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Shadow of the Rock (Spike Sanguinetti #1)

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 37 ratings · 13 reviews

A humid summer night in Gibraltar. Lawyer Spike Sanguinetti arrives home to find an old friend, Solomon Hassan, waiting on his doorstep. Solomon is on the run. A Spanish girl has been found with her throat cut on a beach in Tangiers and he is accused of her murder. He has managed to skip across the Straits but the Moroccan authorities want him back. Spike travels to Tangie...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published September 1st 2012 by Bloomsbury Publishin PLC (first published August 2nd 2012)

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Dec 01, 2012 Ashland Mystery Oregon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-gibraltar

Ok, so I had to add a new shelf, mystery-gibraltar, for Mugford's The Shadow of the Rock, and likely this book will stand alone on the shelf, at least until Mogford writes another Spike Sanguinetti mystery.

What a great read! Sanguinetti is a Gibraltar attorney who takes up a friend's cause, fighting his extradition to Tangiers for murder. There's no justice in Tangiers, no possible legal defense, and certain death for his friend if extradited.

Shadow of the Rock is a complicated mystery, involvin...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those looking for a crime series with a difference

Recommended to Sam by: sent by the publisher - thank you!

Before you place Shadow of the Rock firmly under the thriller category, think again. This is not James Bond style action, not Jason Bourne hand to hand combat (although it does contain a little of both). This is more the ‘ordinary man turned investigator on an adventure’ category (if there is such a thing). And that’s primarily the reason why I enjoyed this novel, because it shows an everyday guy getting out of his depth.

Spike Sanguinetti is a lawyer in Gibraltar, famous for its rock and tax ben...more Before you place Shadow of the Rock firmly under the thriller category, think again. This is not James Bond style action, not Jason Bourne hand to hand combat (although it does contain a little of both). This is more the ‘ordinary man turned investigator on an adventure’ category (if there is such a thing). And that’s primarily the reason why I enjoyed this novel, because it shows an everyday guy getting out of his depth.

Spike Sanguinetti is a lawyer in Gibraltar, famous for its rock and tax benefits. That’s what Spike does day in, day out – he’s not a criminal lawyer, but a tax one. When a friend calls him after he’s been falsely accused of murder in Tangiers, Spike reluctantly offers his help. Once in Tangiers, he’s faced with another world of murder, solar panels and secrets. His attempt to help his friend Solomon has got him into trouble and his growing friendship with Zahra (who suspects her father was murdered in the name of ‘progress’) isn’t helping.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, but the first one is because of its setting. You don’t see Tangiers or Gibraltar as a location for many novels and most of my knowledge of this area comes from various travel programs. It was insightful to get an idea of Gibraltar not just as a place to see a big rock and get some duty free. Tangiers, well…I’m not sure if I’d want to travel there just at the moment given that Mogford paints it as a somewhat crooked place. In Shadow of the Rock, Tangiers is presented as a city where all sorts of corruption are taking place in the background. However, the description of the souks and buildings has got me more interested in Morocco.

Shadow of the Rock is also exceptionally action packed for a book lacking the stereotypical action man main character. The pages literally turn themselves, as Spike runs into more and more problems and as more people start to target him. There are a lot of chapters in this book (some less than a page) and it did get a little annoying, because they were used as to stop the action or to jump forward in time. However, that’s a minor thing to complain about!

I admire Mogford for using a different style of hero for his main character. Spike doesn’t get in a lot of fisticuffs or death defying situations, but uses his brain to turn situations to his advantage. It reminds me a little of Stella Rimington’s Liz Carlyle (who does have the benefit of being a British secret agent). There’s also light relief with the secretary character at Spike’s hotel in Tangiers, who speaks only in mysterious sayings.

The ending was somewhat open, which was a refreshing change from some books that tie up everything neatly. There’s also mention of what could become the next book in the series, which I’ll be looking forward to. Spike can now add to his credentials crime solver.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com (less)

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Oct 02, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime, european, review-books

If you're going to be a business lawyer dragged into criminal matters by an old school friend who gets himself into a heap of trouble, then the mean streets you walk somehow seem considerably more exotic when they are the laneways, byways and desert tracks of Gibraltar and Tangiers.

SHADOW OF THE ROCK is the first Spike Sanguinetti novel from UK author Thomas Mogford. An old-fashioned hard-boiled style thriller, this book is not short of a lot of running around, some lurking, a lot of our hero lo...more

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Aug 12, 2012 CuteBadger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Spike Sanguinetti is a business lawyer in Gibraltar who is approached by old friend Solomon Hassan, who is bening sought by the Moroccan police for the murder of a Spanish woman on a beach in Tangiers. Against his better judgement Spike agrees to act for Solomon, but a trip to Tangiers to investigate the crime sees Spike embroiled in politics, corruption and danger.

