"The Oliver Steele Series: Books 4-6", by Graham Tempest

This boxset includes 3 great stories featuring Oliver Steele a financial sleuth with a shady past who plays the role of a “fixer”. If you are in trouble and a friend of his boss you just have to call him and your troubles will vanish. Oliver is sent to Paris, Havana and Johannesburg.

Some highlights:

Book #4”Casino de France”

A nuclear terrorist is poised to destroy Paris. The playboy son of a dictator is financing him. Olive must match wits with a brilliant terrorist.

Book #5 “Casino Havana”

The Castro era is winding down. Rivals are jockeying for position.
Oliver flies to Havana when a friend is kidnapped. He mounts an armed attack on a secret prison island and gets caught up in a battle between a liberal professor and a corrupt police chief.

Book #6 “Joburg Steele”

South Africa’s biggest city, Johannesburg – who steal in the millions and are prone to violence, mean folk who don't mind killing people including Oliver. So what is he to do? In a pinch he has to use violence.

Comments:

Three exciting and captivating stories I had the pleasure to read some time ago and when I was asked to share this offer with you I couldn’t say no to Mr. Tempest. The stories are such page-turner.

What a steal this boxset is. I highly recommend having a close look at this offer.

"The Last High", by Daniel Kalla

This latest is another winner, one of those stories that grab your attention from the start, an awesome medical thriller that deals with the terrible opioid crisis. The Last High (TLH) is carfentanil, a derivative of fentanyl a drug so lethal who ever tries it may end up dead. The story takes place in Vancouver BC one of the cities where the crisis is at the highest level but although this city is in Canada, the crisis is certainly a worldwide occurrence that kills thousands of users. Mr. Kalla, an ER doctor by profession has penned a story of what happens when teens show up in the ER from a deadly drug overdose.

The development is said in alternate chapters from the point of view of ER doctors, the toxicologist, the homicide detectives, the dealers and their associates. The pace is a bit slow at first but as good thriller does it soon springs into action and from then on we are into a rollicking tempo till the very end. The plot has a lot of intrigue and some violence after all dealing with the Triad, major drug gangs and petty dealers, one cannot pussyfoot around. We find a lot of medical jargon and chemical references in the book regarding the illicit drug world; I learned a few things (actually a lot)……and following the cleaver police force at work we find out the tricks they need to do in order to get the drugs off the streets. “Chapeau” to them. Thank you, Mr. Kalla for writing such a lively and timely story to enlighten us as well as for our enjoyment.

I received an ARC from the publisher Simon & Schuster for my thoughts.

"In Pursuit", by John W. Mefford

Ivy Nash Thriller book #2

Redemption Thriller book #8

I love John Mefford’s books because you can rarely figure out how the mystery will turn out, definitely hard to guess who the perpetrator is, who he is pursuing, who might be his next victim, when his next move will be and what gruesome action he will do next. “In Pursuit”, is much darker than anything I have read so far by this author. It is simply spine-chilling, evil and hair-raising. Even with all this, I loved every moment.

We follow two threads seamlessly, jumping between characters and time frames with no confusion. Although the subject matter may be over the top it is smoothly put together so we can read it with ease.

A serial killer is terrorizing San Antonio and the method of murder is beyond macabre. Ivy Nash seemed to be the one intersecting point between the victim and herself. She is pulled into the case by her police friend.

Meanwhile Ivy is on a case of a run-away teen looking for her parents.

M. Mefford once again has created a winning crime thriller with defined characters and a dramatic plot that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages furiously. The story is visual; it definitely would make a captivating movie. This is no doubt that books from this author are my kind of books, ones that are captivating from the start and never let go.

I am a huge fan of this author, I simply love the way he writes. This may be the second book in this series but it has been more than a dozen I have read so far. I loved them all.

"The Last Tourist", by Olen Steinhauser

Milo Weaver book # 4

What a confusing read this turned out to be. The story is layered with spies and their handles, past and present, working what it seems to be with an assortment of people who work for an agency embedded in the United Nations. Some say it keeps us on edge until the very last page because it’s hard to separate the truths from the lies, the good guys from the bad. I totally agree but is it a good read?

“The Last Tourist”, is a complex tapestry that weaves together a story of politics, espionage and trickery on a global scale. This saga is filled with unexpected twists and turns and has a large cast of characters all outfoxing each other. The sheer number of players and their individual agenda were far too many to follow and so hard to keep up with that I lost interest and “The Last Tourist” could not win me back in the long run.

