Without Fail - Jack Reacher on cracking form

I was a little disappointed by the previous book in the Jack Reacher series, so I approached Without Fail, by Lee Child, with a little trepidation. I need not have worried. This is an excellent thriller, with the action coming thick and fast. When threats are made against the new Vice-President of the USA, his protection detail are, understandably worried. His head of security, M.E. Froelich, wants someone from outside the services to test how tight their security really is, and she hunts down Jack Reacher and persuades him to take on the role. Why Jack? Well, M.E. had dated his brother Joe for a number of years and had heard tales of our favourite maverick's prowess at handling difficult and dangerous situations. Reacher decides to help - for a fee - and asks an old colleague to tag along. Almost as soon as they take on the project, things start to escalate and the body count begins! But can the threat be coming from inside the Security Services, or is it something more personal? This is a taut tale and pushes many of the right buttons to keep the reader gripped from the outset. Amongst the action, the thorny issue of Jack's estranged relationship with his brother Joe, and his guilt over Joe's death are tackled. Jack is forced to confront these by M.E. who, it seems, hasn't really got over Joe. The only weak element for me is the "romantic interest" - though it could hardly be called that - which I felt was not entirely believable and was the weakest part of the book. Unfortunately, this is often the case within thrillers ... the writer seems to feel obliged to let the male lead, no matter how unlikeable they might be, to be a wow with the ladies and always manage to get someone into bed. There is no heart in this particular element of the story and I think it could have been omitted completely. That aside, this is definitely one of the better books in this series to date (this is number 6) and had a few surprises and I especially enjoyed the interaction with the female sidekick who I hope we'll see again. This has put Lee Child back in my good books and he will now rest on my "go to" pile for when I want to be pulled along at breakneck speed by a man who travels so light that he regularly has to stop and buy new clothes (surely he could invest in a couple of changes of outfit?)

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 560 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from library as an ebook.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; unabridged audio CD; ebook.

Me Before You - surprisingly enjoyable

Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time will have got the distinct impression that the books that tick all my boxes are more than likely going to be either a good thriller, fantasy, crime procedural or a humorous tome. However, it is always good to branch out now and again and for this reason, I delved into a book that kept popping up on bestseller lists over the last couple of years and slowly attracted my attention. Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes is, at its basic level, a romance. However, it is so much more. Louisa Clarke is a home loving girl, still living with her parents, still with her boyfriend of 7 years and still working in the local cafe. She is comfortable with her life. This all changes when the cafe closes and, with limited employment opportunities available, she accepts a 6-month contract as the daytime carer of Will Traynor, a quadriplegic who is tired of his life. Once a high-flying all-action business man, Will cannot come to terms with how his life has changed. Louisa is at first scared of him, but then determines to try and make his life a bit more bearable in her own inimitable fashion. Slowly but surely, they start to enjoy each other's company and form a real bond. When Louisa finds out however, that her contract is only for 6 months because Will is planning to commit suicide at the end of this time frame, she is devastated. Can she change his mind? At first, I wasn't at all sure about this book and thought I knew exactly where it was going, but as I persisted, it slowly got under my skin and I started to care about the characters. This is a romance with a real difference, and tackles very challenging issues, such as disability and assisted suicide. At times uncomfortable and at others uplifting, this is not always an easy book to read, but is one that will surprise and touch the heart of anyone who tackles it. Oh, and it may not sound like it, but there is plenty of humour in it too. I read the audio edition, which had multiple narrators, not all of whom I liked, which I think detracted from the story for me, it might be better to stick with the print or ebook editions for this one so that you can create your own voice for the characters. Have just found out that there is a sequel planned for Autumn 2015, which I might delve into.

My STAR rating: THREE (due to the narration).

Length: 528 print pages.
Price I paid: £4.00.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Sharpe's Regiment - fighting corruption!

