Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 7 March 2024.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Weekly website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews for Lone Wolf, Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead and The Ghost Orchid.
Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz
Publisher: Michael Joseph (Trade Paperback – 20 February 2024)
Series: Orphan X – Book 9
Length: 420 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Leading thriller author Gregg Hurwitz continues his high-octane Orphan X series in a big way with the epic and compelling novel, Lone Wolf.
The Orphan X books by Gregg Hurwitz is an epic series that follows a former elite government assassin, Evan Smoak, known to the intelligence community as Orphan X. Upon leaving the program, Smoak decided to make up for his prior misdeeds by becoming an elite vigilante, The Nowhere Man, who helps those with nowhere else to turn. This series started back in 2016 with Orphan X, although I personally started reading it with the fourth book, Out of the Dark. Out of the Dark had a great plot behind it that really drew me in, as Evan went to war with a corrupt US President. This resulted in an amazing and highly entertaining read that made me a fan of Hurwitz’s writing and ensured I would grab the next book in the series, Into the Fire. Into the Fire was a particularly epic read, and the Orphan X books quickly entered my yearly must-read books list as a result. I have since had an outstanding time reading the following releases, with Prodigal Son, Dark Horse and The Last Orphan being awesome in their own way. As such, when 2024 came around, I had very little choice but to read the latest Orphan X book, Lone Wolf, which took the protagonist in another interesting direction with a deadly adventure.
Evan Smoak, better known as either as Orphan X or the Nowhere Man, is suffering a personal crisis. Having reached out to his long-lost father, Evan is in a dangerous emotional spiral, and is no longer the calm and confident secret agent he once was. Looking for an easy mission to get back into his stride, Evan finds himself with an unusual job, helping a young girl find her lost dog. Initially reluctant, Evan agrees to help, but this unlikely job will lead the infamous vigilant into all manner of trouble.
An elite female hitwoman is in Los Angeles, taking out a range of seemingly unconnected people. Known only as the Wolf, she excels in targeted strikes and apparent accidental deaths, leaving no trace behind. However, her final kill leaves behind two witnesses when Evan arrives on the scene looking for the lost dog. Forced to intervene to save the daughter of the Wolf’s last victim, Evan finds himself a target of an assassin just as deadly as himself.
With the girl he just saved still in danger from a vengeful Wolf, Evan decides to save her and stop this killer terrorising his city. But first, he needs to work out who hired her and what secrets lie behind their deaths. His investigation leads him to two rival tech billionaires, both of whom had a motive for hiring the assassin and organising the killings. To save the day, Evan needs to find out which of them is responsible and destroy them and the psychotic killer they hired. But is the emotionally compromised Nowhere Man up to the task?
Lone Wolf was another outstanding addition to the Orphan X series that really showcased Hurwitz’s distinctive writing style. Blending an intense, action-packed story, with some outstanding character development, this was an amazing book that I deeply enjoyed reading.
Hurwitz comes up with a pretty excellent story for Lone Wolf that dragged me in very quickly. Starting off with some intense and personal character work around Evan Smoak that follows through from the last few books, Hurwitz does a good job setting the scene for much of the story off the bat, especially when it comes to the protagonist’s distracted headspace and his reliance on his unconventional family. The author also spends this time introducing one of the book’s main villains, the Wolf, who serves as an effective mirror for Orphan X. This initial setup works very well, as you quickly get drawn into the plot by the Wolf callous nature, while also getting invested in the protagonist’s emotional well-being. These story aspects quickly collide, as Evan, who finds himself helping his recently discovered niece, accidently intrudes upon one of the Wolf’s kills. The resulting extended action sequence is glorious, as Evan is forced to contend with the assassin and an army of cops, while trying to keep the daughter of the Wolf’s last victim alive. This entire action scene is a major highlight of the first half of the book, and Hurwitz wrote a brilliant continuous and frenetic chase sequence that pushes Evan to the limit.
Following this chase sequence, the pace of the book slows down a little, although Evan still finds himself in trouble as he enters a game of cat-and-mouse with the Wolf over the fate of the bystander he just saved. Forced to determine who hired the Wolf, Evan begins a compelling investigation angle where he probes two rival billionaires with twisted and unique morals. At the same time, Evan also finds himself in several intriguing personal situations, including trouble with his half-brother, mentoring his adopted daughter, and even a rather entertaining side-story about a battle for control of his building’s HOA. These work to keep the unique feel of the Orphan X series intact, and I loved how emotionally rich the book got at times.
The final third of Lone Wolf is mostly awesome, starting off with a great sequence that sees Evan interrogate a gang of thugs who have details he needs about the Wolf. The very entertaining and over-the-top way he goes about getting said information is so damn good, and it was another major highlight off the book. Unfortunately, the rest of the novel seems a little rushed, and frankly Hurwitz could have benefited from including another 100 pages or so to really wrap everything up perfectly. While it is still a fun and exciting read, the reveal about who is truly behind everything isn’t too surprising, despite some attempts at misdirection. In addition, the final confrontation against the main antagonists is somewhat weak, and could have been a little more epic, especially as one character went down way too easily. Still, the deep character development aspects of the story end up being extremely strong, and I liked the intriguing final twist that is going to cause additional drama in the next book. As such, I felt this was a really good story and I got so wrapped up in it.
I really enjoyed how Lone Wolf came together, especially as Hurwitz brought his usual blend of intensity and compelling human moments to this latest book. There is a great balance here between character development and thriller action, which I deeply appreciated. Indeed, I felt this was one of the better-balanced novels that Hurwitz has written recently. While the action sequences are always the highlight of this book, I have really appreciated how Hurwitz seeks to offset them with more typical moments, and the focus on character relationships and ordinary occurrences, such as a funny HOA election, adds a certain level of fun to the book. I really do think this was a great entry in the Orphan X series, and like most of the books in this series, Lone Wolf can mostly be read as a standalone, as Hurwitz is good at revisiting the key plot points from the previous books. However, those readers going in with a greater understanding of some of the characters, especially the protagonist and his complex relationships, will get a bit more out of this book, and it was fantastic to see the further development.
As I have alluded to a few times above, a lot of Lone Wolf’s strength lies in the excellent character work that Hurwitz layers into the story. Much of this is done to attempt to humanise the usually deadly protagonists featured within, especially as many of them are trying to adjust to a more civilian focused life after years being government assassins. The most prominent of these is Evan Smoak, the infamous Orphan X who his trying to redeem himself as the Nowhere Man. While Evan is usually a calm figure, minus his OECD, in this book he finds himself completely outside of his headspace as a bad encounter with his biological father at the start throws him completely out of whack. This was a very interesting situation, and it was really moving to see this implacable figure so out of sorts and relying on his family, both adopted and newly discovered, to find himself. Watching Evan grapple with the many personal battles surrounding him is an amazing part of the book, and you really get drawn into his emotional concerns. At the same time, Evan continues to struggle with the more mundane elements of a normal existence, and the various awkward encounters he has with certain family members and the residence of his building, show you just how lost and damaged he truly is. All this results in a great portrait of a complex figure, and Evan Smoak is honestly one of the best and most unique thriller protagonists out there.
