Pre release review of Coffin Road by Peter May

I really wanted to like this book as a big fan of the China thrillers by the author Peter May. Maybe I read too much or there are too many similar storylines out there but this book just reminded me of too many others to be truly great. The amnesia and feeling out of place when you don't know who you are has been done brilliantly in the past few years with Final Minute and Before I go to sleep being standouts so the opening of Coffin Road and a man washed up on a Scottish Hebrides beach seemed more of the same.

Coffin Road is the story of Neal Maclean, washed up on a freezing beach with little recollection if anything apart from his taste in coffee, whisky and the name if his dog. With 'friends' Jon and Sally determined to find out who he is and what happened to him, his confusion grows as his suspicions of their actions and intentions increases.

Being told in the first person by an unreliable narrator does help ratch up the tension here, with the reader as confused by events and who is who as the character, however that also tends to leave the book as a once read only rather than a repeat as the ending and big reveal is all the more memorable. I did enjoy this book but don't think it is May's best work, although the characters were well written and the novel was gripping it just wasn't for me this time.

Thanks to www.realreaders.co.uk for the advance copy, Coffin Road is out in January 2016

Review: Dodgers by Bill Beverly

Review: Dodgers by Bill Beverly

I was excited and intrigued by the idea of this book when I received a free review copy from www.realreaders.co.uk but almost gave up after the first 10 pages, where a strange narrative style, short sentences, slang language and accents put me off so much I almost abandoned the book, however, suddenly in chapter 2 it shifted style and we got down to some decent writing and a way into the characters and their lives.

The book focuses on Los Angeles wanna be gangster East, only a boy, owes his boss after a police raid leaves him open to blame and needing to get back in the bosses good books. By taking on a risky but unavoidable job East must prove himself and become all he hopes to be and more, the result of independence and respect in East's life is loss of childhood and innocence. The book doesn't shy away from gang violence and the reality of Americas hidden poor in society as well as the price of drug and alcohol addiction. In the end, the very things that put me off the book to start were what made it real as I carried on.

Part road movie, part journey of discovery, the author has found influences in classic 19th century children's adventure as well as more modern gangster novels such as Goodfellas, leaving a blend which although far from unique has enough action, violence and suspense to keep my interest.

Dodgers is released in March 2016

The Deceivers by John Masters

Although first published in 1952, John Masters novel still has something to say about identity, disguise and what is willing to be gained or lost in the pursuit of justice.

The story is set in 1825 and focuses on William Savage, living in colonial India as an authority figure for Imperial Britain in a small village. After his marriage he returns to his station to find unrest and conflict due to the decision of one villiager (after her husband has been deemed dead after not returning from travel) to become a Suttee (or Sati) and burn herself on his funeral pyre.  William's subsequent deceit and decision to prevent this act begins his descent into crime and murder, with little way back to the civilisation he has left behind.

Although many of Masters early novels are biased towards colonial power in India and elsewhere, having read this book again after many years and the benefit of research into postcolonial India and Empire it is clear to me that not only is Master's attempting to critique the assumptions of colonial powers to prevent cultural activities but also to allow for the fear present under the surface of the British, of the unknown and savage part of their new home.

Despite its age The Deceivers is well worth reading and has been educational in looking at how British authors in the decades after Indian partition and independence chose to write about colonial India and the culture there.

Why do we need another book review blog?

more importantly, why read mine?

As an avid reader of most types of fiction and non-fiction (except chick lit which I can't abide) I wanted to find a way to start actively thinking about why I enjoy or dislike a certain book rather than just moving on to the next one.

So each week or more depending on how many books I read, I will post about new titles I've read, some may be older classics, some pre releases but hopefully something new to try and ideas for getting into new authors.

Come back next week for book 1