Book Bingo Reading Challenge 2022! Honeymoon – James Patterson & Richard Roughan

Hey Loves!

I hope you’re all well and have had a wonderful weekend. Mine has been really restful thankfully and I am thrilled to say that the English exams are now over! I can rest a little before the examination marking begins next weekend. I’m a little bit late in reviewing this but I accidentally left my first copy of the book at my parents house so I had to order another one. Anyway, it was delivered Friday and here we are! So for my reading challenge I decided for May to pick: Read a story written by more than one author. For those of you are devoted followers of my little space on the internet will know that I love James Patterson. Recently, I’ve found more and more books where he’s co-authored with some very high profile people, namely people like: Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton and Dolly Parton, just to name a few. The book I chose (which I found in my beloved telephone box book exchanges) is Honeymoon. All I’ll say to begin with is this is another Patterson classic! I hope you enjoy.

What’s it all about?
Nora Sinclair is an interior designer. She is wealthy, talented, beautiful and has an equally talented and handsome partner. So why is Agent John O’Hara from the FBI interested in her life? Typical Patterson, this is a novel where nothing really is as it seems. Shortly after she becomes engaged to Connor, he suffers some unknown fit in his Westchester mansion, leading to his death. Nora plays the part of the devastated girlfriend, visibly distressed, emotional and broken. Yet, what is happening internally is quite different.

‘It was showtime. Nora calmly walked over to the phone and dialled. She reminded herself; the cleverest liars don’t give details. After two ring a woman picked up and said, “911 Emergency.”

Connor has died before their wedding, Nora is nothing more than his girlfriend. She gets nothing from his death. Enter Craig Reynolds, a representative for Centennial One Life Insurance. It appears Connor took out a life insurance policy in her name. Despite this obvious good news, Nora is wary of an investigation or attracting any attention to Connor’s death. Centennial One is a front for the FBI and Nora is being monitored closely. The next revelation takes place in Manhattan where Nora has gone to meet a client except she is no longer Nora, she is Olivia. One person, multiple identities.

‘Nora’s profession was never really in doubt, though. It was the rest of her life that was in question. Her two lives; her secrets. But there was no proof of anything yet.’

A pattern begins to develop. Another city, another name, another man. But the pattern seems to be that the men in her life never seem to live for long. Nora, or is it Olivia, is devastatingly attractive and never seems to have a problem finding a wealthy and attractive man to spend time with. Agent John O’Hara, investigating Nora under cover is no proof against her wiles. He finds himself drawn irresistibly into her orbit.

‘Nora was an absolutely beautiful woman who’d presented me with an amazing offer. It took every ounce of willpower to remind myself why I was with her in the first place.’

Who is the real Nora Sinclair? As the plot unfolds, we find more of her secrets revealing themselves. Each revelation seems to raise more questions rather than providing any answers. The FBI are circling and getting closer and closer but Nora is a woman with a mission and a plan. Will John O’Hara uncover her secrets? Or will her deadly attraction prove fatal for him as well? Unbeknown to him, while he is trying to find the real Nora Sinclair, she is busy uncovering his own secrets which could lead to an uncomfortable confrontation.

Final Thoughts
Nothing is what it seems with this book and during the first part I was confused myself about who Nora really is. But, it does work itself out in a thrilling, pacy read. I really enjoyed reading it and I loved having such a powerful, intelligent and attractive female protagonist. This girl really means business! One of the things I love about Patterson’s novels is that you cover a lot of ground quite quickly; there are no spare words. I am loving the collaborations too and finding out new names to keep an eye open for. Overall, a timeless thriller by one of my favourite writers. Loved it!

See you next time for more reading and more exploring.

Big Love xxx

The Pocket Wife – Susan Crawford

Hey guys!

