Book Review: Skin (Jack Caffery #4) by Mo Hayder

Skin by Mo Hayder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The first Mo Hayder book I read was Birdman and I was hooked instantly, and can still remember parts of it in my head as clear as day
Skin although not the second in the series, was the next one I read. This time as well as DI Jack Caffery, we are joined by diver, Flea Marley.
The strength of Hayder's writing is what kept me going in this book. She writes suspense and excitement brilliantly and the twists and turns come thick and fast. The situation that Flea finds herself in was an unusual one and it was interesting seeing how she coped with the situation. I must admit, I found her relatives infuriatingly annoying (in a good way!), which shows how well written the characters and events were.
I think the reason I gave this a three, rather than a four, or a five, was the superstition element of the book. I didn't particularly enjoy it and would have been quite happy with the police procedural with Flea and Caffery. But I will definitely be reading more of Mo Hayder. She's a brilliant writer and if you want to raise your blood pressure a little, get stuck in.

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Book review: Joyland by Stephen King

Joyland by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stephen King is one of the best storytellers that has ever existed. Ever. That's the only way to describe him, the only way to explain how wonderful this book is. I personally prefer his simpler stories, like Carrie, or Misery. Not too much going on, but the characters pop out of the pages and you instantly feel for them, their situation, their surroundings.
Joyland is one of these books. We follow Dev, as he is employed at Joyland in the summer of 1973. From the first few lines I was hooked into the story. Dev is likeable, and the story is told in his voice, which makes him easy to sympathise with.
Along the way we meet a menagerie of interesting characters from Rozzie, the eccentric fortune teller, his friends Erin and Tom, handyman Lane, to Mike, his mother and their Jack Russell. Yet despite their eccentricities, none of them seem out of place. Joyland itself is described vividly, and the essence of the seventies seeps through too.
The main story is more about the murder of several young women, notably Linda Grey at Joyland, over the years and Dev and Erin's work into solving it. It is captivating, as King's work normally is and your breath is held as he peels back each layer, revealing more clues. But unfortunately for me, I guessed who the perpetrator was, which was disappointing, but there's always that pleasant feeling of being right.
The tale of Mike, his mother Annie and their dog Milo runs alongside this one. The characters are portrayed brilliantly and I was hooked on every word spoken. I didn't feel like I was rushing through their parts to get back to the murder either, which I have done is some other books.
So overall, more books like this please Mr King! Stories and characters with heart that let your imagination run wild.

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Book Review: The Shakespeare's Curse (Kate Stanley #2) by Jennifer Lee Carrell

The Shakespeare Curse by Jennifer Lee Carrell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I started reading The Shakespeare Curse several times before I actually managed to get in it enough to enjoy it and be hooked.
I'd say this is a story of two parts. The first is set at Dunsinnan, a castle in Scotland as actress Janet Douglas invites Kate to be involved in a special production of Macbeth. Events send Kate and other characters across London, through secret passageways and old museums.
As a lover of Shakespeare and of Scotland I was enthralled by the prospect of this book. But that was the problem. It never quite lived up to it's blurb.
I found many of the characters to be irritating, or unbelievable, while those I did like got killed off. In particular, Lily, the grand-daughter of the aforementioned actress. She acts so irresponsibly, and with little regard for anyone else by the end I just wanted to slap her.
The saving grace of this book is the Shakespeare, and Jennifer Lee Carrell's ability to write suspense and adventure. For those who are not familiar with Macbeth she explains the play simply, without 'dumbing down', for those who are familiar, they will love the quotations and gobbets. I also particularly liked the historical parts of the book, set in the 17th century.
I enjoyed the second part of the book more than the first, as I felt the pace speed up and things actually started moving. Stories of secret passageways, hidden rooms and long lost artifacts always excite me and this had plenty of them.
Overall, as a lover of Shakespeare, this will be enjoyed, but start with the first book, which I found much better.

