November 6, 2014 by Caroline Barker

PROMO POST with Author Bio & Excerpt Cold Call by Colin Llewelyn Chapman

DARK CRIME THRILLER (Adult 18yrs+)

For those readers who love a dark, gritty crime thriller, we are excited to introduce you to COLD CALL by Colin Llewelyn Chapman. Described as being ‘a cross between Broadchurch and Luther… Martina Cole and Fifty Shades‘, I cannot wait to review this one very soon! Not a book to read alone or in the dead of night, or so I am told, but that is when I do most of my reading and I’m sure the atmosphere will lead to more tension and suspense! The reader’s discretion is advised and an 18yr+ reader is strongly recommended due to some of the content.

Title: Cold Call

Author: Colin Llewelyn Chapman

Release Date: October 2014

Publisher: Percy Publishing

Genre: Dark crime/thriller

Length: 300 pages

Synopsis: Wealthy entrepreneur Robin Bradford had it all – the house, the cars, the fine dining – and he lost it all. All except Lizzie, his perfect, loving girlfriend. Down on his luck and with no immediate prospects in business, Robin’s energies found another outlet, Just a little something spicy to bide his time until his financial world recovered, leading him down a very seedy path, onto a very rocky road. Time however was all he had, and all he was going to get.

“A FANTASTIC FAST PACED PAGE TURNER”

EXCERPT

About an hour later Robin reached his destination, a busy car park a stone’s throw from the Sea Front. Riffling through his pockets, he counted his change as he stood in front of the parking meter. “Bollocks!” He didn’t have enough coins to meet the two hour charge, but then glancing around the parking lot he decided to chance his luck. He beat a path through the hordes of shoppers, tourists, loafers and vagrants that congregated around the town centre, eventually arriving at the Tango Top-Up Sun Bed Salon. This was the facade behind which Tamsin and Marina’s knocking shop plied its trade. On the face of it the place was a reputable tanning salon, doing a roaring trade among Southend’s innumerable wannabe WAGS. Young women seeking that healthy orange glow to impress the local bar-brawling men, fixated on having trophy wives and glamorous girlfriends to show off down the Seafront. The crafty tanning shop owner let out the upstairs room to the two harlots for a nice handful of cash, which they palmed his way once a week. No invoices, no questions, and a discount on services if and when he needed relief. As instructed, Robin approached the receptionist and asked where the Therapies Room could be found. She obligingly led him through the shop and into a back room which housed a long staircase, leading up and out of view.

“Up there, Sir. Ring the bell at the top.”

“Thank you, Darling!” he replied, smiling. His charms were wasted on her, though. She knew exactly who he was and what he was: a punter.

The staircase turned halfway up to reveal a large, royal blue door. Covered in an array of different locks, it was obviously designed to prevent the Old Bill, disgruntled clients and irate wives from getting at the working girls. Robin pressed the buzzer on the small intercom and waited somewhat impatiently for a reply. As he stood shuffling from foot to foot, wringing his hands in anticipation, he felt a twinge of fear. Stories of mugged punters and blackmail victims started to play out in his mind.

What if I get inside and some big beefcake robs me?

What if the police raid the place while I’m ankles deep in a tom?

What if they try and blackmail me?

But the ever present ‘what if’s’ were quickly beaten back down by a much more pressing matter: Robin’s rampant desire to satisfy the lustful urges seething in his loins.

The silver, pepper-pot fronted intercom speaker crackled into life and brought Robin’s mind back into line instantly.

“Hello! Who is it, please?”

Despite having already passed the first line of defence, namely the drone working the ‘Front of House’, Robin was subjected to several encrypted verbal trials from the intercom. While it was gabbling away at him, asking him all sorts of trivial questions, he started to become distracted by an idea that the voice coming from the silver box of buttons seemed vaguely familiar. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t place it; the sexy overtones disguised her natural voice.

At last the door opened. Robin surveyed his potential purchase, beginning at her black high-heeled shoes and sheer hold-ups. Moving on up, he paused briefly at her lacy red knickers, a matching brassiere barely restraining her ample breasts. When he reached her dark tousled hair, his mouth fell open.

“Fuck me! …You?”

It would have been hard to say at that point who was the more alarmed, Robin or his lacy lady.

AUTHOR BIO

Colin, 45, has worked in Construction throughout his career. He has three children aged from 12 to 18, and two step-children. Son of a former gamekeeper, he is still a country boy at heart! He described his childhood as “brilliant”, benefiting as he did from fantastic loving parents, and the joy of growing up in the beautiful Essex countryside.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Twitter: @ColinLChapman

Facebook: Colin Llewelyn Chapman-Author

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

November 5, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW The Cabinetmaker by Alan Jones

Title: The Cabinetmaker

Author: Alan Jones

Genre: Crime thriller, crime drama

Length: 292 pages

Synopsis: The Cabinetmaker, Alan Jones’ first novel, tells of one man’s fight for justice when the law fails him. Set in Glasgow from the late nineteen-seventies through to the current day, a cabinetmaker’s only son is brutally murdered by a gang of thugs, who walk free after a bungled prosecution.