In Sharpe's Regiment, the 17th in the series featuring orphan come good, Richard Sharpe, we find our hero during a lull in the fighting in Spain. It looks like Napoleon might be on the run and the British will finally take the fight to him in France. However, more men are desperately needed to refresh the ranks in order to keep the pressure up on the French, and Major Sharpe is despatched back to England to fetch the promised reinforcements back to Spain. But when Sharpe finds that the replacements appear to be missing, he sets out to find out where, what is on paper, a whole battalion have gone. He slowly uncovers a network of high-ranking officers and politicians that are selling his recruits to other regiments to line their own pockets. Without new soldiers, his own regiment is in danger of being disbanded, so Sharpe, and his trusty side-kick Harper, disobey orders to return to Spain and set out to find both the men and the documentary evidence of this heinous act. This involves them "being recruited" themselves, which I personally found highly amusing. Along the way, Sharpe comes across the beautiful Jane Gibbons, the woman he has been secretly holding a candle for over the last few years ... can his dreams of marrying the girl of his dreams actually come true? Despite this book being set for the most part back in Blighty, it is an intriguing and action-packed read, with Sharpe facing sly and dangerous enemies to match any he has faced on the battlefield. Sharpe moves between diametrically opposed spheres from the criminal slums of London where he grew up, to dining with royalty. The contrast between the two is beautifully described. As with most Bernard Cornwell novels, the books are visceral and energetic and I found myself turning page after page as quickly as I could. Always worth the effort, this book will certainly not disappoint.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 350 print pages.
Price I paid: £1.75.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

The Day of the Jack Russell - so's your face!!!

Books have the power to change your mood. Some will make you think deep thoughts. Some will make you cry. But perhaps my very favourites are books that make you laugh out loud. And in The Day of the Jack Russell, by Colin Bateman, there were moments that made me snort with amusement in a most unladylike manner. Hoorah! Our hero, who has no name, owns a book shop that only deals in crime fiction. He has a litany of ailments and it seems to be a constant surprise to himself that he is actually still alive. He never seems to sell many books - probably due to his complete lack of customer service, which includes employing his exceptionally rude mother, who manages to scare what few customers he has away. However, what he lacks in retail (and general life) skills, he makes up for with his in-depth knowledge of crime and criminals, which, of course, he has gleaned from the hundreds of books in his shop. This lack of any real training does not hold him back and his side-line as a private investigator is more lucrative than his book selling exploits. Along comes a case in which an uppity airline mogul asks him to find the hooligans responsible for defacing one of his advertising hoardings. He thinks the job is done, but when those same hooligans wind up dead, he's asked to prove it wasn't the airline mogul who did it. And the only real clue is a missing Jack Russell! Full of twists and turns and black, black humour this is a great read. There is plenty of intrigue, a shoal of red herrings and great characters - especially Alison, the on/off girlfriend who brings out the best and worst in the shop owner ... with the childish and yet remarkably witty riposte of "so's your face!" being used to great effect during their arguments. I have just discovered that this is the second book to feature this character, so I will have to seek out Mystery Man to get the full background - but I don't feel I missed anything too dramatic by not reading that one first. I really enjoyed the narration of the audio edition, which featured Stephen Armstrong, who manfully worked his way through the oddballs of this caper which is set in Belfast. If you don't like fruity language, then this is one to avoid, but if you can gird yourself against this, then I urge you to give it a go. I really don't think you will be disappointed.

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 448 print pages.
Price I paid: £3.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

The Gathering Storm - at last, The Wheel of Time series is back with a bang

I have to admit, it has been a bit of a slog reading the last few books in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. They were long, rambling and didn't seem to be moving the story forward very much. However, I am a dogged person, refusing to give up when others might. And after finishing The Gathering Storm this morning, the 12th book in the series, I am so glad that I did. Sadly, Robert Jordan died before completing the series, but his widow approached Brandon Sanderson to take the vast quantity of partials and notes that her husband had already written and help shape them into the final three books that bring this epic saga to a conclusion. I do not know how much of this book is Robert Jordan and how much is Brandon Sanderson, but either way, The Gathering Storm gets things back on track. There is an almost overpowering sense of threat and impending doom throughout this book. Everyone knows that The Final Battle with the evil of all evils is fast approaching - it's just a question of where and will anyone survive. Rand Al'Thor and Egwene take centre stage in this book - hoorah! Rand is becoming harder and harder, and less able to control his violent tendencies. He is pushing everyone who cares about him away, and is preparing to sacrifice any life that gets in the way of his destiny. Will he gain enough allies to win the battle, or will he have to do it alone? Meanwhile, Egwene is fighting her own, more subtle battle. She is a prisoner in the White Tower, being treated as a novice and is beaten daily for disobedience. She quietly works away to undermine the current Amyrlin Seat, the deranged Elaida, who has split the Aes Sedai into two camps. Egwene knows they must be reunited, but can she make this happen in time to help Rand? This is a much more focused book, and the tension builds and builds and builds. There is lots of action and a great battle scene and enough revelations and partial revelations to keep you turning the vast number of pages! I am so pleased to be able to report that I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and that I really am looking forward to the next instalment. I have invested so much time to these characters that I have to stick with them to the end, and on the back of The Gathering Storm, it looks like it could be a corker!

