New Issue of Crime Review

Happy new year!

We feature new 20 reviews in each issue of Crime Review (
www.crimereview.co.uk), together with a top industry interview. This time
it’s author CJ Carver in the Countdown hot seat:

We’re on Twitter at:
Crime Review: @CrimeReviewUK
Linda Wilson: @CrimeReviewer
Sharon Wheeler: @lartonmedia

This week’s reviews are:

A LEGACY OF SPIES by John le Carré, reviewed by Arnold Taylor
Peter Guillam, formerly of MI6, now retired and living in Brittany,
receives a letter from the Circus. It states that an urgent situation has
arisen and suggests (meaning ‘insists’) that he come to London immediately.

THE SHADOW DISTRICT by Arnaldur Indridason, reviewed by Ewa Sherman
In wartime Reykjavik, a body of a young woman is found behind the National
Theatre. An Icelander and a Canadian start investigation. In the present
times an old man is discovered dead in his own bed. Newspaper cuttings
found in his home report that particular death.

THE HANGED MAN by Simon Kernick, reviewed by Linda Wilson
DI Ray Mason and cop-turned-PI Tina Boyd are on the trail of a group of
powerful, sadistic killers, but the odds are stacked against them.

DEATH IN THE STARS by Frances Brody, reviewed by John Cleal
As eclipse fever grips Britain, music hall star Selina Fellini hires
investigator Kate Shackleton to accompany her to a viewing party. But Kate
finds herself trying to solve three possible murders among the cast.

FATAL SUNSET by Jason Webster, reviewed by Chris Roberts
Valencia Chief Detective Max Camera is moved to the Homicide Section and
assigned to a dubious case, but finds plenty in the death to keep him busy.

THE VISITORS by Catherine Burns, reviewed by Madeleine Marsh
Marion lives with her domineering brother John in the house that has always
been the family home. Although she loves John, she despises the secret that
he keeps in the basement, and her own involvement in it.

THE MERMAID’S SCREAM by Kate Ellis, reviewed by Kate Balfour
A middle-aged couple is found murdered in a South Devon caravan park, and
the biographer of a local, reclusive literary legend is also killed. DI
Wesley Peterson believes that the deaths are linked.

THE FINAL HOUR by Tom Wood, reviewed by Linda Wilson
Victor is an assassin by trade and he’s very good at his job. So good that
even his former employers now want him dead. 

THE ASSASSIN OF VERONA by Benet Brandreth, reviewed by John Cleal
The young Will Shakespeare faces personal tragedy and political intrigue.

EAST OF HOUNSLOW by Khurrum Rahman, reviewed by Chris Roberts
Javid Qasim is 20-something, lives with his mum and deals a little
cannabis. He wears his Muslim faith lightly, until events compel him to
become more committed.

TRUST ME by Angela Clarke, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor
Kate Adiyiah saw a violent sexual attack on the internet, but proving it is
impossible as the video no longer exists.

DARKEST THOUGHTS by Gordon Brown, reviewed by John Barnbrook
Craig McIntyre has an ability that he does not want and that he cannot
control. He has the power to drive people into dark and violent attacks on
each other. Unfortunately for Craig his power has been noticed by sinister
and powerful men.

PRAGUE NIGHTS by Benjamin Black, reviewed by John Cleal
Ambitious young doctor Christian Stern arrives in Prague and stumbles on
the dead body of the mistress of the Holy Roman Emperor and is plunged into
a world of intrigues and rivalries in a court and country on the verge of a
religious war.

SIDNEY CHAMBERS AND THE PERSISTENCE OF LOVE by James Runcie, reviewed by
Anthea Hawdon
Sidney Chambers, now Archdeacon of Ely, starts 1975 with some puzzles to
solve around the persistence of love – love of wife and husband, love of
children, of friends and unrequited love.

A PROMISE TO KILL by Erik Storey, reviewed by Chris Roberts
Clyde Barr is drifting in the wilds of Utah when he gets drawn in to a
struggle between a small town and a gang of bikers who brook no opposition.

99 RED BALLOONS by Elisabeth Carpenter, reviewed Linda Wilson
When a young girl goes missing on her way home from school, an intense
police hunt fails to find any trace of her. Grace’s mother wants her back,
but someone else wants to keep her.

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER by Marc Behm, reviewed by John Cleal
An end-of-his-rope private eye becomes obsessed with a beautiful female
killer and pursues her for more than 20 years.

TRINIDAD NOIR edited by Earl Lovelace and Robert Antoni, reviewed by Chris
Roberts
A portrait of Trinidad conveyed through 19 short stories written over the
past century.

THE TREATMENT by CL Taylor, reviewed by Linda Wilson
Unless Drew Finch can find a way out of the Residential Reform Academy, she
faces the prospect of losing herself and her brother to a deeply sinister
treatment that will change them both – and not for the better.

SMOKE by Dan Vyleta, reviewed by John Barnbrook
In an alternative Victorian Britain all people have developed a trait
wherein thick black smoke emits from their body whenever they experience
anger, lust, hatred or envy. Two boys who meet at a boarding school become
embroiled in plots to uncover the nature and possible cure for this
affliction.

Best wishes

Sharon