It’s young Glasgow detective John McDaid’s first murder case. He forms an unlikely friendship with the cabinetmaker, united by a determination to see the killers punished, their passion for amateur football, and by John’s introduction to a lifelong obsession with fine furniture.

This is the story of their friendship, the cabinetmaker’s quest for justice, and the detective’s search for the truth.

This unusual crime thriller contains some Glasgow slang and a moderate amount of strong language.

REVIEW

The Cabinetmaker is a very well-written narrative focusing on the relationship of a murdered lad’s father and the growing friendship the cabinetmaker, Francis Hare, has with Detective John McDaid, who is working on his son’s case. It is written almost biographically from McDaid’s point of view, starting from the death of Patrick Hare in the late seventies until the present day.

Patrick’s death was violent and Alan Jones has written in a very clear and believable manner, allowing the reader to picture Patrick’s final moments. It is a very dark and pivotal moment of the story that will change Francis and his wife forever. Patrick was their only child, and the impact that his death had on both characters is devastating. To make matters worse, the culprits walk free and although seemingly calm through the best part of the story, deep down Francis longs for justice for those that caused his son’s death.

An interesting part of the story was the reasons behind the attackers walking free from court. Many of the CID officers were ‘dirty’. Their methods of interrogation and gaining evidence was unorthodox, to say the least. There was little back-up for the evidence that was present and many of the suspects were intimidated by the officers, making for poor statements. Again, I have to say the writing is effective. Without being too heavy with the description, Alan Jones writes in such a manner that is so easy and clear to follow, despite the subject matter having the potential to upset the reader. It is written with care, and allows the reader to picture their own images on just how brutal these officers could be. There is very little Scottish dialect, but when it was present I found it to be very easy to follow and added a sense of realism of the place and times that the story is set.

The main focus of the story is the relationship that grows between Francis Hare and Detective John McDaid. Francis runs his own business as a cabinetmaker, which John finds fascinating. Not only this, but they are both playing for an amateur football side, and so share similar interests besides the case. John longs for the justice that Francis wants for his son, and throughout the following years still follows the case up. You can probably guess that John is one of the good guys and disagreed with his former colleagues’ tactics, and yet had no say in the matter at the time, being it his first job with the department. And, he couldn’t afford to lose his chance working at that level by getting on the wrong side of them.

Each time John discovered something new about the people responsible he shared his knowledge with Francis, usually at the workshop. During these times John began learning about the furniture, the wood, how to make certain parts, and began to assist Francis in his spare time and become almost an apprentice. These moments of the story are some of my favourite. These two men get to know each other, almost like a father/son relationship. It is quite heart-warming and emotional at times.

I could also relate to the well-descriptive scenes where Francis is making his beautifully finished cabinets. On a personal level, it brought back a sense of nostalgia for me as I used to sit for hours watching my own father, who is a trained carpenter and joiner, DIY. Here are two examples that I thought were written clearly, beautifully and added a real profound feeling between John McDaid as he watched and worked with Francis:

“He started to fiddle with the carcase, and I’m sure he very quickly forgot that I was there. I watched him work, as he planed an edge, and even my untrained eye could see that the plane was an extension of his arm, the shavings coming from its mouth so thin as to be almost translucent. I could have watched him for hours…”

“I called round with Francis the following day, and managed to get a bit more of my bookcase done – Francis was at a point in his furniture order where I couldn’t really help. His skills in finishing his furniture almost seemed better than those he used in making it. He would spend hours applying the various shades of shellac, rubbing the surfaces with a constant, controlled series of sweeps. I lost count of the number of layers he laid down, producing that depth of surface where the grain of wood seemed to float in a clear, utterly smooth layer of varnish.”

These examples also provide an insight into Francis’ outlook and personality. He likes to see things through to the end, each element being precise, with nothing left untamed, or cared for. These finer details are quite poignant for the story as it moves on.

I found the pace of the story to be perfect. During times of action it quickens up, but throughout some it is a nice slow-but-steady pace that meets the needs for the emotional element. The pace also provides the reader with the true feel of John McDaid ageing, following John throughout his various police roles, as well as following the lives of the suspects responsible for Patrick’s murder and, most of all, building up the long-lasting friendship he has with Francis.

The ending is wrapped up just right, as everything falls into place. The Cabinetmaker, as a story, grows just like the relationship between Francis and John. It keeps getting better and better, deeper and deeper. It draws you in with a nasty, violent attack on a young lad, but then transforms into a beautiful tale of two best friends, a father/son bond. I LOVED this book and would strongly recommend it to readers who enjoy a good drama, a character-based story, as well as crime fans. It is a superb all-rounder!

