#BookReview Murder in the Dark by Simon R. Green @severnhouse

Murder in the Dark by Simon R. Green
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The sudden appearance of a sinister black hole in the English countryside leads to a baffling murder investigation for Ishmael Jones.

"The past is England's dreaming, and not all of it sleeps soundly..."

Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny have been despatched to assist a group of scientists who are investigating a mysterious black hole which has appeared on a Somerset hillside. Could it really be a doorway to another dimension, an opening into another world?

When one of the scientists disappears into the hole — with fatal consequences — Ishmael must prove whether it was an accident — or murder. But with no clues, no witnesses and no apparent motive, he has little to go on. Is there an alien predator at large, or is an all-too-human killer responsible? Only one thing is certain: if Ishmael does not uncover the truth in time, more deaths will follow...

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This book actually takes to readers away from the usual creepy haunted house/mansion etc theme. Instead, there is a hole. Yes sir, a killing hole! I always enjoy these books although, the very best of the Ismael Jones book is the brilliant DEAD MAN WALKING. Could be that it was the very first I read in the series or just something with the book's story that truly captivated me. Or both.

MURDER IN THE DARK takes our paranormal crime-fighting duo Ismael and Penny to the lovely Somerset. Well, it would be lovely if it wasn't for the deadly hole that has appeared there. An archaeologist has already disappeared through the hole and it doesn't take long for a scientist to disappear as well.

One thing I liked about this book is that we got to learn more about Ismael Jones, this strange man. If you have read the previous books do you know what I mean. If not, well, what are you waiting for?

MURDER IN THE DARK is an enjoyable paranormal mystery book. I did feel that the very last part was the most interesting about the book, although of course, I enjoyed the whole killing hole story and who would die next...

I want to thank Severn House for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

#BookReview Night Fall by Simon R. Green @TheSimonRGreen @BerkleyPub @FreshFiction

Night Fall by Simon R. Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From the New York Times bestselling author of Moonbreaker comes the epic final Secret Histories adventure, where the Droods will take on the most unexpected of enemies: the inhabitants of the Nightside.

The Droods are all about control, making people do what they’re told for the greater good. The Nightside is all about choice: good and bad and everything in between. The Droods want to make the world behave. The Nightside wants to party. They were never going to get along.

For centuries, ancient Pacts have kept the Droods out of the Nightside, but now the Droods see the Nightside as a threat to the whole world. They march into the long night, in their armour, to put it under their control. All too soon, the two sides are at war. It’s Eddie Drood and Molly Metcalf against John Taylor and Shotgun Suzie. The Drood Sarjeant-at-Arms and their Armourer against Dead Boy and Razor Eddie. More groups join in: the London Knights, the Ghost Finders, the Spawn of Frankenstein, Shadows Fall, and the Soulhunters. Science and magic are running wild, there’s blood running in the gutters, and the bodies are piling up.

Is anyone going to get out of this alive?

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I might have faced reading this book with a bit of trepidation. I have only read one book before in the Secret Histories series (MOONBREAKER) and no books from the Nightside series and Ghost Finders series. However, I did not need to worry. This book was just as much fun reading as MOONBREAKER. NIGHT FALLS is the conclusion of both the Secret Histories and the Nightside series. It's a massive book, with lots of characters popping in and out of the story and it's a bloody marvelous book. Ever since I started to read the Ishmael Jones series has I been a big fan of Simon R. Green, and I just love the fact that I now have several new series that I want to read.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

#BookReview Into the Thinnest of Air by Simon R. Green @severnhouse @Marablaise

Into the Thinnest of Air by Simon R. Green
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dinner at an ancient Cornish inn leads to one baffling disappearance after another in the latest intriguing Ishmael Jones mystery.

"It's just a nice weekend, in a nice country inn. Nothing bad is going to happen ..."

Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny are attending the re-opening of Tyrone's Castle, an ancient Cornish inn originally built by smugglers. Over dinner that night, the guests entertain one another with ghost stories inspired by local legends and superstitions. But it would appear that the curse of Tyrone's Castle has struck for real when one of their number disappears into thin air. And then another . . .

Is the inn really subject to an ancient curse? Sceptical of ghost stories, Ishmael believes the key to the mystery lies in the present rather than the past. But with no bodies, no evidence and no clues to go on, how can he prove it?

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As this is book 5 in the series and I have read them all have I started to see a pattern to these tales. Well, you only have to read two books to see a pattern. Ishmael Jones and Penny travel to a remote place and in the castle/old mansion, etc. weird shit happens and many people die horribly.

