Lee Allen's Blog, page 27

Thomas Harris' Black Sunday - Review

Black Sunday by Thomas Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Thomas Harris' debut novel centres around a terrorist plot on American soil and the international effort to hunt down the terrorists.

Members of Black September, a terrorist group, are making the final arrangements for an attack within the United States. Ambushed in Beirut as part of an Israeli-led mission, their numbers are severely depleted. But, underestimated by those who brought down the cell, Dahlia Iyad escapes with her life and returns to America to continue facilitating the planned attack.

Michael Lander, an ex-marine and Vietnam veteran, feeling betrayed by the American government after his years of service and what he was subjected to as a prisoner of war, is determined to seek revenge in a demonstration that will also claim maximum casualties. Together, he and Dahlia plot to construct and detonate a bomb that will claim millions of lives.

David Kabakov, an agent with Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, travels to America, determined to hunt down the surviving members of the terror group and foil their plot when it becomes clear that the mission in Beirut has not neutralised the threat.

Character-driven rather than action-driven, the novel's shining moments are the detailed explorations of the characters' psychology, backstories and personal relationships, reminiscent of Harris' later psychological thrillers. With a backdrop of the global political climate of the 1970's - this is the midst of the Cold War and in the aftermath of the Vietnam War (a conflict that drew in both the US and USSR) - you are also immediately struck by how little the world has changed; conflict in the Middle East continues to this day - significantly the conflict between Israel and Palestine; and between extremist Islamist terror groups and the West, significantly the US. Terror attacks over the last twenty years, notably 9/11, lend a chilling plausibility to events and the novel does not suffer for reading it over four decades later.

In a race against time, Kabakov hunts the terrorists to the eleventh hour, building to a dramatic action-packed climax as the terror plot unfolds. A gripping political thriller that hooks until the very end, 'Black Sunday' is an early demonstration of Harris' skill at exploring the horrors human beings are capable of inflicting on each other.



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James Runcie's The Road to Grantchester - Review

The Road to Grantchester by James Runcie

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


James Runcie's prequel to his mystery series delves into the past to reveal Sidney Chambers' road to Grantchester.

On the eve of war, Sidney dances with his best friend's sister, Amanda, unaware of the horrors he will soon be facing. We travel with him to the battlefields of the Second World War, Sidney and his friends stationed in Italy; a small number amongst thousands in the Allies' march across Europe. We witness their fear and their deprivation, the cold and the hunger, the tragic loss of life. Yet they strive on, as to not would be to lie down in the mud and die. There is none of the moral logic or aspiration to the greater good evident on the battlefields, nor witness to toppling the political evils of fascism - it is days building to weeks, then months, then years; of simply surviving day to day and wondering if they will live to see tomorrow, as the clashes between two opposing armies continue unabated. There are moments when they question what they are fighting for - the soldiers on the opposite side do not seem so different to them. One particularly poignant scene shows the armies cease battle, soldiers mingling with soldiers of opposing armies. It is gut-wrenching that there must be so much loss of life with so little purpose apparent. Amongst this, Sidney questions the meaning of it all, the moral dilemmas, the introspection of life itself.

Sidney returns home haunted, struggling to heal unseen wounds, heavy with grief and loss. He is seeking a purpose to his new life in a time of peace. The only thing that calls to him is the Church, but that is not to say he finds faith easy to embrace. Friends and family oppose his choice to pursue a career in the priesthood of the Anglican Church, but Sidney is steadfast in his belief that he has found his calling. Through Sidney, we feel his moral burden and the struggle it can at times be to be good and just and make the right choice, particularly at moments when it may not be clear what that should be.

This is also the beginning of the tragic love story between Sidney and Amanda. For me, these two belong together, but there is always something that stands in the way. This is the story of how that began. So well played by James Norton and Morven Christie in the TV series, it is those actors whom I see and hear on the pages. Against the cold, stark brutality of wartime, succeeded by both the celebration and struggle of peacetime, I was swept along by the hope their relationship would blossom, despite already knowing what the future would hold.

