Gumshoe by Paul D.Brazill

Gumshoe is the story of part time Private Eye (full time alcoholic) Peter Ord.  Gumshoe is a collection cases artfully woven together with humour as the bedrock. You have to be sharper than a filleting knife to catch all the jokes and puns. Like a child with a pointed stick Paul D. Brazill stands beneath the hornet’s nest that is the noir genre and prods it until something drops out.

Gumshoe sees the author at his most playful as Ord shambles from one interconnected case to the next. I suppose the words “crime caper” spring to mind when thinking of this kind of fiction. There are two things you can be sure of with Paul’s writing: It will make you laugh and it will entertain you. Gumshoe does both of these effortlessly.

A great read that once more had those on the bus looking at me nervously as I laugh out loud. Yet another winner from Paul D. Brazill. I can’t wait for the next one.

Cutter's Deal (Best of British) by Julie Morrigan

Julie Morrigan's addition to the Byker Books Best of British series is a gangster's tale. Gordon Cutter is a gangster whose star is rising. He gets results through brutal methods and ruthlessness. When a rival firm is in trouble Cutter sees an opportunity and his power grows still further.

The story is told from an interesting variety of first person perspectives. We get Cutter's perspective which at times is utterly chilling. People are there to be used, a means to an end. We also get the viewpoint from a brother and sister who are drawn into his spiders web by his charisma and generosity. However, like a spoiled child Gordon Cutter soon tires of his toys and his pets. 

A word of warning - if you want a cosy read look elsewhere. No fancy prose here. This tale is written simply and starkly. Morrigan has never sugar coated her writing and she has always been bold when it comes to telling it like it is. An excellent and compelling read that I read in just two sittings.

Guns of Brixton (Best of British) by Paul D. Brazill

I look forward eagerly to each new release in the Byker Books Best of British series. All the novellas have been among the best work of the authors participating and Guns of Brixton is no exception. Paul D. Brazill's stories are populated by larger than life characters that come bouncing out of the page at you. He has something in common with Tarantino in that the stories he crafts are almost secondary, what makes them interesting are the characters and the dialogue. The wit is razor sharp and the gags come thick and fast. The author packs in so many musical and film references that I guarantee you won't spot them all. What all of this adds up to is a uniquely entertaining style that only he can pull off with such aplomb.

Guns of Brixton is a cleverly woven tapestry of characters that all interact with each other at some point during the story. Big Jim Lawson has an unfortunate accident involving Half-Pint Harry and a shotgun. Richard is sick to death of his wife Camilla's moaning. Lynne and Gorgeous George are bored and hungover at work. Marty and Father Tim are chewing the fat over a fry up. How will their lives intersect? And with what consequences?

So if murderous priests, jewel robbers in drag and has been gangsters are your thing you will love Guns of Brixton. However, pay attention as you read as there are a lot of characters in this novella and you will miss some of the subtler references if you don't keep up with who is doing what to whom. A great read that I highly recommend.

Sinema 3 by Rod Glenn

I've read the Sinema series since it was first released. Each of the three books has a very different flavour. The first book was pure slasher horror thrills and a brave piece of writing that earned the author almost as much criticism as it did acclaim. The second book was equally as bloody but saw Han killing murderous criminals as opposed to innocents.

In this, the third, novel we see Han employed by the shadowy Troy Consortium to kill only selected targets in the interests of national security. However, all is not well within the organisation and Han must face a killer as accomplished as himself. Rod Glenn knows how to write a gripping page turner. I tend to read his novels quickly as they are difficult to put down. Sinema 3 is all action and Han becomes something of a Bruce Willis type action hero as he is forced to face life threatening situations. As usual the banter is excellent and Glenn tests your film knowledge with several references. Han is still haunted by the ghosts of Haydon but will he be able to lay them to rest?

Rod Glenn has brought us another great read that I recommend highly

So Low So High by Pete Sortwell

So Low So High is the story of drug addict Simon Brewster. Simon is a complex character. He doesn't want your sympathy. He doesn't want your understanding. He just wants money for gear, right now. He is unrepentant for the crimes he commits and he has a wicked sense of humour. He detaches himself emotionally from anything that makes him feel uncomfortable and that he does not want to hear. All of these factors add up to a little bit of a tragic but at times likeable character. You almost see "good" Simon trying to get out and you root for him.

This novel may well make you uncomfortable. There is no flowery prose. The author doesn't dress anything up. It's life warts and all. Where So Low So High succeeds is that it has the stark ring of truth to it. Of course it is fiction but you wouldn't know it. That's how well done it is. It's easy to draw comparisons with Irvine Welsh here but Sortwell's novel speaks truer.

A gripping read that can't help but affect you. Read with an open mind and consider the kind of events that happen daily in modern Britain and you will appreciate So Low So High.

So Low So High is available on paperback or kindle format and published by Caffeine Nights.

Veil of Civility by Ian Graham

With Veil of Civility Ian Graham brings us an all action page turner of a thriller. Following the terrible death of a friend former IRA man Declan McIver finds the peaceful life he has tried to build disintegrate before him. Hunted by the FBI and the police he must try to make sense of the conspiracy that surrounds him. Can Declan avenge his friend and keep his family safe?

There is a depth of descriptive prose not often found in novels of the genre and yet it still flows excellently. The characters are engaging and Graham gives all of their drives and actions purpose that makes clear sense to the reader, there’s no need to jump to wild assumptions. It’s clear that Ian Graham is an author to keep an eye on for fans of action novels. Could Declan McIver be the new Jack Reacher?

Seven Daze by Charlie Wade

Seven Daze is the story of Jim who has just been released from prison. His former cellmate, lifer Harry, had sold the idea of becoming a contract killer to him and as he stands in an alley waiting to complete his first contract things go badly wrong. His mark has a heart attack. Jim and city worker, Charlotte, who appears out of nowhere help out the target and from there Jim’s nightmare begins. He must make ten grand in seven days or he’ll end up in the Thames wearing concrete leg warmers.

They say the devil is in the detail and that’s how it is with Charlie Wade’s writing. We get to see all aspects of Jim’s life as he struggles to repay the debt to his former employer. What Wade does well is the fine details. He creates a fully rounded and in depth character with Jim. His observations are often funny, wit, sarcastic and cynical sometimes all four at once.

I very much enjoyed the insights given into the character of Jim, as much as I enjoyed the events that unfolded. You can’t help but feel for Jim’s plight and most of those he is robbing won’t miss the money. After their shared experience Jim’s developing relationship with Charlotte has the reader wondering where this will go. Charlie Wade does a great job of keeping the book interesting despite his need to have to repeat some events given the nature of Jim’s task.

Overall a very enjoyable novel. The author writes in a very British way and his observations in the novel would, perhaps, appeal more to a British audience. He seems to play down events in a very British fashion where our friends over the pond might be tempted to make it more visceral. This to me makes it more effective, more realistic and more enjoyable for the honesty. Charlie Wade has made his mark here with his own brand of crime fiction. I hope more follows.