A copy of The Cabinetmaker was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

The Cabinetmaker by Alan Jones is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 23, 2014 by Caroline Barker

INTERVIEW Howard Kaplan, author of The Damascus Cover – Bestselling Espionage Thriller

With espionage thriller tv series HOMELAND back on our screens for a fourth season here in the UK, we are certainly excited about today’s post. Today we are privileged in hosting an interview with author Howard Kaplan with regard to his Los Angeles Times bestselling espionage thriller, THE DAMASCUS COVER. The book is currently being made into a feature film starring Jonathan Reis Meyers (Match Point, The Tudors). Howard Kaplan is a Middle East expert and has had his own spy experience smuggling microfilm out of the Ukraine!

THE DAMASCUS COVER was originally published by Dutton (an imprint of Penguin), and has been translated into seven languages. It’s received rave reviews from Kirkus, the Los Angeles Times, BBC News, the Hartford Courant, the Chicago Daily News, the American Library Association, and more (you can see quotes from these reviews below). Clive Cussler, author of the Dirk Pitt Adventure series, says Kaplan is “up there with the best.”

The movie is being produced by H Films and also stars Jürgen Prochnow (Das Boot, The Da Vinci Code), Navid Negahban (Homeland, character Abu Nazir), and Igal Naor (The Honourable Woman). For more on the film visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3457508/

Synopsis:

In a last ditch effort to revive his career, washed up agent Ari Ben-Sion accepts an undercover mission he never would have 30 years ago: to smuggle a group of Jewish children out of the Damascus ghetto. Or so he thinks. Once in Damascus, he meets a beautiful American photographer, Kim, who seems to be falling in love with him—but she’s also asking too many questions. Then his communication equipment disappears. His contact never shows up. Just hours before the operation, everything has gone awry.

Desperate to succeed, Ari must navigate the precarious terrain of love and survival in Syria, risking everything…even his life.

About the Author:

Howard Kaplan, a native of Los Angeles, has lived in Israel and traveled extensively through Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. At the age of 21, he had his own spy experience while attending school in Jerusalem, when he was sent on two missions into the Soviet Union to smuggle out a dissident’s manuscript on microfilm. His first trip was a success. On his second trip, however, he was arrested in Khartiv and interrogated for two days in the Ukraine and two days in Moscow, before being released. He holds a BA in Middle East History from UC Berkeley, an MA in the Philosophy of Education from UCLA, and is the author of four novels. Follow him on Twitter at @kaplanhow.

INTERVIEW with HOWARD KAPLAN, The Damascus Cover

Hi Howard,

Welcome to A Reader’s Review Blog! We would like to thank you for participating in an author interview for The Damascus Cover.

1. Did you have any idea how successful The Damascus Cover was going to be?

I was happy to just be published at all with a first novel. When Dutton sent the book out to the then 10 paperback houses, all ten were interested in reprint rights and Fawcett immediately bid $75,000 for the rights. I was 27 and pleasantly stunned, shocked, thrilled. Soon foreign translation rights started being sold. Portuguese rights in Brazil were sold without the publisher even reading the book on my agent’s recommendation, which really surprised me. Then a publisher in Yugoslavia bought the book but the Central Committee of the Communist Party prevented them from publishing it and banned the book in Communist Eastern Europe. All this was beyond any expectations of interest I had. But I always find what happens in life suprising.

2. Being a Middle East expert, I suspect that some characters/scenes are based on experiences you may have had or witnessed. How much of the book would you say is fact over fiction?

See answer to #4 When I was 21 I took a shared taxi from Beirut to Damascus with a close friend. We visited the famous Omayyad Mosque and then went to visit the Jewish quarter of Damascus. Soon, we saw a man we had spotted in the Omayyad following us; this was far across the city. Mike Wallace did two programs on 60 Minutes about the Jewish community of Damascus in the 1970s then about 5,000 strong. When we were followed in the Jewish quarter we immediately returned to Beirut. But I later did very detailed research on the city of Damascus. God bless the Brits, who have gone everywhere and written memoirs about it.

3. I believe that you had a spy experience of your own in the Soviet Union. Could you please tell us a little about that?

I made two trips into the Soviet Union and travelled from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) to Tashkent and Samarkand in Soviet Central Asia. Under the Soviets any manuscript not yet published was considered property of the state and anybody who emigrated had to leave what they’d written behind where it was then never published. The first time I went into the Soviet Union, I brought out a dissident’s manuscript on microfilm to London. On my second trip, I transferred a manuscript from a writer to the Dutch Ambassador inside their embassy; he sent it to the West by diplomatic pouch. He was a sympathetic friend to the dissidents. Soviet citizens were prevented from entering foreign embassies, but with an American passport I told the KGB guards outside that I had a close friend who was a friend of the Ambassador’s wife and they let me in. The Ambassador and I made small talk inside while we passed each other notes. In the last one he said, “Be careful, this is not James Bond.” Then he burned all the notes.

4. What was your inspiration to write The Damascus Cover?

When I was in Damascus, I visited Marjeh Square. In the 1960’s the Israelis had a high placed agent in Damascus, Eli Cohen, who became the chief advisor to the head of the Syrian Minister of Defence. He was uncovered and hung in Marjeh Square in 1965 though the intelligence he provided enabled Israel to easily take the Golan Heights in the 1967 6 Day War. It was my inspiration for a novel of an Israeli intelligence agent who penetrates the upper echelons of Syrian Intelligence.