While Evan is the focus of the book, he would be nothing without the unique array of side characters that have been drawn to him over the years and who supporting him in various ways. The most prominent of these is Joey Morales, Evan’s surrogate daughter and former trainee spy who serves as his tech support. Flippant, immature and only slightly more normal than her mentor, Joey serves as the major humanising force in Evan’s life and is a key ally, despite being a teenager. Joey is always a fun highlight, especially as she can push the protagonist’s buttons while bringing out his protective side. However, I liked how Hurwitz showed in Lone Wolf that despite her advanced knowledge of the world of espionage, she is still a teenager girl, and the scenes where Evan talks her through a social crisis, is surprisingly heartwarming and really captures their close relationship. The other major character is Tommy Stojack, Evan’s armourer and one of the few constant figures in his life. While cantankerous and unusual, Tommy serves as Evan’s rock for much of the series, and it was great to see him in this role again. While Tommy isn’t too controversial in Lone Wolf, there were some interesting developments with him that are going to be cool to follow in the next book.
Of course, no thriller would be complete without its villains, and Hurwitz did a great job of this with both the Wolf and the nefarious billionaire who may be behind her. Both are threatening in their own way, although I think I preferred the Wolf, as her deadly skills, ruthlessness, and enjoyment of the kill, made her an interesting opponent for Evan. The billionaire figure was also great, and his various monologues about the state of society and how his control of personal information allows him to control people in so many ways, was nearly as menacing as the killing. Throw in some intriguing new family elements for the protagonist, as well as the eccentric residence of his apartment complex (minus his long-term love interest who has been seemingly cut from the books), and this was an excellent group of characters whose interactions deeply enhanced the narrative.
Gregg Hurwitz continues to impress with his latest addition to the very cool Orphan X series with Lone Wolf. An emotionally charged thriller with powerful character work, Lone Wolf is an outstanding read that comes highly recommended. I cannot wait to see how Hurwitz follows up Lone Wolf in the future and I remain a massive fan of this amazing series.
The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry
Publisher: Hachette Audio (Audiobook – 20 February 2024)
Series: Cotton Malone – Book 18
Length: 13 hours and 21 minutes
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The always exciting Steve Berry continues his long-running Cotton Malone series with the intriguing and addictive novel, The Atlas Maneuver, which once again blends modern plots with historical riddles.
Over the last few years, I have been having a wonderful time getting to know the works of acclaimed thriller author Steve Berry. Known for his intricate and complex works that dive into the past, Berry is an amazing author whose style and story focus really appeals to me. I have had a wonderful time getting through the last several books in his main series, the Cotton Malone books, as well as his standalone novel, The Omega Factor. Cotton Malone is a particularly fun series following the titular Cotton Malone as he attempts to stop sinister modern-day plots that have their roots in ancient conspiracies and secrets. All the Cotton Malone books I have read have been extremely epic in their own way, including The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol, The Kaiser’s Web, and The Last Kingdom (one of my favourite books of 2023), and I cannot recommend them enough.
As World War II entered its final phase, the retreating Japanese hid vast quantities of looted gold and other stolen valuables throughout the Philippines. Stored in hidden underground bunkers, the gold was supposed to be used to rebuild Japan after the war and expand its interests. But with the location of the vaults lost, most of the gold remained hidden, except for a small fraction recovered by the United States government and the nascent CIA, who kept it for themselves in secret.
In the present day, retired Justice Department agent Cotton Malone, is in Switzerland, working for an old CIA friend to keep a potential asset safe. However, when someone tries to take his target out, Cotton soon finds himself thrust into the middle of a dangerous battle between a shadowy branch of CIA and the Bank of St. George, one of the world’s oldest financial institutions, with whom the recovered gold was entrusted.
Forced to act, Cotton begins to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and discovers that the directors of the Bank of St. George are seeking to initiate a radical plot involving bitcoin, the elusive online currency, which could destabilise the entire financial world and leave them in control. Working with a skilled Japanese agent, his lover, and a ghost from his past, Cotton seeks to stop the plot before it is too late. But with a deadly team of CIA assassins also closing in, no-one is safe and everyone is a target.
This was a pretty interesting novel from Berry that I had an excellent time with. Thanks to its unique thriller story combining historical secrets with contemporary mysteries and plots, The Atlas Maneuver proved to be an amazing and intricate novel that I found to be quite impressive.
I really enjoyed the compelling story that Berry came up with for his latest novel, especially as he once again successfully blends an elaborate historical conspiracy with an exciting modern thriller story. This story came together extremely well and overall proved to be quite an exciting read as Berry comes up with several compelling story arcs that you become absorbed in. Starting off with a glimpse at the origins of the hidden Japanese war loot, The Atlas Maneuver soon jumps to Cotton Malone as he finds himself drawn into a plot to disrupt the world economy by a powerful bank through bitcoin. Working with an old flame whose financial brilliance is behind much of the bank’s plans, Cotton desperately tries to keep her safe, while also contending with a relentless Japanese agent. At the same time, Cotton’s partner Cassiopeia Vitt and old CIA associate Derrick Koger attempt to discover the location of the lost wartime gold that was supposed to be in the bank’s possession. Their inquiries lead them into conflict with the bank, as well as a shadowy arm of the CIA that attempts to take out everyone associated with the case.
The alternating thrusts of the hunt for lost gold and the attempts to stop the elaborate financial attack make for great reading, and Berry continuously raised the stakes while also dragging the story back to the past with the fun historical inclusions. While the story did drag in places, especially around the middle, I honestly couldn’t turn away from this book at times, especially when the action got particularly intense and there were multiple fun figures to follow. Berry perfectly sets up the big conclusion of The Atlas Maneuver, which has surprisingly more devastation than expected. I loved the dark and ironic ending to some of the storylines that emerged, and I felt this strong finish enhanced the entire book as a result. Berry also leaves the story on an excellent emotional cliffhanger, that I feel is really going to pay off later in the series, and I will ensure I come back for the next Cotton Malone book.