How are you all? I hope summer is treating you beautifully. I’m having the best time – reading, exploring, holidaying. We’re so lucky to be able to experience everything we’ve got on offer right now. It sounds like such a cliche but I’m so grateful for what I have right now. I’ve had some wonderful quality time with my family and I’ve made a big dent in my TBR pile. (They have since been replaced by books purchased from various days out but we won’t say too much more on that matter…)

Today I want to share with you a book that I couldn’t put down or stop thinking about. For those of you who have followed me for a while, you’ll know how much I love my psychological thrillers and this one did not disappoint. I got The Pocket Wife in one of my book subscription boxes. I’d never heard of it and didn’t know anything about it. Regardless, I read this book in a few hours. It was that good. Most importantly, it was one of those books where I just had to find out what happened. It kept me guessing until the penultimate chapter. I have to confess, I didn’t manage to work this one out! Don’t worry – no spoilers here! I hope you enjoy reading my review!

What’s it all about?

Centred around Dana Catrell and her husband Peter, we are at once given an unreliable narrator. Why? Dana has bipolar disorder. She lives at home whilst her husband is the high flying attorney. As a result, he hasn’t a clue about the deterioration of Dana because he isn’t there to notice the changes in her mood and character. This change is worsened with their son’s move to college.

We awkwardly see Dana move between the bleakest depression to manic euphoria. There is no way to know which side of that she will fall on each and every day. On a particularly down day, Dana pops to see her neighbour, Celia. The women talk and Celia is only too aware of the mental health issues faced by Dana. Dana discloses to her that she feels like she is treated incorrectly, like she’s a ‘pocket wife’ and that she doesn’t exist. The crux of it is, she feels alone and rejected. Celia understands and listens.

“She and Celia were friends, neighbours, sharing piecrust recipes and gossip and yard-sale outings, an occasional languid conversation over coffee or an afternoon trek through the mall with bags in hand. But not secrets. Not until today.”

On a subsequent visit, Dana tells Celia that she is becoming increasingly convinced that Peter is having an affair. He leaves to talk on the phone and constantly finds excuses to leave the house. Like any good friend, Celia checks that Dana is taking her medication as well as seeing her psychologist. She believes it is best that she talks about those fears with someone who is trained and who can give the best advice. Dana discloses that she has opted for alcohol rather than medication thus adding to the unreliability of her narrative.

“There were times over the years when her demons won out, when she wore her lipstick too dark, her mascara too heavy, her dressed too short.”

Regardless, Celia offers Dana wine and the pair of women spend the afternoon together. They chat and enjoy each other’s company but it isn’t long until Dana is drunk. Celia tries to show her a photograph on her phone but Dana passes out before she can make any sense of it. What does this photograph show? When she wakes up, she sees that she is back within the confines of her own house. More worryingly, she learns that Celia has been murdered.

As the last person to see Celia alive, this puts Dana in quite a difficult position. She obsessively tries to put the memories together of the previous night but she struggles. Her frustration with herself only makes the task more impossible. Ultimately, her biggest fear is that because she has a key, she went back over there and killed her. Dana has very little recollection about where she’s been or what she has done.

The one factor that Dana keeps returning to is the photograph. It is the one image that is returned to repeatedly through the novel. It’s what the plot is hung off. Dana believes (or persuades herself) that the photograph she wanted to show her must have something to do with her death. She doesn’t trust her husband at all so talking with him is out of the question. She makes the decision to try and work this one out for herself. When the lead detective, Jack Moss, arrives to ask some routine questions, Dana sees this as an opportunity to get some help from him.

For Moss, his own personal life is somehow mixed into this case too. When he gets the return back on the fingerprints they ran, he didn’t expect to see the fingerprints of his own son, Kyle, on the report. Both Moss and Dana now each have something they want to hide which impacts the progress of the case. Prosecutor, Lenora White, is constantly applying pressure to Moss to make an arrest and get the case solved.

Following this, Dana discovers Celia’s mobile number stored on Peter’s mobile. In her heightened emotional state she worries because he’s told her that he only knows her in passing. Yet, his phone tells a different story. When she looks at the same phone later the number has been removed. This reinforces to her that something is going on and that Peter is potentially hiding something from her. Let’s not forget her emotional state though. Everything is already heightened and distorted.

“Not only are her memories of Celia’s actions on that afternoon a sham, but memories of her own as well. She gets up quickly, before the ceiling covers her, before the walls enfold her, crush her.”

