A Taste for Vengeance

Bruno, chief of police for St. Denis, has been asked by a friend to check into the whereabouts of an English guest of hers who was supposed to show up for a week long cooking class.  The following day, Bruno is appointed head of police for the entire district. 

That same day he also receives information about a crime scene where the missing woman has been found, stabbed to death.  The man she was with is found nearby hanging from a tree.  Murder-suicide or a double murder?

Meeting with his new subordinates, Bruno learns that the husband of the woman who was killed is in a cancer treatment hospital in the U. S., and the male victim is not who he seemed to be.  Bruno also receives information from a good friend that is an ex-intelligence officer from Britain, that the dead man had assumed the identity of a dead intelligence officer.  He presents the possibility that ex-IRA men are trying to exact vengeance for something that happened in the past.

Can the counter-terrorism group and Bruno prevent the IRA from exacting their revenge?  This is likely one of author Martin Walker’s most exciting thrillers in this series.  A thoroughly enjoyable page turner, which I found hard to put down.

God of Vengeance

Seventeen year old Sigurd’s father, Harald and two brothers have been involved in a naval battle, which featured treachery on the part of King Gorm.  What are the survivors to do now?  Gorm promises silver and a renewal of oaths afterwards, only to once again treacherously attack Harald and his men.  Only Sigurd would survive the battle.

When Sigurd returns to his home, he finds devastation; his mother has been killed along with several others, and his sister Runa has been taken as a slave.  He is left hopeless. With six survivors, Sigurd begins a new chapter in his life.

Their first task will be to rescue Runa.  It will not be easy.  Sigurd also finds out that Gorm is looking for him so that he can kill him.  Sigurd needs to build up an army and a fleet if he wants to take vengeance on Gorm, and rescue Runa.

The first addition is a thrall that fights spectacularly.  This is his wolf; his hawk is a shield maiden, but she costs Sigurd a man.  However, before long, Sigurd has a small band of men swearing an oath to him.

Will that small band be enough to rescue Runa and avenge their father and brothers?  Author Giles Kristian’ historical novel is full of action and plenty of challenges for Sigurd’s small band.  A novel, which is a page turner and hard to put down.  I am looking forward to reading the two sequels.

Ratcatcher

Matthew Hawkwood is a Bow Street Runner, and a very successful one at that.  He has been asked by his boss, Chief Magistrate Read to investigate a deadly highway robbery.  Part of his remit is to find a naval message, which was taken during the robbery.

To begin getting information, Hawkwood is going to have travel to the underbelly of London and meet with his old sergeant, Nathaniel Jago.  That doesn’t prevent him from seeing the arrogance and wealth of the upper crust of society.  It is through the latter that he meets Catherine de Varesne; a young woman who had lost her father to the guillotine.  She had escaped to Portugal with her mother before her father was killed.

Hawkwood finds another case heaped upon his plate when another Runner is found dead upon the banks of the Thames.  When Hawkwood receives the dead Runner’s baton, he discovers the plans for some sort of clockwork mechanism inside.  It turns out that that these were what the dead naval officer was carrying.  It isn’t long before Hawkwood is taken into a secret naval meeting to have things explained, but where does this leave the investigation?

Author James McGee’s historical thriller is exciting from the first page right through to the last.  Based on historical facts and using literary license, McGee has meshed them together into a rollicking good read, which was hard to put down.  I can hardly wait to get my hands on the sequels.

Gallows Drop

DCI Kate Daniels is at the scene of a hanging.  Unfortunately she isn’t going to be the Senior Investigating Officer; DCI James Atkins is, and they have history.  Despite being about to go no leave, Daniels begins her investigation with her DS, Hank Gormley.

Finally a witness steps forward on the day before Daniels is to go on leave.  It is Atkins’ daughter.  Once Superintendent Bright hears that Atkins has a conflict of interest, he removes him from the case.  Atkins promises himself that he will deal with Daniels as a result of her being given the case over him.