I really liked how Berry set out his methodical and intense story as he once again relied on his classic style that prioritised historical inclusions, while also ensuring that the new book is accessible to all readers. Thanks to the author’s excellent use of multiple perspectives, you get a great wide-angle perspective story, which allows you to understand the motivations, desires and actions of most of the opposing parties. I always love books that show the story from the antagonist’s perspective, and this was a great example of that as you got to see the leader of the evil bank manipulate one of the other main characters, while also trying to implement her wider plan. Berry utilises these multiple perspectives to tell an excellent overarching story, and while the parts focusing on Cassiopeia Vitt and Derrick Koger felt a little too detached from Cotton Malone’s storyline, for the most part this was a very cohesive tale. The writing is also very tight and fluid in The Atlas Maneuver as Berry does a great job moving the story along, while also including his trademark historical lectures and flashbacks. The mixture of modern-day action, elaborate schemes and examinations of the past was pretty on-point for this latest Cotton Malone book, and you really get drawn into the story as a result. There were also some fantastic character interactions, especially as the protagonist is forced to interact with a love interest from his past who looks set to change the status quo of the series. I had such a good time reading this book, and it proved to be an excellent addition to Cotton Malone series.
I always love the elaborate and compelling dives into various parts of history that Berry takes the reader on in the Cotton Malone series. Berry, who clearly does his research on all things history, once again set his new novel around a unique piece of history, which has intriguing implications for the modern day thriller storyline. In this case, much of the story revolves around Yamashita’s gold, the infamous treasure hoard supposedly located in the Philippines. The author does a deep dive into the subject highlighting all the history surrounding it, as well as mentioning many of the intriguing details that followed it as people attempted to find it. Much of the plot of The Atlas Maneuver revolves around the fate of this gold, and Berry really does a great job of highlighting its importance and the cultural implications surrounding it. While certain elements of Yamashita’s gold featured in The Atlas Maneuver were exaggerated or changed for narrative purposes, you really get a good grounding in history surrounding it. I found this focus on the lost treasure to be highly fascinating, especially as it wasn’t something I was too familiar about before. However, this only proved to be the tip of the historical iceberg, as other intriguing historical events were also cleverly featured throughout the book. compelling examinations about the early days of the CIA, banking history, the financial affairs of Switzerland and Luxembourg, and post-war recovery of Japan are also covered in interesting detail, much of which helps to give context to the current story and which are cleverly inserted into the modern-day plot. These historical elements are truly fascinating, and I love the unique conspiracies and hidden secrets that Berry creates utilising them.
In addition to this 20th century history, Berry also chooses to dive into something a little more modern with a detailed look at bitcoin, which also has a significant impact to the plot of The Atlas Maneuver. Berry dives into the history surrounding bitcoin, how it came into being and how it eventually expanded out in a major currency. While some of this history is altered for the book, there is still a lot of detail about its origins and how it become prevalent throughout the world, which I honestly didn’t know a lot about, and was quite fascinating. Berry also tries to capture other aspects of bitcoin, such as its function, how it is mined, and how it is currently viewed throughout the world. There is a focus on bitcoin’s potential, and how it can be used to change economies and grant financial freedoms to people. I liked how Berry took a neutral, if hopeful, stance around bitcoin, as while certain characters are critical of the cryptocurrency, many see its potential and hope to make the world a better place through its usage. I honestly found the entire inclusion of bitcoin to be highly interesting, and the focus on its manipulation, creation and exploitation drove the plot to some cool places.
Another aspect of all Berry’s books that I really enjoy is his highly detailed examinations of various intriguing places that his protagonists end up in. These background settings are always a key part of the book, and I like how well Berry incorporates them into the story, especially as the history or unique locations are invariably explored or utilised in the plot. While The Atlas Maneuver lacks some of the grandiose sites that I enjoyed in the previous books, there is still a range of cool locations featured here that are well done. This includes deep looks at several cities and locations with Switzerland and Luxembourg, as well as a lengthy excursion to Morocco. Berry loving describes all the historical cities, lakes and other key locations in high detail, and it is always very clear when he is working from memory, especially as some of his characters’ reactions clearly mirror his own. These detailed depictions always allow the reader to effectively envision the locations quite clearly, and it is a lot of fun imagining the daring exploits taking place in these picturesque locales. I always love Berry’s descriptions of these locations, not only because I find the history fascinating, but because there are so many places featured in these books that I want to visit. As such, this is a great part of The Atlas Maneuver, and I cannot wait to see what cool locations Berry features in his next book.
As has been my custom with most of the Cotton Malone series, I ended up listening to The Atlas Maneuver on audiobook, which ended up being a pretty great way to enjoy this book. Coming in a nearly 13 and a half hours, this is a moderately long audiobook, so it took me a little while to get through it. However, I felt that the way it helped to portray the intense action and thrilling storyline was very impressive, especially as having the story read out to me engrained the elaborate historical details a little better. The Atlas Maneuver once again featured the fantastic voice work of veteran audiobook narrator Scott Brick, who has lent his voice to all the previous Cotton Malone books. Brick has a very serviceable voice that works well for the thriller books he usually narrates, especially as it helps to highlight the great action sequences and elaborate conspiracies. Thanks to his good voice work, the plot of The Atlas Maneuver moves along at a brisk pace, and I really got swept up in the elaborate story. As such, I feel that the audiobook version is a great way to enjoy The Atlas Maneuver, and I had an excellent time getting through it.
Overall, The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry was an amazing book that I had an outstanding time getting through. Once again successfully combining intriguing and elaborate historical conspiracies with an exciting thriller storyline, The Atlas Maneuver was a blast from start to finish and will be deeply appreciated by both fans of the long-running Cotton Malone series and new readers experiencing Berry’s writing for the first time. A compelling read that comes highly recommended.
Quick Review – I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 16 March 2023)
Series: Standalone
Length: 407 pages
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Last year I was lucky enough to read and review the new Harlan Coben novel, I Will Find You. This was the first book I had read from Coben, a man renowned for his twisty and tricky thriller books, and it proved to be a pretty cool read. While I really enjoyed I Will Find You, I never actually got around to reviewing it, which was a pretty major regret I had about my writing last year. However, as I just received a copy of Coben’s new book, Think Twice, I figured this would be a good time to finally review this amazing book.
Plot Synopsis:
David and Cheryl Burroughs are living the dream – married, a beautiful house in the suburbs, a three year old son named Matthew – when tragedy strikes one night in the worst possible way.
David awakes to find himself covered in blood, but not his own – his son’s. And while he knows he did not murder his son, the overwhelming evidence against him puts him behind bars indefinitely.
Five years into his imprisonment, Cheryl’s sister arrives – and drops a bombshell.
She’s come with a photograph that a friend took on vacation at a theme park. The boy in the background seems familiar – and even though David realizes it can’t be, he knows it is. It’s Matthew, and he’s still alive.
David plans a harrowing escape from prison, determined to do what seems impossible – save his son, clear his own name, and discover the real story of what happened that devastating night.
