Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Irony in the Soul by Pete Adams. It's a slightly chaotic character-driven crime story full of humour and action.
Pete Adams is an architect with a practice in Portsmouth, UK, and from there he has, over forty years, designed and built buildings across England and Wales. Pete took up writing after listening to a radio interview of the writer Michael Connolly whilst driving home from Leeds. A passionate reader, the notion of writing his own novel was compelling, but he had always been told you must have a mind map for the book; Jeez, he could never get that.
Et Voila, Connolly responding to a question, said he never can plan a book, and starts with an idea for chapter one and looks forward to seeing where it would lead. Job done, and that evening Pete started writing and the series, Kind Hearts and Martinets, was on the starting blocks. That was some eight years ago, and hardly a day has passed where Pete has not worked on his writing, and currently, is halfway through his tenth book, has a growing number of short stories, one, critically acclaimed and published by Bloodhound, and has written and illustrated a series of historical nonsense stories called, Whopping Tales.
Pete describes himself as an inveterate daydreamer, and escapes into those dreams by writing crime thrillers with a thoughtful dash of social commentary. He has a writing style shaped by his formative years on an estate that re-housed London families after WWII, and his books have been likened to the writing of Tom Sharpe; his most cherished review, "made me laugh, made me cry, and made me think".
Pete lives in Southsea with his partner, and Charlie the star-struck Border terrier, the children having flown the coop, and has 3 beautiful granddaughters who will play with him so long as he promises not to be silly.
About the book
As a disconsolate detective examines a series of religiously motivated murders, a conflicting internal struggle is roused – will he thwart the perpetrator, or become a conspirator?
Recuperating from a dauntless child rescue mission, disturbed but driven Detective Inspector Jack Austin returns to work amid a personality clash with a retired Colonel, who happens to be his new Chief Constable. When the Constable is kidnapped – and returned in pieces – DI Austin’s hapless hunt for the culprit begins.
The second addictive thriller in the Kind Hearts and Martinets series, Irony in the Soul follows DI Austin as he investigates a string of cryptic murders including a beheaded minister, a drowned woman in a Hijab, and a band of terrorists with explosives. As the transgressor is revealed – and strangely befriended – DI Austin battles a grievous inner conflict. Will he abet the malevolence plaguing the town, or arrest it?
This is the second book in the Kind Hearts and Martinets series. Although this can be read as a standalone I would suggest reading the first in the series, especially when it comes to Meesh and Jack. Their relationship and bond is defined and cemented in the first book. To understand the gravity of the situation, which brings the two of them together, you have to experience their story yourself.
Adams creates this interesting juxtaposition between the tone of the piece in whole, which is very much boys banter and Lock Stock and Smoking Barrels kind of gangster and police vs the very in-tune with his emotions Jack Austin. It certainly makes for some unusual scenes.
That's not even counting the crimes and the murders. It's fair to say Jack has his work cut out for him when it comes to the crimes he has to solve. At times he feels as if it's more than he can cope with or just the police in general. A power struggle between good and evil, and Jack feels as if it is up to him to control the ebb before the city is swallowed.
It's a slightly chaotic character-driven crime story full of humour and action. The author tries to give his readers a balance between lighthearted, emotionally charged, cheeky banter and intriguing crime scenarios.
Buy Irony in the Soul (Kind Hearts and Martinets #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Published by Next Chapter Publishing in ebook and paperback formats on 28th June 2019. Buy at Amazon com. At Google. Book Depository.
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