Capsule book reviews in 255 characters or fewer. Ish. A reading diary (1st Jan 2019 onwards) by Eamonn Griffin.
An ex-journalist investigating an art theft is accused of murder. The second of the Fletch series (originally published in 1977) is a sprightly mystery well up to the standards of its predecessor. Lean, dialogue-driven, and confident throughout. A movie adaptation is due in 2022.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Two friends join an ongoing discussion of England’s history: a series of pub talks ensue. Superficially similar to Mills‘s The Forensic Records Society, this is another examination of men, entropy, and understated menace. Perhaps not for newbies, but those who’ve enjoyed Mills’s work before will find this brisk novel full of familiar pleasures. Recommended.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The lives of two career criminals and a robbery/homicide detective intertwine over a long decade. This follow-on novel to Michael Mann’s 1995 heist movie epic Heat is undeniably contrived, but equally undeniably thrilling: bags of detail, tonnes of cool under pressure, with prose that does an admirable job of replicating Mann’s cinematic storytelling. For fans, naturally, but that’s a broad church: the congregation will leave feeling redeemed.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The sleeping sickness now established, matters come to a head in Dooling. A strong counterpart to Volume 1, completing an excellent graphic novelisation (is that even a phrase?) of the King father and son collaboration. Perhaps works better if you’re familiar with the source novel, but enjoyable in its own right too.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The continuing adventures of a working class British magician, working to balance warring supernatural forces and their own flaws. Still-splendid blend of social realism, state-of-the-world anger, and horror comic thrills. Both of its time (Thatcher’s late 80s) and of this moment: the same wars are still being fought. This first collection brings together issues 1-9, plus issues 77 and 78 of Swamp Thing, Constantine’s origin title.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Recuperating with family after combat injury, military cop Mick Hardin investigates the death of a drug dealer as a favour. The second Hardin thriller offers the same pleasures as the first: laconic Kentuckians, a sense of ordinary lives, a conspiracy. Plenty to relish: a third book is keenly awaited.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
After solar flares take out the world’s electricity, trouble strikes a woman estranged from her billionaire brother. Ungainly mix of post-apocalypse SF and assholes-after-bag-of-money thriller. The former is very much dialled down to give focus, but the genre mashup doesn’t really work: the plot doesn’t need its context. That said, it’s pacy and kinda works, even though the book feels like a movie script in waiting rather than a novel.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The Twelfth Doctor, Bill, and Nardole find themselves north of Hadrian’s Wall, where Picts and Romans are in conflict. A very solid novelization, with the space to breathe that its TV progenitor didn’t quite have. Author (and original screenwriter) Munro’s affiliation with the subject – and inspirations such as Sutcliff’s The Eagle of the Ninth – shines through.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble find themselves in a Roman city overlooked by a volcano. Zippy novelisation of Moran’s own television script from 2008. Effectively translates the TV episode to short novel length without resorting to padding. Some good jokes along the way too. Fun for fans, and accessible as an entry point.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
A corrupt cop-turned-PI seeks a murderer while scouring 1950s Hollywood for sleaze for the scandal sheets. While it teeters on the edge of parody Ellroyism at times, this is nevertheless swaggering stuff if you go with it. A minor work in the canon, perhaps, but fans will come away pleased.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
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