Lee Allen's Blog, page 31

Karin Fossum's The Whisperer - Review

The Whisperer by Karin Fossum

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An intense, psychological character study of the build-up to a murder.

I was lucky enough to win a proof copy of Karin Fossum’s latest novel, ‘The Whisperer’ from CrimeFictionLover.com, via their Facebook page. I had previously never read any of Fossum’s work - though this is the thirteenth novel in her series featuring Inspector Sejer. However, Sejer features more as a supporting character in this novel, which is led by Ragna Reigel, the eponymous whisperer.

Ragna lives a lonely life, estranged from her son, living in the house her parents left when they died, working at a local store, travelling back and forth by bus each day. Her only interactions are with her work colleagues, one of her neighbours, the owner of the store across the street, and the occasional cards from her son, who now lives in Berlin and has done for many years. She begins to receive threatening notes, left in her letterbox, telling her she will soon be dead.

Now incarcarated in prison for an unspecified crime, Ragna is interviewed by Sejer, slowly revealing the events that led to her imprisonment. Through Ragna's retelling of the story, we witness her growing paranoia as she is persecuted via the notes, becoming convinced she is being watched, building to a tragic climax.

'The Whisperer' is a slow-burning thriller with psychologically depth. We live Ragna's persecution with her, her loneliness, the monotony of her daily life, how she misses her son. Through Sejer's careful questioning, her reconnection with her son, the story she retells, Ragna's brutal crime is pieced together. There is a neat, little twist in the final pages that brings the novel to a satisfying conclusion.

A hugely enjoyable read; I shall be looking out for more of Fossum's books in the future.



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Michael Russell's The City of Lies - Review

The City of Lies by Michael Russell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An absorbing, multi-layered historical crime thriller, set primarily in 1940 Dublin and Berlin.

Stefan Gillespie has been following a German doctor for weeks, monitoring his activities in Dublin, when he is summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and told to prepare for a clandestine trip to Berlin in the coming weeks. An IRA attack leaves a friend and colleague injured, a race meeting erupts into violence, and Stefan is dispatched to the scene of the murders of an entire family to investigate the presence of a German radio.

Meanwhile, we follow the experience of Hauptmann Rilling, a German Army officer, commencing a year earlier with the invasion of Poland. He witnesses the burgeoning of the horrors the SS will come to inflict with a discomfort that will lead him back to Berlin a year later, shortly before Stefan Gillespie travels to the city on a mission to deliver a cipher to the Irish Ambassador. While in Germany, Stefan becomes embroiled in an investigation, determined to prove the miscarriage of justice that sees an Irishwoman behind bars for a murder she did not commit.

During his journey home, Stefan takes a detour via London to visit Kate, where he becomes suspected of being a German spy. Returning to Ireland, he unravels the mysteries surrounding the murders and unmasks the IRA soldier responsible for the attack on the guards.

Michael Russell's series goes from strength to strength, oozing with paranoia and atmosphere. The 1930's and 40's was a turbulent time for Europe and the wider world and the novels perfectly evoke the tension in the cities and wider communities. In this novel, the fourth in the series, we visit Berlin at the height of the Nazi's apparent omnipotence, Hitler's armies spreading across Europe like a plague, nations convinced the attacks on London can end with only one outcome.

At times chilling, 'The City of Lies' is an engrossing thriller that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or espionage thrillers. I am highly anticipating the next in the series, 'The City in Flames', which I recently discovered will be published later this year.



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Pierre Lemaitre's Alex - Review

Alex by Pierre Lemaitre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Commandant Camille Verhœven returns in another dark and gripping thriller from Pierre Lemaitre, following 'Irène', the first in the series.

'Alex' (also originally Alex in the French language) tells the story of Alex Prévost. Assaulted and kidnapped, she is trapped in a cage by her attacker, who tells her he wishes to watch her die. Assigned to the case against his will, it proves too close to home for Camille, still haunted by his personal demons. As he and his team close in on the kidnapper, the hunt becomes a race against time to save Alex's life.

