The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair by Joël Dicker

This book has been adapted into a TV mini series and is soon to be released in the UK. I loved it, and can't wait to see if they do the book justice.

Marcus is a one-hit wonder author who is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. He reaches out to his old mentor, who is also a successful author, to ask for help. Harry Quebert is still swimming on the waves of the success of his own novel, The Origin of Evil, and has been for the last thirty years.

In a way this is the story of the spell of a Lolita on an entire town, and yet at the same time also the story of the innocence of a child being abused.

Nola captivates the men in her vicinity and certainly manages to ensnare Harry. The relationship between them grows into an obsession for both, which ends with the disappearance of Nola and the murder of the woman trying to help her.

When Nola's body is found on Harry's property his whole narrative about the last thirty years is thrown into doubt. Did he kill her to keep her quiet? Did someone bury her there to frame Harry?

Marcus finds himself drawn into the quest to prove Harry innocent, but what he learns along the way threatens his life, his career and his faith in his dear friend.

About a quarter into the book I knew what Harry was hiding. Not the who per se, but definitely the what. A scene that takes place in Nola's house just opened my eyes to the meaning behind the words and the advice Harry gives to Marcus.

Even as the plot unravels slowly Dicker keeps on hitting the reader with reveal after reveal. The safe small town aura gives the scenario a realistic feel and the read is riveting until the very last word. It is a frightening look behind the closed doors of a supposedly quiet town.

Buy The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: MacLehose Press

I Invited Her In by Adele Parks

I will start off by saying that unfortunately the greatest opposition and critics of women are often other women. Instead of supporting each other and strengthening a sense of sisterhood we tend to target each other instead.

Not that women can't have spectacular friendships, the kind that last for decades, but perhaps there are women you shouldn't invite into your home. Shouldn't invite them to saunter half-naked in front of your husband and nearly adult son. Perhaps Mel is so blinded by the need to be Abi's friend that she refuses to see her for what she really is.

If you have children there will come a time, and it might possibly shock you, when they reach a certain age and other people view them as potential partners. When you walk down the street with your teenage daughter and you realise the middle aged or young man coming towards you is eyeing her up like an ice-cream needing to be licked on a hot day.

I can remember the first time I realised one of the parents in my youngest son's primary school was eyeballing my eldest son, a 6ft 2in sixteen year old, and attempting to flirt with him. I just wasn't prepared for it, because in my head he will always be the cute curly-haired two year old.

My initial gut reaction to these moments was shock, then anger and now I use a technique I have spent many years cultivating called the stink-eye, also more commonly known as the evil eye.

I found myself wondering what I would do or say in the same situation as Mel. I'm not sure I would be able to contain my inner rage. The betrayal is an intimate one, boundaries are crossed and relationships broken. There are some things that are unforgivable even if you have to resign yourself to a situation you can't change.

Parks really knows how make her readers experience the emotional turmoil of her characters. She does that by keeping her fiction as close to real life scenarios as possible. Real people and real emotions are her forte. It's a drama filled tale of revenge and shocking betrayal, a compelling read about a woman being blindsided by a friend she trusts completely.

This is a read that will fuel discussion. Who is right? Would you forgive your friend? Would you invite your friend in? Yes, it is the kind of story that will make you angry and perhaps even a little frustrated on Mel's behalf.

Buy/Pre-order I Invited Her In at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Follow @adeleparks @HQStories
Visit adeleparks.com
Publisher: Harper Collins UK
Pub. date 20 September 2018

#BlogTour Dead of Night by Michael Stanley

Today it is my pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for Dead of Night by writing duo Michael Stanley. If you get a chance you should also check out their Detective Kubu series (see link at the bottom of this post).

About the Author
Michael Stanley is the writing team of Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip. Both were born in South Africa and have worked in academia and business. On a flying trip to Botswana, they watched a pack of hyenas hunt, kill, and devour a wildebeest, eating both flesh and bones. That gave them the premise for their first mystery, A Carrion Death, which introduced Detective ‘Kubu’ Bengu of the
Botswana Criminal Investigation Department. It was a finalist for five awards, including the CWA Debut Dagger. The series has been critically acclaimed, and their third book, Death of the Mantis, won the Barry Award and was a finalist for an Edgar award. Deadly Harvest was a finalist for an International Thriller Writers’ award. Dead of Night is their first stand-alone thriller.

