rapid rise through the ranks for the young man.

By 1794, the French were turning the tide against their enemies, and other Europeans were getting the revolutionary feeling.  Like the French, they wanted to be rid of their kings.  Therefore the British army found itself retreating before the French.  Arthur had purchased the rank of Lieutenant-colonel, and was frustrated by the retreat.  It is here that he gets his first taste of war.

Author Simon Scarrow has written a brilliant historical novel, which introduces the main protagonists, Napoleon Bonaparte and Arthur Wesley.  Scarrow has done in depth research and it shows in his writing.  I was thoroughly engrossed in the book, finding it hard to put down.  I am looking forward to the two sequels in this trilogy.

Shroud of Evil

DI Andy Horton is not impressed when he is tasked with gathering information on a missing man; a task a uniform could have looked after.  But, what DCI Bliss wants, DCI Bliss gets.  When the missing man's car is found, but nothing of the man, Horton's interest is piqued further.

A few hours later, Horton is called out to the Isle of Wight where the body of the missing man has been found, on a private beach of the powerful Lord Eames.  Interestingly, the body is wrapped in a sail.  Could the victim's death have anything to do with the case he was investigating?

The pathologist, Gaye Clayton, tells Horton that the victim had been shot by a pistol crossbow at close range.  Horton is surprised when he is told by his superiors that the investigation will be kept low key, but not surprised when he is told that Lord Eames has had some influence on that decision.  There are many things about the case that cause questions for Horton.

The next surprise comes when it is discovered that the victim's car entered the location where it was found after he was dead!  The murder of the first victim's client in the same fashion leads Horton to believe that there is more to this case than he originally thought.

Author Pauline Rowson has created a thriller, which leaves the reader wondering what's going on and where you are being led.  A very good read, and hard to put down.

Daggers and Men's Smiles

On the island of Guernsey, DI Ed Moretti and DC Liz Falla have been called to a film set because someone has viscously slashed a set of costumes with a dagger.  Later, a similar dagger has been thrown into the garden area where the author of the movie is staying.  Early the following morning, Moretti is called and informed that the location manager for the film is dead.

A few days later the author is found dead in a tunnel that had once been dug by German prisoners.  Alongside the body is another dagger; this one engraved in German.

Although the crimes have been committed on Guernsey, Moretti is sure that there is a connection to Italy, so he travels there in search of answers.  While there, a material witness is killed back on Guernsey.  Looking through the victim's possessions, Moretti comes up with a clue as to who could be behind the killings.

Author Jill Downie's murder mystery finishes with a lot of action at the end.  I found that her writing was full of material that seemed to be filler, however it was a good read.

The Payback

Dennis Milne has been given, what he hopes, is his last assassination assignment.

Meanwhile, back in England, DI Tina Boyd has been called out to what appears to be a suicide.  However, she is convinced that it is murder.  The victim had been a high profile journalist who had been gathering evidence on a well known, but seemingly Teflon-like criminal.  Boyd had been helping him gather the evidence.  When an attempt is made on her life that night, Boyd knows who was behind it, and sets out to return the favour.

Unbeknownst to Boyd, a man she needs to contact in Manila has just been killed by Milne.  Boyd decides to go to Manila, while Milne is assigned to kill her when she arrives.  Milne has his gun trained on her and then puts it down.  After some discussion the pair decide to team up and get the person behind all the killings.  But, can they trust each other?

The action is fast paced after the pair join up.  Murder and mayhem ensue as they pursue their goal.  They are surprised when they find out that the reason behind their objective isn't what they had thought, but something much more sinister.

Author Simon Kernick's third volume in this trilogy is both tense and exciting.  A very good read; hard to put down.

You Are Dead

A young man has just received an urgent phone call from his girlfriend, complaining about a man in their underground parking garage.  The call ends with her screaming.  Now the police are looking for her.  Meantime, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and DI Glenn Branson are at the scene of a recently uncovered body.  This one has been dead for quite some time.  Unable to take on both cases at the same time, Geace assigns Branson to the body and takes on the missing person case himself.

The forensic pathologist confirms that the body is female, and that it had been reburied in its current site.  That means that Branson's team is going to have to look through the list of missing persons from quite some time ago.  During the autopsy on the remains, "U R Dead" is found marked on the skull.

The hairstyle of the abductee and another recent missing person are similar as are their hair colour and length.  Could there be a connection?  Surprisingly, Branson informs Grace that his victim's hair matches the other two.  Searching past missing persons, Branson finds documentation of another victim whose partially decomposed body was found with the"U R Dead" tattoo on it.  That victim looked like a dead ringer for the missing person Grace is looking for and the other missing woman!

Shockingly another young woman goes missing shortly afterwards.  And within hours after that, Grace receives information that his victim has been tattooed with "U R Dead"!

The two teams come to the realisation that they have a serial killer on their hands.  A special task force is formed to catch the killer.  The question is, will they get the killer before he strikes again?

Author Peter James' murder mystery is exciting from start to finish.  The reader is left with suspicions throughout, which build as the novel moves on.  An excellent read.