5. Were there any scenes that you found particularly difficult to write?

I wrote the first draft of the book in 9 frenetic months, and enjoyed what I was doing. I had a detailed map of Damascus taped to my wall. I had real passion for the injustice in the world: the folly of the Vietnam War, the murders of the Kennedys so in my mid 20’s I had a lot of anger. A lot of that was released in some torture scenes in the novel. They were not hard for me to write then; they are hard for me to read now.

6. Having travelled in many countries, which is your favourite and why?

I have great passion for lots of places: London, the south of France, anywhere in Italy, and Jerusalem, which I know best of all these places. I’ve had great travel experiences almost everywhere. Once in the Greek section of Cyprus, which appears in The Damascus Cover, we could not understand the menu so the waiter took us into the kitchen and lifted the covers on the pots. I went on photographic safari in Kenya and Tanzania for 10 days when I was 23. Most of the other members were Pan Am stewardesses in their late 20s. I thought I had found Nirvana, but alas they treated me as younger brother but it was great fun nonetheless.

7. What was your reaction to the great reviews you have received and finding out that a movie was to be made?

The reviews came out in 1977 and the movie came together in 2014. I remember reading once about how hard The Beatles worked, that though the sound seemed effortless, the production of it was not. I worked very hard on The Damascus Cover, but the calibre of the reviews still surprised and delighted me. The movie is simply a miracle and a hoot, 37 years after the book was published but it’s testament to how a good story endures the passage of time.

8. How much involvement have you had with the movie production, and will the movie remain true to the story?

I made a few suggestions to the movie script, all of which were greeted by the director with excitement. So we have a very good relationship but this is his script and film and I’m thrilled with it. He has Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Abigail Spencer, Jurgen Prochnow and the actor who played Abu Nazir in Homeland. It’s almost as good as falling in love.

9. Are you an avid reader? Do you have a favourite author/book?

I am a great fan and admirer of John le Carre both for the story telling ability, wrestling with moral issues and the calibre of his prose. I read my regularly for inspiration.

10. What is next for Howard Kaplan?

I have been getting another of my novels, BULLETS OF PALESTINE, ready for release as an Ebook and paperback in November 2014. It’s as novel of Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation. It too seems even more timely than when I originally wrote it. The first week of November 2014 I’ll be in Casablanca on The Damascus Cover film set. I’m doing a walk on.

Thank you for your time! We will look forward to hosting The Damascus Cover. All the best for The Damascus Cover and future works!

Caroline Barker, A Reader’s Review Blog

The Damascus Cover can be purchased at:

Amazon US paperback

Amazon US Kindle version ebook

Amazon UK paperback

Amazon UK Kindle version ebook

And we are excited to be reviewing Howard Kaplan’s bestseller some time in the near future!

Praise for THE DAMASCUS COVER:

“In the best tradition of the new espionage novel. Kaplan’s grasp of history and scene creates a genuine reality. He seems to know every back alley of Damascus and Cyprus.”—Los Angeles Times

“A mission inside Syria, a last love affair, and the unfolding of the plot within a plot are handled by the author with skill and a sure sense of the dramatic.”—The American Library Association (starred review)

“A fine, taut, tense spy story full of furious action.”—The Hartford Courant

“It’s suspense all the way through.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Exceedingly rich in color about the Syrian capital.”—Chicago Daily News

“The plotting is beautiful.”—BBC News

“… a smartly paced criss-cross laced with enough Mid-East semicruises to snare the MacInness armchair tourists.”—Kirkus

October 15, 2014 by Caroline Barker

For November: A Crime Thriller or an Emotional Adventurous Romance Novel?

Hi readers, we are already thinking ahead into November, and once we have all been zombied out, witched out and spooked out over Halloween we are thinking maybe you would like to relax a little with either a crime thriller or an adventurous and emotional romantic journey!

We have two reviews scheduled for next month that just may be what you are looking for. Two great reads from Wattle Publishing: crime thriller, Entropy, by Robert Raker and contemporary romance, The Love of Marisol by Christos Toulouras! Please scroll down for blurbs and author bios.

Happy reading!

Caroline & Tina 🙂

Book title: Entropy
Author: Robert Raker

RRP: PB: £8.99 | Kindle & eBook: £5.99

Synopsis:

When a series of child abductions and murders disrupt the life of an economically blighted community, the consequences have far-reaching implications. The brutal crimes take a different toll on a disparate group of individuals; the scuba diver who retrieves the children’s bodies; the disfigured cellist who thinks he knows who’s responsible; the undercover federal agent; and the mother of one of the victim’s.
United in a situation not of their choosing, they are forced to take a deep, introspective look into their intersected, yet isolated lives.

Author biography:
Robert Raker graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of Pittsburgh. He currently resides in Philadelphia where he enjoys art, music, literature and live theater. He is currently working on his next novel.