Meanwhile, Dana manages to remember who was in the photograph on Celia’s phone: another woman. She manages to get Celia’s phone but this time the photograph has been deleted. This leads her to the horror and believe that she could have made the whole thing up or imagined seeing it there. She is certain she’s going crazy. She soon falls into another manic state but this time she chooses to use this to help her solve the case.

During his own enquiry, Moss learns that Kyle knows Celia as he was one of her students. He is certain that there’s a rational explanation for his fingerprints to be at her house. His son isn’t a murderer. But if he isn’t, who is? Celia is still dead. Increasing pressure comes from Lenora who wants the case wrapped up.

Evidence is found which then shows things in a very different light. Moss has a duty to investigate and does so. By the end of the novel, the murderer is revealed as well as their motive. After all, forensics don’t lie.

What about Dana? Well, she accepts that she needs help with her mental illness but also now acknowledges that her marriage is also a sham. Everything is tied up neatly by the end of the novel leaving the reader wholly satisfied.

“This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whisper.” ‘No, she thinks, it wasn’t a whisper; it was something else.’

Final Thoughts

For fans of The Girl on the Train, this book is a pacy little number that will keep you guessing until the end. I particularly found the writing surrounding the bipolar incredibly shocking. Psychologists at the time of publication found Crawford’s description accurate and sound. For me, that makes it authentic. We have a character who is clearly flawed but is desperate to know if she has killed someone in a manic state where she has no recollection of it. In that sense it’s incredible emotive. It also means we have a highly unreliable narrator. Can we believe anything she says or is it all a delusion?

Anyway, I loved this little book. It has everything a thriller should have and more. You’ll have to read it to find out who really killed her and why.

I’ll be back next time with my review of my August book as well as my round up for August. I can’t wait to catch up with you all then!

Big love all xxxx

Sleeping With A Psychopath – Carolyn Woods

Hello Loves!

Can you believe we are in June? I’m embracing the lighter days and the gloriously summery weather we have been having in the UK this week. It’s felt like a long time coming but gosh, isn’t it a breath of fresh air really? I hope you’re all okay and embracing the longer and brighter days. Would you believe me if I told you I had to put sun cream on his week?!

Anyway, we’ve celebrated my blogs birthday well. Thank you so much for all your lovely messages – I’ve loved reading them! I’ve got a couple of posts that are in the pipeline but I wanted to share with you today a book I’ve just finished. I love it when I finish something and want to write about it straight away! Anyway, prepare yourself for the thrilling real life story of Carolyn Woods. Her novel, Sleeping With a Psychopath reads like a work of fiction. However, I find it utterly terrifying that this is actually a true story. I hope you find it as compelling as I did!

What’s it all about?
The novel opens with a prologue where Woods reflects back over the past eighteen months of her life. Her journey is one of our own worst nightmares yet she has a story to tell, a cautionary tale of the modern day. Looking back, Woods sees herself as vibrant, positive, successful and happy. Following her divorce, she rented a beautiful cottage in a Cotswold town and got herself a little job in a shop which she thoroughly enjoyed. What could possibly go wrong? She was about to find out following a visit from a handsome stranger. Little does she know that this man is about to ruin her life, take away her independence and her reasons for living.

“He has isolated me and I have become frightened, depressed and introverted. I am very confused. It feels as though someone has opened the top of my head and put a blender into my brain.”

The novel then takes us back to the beginning, June 2012, when Woods was working in the little clothes shop. As the sun was setting on another day in the Cotswolds, the door announced a visitor: immaculately dressed, handsome in his features and incredibly attractive. His name was Mark and he certainly said all the right things. Woods admits she liked him instantly and felt that he liked her back. She guessed that he was a spy – there was something very James Bond about him after all. He did nothing to dissuade this, claiming he was a rich Swiss banker. She is captivated. After all, it’s not every day a handsome stranger walks into your life and likes you! Woods decides to do something she hasn’t done before. She gives him her phone number and the end of yet another working day has come. What follows next is text conversations where plans are made and the intimacy between the two increase. Upon reflection, Woods punctuates her narrative with comments showing how naive she has been and statements that were originally said showed no signs for concern, are obvious red flags now.

