New Issue of Crime Review

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 Alafair Burke in the Countdown hot seat.

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

This week’s reviews are:

THE FORCE by Don Winslow, reviewed by John Cleal
Detective Sergeant Danny Malone leads an elite unit fighting drugs, guns
and gangs in Manhattan at the heart of a criminal justice system riddled
with corruption, cronyism and lies.

THE SILENT DEATH by Volker Kutscher, reviewed by Arnold Taylor
It is March 1930 in Berlin and silent movie actress Betty Winter is killed
when a lighting system falls on her. Inspector Gereon Rath is determined to
find out the cause.

THIS IS HOW IT ENDS by Eva Dolan, reviewed by Linda Wilson
Molly and Ella are bound together by more than years of friendship. They’re
now accomplices in covering up a fatal accident.

LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders, reviewed by John Barnbrook
President Lincoln’s son is dead, existing in a place between life and
death. His father can’t stop visiting his body, but others are conspiring
to enable Willie Lincoln to pass on.

A DAMNED SERIOUS BUSINESS by Gerald Seymour, reviewed by John Cleal
MI6 officer Edwin Coker known as Boot for his obsession with the Duke of
Wellington and Waterloo, puts together a daring plan to combat Russian
cyber terrorism and recruits a British mercenary to carry it out.

ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL by Sarah Vaughan, reviewed by Chris Roberts
A politician close to the centre of government stands accused of rape. The
barrister for the prosecution is certain he is guilty and is determined to
make him pay.

SNARE by Lilja Sigurðardóttir, reviewed by Ewa Sherman
Sonja survives on a cocktail of cocaine smuggling and love for her young
son. She's desperate to escape drug barons’ snare and to win full custody
of Tomas, so must become more daring and entrepreneurial. But things are
getting dangerous.

THE GATHERING DARK by James Oswald, reviewed by Linda Wilson
A tanker carrying a toxic load crashes into a bus stop in Edinburgh. DI
Tony McLean is one of the first on the scene and must unravel the tangled
truth behind the carnage.

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE by Boris Akunin, reviewed by John Cleal
A friend asks Erast Fandorin to look into apparent threats to Moscow’s
favourite artiste, a talented and beautiful actress, but the detective
compromises his quest by falling in love with her.

PARTY GIRLS DIE IN PEARLS by Plum Sykes, reviewed by Sylvia Wilson
Fresher Ursula Flowerbutton arrives for her first term at Oxford hoping for
ballgowns and determined to write for student newspaper Cherwell. When
another student is murdered, Ursula and her best friend, American Nancy
Feingold, investigate.

STRANGE SIGHT by Syd Moore, reviewed by Anthea Hawdon
Ghostly sightings, mysterious writing and blood flowing from a chandelier
lead up to the murder of a chef in an upmarket London restaurant.

SCORCHED EARTH by David Mark, reviewed by John Cleal
A former Mozambican guerrilla fighter enters England illegally bent on
revenge – and DS Aector McAvoy is plunged into a case where present crimes
lead him to an enemy from his past.

THE KILLING BAY by Chris Ould, reviewed by Ewa Sherman
A body of a woman is found following the clash between international
activists and local fishermen on the Faroe Islands. Detective Hjalti Hentze
wants to find out if there is a connection between the murder and the
slaughter of whales.

LAST STOP TOKYO by James Buckler, reviewed by Chris Roberts
Alex Malloy has fled disgrace in the UK to Japan, but his life gets even
more complicated when he meets Naoko, who like him has a past she is trying
to leave behind.

ED’S DEAD by Russel D McLean, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor
Jen is a failed writer, but she’s just about to become famous for being the
most dangerous woman in Scotland.

VETERAN AVENUE by Mark Pepper, reviewed by Chris Roberts
John Frears visits the US for the funeral of an old military buddy, and
finds a connection to a girl whose photo he has been carrying in his wallet
for over 30 years.

WHAT ALICE KNEW by TA Cotterell, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor
Alice and Ed have a wonderful life, but when Ed doesn’t come home one night
after attending a party, strange things start to happen. In searching for
the truth of what really took place that night, Alice risks her family and
her way of life.

STARDUST by Neil Gaiman (audiobook), reviewed by Linda Wilson
A young man travels to the realm of Faerie to find a fallen star and win
the hand of a lady.

SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FOUR-HANDED GAME by Paul D Gilbert, reviewed by Kati
Barr-Taylor
The robbery of a gold mandolin, an assault on a young actress and a violent
murder bearing the hallmarks of Jack the Ripper would seem entirely
disconnected to all but Sherlock Holmes.

SONGS ABOUT US by Chris Russell, reviewed by Linda Wilson
Charlie Bloom is back taking photos of world famous boyband Fire&Lights,
but cracks are starting to appear in the gloss and hype that surrounds the
band and Charlie is faced with some difficult choices.

Best wishes

Sharon