"The Escape", by Lisa Harris

US Marshall book #1

This high octane cat and mouse game between the US Marshall and a fugitive is quite entertaining and an attention grabber.

It opens with two Marshalls transporting two prisoners across the country when their plane crashes, Madison James and Jonas Quinn survived, the pilots are killed so is one of the prisoners but Damon Barrick, the most dangerous one manages to escape thus launching a manhunt through forest, towns, airports, train and bus stations.

Although the subject is by far from original, the author has put quite a personal spin into her story. Things turns deadly along the way but no fear the two officers of the law quickly put their heads together and find a way to catch this slimy prisoner and bring him back to where he belongs…but achieving this goal becomes quite a challenge….and is very captivating for us to follow them.

The story presents a sidebar and is a real teaser: a black rose is left annually on the anniversary of Madison’s husband’s murder. Who is behind this act, can it be the killer and the one who was never brought to justice….This remains an unsolved and unresolved case at the end of the book leaving us believe it will spring up again sometime.

No doubt, this story is action-packed and is a page-turner. Well- written to captivate from the opening pages and holds you there till you reach the conclusion which ends in a cliff-hanger, of course, setting the stage for book #2. The characterisation is believable. The chase for Damon, a bit far-fetched but the exciting narrative makes up for all its faults. Well-done.

I received this ARC copy of this book from the publisher Revell via the first reviewer program for my thoughts

"V2", by Robert Harris

Near the end of WW11, Germany channels all its energy into a rocket, the V2. Robert Harris in a propulsive narrative tells the story from the perspectives of Dr Rudi Graf, a collaborator of Wernher von Braun, head of the rocket program and from Kay Caton-Walsh from the Women’s Auxiliary Air force. The story is set over five days and the dueling narratives expose how the tit for tat battle played out on both sides.

Skillfully mixing the real and fictional characters into the plot Mr. Harris has drawn a series of events related the V2 rockets and their launch. The storyline alternates between Dr. Graf who find himself in Occupied Holland launching the volatile and deadly machine against London and Kay Caton-Walsh who was sent to Belgium in the hope to discovering the location of the launch sites.

The narrative is the key feature and the joy is the two conspiracies we have in this book. Behind all of this is Wernher von Braun, head of the Nazi rocket program, who may be the only one to stand out from the cliché Nazi type. For all its pace “V2” is more drama than thriller. Mr. Harris has perfectly created tension within a story in which we know the ending and masterfully presented a well-researched history embellished with colourful human behaviour.

Although a fiction V2 tells a story close to what really happened during the war. It is very technical in details... get out your slide rule we have lots of maths to follow. Interesting in many ways...

I received a copy of this book from Penguin Random House via Netgalley and Edelweiss for an unbiased review these are my thoughts.

"Staccato", by Ty Patterson

Zeb Carter Short book #1

Zeb Carter is leaving the coffee store when the shooter opens fire indiscriminately and escapes.... then Zeb springs into action and the hunt is on......

What an opening....

This novella is filled with never ending action of course when Zeb is around we have no peace, this is the main reason when Zeb and his team are concerned we are never bored. The dramas they find themselves into are a thrill to read. This little story is way too short once into it zap you reached the end but what a complete and excellent story, it notches all the boxes. Mr. Patterson brought in all his team plus managed to introduce two of his favourite cops, his boss, he did not forget Cutter Grogan, the main player in his new series and many more characters we came to know from other series also showed up. This story is cleverly written to fit in with the other series and is a wonderful filler between books when time is pressing.