Recommended Reads Blog
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DI Kelly Porter Series
DI Kelly Porter Series
Rachel Lynch
Book 1 Dark Game Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 2 Deep Fear Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 3 Dead End Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 4 Bitter Edge Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 5 Bold Lies Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 6 Blood Rites Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 7 Little Doubt Amazon Bookshop.org
Book 8 Lost Cause Amazon Bookshop.orgWelcome to a first for this blog, a review of an entire series.I first came across Rachel Lynch’s DI Kelly Porter in the summer of 2019, when her publisher sent me an early copy of the third book, Dead End. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and was more than happy to let a quote of mine be used on the cover blurb. A few months later, the convenor of my local Crime Writers’ Association chapter announced that we would have a new member joining us for our semi-regular lunch-time gatherings. Guess who turned up the following Sunday!
Since then, Rachel has written a further five books, a work-rate that puts many of us to shame!
Fast-forward to the end of 2020 and the wonderful folks who run the UK Crime Book Club Facebook page asked if I would like to do a live ‘in conversation with’ interview. And if I did, who would I like to speak to? The decision took seconds, and I fired off a quick Facebook message to Rachel. Regardless of her response, I happened to be standing outside a small bookshop in Bakewell (quite literally the only time I had been out in public since March!), and it gave me the perfect excuse to march in and buy her whole back catalogue with a view to binge-reading them before our conversation.The conversation took place on Friday 12th of February and is archived on both the UK Crime Book Club Facebook page and YouTube.
Reading the whole series back-to-back has been an absolute pleasure! As a writer of police procedurals myself, I know how difficult it can be to tread the fine-line between accuracy and the need to tell a good story, and Rachel nails it.
The stories encompass a range of different types of crime and societal issues including knife crime and teenage drug use, illegal immigation and people trafficking and a cracking messed-in-the-head serial killer! Rachel also touches on more unusual fare – the sixth in the series, Blood Rites explores ancient religions and cults. Unlike some authors, she resists the urge to over-sensationalise and treats these alternate beliefs with respect, and I came away feeling that I had learnt something genuinely interesting. Some of the themes (and antagonists) explored in earlier books are revisited later, which is extremely satisfying.The books are set in the lake district, an area Rachel knows intimately and whilst the alarmingly regular murders, and hidden secrets are probably not entirely to the Cumbria Tourist Information Office’s taste, I think they are more than compensated for by her clear love of the area. DI Kelly Porter is a keen runner and outdoorsperson, and Rachel’s descriptions of this breath-taking National Park, through all its varied seasons, remind me of the wonderful visits I have made there. I think that readers of her books who are unfamiliar with the area will be entranced, and may contemplate a future holiday there.
Porter is a compelling character; dogged and determined, she follows a really satisfying arc over the course of the books. Her personal life is well mapped-out, and whilst it has enough drama to keep readers hooked and keen to catch-up with her in the next book, she isn’t a dark, depressed alcoholic.
In many ways, I find this comforting; my own DCI Warren Jones isn’t plagued by as many demons as some of his fictional peers, and Rachel has proven that you can write dark stories without the need for a relentlessly dark central protagonist.There are many excellent crime series out there, and this is up with the best of them. And with its beautiful backdrops, complex and likeable central character, and satisfyingly complex plots, this is one that is crying out for TV. The success of Vera, DCI Banks and Shetland have shown that there is a big appetite for stories such as these. Perfect fodder for Sunday evening on ITV1!
I highly recommend this whole series!
Please feel free to share your thoughts here or on social media.
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The Boy From The Woods
The Boy From The Woods
Harlan Coben
I am a massive fan of US author Harlan Coben, so it was with great anticipation that I plucked The Boy From The Woods from the teetering pile of paperbacks that I received for Christmas. Coben is well-known for his Myron Bolitar series, however this is one of his equally excellent stand-alone thrillers.The premise is as original as ever: Thirty years ago, a young boy was found alone in a forested area of New Jersey. No name, no memories, nobody claims him as their own. Today, he is a decorated former soldier. He has friends and people that love him, but Wilde still prefers to live outdoors alone. But when a local school girl goes missing, Wilde is asked to help find her.There are certain things that you will always get with a Harlan Coben novel, and each of them is here:
- Compelling, original and well-thought-out characters. Check.
- Suburban, middle-class New Jersey. Check.
- Sharp, witty dialogue that makes you laugh out loud, even though the book is not a comedy. Check.