“Thinking back on those first early encounters, with the knowledge I have now, I can see exactly how Mark was operating. I believe him to be a psychopath.”

The pace of the narrative increases again. This time we see lavish gifts that Mark gave to Carolyn: the brand new Audi, the need to get away, the promise of luxury wherever they went. You can see how easy it was to be swept away by the magic and mystery of it all. They started to look for a house with a budget of 2-3 million pounds. Their whole future was planned out before them quite rapidly. However, Mark took control of her mobile phone, saying that all messages had to be deleted because of people watching. He also claimed to know a lot of wealthy, powerful people of status – Hilary Clinton and Vladimir Putin, to name two. He also asked her to marry him, something which she accepted and was excited to do. But, the lavish lifestyle, the new cars and the expensive budget for a house doesn’t match up to the day where Mark asks to borrow £26,000 due to a cash flow problem. She fell deeply and head first. She was in love with him so said yes.

“As I tell my story, I can understand how astonishing people find it that I should have been taken in so easily, and looking back, I cannot believe I behaved so recklessly. But Mark is a conjuror – I was spellbound…”

For a time, life continued. The wedding was being planned, the dress exquisite and Mark was here, there and everywhere: London, Bath, Spain, Italy and Syria. Woods became more and more isolated and was spending the vast amount of time alone. More time alone meant that frustrations and anxieties grew. Mark was around less and less. His narrative becomes more alarming the deeper we progress into the novel. He appears to get injured abroad, has a brain tumour and continues to blow hot and cold with Woods. More and more money was being transferred and Woods found herself in a desperate situation: alone, broke, fragile. Trips together turned into nightmares where Mark didn’t show. Hotels that were booked for her, weren’t paid for meaning she was stranded in a foreign country. Things finally came to an end when the truth about Mark was clear. He wasn’t Mark Conway. He was Mark Acklom, a known criminal from his childhood, forever taking money from different people for promises he could not keep. Eventually, his actions caught up with him and he was arrested and imprisoned.

“Before I met Acklom, I was a happy, sociable, positive person; by the time he was through with me, I could barely function and had become deeply suspicious of people.”

By the end of her story, Woods has lost £850,000 – her entire savings pot. Despite this, it is the love and strength of her daughters and the friends who stood by her that carried her through. Justice was eventually (and legally) served but that also wasn’t as simple or ‘black and white’ as it should have been. Woods now has the opportunity to tell her story, the set the world straight and to start and rebuild her life.

“Mum has lost everything: her money, her job, her home, her security… but the one thing he couldn’t take away from her was the love of her daughters.”

Final Thoughts
I was completely captivated by this book for so many reasons. Firstly, I think Woods really discusses and highlights the gender inequality in this book. As a divorced, middled aged female, her perception is that she was ‘stupid’ and she ‘should have seen it coming’. Yet, the male businessmen that were conned were ‘sensible’ and ‘right’. I also found it interest (and horrifying) that the police both here and abroad didn’t believe her. This story is years of fighting, years of a life taken away by one person. It is easy for us to sit here and judge today and see the warning signs for that they are. But, I can see how easy it would have been. This book shows us the art of manipulation. It didn’t read like it was a true story – it reads like a fictional thriller. Personally, I think it takes a lot of bravery from Woods to be as frank, honest and as reflective as she has been.

And that’s it! Definitely read this book, especially if you love thrillers as much as I do. I am off to read something lighter now so I don’t become completely paranoid.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Big love xx

The Postscript Murders – Elly Griffiths

Hello Lovelies!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I tried to wish it to as many people as I could. Normally I’d write a Christmas Eve post but things are very different this year so I decided to use that time for quiet reflection and for sharing time with my much needed support bubble. To be honest, it’s taken me this week to recover from school. Anyway, I wanted to share with you a book I read in a day – it was just so good! The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths was a book I knew nothing about until I joined My Chronicle Book Box. For more information, click here: https://mychroniclebookbox.com It’s a stunning book company that I’m so glad I found. If books are you life, definitely check them out. On with the review! I hope you love this one as much as I did!

