Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "candice-fox"

Never Never by James Patterson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Having enjoyed the Bookshots novella ‘Black & Blue’ which introduced us to sex crimes Detective Harriet “Harry” Blue, I’ve been looking forward to her continuing story in the first novel in the series and it did not disappoint.

‘Never Never’ picks up where ‘Black & Blue’ left off - Harry discovers her brother, Sam, has been arrested for the murders of multiple young women. Her boss and mentor wants her away from the media frenzy that will inevitably follow, assigning her to the case of an unexplained death, following the discovery of a foot belonging to a missing person, last seen at a mining camp in the middle of the Australian outback where he had been working. Along with a new partner whom she suspects of being in place to keep an eye on her, Harry soon finds that the missing person is one of three, revealing a deadly game is in play with the victims as prey.

Unsure who she can trust, feeling isolated and distracted by the mystery surrounding her brother’s case, Harry is unaware how much danger she is in as she pursues a devious killer, exploring the camp and the nearby 'base' of a protesting environmentalist group, who object to the damage the mining is causing. She uncovers numerous motives, but who would go so far as to kill? While the twist may not be unpredictable, it is delivered well, the final showdown between Harry and the killer delivered with a bang.

Harry is strong-willed, defiant and at times impulsive, driven to be a voice for the victims and to uncover the wrongdoing against them. The allegations against her brother cause her great conflict. This dilemma drives the novel, despite being unlinked to the main investigation; the development of Harry’s character being the central narrative, while the arc of her brother’s case, continuing from ‘Black & Blue’, simmers away in the background, revisited in the finale, setting up the sequel ‘Fifty Fifty’.

Fast-paced and featuring James Patterson's trademark short, punchy chapters, 'Never Never' is great for reading while travelling or relaxing on holiday.



Black & Blue by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping novella introducing a brand new series by James Patterson and Candice Fox.

Detective Harriet "Harry" Blue is called to the scene of the discovery of a young woman's body - believed to be the latest victim of the Georges River Killer. Alongside her new partner, Tate "Tox" Barnes, Harry soon uncovers that their case may not be as straightforward as it first appears.

Featuring well-written and developed characters, 'Black & Blue' is an enjoyable police procedural and a fantastic introduction to Detective Harry Blue, with a shattering twist that will have implications stretching far into the series' future.



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