I enjoy a demanding plot but on the other hand passing too much time deciphering what is being said is way too demanding and by far less enjoyable read. This book was not an easy read. I frequently had to think back who was who and who did what and who double-crossed whom. I guess the best way to read this book is to take notes or to make a spreadsheet…. The narration switches from first person to third person without a good transition, things are quite jerky and do not flow smoothly. But be prepared for an awful lot to occur at a breakneck pace…..such a chaotic presentation …. I am not saying this is a bad book, I simply did not enjoy it as much as the previous in this series….some you win and some you lose…This is the way I see it.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books and NetGalley

"The Killing of the Cherrywood MP", by Louise Burfitt-Dons

Book# 2 in the Karen Andersen British Political Thriller series

This thriller is the sequel to “The Missing Activist” featuring London PI Karen Andersen and her second assignment. The story tackles the far right politic which has existed in the UK for ever and the wish of concern groups to preserve what is perceived to be the British culture. The plot is set around the thorny issue of Jihadi brides returning home from Syria. The topic couldn’t be more timely. What a catching start the author gives us: it opens with a confession and a deadly act committed to an ISIS captor….

I do recommend reading the book #1 first as many of the characters have a good part in the 2nd book. I found it an asset to have known them previously but no worries it could perfectly be read on its own if you start here.

In this gripping, chock full of twists story we have PI Andersen once again immersed in the world of radical extremism. The plot follows the events that happened in the previous book. Everyone is on edge, Jihadi terrorist Zinah al-Rashid (Tammy Bishop) is about to be released from Prison. Is she really reformed? When Labour MP for Cherrywood facing deselection is found murdered, the suspicion falls on a Far Right group and an intensive investigation is set off. Is the group really behind the murder? The action doesn’t stop there, would we have suspense without the esteem police force doing their bit. The hunt for a lone wolf who has been threatening former Jihadi brides is at the top of the list.

This story is steeped in conspiracies, politically motivated and deadly. The scenes are vividly said, it seems so real, it could definitely happen. The pacing is steady although moderate but the pull to know what is coming up is strong so much so I couldn’t stop flipping just one more page…..Such a page turner I simply couldn’t wait to see the outcome.

This thriller is an enjoyable and captivating read one that kept my attention from page one. In my books it is even better than the “Missing Activist”. Well-done.

I wish to thank Louise Burfitt-Dons for a copy of both books in this series. My thoughts have not been influence by this offer this is the way I see it…

"The Missing Activist", by Louise Burfitt-Dons

Book#1 in Karen Anderson British Political Thriller series

Post referendum, Britain is a country on high alert for terrorist attacks

Set against a background of Islamist Jihad “The Missing Activist” exposes the shenanigan that goes on in the Tory party. The author writes her story with knowledge and conviction. Her words are strong and engaging.

What a page-turner that is a bit too real but no less gripping. When a young political activist goes missing, private investigator Karen Anderson is called to look into the case. What she finds is a party system whose secrets must be kept at all costs, loyalty above the truth. On her search she unexpectedly dovetails with a female jihadi bride operation.

This fast-paced thriller tackles two controversial topics: the political and religious ideologies which are fuelling jihadi behaviour and how girls are drawn from the West to Syria. It also touches the victims of bullying/scandal /campaign allegations. The author admits to have taken creative license as regards the extent of corruption. The book is presented in bite-size chapters and is specially structured for the thriller genre with all the twists and turns one can expect. The plot is captivating, oh! Boy did I have a hard time setting it aside (darn chores). From page one I was held captive….this is an unputdownable read.

The characters are well drawn and believable, they play their roles perfectly but we do have a plethora to follow so don’t blink or you will miss out. They are introduced in the first quarter of the book and their presence reoccurs throughout the story. What a dark and bloody world these characters inhabit…

Filled with intrigue and thrills “The Missing Activist” is an excellent read. Well-done.

"Collateral Damage", by Lynette Eason

Book #1 in The Danger Never Sleeps series

It took some time before I was hooked by this story and I still wonder why I was so ridiculously slow in grasping how good it was. After all, “Collateral Damage” is fast-paced, very suspenseful, has great characterization and to boot a great storyline….so why did I find it hard to stay focus and this from the get-go. Distraction is my best guess….but in hindsight I admit the story did gel and I loved it.

The story line has two main characters: military psychiatrist Brooke Adams honorably discharged from the Army after an explosion nearly killed her and Former Army Special Ops Sergeant Asher James who has nightmares from his time in Afghanistan. Both have flashbacks and struggle with PTSD and are helping each other heal from their past trauma. But trouble keeps on following them even back home with the duo drawn into a web of terrifying circumstances……from then on I was tenfold into this mystery and flipping pages furiously….

We have two storyline, at first this may be a bit confusing but I knew that eventually things would fall into place and as the threads come together it would make perfect sense. The story has villains, intrigue and unthinkable acts caused by greed but we also have heroes, faith and strong values. There is a light romance in the background that doesn’t take anything away from the overall suspense. This is a complex plot that also touches the sensitive subjects of illegal adoption and organs trafficking for gain.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing via Netgalleys. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.