The first thing I need to point out about I Will Find You is that Coben came up with a pretty awesome standalone concept that really draws your attention from the get-go. An innocent man trapped in prison for a crime he didn’t commit is always a great start to the story, but combine that with proof that his murdered child is still alive and with someone else, and you have yourself a real winning plot that I really fell in love with. Coben easily has the writing chops to back this story idea up, and the resulting book turns into an impressive read.
I really enjoyed so many great elements of I Will Find You, especially as Coben throws in his trademark twists, elaborate action-set pieces, and fantastically complex character motivations. The book starts with an awesome, if slightly coincidental, prison break (thank God for family connections) and develops into a good fugitive storyline with an investigative bent to it. The resulting chase between the protagonist and his pursuers, both official and unofficial keeps the pulse racing, and I loved the combination of two fast-talking cops leading the main pursuit, and a shadowy, influential family invested in his capture/death. The investigation angle works out very well, and the combination of Matthew’s straightforward methods, and the subtler results from Rachel, the sister-in-law, allow for some intriguing progress towards the plots conclusion.
The various resulting twists that lead up to the end of the book are well handled, and I loved how compelling Coben was able to make the plot of I Will Find You. I particularly loved the elaborate, sinister, and slightly oddball motivations behind the actual crime, as well the lengths the antagonist was willing to go to secure what they wanted. The unique relationships that also emerge make for some fun reading, and the compelling and over-the-top main story is well balanced with the inherent tragedy of the protagonists and the sorrow they feel for their loss. The entire book comes to quite a fantastic conclusion which, while it could have used a little more explaining, proved to be very satisfying.
While I did enjoy the story that Coben came up with for I Will Find You, and he presented it extremely well, I did myself disliking certain elements of the plot, namely that the author relied way too much on coincidence and story elements that come out of nowhere. A good example of this is the machinations of a certain mob-boss, which helped lead to the protagonist’s situation. While the eventual confrontation between David and this mobster is really well written, I honestly think their involvement in the whole affair could have been set up better, as their actions, while interesting to the plot, was a bit of a sudden inclusion. This, and other confidences and unanswered questions, conspired to throw me off the groove of the story at key points of the book, so I didn’t have as much fun as I possibly could of. Still, this is a mostly minor issue for me, and I had an overall exceptional time with this book.
I Will Find You was a pretty novel book, and it proved to be a fantastic introduction to Harlan Coben for me. The elaborate and intense story writing really grabbed me, and I loved the author’s ability to pull together a great character-driven twist. As such, I Will Find You is well worth checking out, especially to those who are already fans of the author.
Warhammer 40,000: Sabbat Martyr by Dan Abnett
Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 December 2002)
Series: Gaunt’s Ghosts – Book Seven
Length: 10 hours and 35 minutes
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
In addition to my review for Straight Silver, I also present a review for the impressive and epic seventh novel in Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Sabbat Martyr. This was an outstanding and fantastic addition that perfectly followed on from some of the previous books in the series, including Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith, while also throwing the beloved protagonists into all manner of trouble.
It is a time of miracles in the Imperium of Man. As Warmaster Macaroth continues his extensive and exhaustive Sabbat World Crusade, the forces of the Imperium are stretched like never before. However, word has reached the ears of all the faithful in the Sabbat Worlds that the legendary Saint Sabbat has reincarnated on the isolated and pious world of Herodor. There, in Civitas Beati, a holy city dedicated to her, the reborn Saint awaits the faithful, the pilgrims, and the mighty warriors of the Imperium.
Amongst those summoned to Herodor are the battle tested and weary soldiers of the Tanith First-and-Only, better known as Gaunt’s Ghosts. Thanks to their previous victories, as well as their involvement in miracles associated with the Saint, the Ghosts and their leader, Colonel-Commissar Gaunt, have been personally chosen by Sabbat to be her honour guard. However, nothing on Herodor is as it seems, and Gaunt finds himself drawn into deceptive military politics and the manipulated beliefs of the city. Worse, the forces of the Emperor of Mankind aren’t the only ones who have heard the call of the new Saint.
As Gaunt attempts to establish order in the city, an unstoppable danger appears on the horizon in the form of the infamous followers of Chaos, the Blood Pact. Lead by the terrible Chaos warlord, Enok Innokenti, the invading forces of Chaos have one mission: find and kill the reborn Saint, and, by doing so, rob the Imperium of hope. Desperately outnumbered and faced with impossible odds, Gaunt and his ghosts will need to do all they can to save the Saint and the city. However, the dread Innokenti will have the Saint’s head by any means necessary and has sent nine deadly and corrupt killers to ensure this happens. Can Gaunt and the Tanith First-and-Only pull off a miracle in the name of their blessed saint, or is this their final battle?
Abnett pumps up the feels and brings together some amazing storylines in this seventh excellent Gaunt’s Ghosts book. An action-packed and highly intense read, Sabbat Martyr was another exceptional read, and one that I absolutely powered through thanks to its addictive and powerful story.
Sabbat Martyr has a pretty impressive story behind it, especially as Abnett wraps up the Saint sub-series within the larger Gaunt’s Ghosts books, in a big way. Starting off fairly typically, with the Ghosts arriving on a new world to take care of some riffraff, Abnett quickly sets the scenes and revisits several of the key existing storylines and character arcs. However, Sabbat Martyr goes in some intriguing new directions as Gaunt and his soldiers encounter what appears to be a reborn Imperial Saint, who has inspired a new bout of religious fervour and devotion in the region. This proves to be an interesting new angle which ties this book into the larger concerns of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, rather than focusing on the fight of the common footslogger. I liked this change of focus, especially as it fits with the hints raised in the preceding novels, and the initial intrigues of the novel added a level of uncertainty that worked quite nicely. A fantastic, extended battle scene ended the first third of the book nicely, especially as it leads to some big revelations and sets the scene for the second half of the book.
The second half of Sabbat Martyr is where things get really interesting. Abnett cleverly uses the start of this half to quickly extend several great character arcs, which sets some figures up for some dark times, while others are restored in interesting ways. However, you don’t have a chance to fully appreciate that, as Abnett then launches the reader right into a new phase of war, as deadly enemies literally rain down around the protagonists. Essentially the entire second half of the book is pure warfare, as the forces of Chaos arrive and harry the Imperial forces on every front, including with an extended space combat sequence. From there, the enemy arrives on Herodor in force, including the nine promised deadly killers, and all the protagonists are thrust into a deadly battle for survival.
