Book Review-Hard-News

Hard News

by

Jeffery Deaver

 

 

Hard News is another story of a young reporter pushing her capabilities and experience.  I say another because I have read two books this year by a different author in which a young female reporter was the lead character and Jeffery Deaver has created story which I believe to be the best of the three ‘female reporter’ books read this year.

Working in television as a camera operator out on the beat, young Rune finds a letter on her desk from death row.   After convincing herself that the prisoner is innocent she finds herself creating a story of his innocence for the Network Current Events program.

Through in a baby left on her doorstep and you have a fairly improbable scenario which nevertheless provides for an entertaining read.  For me the odd part was the baby’s development over what appeared, or seemed to be only a few months at best.  She went from nappies, or diapers to feeding herself, walking and talking.

However, it is basically good guys vs bad guys…and I did not pick the end or see any of the bad guys close to Rune.

For that reason and the fact that it was an enjoyable read, I gave Hard News a four star rating.

A final mention the Hard News is book three of the Rune Trilogy.  As yet I have not searched for books one and two.  However, I can tell you that they appear to have little, or no, impact on reading Hard News as a stand alone read.

 

I think

Hard News

 

is a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

Hard News

an average of 3.45 stars from 998 ratings and 55 reviews

Hard News

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia and Amazon

 

Book Review-No-Mans-Land

No Man’s Land

(John Puller #4)

by

David Baldacci

 

No Man’s Land is the fourth in the John Puller series by David Baldacci.  John and Robert Puller’s mother disappeared without trace thirty years prior.  The boys’ three star general father is now suffering from advanced stages of dementia.  The Puller family receive a letter from a former acquaintance accusing the retired General Puller of murdering his wife all those thirty years ago.

It is up to the Puller brothers, accompanied by a female colleague to solve this mystery.  And solve it they do.

Entwined in this plot is a super strong criminal created by a clandestine research program, which operated all those years ago and is still operating.  An espionage ring selling government secrets to commercial enterprises also adds some intrigue to the plot.

Everyone who knew Jackie Puller when she was alive has nothing but praise for her.  So why did she disappear.  Was it marital problems or an extramarital affair?

I should also add that No Man’s Land was narrated by Kyf Brewer with Orlagh Cassidy providing the female character voices.  Both narrators provided excellent character voices for this book, which as I have repeatedly written, makes or breaks an audiobook.

I don’t think I have read a David Baldacci book that I have not enjoyed so my review may be biased.

However my four star rating is still below the Goodreads average from over 18,000 ratings.

 

I think

No Man’s Land

 

is a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

No Man’s Land

an average of 4.19 stars from 18,668 ratings and 1,243 reviews

No Man’s Land

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia and Amazon

 

Book Review-Wet-Graves

Wet Graves

by

Peter Corris

 

Wet Graves is another in the Cliff Hardy series by Peter Corris.  Set in an around Sydney, Wet Graves follows the adventures, or obstacles that private eye Cliff Hardy encounters while solving cases for clients.

Wet Graves is a light read about Cliff Hardy who does not appear to be a rich private detective but does make ends meet.  Like many of this genre Cliff is a retired policeman who still has some contacts on the police force which help him occasionally.

I enjoy novels set in Australia, possibly because many of the areas and locations I have visited, during my life, or am at least familiar with.

Finally, I have to pay tribute to Peter Hosking who narrated the audio version to which I listened.  Peter has a gravelly voice which seems a perfect fit for Cliff’s character.  His variations also work well for Cliff’s mates as well.

I have only given Wet Graves a three star rating simply because it is not the first Peter Coriss – Cliff Hardy book I have read, but the first I have reviewed here.

 Not a heavy read but enjoyable.

I think

Wet Graves

 

is a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

Wet Graves

an average of 3.77 stars from 74 ratings and 8 reviews

Wet Graves

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia and Amazon

 

Book Review-One-Shot

One Shot

by

Lee Child

 

 I heard recently that there had been one hundred and seventy-three mass shootings in America in the first six months of 2017.  Not sure if I was dreaming or watching a television show.  However, guess what One Shot is all about?  Certainly not, as the title implies, about a single shot.

According to https://www.massshootingtracker.org/data there has been 218 mass shootings in America until June 30, 2017.  Not all, I must point out, have been fatal.