It's worth pointing out that this is not a mystery as you may expect from the previous books in the series, which the story told in this book precedes. This is a tale of human perseverance, the discovery of faith and unexplored love. Thought-provoking, character-driven and beautifully written, 'The Road to Grantchester' is an engrossing and poignant novel - the perfect prequel to the Grantchester series, both in print and on the screen.



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Steve Cavanagh's The Plea - Review

The Plea by Steve Cavanagh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Con artist turned lawyer Eddie Flynn returns in another high-stakes legal thriller by Steve Cavanagh.

Following the events of 'The Defence', Eddie has set up his own practice. Still separated from his family, he is recovering from his alcoholism and is slowly putting his life back together. But he finds himself accosted in his own office and offered an ultimatum - either he con his way into representing a man accused of murder and persuade him to plead guilty to the crime or his wife will face charges for her unknowing involvement in the crimes of the law firm she works for.

Eddie reluctantly agrees, but he soon faces a moral dilemma. He believes the accused is innocent. Eddie believes that the legal system should achieve justice, that the guilty should be punished and the innocent not be imprisoned for crimes they have not committed. He becomes determined to find a way to simultaneously see his client exonerated, avoid charges being brought unjustly against his wife, and assist in bringing down the corrupt law firm - a challenge that may come with greater sacrifices than he imagined.

Narrated from Eddie's perspective, the plot is driven by his quest for justice and his emotional peril. This is cinematic storytelling - like a legal action blockbuster on the page, full of action and sleight-of-hand twists. It's the courtroom scenes that shine the most, brimming with drama and building suspense as Eddie plays a long con in cross-examination of multiple prosecution witnesses to ultimately build the defence. The twists build to an action-packed finale.

A gripping and enjoyable novel; I am very much looking forward to reading the third in the series, 'The Liar'.



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Pierre Lemaitre's Camille - Review

Camille by Pierre Lemaitre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The final instalment in Pierre Lemaitre’s deliciously dark trilogy featuring Camille Verhœven.

Still haunted by the losses of his past, Camille finds himself drawn into the investigation of an armed robbery at a jeweller's, in which his new romantic partner, Anne Forestier, was brutally assaulted. It soon becomes apparent to Camille that the gunman is determined to leave no loose ends and that Anne, broken and scarred in hospital, is in danger.

Abandoning protocol and diving deeper and deeper into a situation from which he may not be able to extricate himself, Camille discovers he may be willing to go to any lengths to protect the woman he loves and avoid history repeating itself.

Set across three anxious days, a race against time ensues, Camille as determined to keep Anne safe as the gunman is to silence her.

Written in the same psychologically compelling style as 'Irène' and 'Alex' before it, highly descriptive and packed with action, 'Camille' immerses you once more in Camille's dark and tortured world; his ghosts circling around him, which may prove to be either his undoing or his redemption. Camille is a superb character - a dedicated and brilliant detective, while carrying his guilt and his emotion like a cross. Lemaitre has crafted a trilogy that perfectly balances the psychological depth, procedural detail, personal strife and action sequences, so finely written that the novels read like works of dark art.

Concluding with several twists and personal challenges for Camille, 'Camille' is a gripping and luxurious novel and a superb conclusion to the trilogy.

In addition to the trilogy of novels, Camille also features in the novella 'Rosy and John' (the English translation, thus far, is only available in ebook and audio), and I would greatly welcome a further return to his world in the future.



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James Patterson & David Ellis' Invisible - Review

Invisible by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A fast-paced serial killer thriller by James Patterson and David Ellis.

Emily "Emmy" Dockery, a Research Analyst with the FBI, is currently suspended - having been accused of making improper advances towards her superior after she rejected his own improper advances – but she has been dedicating her time to working on a case of her own. Her sister died earlier in the year in a house fire, which was ruled an accidental death. Emmy, however, is not convinced. She has reviewed cases of multiple fires across the US, all of which resulted in fatalities, all deemed accidental. From all of these cases, a pattern emerges - one that points to there being a cunning and devious serial killer operating across the country, undetected.

