(Five Stars) Occasional lawyer and part-time sleuth, Jack Irish is used to trouble. Taking work as a debt-collector he idles away his spare time at the racetrack or helping out in a cabinetmaker’s shop. But when a former client leaves a message on Jack’s…
Category: detective
Writing the Fifties
NB This piece first appeared on B for Bookreview, as part of the ‘Blood on the Tyne: Body Parts’ Blog Tour. Beginning a new murder/mystery series is always fun, but sometimes it can throw up a few additional challenges, so how did the first book in the Rosie Robson series get…
‘They All Love Jack’ by Bruce Robinson
They All Love Jack (Audiobook) Ever since a mysterious figure ripped his way through the East End of London in the late 1880s, writers and filmmakers have focused on the identity of the perpetrator. The mystery of Jack the Ripper still exudes a fascination to…
‘Angel’ by LJ Ross
Angel Easter bank holiday weekend looks like it might be a relaxing time for DCI Ryan, but when he’s called to a crime scene in a Newcastle cemetery, a bizarre murder sets him off on the trail of a killer. Meanwhile, Lowerson and MacKenzie take…
‘The Murders at White House Farm’ by Carol Ann Lee
The Murders at White House Farm (Audiobook) The deaths of Nevill and June Bamber, their daughter Sheila and her two young sons on 7th August 1985, sparked a massive police investigation. As the murder weapon was found on her body and all windows and doors appeared to be secure, it seemed reasonable that…
‘The Pale Horse’ by Agatha Christie
The Pale Horse Following the murder of a priest, a mysterious list of names is found in his shoe. When the list is linked to a spate of recent deaths and a trio of strange women at The Pale Horse Inn, Mark Easterbrook sets about discovering what’s going on. Along with his sidekick,…
Reinventing Baker Street
Is it possible to transform two of the most famous characters in crime fiction into something new, without simply repeating what many others have done before? The popularity of Sherlock Holmes continually inspires writers to pay homage to the creations of Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as offering the opportunity to fashion new scenarios based…
‘Die Every Day’ by Gordon Bickerstaff
Die Every Day When Gavin Shawlens finds himself on a murder charge, he admits he’s to blame. With all the evidence pointing directly at him, it seems the only option is to plead guilty. But if he goes the other way, the consequences for the Government could be catastrophic, so to ensure Gavin doesn’t escape…
Amateur Sleuth, Animals, Audiobook, Book Reviews, Children's Books, Classic, Crime, detective, Indie Authors, murder, mystery, Psychological
Best Reads of 2019
Over the course of the last twelve months, I’ve read 97 books. This includes paperbacks, eBooks, hardbacks and a few audiobooks, but doesn’t include those where I gave up after the first couple of chapters. What follows is a list of some of the more memorable reads, though isn’t intended to be definitive or in…
‘Whiskey Sour’ by J.A. Konrath
Whiskey Sour As if sleepless nights, a failed relationship and a distinct lack of cash weren’t enough to deal with, life throws a curveball at Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels – just to keep her busy. When a serial killer calling himself ‘The Gingerbread Man’ starts dumping bodies on Jack’s patch, she finds herself not only…
Colin Garrow 