The case takes a twist when the friend of the first victim is found hanging in a nearby forest.  This time there is a note with the body.

A problem later arises when Daniels receives the final pathology report.  The cause of death isn’t as they had suspected, so their supposed criminals could get off a murder charge.  The team needs more evidence.

How will they put their case together without evidence?  Author Mari Hannah’s thriller gets even more thrilling as the reader turns the pages towards a very exciting conclusion.  This book was hard to put down, leaving the reader wanting to pick up the sequel.

The Death of Robin Hood

Having recently signed the Magna Carta, King John has decided that he doesn’t need to take orders from rebel barons, so he has recruited soldiers from across the channel to come to his aid in putting them in their place.

It is at this time Alan Dale hears rumours that some people want to offer the throne to the French king.  He is sent by Robin, Lord Locksley, to London to beg reinforcements to stop the siege of Rochester.  Unfortunately he fails to get them.  He returns to inform those within the besieged castle.  How long can they hold out?

It isn’t long, Alan is injured when part of the keep collapses due to mining underneath it.  Now King John can do as he pleases with his prisoners. Fortunately he is persuaded to not kill nor mutilate them.  Not long after being imprisoned in Corfe Castle, the French, under Prince Louis invade.  Robin once again swears fealty to King John, bringing his men with him.

However, the following autumn, when King John died, apparently of dysentery, what were the people to do.  Robin and Alan realise that their loyalty now lies with the child, Henry III.  However, the war in England has not gone away with the crowning of a new king.

Author Angus Donald has plenty of action in the final chapters as the English fight for a new king and the hope of peace.  This ends the story of Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.  All books by the author in this series were thoroughly enjoyable.

The Templars' Last Secret

Bruno Courreges, chief of police for St. Denis, is just about to head to work when he receives a call about the death of a woman at the base of a cliff.  Did she fall or was she pushed?  The local count is concerned about Templar enthusiasts, but upon seeing the body, suggests that it was posed.  He then shows Bruno a photo of a local ancient statue that had been found in the area; it shows the same exact pose.

Later in the day, Bruno finds that he has had a bureaucrat from Paris foisted upon him.  The woman Amelie, is actually able to help him a bit with puzzling graffiti, which the dead woman had been spray painting on the cliff wall.  She also is a help when it comes to identifying the dead woman.  There seems to be a connection to Israel.

Not long after that, Bruno is informed that the Mossad and Shin Bet are interested in the woman.  It isn’t long before the search is expanded and results begin to pour in; all unbeknownst to Bruno.  It turns out that there were four others with the dead woman and they are terrorists.  The search begins.

Author Martin Walker has plenty of action awaiting the reader, interspersed with periods of calm as Bruno prepares for the wedding of two close friends.  A very good read, which was hard to put down.

A Masterpiece of Corruption

John Grey is at his studies when a mysterious message is handed to him, inviting him to a meeting.  When he attends the meeting, he is surprised to find that the invitation was actually for his father, and the other two at the meeting think that he is going to assassinate the Lord Protector, Cromwell.

Grey approaches the Secret Service, and Secretary Thurloe assigns Grey the task of finding the assassin who is the backup plan should his own fail.  His subterfuge is muddled by Aminta Clifford showing up at his place.  She claims to be his cousin, although she isn’t.  He also begins his work at the court of Cromwell.

It isn’t long before he meets Cromwell in person.  Cromwell orders him to continue the deception in hopes they can find who truly wants to murder Cromwell.  Grey slips into the role of double agent quite uncomfortably. Agents of the enemy become suspicious of him, so he is arrested and thrown in The Tower.  Sometime later he is broken out of jail and sent off to Brussels on behalf of the enemy, yet against his own gut feeling.

Author L. C. Tyler’s novel is full of intrigue, double and triple crosses.  One wonders who Grey should put his trust in.  I quite enjoyed the read, and look forward to reading the sequel when it is available.