Cockroaches - Trouble in Thailand

Cockroaches, by Jo Nesbo is the second outing for Norwegian detective Harry Hole. It opens in Thailand, where we follow a prostitute as she crosses town to meet up with a punter in a seedy motel. But on entering the allotted room for her rendezvous, she discovers him lying on the bed with a knife in his back! Cue the screaming ... So where does Harry come in? Well, the ex-punter turns out to be the Norwegian Ambassador to Thailand, and Harry is dragged away from his morose, self-pitying and drink-laden existence in Oslo and packed off to Bangkok to liaise with the Thai police to bring the perpetrator to justice. Our hero is teamed up with a bald (yes - bald), female detective who originated from the USA. Together they start to uncover a web of secrets involving his fellow countrymen both in Bangkok and back in Norway. He starts to believe that he has been selected to investigate because he will fail, and the death can be hushed up back home to avoid scandal. But he is determined to firstly stay sober, and secondly, to get to the bottom of this complex case within which, the child sex industry starts to rear its ugly head. As the body count mounts up, this is not always a comfortable read - but it is intriguing, with twists and turns aplenty. But who can Harry trust in this exotic, claustrophobic city where no-one is quite what they seem? This is a well executed thriller, fast-paced and strewn with enough suspects and motives to keep the reader guessing. As usual, with Sean Barrett narrating this audio edition, I found it hard to put down. We hear more about Harry's back story, helping us to understand the demons from his past that have made him the man he is today. I'm more than happy that I've started this series and will be most definitely be continuing to follow this troubled detective.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

The Killing Floor - a brutal adrenaline filled ride

I have been steered towards the Jack Reacher stories by my brother-in-law and I have not been disappointed. If you like your books action-packed, with gunnels overflowing with adrenaline, you couldn't do much worse than plunge into these novels by Lee Child. In The Killing Floor, the first outing for our hero, Jack is drifting around the USA, keeping under the radar and trying to leave behind his military police background. He gets off a bus and walks to the small town of Margrave in Georgia, with the aim of finding out more about a blues singer his brother had told him about. An hour later, while breakfasting in the local diner, he is approached by police and arrested. It turns out that two bodies had been found and he is the prime suspect. It being the weekend, he ends up in the local prison with another man from the town, and is very nearly killed there. However, his alibi checks out and he is released, only to discover that one of the victims is his own brother, Joe. Determined to find out what has happened, he joins forces with the only two police officers he can trust - and slowly uncovers a huge conspiracy involving almost the whole town. Corruption, hush money, fear and violence all get an airing. Oh, and there is a bit of love interest sprinkled on top. Jack is an unforgiving and in many ways, an unlikeable character. The body count mounts quite horrifically at times, and yet, that doesn't seem to be a problem for anyone in the justice system. Relentless from the very first page, with twists and turns hitting you with dizzying speed - this book will either hook you and leave you begging for more, or completely turn you off ... but if you don't like thrillers, why are you reading this book in the first place?

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 528 print pages.
Price I paid: Free - borrowed as an ebook from the library.
Formats: print; large print; audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