What’s it all about?
The novel centres around Peggy, a ninety year old murder consultant, living in the sleepy seaside town of Shoreham. She would spend her time plotting murders for famous writers. Therefore, her knowledge of murders is second to none. However, when she dies of what is assumed to be a heart condition, something doesn’t quite sit right with her carer, Natalka. The mystery thickens and the investigation begins.

The novel opens with an entry in Peggy’s Investigation Book, disguised as A Seaside Lady’s Diary. Peggy notes the many people who walk past the windows of her apartment. However, two men arouse her suspicions because they don’t fit into the pattern of dog walkers, cyclists, walkers or pensioners.

‘There’s an alertness about them that Peggy finds most troubling of all, and they both have their backs to the sea. Who comes to Shoreham beach and doesn’t even glance at the shimmering water, looking at its very best today, dotted with sailing boats and accessorised with seagulls?’

The following morning, Natalka knows immediately that something is wrong. She knows Peggy well enough to just be able to feel it. Sadly, Peggy had died and her son wanted the apartment to be cleared out as soon as possible. Obliged, Natalka does this but soon finds something of interest along the way. She takes her new information to DS Harbinder Kaur in the hope that it sheds some light on the matter. What is this information? Well, Peggy, an avid reader, accumulated many books. The difference with these books – they’re all dedicated to her. Natalka continues to feel convinced that Peggy didn’t just die naturally – thinks she has been murdered and ropes Peggy’s two friends, Benedict and Edwin in to help her solve the mystery. Following the funeral, Edwin was allowed to have something as a memento. He chose the last book Peggy was reading.

“I thought it would bring me closer to Peggy somehow. Anyway, when I opened it, this fell out.” ‘It’s a plain postcard and on it are the words: We are coming for you.’

The three friends decide there is much more to do now they have this information. They head back to the apartment to see if there are anymore clues there. However, it is when they are doing this they hear footsteps in the background and eventually, are confronted by a masked figure pointing a gun at them. The only thing this figure takes is a very rare, out of print book called Thank Heaven Fasting by Sheila Atkins. Why this book? What is so important about it? The group now need to add this to their independent investigation to see if they can work out exactly what is going on. A flyer promoting Dex Challoner’s event promoting his new books brings about a new opportunity to dig a little deeper. He was at the funeral but wasn’t very talkative and snuck out the back. All the attention is now on him. After the reading event, they decide to go for a drink to find out more about his relationship with Peggy. The night doesn’t end too well though.

“Is it murder?… It’s murder all right. He was shot in the head.”

Two murders and books seem to be at the centre of it all. But what does it all mean? Natalka and Harbinder meet up for a drink because Natalka has this weight on her mind, her past could potentially be coming back to haunt her. She reveals about her life in the Ukraine and the reasons why she left that country. Due to her disclosure, Natalka pushes Harbinder for information about the case. We learn that another author, Julie Monroe, who also credited Peggy in her books received the same postcard as her. Natalka immediately jumps to the conclusion that she is the next victim. Nevertheless, there is a problem – she is off to Aberdeen for a literary festival. An impromptu road trip means the trio of friends are hurtling towards Aberdeen. It does throw up new clues – yet another writer, Lance Foster, also received the same postcard. They persuade him to meet them for a chat but when he doesn’t arrive, they get increasingly worried and head to his hotel room to see if he is ok. What they are met with is something Natalka is all too familiar with recently.

‘Benedict lowers his head to Lance’s chest to listen for a heartbeat but he already knows. Lance’s body has a horrible leaden quality to it.’

It is at this point that I can’t really tell you much more. There’s still so much left of this novel but I don’t want to spoil it for you. However, by the end of the book, the many strands all come together, the plot is wrapped up and it is absolutely brilliant. The novel closes where it begins: with Peggy. It was her Investigation Book that helped solve the murders, that helped the group of friends piece together exactly what happened to those writers.

‘”To Peggy,” the others reply. And the sun streams in through the bay window.’