Visit detectivekubu.com
Follow @detectivekubu and @Orendabooks on Twitter
Buy Dead of Night

About the book
When freelance journalist, Crystal Nguyen, heads to South Africa, she thinks she’ll be researching an article on rhino-horn smuggling for National Geographic, while searching for her missing colleague. But, within a week, she’s been hunting poachers, hunted by their bosses, and then arrested in connection with a murder. And everyone is after a briefcase full of money that may hold the key to everything. Fleeing South Africa, she goes undercover in Vietnam, trying to discover the truth before she’s exposed by the local mafia. Discovering the plot behind the money is only half the battle. Now she must convince the South African authorities to take action before it’s too late. She has a shocking story to tell, if she survives long enough to tell it…

Fast-paced, relevant and chilling, Dead of Night is a stunning new thriller that exposes one of the most vicious conflicts on the African continent…

Review
This is a standalone novel and not part of the Michael Stanley Detective Kubu series. Once again the writing duo writes about what they know in regards to South Africa. Regardless of whether it's in the context of their light-hearted crime series or a solo novel, they always include important political, medical, cultural and socio-economic issues in their plots. This time the focus is on wildlife conservation, specifically the illegal trade of rhino horns.

Rhino Horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine, and having one is also considered a symbol of success and wealth in certain Asian cultures. In their country of origin the rhino are often dehorned to keep them safe and less valuable to poachers. These countries are sat on stockpiles of horns acquired through death by natural causes and by dehorning, and have created a monopoly in this dubious market.

There are five rhino species, three of those are found in Asia and two of them are already extinct. The majority of them are bred in national parks and only a small number remain in the wild. It is unfathomable that they are being killed for some mumbo jumbo witch doctor myths that suggest the horn has any medicinal value or magical powers.

Crystal finds herself in the middle of this dubious trade when she starts looking for Michael, who disappeared while looking into the poaching in South Africa. She is surprised by the level of violence and greed she encounters, and certainly doesn't expect to dig up more secrets than she is prepared for.

Stanley gives readers the harsh reality of the greed, brutality and war culture in South Africa. You get rid of one murderous bully boy and there is always one waiting to replace him. It's a fast-paced read with a lot of action, and it shines a light on the insidious world of poaching. A world where honour is defined by how long you can resist the pull of the dollar sign. Nothing is sacred and trust is overrated.

Buy Dead of Night at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Orenda Books orendabooks.co.uk
Pub. date: 31 August 2018

Read Dying to Live by Michael Stanley

#BlogTour Deceit by Kerry Barnes

Today it's the last stop on the BlogTour for Deceit by Kerry Barnes. Get ready for a lot of lying and manipulation.

About the Author
Follow @KerryBarnes1 @HQDigital on Twitter
Visit authorkerrybarnes.co.uk
Buy Deceit 

About the book
Someone’s watching you…
Living in a beautiful home on the edge of a council estate, Kara Bannon can’t imagine what it’s like to have nothing.

An eerie phone call plays on her mind and within three days she loses everything – her job, her home and Justin, the only person she thought she could trust.

Alone and terrified, she makes a decision that will change her life forever. Suddenly she has to enter a new world – Prison. Revenge is not always so sweet…

Review
This is a tale of betrayal, manipulation and deceit. Kara has the perfect job, house and boyfriend. Her life seems to be well planned and executed, at least from the outside. Inside is a different matter. In reality her life is slowly crumbling like a piece of old bread.

In the blink of an eye everything goes from rocky to complete destruction. Her boyfriend decides to leave her and that is the beginning of the end. The very next day Kara ends up behind bars. Perfect life waves bye bye, as it disappears into the distance.

Let me just say that although her lawyer mounts an interesting defence and yes it is a valid defence, I still think her actions show a level of worryingly destructive behaviour. Not just an accident or an afterthought. It is a planned annihilation.

Both Kara and Justin are unaware that their every move is being manipulated by someone who has an invested interest in keeping them apart. Someone who is capable of lying about everything.

I just have to have a little moan about the part in the story that infuriated me the most. (Without giving anything away) When Justin decides he can not only swoop in and take what is rightfully 'his', when he did it with the support of the newbie - I wanted to slap him round the head.

I can imagine estate dwellers feeling a wee bit stereotyped in this book. Not that there aren't people who talk like that and swear a lot, and perhaps make up a large percentage of the prison population and or criminal element in the UK. There are also plenty who have careers and don't aspire to be the next inmate in their local prison.

I absolutely understand that the author wanted to point out how strong the connections are between the people who live in environments that are often low socio-economic areas, and how strong bonds can be forged in prison.

Barnes places all her players on the table where the readers can see them and then proceeds to play a game of screwed-up chess. The reader can see what is coming, but isn't able to predict everything because the author brings out the occasional twist in the story. It's an emotional psychological thriller.