Dead Man Walking the first book I read in this series (and book two in the series) is still my favorite Ishmael Jones book. I think because the concept was new and I was intrigued by his past and all the gory deaths, of course, made the book awesome. Yeah, I'm a very easy to please.

Into the Thinnest of Air is so far the one book that I feel is not really working for me. Sure, there were some funny moments between Ishmael and Penny, but the funny banter felt lighter than usual and the mystery of the Tyrone Castle felt neither intriguing nor especially mysterious. People that kept mysteriously disappearing? Not as interesting as people suddenly being brutally murdered along the way by some mysterious foe. And, the ending, well I was not terribly surprised, to be honest. I do hope the next book is better.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review.

#BookReview Death Shall Come by Simon R. Green @severnhouse

Death Shall Come: A Country House Murder Mystery by Simon R. Green
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Ishmael Jones is faced with a dead body and a missing mummy in this highly entertaining, genre-blending mystery.

Death shall come on swift wings to whoever desecrates this tomb ...

Ishmael Jones and his partner Penny have been summoned to remote Cardavan House, home of the world's largest private collection of Ancient Egyptian artefacts, for the unveiling of George Cardavan's latest acquisition: a bone fide Egyptian mummy.

When a bloodstained body is discovered beside the empty sarcophagus, Ishmael is dismissive of the theory that the mummy's curse is to blame. Instead he sets out to uncover the human killer responsible. But how can Ishmael explain the strange, shuffling footsteps that creep along the corridors? Who is playing games with them ... and why?

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As much as I liked this series did I feel that this one did not reach the same level as the previous three books. Honestly, it is starting to feel a bit repeating reading the books, which isn't all that bad since the whole mystery in a house far from everyone is entertaining. But, the problem is when I read this book did it feel like I have already read this story, just with a different kind of setting and motive for the killing. But, all the people felt like ones I read about before, just different names, no point in getting attached since few of them will probably survive. This time is it the Colonel's family that is getting into the problem. Well, the new Colonel since the previous one died in the first book. This could be why it felt so familiar since Ishmael was invited to the Colonels family in the first book as well because of some danger threatening the family, 

However, there are things I liked about the book, like Penny's love for mummy movies (I love the Mummy movies with Brendan Fraser too) and her comments about shuffling footsteps in the corridors were amusing. Unfortunately, that was pretty much the only amusing comments in the book. Would have loved some more banter between Ishmael and Penny. It was also interesting to get some more information about Ishmael's past.

Death Shall Come is not a bad book. Just not my favorite in the series and I hoped the next one will be a lot better!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

#BookReview Moonbreaker by Simon R. Green @BerkleyPub #BookBloggers

Moonbreaker by Simon R. Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ride shotgun with a “James Bond–of-the-supernatural”* as the Secret Histories Novels take you careering through an alternate London where around every corner a new kind of danger awaits....

My name is Eddie Drood, aka Shaman Bond, the very secret agent. And I am a dead man walking.

I’ve been poisoned by Dr. DOA. There is no cure, no treatment, no chance of a last-minute miracle. So all that is left to me and my love, Molly Metcalf, is to track down my killer and stop him before he can murder anyone else.

So whether that means fighting a secret army on another world; or searching for a forgotten weapon in the Museum of Unattached Oddities; or facing off against Grendel Rex, the Unforgiven God, in the hidden heart of the Moon, for the terrible secret that is Moonbreaker...I will do whatever it takes, while I still can. Because the game isn’t over till I say it’s over—and I still have one last card to play.

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Moonbreaker may be confusion in the beginning for someone that has never read any books in this series before. Like me. However, then I started to get the hang of it, the concept of the story, learning more about Eddie Drood and the rest of the Drood family. And, I totally, utterly loved the book. It's non-stop action, and a completely over the top story, with a crazy powerful family with a lot of secrets, there is demons and angels, a sleeping God and then there are Eddie and Molly in the middle of everything trying to stop Dr. DOA, (Eddie's doppelganger from another dimension who has poisoned him), from destroying the world.

Eddie and Molly did remind me of Ishmael Jones and Penny from Simon R. Green Ishmael Jones series. But, that's not a bad thing since I love that couple. Eddie and Molly have the same fun banter and close bond that Ishmael and Penny have and that made me really love this series.

Moonbreaker is a fun book to read, and I enjoyed every second of the story. I mean I just ordered the first book in the series, that's how much I liked this book! 