With the discovery of a corpse, the case is soon turned on its head and Camille finds himself on the hunt for a clever, brutal serial murderer, who is always one step ahead.

Psychologically compelling and fast-paced, with multiple twists, 'Alex' grips from the opening pages to the last. The two central characters, Alex and Camille, are brilliantly portrayed. With 'Irène' and 'Alex', Lemaitre is fast becoming one of my favourite authors - 'Alex' is a superb addition to the Camille Verhœven series and I cannot wait to delve into the third novel 'Camille'.



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Sophie Hannah's The Mystery of Three Quarters - Review

The Mystery Of Three Quarters: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Another ingenious mystery for Hercule Poirot to solve in Sophie Hannah's third novel featuring Agatha Christie's famous detective.

Returning home after an enjoyable lunch, Poirot is accosted in the street by a woman who claims to have received a letter from him accusing her of murder. Poirot assures her he has written no such letter, but she does not listen. Puzzled and aggrieved, Poirot soon receives a second visitor who makes the same claim. It soon transpires that four such letters have been sent, all accusing the recipients of murder, all claiming to have been sent by Hercule Poirot.

So begins another complex puzzle for Poirot to solve, along with the assistance of his friend Inspector Catchpool of Scotland Yard. The man whom the letters claim was murdered is believed to have died as the result of an accident, but is this true, or has someone got away with murder? Who is the mysterious letter writer and for what purpose were the letters written?

Masterfully plotted, 'The Mystery of Three Quarters' moves at a lightning-speed, unspooling twists and turns, leading to a conclusion in Poirot's own inimitable style - the gathering of the players and the final revelation of the guilty party.

Hannah has again perfectly captured the character of Poirot and the style and pitch of the series, so beautifully crafted by Christie herself across the numerous novels, short stories and play in which Poirot appears.

The Poirot stories, both in print and the television series starring David Suchet, were my introduction to adult crime fiction almost two decades ago. I was delighted when, four years ago, I was able to experience a brand new Poirot novel in 'The Monogram Murders', followed by 'Closed Casket' two years later. This equally brilliant third novel is a fantastic addition to Hannah's series and to the Poirot canon as a whole. I very much hope there will be a fourth.



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The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An absolute joy, full of intriguing mystery, with Poirot as brilliant as ever!




Closed Casket by Sophie Hannah

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Another delightful new case for Hercule Poirot from Sophie Hannah.

I had been anticipating reading this for months after enjoying 'The Monogram Murders' two years ago, and this certainly did not disappoint. This is a classic mystery with the interactions of the characters and the chain of events taking the story on many twists and turns, skilfully tied together by Poirot in the final chapters.

A fantastic read.



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Festive & Fiendish - Christmas Book Reviews

Some book reviews for the festive season, beginning with a mystery from the Mistress of Suspense...

Deck the Halls by Carol Higgins Clark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An entertaining, cosy, Christmas mystery.

This was my first encounter with both Mary Higgins Clark's Alvirah and Willy and Carol Higgins Clark's Regan Reilly, pulled together in a kidnap and ransom tale that takes place just days before Christmas.

For one reason and another, I was struggling to get into the Christmas spirit this year, but this book was the perfect remedy to that. I read it across three days and wanted to keep reading even when I had to place the book down.

This was a light-hearted delight - I hope the other co-written Christmas mysteries prove to be just as enjoyable!




Now for something a little darker...

Ghosts of Christmas Past by Tim Martin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A haunting mix of Christmas ghost stories, featuring a mix of the brilliant, the poignant, the humorous and the downright bizarre.

