Book Review-Red-Tide

 

Red Tide 

(Billy Knight Thrillers #2)

by

Jeff Lindsay

Read: September 2018

My second consecutive Billy Knight ‘thriller’ by Jeff Lindsay, and I must confess that it was a thrill to read/listen to the last pages of this, again, boring ‘thriller’. If anything it was less interesting than Billy Knight #1.

I would suggest googling the definition of thriller before Billy Knight #3 or any other so-called ‘thriller’ is published. Better still read some of Jennifer Hillier’s books, or even Dawn Girl by Leslie Wolfe. I enjoyed Dawn Girl so much that I have several more of Wolfe’s novels to read.

Finally as an Australian reader (and reviewer) may I suggest that taking a swipe at Australia and anything Australian (or any other nationality, for that matter) is not the way to win friends and influence people: especially when it happens in each of Billy Knight’s books.

“Your name’s Billy, not Silly” said Aussie character Nicky who always seemed to have a few Kangaroos loose in the top paddock. Lindsay then proceeded with a lengthy description of Australian rhyming slang. Lindsay concludes this must be because we name our towns/places with names such as Kalgoorlie (Western Australia), Woolloomooloo and Wollongong (New South Wales). Sure there are many place names which are taken directly or are derivatives of Native Australian local languages/dialects. In both Billy Knight 1 & 2, Lindsay is happy to take the mickey out of Nicky.

I would suggest he have a bopeep in his own backyard before taking the micky out of anyone again. At least get the research right. Click, or copy and paste this link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of…

to find a list of Native American Place names which have direct links to, or origins from either Native American, Mexican, Polynesian or Athabaskan languages.

Struth! If this bloke had got off his Khyber Pass and bothered to take a Captain Cook on the world wide web, or even get on the old Dog an’ Bone and asked someone who might know, he would have quickly learned, maybe, that Aussie rhymin’ slang and our unusual place names have little in common. Why? Coz one is local, the other originates in the Mother Country with a few Down Under twists. With better research this could a bin a ripsnorter of a read. Instead it’s a Barry Crocker! 

Only ONE star from this reader and no more Billy Knight thrillers for me.

 

At the time of completing this review,

on September, 2018

Goodreads readers have rated

Red Tide

an average of 

3.53 stars

from 147 ratings and 34 reviews 

Tropical Depressions rates:

3.64 stars, 175 ratings, 29 reviews

 A read.

Red Tide

can be purchased on-line at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

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Book Review-Tropical-Depression

 

Tropical Depression 

(Billy Knight Thrillers #1)

by

Jeff Lindsay

Read: August 2018

I initially borrowed Billy Knight #2 (Red Tide) from the local library, and decided to listen to the Billy Knight #1 Thriller, Tropical Depression.  Before I commenced the ‘thriller’ I noticed another Goodreads reader commenting that 75% of a very dull story was enough.   The first chapter/track seemed so disjointed that I had to listen to it twice.  However, I will concede that first listen consisted of very short drives.  Listening to the beginning of new book requires some concentration and extended periods of listening to ‘get into it’.

I still don’t know why we needed to hear how untidy and high the weeds were in Billy’s garden.  We were also introduced to several acquaintances all of which had little or nothing to do with the story line.  One such character was an Australian….with a Cockney accent!!!  To make matters worse the narrator could not even hold the accent.  Sentences would begin with a Cockney sounding accent and slowly revert to the narrator’s normal voice.

 

Again in my opinion there is a fine line between conversation and narrative in a thriller or mystery.  I do not like either one to outweigh the other especially if it appears to simply be filling a page or chapter.  When authors begin to describe the height of weeds in a garden, the hues of wall paint, provide in-depth detailed descriptions of another character’s clothes or dust in a room, it has to be relevant to the story.  I find that narrative very, very boring.

The short version of this story is the Billy Knight is an ex-cop.  A friend’s son is killed.  Soon after which the aforementioned friend is also killed.

I did listen to the whole story.  Not the worst book I have heard/read, however certainly not the best.  I will also give Tropical Depression two stars; one for publishing and one because I could not write a children’s book let alone a novel.  However, it has a long way to go before it is of thriller status, in my opinion.

 

At the time of completing this review,

on August, 2018

Goodreads readers have rated

Tropical Depression

an average of 

3.65 stars

from 172 ratings and 28 reviews 

 A read.

Tropical Depression 

can be purchased on-line at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book Review-Freak

Freak

by

Jennifer Hillier

Freak is my third Jennifer Hillier book and one which appears to be a sequel to Creep.  Many of the good guys, along with a bad gal, make a reprise in Freak.  Creep characters, Sheila, Maurice, Marianne and Jerry are all central characters in Freak, a fast-moving and interesting story particularly as some it is set in a prison which was my last place of employment.

 

I thought the villain of Freak was fairly obvious.  However, each and every time I thought I had identified to the villain I was either incorrect or they turned up dead a few pages on.  I guess that makes me still incorrect. 

 

I enjoyed Freak, although I still think The Butcher is the pick of the three of Hillier’s books which I have read.  That said, Freak kept me guessing while The Butcher villain was obvious early on it was his methods and catching him which kept readers on edge.  And that, according to Doctor Google, is the difference between a mystery and a thriller.

 

However, the end of Freak was totally unexpected and one which has left the door wide open for a sequel. 

On August 1st, 2018

Goodreads Readers have rated

Freak

an average of

3.89 stars from 3,253 ratings and 338 reviews 

 A solidread.