I loved this last part of the book, especially as Abnett knows how to write an exceptional war sequence. Expertly splitting the story between numerous point-of-view characters, the resulting carnage is epic, with the protagonists forced into intense street fighting to survive. All these battles are well crafted, and show the protagonists at their most desperate, as they are slowly pushed back with seemingly no hope to win. I really loved these battles, as well as the simultaneous character arcs that tied into them, and you really get drawn in towards the big climax. I did think that Abnett slightly rushed this last half, mainly because he was trying to fit in too much at once. While the nine killers get a good introduction, they weren’t utilised as effectively as they could have been, and their appearances are a little briefer than you would have liked. Indeed, there is so much potential material in this second half that Abnett could have honestly fit his story across two books and really expanded everything out. Still all the big battles are very epic, and the big climatic fight sequence proves to be everything you could have wanted. Abnett wraps everything up with some major tragedy, as multiple character arcs come full circle in a big and emotionally charged way. As such, readers, especially established fans of the series, come away from Sabbat Martyr shaken while Abnett clearly and decisively ends a major chapter in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series.
Abnett does a really good job bringing this epic story to life, and I deeply appreciated just how dark and intense Sabbat Martyr got in places. Expertly utilising multiple character perspectives to tell an elaborate story, you really get sucked into the massive carnage that emerges, and I really must commend Abnett for the impressive battle scenes. Abnett has his methodology set for the Gaunt’s Ghosts books by this point in the series, and I love how smoothly his story unwinds. The blend of character focussed storytelling and intense action makes for an exciting read, and I really got invested in this outstanding seventh entry in the series. I did appreciate how Abnett took his protagonists into the much wider realm of faith, saints and holy power that is well established in other Warhammer 40,000 fiction, but not something we’ve typically seen in this series. It honestly made for a unique change of pace, and Abnett does a great job wrapping ongoing storylines around it. I also appreciated how several loose ends and antagonists from previous novels got revisited here, including one of the big issues I had with Honour Guard which got nicely resolved here. This does mean that unlike the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books, Sabbat Martyr is less accessible for new readers, although Abnett does a good job of summarising old storylines where needed. As such, this proved to be an epic entry in the wider series, and I really enjoyed how this chapter of the Gaunt’s Ghosts books came to an end.
As with all the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, the heart of Sabbat Martyr lays in the extended cast of protagonists from whom the elaborate story emerges. Abnett has a very well-established cast of characters for Sabbat Martyr, and it was frankly moving to see how this story unfolded for them. The author does a good job splitting the story amongst the cast, and I appreciated how this book, unlike the previous novel, didn’t overdo the number of primary cast members. The resulting character arcs and personal stories proved to be very moving and intense to different degrees, and Abnett really got dark in places, especially when it came to bringing certain character storylines full circle.
Now, I won’t go into too much detail about the characters here, because I don’t want to ruin some major parts of the book. However, I will say that Gaunt is once again a great central figure, and it was intriguing to see him impacted by his fate, as well as the many friendships he’s made throughout the series. In addition, Gol Kolea gets a nice addition to his story, which I really appreciated, while one of the original Ghosts, Brin Milo, finds himself going on some bold new adventures that tie in nicely to his long-hinted destiny. The feud between Lijah Cuu and Hlaine Larkin that was such a dark and memorable part of Straight Silver, comes to a great conclusion here, and Cuu really proves to be the ultimate villain of this series. Agun Soric’s battle with his unusual messages is another highlight, especially as Abnett works in some powerful personal struggles, as well as a very dark ending that will leave you hurting. All these character arcs, and more, are handled perfectly and all readers, especially those who have enjoyed the rest of the series, will really appreciate how Abnett continues or concludes them here. However, I may never forgive Abnett for the big tragedy that occurs at the end that ensures the Tanith First-and-Only will never be the same again.
It goes without saying that I ended up listening to Sabbat Martyr on audiobook, especially after how impressed I have been with the previous Gaunt’s Ghosts audiobooks. Coming in with a run time of 10 and half hours, Sabbat Martyr was another descent length Warhammer 40,000 audiobook that I just flew through. This format works so well to tell epic Warhammer 40,000 stories, and I loved how effectively the fight sequences came through in Sabbat Martyr, as you can so easily envision Abnett’s massive action set pieces. A lot of how effective Sabbat Martyr’s audiobook is comes down to excellent narrator Toby Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators. Longworth, the established narrator for all things Gaunt’s Ghosts (as well as Abnett’s other audiobooks like, Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), has long perfected the voices he uses within these audiobooks, and it was great to hear his established tones and voices again. The narrator really has all the key characters down and love the fitting and effective voice each of them has. This impressive voice work deeply enhances an already awesome story, and you really get to feel the emotions and actions of each of the characters. I honestly had such a great time listening to the Sabbat Martyr audiobook, especially in some of the more intense action scenes which swept my imagination away, and this is easily the best format by which to enjoy this amazing book .
With fire, blood and faith, Abnett wraps up a major part of his iconic Gaunt’s Ghosts series in a big way with the epic Sabbat Martyr. Loaded with war, personal conflict, powerful developments, and some memorable tragedy, Sabbat Martyr was a worthy and intense addition to the series, and one that I couldn’t stop listening to. I had such an exceptional time with this book, and Sabbat Martyr, and indeed the entire Gaunt’s Ghosts series, is required reading for all Warhammer 40,000 fans.
Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett
Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 December 2002)
Series: Gaunt’s Ghosts – Book Six
Length: 9 hours and 52 minutes
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
After having a blast reading and reviewing The Traitor’s Hand, my desire for more things Warhammer 40,000 needed to be sated, so I dove into the exceptional and gritty Gaunt’s Ghost book by Dan Abnett, Straight Silver.
While there are some truly impressive Warhammer 40,000 authors out there, few can match Dan Abnett in terms of quality and impact. One of the most significant authors of Warhammer fiction, Abnett has produced a great number of books in the franchise over the years, which includes several must-read series for all Warhammer fans. These include his substantial contributions to the massive Horus Heresy series, as well as the iconic Inquisitor extended series. The Inquisitor books include his impressive and highly compelling Eisenhorn trilogy, made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, and which are amongst my favourite literary trilogies. While I am a huge fan of these novels, probably his most grounded and well-known contribution to the Warhammer 40,000 canon are the Gaunt’s Ghosts novels.
The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are an extended series that follows the members of the Tanith First-and-Only, a weary and battle-hardened regiment of Imperial Guard soldiers. Led by Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and known for their stealth abilities and the destruction of their home planet, the Tanith First-and-Only have taken up the name Gaunt’s Ghosts and are fighting in the massive Sabbat World Crusades hoping to find a new planet to call home. This series emphasises the common human soldier and the gruelling realities of war in the grim Warhammer 40,000 future, and it is one of the most compelling series out there. I have had an outstanding time with this series and all the books I have read, including First and Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, and the prequel novel The Vincula Insurgency, have been extremely epic and complex, perfectly blending great characters with intense action. Despite still having several books to go, the Gaunt’s Ghosts novels are one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series for a very good reason and I had no hesitation diving into the next book of the series, Straight Silver, when I needed something fun to read.
