Tag Archives: Thriller

The Ark by Christopher Coates

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Today I’m going to be reviewing The Ark by Christopher Coates

Here’s the blurb

The Earth as we know it is about to end.

Technology has developed to the point where a person can be placed in a Sleep State: a cross between suspended animation and a drug-induced coma.

Just as the trial of the new technology is being completed, an unusual comet is discovered approaching Earth, bringing with it radiation that will wipe out all life on the planet. Soon after, the government builds a sleeper facility to save humankind from extinction, taking drastic steps to maintain secrecy of the project.

But when the sleepers awaken, they discover that something has gone terribly wrong… and that the strange world around them is not the one they fell asleep in.

Review

I picked up The Ark as I was fancying something a little different to my normal choice of book. The synopsis stood out as it made me think a little of Deep Impact and Armageddon.. but the focus is changed from trying to save the world to figuring out how to rebuild after the event.

There’s a comet on it’s way by Earth.. it won’t hit, but radiation is detected that will change the landscape of the planet forever.

The government have a few options open to them but the most promising is a new technology. This new technology has the ability to put an individual to sleep, slow the body’s natural processes.. essentially they will be in suspended animation.. The issue is the technology hasn’t be perfected yet for a scale such as this and the government is need to find a suitable location under the extreme pressure of knowing they can only save a very small percentage of the population.

It’s a battle to keep the truth a secret.. if the news were to get out the whole world would panic and it’s likely no one would survive.. there would be riots.. death and destruction and that’s even before the comet passes.

In the run up to the event a few people do come a little close to the truth and the author explores the power and reach of those in charge as silence reigns..

Those chosen for the sleeper program each have skills but learn further skills to better set them up to rebuild after the event.. estimates show they will be asleep for around 20 years.. it’s a lot for those people to take in but they know they are the last ditch attempt at survival and if they are lucky it’s all one big error and they will all be able to go home soon..

At the same time the government put plans in place to build underground shelters.. it’s not going to protect many but at least some will have the chance to live in the hope that these “sleepers” will wake up and will help rebuild the world.

When the sleepers awake there’s a big problem… things haven’t gone to plan.. it’s not been 20 years…the radiation was much stronger than first thought… those in underground shelters only had a certain amount of supplies… did anyone survive? Do the sleepers have anyone to rebuild the world for?

I really enjoyed the plot and I loved the focus on the sleepers, the preparation needed.. the sacrifices made. All the preparation time really helped the development of the characters and I really found myself like liking the team and was investing in their survival, the pace also help set the mood well..you feel the nervous energy pouring off the page.

I also found how the author tackled the question about communication, and how they would keep the threat a secret very well thought out and plausible. I wouldn’t want to be in charge if there was a global threat on the way.

There’s a clear direction for the ply but the author still manages to add some twists and turns along the way.. like you know it’s not going to all go to plan… technology.. nothings ever easy.. but the twists are exciting and add an extra punch to the story.

I was very much sucked into this one.. so much so as soon as I finished I was checking in the hopes this might be a series.. I don’t do much research before picking up a book so was a little deflated at first.. The Ark is not part of a series… well actually it kind of is…while it’s not a series you can imagine my excitement to learn there’s a parallel story.. The Anvil… we see events from the viewpoint of those lucky enough to be brought into the underground shelters.. do they survive..and at what cost? I’ve already finished it and I’ve only good things to say… look out for that review coming too!

4/5 Stars

To find our more head to Amazon or Goodreads

Perfect Little Lies by S.A. Tameez – Review

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Today I’m reviewing Perfect Little Lies by S.A. Tameez.

Here’s the blurb

After a body is discovered in the Thames, DS Nick Bailey & DC Zoe Hall begin the hunt for an elusive killer. The clues point to a notorious serial killer, but their instincts point them in a different direction.

With numerous suspects, each with a motive, the Major Crime’s Unit has its work cut out.

After joining the dots, they soon realise there is someone among them who will do anything not to get caught – even kill again.

Review

DS Bailey and DC Hall have a murder to solve. Is a notorious killer back.. The Sailor… or is this a copy cat?

