"A Good Day to Die", by Simon Kernick

This captivating and complex suspense story brings us back to the ongoing saga of disgraced ex-police inspector Dennis Milne. We were first introduced to Dennis in “The Business of Dying” and I suggest reading this novel first in order to understand why this intrepid protagonist ended up on the run as much from the police as from criminals. In this second installment, Dennis is now surrounded by low-life hoodlums, underworld overlords and corrupt upper figures of society.

Since our last encounter with Dennis he has had plastic surgery and moved to the Philippines and is known by locals as Mick Kane. He is now earning a living in the diving-supply trade with a former informant Tomboy Drake and moonlights for extra cash by working part-time as a hit man for London criminal Les Pope, an underworld contact of Drake’s.

With Dennis’s need to survive he has crossed over to the other side where morality is left behind and the use and abuse of power has become his new M.O. In this story Dennis reluctantly agrees to carry out a local hit on a major criminal and, in doing so, he stumbles upon a clue that could help solve the recent murder of his old friend and colleague, Asif Malik, back in London. As a wanted man Dennis is put in a very tough predicament however he still decides to risk everything by returning home to find out who ordered Malik’s death and why.

I like the way M. Kernick had developed his protagonist Dennis. All through the story I found myself sympathizing and wondering whether he is good guy at heart who has been dealt a bad hand and will his luck change. The plot is action packed, fast-paced with plenty of hair raising twists. At times the action is a little far-fetched with the characters surviving impossible situations however it spices up an immensely entertaining read.