Final Thoughts
I’ve got so much love for this book that I don’t really know where to begin. I was taken in by Peggy from the very first page. She is an absolutely fascinating character. It’s only right and fitting that the plot evolves around her. There are many strands to this novel: murder, crime, novels, friendship, family and love. It would be impossible to explore them all here in this review but I do hope I’ve done this some justice. Elly Griffiths is definitely a writer I will be looking out for again. She’s got her own unique style which fits beautifully in with the ‘Who done it?’ plot style.

I’ll see you all before the new year where I’ll share with you the books I’ve read in 2020 and also launching my new reading challenge for next year. Until then, stay safe and well.

Big Love all xxx

Reading Challenge 2020: The Black Echo – Michael Connelly

Hey Loves!

I hope you’re enjoying your summer, regardless of how it looks. I’m trying hard to ignore the fact that I should be on a beach right now… but it’s an opportunity to read plenty, spend time with family and just recover from the very strange school year it’s been.

I wanted to share with you my book choice and review for my reading challenge. The theme for July was: murder and intrigue about this month. For more information on my reading challenge click here. I’m a huge fan of thrillers and crime fiction so I went for a very popular writer that I know absolutely nothing about: Michael Connelly’s The Black Echo. Written in 1992, it’s the first in a series featuring the protagonist Harry Bosch. I was completely hooked. It was awesome.

What’s it all about?

Starting in Vietnam, we meet Harry Bosch in the midst of his police career. Having recently been promoted to the division that handles robberies and homicides things seem good. However, after an accidentally killing the primary suspect in a serial killing spree, the force demotes him to the “Hollywood Division” which handles more trivial, less important crimes. He gets himself a new partner too, detective Jerry Edgar.

“Sunsets did that here. Made you forget it was the smog that made their colors so brilliant, that behind every pretty picture there could be an ugly story.”

The first investigation involves a young graffiti artist calling the police after seeing a body being taken from a Jeep and put into a water pipe. During the investigation in these water conduits underneath Los Angeles, Bosch finds the body of Billy Meadows, another tunnel rat and a friend from his wartime experience. Bosch uncovers evidence that connects Meadows to an unsolved bank robbery in the city. He decides to contact the FBI, asking to work in unison with each other. But, he is stopped during each attempt by a special agent, Eleanor Wish. Eventually, Wish’s boss, John Rourke, sends a complaint to the IAD, a legal entity that dislikes Bosch with a passion because he refused to join it’s club, the “Family”.

The following day brings the IAD closer to successfully getting Bosch suspended from the force. Bosch is well aware that his time is running out so decides to find the identity of the anonymous witness of the crime. He discovers that it is a young man named Sharkey. Sharkey himself is a shady character being involved with gang assaults and robbery of gay men. His horrific upbringing does evoke sympathy from Bosch, albeit momentarily. After locating Sharkey, the FBI rescinds its complaint but the IAD continues with their campaign to suspend Bosch.

Wish tries to distract Bosch from the case, hinting at an ulterior motive for her persistent antagonism. Bosch argues and disagrees with Rourke over which different leads they should follow on the case. They clash with Wish over who should have the privilege of hypnotizing Sharkey to extract information. That night, Wish appears at Bosch’s houses to apologise for how she has been. They decide to end the friction and collaborate more from that moment on.

The next day with their new working together plan in action, Bosch and Wish visit a halfway house where Meadows had stayed. They manage to unearth leads to various murders and criminal partners Meadows may have had some involvement with. The lines blur between professional and personal. Meanwhile, Sharkey runs into a stranger who picks him up, unaware of the danger he is about to walk into.

“Lean in, invade that foot and a half that is all theirs, their own space. Lean back when you get what you want. It’s subliminal. Most of what goes on in a police interrogation has nothing to do with what is said.”

Early on the fifth morning of the investigation, Bosch is summoned to a murder scene, finding it is Sharkey’s. He hypothesizes that Sharkey’s death is the result of an insider on the force sharing details of the investigation to criminals in the network. Ultimately, Bosch feels responsible. Rourke tips Bosch about the IAD’s progress to tail the case in order to get him suspended. Bosch interrogates the IAD about an unauthorised wiretap he found on his phone. Bosch and Wish meet up again and find out the identities of two involved Vietnamese gangsters who are plotting their next bank heist. When they go to Wish’s apartment, they are nearly hit by a speeding car. Bosch is certain this is not a coincidence. They spend the whole day being interrogated but are released to go home. Naturally, they are emotionally and physically exhausted.