I really loved the plot with this one, paced well, detailed scenes with character development thrown in to ensure you feel the motivations and emotions of the characters. In the fashion I like for the genre the characters have flaws.. we like to imagine those upholding the law are perfect but they are human themselves and they need to juggle personal and professional issues and the stakes are high.

Perfect Little Lies is the perfect mix of suspense & thriller.. it’s dark and devastating perfect tale.

Format wise I loved the feel, chapter length was spot on.. just long enough to hook a claw in you so much that you always have to go for one more chapter and before you know it you’ve demolished the entire book!

I loved the twists, very unexpected at times and it really makes the plot standout from just being a good book to being a 5* murderous success. Highly recommended!

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads. Or any good local bookseller if you can 🙂

The Rain by B.B Thomas – Audiobook Review

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Today I’m reviewing The Rain by B.B Thomas. An Audible Original Narrated by: Tom Petty, Catrin Walker-Booth, Katy Sobey

Here’s the blurb

A taut psychological thriller that will keep listeners guessing all the way to the end….

Rob and Emma have made a fresh start, moving away from London and back to her hometown. With their baby daughter Sophie, their family is complete.

Until one night, Rob arrives home from a late shift to find baby Sophie crying and on her own. Frantically, he searches the house and surroundings, but Emma has disappeared without a trace.

Rob is distraught. Emma couldn’t abandon their child – could she?

As rumours spread around the village, Rob uncovers secrets about Emma’s past life that shake his foundations about the woman he thought he married.

And when suspicion is cast on him, he must take desperate action to find out what happened to Emma. The question is, does he know his wife well enough to uncover the truth?

Review

Wow!

The Rain follows Rob, Emma and their little girl Sophie.

One night when Rob arrives home to find Sophie crying and Emma missing he fears the worst.. why would she leave Sophie like this… why would she not talk to him.

When the police arrive to help find his missing wife there’s speculation maybe Emma has just runaway, unhappy with her life… but Rob can’t accept that.

I’m trying to keep this spoiler free so let’s just say an event occurs that will shake Rob to the core.

Rob spirals and starts to look deeper into his wife’s past..there’s a secret she was running from but why? And what’s it got to do with her disappearance? Why now?

As Rob tries to come to terms with recent events and taking care of his daughter he builds a great friendship with Emma’s parents and together it seems like Rob might be able to move on a little..and he even starts to make a new friend…

But soon suspicion lands on him for Emma’s disappearance and with the police scrutinising his every move some of the things he’s done don’t look good… but things aren’t right..things have been twisted..but by who? And why? It’s not looking good for Rob.

The last few chapters are a chilling ride for the reader as the author puts the pieces together for Rob and the truth revealed.

When it comes to the plot I frigging loved this, very tense and chilling with twists along the way. Towards the end you are just waiting for that truth to be revealed and it’s very much the WOW moment but if I’m honest the whole story was a WOW moment for me.

I quite enjoy and audible book but truth be told my mind wanders a lot if I’m not reading a physical book so an author actually needs to work hard to grab my attention and this story certainly did, couldn’t put it down and it even led me to enjoy some of the housework like ironing and cleaning as it was the perfect time to put the headphones in and shut off from life for a little ha.

Narration wise I felt it worked so well. There was emotion and depth to the voices which perfectly suited the tail and it certainly added to the tense theme of the tale.

Very much a 5* from me and highly recommended to anyone who enjoys an audible tale.

To find out more head to Audible, Amazon or Goodreads.

BLOG TOUR – Open Your Eyes by Heather J. Fitt

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Today we kick off blog tour for Open Your Eyes by Heather J. Fitt.

I’ve been very lucky to be involved with some of the blog tours Heather herself has organised so I couldn’t miss this one!

Here’s the blurb

A Scottish journalist enters a dark online world in this unsettling novel of men, women, resentment, and rage…

Edinburgh reporter Frankie has finally been assigned a high-profile crime story about a series of sexual assaults, and relishes her big break. Her article focuses on the issue of women’s safety, which doesn’t seem to have improved much since the era of the Yorkshire Ripper.

