The Red Cobra - James Ryker #1

The Red Cobra - James Ryker #1

The Red Cobra follows on from the Enemy Series featuring Carl Logan.  In The Red Cobra we meet James Ryker an ex secret agent who used to work for the JIA and his partner Lisa.  They are living a nice quite life, no one bothers them and things are good. 

The next thing his old boss Winter has found him and is sat in his house, asking for help.  True to form Ryker (aka Carl Logan) can’t resist the temptation especially when he hears that the person they are hunting is The Red Cobra.  Ryker had dealings with Red Cobra when he was Carl Logan and they have a history.  The Red Cobra however is female and it was great to read a book where the assassin is female.   

Before we know it Ryker has left the secret life he was living and is back in the thick of the action in true Carl Logan style. This book takes us to Spain, where Ryker becomes acquainted with a UK detective Paul Green who thinks Ryker is a freelance investigator and there to assist them.  We are treated to action in small villages off the beaten track, we are even treated to areas where traditional bull fighters would have trained, all the while on the hunt for The Red Cobra. 

The story continues with short pacey chapters, each one having you turn the pages wanting to know what happens next.  It was such a great read and boy did the book end with a need to want and know more.  What an ending and I cannot wait to see what is next in store for Ryker / Logan.

My thanks got to Rob Sinclair for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.  This review is my unbiased opinion and views are my own.      

Blackout - John Milton #10

Blackout - John Milton #10 (Mark Dawson)

Blackout is the tenth book by Mark Dawson featuring John Milton and is just as good as all the others.  

In this book John Milton’s life is about to change, we meet Milton who is sober and no longer drinking and also whilst he’s working in a cafe, a complete change to his former government work we know him so well for.  He is told some unexpected news and news that shocks him.  After digesting this news he decides to head for Manila to check out this news and see if it’s correct.  However, not all goes to plan on arriving there and the next thing is Milton is in a Filipino prison, for murder. 

Has Milton completely gone overboard and done something completely stupid!

Life in a corrupt prison is anything but easy as you can imagine.  However in true Milton style we are treated to how Milton copes and the way in which he gets through each day.  As well, we meet a police officer who becomes embroiled in Milton’s case, wants to ensure that justice is served, which also has drastic consequences to the officer.  However the investigation being conducted is hindered at each possible junction.

Mark Dawson is one author who has certainly made it into my Top 10 authors.  I love all his books and with the Milton series it is recommended that you read the earlier books as well.  This can be read as a standalone but to fully understand what makes Milton tick and the mechanics of his mind it is best to read the earlier books and that way you can enjoy Milton even more.

My thanks go to Mark Dawson for allowing me to read and review an eARC of this book.  This review however is my complete and unbiased opinion.   



The Promise - Casey Kelleher

The Promise - Casey Kelleher

This book is one that I read whilst on holiday in Fuerteventura at the end of February.  It was a great book that kept me company on the plane and one that I could read in short bursts when my daughter was happy to read her own book.

The Promise is about two sisters, Georgie and Marnie Parker.  The sisters have a close bond and have been through a lot of things at quite a young age, they have a mum who is a prostitute, albeit an aging one and therefore have to learn to cope with the many frequent visitors that their flat has.  One of those “visitors” ends up dead (murdered) and their mum is sentenced to a prison sentence for this murder.    

The girls are left to face life without their mum and despite not being the best mum to them, they miss her and would give anything to have her back.  They end up in a children’s home and I for one was hoping for a nice conclusion for them both, but having read some of Casey’s previous books knew that this wasn’t going to happen.

They end up in danger and make a run for it from the children’s home and meet Delray Anderton.  Despite knowing that he is a London gangster with a violent nature are  taken in with his charm and kindness, and throughout the story we are treated to the inner thoughts of Delray and what his ulterior motive really is with regards to the girls.

The Promise had me hooked from the first page and is a gritty crime novel, making me what to read another chapter and then another chapter to find out what was going to happen.  I love Casey Kelleher’s books and this one was no exception to the rule.  I now have another couple on her books on my kindle and will even be going back to read one I’ve read before when I get chance.

My thanks go to NetGalley for allowing me to read an eARC of this book and also the publishers Bookouture.   I am just sorry my review took so long to write.