One Shot is a fairly typical Jack Reacher/Lee Child novel and plot.  However, it was not until I moved it to my Lee Child bookshelf on my iPad that I realised why it seemed so familiar.  There was another copy already there!  However, for a second read I thoroughly enjoyed the story for a second time. Apparently a lone sniper decides to wipe out a few of his hometown citizens and is quickly captured by the police.  The suspect calls for Jack Reacher and that is when questions begin to be asked.  And the more questions asked the more need to be asked…and answered.

One Shot is a fast paced story with the urge to turn the next page always keeping me awake at night.

Definitely a must for Lee Child/Jack Reacher fans and definitely a four star read.

I think

One Shot

 

is a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

One Shot

an average of 4.2 stars from 70,619 ratings and 2,602 reviews

One Shot

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia and Amazon

 

Book Review-Nothing-to-Lose

Nothing to Lose

by

Lee Child

 

Nothing to lose, by Lee Child, sees Jack Reacher walking across America almost following a pioneer trail.  All goes well until he comes to the town of Hope and then Despair.  Hope is a clean, friendly town.  Despair the complete opposite.  Like many before him the first time Jack sets foot in Despair he is literally run out of town…and it appears he is not the only one to suffer that fate.

Despair is a company town run and owned by a religious fanatic who owns and employees most of the townsfolk at his metal recycling plant.  Vaughan the female cop in Hope is one of Jack’s staunchest allies and helps him solve the mysteries of Despair.  Her story is tied closely to the only industry in Despair.

• Why does the boss fly out in his light plane every night the factory operates?

• Why is there a Military Police post outside Despair?

• Who was the body Jack found in the dark?

• And why had it disappeared by daylight?

• Why are there young women waiting for their boyfriends or husbands in Hope?

• Why are these girls alone, broke and so anti-authority?

• What is happening in the recycling plant that is so secretive?

• Finally, why could the whole operation be so dangerous?

These are some of the questions to which Reacher and Vaughan need to answer.

Nothing to Lose is an enjoyable read and fans of Lee Child or crime fiction will enjoy it.

I think

Nothing to Lose

 

is a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

Nothing to Lose

an average of 3.9 stars from 37,351 ratings and 1,953 reviews

Nothing to Lose

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia and Amazon

 

Book Review-Run-You-Down

Run You Down

(Rebekah Roberts #2)

by

Julia Dahl

 

In the beginning I found Run You Down a bit slow.  However, it soon developed into an interesting story.

Reporter Rebekah Roberts is still searching for her mother, when her job takes into the lives of people who eventually commit some horrific acts of violence.  No spoiler.

There passages of Run You Down which I think could have been left on the editor’s floor.  However, all in all Run You Down is another look into the lives of people of Jewish faith in contemporary America.

Young Rebekah is again the central figure along with several other characters from Invisible City, the first book in the series.  While Run You Down works quite well as a standalone novel my recommendation would be to read Invisible City first as characters mentioned in Invisible City are expanded upon in Run You Down.

My initial evaluation of Run You Down was that it would struggle to gain a three star rating.  As I said it seemed a bit slow early on.  By the time I finished reading Run You Down, I was happy with my four star rating.

I think

Run You Down

 

is definitely a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

Run you Down

an average of 3.78 stars from 1,005 ratings and 174 reviews

Run you Down

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia, and Amazon

 

Book Review-The-Arraignment

The Arraignment

(Paul Madriani #7)

by

Steve Martini

 

The Arraignment is the seventh in the Paul Madriani series written by Steve Martini and is another fast paced story revolving around a lawyer friend of Paul Madriani.

A drive by shooting is central to the plot and most of the story is spent contacting dubious characters who may be held responsible for the shooting. As with all good books even some of the apparently ‘good guys’ have a shady side to them.

A wife, an ex-wife and a child neither of the aforementioned know of all adds to the The Arraignment’s plot.

To say much more will give away too much of the plot. The Arraignment is as good as any other Steve Martini book I have read. If you have not read a Steve Martini book previously, and enjoy the crime genre, I would recommend you try some of Steve Martini’s books.

In my opinion the Paul Madriani series does not need to be read in sequence. Others may disagree. I have read number 14 and now number 7 in the series. I have also read The List which is not part of this series and all have scored four stars from me.

I think

The Arraignment

 

is definitely a

read.

Goodreads readers have rated

The Arraignment

an average of 3.83 stars from 2,426 ratings and 114 reviews

The Arraignment

can be purchased on-line at

Fishpond, Booktopia, and Amazon