The Truth - a satire on journalism

I am a big fan of Terry Pratchett, and am merrily working my way through his Discworld novels. So I was eagerly anticipating getting my teeth into The Truth - the second in the "Industrial Revolution" sub-series (although the 25th Discworld book). This tale features William De Worde, a man from a very wealthy and influential family, who, appalled by his father's attitude to everything and everyone, has turned his back on them. Instead, he earns a very modest living by writing a monthly newsletter for a select few. But then, through a series of unusual and unexpected events (this is Terry Pratchett!) he ends up inventing investigative journalism, ably assisted by his apprentice, Sacharissa Cripslock, and a band of dwarfs who have a printing press with movable type. And so, The Times is created - with news from all over the city - very much an of the people, for the people. The public imagination takes The Times to heart and can think of nothing better than to become part of the news themselves, And who would have thought so many people would be so fascinated by stories featuring funny shaped vegetables? William investigates the strange case of Havelock Vetinari, the city's Patrician, who is arrested for attempted murder. Nobody is surprised by this - Vetinari having something of a shady reputation - except maybe William. He burrows into the depths of the story and discovers that Vetinari has been framed as part of a major conspiracy to oust the Patrician and put a tame puppet into that position. Can William use the power of the press to foil the villains? There are some familiar characters, such as The Watch, and Gaspode, the talking dog (whose sarcasm knows no bounds), and this is a really good satire on journalism - both the good and the bad sides. However, there wasn't enough daft humour for my taste and whilst I did enjoy this book, there was very little tutting from my husband following an outburst of laughter from myself. I will give a shout out to my favourite character - Otto the vampire, an iconographer (photographer in non-Discworld speak) who, unfortunately for his chosen profession, turned to dust every time he used his flash bulb - only to be regenerated by a drop of blood or small piece of meat - genius! This will not stop me reading Pratchett - it just wasn't up to his usual exceptionally high standard.

My STAR rating: THREE.

Length: 386 print pages.
Price I paid: Free - borrowed as an ebook from the library.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; audio download; ebook.

The Shock of the Fall - a keeper!

Few books really stay with you after you've finished the last page and put the book back on the shelf, but I have no doubt that The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer will remain with me, and anyone else who reads it, for a very long time. Rarely have I found a book that is, within a few lines, tragic, shocking, funny and downright ordinary. We follow the young life of Matt and his descent into mental illness, which is eventually diagnosed as schizophrenia. Matt is relating his story to us, in an attempt to capture all that has happened and provide some kind of an explanation both to himself and others as to what it is like to be him. The illness seems to be tied to events which happened during a summer holiday in a caravan park with his family - Mum, Dad and older brother, Simon. He loves Simon and Simon loves him. Everyone loves Simon, he's a happy boy who lights up a room, but Simon has Down's Syndrome. One day, Matt witnesses a girl, very upset and burying her cloth doll. Intrigued and disturbed by this, Matt tries to comfort her only to be told in no uncertain terms to go away. This seems to be a catalyst for tragic events, leading to the death of Simon (not a spoiler). Matt blames himself and cannot shake this feeling. The grief of his mother has major implications on him as she takes him out of school. The story goes back and forth in time, and you have to concentrate to keep up. We go over events again and again, each time revealing a little bit more as Matt reflects on them and faces up to them. This is such an excellent book that I'm really looking forward to what this author does next. It feels so real and gives an insight into mental illness, and the impact it has on everyone it comes into contact with. There are disturbing parts and some strong language, but all in keeping with the story. If you like audio books, try reading this in audio - Oliver Hembrough provides a brilliant narration that is so right. Haunting and yet uplifting - READ THIS BOOK. 

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 320 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; unabridged audio CD; ebook.

The Power of Six - non-stop action

Some books are slow burners, take their time and creep up on you. Others smack you in the face from page one, make you sit up and take notice .. and never let you go until they are finished with you. The Power of Six, by Pittacus Lore is definitely in the latter camp. There is the briefest of scene setting, just in case you hadn't read the first book in this series (I am Number Four) and then off we go, hell for leather, the whole way through. We pick up where the previous book left off, with two aliens from the planet Lorien - John Smith (Number Four), our hero of the first instalment, and Six - his newly acquainted compatriot and saviour - on the run in the USA with John's best friend (and human), Sam. They have just escaped their mortal enemies, the Mogadorians, who are determined to exterminate the nine children who were smuggled off Lorien during the war with the Mogadorians, and onto Earth to hopefully rise again and save their home planet. Meanwhile, in Spain, Number Seven is feeling isolated and trapped inside a convent - it may have helped to keep her hidden, but she has had no training, and wants to find her fellow Loriens. Her "boring" life is about to change, when a strange man starts to take an interest in her and she starts to worry that the Mogadorians have found her at last. Desperate to escape, she tries to find her inheritance, a "chest" which contains some of the special jewels from her home world - some will heal, some will kill. The tension builds in both countries and when the action starts, there's no stopping it. This is an excellent sequel to the first book. The characters are really coming into their own and the reader gets more of a feel for back story of why these aliens are here and what the future might hold not only for them, but for planet Earth itself. The new characters quickly find their feet and whilst this is a satisfying tale in its own right, it also leaves the reader with enough of a cliff hanger to make you look for the next in the series - and yes, I'll be going there soon!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 400 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Sharpe's Sword - like an old pair of slippers