- A twisting, turning plot peppered with surprises and reveals. Double Check.
If all that sounds a bit too much like a formula, then don’t be fooled. Coben’s books may have a loose framework, but that’s because it is a damn good way to tell a story, and it is certainly never predictable. Instead, think of it as a list of the ingredients necessary for a meal. It’s the quality of those ingredients and what you do with them that determines how good the meal is.
A couple of things stood out for me, as I raced through the book in four sittings:
Hester Crimstein, TV attorney – acerbic, unsubtle and witty in the way that Coben is so good at. Her dialogue is peppered with NJ Jewish phrases. Think Judge Judy meets Joan Rivers. I really hope they film it one day; this character will be worth the price of admission alone.
Coben’s trademark journey of twists, reveals, apparent resolutions and double-backs. He manages to surprise repeatedly right until the very end.
A bogey man that will feel very familiar to anyone who has watched US politics over the past few years.A final thought. This is ostensibly a stand-alone. The story is fully and satisfyingly resolved at the end as always. But of all his recent novels, this is the one with the most scope for him to dig back into the sandbox and bring out the characters for another go. If there is any sort of sequel or series, they’ll be on my Christmas list again for sure.
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The Chain
The Chain
Adrian McKinty
This book is an absolute blinder. The first six pages of the paperback’s front filler are testimonials from fellow writers and the media, and I can well imagine the publishers having to trim that list down. It really is that good, and is well-deserving of The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award that it nabbed in 2020 and the many other awards that it has won or been shortlisted for.
The premise is ingenious:
Rachel O’Neil receives an anonymous phone call. They have her daughter and if she doesn’t follow their exact instructions, she will be killed. The kidnapper’s own child has also been snatched and the only way that their kid will be returned safely to them is for Rachel to choose and then kidnap another child, whose parents need to follow her exact instructions… It’s not about the money, it’s about maintaining The Chain.I love a story where an ordinary person is forced by circumstance to perform extraordinary acts; Harlan Coben‘s standalone novels are excellent examples of this.
However, an excellent premise is nothing if it isn’t executed properly, and this is where McKinty has excelled. Doubtless there will be many suspiciously similar books published over the coming years – especially if the movie comes to fruition. Many good writers are quite capable of taking such a strong idea and making a solid and enjoyable thriller. But McKinty has taken his time and carefully crafted a masterpiece.McKinty’s prose is descriptive and skilled and the chapters are short and punchy, keeping the pace brisk without ever feeling rushed. The chapters switch between several different points of view, perspectives and even timelines, but are populated by characters distinctive enough that it the reader is easily pulled into their world. McKinty is also not afraid to occasionally foreshadow events, so that the reader knows more than the protagonists. This can be tricky to pull off – get it wrong and the characters can come across as foolish; instead, the reader finds themselves racing through the pages, desperate to see what happens.
I’ve already alluded to the great Harlan Coben, and I feel that even he would be extremely pleased with this effort. And if you’ve ever seen my bookcases, you’ll know that is high praise indeed.
I very highly recommend this book!
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Steve Cavanagh Double Bill
Thirteen & Fifty-Fifty
Steve Cavanagh
Fifty-Fifty
(Eddie Flynn #5)
Buy from Amazon.
Buy from Bookshop.org and support independent sellers.Today is another double bill!Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series is fast becoming one of my ‘can’t miss’ reads, and these two latest entries have raised the already high bar he set with his previous books even more. The books have won numerous awards and are quite rightly bestsellers.For those unfamiliar with the set-up, Flynn is a New York-based con-artist turned defence lawyer. He only represents those that he knows are innocent; unfortunately his shady past and successful reputation have sometimes made him the ‘go to advocate’ for some decidedly unsavoury characters, who will make him an ‘offer he cannot refuse’, leaving Flynn with the unenviable task of trying to balance his own, ethical standards with the demands of his employers.The books are legal thrillers in the vein of Michael Connelly’s Micky Haller (Lincoln Lawyer) series, with a mixture of courtroom drama and outside thrills. Both aspects of the story are equally exciting. Remarkably, Cavanagh is a Belfast-born lawyer in real-life, who has never practised in the state of New York, yet his stories are filled with authentic detail and procedure, often with a very clever twist that demonstrates his deep understanding of the NY legal system.The series started with a bang in 2015’s The Defence and a very tasty short story The Cross, before continuing with The Plea and The Liar.