Link to retailers: http://wattlepublishing.com/catalogue/entropy/

Twitter: @RobertRaker1
Facebook: Entropy by Robert Raker

Book title: The Love of Marisol
Author: Christos Toulouras

RRP: PB: £6.99 | Kindle & eBook: £5.99

Synopsis:

When Leo’s marriage ends, he falls into the depths of depression. He decides to escape the loss and the heartbreak with a trip to the other side of the world – Lima, Peru. In some ways, his journey becomes an unexpected salvation as his passions are reignited by the local food and people, the climate and the beautiful and alluring Marisol. The Love of Marisol is a poignant and passionate journey of heartbreak, loss but most of all self-discovery… it reminds us that at the end of one love story, there is always the possibility of a new one…

Author bio:
Christos Toulouras was born in Cyprus. He has lived in South Africa and Cyprus. He studied Tourist administration in Thessaloniki. He continued his studies in the UK at Leicester University where he received his MBA. He currently lives in Cyprus.

Link to retailers: http://wattlepublishing.com/catalogue/love-marisol/

Twitter: @wattlepub
Facebook: Wattle Publishing

June 8, 2014 by Caroline Barker

GIVEAWAY x8 Crime thriller ‘STUNNER (A Ronnie Lake Mystery)’ by Niki Danforth

We are very excited to host this FANTASTIC 8x (yes, 8x!) GIVEAWAY of Niki Danforth’s crime thriller, ‘Stunner (A Ronnie Lake Mystery #1)’!!! We have 3 signed paperbacks up for grabs, as well as 5x Kindle editions. For more info on the giveaway please read on 🙂

Synopsis:

Beautiful. Bright. And possibly deadly…

That’s all Ronnie Lake knows about her soon to be sister-in-law, Juliana. But Ronnie is determined to find out the truth about her wealthy brother’s new lover—before he throws away his happiness, his fortune…maybe even his life. Who is this mysterious woman, and where did she come from? What is she hiding? And how deep could the deception go?

First the family receives strange phone calls. Then a disturbing package appears at their estate outside New York City. Ronnie—a divorced, downsized, 50-something—seems an unlikely detective. But she soon finds she’s got an instinct for this type of work, as she falls ever deeper into a sinister world where people will do anything to escape their past. And Juliana may be the most desperate of them all.

STUNNER is the first book in Danforth’s Ronnie Lake mystery series. After a recent promotion on Amazon.com the book peaked at #1 in the Crime, Private Investigators, and Women Private Investigators categories, and #5 in the Mystery Category, with over 20,000 total downloads.

The audio book released on April 3 2014, is available on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

We will also be reviewing this fab read at a later date, keep checking in!!

About the Author – Niki Danforth

Niki Danforth, daughter of a Cold War covert intelligence officer, has the “thriller/adventure” gene in her DNA. After a career as a successful TV/video producer and director in New York, this empty-nester is picking up her first love of mystery books and recreating herself as an author in the genre. Danforth lives in the New Jersey countryside with her husband and two drama-queen dogs.

For more information, you can check out Niki Danforth’s website. You can also visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NikiDanforthAuthor, and her Twitter account at https://twitter.com/nikidanforth.

GIVEAWAY INFO:

For a chance to win one of 3 signed paperbacks give us a follow on Twitter – @areadersreviewb – and retweet our Stunner giveaway.

Alternatively, ‘like’ us on Facebook – A Readers Review – and leave a comment or share our post on Stunner.

For a chance to win one of 5 Kindle copies all you need to do is add your name in the comments box below, or on our Facebook page post at http://facebook.com/AReadersReview

The closing date is Sunday 22nd June 2014. The winners will then be randomly selected and notified as soon as possible.

GOOD LUCK in advance to all of those who enter 🙂

Caroline and Tina x

May 29, 2014 by Caroline Barker

21 Hours by Dustin Stevens – REVIEW

Blood-pumping, exhilarating excitement that cannot be missed!

Blurb: Felix “O” O’Connor is an ex-con from central Ohio that has spent the seven years since being released from prison working on a ranch in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. Rarely does he venture out into the world and never does it come looking for him. Both of those things change when his twin sister Alexa “Lex” Borden calls from Columbus, Ohio to ask for his help.

Earlier that afternoon, she and her husband were both beaten unconscious and their two year old daughter abducted from their front yard. Nobody saw a thing, the police are stumped, and it is a well known statistic that if a child isn’t found in the first 48 hours, they rarely are.

O immediately drives back to Ohio and finds himself with just 21 hours to find his beloved niece before potentially losing her forever. Plunging himself into a world he’d long ago left behind, he crosses paths with criminal masterminds, human traffickers, gun runners, drug smugglers, blood-thirsty spectators and suspicious detectives all in the name of bringing her home.