When she faces a torrent of abuse online, it leads her to discover the phenomenon of incels— and puts her in the sights of those trying to stop her covering the story. But she refuses to back down. What she doesn’t realise is that in this murky online world, one man is being goaded into a spectacular and shocking attack with Frankie as his main target…

Review

Open Your Eyes follows Frankie, a reporter who is hot on the heels of a developing story.

There have been a series of assaults on women lately, but are they linked, if so how? And what are the police going to do the protect women’s safety.

Frankie’s had to work hard for this story and she’s keen for it to come across as balanced rather than anti-men, at first the response to her story is positive but then she suffers a series of threats and abuse online.

These threats don’t deter Frankie and she learns of a seedy underground, a network of individuals keen to see those they feel have wronged them humiliated.

Frankie won’t back down to the trolls but little does she know how real things will become.

I really thought the author balanced the tale well, so much so you kind of understood the motivations of the main perpetrator in the story, although his actions are undefendable..

Open Your Eyes gives you cracking plot, as seen from two perspectives, it’s gripping and dark and you feel for each character.. there’s a realness to them, the depth and development of each character just utterly marvellous.

While the plot was vivid and exciting, I also felt a nagging tingle as I read the story, how as kids we don’t see things as bullying, we don’t see the harm we can do, we don’t realise how important education is, feminism, equality, victim shaming, online hate, manipulation… it’s all covered in this story and really makes you think.

For a debut novel I must say this is fantastic, Heather J. Fitt has ticked all the boxes for a dark phycological thriller, and I’d highly recommend you grab a copy.

To find out more or to purchase head to Goodreads or Amazon. Or ask your local bookseller if they can get a copy of the paperback for you 😊.

I received an ARC copy of the book to aid with my review but it’s certainly one I’m going to buy, I reckon the wife will love this one! My thanks to the author 🙂

5/5 Stars.

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Heather was born in Scotland and after moving around Europe with her parents and sister, settled in Hampshire where she met her husband, Stuart.

After leaving the rat-race in 2018, Heather re-trained as an editor and proof-reader and entered the world of publishing. These days she works as a part-time freelancer and a part-time Commissioning Advisor for Bloodhound.

Heather was inspired to start writing her novel by the authors who have become her closest friends. Now the ideas are flowing she has plans to write several more over the coming years.

When she isn’t reading, Heather enjoys spending her time watching sport –­ especially her beloved rugby – and exploring the British countryside with Stuart.

Heather’s debut novel will be published by Bloodhound in Summer 2021.

For regular bookish updates, you can follow Heather on Twitter: @LifeBookish

BLOG TOUR – Outcast by Chris Ryan!

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for Outcast by Chris Ryan!

Chris was born in Newcastle, my neck of the woods! So how could I not jump on the chance to be part of the blog tour!!

Here’s the blurb

After single-handedly intervening in a deadly terrorist attack in Mali, SAS Warrant Officer Jamie ‘Geordie’ Carter is denounced as a lone wolf by jealous superiors.

Now a Regiment outcast, Carter is given a second chance with a deniable mission: locate SAS hero-gone-rogue, David Vann.

Vann had been sent into Afghanistan to train local rebels to fight the Taliban. But he’s since gone silent and expected attacks on key targets have not happened.

Tracking Vann through Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Carter not only discovers the rogue soldier’s involvement in a conspiracy that stretches far beyond the Middle East – but an imminent attack that will have deadly consequences the world over . . .

Review.

Outcast follows the journey of Officer Jamie ‘Geordie’ Carter.  Carter is a likeable fellow, but he’s ruffled some feathers along the way and has found himself out of favour with his superiors.  

On his current assignment it looks like he’s about to make things worse but just when things are about to get interesting an offer comes his way that he can’t resist.  

A fellow Blade, his mentor, David Vann has gone missing while on assignment, information is lacking so Carter is sent in the extract Vann.

As soon as Carter picks up the trail he gets a sense something isn’t quite right but little does he know what kind of shitstorm he’s about to walk into.