Buy Deceit at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: HQ Digital
Pub. date: 1 August 2018

#BlogTour Playing with Death by Simon Scarrow and Lee Francis

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Playing with Death written by Simon Scarrow and Lee Francis. It's my pleasure to bring this fantastic tour to a cracking end. The authors tackle quite a few questions of morality and humanity in this story about our society and the all-consuming technology our lives are now filled with.

About the Authors
A regular on the Sunday Times bestseller list with his historical novels, Simon Scarrow launches an exciting new strand to his writing with Playing with Death, written with Lee Francis: both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and a terrifying exploration of the dangers of the modern world.
Simon's Eagles of the Empire novels are legendary amongst readers of historical fiction, and all his novels, have been acclaimed by reviewers and readers alike. Prior to writing fiction Simon worked as a teacher and lecturer; he is now a full-time writer.
Follow @SimonScarrow @headlinepg on Twitter
Visit simonscarrow.co.uk
Buy Playing with Death

Lee Francis worked for several years in the world of film, TV and advertising as a script reader and assistant director. Playing with Death, written with his former lecturer Simon Scarrow, is his first novel.
Follow @_LeeFrancis @headlinepg on Twitter
Visit leefrancisauthor.com
Buy Playing with Death

About the book

FBI Special Agent Rose Blake has faced evil and survived.
Haunted by a failed undercover mission, Rose is finding it hard to shake the memories of her close encounter with a ruthless serial killer - one who is still free, and could strike again without warning.
The call to investigate a suspected arson attack that's left a man dead is a welcome distraction. It's not the kind of case usually assigned to the FBI, but nothing about this crime is usual. As Rose digs deeper, she finds herself confronting the sort of imagination her son might see in the fantasy worlds of his video games.
But when your opponent is a killer, nothing feels like a game. . .

Review
This book introduces the reader to a slightly different type of killer and crime-fighting duo. The main character finds herself targeted by the serial killer she inadvertently let escape, a kill and munch type of killer. After a period of respite he returns with new skills and a new platform he uses to prey on his unsuspecting victims.

In the middle of this book I found myself with a conundrum, specifically in relation to a conversation between Rose and Diva. I disagreed with Rose and agreed with Diva. First of all there is the question of whether it is morally correct to rape, torture, kill or treat virtual entities as inanimate objects, regardless of whether they are merely virtual concepts or AI's.

If a person, leaving gender aside for a moment, is willing to abuse or kill in a virtual or online setting are they just one step away from committing the same act in a real life setting? Once those boundaries have been crossed in a virtual world the thrill of doing it to an actual human is only a question of time. The other side of the argument is whether we are approaching an attitude of punishing the thought process, before the actual deed or crime has been perpetrated.

The authors tackle quite a few questions of morality and humanity in this story about our society and the all-consuming technology our lives are now filled with. Instead of communicating with each other we are immersed in the world inside our gadgets. For the majority of us the world wide web is a way to connect and learn, for a smaller yet growing number it is the door to the fulfilment of any and all of their desires. The deep or dark web caters to the more criminally inclined and the deviants.

On a side note the whole Koenig does his own refurbishing (you'll know what I mean when you read the book) was a wee bit implausible.

By the way don't miss the Afterword by Simon Scarrow, it is enlightening to say the least, especially the part about the Artificial Intelligence, the experiment and of course Autonomous Intelligence. I am looking forward to seeing where Francis and Scarrow take this peculiar crime-solving duo. Diva doesn't think the law applies to her and Rose doesn't mind bending it a little to solve a case. It's an innovative idea completely in keeping with advancements in technology and possible potential future threats to society and human life in general.

It's certainly a thought provoking read, perhaps because it sails quite close to the truth in regards to online addictions, obsessions and technology.

Buy Playing with Death at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Publisher: Headline Books
Pub. date: 26 July 2018

The New Hercule Poirot Mysteries #3 - The Mystery of Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah

I have to hand it to Sophie Hannah, she has got the whole Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot and 1930s vibe down to a fine art. Instead of trying to replicate Christie's style and characters, Hannah gives her readers the feeling they are wandering around in the mind maps and plots of the grande dame of crime, whilst infusing the story with her own style and sense of humour.

I imagine it is both exciting to be the face of the new Poirot and incredibly difficult to live up to such high expectations. Sophie Hannah does so with great panache.

