Tag: Crime fiction

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I recently discovered the books of Chris Whitaker earlier this year when I read ‘We Begin at the End’. And, from finishing that book, I knew I had to pick up ‘All the Colours of the Dark’.

I am not sure I can do ‘All the Colours of the Dark’ the justice that it deserves, especially as I am not willing to give spoilers, as each of you need to read the book yourself and really enjoy the reading experience. This (just like ‘We Begin at the End’) is a book full of emotion and atmosphere. You feel all the emotions that each and every character is feeling and you are immersed in each event and each place – you are really there with the characters as the story unfolds.

Patch and Saint are possibly two of my most favourite characters of all time. This is a coming of age story; we follow the characters from their childhood to adulthood – dealing with the traumatic events that had happened to Patch as a child. Patch deals with his trauma through art – and possibly some less sensible life choices, it appears, although it does begin to make sense as our tale unfolds. Saint deals with it by becoming a Police Officer, in the hope she can find her best friend Patch the resolution he needs and bring him back to her – emotionally, even if he has been present physically.

This is a fantastic study of character too. It really makes us consider why people do what they do, what their motivation is – both good and bad – to be the people they are, and to make the decisions that they do. And it is about the important relationships we have, and the love and support that can be offered by some of the most unusual friendships that are formed in our lives.

It is also about secrets – and when a secret is something that is kept to protect someone you love.

This is a beautiful slow burn of a book – a book that you can not put down because you have to know what is going to happen to each and every one of the characters on the page. It is also a book with a twist or two that will hit you like a bolt of lightning – and possibly break your heart.

I realise that this review probably says a lot but, at the same time, says nothing at all. What I hope this review does do is make you want to pick this book up, because – just like ‘We Begin at the End’ – I want everyone to read and fall in love with this story, the writing and the characters.

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I have seen a few posts around about the books of Chris Whitaker (and, of course, recently spotted him on ‘Between the Covers’ on BBC Two – with the same surprise that he is British and not American – but I think that is an indication of what a great author he is). So, when I spotted ‘We Begin at the End’ at a bit of bargain price, I thought it was time for me to give the book a go.

This novel was brilliant. Excellent atmospheric storytelling from start to finish, gripping you from the very first moment. A slow-burn crime novel, starting with a historical crime that has left its mark on small-town America, we are brought up to date – but the ghosts of the past are still haunting our characters, young and old.

And there is that moment all crime and thriller fans love; the twist that I did not see coming, but that was a wrench and almost a heartbreaking moment. I had to take a minute when it hit me as I was not expecting it at all – and it leaves you with so many points to think about that you know this book will be with you for quite some time to come.

I think the other thing that makes this book the read it is are the characters. They are so well-crafted, you can imagine each and every one of them – they are a true cast that bring the story to life. And some of them are not quite what you expect – it is amazing what people can hide about themselves or how the judgement of others can create a character, correctly or incorrectly. You will admire some of the characters, you will dislike others, but what you will realise as you read is that people are rarely what you expect. Each of these characters will be with me for quite some time, but especially Walk and Duchess: two very different figures, both of whom have a strong sense of justice, but maybe different views of to whom it should be handed out…

This is a book that I am going to be recommending to anyone who will listen to me. You do not need to be a crime fan to read this tale; you just need to be a fan of an excellent story and a well-written book. It will have you reading past your bedtime, or – in my case – ignoring all responsibilities as I just had to know what was going to happen next and what the conclusion to this fantastic story would turn out to be.

So, if you have not yet picked up a novel by Chris Whitaker, maybe now is the time. And it has definitely bumped ‘All the Colours of the Dark’ up my tbr pile.

In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

This is a book that (no surprise) I have been meaning to read for ages. And when it was recommended by a number of people I admire, I knew I had to pick it up and give it a read.