This is a hard-boiled thriller of the old school where a man must walk down dangerous streets in search of the truth. I loved the se...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Bree T rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, crime, cultural, mystery, series, gibraltar

Spike Sanguinetti is a tax lawyer living in Gibraltar. He arrives home one summer night to find someone he knew from school, Soloman Hassan, waiting for him. Soloman is in trouble and on the run. A girl he was seen with was found on the beach in Tangiers, Morocco with her throat cut, death by exsanguination. He managed to escape to Gibraltar by paying his way through the passport check but now the Moroccan authorities want him back. Soloman wants Spike to help him, even though Spike hasn’t taken...more Spike Sanguinetti is a tax lawyer living in Gibraltar. He arrives home one summer night to find someone he knew from school, Soloman Hassan, waiting for him. Soloman is in trouble and on the run. A girl he was seen with was found on the beach in Tangiers, Morocco with her throat cut, death by exsanguination. He managed to escape to Gibraltar by paying his way through the passport check but now the Moroccan authorities want him back. Soloman wants Spike to help him, even though Spike hasn’t taken a criminal case in years. Reluctantly, after some persuasion, Spike does agree to take the case and see what he can do but only if Soloman agrees to go back to the authorities in Gibraltar. He can’t help him if he continues to go on the run, but if Soloman agrees to Spike’s suggestion then he will go to Tangiers and attempt to delay Soloman’s extradition there on religious vilification laws. While he attempts to get the trial conducted in Gibraltar, Spike will investigate and find out what he can.

Once in Tangiers, Spike finds himself drawn into a web of mystery and danger. His investigations lead him to the Bedouin community and a beautiful woman named Zahra, who is investigating the disappearance of her father. It seems that her father’s vanishing leads back to the company Soloman was working for, set to make a fortune by harnessing solar power and delivering it to not only Morocco but on-selling it to parts of Europe as well. It’s set to make a few people very, very rich and that can be motivation enough for murder.

Shadow Of The Rock is the first novel in the Spike Sanguinetti series and it’s a promising start. It ticks one of my boxes straight away – I’ve never read anything set partially in Gibraltar before and I’m not that familiar with Morocco either. I loved the setting, the hot sweltering days and the balmy nights. I loved the description of the seedier side of Tangiers, the bars and alleys, the Bedouin community and how it contrasted with how some of the wealthier parts of the population lived.

Spike’s hotel was another high point, especially the man on the reception desk and his proverbs every time Spike asked him a question. I also liked Spike himself and his willingness to assist Soloman, but only if Soloman handed himself over the Gibraltar authorities. Despite the fact that Spike had no real ties to Soloman, other than he was someone he knew from a little while ago, he threw himself headlong into the case, trying to track down people, find out what had happened to this girl that was murdered and clear Soloman’s name. He was tough, but not in an unbelievable sort of way, more in a dogged way.

I liked the introduction of Zahra and her quest to find out what had happened to her father. The way in which she and Spike ended up working together was perhaps a fraction far fetched, but their journey into the desert together was interesting and gave quite an insight into a different type of lifestyle and also more about the company who were going to be harnessing the electricity. Spike and Zahra made a good team and I enjoyed the evolution of their relationship. I also didn’t particularly spot the twist at the end so the fact that the book kept me surprised right until the end with the way in which things unfolded was another plus point.

This isn’t a long book and there are bits of action but there were a few sections were things slowed down quite a bit and that disrupted the flow of the book a little. I expected a lot more action and tension and less scenes of Spike just standing around talking to people. I did appreciate some of the character interactions though and I think that overall, this was a very good first book in a series. I look forward to the next Spike Sanguinetti novel, Sign Of The Cross, which will be published in 2013.(less)

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Dec 16, 2012 Michael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, arc, crime, thriller

Spike Sanguinetti arrives home to Gibraltar only to find Solomon Hassan waiting from him. Solomon is on the run, a Spanish girl was found with her throat cut on the beach in Tangiers and he is being accused of the murder. Spike travels to Morocco to try and delay the extradition, where he meets a woman investigating the disappearance of her father, which is also is leading back to Solomon being involved.

Shadow of the Rock seems to be book one of a newly planned series by Thomas Mogfold. Not only...more Spike Sanguinetti arrives home to Gibraltar only to find Solomon Hassan waiting from him. Solomon is on the run, a Spanish girl was found with her throat cut on the beach in Tangiers and he is being accused of the murder. Spike travels to Morocco to try and delay the extradition, where he meets a woman investigating the disappearance of her father, which is also is leading back to Solomon being involved.