As the massive Sabbat World Crusades gain traction against humanity’s enemies, the Imperial forces finally have the capacity to send aid to the long-isolated planet of Aexe Cardinal. There the loyalist nations of the Aexe Alliances have been locked in a gruelling 40-year war against the Chaos corrupted Shadik Republic. Amongst the Imperial reinforcements sent to Aexe Cardinal are the veteran Ghosts of the Tanith First-and-Only, who are ready to make a dent in a new foe.
However, upon arriving on Aexe Cardinal, the Ghosts are surprised to find themselves under the command of the Aexe Alliance rather than their own generals. Forced to serve the whims of their new allies for political reasons, the Ghosts are soon thrust into the archaic way of fighting that have led the war to linger for decades. Worse, their new commanders refuse to use the Ghosts to their full potential, and the lightly armoured scouts find themselves fighting in bloody trench warfare.
Forced to endure confined conflict in ill-maintained trenches, the Ghosts find death constantly on the horizon as raids, bombardments, gas weaponry, and their own shattered morale begin to take their toll. To keep his regiment alive and sane, Gaunt volunteers his troops for the most dangerous missions where the Ghost’s scouting skills can be best utilised. However, the resulting campaigns will test Gaunt and his troops to the utter limit as the relentless forces of Chaos come crashing down upon them.
Straight Silver proved to be an exceptional entry to this amazing Warhammer 40,000 series. Featuring some powerful and gritty action that took its protagonists to dark places, this sixth entry in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series was so damn good that I managed to power through it in no time at all.
Abnett did a brilliant job coming up with a particularly intense and dark story that plants the protagonists and the reader into the middle of a gritty warzone. The main story is initially a little basic, with the Ghosts arriving on a new planet and finding themselves caught up in another long-standing war. However, the book takes an outstanding turn when the Ghosts, who work best as a scout force, are forced into an elaborate trench warfare scenario. Thanks to the excellent World War I inspired setting, the Ghosts are figuratively thrust back into the past and are forced to fight an old-fashioned type of war with their lasguns going up against firearms, chemical shells, and fixed lines of trenches. The constant grim trench battles, raids and fights across no man’s land that dominate the first half of this book are very intense, gory, and pointless, and the reader is swiftly drawn into the unusual and dangerous scenario the Ghosts find themselves in. Abnett masterfully captures so many aspects of this grim scenario, and you have to appreciate how brutal he makes the battles and the terrible conditions the characters find themselves in.
All these initial battles are expertly shown through the eyes of the many recurring characters of the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, and you swiftly begin to feel their despair and the rising tensions within them. This works well with many of the existing character arcs, as several figures deal with grudges, uncertainty about duty, and growing relationships. This excellent use of character arcs and perspectives humanises the fight, and you can’t help but get dragged even more into their hopeless situations. I particularly enjoyed how Abnett deliberately made the antagonists a purely human force, with no named enemy characters serving as the villain. This helps to reinforce that the true antagonist of the plot is human nature and their ability to wage unforgiving war, as the two opposing armies destroy everything around them.
While Abnett could have kept the characters in the trenches for a while and still had a good book, he chooses to accelerate the plot about halfway through Straight Silver, as the Ghosts are given a chance to prove themselves by going on two deadly missions. This splits the story, as Gaunt leads half the characters on a series of deadly raids behind enemy lines, while another small group of key characters find themselves away from the fighting as they scout a critical location in the woods. Naturally both storylines result in deadly chaos for the relevant protagonists, but I loved how they played out. The storyline with Gaunt was brutal infiltration across no man’s land at its finest, and there are so many shudder-inducing moments as they continuously encounter the horrors of war. The other storyline is much more a slow burn, as the characters find themselves isolated in the woods and only have themselves to fight with, as the grudges and resentments introduced at the start of the book are refreshed. While the characters come together when an enemy presents itself, they are still caught up in their raw emotions, and this results in some dark moments. Both storylines are resolve in an impressive and compelling manner, and the reader will come away enthralled, excited, and a little angry, as one excellent villain gets away with everything again. You are honestly left wanting more, especially as Abnett throws in some tantalising hints for the future, and the bloody battles and horrors of Straight Silver will stay with you long after you’ve finished.
As with most books in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Straight Silver can be read as a mostly standalone read, as many of the key characters and story arcs are expertly reintroduced throughout the course of the book. While readers will always get more out of Straight Silver if they read the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books first, especially as that will allow them to become more attached to the characters, a new reader can easily pick up Straight Silver and have an outstanding time getting through it. Straight Silver and the Gaunt’s Ghosts books can also be readily enjoyed by those people with minimal pre-knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The Gaunt’s Ghosts books exist in their own little pocket of the universe, with the story completely focused on their own struggle as soldiers. As such, this makes these books perfect entry level reads for those wishing to learn more about Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and anyone with a love for science fiction or military fiction is going to love Straight Silver.
I’m always impressed with the amazing range of characters that Abnett fits into each of his Gaunt’s Ghost novels, as the author tries to constantly capture the entire experience of the regiment in a Band of Brothers sort of way. Unlike his Eisenhorn books, which had one perspective character, the Gaunt’s Ghosts follow many different protagonists, which allows you to see a massive picture of events unfolding. This works really well, and I loved the huge range of unique perspectives and personalities that emerged, as well as the different views of the fights and internal conflicts. I did think that Straight Silver might have featured a few too many different perspectives, as Abnett tried to bring some new characters to the fore. This meant that several of the established cast from the previous book didn’t have a chance to shine here and were often sidelined, while the newer characters didn’t impress as much in their first big appearance.
There were still a ton of great character arcs going on, and even with less time in the spotlight, many of these characters made the most of it. Main protagonist Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt gets a good showing, especially as he is forced into conflict with his friend, the highly moral Chief Medic Tolin Dorden, and he is forced to balance his responsibilities as a Commissar with the love he holds for his soldiers. Newly promoted Sergeant Tona Criid proves to be an absolute badass character, and it was great to see her take command and kick butt. Sergeant Agun Soric has some great scenes as he slowly comes to realise his latent psychic abilities, while the formerly charismatic Gol Kolea is a hard figure to read about, after suffering a head wound in the previous book and losing his intelligence. However, the best storyline in Straight Silver involves the mad sniper Hlaine Larkin and the nefarious trooper Lijah Cuu (sure as sure). Thanks to their interactions in the previous book, the slippery murderer Cuu has a major grudge against Larkin and is determined to kill him, just like he did Bragg. This results in a deadly game of cat and mouse between the two, as Larkin tries to survive both the enemy and Cuu. Cuu comes away as such a good villain for this book (even more than the enemy), and you can’t help but hate the guy, especially as there is something slick and scary in his every appearance. These characters, and many more, helped to turn Straight Silver into an exceptional read, and you really get wrapped up in their unique experiences of war.