It's not easy to start with book 11 eleven in a series, but this one was not hard to get into. And, if you like me, like books with a lot of action, banter, artifacts, magic, and creatures, etc, then you will love this book!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

Bout of Books 19: Reading list

Next week the Bout if Books readathon starts and it doesn't really come a good time, to be honest. since I started Assassin's Fate by Robin Hobb just a couple of days ago and it will take me some days to finish the book since it's almost 1000 pages. I do plan to listen to some Swedish audiobooks (perfect for outdoor walks, working etc.) and try to read some ebooks if I get some time over. I will not set any goals, instead, will I enjoy this week and try to read as much as possible.

eARCS

AUDIOBOOKS

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The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 19 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

#BookReview: The Dark Side of the Road by Simon R. Green

The Dark Side of the Road by Simon R. Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Country House Murder Mystery with a Supernatural Twist

Ishmael Jones is someone who can't afford to be noticed, someone who lives under the radar, who drives on the dark side of the road. He's employed to search out secrets, investigate mysteries and shine a light in dark places. Sometimes he kills people. Invited by his employer, the enigmatic Colonel, to join him and his family for Christmas, Ishmael arrives at the grand but isolated Belcourt Manor in the midst of a blizzard to find that the Colonel has mysteriously disappeared. As he questions his fellow guests, Ishmael concludes that at least one of them not least Ishmael himself - is harbouring a dangerous secret, and that beneath the veneer of festive cheer lurk passion, jealousy, resentment and betrayal. As a storm sets in, sealing off the Manor from the rest of the world, Ishmael must unmask a ruthless murderer they strike again.

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I thought that since I just got an eARC of the fourth book in the series "Death Shall Come" was it about time I got the review written for the first book in the series. As usual did I not start this series from the beginning, I have a special talent for starting in the middle or so in a series and with this one did I read book two "Dead Man Walking" first. And, I loved it! And, now I have read all three books and can't wait to start book four.

The Dark Side of the Road was nice to read since it gave me the full story of what happened at Belcourt Manor. I read a lot of what happened in the sequels, but it was very nice to get the whole picture. Ishmael Jones arrives at Belcourt Manor after getting an invitation to join the Colonel to spend Christmas at Belcourt Manor with him. The mysterious Colonel and Ishmael work together, but they never really socialize together and the Colonel also hints that something is wrong at his family home and that's why he is returning for the first time in years. But, when Ishmael arrives is the Colonel missing and his family and guest are a really odd bunch of people. And, could it be that the Colonel is right, is there someone there out to kill the people at the manor? It gets even worse when they all get snowed in...

If you read more of these books will you start to notice a pattern. Ishmael Jones travels to a mysterious mansion/castle etc. to solve something, and it often ends with a lot of dead bodies. The first sentence in the blurb "a country house murder mystery with a supernatural twist" is very fitting. That's what it is and if that's what you're looking to read then you will like this book. It has a very interesting main character; Ishmael Jones who has a mysterious past. I quite like him and his partner Penny, although in this book they are not yet partners. The book has a lot of action, banter, and brutal killings. Perhaps it's not that hard to figure out or suspect who the killer is, especially when more and more of the family members and guest starts to die, but it's such an enjoyable book. Personally, did I like this book a bit extra because I wanted to read how Ismael and his partner Penny met.

Very Important Corpses by Simon R. Green

Very Important Corpses by Simon R. Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ishmael Jones travels to the Scottish Highlands on a mysterious dual mission in this intriguing, genre-blending mystery.

The Organisation has despatched Ishmael and his partner Penny to Coronach House on the shores of Loch Ness where the secretive but highly influential Baphamet Group are holding their annual meeting. The Organisation believes an imposter has infiltrated the Group and they have instructed Ishmael to root him – or her – out. It’s not Ishmael’s only mission. The first agent sent by the Organisation has been found dead in her room, murdered in a horribly gruesome manner. Ishmael must also discover who killed his fellow agent, Jennifer Rifkin – and why.

Dismissive of rumours that the legendary ‘Coronach Creature’ is behind Jennifer’s death, Ishmael sets out to expose the human killer in their midst. But he must act fast – before any more Very Important People are killed.

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I read Dead Man Walking, the previous book in this series, last summer and loved it. So image my happiness of getting the chance to read this book. Just like in the previous book must Ishmael and his partner Penny once again travel to an isolated house to investigate a mystery. But, this time it's to Coronach House on the shores of Loch Ness. A fellow agent has been murdered, and now Ishmael must find out who killed her before anyone else is murdered. But, that's easier said than done.