There’s action and betrayal behind every chapter and it ends up a race against time for Carter as there’s much more at stake than we first thought.

This is my first time reading a Chris Ryan book and I’ve heard many a good thing said about his work. Flow wise the book didn’t disappoint, it’s all about the build-up but with plenty of action and adrenaline as Carter constantly reassess the situation as the plot takes a twist. Character wise it didn’t disappoint either, the plot leaves little chance to give the characters too much depth but perfectly matches the flow as the author packs details in that quickly help you assess the characters and their motivations.

There’s a real authentic edge to the tale, the setting within Afghanistan after the withdrawal of western troops which gave the perfect backdrop for this story.

Outcast is a fast-paced thriller that fans of the genre will love. There’s a twist at the end which I hope means we will see more of Carter.. I’ll be waiting 😊

My thanks go to the author, publisher and Rachel @ rachelsrandomresources.com for having me on the tour! I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review but I’ll be more than happy to grab a copy too 😊

5/5 Stars from me 🙂

To find our more head to Goodreads, Amazon or Browns Books.

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Chris Ryan was born in Newcastle.

In 1984 he joined 22 SAS. After completing the year-long Alpine Guides Course, he was the troop guide for B Squadron Mountain Troop. He completed three tours with the anti-terrorist team, serving as an assaulter, sniper and finally Sniper Team Commander.

Chris was part of the SAS eight-man team chosen for the famous Bravo Two Zero mission during the 1991 Gulf War. He was the only member of the unit to escape from Iraq, where three of his colleagues were killed and four captured, for which he was awarded the Military Medal. Chris wrote about his experiences in his book The One That Got Away, which became an immediate bestseller. Since then he has written over fifty books and presented a number of very successful TV programmes.

Social Media Links  

Twitter

https://twitter.com/exsaschrisryan

https://twitter.com/ZaffreBooks

BLOG TOUR! Hustle by Owen Mullen

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Today is my stop on the blog tour for Hustle by Owen Mullen, book 3 in The Glass Family series.

Here’s the blurb

If you mess with the Glass family, don’t expect to live to tell the tale…

What was meant to be a straightforward jewellery heist goes horribly wrong, and the thieves are forced to take a hostage to make their escape. But when they discover their prisoner is the infamous Nina Glass – one of the bosses of the most dangerous criminal dynasty in London – they soon realise they have made a terrible mistake.

Greed wins out over good sense and the gang decide to make the best of a bad situation. They send Luke Glass a ransom note. But messing with London’s top crime dynasty is a serious error. Now Luke must track down the gang who abducted his sister before they carry out their brutal threats.

The Glass family have other problems. The crooked cop they have on their payroll – DCI Oliver Stanford – makes an unwelcome discovery. The insider they had all presumed dead, may in fact have survived, and still be feeding information to the police. 

Under attack from all sides, and desperate to save his sister, Luke has the reputation and survival of the crime dynasty in his hands – is this the end of the Glass family?

Three people can keep a secret – if two of them are dead…

Review

First things first, you don’t need to have read the first 2 books in the series to be able to follow this one. What I love about Owen’s work is how he easily slips in key info to remind readers of past events which is just the right amount for a new reader to be able to follow.. but at the same time I do recommend reading the rest of the series…it’s bloody good!

We are back with the Glass family and a new threat is about to hit the family hard.

During what should have been a straightforward robbery a hostage is taken.. that hostage is Nina Glass. The robbers didn’t know that at first but now they do they have a choice…and they decide its time to have a bit of fun with the Glass family..

They must be crazy as Luke Glass isn’t a man to cross but Luke might have his work cut out for him on this one… he doesn’t know who these people are.. or where they are.

Luke uses all his contacts to find Nina, even risking his inside man within the police force but will it be enough.

What I really enjoyed with this one was the development of Nina. She’s a tough cookie but we see deeper into her personality, more than we ever have before. Simply no other word for it than WOW!

With each instalment of the Glass family the tale goes deeper, darker and grittier than previous and it’s seriously too good not to read and love!

