Literary Brooding

Close Your Eyes Michael Robotham Paperback , 392 pages Published August 2015 by Sphere I have never read a Michael Robotham novel and after ‘Close your Eyes’ I will be picking up the seven other books in the series. This is a cracking read, can be read as a standalone, is full of twists and turns with a great lead character. Joe O’Loughlin is a clinical psychologist who is struggling to cope with his physical limitations and a desire to reunite with his family. He is trying to leave behind a career that has almost destroyed him and along comes a phone call that throws him back into the deep end. A mother and daughter are found murdered in a remote farmhouse and what seems to be isolated event turns into a complex investigation. Robotham’s writing is sharp and concise, he keeps the story moving along and engaging. I was drawn into the novel and it is a cliché but it’s true, this is a real page turner. The characters Robotham has created are well fo...

The Grey Raider John Flanagan Paperback , 512 pages Published July 1st 2015 by Transworld Publishers   Two Captains, two ships - go head to head in a rip roaring battle fought on land and sea. During the Civil War the Confederates are relying on the CSS Manassas and Captain Pelle to disrupt the Union supply lines by sinking ships and making sea travel as perilous as possible. Pelle’s success on the sea pushes up insurance rates and the Union needs to stop him. The Union turns to Captain Stacey of the USS Oswego. A man who is bull headed but determined to succeed at any cost to sink the Manassas. Adding to the intrigue Stacey and Pelle have a history that makes the battle very personal. What a cracking read, action packed, intense and an intriguing battle of wits between two very different men. There is a lot to like about Flanagan’s Grey Raider. Flanagan has done his research and he seamlessly takes you into this wonderful nautical world. You re...

Dangerous Lies - Becca Fitzpatrick Kindle Edition, 400 pages Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Becca Fitzpatrick has a bit of a following as young adult writer with her ‘Hush. Hush’ series. In her latest offering of Dangerous Lies, Fitzpatrick will certainly keep her legion of fans glued to the pages. Having witnessed a brutal crime Estella is renamed Stella and finds herself bundled into witness protection, cut off from a life she loves and ripped away from Reid her true love. Stella is not sure things could get much worse until she finds herself stuck in Thunder Basin, Nebraska which is a backwater town. What is meant to be a safe haven becomes a world of trouble for Stella who finds that she continually swimming against the tide. Not only does she have to contend with a criminal trying to ensure she does not testify, a local town bully takes an instant dislike and then there is Chet Falconer. He makes Stella question all she believes is true an...

Go Set a Watchman - Harper Lee Hardcover, 278 pages,  Published July 14th 2015 by Harper There is a lot to take in and I will do a longer review later but these are my first thoughts on the book. What happens when all you believe, all you trust is found not be to true? How do you align the memories of the past with the reality of now? This is what confronts Jean-Louise when she returns to Maycomb for a two week break from New York. Each time she returns Jean-Louise notices a change in the town and the people, nothing too major but the changes are unsettling. This time she is aware that the relationships between the townspeople have changed and that the 'negroes' are treated with suspicion and fear. It is almost like a coming of age story but accepting that sometimes the people we consider as Gods have faults and fears of their own that we overlook. Jean-Louise is still feisty and willing to verbally duel with just about anyone. She finds herself caught between worlds ...

Tom Houghton - Todd Alexander Paperback, 295 pages, Expected publication: October 1 2015 by Simon & Schuster AU  Escaping the school yard bullying and the dramas of home, young Tom Houghton turns to golden age of Hollywood cinema. Whereas older Tom Houghton has turned 40, is starring in a gender role reversal of ‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf’ and struggling with his identity. I was provided with a copy from NetGalley for a review. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and its complexity. The story is told by 12 year old Tom ad 40 year old Tom and the cross over in narrative is easy to follow. Older Tom at 40 is a mess, he has no self-worth, is prone to acts of self-destruction and is trying to maintain a relationship with his daughter. The younger Tom is self-obsessed, highly intelligent and fixated on being something better than the school bullies.  As you move between the viewpoint of young and old Tom both voices are engaging. It is younger Tom’s story that ...

That thing called life has got in the way of some serious reading which has meant I have fallen behind in posting up reviews. So this is a catch up post. The Seed Collectors - Scarlett Thomas Hardcover, 384 pages, Published July 2nd 2015 by Canongate Aunt Oleander has died and as the family gathers to remember and mourn, the secrets begin to emerge. This is a complex story that deals with family and is difficult to review. I was provided a copy by Netgalley. On one hand I was completely absorbed by the writing, the descriptions are fantastic, all the senses are captured and you are drawn into the novel. Yet at times I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters who are trying to bring their narrative to the fore. At times I was not sure whose view point I was reading and it would take me some time to determine which character it was. The story jumps all over the place and then there is peppered throughout random pieces on topics like philosophy. All the characters...

The Closers - Michael Connelly Paperback, 432 pages Published October 2nd 2006 by Grand Central Publishing I have read a couple of Michael Connelly's novels before and I was impressed by the Poet that I had read many years ago. I have mot followed the Harry Bosch series at all and what I have read has been out of order. This is no exception as I have picked up book 11. Bosch has had three years away from the police force and has returned to join the Open/Unsolved Crimes team. His first case with partner Kiz Rider they are looking at the death of 16 year old girl. Connelly is masterful in plotting the story, allowing you to follow Bosch's reasoning and every clue is there for you to find. There is a bit of misdirection as Bosch sometimes goes down the wrong rabbit hole but he eventually comes back to discovering the truth. The writing is tight and the descriptions are wonderful, it is a great piece of escapism. You can read this book as a stand alone with no problems...