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 783 print pages.
Price I paid: free, borrowed from local library.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Diamonds are Forever - Bond sparkles throughout!

In Diamonds are Forever, the fourth book to feature James Bond, Ian Fleming has hit his stride once again. This isn't a case where Bond is in the middle of a big spy-busting, world-threatening escapade, but something a little more low key. He finds himself assigned to breaking a diamond-smuggling ring which has a start point in Africa and an end point in America. To infiltrate the gang and get to "Mr Big", he encounters the beautiful Tiffany Case (great name and not a simpering female foil who instantly falls at Bond's feet). She sets him up as one of the couriers for the gang, and he merrily smuggles a shipment into the USA. As his budding career as a smuggler goes smoothly, he offers his services to the gang for future trips or anything else they think he'll be good for. He hooks up with Felix Leiter, ex-CIA colleague who now works for the Pinkerton Agency and who is also investigating the same target - the Spangled Mob - a mafiosa-type outfit. With things going too slowly, Bond forces the issue by getting himself noticed winning big at the Mob's casino in Las Vegas. From this point on, there is plenty of action and edge-of-the-seat set pieces ... with Tiffany now having switched sides of course! There is plenty to keep the thrill-seeker occupied, and although there isn't a larger than life baddy on show, there are two henchmen who provide enough menace to see you through. Wint and Kidd are both ruthless and relentless in their pursuit of Bond - even across the Atlantic on an ocean liner. I read the audio, narrated by Damien Lewis, who brought plenty of his own stardust to the proceedings. He seemed to be relishing reading the book, which he ably transfers to the reader, enhancing the story by bringing bags of energy and great characterisation to the story. Don't watch the film, read this book. Thoroughly enjoyable.

My STAR rating: FOUR.

Length: 320 print pages.
Price I paid: £5.99.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.

Walking Home: My Family and Other Rambles - outdoors, yet intimate!

Let's not beat about the bush ... I really, REALLY, enjoyed Walking Home: My Family and Other Rambles by Clare Balding. It is a superlative memoir of an amazing woman who has been breaking barriers all her life, particularly in the area of presenting sport to the British public. Not only is it jam-packed with intimate, and often funny stories of the author and her closest family, but it is also a celebration of the joy and healing that a good walk can give. The narrative is wound around the many walks Clare has done whilst working on the BBC Radio 4 programme, simply called, Ramblings. Clare, who admits that she rarely says no to anything, took on presenting the programme having never really been a walker - she has ridden horses all her life, walking was something she'd always seen too slow an activity to take seriously. Why walk when you could gallop? However, Clare discovers, through participating in the programme, that walking helps to balance not only her own equilibrium, but that of others. She meets a wide range of people who may have all started walking for different reasons, but who have come to depend on it. There are some amazing walking groups out there, helping people with mental health issues, or bereavement. People find healing in putting one foot in front of the other, sometimes getting lost, having a good natter, or just listening to the sounds of the great outdoors while enjoying some fantastic scenery. She believes in the power of walking so much that she tries to get her own family to join her on a walking adventure taking in a 71-mile path that goes past their home on the Hampshire Downs - to varying degrees of success. The author shares her home life, too, and when she recounts the tale of her puppy being knocked down and killed, it is really moving. She does not hold back on sharing all the idiosyncrasies of her family. Her brother comes in for particular ribbing - for which she apologises, as only a sister can, at the end of the book. It probably helped that I was listening to the audio edition, read by Clare Balding herself, as she relates everything from the terrible driving of her Ramblings producer, to the uplifting days of the Olympics and Paralympics of London 2012. She has been through some amazing experiences, and met more than her fair share of sporting legends, yet she brings a real down to earth feel to everything, and her enthusiasm for people and life is totally infectious. So much so that I want to be her friend and go on rambles with her. Now, how do I do that without turning into a stalker ....?

My STAR rating: FIVE.

Length: 304 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.92.
Formats available: print; unabridged audio CD; unabridged audio download; ebook.