Bosch follows the natural lead and starts to track the Vietnamese gangsters the next morning. Using the IAD’s technology, he buys a phone off a man named Binh. Using his call history, they track down the other member, Tran. From here, they follow him into Little Saigon and then to Beverley Hills. What the see is him moving diamonds into a briefcase and then vanishing suddenly. Rouke starts planning how to intercept these tunnels whilst Bosch grows increasingly suspicious about their investigation and why it is seemingly so easy for them. The Vietnamese criminals and the hit and run trouble Wish. Her connection with Vietnam still raw for her. Wish visits a war vigil, renewing her belief and commitment to justice.

“Out of the blue and into the black is what they called going into a tunnel. Each one was a black echo. Nothing but death in there. But, still, they went.”

Arguably a little too late, Bosch realises that Rourke is complicit in the robberies. The IAD raids the tunnels and most are shot and killed during the ambush. Bosch goes in alone to find Rourke and is shot. Bosch knows now that he is in quite a difficult situation and time is desperately running out. However, whilst in and out of consciousness, he sees Wish in the tunnel. She takes matters into her own hands. Eventually, he wakes up in hospital where Wish visits him. The IAD also pay him a visit, threatening to throw him off the force completely if he leaks the story. Bosch decides to leave hospital against medical advice and sneaks back into the police station. There he spends time reviewing Sharkey’s tape. As a result, he learns who is actually behind the heist. He attends Meadows’s funeral in the background and meets a reporter to give him the information he needs in order to stumble across the case himself. The case is solved and ultimately the novel ends.

“We want the truth, Detective. You are confusing that with what we choose to tell the public.”

Final Thoughts

I thought this book was pacey, gritty and full of twists and turns. I didn’t work out who was really at the core of the plot until it was revealed at the end. This for me is a sign that you’re reading a brilliant book. The plot is woven and intricate. The characters strong. Harry Bosch is an excellent protagonist with characteristics that I found compelling. I always find book series quite a commitment but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for anymore Connelly books I see on my travels. I was completely hooked with this one!

I am also chuffed that it’s month seven of the challenge and so far I haven’t missed one! The focus for August is: a summer read to an exotic place. As I said at the start, I’m ignoring the fact that I should be on a beach. Thankfully this gives me the perfect opportunity to travel mentally, at least.

Continue to stay safe and well all.

Big love! xxx

The Midnight Line – Lee Child

Hello Lovelies!

I cannot believe we are in February now. Where is 2019 going?! I hope you’re all well and are having a fantastic start to the year.

I want to share with you a review of a fantastic book I read recently: The Midnight Line by Lee Child. I’ve never read anything by Lee Child before. I picked this book up not knowing it was a Lee Child as it was one of those ‘Blind Date with a book’ books where it’s wrapped in brown paper with a clue. Thankfully, it turned out to be a gripping read. In fact, I was really pleasantly surprised to learn that he’s written a fair few books! I’ve got my new one on the shelf ready for reading.

What’s it all about?

The novel opens the morning after the night before, where Jack Reacher has spent the night with a woman called Michelle Chang. Reacher is travelling through Wisconsin when he happens to stumble across a pawn shop. Inside the window, he notices an unusual ring: a 2005 West Point class ring.

“She had used a simile, to explain and flatter and apologize all at once. She had written, “You’re like New York City. I love to visit, but I could never live there.“

The item is priceless and wouldn’t be given away without a valid reason. Reacher is convinced of that fact. He suspects that it is stolen and decides against leaving town. Instead he questions the pawnbroker. Following questioning, Reacher learns that the ring was sold to him by a biker named Jimmy Rat.