Shadow of the Rock seems to be book one of a newly planned series by Thomas Mogfold. Not only is there a real sense of mystery, but also the protagonist finds himself questioning just how much he knows his friend. Two different situations has put Solomon in a world of suspicion. Spike Sanguinetti is a tax lawyer, a job that for me seem very boring, and now he is thrown into this huge adventure, really putting him out of his comfort zone. With all the excitement, I did feel like the book lacked any real character development; sure I learned about the protagonist and support cast, but it felt like very broad strokes of development. This might be the plan, as a series the writer needs to save some development for the other books. But for me the character development was underdone and too sloppy.

For me the highlight of this book was Gibraltar and Morocco as the backdrops for the danger Spike surely finds himself in. I’ve not been to either places but I have very fond memories of Spain and imagine the atmosphere and the culture would be similar. It was so great to read a book set in an unusual location. As far as the mystery of this book, it was very generic; it ticks all the right boxes for a formulaic best seller thriller series and I truly hope Thomas Mogfold has a huge success with Spike Sanguinetti.

I just feel this series has a lot of great potential and I’m curious to see if book two turns out to be something more developed. I can see myself either loving this series or really hating it depending on which path the author takes; the formulaic thriller route in the hope to become a best selling crime writer or the well-developed character route. I will be checking out book two but if it fails to show any improvement I plan to abandon this series. Spike has so much to offer so we will wait to see what happens next.

This review originally appeared on my blog; http://literary-exploration.com/2012/...(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Alfred rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Spike Sanguinetti is a classic noir thriller set in the novel location of Gibralter. If you're looking for that beach-read or something to take you through the Autumn/Winter nights of 2012/2013, to take your mind of the economic woes of the world this is just the ticket to transport you to the unfamiliar climes of north africa in the company of a detective who never knows when to turn back. I loved it.

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Sep 26, 2012 Kate Sometomato rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this book, a visit to a piece of the world I have only visited in historical writings and the news. Pictorial, entrancing, gritty, full of the varied ethnic cultures that inhabit Gibraltar and Tangier, with a protagonist as ethical as he is tough. I would like to read more ....

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Sep 12, 2012 Shelley Greensted rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Excellent read - end of each chapter makes you want to read on to the next. Can't wait for his next book

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Oct 04, 2012 Al Stoess rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one

Story about Tangiers and Gibralter. Didn't make a lot of sense or hold my interest.

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Dec 16, 2012 Tessa Eger rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More gritty and dark than I care for. Didn't love the characters.

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May 04, 2013 Martina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: international, mystery-crime, thinking-list

First in a new series set in Gibraltar featuring lawyer Spike Sanguinetti... The action moves between Tangiers and Gibraltar in the first book... I had a mixed response to this book. Impossible to discuss the plot without spoiling the book for others, except to say that the ending turned my perception of what was happening on its ear. I may raise my rating after I think about it for a bit. Still digesting it. Things are not necessarily as they appear.

I liked the main character and the setting i...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Emily added it · review of another edition

I never connected with the story nor the characters. There was so much content that took away from the story, I had a hard time continuing. Even the cliffhanger at the end gave me no desire to continue reading. I did finish it, but opted out of an official review.

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May 17, 2013 Martin marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: gibraltar

May 03, 2013 Eugene marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 25, 2013 Grandmasbooks added it · review of another edition

Apr 20, 2013 Donna marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries, mysteries-police-pi-forensics, mysteries-international

Apr 16, 2013 Karen marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 15, 2013 Rex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apr 13, 2013 Viv marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 13, 2013 Monica marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Apr 11, 2013 Jacquie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Apr 02, 2013 Claire (Bitches With Books) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Mar 30, 2013 Sanjitha marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Mar 17, 2013 Eunice Barnes rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mar 16, 2013 Virginia Moosbauer marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 21, 2013 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Feb 16, 2013 Peter marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 13, 2013 Robert marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 08, 2013 Wendy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: uk-other, library-fiction

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About Thomas Mogford

Thomas has worked as a journalist for Time Out and as a translator for the European Parliament and the UEFA Champions League. While studying to be a lawyer, he looked into practising abroad. Instead, he decided to write a series of thrillers set in the Mediterranean region.

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Sign of the Cross: A Spike Sanguinetti Novel

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Shadow of the Rock (Spike Sanguinetti #1)

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