Now, there are so many reasons that I loved this book. Firstly, I found it fascinating that it was about bringing AI into police work. How would removing human emotion impact police work? Would it bring more efficiency to the process? There is so much to unpack here, as there were moments of admin that the AI was certainly pretty efficient at – being able to watch hours of CCTV for example. But it is true that sometimes the human touch and a little emotion is not a hindrance but a help. As well as this, there was the intrigue of how DCS Frank works with the AIDE (Locke); how he becomes almost human when she needs someone to speak to or share ideas with. Although that does come with its own dangers – as she soon finds out…

Alongside this, there was the brilliant crime thriller element of the book. Someone goes missing every 90 seconds, one could say ‘in the blink of an eye’, and it becomes DCI Franks job to decide which cases about missing people the team should return to and hopefully solve for their families. When she spots the connection, it brings it all a little close to home – but there are no spoilers here, so you will have to read the book if you want to know how.

And, finally, I know the area that this book is set in very well. There is something rather fun about reading about an area you know in a good book. Especially when there are even some quite niche references like that hardware store on the high street… I would quite like DCS Kat Franks’ cottage, too, but I think that is an actual work of fiction (or has been moved from one end of the town the other).

Overall, Jo Callaghan has crafted fantastic characters in a fantastic crime thriller. And I am now rather excited to read ‘Leave No Trace’, because this is a world I would like to enter again. This book deserves all the accolades it has received, and I am already recommending it to all the crime/thriller fans I know.

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

Bookstagram made me do it, as well as the fact that this book won the ‘Val McDermid Debut Award 2024’ at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival. And, oh my word, this book deserved this award – and it definitely deserves more hype than it seems to be getting. As you all know, I do not read blurbs, I go with what I think I will like based on what I see around, so I had no idea of the story I was about to read, but it absolutely blew me away.

This is not cosy crime; I have been describing it to people as more Taggart or Frost than Midsomer Murders, but this is a excellent crime writing. This is a story that has come from a great writer and plotter, and someone who has a brilliant creative mind. This is a story that is not about if you can work it out, but about how it is worked out on the page – and I loved it.

Ava is growing up just outside Birmingham in the 1980s. She has some slightly unusual interests, like the anatomy of animals, and keeps records and observation notes of the world around her. Ava has a great mind and, when a number of children are murdered in the local area, she gets drawn into the investigation, and becomes quite the support for the local police force.

I can not give any of this tale away, but please do not think that because a young girl becomes a support for the local police force, they are there as a bit of a joke. This is not true at all; this is about respect and support between the two. Ava can observe much of what the police can not ,as she is part of the community, and because observing and note taking is something that she likes doing.

I honestly thought this book was absolutely fantastic and well-deserving of its award. At points, it might not be for the faint-hearted, but things are not there to shock – they are there as part of the story, and it is all dealt with well.

I really hope that we will see more from the pen of Marie Tierney because I, for one, will be reading it immediately. If you like an excellent piece of crime fiction, maybe with a slightly chilling edge, then make sure you pick this book up immediately, because you will not be disappointed.

Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I discovered the books of Andrea Mara thanks to ‘The Book Taster Book Club’, and so when I spotted that there was a chance to read her new book, I knew I had to give it a go.

This, like ‘No One Saw a Thing‘, manages to create a thrilling read from something that is probably a fear that many of us have in the back of our mind. Those strange noises in a house, that can send our imagination wild and inventing all sorts scenarios that you know are probably not true but, in that moment, feel incredibly real. As the title suggests, the fear here is the idea that there is someone in your attic watching everything you do, especially when it is dark and you feel at your most vulnerable. And there is a strong theme of never be too trusting or believe everything someone says and does; it can be so easy to be manipulated into believing a situation when there is fear involved, or the desire to protect those that mean the most to you.

I will not write a review with spoilers, so as always it makes the thrillers harder to write about. However, Andrea Mara enjoys sending her characters (and her readers) off on some misdirection, which has you constantly doubting what you are reading. There was one moment where I thought I had solved some of the mystery and was not sure how Julia (our main character) had missed it – but then it turned out I had not been quite as clever as I thought. Although, I had an idea that did end up being correct, so it wasn’t all a complete detective disaster on my part – some of my suspicions were confirmed.

I did feel the chill often at the idea that there may have been someone in Julia’s house, watching her and her family. I am not sure I want to be in the house on my own at night for a while, especially not when the house may be making all its noises to let you know it is here.

