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…
Category: Characters
‘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 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…
‘Ragged Souls’ by Ernesto San Giacomo
Ragged Souls A collection of quirky, supernatural tales that explore the dark side of the human psyche. In ‘A Purveyor of Odd Things’, we meet a plodding but hard-working detective who sets out to solve a puzzling phenomenon. Then there’s the two sisters in ‘Martha’s Kitchen’ who long for the old days when the members…
‘Nightfall’ by Stephen Leather
Nightfall Jack Nightingale is going to Hell, or at least that’s what he keeps hearing. Trouble is, are people actually saying it to him, or is it his imagination? When Nightingale’s career as a cop ends and he starts up as a private detective, his past, and that creepy expression, keep coming back to haunt…
‘11:05 Murders’ by Brian O’Hare
11:05 Murders When three people are murdered in bizarre circumstances, there are plenty of suspects – though the evidence is thin on the ground. Rookie Sergeant Denise Stewart may be a little out of her depth when she joins the team at Strandtown Police Station, but she gets a chance to jump ahead of the…
‘A Very English Scandal’ by John Preston
A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment In the House of Commons, Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, together with a small group of intimate friends, plots to get rid of a thorn in his side. Thorpe’s ex-lover Norman Scott is getting in the way of a…