The subjects of this post are the two latest, Thirteen and Fifty-Fifty.Thirteen has, in my opinion, the most gripping tag-line in recent years.
‘The serial killer isn’t on trial. He’s on the jury.’
I mean, seriously, how can you not pick that off the shelf?
The premise for the book is summed up in that tag-line. The question, of course, is why? Why is he so desperate to get onto that jury? The serial killer is named on the novel’s jacket blurb – an audacious move that tells you immediately that you can trust nothing in this book. Of course, Eddie Flynn doesn’t take what he is presented with at first glance, and whilst the reader is shown glimpses of the killer that Flynn is not privvy to, you are chasing clues alongside Flynn throughout the book.Fifty-Fifty is another high-concept thriller, that lives up to the standard set by the previous book. The book opens in characteristic style – full-on, straight into the action, setting up the premise immediately. No slow-burn here!
A man has been murdered in his own home. The 911 dispatch operator is called by a terrified young woman who claims that the killer is still in the house and the murderer is her sister. Moments later another call is received. Same house, same murder, different sister – and she’s pointing the finger at the sibling who made the first call…
It’s a high-profile case and when both are charged, Flynn fights for the right to represent the sister that he is convinced is innocent. The other sister is represented by a young, inexperienced lawyer, and she is equally convinced of her client’s innocence.
As in Thirteen, we are shown extensive glimpses of the killer covering their tracks. But again, Cavanagh skilfully hides their identity. As the story unfolded, I found myself convinced that I knew who the killer must be – before having my mind changed. Repeatedly. The book is a masterclass in plotting and the art of the precisely placed reveal, and most importantly – a thumping good read!I can’t recommend these two books highly enough. And whilst I’ve known Steve personally for several years, as always his books are featured here on their own (considerable) merits.
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Alex North Double Bill
The Whisper Man & The Shadow Friend
Alex North
Time for another double bill!Today it is the turn of Alex North. Full disclosure – despite what the marketing for The Whisper Man may lead you to believe, Alex North is not, strictly-speaking, a new writer. And that was not his debut novel. A touch naughty perhaps, but when you write this well it can be forgiven. North already had a successful career, writing some excellent stand-alones, each with a terrific premise. I’ve known him for a number of years, enjoying those previous works, and he’d be a recommended read regardless. North’s real identity is an open secret within the crime writing community but I’ll respect his privacy and refer to him by his pseudonym.Before I get into the reviews though, let’s just take a moment to appreciate those amazing covers! I splashed out on the hardbacks, which are embossed, and they look absolutely lovely on the bookshelf.
North writes standalone thrillers. A hallmark of these, and his previous works, are a really clever premise, populated by beautifully-realised characters and a deep understanding of the psychology and motivations behind both protagonists and antagonists. Both of these novels could be categorised as psychological suspense, with an element of the supernatural* – real or imagined – but at the heart of each is a damned good mystery.
In The Whisper Man, Tom Kennedy and his young son move to a new area for a fresh start after the death of his wife, Jake’s mother. Fifteen years before they arrived, a serial killer murdered five children. The killer was caught and imprisoned, and became known as The Whisper Man. The new start seems to be working, until Jake starts acting strangely. He says he hears whispering at his window…
Where The Whisper Man is a beautiful exploration of what it’s like to be a father, The Shadow Friend examines what it is to be a son. Twenty-five years after a troubled teenager, Charlie Crabtree, disappeared after committing a shocking, unprovoked murder, his then friend, Paul Adams finally returns home. He’s never forgiven himself for his part in what happened that day, but his mother has a fall and he finally decides to stop running. The old town is full of things he’d rather forget, but by coming back, he’s forced to confront them.
I recommend these books, because not only are they very good, original page-turners, they are extremely well-written and they linger with you long after you close the cover. North has earned enough trust from me that I will buy whatever he writes next, in hardback, sight unseen.
*BTW if the mere mention of the word ‘supernatural’ puts you off – don’t let it. I’ve never been a fan of the so-called supernatural genre. The scientist in me tends to scoff and roll his eyes as soon as anyone mentions ghosts, spirits, and the ‘paranormal’; I spend the month of October skimming through the TV guide looking for something else to watch, and have never read any Stephen King! However, North slips these hints into his stories in an ambiguous way that is more creepy and disturbing than supernatural, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions based on their personal outlook.