Review:

I absolutely LOVED 21 Hours, a perfect action thriller suspense following the love and determination of an ex-con and uncle willing to do anything to save his niece after she is kidnapped by a gang of criminals during a violent attack of her parents. This story is packed full of tension, action, emotion and pace, leaving the reader no opportunity to disengage.

Not only do we have such an intense situation to begin with, but to add to the tension further we have the time aspect. After realising the police have no leads and seem to be lost, ‘O’ is told that it happens to thousands of children a year – many of whom are never found, and those that are found safely are usually found within 21 hours.

Written in first person, the reader can follow every thought, every move of ‘O’. This sets the reader up knowing that ‘O’ will not stop until the very end or until he no longer can. The pace of 21 hours is therefore fast, exciting, powerful, intense and strongly emotive.

Whilst 21 Hours has it’s fair share of violence, blood and gore it is all necessary for the story. It adds to the tension, action and excitement. There are shootings and fight scenes that become inevitable as there are times when ‘O’ simply has no choice, when it’s his only chance of defence and when he is quickly running out of time. The gangsters and criminal masterminds he is dealing with have no compassion, or remorse, and would shoot him dead in a second. Therefore, the reader is left in no doubt as to the measures ‘O’ is willing to take.

A fascinating aspect of 21 Hours for me was the relationship between ‘O’ and the lead female detective in the case, Watts. Watts is a strong and determined character, who believes she has summed up ‘O’ from her first meeting with him. She and her colleagues have suspicions that ‘O’ could be involved and with his track record of being an ex-con it is a possibility that his past has something to do with this.

Watts provides ‘O’ with another challenge as her methods of investigating and his are completely different. Unfortunately, Watts has seen and heard of too many of these kind of cases, and with no leads she is left to play the waiting game in the hope that the abductors call for a ransom. ‘O’ on the other hand doesn’t want to waste precious time, considering he may only have 21 hours. This is a situation that is certainly unique to ‘O’ and extremely personal, whereas one could argue that Watts has no emotional tie and is not a stranger with working and hearing of these types of situations.

There is a clash between these characters from the offset but the beauty of this is when Watts’ eyes are opened to the different sides of ‘O’. It almost becomes a love/hate relationship. One of which I hoped to blossom into something more. I would love to hear from these two characters again as I believe they are too good to leave alone.

I cannot express how much 21 Hours is right up my street. Being brought up watching many action films of the 1980’s and 1990’s this novel fits easily into this category with many similarities (most notably with Lethal Weapon, Commando, Ransom, and Con-Air for me), and yet still remaining original and exciting to read.

What the reader can’t escape is the sheer desperation ‘O’ has to saving his niece and bringing her home. The reader finds themselves cheering him on and when he becomes injured you feel the need to jump into the novel, pick him up, brush him down and tell him to ‘go get ’em’!!

A copy of 21 Hours was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

21 Hours by Dustin Stevens is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

April 24, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Animus by Thomas Evans

Blurb: A family is torn in half when a careless killer evades justice. Jason McDowell’s bad choice to drive to work drunk one morning leaves a father dead, a daughter in a coma and her twin sister and mother to try and pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Three years later, while Jason has gone on with his life, ignorant of the struggles of his victims, someone has decided it is time for him to face justice.

REVIEW

Animus is a great thriller with a dark edge! I really enjoyed this book. The whole story is family/social based, making it easy for the reader to connect with the characters and their ordeals in their private lives. It is an emotional read at times, and there are some scenes of violence. Some scenes were expected and others more surprising. I would recommend Animus for a more mature reader of 16yrs+.

After Jason escaping justice, he returns to his normal life of drinking and generally past caring of anyone or anything. He disrupts the lives of all around him, i.e. his wife, children, brother and sister-in-law with his drinking and aggressive behaviour. The reader feels no compassion for him, at the same time as feeling disgusted at the lack of justice his victims received.

What is quite fascinating is how the victim’s wife, Janet, and daughter Kimberly are more alike than they both realise. Regardless of what they have been through they remain strong, looking after each other, praying for Krystal to wake up from her coma and trying as best they can to carry on with their lives. They both speak about Jason and how they are feeling to a degree, and yet neither of them share their darkest of thoughts.

Despite the obvious victims of all the misery, i.e. Janet and Kimberly, I found myself also feeling sorry for Angela and Mindy, the wife and daughter of Jason. As well as coping with an abusive, manipulative layabout and erratic drunk, they find themselves having to cope with terrible ordeals later in the story, without fully understanding the whole story behind them.

Animus is clearly well-planned, well-researched and very well written. The drama is continuous, leaving no opportunity for the readers mind to wander off course. The pace is steady, making the read easy to follow and enjoyable. Every paragraph is meaningful and adds to the story, making the editing just right in my opinion.

The author has managed quite well to avoid being over-descriptive regarding crime scene evidence, court proceedings and medical terminology so as not to lose the reader’s attention, especially given his background and the knowledge of the research he has carried out. Although, everything the reader needs to know is there and so it allows for an easy read, albeit dark and serious.