Highlights for me were: 'Dinner for One' by Jenn Ashworth, the story of a couple in a dysfunctional, at times abusive, relationship; 'This Beautiful House' by Louis de Bernieres, the reminiscence of family Christmases spent long ago; 'The Step' by E.F. Benson, a classic haunting of a gentleman stalked by a mysterious step; and 'The Visiting Star' by Robert Aickman, the retelling of the time a famous actress visited a small town to star in a theatre production.

An enjoyable collection to devour over the festive period - Neil Gaiman's amusing 'anecdote' on a cursed Nicholas may be perfect for reading to a crowd when the children are out of earshot.




After encounters with the paranormal, time for some adventure...

The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An entertaining festive adventure from David Baldacci.

Journalist Tom Langdon, unable to fly from Washington to LA for Christmas, is forced to take the journey by train, a journey he hopes will help him discover himself and result in a new piece of writing. Aboard the train, he meets a host of colourful characters, finding himself offered to work on a movie project by a famous director, assisting eloping lovers with their wedding, a thief, an avalanche and coming face to face with the one true love of his life.

Well-written and fast-paced, 'The Christmas Train' is a light and frothy treat amongst the murder and skulduggery of many Christmas mystery and suspense novels.




And, finally, some classic Christmas crime...

Murder on Christmas Eve: Classic Mysteries for the Festive Season by Cecily Gayford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A thrilling collection of mystery and murder from a host of brilliant authors.

It's incredibly difficult to select the highlights from this collection, which includes appearances from Rebus, Father Brown and Campion. Possibly my favourites were: 'The Trinity Cat' by Ellis Peters, where a cat assists in the investigation of a murder; 'No Sanity Clause' by Ian Rankin, which sees Rebus attending a murder mystery evening; 'A Wife in a Million' by Val McDermid, the tale of a malign poisoner; and 'Cambric Tea' by Marjorie Bowen, where a young doctor uncovers a diabolical poisoning.

Credit must go to editor Cecily Gayford for selecting a perfect concoction of Christmas crime stories, making 'Murder on Christmas Eve' a delight to be revisited for many Christmases to come.




Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Alone - A Supernatural Mystery

My Christmas novella Alone is available from Amazon and iBooks amongst other retailers.
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All things must end.

Recovering from a recent accident and faced with the prospect of spending another Christmas alone, Jessica accepts the invitation of an old flame to spend Christmas with him and his aged aunt at his manor house in the midst of the Brecon Beacons.

Feeling her arrival is unwelcome, Jessica awaits her reunion with a face from the past, while a snowstorm postpones his arrival and renders her trapped within the house. Behind the silence, something dark is lurking.

Left with little choice, Jessica finds she must face the secrets the old house hides. Yet what she may come to learn is that nothing haunts us more than the secrets of our own pasts, and that burying them does not make them forgotten.
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Read on for a sample below:

December 16th

The gentle trickling of a glittering melody drifted on the air, creeping into the ears of the sleeping woman who lay on the bed in the corner of a sparsely furnished room. Her skin was deathly white, the only sign of life the water vapour escaping between her delicate lips as she breathed.

A shadow crossed her face, a slight creasing of anguish in her expression. There was something troubling about the sight of seeing innocence vanquished in something as subtle, like the moment a child suffers the loss of believing in magic. Worse still was that there was no one to witness the sight. Emptiness swirled around her clammy skin, dancing a Viennese Waltz with the silence that fell like frost in the wake of distant music that wasn’t quite alive.

Jessica awoke, her eyes drifting over the high ceiling. From her memory she grasped vaguely at what had woken her. A metallic tinkle. She listened to the dense blanket of night. The sound of being alone.

She rubbed her heavy brown eyes and sat up. Her unfinished glass of Irish Cream whisky sat on the bedside table, beside the candle that still held the ghost of its extinguished flame. She pulled her cardigan tighter around her shoulders, looking to the window, the landscape aglow even in the black of night.

She closed her eyes and touched her face. If she tried hard enough it was as if a hand reached from memory, fingertips brushing over her fingers, grasping her hand, lips bowing to graze her skin.