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Book Review: The Bone Collector (Lincoln Rhyme #1) by Jeffrey Deaver

The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read The Bone Collector after watching the 1999 film of the same name staring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, so I went in with characters already in my head, despite the descriptions in the book being different to both actors.
The other day I was discussing with a friend the different kinds of books you get, and I'm not talking genres. This book is a 'rip-roaring' read, in that, it's quick, fast-paced, full of tension and excitement. But once you've read it, it doesn't stay with you. Some of my favourite books I can remember great chunks of, I can clearly see images in my head, but this isn't the same with The Bone Collector.
I don't think Jeffrey Deaver is a bad writer at all. In fact, I think he's a great writer, for keeping up the suspense. I remember reading the book eagerly, each crime scene that Amelia Sachs processes and investigates is very descriptive and almost graphic in detail.
I also remember being surprised at the ending, which is different from the film, and the person responsible for the crimes was a shock, which I always like to be at the end of a mystery.
Overall, I enjoyed it, and would probably read some more by Jeffrey Deaver when in need of some quick thrills!

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Book Review: Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason

Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indriðason
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arnaldur Indridason is an author I discovered last year almost accidentally due to my A-Z of authors, and I'm so glad. The story opens with a toddler chewing on a bone, a human bone, which leads to the discovery of a body.
As always, the author keeps the reader gripped on every page with twists and turns aplenty. The story switches between the main character, Detective Erlendur and a family in the midst of World War II.
I personally preferred the parts about the family in the 40's. I found their story to be interesting and I felt and wanted to fight for every character. I found myself willing the mother of the family in question to succeed, to win, to stop being abused by Grimur, probably one of the most horrible characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
But similarly, the investigative side of the story and the complexities of Erlendur and his family also providing interesting reading and a longer narrative over the series of books.
As always, the setting of Iceland, creates a brilliant atmosphere. I often felt that the location in this novel was another character, integral to the plot. But the one thing that sold this book for me more than anything else, was that the identity of the victim wasn't revealed until very near the end of the book. The suspense and the genius of the author for keeping the reader interested and eager to find out who the victim was and how they were killed is excellent. I can't wait to read more by Arnaldur Indridason.

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Book Review: The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was recommended to me by the owner of my local bookshop Booka. I'm working my way through the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes very slowly as the book is mahoosive and I can't take it anywhere with me.
The House of Silk is a brilliant, rip-roaring read, full of Victorian urchins, mystery, intrigue and horse and carriage chases.
Anthony Horowitz is a great writer and I had no problem imagining Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The prologue which explains why the book was only recently published is also a nice added touch.
As always with Holmes, the plot is complicated with twists and turns on every page. The way Horowitz details Watson and Holmes' relationship and how much Watson cares for Holmes is lovely to read as a lover of these stories.
The reader is propelled into Victorian London with all of it's charm and characters and you are gripped from beginning to end trying to work out how everything is linked. I also think Horowitz dealt with a delicate subject matter very well without sounding preachy or going on about the 'message'.
And for me, despite their series being set in modern London I pictured Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as the aforementioned characters. I really hope Horowitz decides to write another Holmes novel as I enjoyed this one immensely.

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Book Review: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'd heard that this book was amazing when it came out. That it was groundbreaking, and shocked all of it's readers. So I went into The Murder of Roger Ackroyd with excitement and anticipation.
Don't get me wrong, I love Agatha Christie and the characters she creates. I love Hercule Poirot although I always picture David Suchet in my head, and I love how the plot unravels bit by bit.
Poirot sees so much that other people miss, and it's clever how information is deduced.
My only complain, and it's my fault as opposed to the author's, and that's I worked out the ending. I like being held in suspense until the last minute, so for me I was disappointed. But, for it's time The Murder of Roger Ackroyd would have been shocking and an ending nobody saw coming. Unfortunately this isn't the 1930's. I look forward to my next Christie novel!

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