I doubt anyone who has every read one of my Warhammer reviews will be surprised that I ended up listening to Straight Silver on audiobook. All Warhammer books are so much better in this format, and the Gaunt’s Ghosts audiobooks are a great example of this, especially with narrator Toby Longworth. Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, has lent his voice to most of Abnett’s Warhammer audiobooks, and he always does a remarkable job moving the story along and describing the book’s epic battle sequences. This is extremely evident in Straight Silver, and I very quickly powered through this audiobook because of how good it is.
I especially loved the awesome voices that Longworth came up with for the various characters featured throughout the book, and he goes out of his way to ensure that every figure has their own distinctive and fitting voice. Many of these voices are carried over from the previous audiobooks, and it was great to get the continuity for each of the recurring characters, so much so that by this point listeners of the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books can figure out who is talking just by hearing their particular tone. One thing I particularly appreciate is the range of accents that Longworth distributes across the audiobook. Each group of soldiers, such as the original Tanith troopers, the new Verghastite recruits, and the soldiers of Aexe Cardinal, are given their own distinctive accents, and this cool attention to detail is what makes Longworth such a good narrator. This was such an epic audiobook; with a runtime of nearly ten hours, most people can power through it, especially when they get caught up in the epic story.
Straight Silver is a particularly epic and impressive addition to the Gaunt’s Ghosts series as Dan Abnett takes his fame regiment down into battle hell. Loaded with intense moments, a powerful background setting, and multiple engaging character arcs, Straight Silver is an exceptional read, and it is honestly one of the strongest Gaunt’s Ghosts books I have so far read. An utterly addictive Warhammer 40,000 novel, I can give it no higher honour as a reviewer than to say the moment I finished it, I instantly grabbed the next book in the series, read it, and will be putting up a review for it now.
WWW Wednesday – 24 April 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker (ebook)
I barely got any physical reading done this week so I’m still going with the very adult thriller, Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker. Set around a troubled couple who begin using an unusual relationship app, Behind a Closed Door will see them tested like never before by the app’s sinister requirements. I’ve made a bit of progress on Behind a Closed Door since last week, and I’m very intrigued where things are going with it. Hopefully I will get more opportunities to read this week and I will aim to finish this novel off by this time next week.
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)
I had a lot more success getting through audiobooks this week, so I just started listening to the awesome science fiction novel Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I have become a major fan of Tchaikovsky is recent years, and Alien Clay is the first of four (yes, four!) books he has coming out this year. An intriguing novel about an infamous prison on an alien world, Alien Clay has some great potential that really grabbed my attention. I’m only a little way into Alien Clay but I am enjoying its great concept, cynical political undertones, and underlying scientific mysteries. I am hoping to get through Alien Clay rather quickly, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.
What did you recently finish reading?
Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)
I have really been in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 fiction this week, especially after recently updating my list on the subject, so I continued my dive into the Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett with Straight Silver. An excellent addition to the series, Straight Silver was a dark and gritty war story that proved to be highly addictive and which I could not get enough of.
Warhammer 40,000: Sabbat Martyr by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)
Indeed, I loved Straight Silver so much I immediately listened to the next book in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Sabbat Martyr. Another awesome read, Sabbat Martyr saw the soldier protagonists dragged into another bitter conflict as a new religious figure emerges to lead them. A great novel that cleverly wrapped up several ongoing storylines in some suitably tragic ways, I had such an incredible time getting through this audiobook.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
If I manage to get some reading time this week, then the next physical book that I am hoping to check out is The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. The debut novel of Logan, The Silverblood Promise is an epic sounding fantasy debut that will see a disgraced heir to a noble family attempt to find his father’s killer in a city of notorious rogues, killers and villains. I have very high hopes for this book, and I have no doubt that The Silverblood Promise will be one of the top fantasy books of 2024.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
Waiting on Wednesday – The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the outstanding upcoming dark fantasy read, The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston.
Over the last few years, I have been having an awesome time getting to know rising author Cameron Johnston who has been making his mark on the world of dark fantasy fiction. Debuting back in 2018, Johnston impressed me with his very first novel, The Traitor God, which was a clever and intense revenge filled fantasy romp. Johnston followed up The Traitor God the next year with an excellent sequel, God of Broken Things, which ended up being one of my favourite books of 2019. These first two books were very good, and I made sure to keep an eye out for any additional work from Johnston, which ensured that I grabbed a copy of his third book, The Maleficent Seven. An intense, outrageous, and over-the-top dark fantasy homage to classics like Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven, The Maleficent Seven was an outstanding book, that saw seven magical supervillains take up the good fight. All three of Johnston’s novels have been pretty damn amazing, and as such I was very excited when I saw he had a fourth book coming out later this year.
This fourth book is The Last Shield, and it is currently set for release in September 2024. Another intriguing dark fantasy novel, The Last Shield has another epic plot behind it, as a lone fantasy hero engages a dangerous heist crew in a secure palace.
Plot Synopsis:
A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle, Cameron Johnston’s The Last Shield is an engaging fantasy read, perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Mark Lawrence.
The ancient forest realm of Sunweald is bordered on two sides by far mightier nations – a precarious situation. At its centre, the Sunweald Palace is home to the Lord Regent and the heir to the throne, together with numerous precious and powerful artefacts. The Palace is protected by the realm’s elite Shields, dedicated to guarding the royal line against all foes.
A group of vicious brigands called the Wildwood Reivers have been stealing arcane artefacts and smuggling them across the borders, out of Sunweald. And the objects they most desire are stored in the mystical Wyrm Vault, hidden away deep in the bones of the earth, within the walls of the Palace itself.
As political and religious tensions mount, Sunweald’s druids prepare to enact rituals for the Summer Solstice – but the Wildwood Reivers and their treacherous allies have other plans. It falls to Briar, the commander of the Shields, to defend the ancient corridors and secret tunnels of the Palace. The odds may be against her, but she’ll see every enemy head adorning a spike or she’ll die trying…
Now, as a well-known fan of novels with awesome and unconventional story ideas behind them, this is obviously a book that I am extremely interested in. Set to combine Johnston’s well-established flair for dark fantasy fiction with a cool, Die Hard inspired story, The Last Shield sounds so damn epic and I love the idea of a hero facing off against a team of thieves dedicated to taking over the palace and stealing it’s ancient treasures. I am imagining a very brutal action-packed fantasy read here, filled with secret tunnels in place of air vents, and all manner of over-the-top shenanigans, which sounds very, very cool, and which I know Johnston will use to his full advantage.