I also love how Owen manages to pack so much into his tales. Not only does Luke have to save his sister but there’s some wannabes looking for a piece of the action they feel belongs to them.. Should the family give ground or stand up to these fools.. again.. no one messes with Luke Glass. No one messes with the family.

Another 5* from Owen…I’m not sure how he manages to do it but he clearly knows the recipe for a good gangland thriller.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to Owen Mullen, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this ebook in return for my honest review and Rachel from http://www.rachelsrandomresources.com for having me on the blog tour! I had the book pre-ordered from day one and look forward to having a paperback join my collection soon.

With book 4 in the series on the way I’m a very have man.

Author Bio –

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete. In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written seven books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood, Family was published in January 2021.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenBooks

Twitter https://twitter.com/OwenMullen6

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/OwenMullenNewsletter

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

BLOG TOUR – Black Witch Moon by Colin Garrow

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Today we are kicking off the blog tour for Black Witch Moon by Colin Garrow!

Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the tour… the beauty in this one is I already had the book downloads as I’ve been a follower of Colin’s for some time.. although I’ve only read 1 or 2 of his books so far… to my shame :(. I was eager to rectify this 🙂

Here’s the blurb

Tyburn, 1625. A young woman hanged as a witch. A doctor plagued by nightmares.

Wracked by guilt, Robert Winter struggles with the notion that a witch may have been wrongly accused. But if that is so, what can he do about it?

When strange things begin to happen, Winter’s understanding of good and evil are put to the test. Compelled to choose one or the other, he soon learns that taking sides is the least of his problems…

In this horror series set in London, the novella Black Witch Moon is book #1 in the Black Witch Saga.

Review

As the story starts the scene is set… a witch is about to be hanged.. but was she a witch? or is this a case of lies or hysteria? In the 17th century belief in witchcraft was common place, and a simple loathing of an individual or misunderstanding could see someone hanged!

After the witch has been hanged the people go back to their lives like nothing has changed.. but for some it has. Robert Winter feels guilty.. and the witch is soon to visit to show him the error of his way… but how? she’s dead… and if she’s really a witch why haunt him?

Answers come thick and fast.. he’s not the only one to have seen the witch.. and she’s after justice… the Doctor’s course is set… it’s his duty now to see that confessions are gained from the accusers.

Black Witch Moon is a nice little novella, fast following and packed with plot. The writing style suits the period its set in and the language used made the story feel more real.

In less than 100 pages Colin Garrow manages to transport us to another time.. makes us feel the hysteria of witchcraft.. you get carried away yourself finding is hard to distinguish reality.

A very enjoyable and fresh read

4/5 Stars

To find out more do follow the tour or head to Goodreads and Amazon!

Author Bio –

Colin Garrow grew up in a former mining town in Northumberland. He has worked in a plethora of professions including: taxi driver, antiques dealer, drama facilitator, theatre director and fish processor, and has occasionally masqueraded as a pirate. All Colin’s books are available as eBooks and most are also out in paperback, too. His short stories have appeared in several literary mags, including SN Review, Flash Fiction Magazine, Word Bohemia, Every Day Fiction, The Grind, A3 Review, 1,000 Words, Inkapture and Scribble Magazine. He currently lives in a humble cottage in North East Scotland where he writes novels, stories, poems and the occasional song

Social Media Links – https://linktr.ee/colingarrow

BLOG TOUR – The Price by Kerry Kaya

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Today is the last day and may stop on the blog tour for The Price by Kerry Kaya.

Have you been following the tour? Why not? Check out the blogs below to catch up 😊

Here’s the blurb on the book:

Break the rules…

Harry Fletcher – Fletch to his friends – has spent his life surviving the tough streets of the East End. He knows working for notorious gangster Billy King is dangerous, and sleeping with Billy’s beautiful wife, Susan is deadly…but rules are meant to be broken.

Pay the price.

If Billy discovers the affair, Fletch is a dead man. But the closer he gets to Susan the more reckless Fletch becomes. And soon, Fletch realises that every one – even him – must pay the price for his actions.