The Outcast Dead

Ruth Galloway has an interesting archeological discovery on her hands.  A body outside the castle in Norwich might be a famous murderess of children who was executed quite some time ago.  Meanwhile her friend, DCI Harry Nelson is investigating a modern potential child killer.  His friend, Cathbad, calls to tell him that Nelson's suspect is innocent and to warn him of convicting her.

When fibres are found in the mouth of the baby, suggesting the child had been suffocated, Nelson has the mother brought in for questioning.  The ex-husband comes in voluntarily.

Ruth is shocked when historian Frank Barker tells her that the murderess she is investigating, wore a silver medallion, because she found just such a medallion at the dig.

Nelson is surprised when the ex-husband, who is now a suspect, turns up in Ruth's house.  Naturally he expresses his innocence.  A short time later, Nelson's team is out into turmoil when a child is abducted from its home.  Fortunately the child is found safe and sound some time later, but who was the perpetrator?  The following morning the son of one of Nelson's team is taken by a woman with short hair from the babysitter.  She had presented a note to the babysitter making things appear real.

As the pages turn, the reader can't help but feel frantic.  The loss of a child is devastating, and author Elly Griffths makes the reader feel closely connected.  Possible suspects are presented, but the real one isn't revealed until late.  An intensely good read.

The Dungeon House

Les Bryant, a retired detective, has just informed the cold case team of DCI Hannah Scarlett, and DC Maggie Eyre of the disappearance of a fifteen year old girl, who has a connection to a murder-suicide that had occurred 20 years ago.  She is the second girl to go missing recently.  The other girl also had an indirect connection to the original murder-suicide

Scarlett remembers that her former mentor, Ben Kind, had felt that the case was not a true murder-suicide.  Why would a man kill the daughter he adored?  As Scarlett works her investigation into the cold case, she comes up with information that a bald person was seen running from the scene.  Could it have been a woman?

Evidence unearthed about the original case leads Scarlett and Bryant to find information about the current case of the missing girl.  Unfortunately a woman they want to speak to has also disappeared.  It is an offhand remark by Scarlett's boyfriend, historian Daniel Kind, that leads her and Bryant to what turns out to be a shocking conclusion.

Author Martin Edwards has written a real page turner.  The tension mounts with each page read.  Definitely hard to put down.

The She Wolf

No one has ever escaped the Tower of London, no one that is until Roger Mortimer manages to in 1323.  Having made his way to France, Mortimer is offered the opportunity to participate in a crusade being organised by the Count of Valois.  However, Mortimer had to play the waiting game.  The crusade was put on the back burner when a scheme to engage the English in a war was proposed.  Mortimer finds himself in a war against his own country.  A successful siege by the French results in the Duke of Kent, brother to King Edward, becoming a French hostage.

Pope John XXII is prepared to lay down rules of a truce between France and England.  He feels that Queen Isabella should come from England to broker the deal.  He is also no longer in favour of a crusade.  Upon arrival in Paris, Isabella asks for King Charles' protection.  She has no plans to return to England until the Dispensers are removed from power.  She begins a liaison with Mortimer.

Edward becomes angry when his wife and son refuse to return to England.  Soon King Charles decides to send her home, however Robert of Artois warns her and Mortimer.  A short time later, Isabella, her son Edward and Mortimer invade England with a small force.  Will they be able to overthrow the king and the Dispensers?

Author Maurice Druon continues well researched his historic novels with this one.  It is a very good read, especially for fans of historical fiction.

Grail Knight

Richard is dead and King John has outlawed Robin of Locksley once again.  Robin wants Alan Dale to help him steal some valuable items from the local abbot, who had commissioned them from a local Jewish artisan, and was now refusing to pay for them.  At the same time, Alan is informed that the Knights Templar are planning vengeance on him due to a forged note, which robbed them of five hundred pounds of silver.  Alan was not the forger, nor the thief.

The theft is carefully planned and carried out.  However, it is as if the abbot had foreknowledge of the theft, because he was prepared for it.  Robin and Alan escape by the skin of their teeth.

A short time after the robbery, a group of Knights Templar come to arrest Alan at his home.  Fortunately another knight bears witness to the fact that Alan could not have stolen money from them.  Happy news arrives soon, when Alan's wife, Goody, informs him that she is pregnant.

After a late night attack on his home that destroys it and endangers the health of Goody, Alan teams up with Robin to get retribution from the man who had ordered it, and at the same time retrieve the Holy Grail. Alan is shocked and angered when Robin includes Nur in the group going to get the Grail.  She is the one who put the curse on Goody, but she is also the one who knows where the Grail is.

And so the quest begins.  It will bring trials and tribulations, battles and new friends.  But will they find the Grail?  If they do, can they get back to Goody with it in time to save her life?

Author Angus Donald has written an excellent historical novel full of action.   The search for the Grail is an all consuming event that occupied many a knight, and Donald's novel is a real page turner as he leads the reader in the quest.  A very good read.