balthazarlawson's reviews
1135 reviews

A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr

challenging informative tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Burnie Gunther, a German who was once a police officer, private detective, soldier and hotel keeper, is now in 1950 Argentina having escaped Germany the way SS officers did because he was mis-identifed as a wanted Nazi officer. But he always finds himself in trouble and despite wanting a quiet life he ends up working for the Argentine secret police, being manipulated all the way. There are throw backs to an old case he worked in Berlin in 1932 and he is finally able to put it to rest. But he also finds secrets in his new country that he wished he never knew. He always lands in trouble but somehow escapes them.

This is a bit drawn out and at times I felt it very directionless. It seems as if the author just wanted to highlight the evil that was behind Juan Peron's Argentina. Bernie rubs shoulders with lots of escaped Nazis living in Argentina at the time as well as with ruling elite. It's informative and thought provoking but not a totally enjoyable read.

Black Diamond by Martin Walker

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I'm always slightly confused while reading this series of books when trying to work out Bruno's role as a police officer in the small French town, or is it a village, of St. Denis. But I just try put that to one side and enjoy the read.

Bruno is asked to look into complaints about the truffle market in a nearby town, as an outsider, and he is also shocked by the brutal murder of a local hero and a hero of France. There is also an mayoral election approaching which is causing some unrest in the town. Finally, there are attacks on the Vietnamese community which is just the tip of the iceberg of a much larger problem with huge ramifications for St Denis.

There is much going on the this county town and Bruno has to deal with them all while still coping with is up and down social life.

I really enjoyed this.

High Stakes by Peter Menadue

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The latest installment of Paul Ryder who is currently unemployed. After his last outing as a ghost writer didn't turn out as it should he is now persona non grata in the industry. However, he is offered the job of ghost writing a book about a young cricketer and jumps at the opportunity. At the same time he is also offered the job of locating a missing man who is about to inherit millions. Both seemingly simple jobs but both turn out to be almost as dangerous one another and they both produce death threats.

But things turn out and just in time for Paul to finally marry his partner.

The characters are likeable, people who just want to get on with life. Though it's not a very long book, more a novella, it's still a very enjoyable quick read.

Murder at the Manse by Andrea Frazer

lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

An old country house is renovated and turned into a hotel that hosts murder mystery weekends and it's the opening weekend. Naturally, there is a real murder, in fact three. Harry Falconer, and his side kick Davy Carmichael, enter the picture to solve the case.

A nice cosy country murder. 

However, this is so poorly executed. The main characters are caricatures and so bad at their job as police that it's a wonder they solve anything. Just when I think the writing in this series seems to have improved it stumbles and gets convoluted. Why use one word when a whole paragraph will do. There just doesn't seem to be any consistency to characters and just when you think you are getting a clear picture of Harry Falconer the character takes a sharp turn to the left and jump to the right, three steps backwards and falls over. It just gets so confusing.

I don't know if I will complete this series, but I have them on the shelf.

Past Lying by Val McDermid

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This started out slow. Nothing worse than reading a book in a book in a book. It got confusing and frustrating especially as it seemed that the written words they were reading was taken so seriously without knowing how the story turned out.

Plus there were completely unnecessary story lines in this that could have been left out as I don't feel they added anything. It seemed this was more about life in COVID lockdown than a cold case crime story. It was more like a social commentary about all the social issue of life in Edinburgh.

I like a good crime story and if you take out all the excess this wasn't too bad a crime story in the end. Just bloated.

New Glory by Peter Menadue

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book carries on from where Lost Glory ended, with Glen Tucker, homicide detective, now tasked with finding who is responsible for the death of his partner, and the detective who had previously been looking into the matter, now also dead.

This is set in the future where the American president has been in power for 32 years, there is a war with Canada and memories are public property. The truth about Tucker is about to be exposed and it puts in place a plan that will change everything.

Not as tight as the first book but also enjoyable and both books could really be joined into one. Although this is the second book in the series reading the first book will make things so much clearer to the reader, but, this could be read on it's own.

Innocent Blood by Graham Masterton

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Frank Bell's world is turned upside down when his eight year old son is killed in a terrorist bombing of the private school he attends. Frank was there when the bomb went off and immediately after the explosion he encountered a young woman and they form a bond. During the investigation he meets a psychic engaged by the police and they also form a bond. These two people change Frank's life.

But things are not what they seem as the terrorists begin a campaign against the entertainment industry and Frank is targeted. He also encounters a visitation from his dead son, Danny, but that is not what it seems either. Nothing is what is seems until the truth is exposed at the end.

I enjoyed this though I could tell that Frank was been led around by the sex on offer and the hurt and pain he was experiencing. There are seances, marriage break-ups, fear, sleeplessness and strange disappearances. Over all this there is a spookiness, but one expects this from the author.

Rabbit Hole by Mark Billingham

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I didn't like this. I'm not saying it's a badly written book, I'm just saying I didn't enjoy this at all. I disliked the characters, the setting and the constant knowing that everything I'm reading is not necessarily reality for the characters. That's life in a mental health unit where this all takes place. Told in the first person by Alice, who was section following a bad case of PTSD.

But, then, you just can't believe anything you read.

The Hunter by Tony Park

adventurous dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It's hard to place Tony Park books into series as they have many interconnecting characters. This book features Hudson Brand, safari guide and private investigator. He is suspended from his guiding duties due to an incident with poachers in South Africa, so takes on an insurance fraud case in Zimbabwe. In the background is South African detective,  Sannie van Rensburg, who is obsesses with an old murder case and her prime suspect is Hudson Brand, but doesn't have enough evidence.

Both of these characters have appeared in other Tony Park books.

So we have two story lines that interconnect.

Together, we have an interesting and adventurous read that travels through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Kenya with Hudson seeking the truth about girl who died in a car accident to give relieve to her sister and avoiding being arrested for something he didn't do.

I enjoyed this though just when you think it's all sorted, there's another twist and there are a lot of them.

The White Knight by Scott Mariani

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Ben Hope is always willing to help those in trouble. Being offered a billion euros to do a job is not why he does it. He does it out of loyalty and friendship. When an old client, turned friend, is attacked in his home and almost killed, Ben quickly steps up to help find the perpetrators. This sends him up against the most fearsome and skilled killers he has yet encountered and knows he unable to do it all on his own. Normally he doesn't accept the offers of help from his friends, but this time he his unable to reject the help they offer.

This is another excellent read and shows Ben Hope's true character. It's action from the beginning to end as Ben, and his friends, do battle with a shadowy group of billionaires who have their own ideas about how the world should be run and operated. They are not going to get their way if Ben has any say in the matter.

Although there are some farfetched logical steps in this, I still found it very enjoyable and easy to read.