When I read a novel there are usually some background characters that I become fond of, and I found some great ones in Animus. Firstly, there was the doctor, Dr. Satish, who was attending to Krystal. He was quite supportive of Janet and her needs. She had someone to talk to and all along I was hoping for some romance to blossom there.

And secondly, Officer Marrow who was able to piece information between the incidents together. He had his suspicions, along with some circumstantial evidence and gut instinct but was always needing more evidence for the detectives to go on. I did feel for him at times, but really was torn between his needs and what I felt was acceptable. Officer Morrow did appear to care for those involved which also warmed me to him. In fact, I would love Thomas Evans to write another novel, perhaps based on Officer Morrow, or another case that he works on.

There are some surprises in this story which makes for a fascinating read, but some are quite sad. I actually like the more realistic novels at times and Animus certainly did grab my attention. It makes the reader ponder on what is legally wrong/right and what is morally wrong/right. I would love to read more from this author and his knowledge in these areas could make for some more fascinating stories!

A copy of Animus was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Animus is available in Kindle edition or paperback at Amazon US and Amazon UK.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

June 29, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Hidden Agenda by Peter S. Berman

‘Hidden Agenda’ by Peter S. Berman is an amazing five-star crime-thriller/courtroom drama novel! It keeps the reader engaged, with plenty of dialogue, brilliant characters and most importantly, a dramatic storyline. Hidden Agenda is separated into four sections (books), beginning as a crime thriller, taking the reader right into the thick of a courtroom drama as it builds it’s way with many twists and turns into the concluding fourth section.

After losing his wife in an accident a few years before, Jeremy Hart, a senior prosecutor in the LA District Attorney’s office, is encouraged by his counselor to try socialising again. She offers him a ticket for a charitable event where he first meets Claire Carleton. Ex-model Claire is trapped in a loveless marriage to a wealthy and powerful man, Peter Carleton, who is also very abusive and possessive towards her.

Love blossoms between Claire and Jeremy and they wind up in an affair that neither one wants to walk away from. However, with Peter always looking over her shoulder it is difficult for Claire and Jeremy to meet up. After messaging to each other over the internet, Peter’s suspicions of an affair are proven when he catches Claire sitting as her computer as a message from Hart pops up. Peter goes on to violently attack Claire and threaten her life – either that or she could lose her two daughters if Peter was to take them to Brazil with him. Leaving her with no options, Claire is trapped and reveals all to Jeremy.

Later, Peter’s body is found on the driveway of his home where he has been shot to death. It is then up to the detectives, Gibson and Donahue, to establish the motive, the opportunity and the culprit. Jeremy Hart is suspect no.1 and as the evidence points to him it is not long before a trial begins. However, as more questions are raised, Gibson and Donahue continue to investigate behind the scenes to find out the truth of Peter’s murder.

Hidden Agenda is beautifully woven together and is written in such a way that it is easy for the reader to follow and yet produces an engrossing story. The first section (Book 1) of Hidden Agenda introduces the readers to Jeremy Hart and Claire Carleton as the reader follows Jeremy’s story, getting to know the main characters involved. Book 2 focuses on detectives Gibson and Donahue as well as the main investigation where we are made aware of the evidence. This takes us to Book 3, concentrating on the courtroom drama of the trial with lawyers, Brunon and Kelly, and then finally we reach the concluding section Book 4!

As a reader, I really enjoyed that Hidden Agenda keeps to the one crime continuously and is written and broken down in order. It keeps the reader engaged and interested as well as opens up your eyes for those who are not too familiar of the courtroom system. I really enjoyed reading this style of writing. Even during the trial scenes Donahue and Gibson were still working and questioning certain areas of the case behind the scenes which constantly keeps the story moving forward and the reader hoping that they find out the answers to all of their questions.

One of my favourite pieces of writing in this book is when Berman describes the sun setting as Hart is about to visit his colleague, John Taylor. At this point Hart is at a loss as to what to do regarding the beating that Claire has taken from her husband, Peter:

“It was just after 6.00pm. The sun had set in a crystal clear sky and the city far below him was a twinkling sea of lights, blanketing the horizon like so many stars in the Milky Way.”

These lines create a beautiful and moody atmosphere for the reader and I personally drowned in these words as I felt the dilemma that Hart was in.

I found myself being a little sympathetic for Hart’s character when he becomes emotional when speaking with his attorney, Brunon. After being locked up, awaiting for his trial, Hart is growing weary and was a shadow of a man in comparison to earlier on the book. However, this was mentioned subtly but still had an impact on me. This certainly helped keep the character Hart alive.

My overall favourite section of Hidden Agenda was Book 2 where the reader is introduced to detectives Gibson and Donahue. Gibson is a family man with a loving wife. He is used to working alone but on this particular case he is asked to work with female detective Donahue. Donahue is a feminine but strong and level-headed woman. Gibson and Donahue work really great together and whilst keeping a great sense of professionalism there is also a nice friendship that grows between them. The reader really gets a sense that Gibson admires and respects Donahue to the point where he considers working with her on a more permanent level. Considering that Gibson was always used to working alone this would be quite a change for him.