But just what is Fletch prepared to lose…and will the cost be too high, even for him?

Review.

Fletch, his brother Spencer and their best mate Stevie are local lads up to no good. They soon get noticed by Billy King. King’s not a man to be messed with and little do the lads know they will soon be joining the ranks of Billy’s gang.

Billy takes a shine to Fletch and it shows, money flows and loose lips talk and the trust grows. This trust is put to the test when Fletch catches the eye of Billy’s wife, the attraction is mutual and given Billy really doesn’t deserve his wife Fletch soon finds himself head over heals.

While Fletch is preoccupied, King’s gang is like a pressure cooker waiting to go off, local rivals are pushing their weight around and Billy has to make a statement.. although he’s smart.. he doesn’t actually want to get caught.. he just wants these guys to know you can’t cross Billy King and live!

The pressure ramps up when King has Spencer take out one of the rival crew. Fletch is very protective of his brother and this further adds to the stress Fletch is under, but why is he so protective? His brother is big enough to look after himself after all.

The bombshell twist hits home hard and Fletch has to do everything he can to stop his brother learning the truth.. he’s also got to work hard to keep his relationship a secret still if he doesn’t want his boss to kill him.

Inevitably for a gangster Fletch’s  world comes crashing down and his life is spiralling out of control. Can he keep his family safe?

The Price is a super fast paced and easy flowing gangland tale focusing on family and hidden secrets. The twists came just when you needed them to keep you sucked in. A fun enjoyable read.

4/5 Stars

My thanks go to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the blog tour and for the ARC to allow me time to have my review ready for the blog tour, another I’ll be adding to my kindle purchased listed very soon. 😊

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

Author Bio –  

Kerry Kaya is the hugely popular author of Essex-based gritty gangland thrillers with strong family dynamics. She grew up on one of the largest council estates in the UK, where she sets her novels. She also works full-time in a busy maternity department for the NHS. She has signed a nine-book deal with Boldwood for both new and backlist titles. Her first book The Price will be published in July 2021.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KerryKayaAuthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/KerryKayaWriter on Twitter

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kerry_kaya_writer/ on Instagram

BLOG TOUR – Insider by Owen Mullen (The Glass Family Book 2)

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Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Insider by Owen Mullen, an author who is a firm favourite here on David’s Book Blurg! It just so happens to be release day so without further ado…

Here’s the blurb

Someone’s playing both sides and now they have a score to settle…

When the family business is crime, you can never be sure who to trust. And when three of their businesses are hit in one night, the notorious Glass family close ranks. Either someone is sending them a message or a war is coming…

With trouble coming from all sides, the heads of the Glass family have more than enough to deal with, but all bets are off when a stranger from the past enters the game, causing division and mistrust.

Crooked cops, rival gangs and old enemies are bad enough, but when the trouble comes from the inside, loyalties are tested, with deadly consequences.

Review

We are back with the Glass family for book 2 in this gritty gangland series. Luke is now head of the family after events in the previous installment, he never wanted this life..he was ready to walk away.. but once it’s got hold of you, you’re not getting out.

Jazzer and his friends are hired to hit some of Luke’s investments little do they know the world of trouble this will bring them. George Ritchie the gangster is back and working for Luke and you just know when he gets the scent there’s nowhere safe to hide . No one might have been hurt but George is old school… payback will be swift.

What happens next rocks the Glass family.. firstly the club is hit and this time there’s a body count..then someone from the past shows up.. a stranger.. but someone who wants a piece of the family action.

Soon it becomes very clear the hits were not carried out by the same crew.. and the Glass family are systematically under attack..and with little to no clues to go on Luke turns to Mark Douglas. Douglass is an ex cop who helped stop the hit at the club becoming worse than it was.. this guys good and he brings his own crew in the sort the family mess out.

Nina, Luke’s sister is still in the family business but she’s a loose canon.. can Luke, George and Mark tame her… no chance.. but can they calm her down enough to stop her getting in serious trouble.. or worse..

