New Issue Of Crime Review

We’re now featuring new 24 reviews in each issue of Crime Review (www.crimereview.co.uk), together with a top industry interview. This time it’s author Patrice Lawrence in the Countdown hot seat: http://crimereview.co.uk/page.php/interview/9121

 

We’re on Twitter at:

Crime Review: @CrimeReviewUK

Linda Wilson: @CrimeReviewer

Sharon Wheeler: @lartonmedia

 

This issue’s reviews are:

WHAT WILL BURN by James Oswald, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Former DCI Tony McLean has been busted back down to DI, but he’s still the go-to guy when something odd happens in Edinburgh, and this time it’s an old woman beaten to death and then burned in her remote cottage. And that’s only the start of things …

THE LAST TRIAL by Scott Turow, reviewed by Chris Roberts

In his last trial, Sandy Stern and his daughter Marta defend a Nobel Prize-winning doctor against accusations of fraud and murder arising out of the marketing of a new cancer medication.

THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE by Katrine Engberg, reviewed by Viv Beeby

A body is floating in the waters of an historic fountain, right in the centre of Copenhagen's main city square. A body that's been drained of all its blood. So begins a new and gruesome case for Investigator Jeppe Korner and his assistant Anette Werner.

GREED by Marc Elsberg, reviewed by John Cleal

With the world on the brink of a new financial crisis, a Nobel prize-winning economist with a possible solution is murdered on his way to an international summit.

A NEARLY NORMAL FAMILY by MT Edvardsson, reviewed by Ewa Sherman

When 18-year-old Stella is arrested for the murder of a rich charming businessman, her pastor father and lawyer mother are desperate to fight for their daughter and to do anything possible to stop destruction of their family. But the lies and the truth might be too much for them.

BLACK WIDOWS by Cate Quinn, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor

Blake Nelson is dead, and the police must ignore the lies and their own prejudices if they are to find out who killed him.

THE OLD GUARD: OPENING FIRE by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez, reviewed by Linda Wilson

A team of mercenaries hide a huge secret, that of apparent immortality. They don’t understand it and don’t necessarily want it, but someone else does. And that someone is determined to get what they want at any cost.

CROCODILE TEARS by Mercedes Rosende, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Diego is grateful to be released from prison when the wife of the man he kidnapped declines to identify him. Unfortunately, his freedom comes with demands quite beyond his capacity.

VALE OF TEARS by Sarah Hawkswood, reviewed by John Cleal

A wealthy horse dealer is found dead in a mill leat. He was stabbed, but not robbed. Under Sheriff Hugh Bradecote, veteran Sheriff’s Sergeant Catchpoll and his young trainee Walkelin face a series of mysteries as their investigations go far beyond the obvious to a web of greed, obsession and murder.

ONE EYE OPEN by Paul Finch, reviewed by John Barnbrook

A car is found crashed deeply into trees off the A12. The two passengers may not survive. The car has fake plates and numbers and holds a large amount of cash but there are no signs as to who the occupants are.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHTS by Jakub Zulczyk, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Kuba deals cocaine to the wealthy of Warsaw, affects a cool attitude, but under increasing stress plans an overseas holiday, if he can just make through one last week.

STOP AT NOTHING by Michael Ledwidge, reviewed by Linda Wilson

When a plane crashes in the sea off a remote island in the Bahamas, diving instructor Michael Gannon ends up in possession of a very dangerous secret and on the run from some ruthless enemies.

THE GHOST TREE by MRC Kasasian, reviewed by John Cleal

Inspector Betty Church must mobilise the incompetent police she leads to investigate the disappearance of her childhood best friend and to battle several forms of discrimination as she follows a trail of murder.

A QUIET DEATH IN ITALY by Tom Benjamin, reviewed by Sylvia Maughan

The body of an elderly man is found in one of the canals beneath Bologna. Daniel Leicester, an Englishman who works in Bologna as a PI, sets out to investigate with his boss, the Commandante, who happens to be his father-in-law.

GUILTY – UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE by GF Newman, reviewed by Chris Roberts

Judge John Deed finds himself doing battle with ministers of government and at personal risk in his determination to constrain the executive.

A QUESTION OF TIME by James Stejskal, reviewed by John Cleal

Master Sergeant Kim Becker and his Special Forces ‘A’ Team are tasked to bring out a vital highly placed intelligence source from behind the Iron Curtain that divides 1979 Berlin.

THE WITCH HUNTER by Max Seeck, reviewed by Ewa Sherman

Detective Jessica Niemi begins a complex investigation into a brutal ritualistic murder of Maria Koponen, wife of the famous writer Roger Koponen who’s fascinated by occult and witch hunters. As the body count in Helsinki increases, Jessica realises that the killer’s motives might be personal.

A STRANGER ON THE BEACH by Michelle Campbell, reviewed by Kati Barr-Taylor

Caroline already regrets her revenge one-night stand, because Aidan can’t or won’t accept the idea of one night.

CITY OF VENGEANCE by DV Bishop, reviewed by John Cleal

Court officer Cesare Aldo must find the killer of a prominent Jewish moneylender in a Florence riven by internal plotting, rivalries and strife.

CROSSED SKIS by Carol Carnac, reviewed by Viv Beeby

When the victim of a ruthless murder is found in a room at Mrs Stein's guest house burnt beyond recognition, little remains in the way of clues – except the distinctive impression of a ski stick left in the mud outside the front door.

THREE-A-PENNY by Lucy Malleson, reviewed by John Cleal

A fascinating insight into a woman ahead of her time during and after World War I and how she was forced to pose as a man to establish a career as a crime writer.

BREAK THE FALL by Jennifer Iacopelli, reviewed by Linda Wilson

Audrey Rey is a young gymnast with her sights set on the Olympic Games in Tokyo. But her back injury is a complicating factor and then the ultimate shock rocks the team when one of the girls fails a drugs test and their coach is accused of sexual misconduct.

SECRET NARCO by Wensley Clarkson, reviewed by John Cleal

A new look at the life and death of Great Train Robber and career-criminal Charlie Wilson.

PURE NARCO by Luis Navia and Jess Fink, reviewed by Chris Roberts

The autobiography of Luis Navia, who for 25 years organised shipments of cocaine from Colombia to US and Europe.

 

Best wishes 

Sharon and Linda 

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