For the characters alone, especially ‘Gibby’ and Donahue I would love to read another story by Peter S. Berman. I can only hope that he will create another great crime novel with these fantastic detectives in. The crime in Hidden Agenda is laid out well for the reader and this style of writing is so easy to follow and yet constantly keeps the reader interested and guessing the outcome. If you like a great crime-thriller you will not be disappointed with Hidden Agenda!

For the purpose of an honest and fair review A Reader’s Review Blog received Hidden Agenda gratefully from BookHub publishing.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

June 18, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Mulberry (The Organization, Book 2) by SJ Sprague

‘Mulberry’ is the second book of this great crime thrilling series, ‘The Organization’, by SJ Sprague. The Organization series deals with corrupt law enforcement officers who take part in drugs and gun crime, which often involves beatings, murders and cover ups. However, justice can be done and done quickly if The Organization have anything to do with it as long as they have enough evidence. The corrupt officers will do anything to cover their tracks and in ‘Mulberry’ the reader is given a great example of this when they beat Davin Presser, making him comatose.

Mulberry begins with an excellent prologue of an ex-police informant, Sterling Greaves, who had become aware of some officers’ activities – in particular the drug running – and had reported his findings, along with some evidence to the police force. Yet, nothing was done and it left Sterling running for his life, living in the woods for three years, to prevent the dirty cops from killing him. The twist that Sterling has on these cops is the evidence that he has collected and buried in the woods, until he has a chance to use it. He reaches out to Samantha Biggers, an ‘angel’ in Sterling’s mind, who is now a member of The Organization.

Samantha Biggers, a widow and previous victim of corrupt police (check out A Presence in Russell County, The Organization Book 1), has now joined The Organization, moving to Holcomb County to be near her trainers, John Hollingsworth and Stuart Crogan. And nothing is better for Sam’s training than a case she can be involved in as soon as she moves to Holcomb.

Unknown to the culprits of Davin’s beating his six year old son, Kale, witnessed the terrible attack. However, it affected Kale to the point where he began to behave in an infantile manner. He began to crawl and became mute. His only way of communicating is by drawing the same picture repeatedly and with the same colour. Will Sam be able to decipher the meaning of these drawings?

Although Mulberry is first and foremost a crime thriller it probably offers the same amount of romance as it does crime, with Crogan’s growing relationship with his chess playing friend and trainee, Sam. It certainly clarifies the reader’s confusion from the last novel in regards to Sam’s lovelife, where the reader at one point believed that Sam and John were to be happy ever after. I think that Mulberry is definitely Crogan’s book as he steals the show for me. I love how he does everything he can to ascertain Sam’s safety and the way how when she isn’t with him he’s thinking of her, and yet he still allows her space for herself. He respects her opinion and treats her as an equal when it comes to The Organization’s work. Crogan is also caring when it comes to his long-term friend, John. He does worry about the relationship he has with Sam and how it could affect John. Crogan is just a really nice guy.

John’s character has the reader sympathising for him in parts as Sam, or ‘Brit’ as he always called her, is romantically quite distanced from him, however at times he does become a little too creepy for me as he is a little persistent and leaves certain messages on Sam’s answerphone that are a little too personal. Maybe Sam is to blame a little though, as she wasn’t altogether clear that their relationship had ended and thus leaving John a little lost and possibly half expecting her to be closer to him seeing as she moved to Holcomb. I don’t dislike John as it has been clear that John is a very strong member of The Organization and he knows how to get things done. The fact that he had an injury whilst serving as a soldier and is now in a wheelchair certainly doesn’t hold him back when it comes to taking down a band of criminal cops. I love his decisiveness and direct manner.

Whilst reading the first novel, A Presence in Russell County, I found that it ended abruptly, however Mulberry ends at a perfect pace and leaving the reader fully aware of where the characters stand and where they are possibly headed. This novel is definitely a five star! My only disappointment was that I missed the character Cap Finch from the first novel and I was hoping for a mention of him as I really like his involvement with the case in Russell County. I always tend to go for the supporting characters and in some cases they don’t reappear in the sequels!

SJ Sprague writes Mulberry really well, making it clear to the reader that the characters have a history from book 1 and have now, especially in Samantha Bigger’s case, made a fresh start with her move, her job and in her lovelife. Therefore, Mulberry could be read as a stand alone. Although I strongly recommend for you to read A Presence in Russell County before this novel as it is fantastic, introducing the characters really well and providing the reader with their background!

The paperback edition for Mulberry is now available on Amazon.com, the paperback edition is currently $13.29 and the Kindle version is $5.11. Also available on Amazon.co.uk , the paperback version is currently £9.39 and the Kindle version is £3.38!

You can also purchase the paperback or Kindle edition of A Presence in Russell County on Amazon.com ($10.74 for paperback and $4.73 for the Kindle edition) and Amazon.co.uk (£7.45 for paperback and £3.18 for the Kindle edition). Prices correct at the time of posting this review.