She shivered involuntarily. She had a feeling she could hear music, faint and distant, like bells carried on a still wind.

Her toes were cold. She flexed them on the worn carpet. Her feet were weary as she stood, crossing slowly to the window, watching the sky and the snow covered earth, the stars glowing beyond and the desolation of the stretch of beacons. She was lost, a lost girl nearing the end of her journey.

Turning from the window, she found the owner of the metallic tinkle. She stooped, a silver chain grasped in her fingers as she withdrew her hand. She felt the beads grasped under her cold fingertips, squeezing them as the crucifix fell across her palm. She felt the weight of her soul on her heart, sinking to her knees and bowing her head to her hands.

All things must end. And this was how it began.

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You can order now for:
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and is also available in multiple formats on Amazon and Lulu.com.

Merry Christmas!

Richard Montanari's Kiss of Evil - Review

Kiss Of Evil by Richard Montanari

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Detective Jack Paris returns in the sequel to Richard Montanari's first novel, 'Don't Look Now'/'Deviant Way'.

Christmas is fast-approaching and a serial killer is beginning his work. A woman drawn into an online fantasy world is brutally murdered. A con artist finds herself cornered when one of her cons goes wrong. Someone is watching her and someone is also watching Jack Paris.

Another case playing on Jack's mind is that of the murder of Mike Ryan, a police officer murdered two years before by a woman who has recently been found dead, her lawyer determined to give Jack a hard time. As the body count rises, Jack is drawn into the worlds of Santeria (an ancient religion comprised of elements of Yoruba religion and Christianity) and sexual deviance. Unbeknownst to him, the killer has an endgame in mind with Jack as its star performer.

Relentlessly fast-paced with multiple twists and turns, all of the strands come together for a heart-stopping finale, neatly tying all the loose ends in what at first appears to be a novel featuring multiple cases, but is revealed to be far more complicated, with potentially deadly consequences for Jack.

'Kiss of Evil' is a masterstroke in suspense, told in gruesome detail and with some surprises along the way - a superbly plotted and complex psychological thriller.



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Lee Child's The Visitor - Review

The Visitor by Lee Child

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jack Reacher becomes embroiled in the FBI's hunt for a serial killer in the fourth in Lee Child's series.

Following the events of 'Tripwire', Reacher is attempting to live a normal life, with a fixed address and in a steady relationship with Jodie, returning from the previous novel. But when Reacher sees injustice, he cannot resist righting the wrong in his own way. He soon finds himself arrested - but the FBI appear to suspect him of another crime. Two women are dead, both ex-Army, found immersed in baths of paint, causes of death unknown. The FBI's Behavioural Science Unit's profile indicates the perpetrator is someone a lot like Reacher.

Drawn deeper into the investigation against his will, Reacher initially resists cooperating, but soon becomes driven to find the killer responsible as the body count rises. But he also finds himself facing his own personal challenge - he misses his days of freedom, which he has turned his back on because of his feelings for Jodie.

With each development, the killer still seems to be far ahead - clever, resourceful and cunning - but Reacher strives on, fitting the pieces together. But will he be in time to save the next victim?

The third in the series, 'Tripwire', was brilliant, but 'The Visitor' may have even topped that. Intense and thrilling, the novel builds to a tense climax with a satisfying and perfectly illustrated twist. With action-packed scenes, psychological insights, gang wars and even a crime-busting partner for Reacher in the form of Harper, the FBI agent assigned to watch his every move, this is a mash-up of thriller sub-genres with Reacher as the (anti-) hero at its heart. His methods may at times be questionable, but he is always on the side of justice.

Reacher's personal struggles develop a greater emotional depth and give the reader further insight into the character we first met in 'Killing Floor' shortly after he left the Army. I will soon be diving eagerly into 'Echo Burning' to find out what's next.



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Ian Rankin's Tooth and Nail - Review

Tooth and Nail by Ian Rankin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping police procedural that takes Rebus to London to hunt a serial killer.