Calling on ex-agent and her ex-boyfriend Harrison "Books" Bookman, Emmy is determined to be taken seriously and finally get the chance to get justice for her sister and all the other victims. But this isn’t going to be an easy task – up against a boss determined to avoid allegations of sexual harassment and multiple law enforcement agencies who do not believe a crime has taken place.

Meanwhile, the killer is always a few steps ahead and, as Emmy, Books and the team close in, becomes ever more dangerous.

Emmy is an endearing character - spunky, emotionally scarred, always determined to do the right thing, sometimes a little too reactive and so driven by what is immediately in front of her to consider the ramifications of her words and actions. For me, her relationship with Books was one of the most enjoyable elements of the novel - it clicked with me from their first interaction and I hoped they'd somehow rekindle their relationship. The sub-plot of the sexual harassment by her boss is particularly timely, something I hope we’ll see explored further in the future.

As well as the investigation of the case from Emmy's perspective, we also learn about the crimes from the perspective of the killer through transcripts of recordings. Narcissistic, manipulative and resourceful, this is a killer who will challenge the FBI agents and may outwit them to the end.

This devious, twisted journey delivers multiple climatic moments told through Patterson’s trademark short, sharp chapters, in the build-up to the final twist; ‘Invisible’ is a gripping psychological thriller.

Emmy returns in James Patterson and David Ellis’ sequel 'Unsolved', which promises to pit her against another devious and invisible killer.



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Lucy Foley's The Guest List - Review

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A clever and absorbing murder mystery by Lucy Foley, author of ‘The Hunting Party’.

Jules and Will’s wedding promises to be the wedding of the year, an event to be remembered. On a remote island off the Irish coast, close friends and family gather in preparation for the celebration. But this is not to be the joyous occasion it ought to be. Unease ripples beneath the veneer of love and friendship. Secrets and lies begin to surface and old wounds threaten to re-open. Someone is not going to leave this island alive.

Transported to the rugged landscape of this small island, waves crashing against the rocks beneath the cliffs, you can feel its natural beauty and the imminent danger posed to the guests from the novel’s outset.

Foley continues with the structure that proved so successful in ‘The Hunting Party’ – a remote and isolated location; the story told from the perspectives of a handful of characters in flashback, leading from the day before the wedding to the fateful wedding night. A whodunnit, why-dunnit, how-dunnit, all wrapped into one; the identity of the victim as much a part of the puzzle as the identity of their murderer.

Brilliantly plotted, the twists are orchestrated skilfully – one in particular giving me that jolt of pure pleasure at just how well done it was. Twisting and turning throughout, peeling back the layers of deceit, weaving a tangled web of mistrust, the plots grips tighter as we approach the final revelatory chapters.

‘The Guest List’ is a hugely enjoyable mystery, which I read across one long and sunny weekend, lost in the characters and the plotting. A perfect summer thriller, but – be warned – you may not be able to look at your friends and loved ones in quite the same way again afterwards. Be careful who you trust.



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Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches - Review

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The beginning of an epic saga of love and war, set in a hidden world of preternatural creatures with supernatural abilities, steeped in history and secrets.

Diana is a historian, studying the history of science, specifically alchemy, researching texts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. She is also a witch, one determined not to succumb to using her magical abilities or engaging in witchcraft to further her studies or her career, or even to make her life easier. In fact, she is determined to live a human life, much to the chagrin of the witches around her. But her denial of her nature and heritage is threatened when she comes across an ancient manuscript that she realises is enchanted.

Hurriedly, she sends it back, not wishing to study it any further. But it is too late to avoid attracting unwanted attention from multiple people. One of those people is Matthew, a scientist and fellow academic. Matthew is also a vampire. He appears to have developed a great interest in the manuscript and also in Diana herself.

Behind the veneer of ordinary human life hides a world of witches, vampires and daemons – three preternatural creatures which appear human, but are not; their existence hidden behind the myths and folklore that have developed over the millennia. But the attention of all three creatures is now focussed on Diana and the ancient manuscript, which may hold the key to the past and future, and the answers to questions that never cease to be asked.

