Book 1, In the Inspector Samuel Tay series
It was my first experience reading this author and it was most satisfying. It is always an enjoyment when a plot is expertly crafted and offers complex twists to challenge us and a good healthy dose of mystery with few grisly details. No need to look further this crime fiction set in Asia provided all of the excitement needed.
It opens with the battered body of an unidentified Caucasian woman discovered in what was supposed to be an empty room at the Singapore Marriott. A second body is found in Bangkok in a seedy apartment close to the American embassy. Both women are Americans and have been beaten viciously, shot in the head, stripped naked and crudely displayed. Inspector Samuel Tay of Singapore CID is assigned to the case….a case that no one wants him to solve…
Samuel Tay is an unassuming protagonist, a little cranky, he definitely smokes too much, doesn't like Americans, loathes fat tourists in their shorts and flip-flops and downright gauche with women. I enjoy novel series that allows their protagonist to grow on its readers and slowly hook them. This is definitely one of them.
The story takes a while to speed up but after setting meticulously the scene, there is a very strong awareness of location and atmosphere that are vividly portrayed throughout the pages. When it takes off in supersonic mode the story is driven into dark territory of spooks while Inspector Tay holds his own against the forces tugging him away from his task. The narration is sometime funny especially when Tay describes his feelings of the authorities and Singapore’s hellish temperature. I like the dry sense of humour that occasion pops up.
Very engaging novel in every aspect and will look forward to its sequel
"Mistress of the Revolution” is written in the form a memoir by a fictional character, Gabrielle de Montserrat, a beautiful minor noblewoman from Auvergne now living in England. Gabrielle relives her childhood, youth and the French Revolution that dramatically changed the life of so many. Although the author has taken great liberties with many of the settings this tragic story manages to convey both the excitement of the early days of the Revolution and the Terror endured by the nobility and the vast majority of the population.
This intricate portrait of a turbulent era is quite enthralling, what a page turner this experience turned out to be. At first the pacing may seem slow but it drastically changes during the Revolution and the tale swiftly becomes exciting. There is such a richness of details and the skilled handling of the 18th century language was amazing. I couldn't help but be plunged deep into a story full of romance, drama and passion not to leave out actual historical events and figures that populated the pages. Gabrielle is the lead narrator. She is a feisty, complex character and a victim of the status of women of the time. She also has a love interest in Pierre-André Coffinhal, the typical man found in romance novel but is forced by her meddling brother to marry a nasty piece of work. We find Gabrielle embroiled in the massacre at the Champs de Mars, the fall of the Tuileries, the prison massacres and the many tribulations that came her way. The description leaves quite an impression, admirably depicting the tension and volatility of an era when one wrong move could mean the guillotine….chilling….
This is a very captivating novel I enjoyed immensely
I am always attracted to stories set in my home town of Montreal so when I noticed Mr. Kirby’s debut novel I simply couldn't resist and I had to give it a try. Right from the start the story drew me in and I let myself be carried forward and enjoyed every moment I spent reading this captivating crime thriller.
The plot deals with the deaths of five homeless people on Christmas Eve. Inspector Luc Vanier, the protagonist, is the lead investigator. Montreal is as colourful and gritty as ever and at that time of the year the city is pummelled by endless snowstorms and freezing temperature. The author is very adept in describing every bit of it. Through his grit and determination and his old fashioned detective work we step in the world of Inspector Vanier and follow him along with his team as they pursue the trail of a serial killer. Deeper they dig, more people seem to be implicated: from high ranking member of the clergy and the boardroom of Montreal’s business elite to the back kitchens of the dispossessed.
This story is a classic procedural thriller ferociously well-crafted, fast- paced with many red herrings, endless clues and a plot development that is most catching and quite realistic. We have scenes of a wonderfully city that casts its icy shadow and a group of fantastic characters to entertain us even if the main player can border on cliché.
This is an enjoyable novel and I am definitely looking forward to “Vigilante Season”, its sequel.