This is the 14th in the epic series featuring Richard Sharpe, a rough, no-nonsense soldier who has been dragged up from nothing and is now a Captain in Wellington's army, in their apparently never ending war against Napoleon. The action takes place in and around Salamanca, during the summer of 1812. During a bit of a lull in the fighting, Sharpe's Company takes a prisoner - a French dragoon calling himself Captain Paul Delmas. Sharpe is intrigued by the exquisite (and expensive) sword his captive is carrying, and eyes it with envy. When Delmas later escapes, killing several people in the process, he escapes into Salamanca with Sharpe hot on his heels, looking for revenge. Upon investigation, it turns out that this Frenchman is not who he claims to be, but is, indeed, a Colonel Leroux, whose mission is to find El Mirador - a British spy - from whom he intends to extract the names of every other spy before he kills them. Sharpe is tasked with finding Leroux, but this is proving a difficult task. One night he is taken to a party where he is introduced to La Marquesa, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She is a well-educated and wealthy aristocrat, but despite the gulf between their social status, there is a strong attraction, and guess what, Sharpe just cannot resist - putting his wife and daughter to the back of his mind. Men! Still on the hunt for Leroux, Sharpe has to wait until the nearby forts are overwhelmed by the British before he can go in and continue his hunt. During which, he corners our man but is shot and disappears. Will he survive, will he catch up with Leroux, and will he get his hands on that sword? Well, I think we all know the answers to those questions - but it's fun getting there. As ever, there is plenty of action, twists and turns in this book, and the tale is wrapped around real events and real people. Reading these books is like putting on a pair of old slippers - you know where you are and what you are going to get and there is a certain degree of comfort in knowing these characters so well. I do enjoy escaping into this venal world at times - despite Sharpe's lack of moral backbone and immense flaws. Maybe it's a case of a great place to visit ... just wouldn't want to live there!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 314 print pages.
Price I paid: £1.50 from a second hand book shop.
Formats available: Print; abridged audio CD; abridged audio download; multiedia; ebook.

The Bat - a cracking introduction to Harry Hole

The Bat is the first book in the Scandinavian crime series starring Harry Hole, a Norwegian policeman who, inevitably, has a few demons rattling around from his past - only some of whom, I suspect, surface in this tale. I have heard people gushing about Jo Nesbo for a good while and have been keen to try him out, and I have not been disappointed. The action starts with our hero flying out to Australia to work with the Sydney police following the murder of a Norwegian TV star. Harry is teamed up with Andrew, an aboriginal officer and they form a bond from the get go. They start to follow up on any leads they can find, which takes Harry into the soon-to-become welcoming arms of a Swedish barmaid who knew the victim. Is this simply a case of a violent drug dealing boyfriend taking it out on the nearest person one night, or have we got a serial killer on the loose? As things turn darker, the action is interspersed with cultural pointers aimed at helping Harry (and us) understand the two distinct Australia's in terms of ethnicity - both from the point of view of past and the present. There are some really interesting characters, well fleshed out and fully rounded, so much so that, when something happens to them, it is really shocking. Plenty of twists and turns keep the reader guessing, and whilst there are some grisly bits (the good old Great White Shark makes a spectacular cameo), there are plenty of lighter moments too to create a good balance. I liked Harry, despite his self-destructive tendencies, and I am eagerly anticipating the next book, which I'm kind of hoping is based in his home country! I will also be tempted to continue this series via the audio book route, which is how I read this first one - as I really enjoyed listening to this with the fantastic narration of Sean Barrett - who is rapidly becoming my go to narrator!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 386 print pages.
Price I paid: £7.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; unabridged audio CD; ebook.