It has been far too long since I last read a Rebus book. Rankin's first two novels in the series, 'Knots and Crosses' and 'Hide and Seek', as well as the short story collection, 'A Good Hanging', were brilliant, so quite why it has taken so long for me to revisit the series I do not know.

'Tooth and Nail' (originally 'Wolfman' on its first publication) finds Rebus travelling from Edinburgh to London, requested to assist in the investigation of a series of murders, the perpetrator of which the press have named the Wolfman. He arrives by train, hearing the news that a third victim has been discovered, and heads straight for the crime scene.

With insights into both the killer's psyche and the police investigation, this is a superb psychological thriller, with Rebus at its heart as the fish-out-of-water detective who isn't quite sure who has summoned him to London and if he can truly make a contribution to the investigation. Rebus is soon approached by a psychologist offering to produce a profile of the Wolfman. Rebus accepts, though his suggestion to meet for dinner to discuss her profile isn't solely motivated by professional interest.

As well as contending with the case and the attitudes of the police team, who see his contribution as interference, Rebus also reacquaints himself with his ex-wife and their daughter, Samantha, who moved to London from Edinburgh. Personal and professional pressures collide and Rebus soon finds that his rash actions may have unforeseen consequences.

I couldn't put 'Tooth and Nail' down - it is well-written and tightly plotted, with a masterfully executed conclusion. Rebus is an icon of crime fiction - flawed but brilliant - and I will be eagerly devouring further novels in the series.



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Dennis Wheatley's To the Devil a Daughter - Review

To the Devil a Daughter (Molly Fountain, #1) by Dennis Wheatley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping occult thriller from the master of the black magic thriller.

Despite writing over sixty novels, many of them bestsellers, Dennis Wheatley is perhaps best known for his black magic novels, of which he wrote eleven (as well as a non-fiction book on the Occult). Perhaps the most famous of these was his first novel on the subject, 'The Devil Rides Out', a classic of the genre. Both 'The Devil Rides Out' and 'To the Devil a Daughter' were made into movies by Hammer Studios, the latter only loosely based on Wheatley's novel.

The novel begins in the South of France, where we meet Molly Fountain, a thriller writer awaiting a visit from her son. She becomes intrigued by the mysterious behaviour of her new neighbour, a young woman who spends her days staring out to sea, apparently doing nothing. Upon seeing her returning home in the middle of the night, Molly soon decides to introduce herself to the young woman, who introduces herself as Christina.

Christina soon breaks down and tells Molly the disturbing story of how her father has hidden her at the villa under an assumed name, seemingly to keep her safe from enemies she didn't know she had. Determined to help, Molly tells her son John the story on his arrival and they both endeavour to keep her safe. But they encounter many strange occurrences - as night falls, Christina's behaviour radically changes, leading Molly to draw the conclusion she is possessed by a demonic force.

Enlisting the help of Molly's old secret service colleague and friend Colonel Verney, John and Molly become Christina's protectors, coming up against a villainous Marquis and his son the Count leading a gang of criminals determined to kidnap Christina and smuggle her back to the UK; and the nefarious Canon Copely-Syle, Christina's godfather and, it is revealed, a Satanist with a diabolical scheme that will conclude on the evening of Christina's twenty-first birthday.

The action takes place between France and the UK as the group battle with criminals and Satanic forces to keep Christina safe until the danger has passed. With insights into the rituals and schemes of the Occult, Wheatley crafts a tale of diabolical tension that is both a gripping thriller and disturbing horror story. The final scenes in the Canon's crypt and the Cave of Bats are superbly realised, evoking strong images of the dark forces and those that dabble in them.

'To the Devil a Daughter' is a classic and a masterpiece of the horror and thriller genres and, particularly when you consider how shocking its subject matter and imagery would have been at the time of publication, proves why Wheatley's occult works have become the most famous of his legacy.



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