Upon meeting Jimmy Rat, Reacher beats him and his gang up and learns that the ring belonged to Arthur Scorpio, who runs a laundromat in Rapid City, South Dakota. Reacher decides he needs to follow the trail further and leaves town. He’s well aware that Rat has already warned Scorpio of his plans.

‘You threatening me now?”
“More like the weather report. A public service. Like a tornado warning. Prepare to take cover.‘

Whilst in Rapid City, Reacher finds two people with an interest in Scorpio: Gloria Nakamura, a detective who has tried and failed for years to pin something on Scorpio, and Terrence Bramall, a private investigator, hired by Tiffany Jane Mackenzie, a woman searching for her missing twin sister, Serena Rose Sanderson. Serena Rose turns out to be the true owner of the ring.

Hot on Reacher’s tail, Reacher allows himself to be picked up by Scorpio’s men. However, the outcome is not as expected. Reacher subdues them in less than three seconds. As a result of this, Scorpio provides him with the name of Seymour Porterfield, the man who originally gave him the ring. He trusts an associate of his, Billy, to kill Reacher before he finds Seymour.

Continuing his journey, Reacher travels to Mule Crossing, a rural town in Wyoming. This is where Porterfield last lived. A local shopkeeper reveals that he has been dead for well over a year. The story is, he was killed by a wild bear. Upon arrival at Billy’s house, Reacher meets Bramall. The pair decide to partner up and together they search Sy’s house. They discover evidence of a woman living with him.

Mackenzie shows up, having grown deeply impatient with Bramall’s lack of results. Reacher reveals his growing suspicion that both Rose and Sy were involved with the illegal opiate reader. Kirk Noble, a DEA agent, confirms this and requests he is kept informed throughout the whole investigation, especially if they find Rose or Billy.

‘She didn’t explain. So knowing that, where would you start?” “I could tell you, but then I’d have to bill you.’

Whilst continuing their investigation, three junkies try and scare the group off. But, Reacher intimidates them into leaving. They turn out to be friends of Rose. Reacher manages to convince them that they mean no harm. Consequently, they are taken to see Rose who has been hiding since an IED in Afghanistan shredded her face. She was left disfigured and in a constant stream of pain, making her dependent on opioids.

Mackenzie makes a plan to move her sister to her home in Illinois. She’s terrified her sister will die and would rather she looked after her. If she came back with her sister, they could treat her addiction in secret.

Stackley, the dealer who has taken over Billy’s operation following his disappearance, bribes junkies to kill Reacher. One is accidentally shot and subsequently dies. Whereas Reacher forces the others to lure Stackley into a trap; Rose manages to kill him with a rifle.

‘Scorpio said, “Billy, this is Arthur. I need to hear from you. You’re making me worried now. What’s with not answering your phone all the time? And you got that guy coming. Plus maybe another guy. We just got a message from Montana. They sent a rider down especially. They have a Fed up there asking questions. He just left Billings. We don’t know where he’s headed next. Eyes open, OK? And call me back. Don’t make me worried, Billy.” He clicked off and dropped the phone in the trash basket.‘

It is very likely that Rose will die without a new supply of opioids, Reacher, Bramall and Mackenzie’s decide to steal what she needs from Stackley’s suppliers. Reacher also makes a deal with Noble to protect Rose from having to testify against the dealers on the DEA’s behalf. Nakamura attempts to arrest Scorpio as she realised that he is the head of the operation. However, he chains her to a table and hits her.

Reacher confronts Scorpio and stuffs him in a mechanical dryer. Meanwhile, the DEA receive sufficient information to arrest Col. Bateman, a corrupt marine officer who had framed Seymour for trying to expose his theft of military opioid supplies for Scorpio.

As the novel closes, Reacher returns Rose’s ring to her. Rose promises to get clean before she, Bramall and Mackenzie drive off. Reacher then hitches another ride out of South Dakota heading towards Kansas.

Final thoughts

I was gripped with this book. It felt like an American Robert Galbraith. I’ve already picked out my next Reacher book I want to read: Night School. I love the character of Reacher too. Everyone wants a guy like him in their life. I thought it was really well written and it had the feeling of pages just floating by. I loved it!

Happy February everyone!

Big love to you all xx