The Third Man and The Fallen Idol In post-war Vienna, Graham Greene’s struggling novelist Rollo Martins, arrives to visit old friend Harry Lime. But something has happened to Harry, and Martins is soon drawn into a web of intrigue and drug-dealing as he tries to uncover the truth. The Fallen Idol is the tale of…
Month: January 2018
‘Mr Briggs’ Hat’ by Kate Colquhoun
Mr Briggs’ Hat (Audiobook) When Thomas Briggs got into a first-class carriage to travel home after visiting relatives, he couldn’t have known he’d never reach his destination. The discovery of bloodied seat cushions, a bloodstained hat and a broken watch chain, signalled what was to become known as Britain’s first railway murder. Would police be…
‘One Punch’ by Keith Dixon
One Punch When former cop Paul Storey takes a job with ex-boxer Bran Doyle, it’s obvious nothing is going to be straightforward. But as Storey begins to dissect the politics and relationships within his new employer’s household, he also learns that Doyle is of interest to the police. Working out what’s really happening, and why,…
‘The Wicked Boy’ by Kate Summerscale
The Wicked Boy (Audio Book) In July 1895, 13-year-old Robert Coombes and his younger brother travel to Lord’s to watch a cricket match. The trip heralds the start of a spending spree for the two boys who are soon observed pawning items from their family home and taking jaunts to the seaside in the company…
‘The Rats’ by James Herbert
The Rats A race of unusually large black rats creep out from their lair looking for food. But when the creatures get a taste for human flesh, the corpses quickly pile up. Discovering the rats also carry a fatal virus, it becomes apparent to the authorities that a new and very dangerous challenge faces humanity.…
‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Audio Book) Following his adventures with Tom Sawyer and the murderous Injun Joe, Huck Finn fakes his own death to escape his alcoholic father and with his slave pal Jim, travels down the Mississippi through the Deep South. I tried reading this book many years ago but was never able…
‘The Cleaner’ by Mark Dawson
The Cleaner Secret Government problem solver John Milton sorts out things that the usual agencies can’t touch. When the results of his most recent assassination job begin to prick his conscience, Milton wonders if it’s time to get out and do something different. Trouble is, his boss doesn’t agree – simply leaving the ‘service’ isn’t…
‘Look Fast or Die Slow’ by David Six
Look Fast or Die Slow When a serial killer taunts Frank Bruno with mysterious messages, the former detective is puzzled to say the least. The murderer’s victims – brutally butchered – are piling up rapidly and it soon becomes obvious that the trail of bodies leads straight to Frank’s own door. While his ex-partner, Lieutenant…
‘A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs and Other Stories’ by Andrew Kozma
A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs and Other Stories This is a collection of speculative fiction exploring unfamiliar landscapes and strange characters. The title story (A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs), is, in my opinion, the best of these and shows off the author’s clever use of language as well as…
Colin Garrow 