Very Important Corpses is a bit similar with the Dead Man Walking, not so much the case, but the old house far from civilization, with a dark history. And, as with Dead Man Walking mayhem will soon arise, and more people will end up dead. I found this book to be entertaining and engrossing, although, not as good as Dead Man Walking. But, still pretty awesome. I love both Ishmael and Penny, they are a very dynamic duo and it's quite fun reading about their antics as they try to investigate (and threaten and fight people) for answers, well mostly Ishmael.

The revealing of the big bad villain was perhaps not a big surprise, but I quite enjoy returning to Ishmael and Penny's world of mysteries, mayhem, and murders and I look forward to reading the next book (and the first one that I have yet gotten my hands on)!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Netgalley for an honest review.

Dead Man Walking by Simon R. Green

Dead Man Walking by Simon R. Green
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Call me Ishmael. Ishmael Jones. I am the man in the shadows, that even the shadows are afraid of. The secret agent whose life is the greatest secret of all. And some of the cases I work are trickier than others. "
A rogue agent has come in from the cold and wants to spill his secrets. The Organisation wants Ishmael to find out if Frank Parker is who he says he is, what he really knows, and why he has emerged from the shadows after all this time.

Ishmael heads to Ringstone Lodge in Yorkshire where Parker is being held to find that an atmosphere of fear and suspicion prevails. As he and his fellow residents are menaced by a series of alarming and inexplicable incidents, Ishmael sets out to prove that it s human trickery rather than any supernatural being behind the seemingly ghostly goings-on. But matters take an unexpected turn when one of their number is brutally murdered, and once again Ishmael must turn detective in order to entrap a twisted killer before they strike again

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We all have that one book that got away from us on NetGalley or rather the books. The ones that you really wanted to read, but got turned down for. For me is The Dark Side of the Road one of them, the first book in this series. However, I did not know that this was the sequel to that book when I requested this book. I only saw that when I checked up this book on Goodreads. So, I was pleased that I got this one, and also slightly miffed that I did not buy The Dark Side of the Road when the price was down on the ebook. Especially miffed when I realized how wonderful this book was, which occurred at the beginning of the book. Of course!

So, what makes this book so wonderful? First, the characters. Ishmael and Penny, I instantly liked them, they were just so adorable. I was curious about Ishmael, especially since he only has been human since the 1963s? That was very odd, and I hoped that it would be addressed in the book. And, around 50% into the story, it was revealed what was so special about Ishmael and I, to be honest, did not see that coming, but I loved it. Such a very special twist (made me want to read the first book even more).

Secondly, The story was captivating and fascinating and I could hardly put the book down. I love old "haunted" houses, and to have a couple of people on lockdown while someone is killing them off was great "fun". They only drawback was that it was pretty easy to figure out the "killer" was. And, my first thought was to just give the book 4.5 stars because I found the end "twist" not that surprising, but I've been looking forward all day at work writing this review because I liked the book so damn much, so 5-stars it is!

Dead Man Walking is a very, very good book; atmospheric, funny, intense and a bit gory! Just the way I like it when it comes to books.

I want to thank Severn House for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review. 

Weekly Update!

Weekly Update!

A very hot week together with working 8 hours a day has not made me read that many books. However, I finished 2 audiobooks and started a new one, so at least I can listen to books at work. I do need to get some ARC's read, but that's not easy since I don't have them on audiobook. So, I will try to get some more read in the evenings this week and hope for some cooler weather. On the plus side, I did finish The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp yesterday and that means that I have a respite from blog tours for a while (I think so at least).

Did not get that many books this week (thankfully). But, the ones I got looks interesting. And, I finally got my hands on When we meet again by Kristin Harmel that I was rejected for on NetGalley. Price drop are the best thing! 

I still haven't finished Washingtondekretet by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Since it's hardcover and a pretty heavy book do I not feel like bringing it along so I usually read it when I can. And, that means other books have a tendency to get before in line. 

I just finished The Highwayman by Craig Johanson and it was such a great book. Now I'm looking forward to An Obvious Fact!

I hope you all have a great Sunday and a great week! With lots of new books! ;)

Currently reading:

Last week's posts:

Book review: Ritual by Mo Hayder

Cover Crush: A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan

July Wishlist: Time Travel

Blog Tour: Fatal Affair by Marie Force (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Book review: Body of Lies by Iris Johansen

Blog Tour: The Last Woman Standing: A Novel of Mrs. Wyatt Earp by Thelma Adams

Book review: Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

New ARC's

 

New Ebooks bought:

NEW books to read and review:

Books won!