Unable to deny their instant attraction and burgeoning feelings for each other, Diana and Matthew are drawn closer together and deeper into peril, until there may be no escaping the danger that their relationship and that ancient manuscript immerse them in.

A thoroughly absorbing and thought-provoking novel, ‘A Discovery of Witches’ begins Deborah Harkness’ ‘All Souls’ trilogy by introducing us to the two central characters and pulling us ever deeper into a world that is hidden all around us. The world-building is superb; no one is unfamiliar with witches, vampires or daemons, but here they are not quite as we recognise them in popular culture. The witches are perhaps the most recognisable, the daemons least so.

I became caught up in Diana and Matthew’s relationship – their forbidden desire for each other as they delve into the mysteries, while enemies circle around them. Each of the large cast of characters is drawn in refined detail, vampire Ysabeau one of my favourites. This is a novel driven in equal parts by character, setting and plot; rich in detail about all three. Harkness expertly crafts a journey that draws you in and refuses to release you from its spell.

The ending leaves us ready to dive headlong into the sequel ‘Shadow of Night’ – which promises to explore the late 16th century time period. ‘A Discovery of Witches’ is a tantalising beginning, leaving you yearning to further explore this world of danger and desire, magic and mystery.



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Peter James' Dead Simple - Review

Dead Simple by Peter James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The first gripping thriller in Peter James’ Roy Grace series.

Michael Harrison’s friends have planned a stag-night prank to get back at him for all the practical jokes and pranks he has played on them over the years. But this prank ends in tragic consequences – four friends dead and Michael missing. The tragedy takes a sinister turn – Michael’s best man, unable to make the stag night in time, thus saving his life, claims to have no idea what the prank entailed and can shed no light on Michael’s whereabouts. Trapped and alone, Michael’s time is running out.

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is consulted on the case by one of his colleagues. He already has a lot on his mind – he’s currently giving evidence in court, in a case which threatens to derail after it is revealed he visited a psychic with a key piece of evidence; while he continues to be haunted by the disappearance of his wife, Sandy, almost nine years ago. Pulled deeper into the case, Grace’s suspicions about the best man grow.

In a race against time, Grace and his team are determined to find Michael Harrison and identify who else may be involved in his disappearance.

I had been meaning to start the Roy Grace series for quite some time. Within the first few pages I was wondering why on earth I had taken so long to start and I did not want to put the book down. Fast-paced and packed with suspense, dosed with procedural and forensic detail, building to an intense and action-packed climax, ‘Dead Simple’ begins the series with a bang. Grace makes a brilliant detective – intuitive, determined, haunted, empathetic, compassionate – and I look forward to his character developing and discovering more about him and his life in future novels. Threaded beneath the police investigation is Grace’s own interest in the supernatural and the occult, familiar from James’ supernatural novels.

The books will shortly be adapted into a TV series – written by ‘Endeavour’ creator and writer Russell Lewis, and starring John Simm as Roy Grace, and, of course, based on Peter James’ superbly plotted books. It promises to be fantastic, particularly in light of the combined talents of this trio and, doubtless, many others.

I will be turning to the second novel in the series, ‘Looking Good Dead’, sooner rather than later. At the time of writing, book 16 is due for release this summer. There is a lot more to read and I cannot wait to dive in for more.



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Caroline Kepnes' Hidden Bodies - Review

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Immerse yourself in a world of obsession as Joe Goldberg returns in Caroline Kepnes’ sequel to ‘You’, adapted for the second season of the Netflix series.

Joe has found happiness – there is a new woman in his life, Amy, who is seemingly perfect for him. She shares a love for rare books and he has employed her as his assistant at the bookstore. Her eccentricities match him own and they enjoy a passionate sex life – Joe is content and in love. But there is something he cannot quite dismiss from his mind – the minor errors he made in his past crimes. He knows that these mistakes, no matter how small, may result in his undoing.

But soon he has a new problem dominating his thoughts. Consumed by rage and a thirst for revenge, he pursues his victim to Hollywood – where he finds life is entirely different and that navigating this world while staying off the grid will prove challenging when everyone has a hunger for fame, living their lives through social media; yet there is little substance beneath this veneer. Joe carves out a new identity for himself and soon meets the perfect woman, Love – beautiful, talented; Joe is soon besotted with her.