So, if you like a page-turner of a read, then this is the book for you – especially if you are in your thriller era.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

My IRL book club has chosen ‘Burial Rites’ by Hannah Kent for the month of June. The choices were all based on the ‘Women’s Prize for Fiction’ back list but it was ‘Burial Rites’ that won the book club vote.

‘Burial Rites’ is a a truly brilliant read. I was hooked from the moment that I picked it up. It is haunting and beautifully written, based on a true story, a tale of the last execution to take place in 1830. And that execution was that of a woman, Agnes Magnusdottir (apologies: the spelling is missing some of the symbols needed on the letters). Now, this is no spoiler, as you can imagine her crime must be one of the worst if the punishment is execution – and it is; she is charged with being complicit in the murder of Natan, a man she has been in love with, and who she believed, or maybe hoped, loved her too.

This book is a fictionalised exploration of Agnes’ exprience as she awaits her execution, and the people who are responsible for her care, spiritually and physically, until that final moment. It also slowly reveals what had happened on that fateful night, and leaves us considering the morality of the execution.

I felt fully immersed in this world. I could feel the cold of 1830 in Iceland, and the isolation that Agnes felt in those final days. It evoked anger as I read about the moment that led to the crime with which she is charged, and the inequality of society as nobody appears to relate to Agnes and what happened because of her social background and her gender. She is labelled by her ‘guilt’ until others start to see past that, as they spend time together, and the sense of injustice starts to build.

The final pages are some of the best that I have read: I cannot share more than that as I do not want to spoil it for readers. But I almost felt like I was there in the final moments of the story, feeling all the emotions as the story drew to a close.

I am not sure I can do this book justice because I do not want to spoil the experience for other readers but this is a book that is going to become one of my auto recommendations when people ask for something to read. It will satisfy those who enjoy historical fiction; it will satisfy those who like a great story with fantastic writing, and it will satisfy those who enjoy crime fiction. To be honest, it will be a satisfying read to anybody who admires a well-constructed story with fascinating characters – whatever your usual genre taste is.

A Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

When I spotted that ‘A Game of Lies’ was a bargain price on the Kindle, I knew that I had to read it. I discovered the books of Clare Mackintosh last year when I read ‘The Last Party‘ And as ‘A Game of Lies’ is the second book featuring Ffion Morgan, I thought it would be an excellent read to satisfy my thriller/crime fiction genre need.

‘A Game of Lies’ did not disappoint. I absolutley loved the concept of the Exposure reality TV show which eventually revealed the contestants’ deepest secrets and how horrendous this would be if it was a real show. But it fed beautifully into the backdrop of the murder mystery that was about to unfold on the pages. The contestants create quite a rogues’ gallery of potential perpetrators of the crime, and potential victims. But are they victims of a crime, or their own vanity and desire to have their fifteen minutes of fame?

I absolutely cannot reveal any spoilers as it is a thriler, but I can assure you that Ffion Morgan is still a fantastic lead female figure for this book. And her relationship with Leo is still something as a reader you are fully invested in until the very last page. This is as much part of the twists and turns as the mystery unfolding at the foot of the Welsh mountains.

This is a well-constructed, thrilling read; I did not solve it until Ffion Morgan and her team did, and I am okay with that, because I do not read these books to solve the crime – I read these books for the escapism from the real world. And if you want the chance to do the same, then pick this book up. I hope that we are going to meet her and Leo again, because they are a rather fantastic crime-fighting duo.

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I am a month behind on my Read Christie 2024, so mid-March means I have picked up the February pick. This was my introduction to Tommy and Tuppence in the written form (I have listened to them as an audio book) and I was very pleasantly surprised as they did not leave much of a mark on me as an audio book.

This, despite having some dark undertones as you would imagine from Christie, is a more light-hearted novel. I think because our characters are younger, with more optimisim and hope as they have come out of World War One. They are also a fantastic pair, bringing the best out of each other as only very dear friends (or more) can do. I found myself having a little smile on my face as I read some of the lines, because Tommy and Tuppence just seem to bring such joy to the story. Even in their darkest moments.

