Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Night Shift by Robin Triggs. It's a well-written and superbly plotted crime thriller based in the Antarctic
About the Author
Writer of speculative fiction and extremely poor cricketer. #Proofreader and #SfEP member. Debut novel NIGHT SHIFT out Nov 2018. He/Him/The Monstrosity
About the book
Antarctica. A mining base at the edge of the world.
Anders Nordvelt, last-minute replacement as head of security, has no time to integrate himself into the crew before an act of sabotage threatens the project. He must untangle a complex web of relationships from his position as prime suspect.
Then a body is found in the ice. Systems fail as the long night falls. Now Anders must do more than find a murderer: he must find a way to survive. Will anyone endure the night shift, or will ice and frozen corpses be all that remains?
Review
You are in the middle of nowhere surrounded by ice, there are only thirteen suspects, well twelve because you're one of the thirteen and you know you didn't do it. Cut off from civilisation as you know it and with your impending death a more likely scenario than being rescued, how do you figure out who is taking the Night Shift out - one by one?
I have to hand it to Triggs this is an excellent crime story. It combines the helplessness of being in a dangerous living situation, geographically and logistically speaking, with the mistrust and paranoia of people living in isolation the majority of the time.
At times I felt sorry and frustrated for Anders, because the new guy is automatically the most convenient suspect. He arrives and people start dying and things start blowing up. Some people would say that is a coincidence and others just think that is enough proof to point the finger at him.
He tries really hard to catch the culprit, but whoever it is always seems to be ten steps ahead of him during the entire story. This person can hack computer systems, set bombs and come and go without leaving any evidence at all.
The pinhead cameras made me realise what was going on. Perhaps not the exact execution of the how or why, but it did reveal the culprit. It has an underlying aura of suspense, as the events unfold and the suspicion is cast in every direction. It's speculative fiction with a whodunnit vibe and an aura of creepy suspense.
This a well-written and superbly plotted crime thriller based in the Antarctica. This is the first in a planned trilogy, so hopefully we won't have to wait too long to read more by Triggs.
Buy Night Shift at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Flame Tree Press; US paperback edition (1 Nov. 2018)
Flame Tree Press is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launching in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.
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