Honestly, based on how impressive Cameron Johnston has been with his first three novels, I was already planning to grab The Last Shield as soon as it comes out. However, now that I have seen the wonderfully crazy and fun plot synopsis above, this has become one of my must-read books of 2024 and I am so very exited to get my hands on it. The Last Shield has so much potential, and I have no doubt it will be one of the most entertaining novels of the year.
Waiting on Wednesday – The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I highlight an excellent upcoming piece of Australian crime fiction with The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe.
As regular readers of this blog will know, I consume a lot of Australian fiction each year, mainly because of my geographic location and the focuses of my local publishers. A large portion of this Australian fiction tends to be crime fiction, with my fellow Australians coming up with an amazing range of thrillers, murder mysteries and other crime-focused reads. Some of the best of these make full use of the Australian setting to tell their compelling stories, and I have become a huge fan of Australian crime fiction as a result. One of my favourite authors coming up with awesome Australian crime fiction is journalist turned author Tim Ayliffe, who has had some great success with his John Bailey books.
The John Bailey novels are an excellent series that follows the titular character, an alcoholic and damaged journalist, as he finds himself involved in a series of dangerous situations related to his investigative stories. Not only do these novels feature captivating thriller storylines and compelling mysteries, but Ayliffe often laces them with intriguing insights into Australian society, featuring plot points that have parallels to real life headlines, social issues or controversies. These include examining foreign interference in Australian politics, terrorism, the growth of right-wing extremism, and the impact of international spies in Australia. As such, I have had a wonderful and thoughtful time with each of the John Bailey novels, and they are often some of the top pieces of Australian fiction I read each year. This includes The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within (one of my favourite Australian books of 2021), and Killer Traitor Spy (one of my favourite Australian books of 2023).
Due to how much I have enjoyed Tim Ayliffe’s work in the past I was excited when he recently announced he had a new novel coming out in 2024. That book is The Wrong Man which is currently set for release in early July. The fifth entry in the John Bailey series, The Wrong Man has an amazing plot behind it that I am really excited for.
Plot Synopsis:
The fifth novel in the John Bailey thriller series. Bailey is trying to solve two murders, ten years apart – unfinished business from his former flame Sharon Dexter. But will it cost him his life?
Detective Holly Sutton has been seconded to work with the New South Wales Homicide Squad to investigate the murder of Sydney socialite, Tottie Evans, who was found dead at the Palm Beach home of a millionaire property developer.
Alec Blacksmith isn’t like other real estate guys. He’s a former mercenary soldier who shot to fame after appearing on a reality TV show. Blacksmith is refusing to cooperate with police because he has his own secrets.
John Bailey is an old school reporter with a nose for a story.
He gets a call from the police about a break-in at the house he inherited from his former girlfriend, Sharon Dexter – a cop murdered in the line of duty.
Whoever crowbarred the lock was looking for Dexter’s case file about the murder of a waitress named Sally King at an exclusive Sydney gentlemen’s club a decade earlier. After examining the file, Bailey discovers something that will blow up the Homicide Squad’s investigation into Tottie Evans’s death – a link to the murder of King.
The only problem is that a serial killer is already serving a life sentence for the crime.
Catching killers is Holly Sutton’s job. But for John Bailey, solving the case offers him a chance to finish a job for the woman who saved his life.
I really like the sound of this latest John Bailey novel as it a lot of interesting elements to it. A pure murder mystery focused book will make The Wrong Man stand out a little bit from the previous entries in the series, and I like the scenario that Ayliffe introducing here. Controversial figures, linked murders, and a potentially falsely imprisoned serial killer has some real potential for a narrative, and I cannot wait to see how it unwinds. The inclusion of a controversial soldier as a prominent figure was also interesting to me, and it made me wonder if Ayliffe is going to allude to a high-profile legal case that recently played out in the Australian media. I am also interested in the character of Detective Holly Sutton, and I am looking forward to seeing how she plays off the older John Bailey. Bailey, a damaged figure who has slowly been pulling his life together throughout the series, will also be a great inclusion, and I am curious to see how his character continues to evolve, especially after the additional health issues that were raised in the previous book (those darn Russian sonic weapons).
Based on my previous positive experiences with Tim Ayliffe’s work, I am very keen to get my hands on the new John Bailey book when it comes out in a few months’ time. The Wrong Man has a very exciting and compelling story behind it, and I am keen to find out how it all comes together. I have no doubt that The Wrong Man will probably end up being one of the top Australian novels of 2024 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
WWW Wednesday – 17 April 2024
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
So, let’s get to it.
What are you currently reading:
Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker (ebook)
I started reading the thriller novel, Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker this week and it is proving to be interesting so far. Set around a troubled couple who begin using an unusual relationship app, Behind a Closed Door will see them tested like never before by the app’s sinister requirements. I haven’t gotten too far into this book yet, but I am so far quite intrigued by its start and premise. I look forward to seeing how it turns out and I think I am in for quite a wild ride.
Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)
I was really in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 fiction this week, especially after recently updating my list on the subject, so I thought I would continue my dive into the Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett with Straight Silver. An excellent addition to the series, Straight Silver sees the Ghosts transferred to a war-torn planet and forced into desperate trench warfare. A dark and gritty war story, Straight Silver is extremely addictive and I should knock it off in the next day or so.
What did you recently finish reading?
Play of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell (Trade Paperback)
I managed to finish off the awesome and entertaining new fantasy novel from Sebastien De Castell, Play of Shadows. Set in his Greatcoat universe, Play of Shadows is the start of new series from De Castell that sees a hapless actor become wrapped up in all manner of trouble when he begins to mystically channel the spirt of his city’s greatest historical villain while on stage. I had an exceptional time with Play of Shadows, and this was honesty one of the best books I have read in 2024 so far.
The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry (Audiobook)
I also knocked off The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry this week and proved to be another amazing addition to the epic Cotton Malone series. Review to follow soon.
Warhammer 40,000: The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)
Another Warhammer 40,000 audiobook I got through this week was the funny and brilliant The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell. The third in the hilarious Ciaphas Cain series, The Traitor’s Hand provided a lighter edge to the usually grim Warhammer 40,000 universe and I had an amazing time listening to it. Check out my review for it here.
What do you think you’ll read next?
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
The next book that I am hoping to check out is The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. The debut novel of Logan, The Silverblood Promise is an epic sounding fantasy debut that will see a disgraced heir to a noble family attempt to find his father’s killer in a city of notorious rogues, killers and villains. I have very high hopes for this book, and I have no doubt that The Silverblood Promise will be one of the top fantasy books of 2024.
That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.
The Unseen Library 