Things heat up a lot and the bodies start to pile up. Luke’s more shady customers start to become concerned, especially when they end up potential targets themselves.

Now Luke has his own connections,  he’s got a policeman on the payroll but Oliver Standford has his own issues when he becomes a target too. He wants out of the life but he’s stuck..if he goes down so does the Glass family. The main issue is there is no chatter on who is after the family, but why? Surely someone knows?

Things come to a dramatic EXPLOSIVE conclusion in what has to be one of the best new series I’ve read in a long time. I never thought gangland thrillers would be my kind of story.. I’m a historical fiction guy through and through but Mullen knows how to suck the readers in, knows just how to write to get you invested and In customary fashion the author leaves you desperate for more.

The thing I enjoyed the most about this offering was the character development..we already know some of the main players and their motivations and this left the author time to bring in some fresh blood, even though it’s unlikely they will make it through this one alive.. the fresh blood helped keep things lively and exciting..and bloody fun to read.

5/5 Stars

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

My thanks go to the author, the publisher and Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the blog tour! I received an ARC of the book as part of the tour but I’ve had the book pre-ordered since February so you’ll see that verified tag on Amazon 🙂

Why not follow the tour?

About the author

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written seven books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood, Family was published in January 2021.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OwenMullen6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

Newsletter Sign Up Link: https://bit.ly/OwenMullenNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

Assassins by Rob Sinclair (A Ryker Returns Thriller Book 2) – Review.

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Today I’m celebrating the kindle release of Rob Sinclair’s latest book, Assassins (A Ryker Returns Thriller Book 2). What better way to celebrate than to give the book the David’s Book Blurg treatment!

Here’s the blurb

He’s never going to stop…

Stalking the streets of Prague, James Ryker is on the hunt for justice when he hears a news report of a murder in rural England. Big problem. He knows the victim. Ten years ago, in Qatar, Ryker led a team of assassins to kill him. He thought they had.

So how has a man Ryker thought dead for over a decade suddenly resurfaced?

Travelling across the globe, Ryker sets off on a quest to discover the truth from that fateful night in Qatar. When he realises that his old team members are now under threat from a ruthless female assassin, he knows his problems have only just started.

In a race against time, Ryker must work out who is behind the killings and evade the assassin before he becomes the next victim…

Review

Firstly I’m going to get this off my chest! How bloody awesome is Ryker? I mean seriously this guy has been beat up more times than I can count but he doesn’t stay down for long. Credit to the author Rob Sinclair who continues to offer up riveting espionage thrillers. The author has found his way of refreshing his main character Ryker, keeping things interesting and turning the energy up to the max.

In this instalment we learn of mission from Ryker’s past.. it didn’t go to plan but the end result was the same.. a dead body… this dead body though turns up a decade later..he’s been alive and well all this time.. but how? And why has someone killed him now?

Ryker only works for himself now and the JIA his former employers are no more..well at least on paper.. this means he’s got his work cut out for himself. He’s not stayed alive this long without learning some skills and more than one trick to hide up his sleeve.

Things spiral fast and it soon becomes clear there’s more going on…. and the body count rises.. there’s a new assassin on the scene but who is she? And what’s the motivation?

The only way Ryker can solve this riddle is to find out what really happened 10 years ago.. but this assassin isn’t going to make it easy for him.

As thrillers go you can’t go wrong with Rob Sinclair, the pace is perfect, there’s action when you need it and it’s balanced superbly with the plot and character development.. the flow is so natural you just end up devouring the story. To say it’s action packed is an understatement.. it’s got the action….the blood and guts..and the twists you just don’t see coming… there’s some pretty decent explosions too 🙂

Ryker finds it hard to trust anyone because everyone that gets close to him either dies.. or can’t be trusted.. what’s your bet on this instalment ha.

I can honestly say I really do get excited when I hear Rob’s got a new book coming out, without fail I know I’m going to enjoy it.

5/5 Stars

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

My thanks go to the author and the publisher Bloodhound Books for the ARC to assist with my review, I’ve had the book pre-ordered as soon as it was announced so you’ll see that verified purchase tag 🙂