But every new relationship has its challenges and, no matter how much he wants to move on with his new life, Joe is finding the past has a long reach. No matter how much time passes, hidden bodies always threaten to resurface.

Delving back into Joe’s world was so much fun. Witty, devious, relentless; Joe is a fantastic character to go on a journey with, at times reminiscent of Patrick Bateman (‘American Psycho’). He takes us to sun-soaked streets, experiencing the highs and lows of Hollywood, lifting the veneer on the sad and desperate lives of the fame-hungry, experiencing the anxieties of a new relationship and falling deeply in love – for real this time. But, of course, he’s a completely unreliable narrator, isn’t he?

‘Hidden Bodies’ is a blistering thriller, building on the events of ‘You’ and concluding with a tantalising cliff-hanger that will leave you eagerly anticipating the as-yet-untitled third in the series, which Kepnes is currently working on. To experience a summer of love the predator’s way, ‘Hidden Bodies’ is the way to do it.



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Lynda La Plante's Buried - Review

Buried by Lynda La Plante

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The gripping first novel in a brand-new police thriller series from the queen of modern crime fiction, Lynda La Plante.

Fire investigators and police are called to the scene of a burnt-out cottage. Inside, they find a body and the remnants of bank notes, stolen in the most audacious train robbery of the nineties; a crime which remains unsolved, the perpetrators seemingly having disappeared without trace – undoubtedly the work of a criminal mastermind.

‘Buried’ introduces us to Jack Warr, a young DC recently transferred to the Met, having moved to London with his girlfriend, Maggie, to allow her to pursue her own career. Jack, however, is not similarly driven or ambitious with regard to his own career in the police force. He feels that something is missing. But he worships Maggie; more enthusiastic about her desire to pursue her career than he is of his own. Jack receives devastating news from his adoptive parents that knocks him entirely off-balance, but leads him to seek answers to questions he’s never asked before and find the identity of his birth father.

Part of the team called in to investigate the murder and possible connection to the unsolved robbery, Jack begins to feel an enthusiasm he has never felt before in relation to his job – something about this investigation may present the piece that has been missing so far. His personal and professional investigations into the criminal underworld become ever more entangled. The deeper he digs, the more he finds there may perhaps be no turning back from what he finds.

‘Buried’ is fantastic! As I was reading, I was reminded of how I felt when I read ‘Above Suspicion’ and ‘Tennison’, both first novels in series (Anna Travis and Jane Tennison respectively), newly released when I first read them. There is something special about the beginning of a series that Lynda captures so perfectly – by the end of ‘Buried’ I had no doubt that, much like those other two books, this one will evoke similar feelings of nostalgia in the future.

Jack is an incredibly endearing character – his relationship with Maggie is beautiful; you can feel it in their every interaction. There are also some deeply emotional moments between Jack and his adoptive parents. ‘Buried’ is telling the story of a period of intense upheaval for Jack – as well as finding himself, he is in danger of losing himself too.

‘Buried’ is deeply rooted in another of Lynda La Plante’s series – the murky criminal underworld of ‘Widows’ – featuring returning characters that it is a joy to become reacquainted with. While it isn’t necessary to have read the ‘Widows’ trilogy to enjoy ‘Buried’, there are many moments that feel so much more fulfilling having read those three incredible books and become acquainted with the characters and the twists of the series. Even now, Dolly Rawlins poses a powerful presence; her legacy continues and it is quite heart-warming to find that, in some ways, her dreams of opening a home for disadvantaged children have been realised. ‘Buried’ is as much a fond farewell to one series as it is the beginning of another.

After closing the book on the dramatic and poignant final chapters, I wished I could dive straight back in and experience it all over again. ‘Buried’ is the perfect blend of new and nostalgic that makes for pure enjoyment. Lynda is planning a television adaptation and I very much hope that comes to fruition. In the meantime, Jack will return in book two next year, which I will no doubt devour as eagerly as I did this first novel. I absolutely loved it.



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