Freak

can be purchased on-line at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Freak not available at Booktopia

Book Review-The-Games

The Games

by

James Patterson

 

The Games is set in Rio at the time of the World Cup (Soccer) finals and just prior to the 2016 Olympic Games opening two years later.  One location, two events which the Private Security Company has major input.

Jack Morgan is again the lead character in The Games, which sees him fighting to save kidnap victims, and stop a scientist out to destroy the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games.  The scientist has two reasons for wanting to destroy the Opening Ceremony; however you will need to read the book!

I enjoyed The Games.  It is the first audio book I have heard which has background, or mood, noise incorporated into the narration.  However, if you listen to while driving and have a car which emits all kinds of beeps as warning signals be forewarned.  There is one section in the book when I thought my car was falling apart or at least warning me of oncoming dangers.

My only negative with the writing is that the characters never, question, mumble, chuckle, grumble or laugh, when speaking.  All dialogue is simple.  ‘I will open the door’ he/she/I said.  I am sure there are other ways of writing conversations to make it more meaningful.  Using the word ‘said’ all the time is akin to primary school writing.  I am fairly certain that I have read other authors who have also used ‘said’ constantly.

I have heard this question discussed on radio.  Who is writing James Patterson’s books these days.  Did Mark Sullivan write the story and James Patterson only approving it?  Or are Patterson and his myriad of co-authors actually writing books together?

Typical of Patterson’s works, The Games is fast moving with several interwoven plots which eventually are all solved.

Considering the subject is contemporary, set recently and combine this with background sounds, I will stretch its rating to four stars.  Without the aforementioned three and a half stars, and this cannot be accommodated in a Goodreads rating.

James Patterson fans will love it.

 Goodreads readers have rate 

The Games an average of 3.97 stars, from 7,396 ratigns and 504 reviews.

Aread.

The Games

can be purchased on-line at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

 

Book Review-Cold-Grave

 

Cold Grave

(Dr. Anya Crichton, #6)

by

Kathryn Fox

 

Cold Grave is my fourth of the Doctor Anya Crichton series written by Kathryn Fox.  The title of this book had me thinking it had something to do with cemeteries.  Not so!

A family cruise couldn’t be further away from my thoughts.  Then how can anything happen on a family friendly cruise?

It does!  And on the first day, no less.

 

Anya, her ex-husband and their son are on a cruise, when hubby is involved in finding the first victim’s body.  That of a pretty young nineteen year old girl.  Anya also decides to help out and puts her forensic skills to good use.

 

In my mind the possible culprits are soon revealed.  An investigation which follows is bungled and we are left wondering who is responsible for the bungle?  The ex-cop shipboard security chief or someone else?

 

Cold Grave has all the usual twists and turns expected in a book of this genre.  The story is a bit Perry Mason(ish) with some of the details being ‘off-screen’ and only heard about during the ‘rescue’.

However, it is still a good read, or listen, as the case may be.  I am sure fans of Kathryn Fox and this genre of books will enjoy Cold Grave as I did.

As usual I must mention narrator, Jennifer Vuletic who has done an excellent job of creating life-like characters.

I have rated

Cold Grave

A solid

star read.  

Goodreads readers have rated

Cold Grave

an average of 3.72 from 485 ratings and 75 reviews

Cold Grave

can be purchased on-line at 

Fishpond, Booktopia and Amazon

Book Review-Skin-and-Bone

 

Skin and Bone

(Dr. Anya Crichton, #3)

by

Kathryn Fox

June 18, 2015

I listened to the audio version of this book.

The narrator did an excellent job with her

character voicing as it was very easy to dislike

or like the characters accordingly.

There was certainly a couple of surprise endings

to the book and I look forward

to more Kathryn Fox novels.

I may be generous awarding four stars…

but I did enjoy the story and characters.

However, Skin and Bone is much better

than many other three star reads.

 

A

star read.  

As of May 04, 2018

Goodreads readers have rated

Skin and Bone

an average of 3.74 stars, from 687 ratings

and 76 reviews

 

Skin and Bone

can be purchased on-line at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon

Book Review-Creep

Creep

by

Jennifer Hillier

 Creep was my second book by Jennifer Hiller, however it appears to be her first published book…in 2011.

Creep is a psychological thriller and is not as gory or macabre as The Butcher, Hillier’s third book.  However, it did have me asking why or how a teacher and student become so ‘close’.  The Butcher was almost more believable than Creep.

There was only three, maybe four, main characters for about two-thirds of the book.  During the last third some of those peripheral characters, mentioned earlier were developed, or introduced entirely, to help solve the mystery and hence provide a conclusion to Creep.

It was interesting to read how an academic could have similar problems or weaknesses as her students.  I may have led a sheltered life as I have never heard of her addiction before although she treated it like I image all addicts treat their addiction.  It’s not the addict who has a problem, it is everyone else.

If it is blood, gore, and terror you are looking for, read The Butcher.  If it is a psychological thrillers you devour the Creep is the novel for you.  I must admit that after The Butcher, Creep was a bit tame, but still a good read.  And as it appears to be a first novel, and The Butcher being so good, I am looking forward to reading Freak, which may be a sequel or similar story-line to Creep .

I was thinking three and a half stars.  However the lack of the half star in Goodreads left me debating whether to round-up or round-down.  It  is a better read than many other novels and it has a ripper twist at the end, which pushed it into the four star category.

  Goodreads Readers have rated

Creep

an average of

3.73 stars from 6,342 ratings

and 781 reviews 

 Aread.

Creep

can be purchased on-line at 

Booktopia, Fishpond and Amazon