Guess who’s the guest book columnist in the March issue of Hertfordshire Life? And it’s all crime.
Reviewing books is almost as much fun as writing them. You have an instinctive personal reaction to each book but it’s only when you put keyboard to word document that you pause to clarify your thoughts.
My first pick was Dead Man’s Land by Robert Ryan which sees Dr John Watson as an Army medic hunting a murderer amid the mayhem of the Western Front. The portrayal of the trenches is gritty and educational and Sherlock Holmes’s partner in crime is at his decent, dogged best in the first book of a series.
My next choice was The Labyrinth Of Osiris, the last of four archaeological thrillers by the late and much-missed Paul Sussman.
Israeli detective Arieh Ben-Roi and his Egyptian counterpart, Yusuf Khalifa, revive their prickly friendship to crack riddles ancient and modern. It’s edge-of-the-seat stuff.
Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther is an honest copper with a rebellious streak trapped in the madness of the Nazi regime. In A Man Without Breath he hunts a killer at the site of the Katyn Forest massacre. Kerr’s impeccable research weaves in real people to give a vivid insider perspective, creating a fast, detailed and believable story within a framework of historical fact.
Really pleased with this fantastic review for Rock Hard on ARRSE – the Army Rumour ServicE website.
“The book becomes one of those can’t-put-down things which keeps you reading just one more page.”
“The suspense is held right to the very end.”
“Worthwhile reading for those who like action-filled stories involving some sex scenes and human interest.”
It scored 4½ out of 5 Mushrooms. Read the review at:
http://more.arrse.co.uk/reviews/review-rock-hard-bill-todd/
Good news that the Gibraltar International Literary Festival returns for a second year. It will be held on the Rock from November 14 to 16. Last year’s authors included Antony Beevor, Ben Okri, Joanne Harris, Thomas Mogford and Robert Daws.
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@williamjtodd
Remembering Barbara – www.barbaragubbins.co.uk