This is a brilliant story of espionage and politics. The world has come out of World War One but there are still threats on the horizon, with an unstable Europe and distrust between the nations. Tommy and Tuppence get drawn into this world, almost accidentally, and embark on a life as private investigators: can they find the missing Jane Finn and the documents she was given to take good care of? They certainly give it a jolly good go, meeting a whole host of suspicious characters along the way, and finding themselves in a number of dangerous situations.

There are some twists and turns along the way, but this is not Christie’s most complicated tale. In fact, you may work some of the plot out, but that does not spoil the reading experience as the fun of reading this story is being on the adventure with Tommy and Tuppence, and rooting for them at every moment.

I am not sure they will replace Poirot in my affections but this is a slightly different reading experience. I certainly won’t be avoiding reading more of Tommy and Tuppence, which I think I have been up until this point, as I like to read Poirot and Miss Marple for comfort reads, which means I have been missing out on some of Christie’s other stories.

Girl on Fire by Tony Parsons

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

A friend of mine passed ‘Girl on Fire’ on to me recently so, as I was in a bit of a crime and thriller mood, I decided I would sneak it in before the end of February. I mean, as we are in a leap year and there is an extra day, I may as well use some of it reading.

‘Girl on Fire’ introduced me to DC Max Wolfe (although not his first case), and I was quite taken with this character. A single parent who loves his dog, his job and follows his moral compass, even when the odds may be stacked against him or his case.

Max Wolfe is caught up in the events of a terrorist attack on a local shopping centre, and becomes involved in trying to draw out those who were responsible but also those who believe that they have a right to carry out vigilante justice. There appears to be danger around every corner, from many different sources but Max Wolfe always keeps his sense of fair justice, which makes him a fascinating character to read about as he faces so many troubles and dangers in his work.

I actually found this quite a thought-provoking read, as there was a study of character along the way as it considered what influences people to carry out some of the actions that they do. And how different people view right and wrong, justice and injustice – how do we form our morals and values?

My only tiny frustration with this book with the punctuation of the flow occasionally to explain a piece of police jargon or abbreviation. Although I appreciate as readers we may not have fully understood these things without that little explanation, I just occasionally felt that it interrupted my flow when I was fully immersed in a moment in the story. But I think that was probably just my personal preference when I read rather than a criticism.

I think I would like to read more about Max Wolfe and will be keeping an eye out for more books which feature him in the lead, because I am keen to see where his character came from and where his character is going. Only six more books to read – so many books, so little time.

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay

by Bookworm&TheatreMouse

I was kindly gifted a copy of Linwood Barclay’s ‘The Lie Maker’ by HQ Stories.

Wow, there are so many books in the world that, as I was reading this, I thought this was the first time that I had read Linwood Barclay – however, I was mistaken. In fact, five years ago I had read one of his books, and I admit that maybe I should remember all the novels that I have enjoyed, but I think, for me, this actually means this is evidence of a good author, as I do not feel I was reading a book that I had read before, but something completely fresh.

‘The Lie Maker’ was an absolutely fantastic read. In fact, I devoured it in two days; this was a book that the phrase ‘I cannot put it down’ was created for. I shut myself away just so that I could get the book finished.

A friend messaged me to tell me that ‘He [Linwood Barclay] is an absolute master’ – and she was not wrong. This was such a clever idea for a book; our main character is offered a job writing the background stories for people who go into witness protection, but – as you can imagine – this is not going to be a job that is smooth sailing…if it is a job at all. Now, that is as much as I can say for the moment because, as a thriller/crime novel, there will be no spoilers here.

But what I can say is that this book is well crafted and has you guessing from start to finish, I think maybe a couple of the reveals may not come as a total shock, but they are all so cleverly woven into the story that you are not at all disappointed. I definitely did not have the solutions in my head before we got to the end. The characterisation of all the characters was fantastic, too, making the story very believable as a piece of fiction.

I think it is fair to say that I have been reminded that I am a fan of Linwood Barclay, and I will be looking for his books in the bookshops and the libraries. And, as he is an author that counts Stephen King amongst his fans, you know you must be a reading an author who deserves the title of ‘an absolute master’.