Grave Reservations
First book in a new series from the very talented Priest.
This one features a Seattle based travel agent with psychic gifts helping a homicide detective with an investigation.
It’s a very charming read. I’ve heard there will be a sequel and I’m looking forward to reading that when it comes out.
Country Of The Blind
This re-read of the second Parlabane book reveals that it is as funny, twisty and enjoyable as any book in the series. Of course being written before the coronation of New Labour and a devolved Scottish Parliament a lot of the political humour and commentary is rather dated but it’s still utterly on target with regards to the machinations of media moguls and the power crazed.
I started with this one as an audiobook (and a fine listen it is too) but I switched to the physical book when I got too hooked on the story and the pace of reading felt too slow.
Given it’s age maybe not the best place to start with Brookmyre or Parlabane but still highly recommended.
Lock In
Scalzi steps away from his Old Man’s War series and SF comedies to deliver a near future procedural.
In a world where a disease traps victims minds in their immobile bodies but government funded research allows the victims to communicate and work using telepresence robots or by piggy backing in the bodies of specially trained individuals a bizarre suicide is investigated by a rookie FBI agent.
I really enjoyed the world building in this one and as always Scalzi writes in a fast paced and entertaining fashion. Unfortunately when it gets to the meat of the investigation the mystery is way too predictable.
It’s still worth reading but don’t be surprised if you know what’s going to happen at the end by the halfway point of the book.
The Madness Underneath
The second book in the Shades of London series is just as charming and as much fun as The Name of the Star.
Following on shortly after the events of the first book we find Rory coming to terms with the trauma of those events and the consequences of her new abilities.
It’s all really hard to talk about without spoiling, but I’ll tell you one thing – this book has a doozy of an ending.
Veronica Mars:The Thousand-Dollar Tanline
This novel is the follow up to the Kickstarter funded Veronica Mars movie.
It finds our plucky heroine working her first big case as a professional Private Investigator when two teenage girls go missing during Spring Break.
There are some nice twists in this tale and one very important figure from Veronica’s past returns.
I really enjoyed this book – it felt like a satisfying episode of the TV series. I’m willing to bet the audiobook voiced by Kristen Bell is even more enjoyable.
Recommended for fans of the TV series.
Rule 34
The follow up to Halting State is another Edinburgh set near future crime thriller written in the second person.
Told from the perspective of several characters including a police detective, an organized crime ‘executive’ and a local hacker the story gradually uncovers an intricate plot involving puppet states, international financial manipulation, murder investigations, and artificial intelligence researchers.
It takes a while to get into as the second person thing is so jarring but once you’re into the story it’s a great read with interesting characters who aren’t just your regular square-jawed straight white folks.
Definitely recommended, particularly if you liked Halting State.
The Sacred Art of Stealing
The second book featuring Officer de Xavia and the first with her as the lead character.
In bad political odour after saving the day at Dubh Ardrain in A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away and hitting her thirtieth birthday she finds herself involved with an unusual bank robbery and with an even more unusual bank robber.
I reviewed this book on the blog before in 2003 and in 2005 but to be honest I think I enjoyed it more this time round.
I recommend Brookmyre’s work without reservation.
Fletch
IM Fletcher is a reporter. While under cover as a beach bum investigating a drug ring he’s approached by a wealthly stranger with an unusual proposition.
This is a well constructed and sardonically funny thriller.
Fletch is the epitome of the likeable asshole and the central mysteries remain compelling right until they’re wrapped up in a satisfying fashion at the end.
Recommended if you like entertaining, fast-paced comic thrillers.
Moon Over Soho
The second PC Grant book finds the characters still dealing with the repercussions of the events in the first book.
Physical and mental injuries to his colleagues mean that Grant is left on his own in the field for the first time as he investigates the deaths of jazz musicians that show telltale signs of magical influence and continues to try and find who’s been killing men by biting their penises off.
The book feels a bit less focussed than the first of the series and it annoyed me by having the lead character being stupid in a really obvious way for a good chunk of the tale.
I’d still recommend the book as it’s a really satisfying mix of humour, horror and police procedural.