In this third new mystery featuring Poirot, the most famous detective in the entire world (his words), finds himself in the midst of a mystery about the author of a series of poison pen letters. Hercule Poirot himself has accused multiple people of murder, of killing the same man. He has written, signed and sent these letters himself.

The accused, start popping up all over the place to threaten, shout and berate him for his thoughtless accusations. Just one problem, the pedantic Belgian with the meticulously groomed moustache has never heard of the supposed victim, the recipients of said letters and he certainly hasn't accused anyone of 'the murder most wicked' - well at least not lately. Luckily there is nothing Poirot loves more than a criminal trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

Three Quarters is step back into time and it gives the reader a sense of nostalgia. It is the typical Poirot crime mystery readers love to immerse themselves in. Hannah gives her readers the Christie of old but stamps her mark on it with confidence, which makes for a great read.

Buy The Mystery of Three Quarters at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Pub date: 23rd August 2018
Publisher: Harper Collins

Read Did You See Melody? by Sophie Hannah

#BlogTour The Language of Secrets by Ausma Zehanat Khan

Today it is an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour The Language of Secrets by Ausma Zehanat Khan. If you haven't had the chance to read anything by this author yet then I recommend you do.

About the Author
Ausma Zehanat Khan holds a Ph.D. in International Human Rights Law with a specialisation in military intervention and war crimes in the Balkans. She has practised immigration law and taught human rights law at Northwestern University and York University. Formerly, she served as Editor in Chief of Muslim Girl magazine, the first magazine to cater to young Muslim women. Her debut novel, The Unquiet Dead, won the Barry Award, the Arthur Ellis Award and the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Best First Novel. She is a longtime community activist and writer. Born in Britain, Ausma lived in Canada for many years before recently becoming an American citizen. She lives in Colorado with her husband. The Language of Secrets will be followed by Book 3 in the series, Among the Ruins, in early 2019.

Follow @AusmaZehanat @noexitpress on Twitter
Visit ausmazehanatkhan.com
Buy The Language of Secrets

About the book
An undercover informant has been murdered...but whose side was he on?

TORONTO: A local terrorist cell is planning an attack on New Year’s Day. For months, Mohsin Dar has been undercover, feeding information back to Canada’s national security team. Now he’s dead.
Detective Esa Khattak heads up Canada's Community Policing Section, which handles minority-sensitive cases across all levels of law enforcement. Khattak is still under scrutiny for his last case, so he's surprised when INSET, Canada's national security team, calls him in on another politically sensitive issue. For months, INSET has been investigating a local terrorist cell which is planning an attack on New Year's Day but their undercover informant, Mohsin Dar, has been murdered. Khattak used to know Mohsin, and he can't let this murder slide, so he sends his partner, Detective Rachel Getty, undercover into the unsuspecting mosque which houses the terrorist cell.

As Rachel delves deeper into the unfamiliar world of Islam and the group’s circle of trust, she discovers Mohsin’s murder may not be politically motivated after all. Now she’s the only one who can stop the most devastating attack the country has ever faced.

Review
This is the second book in the Rachel Getty and Esa Khattak series. The first, The Unquiet Dead, was a success and after reading this I can absolutely see why. I actually bought the first straight after I finished the second, that's how impressed I was by the plot, the writing and the breadth of her knowledge.

One of the aspects of Esa's character the author captures well is the way he straddles two worlds, and why he feels as if he belongs in neither of them completely because of that. The first is the world of his faith, family and community, and the second is that of the police and his career.

In an era where being a Muslim means a shadow of suspicion hovering constantly over your head, being a police officer makes you, or in this case Esa, the enemy. The police on the other hand make the automatic assumption that Muslim means terrorist, ergo Esa could be a potential threat. Either way he is treated with suspicion.

Esa is drawn into the murder of an old friend, who appears to be part of a terrorist cell. His hands are bound by his old nemesis, which means he is only getting half of the information he needs to solve the case and keep Rachel and his family safe.

I loved the way the author used the poetry to enlighten her readers about subtext and context in relation to the jihadists, and in general to the written beauty of a different culture and country.

This is a spectacularly well researched and written story, and I will be putting this author firmly on my list of favourites. The beauty of a Language of Secrets is explained by a simple sentence towards the end, and I couldn't agree more with her sentiment. I've always understood that poetry is interpreted individually through our own frame of reference, whether it be culturally, politically or through the veil of religion. I have never thought of it as something to which I have my own code.

This story is as compelling as it is lyrical, and yet it in no way minimises the intricate complexity of the criminal plot in the midst of it all. It is a fantastic read. One of those I could talk about for ages, and those are always the best kind of books.

Buy The Language of Secrets at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.