crime

The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith – Book Review

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The Running Grave by Robert Galbraith – Book Cover

Cormoran Strike and his partner, Robin Ellacott, are up against a ruthless religious cult. In The Running Grave, the seventh installment of the Cormoran Strike series, the private detective duo is on a mission to rescue a young man from the clutches of fanatics. But the stakes are higher than ever, especially for Robin, who’s thrust into more danger than she’s ever faced before.

The Running Grave is Bursting with Skeletons

Charismatic conman Jonathan Wace—aka “J Papa”—and his exceptionally diabolical wife, Mazu, hit the jackpot when they founded the Universal Humanitarian Church. Their brainwashed followers are completely devoted, eager to fulfill even the most twisted desires of their beloved leaders.

Once this pair sinks their claws into someone, they don’t let go until they’ve wrung them dry. Saving the well-meaning but easily influenced Will Edensor is no small task for Cormoran Strike and his small but dedicated team.

Robin’s Up for This Too!

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Ordeal by Jørn Lier Horst – Book Review

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Everyone has pretty much given up on the missing taxi driver by now—everyone except the media, who are busy accusing the police of negligence. (Hyenas.) But the safe belonging to a recently deceased old gangster boss—who “passed away peacefully” by tumbling down the stairs—suddenly brings new information to light. And what’s more, it ties the disappearance to a high-profile murder case. The ordeal of uncovering the truth falls to Inspector William Wisting.

So who is this William Wisting guy, anyway?

He’s hands down the most likable detective in all of Norway.

If you hate the cops (and honestly, who doesn’t?!), but you’re thinking it might be time to change that, Jørn Lier Horst’s crime novels could be a good place to start.

Wisting is the textbook example of a dedicated and conscientious police officer. He’s also a devoted dad.

And if his professional track record somehow doesn’t win you over, you can always root for him to hit it off with the charming prosecutor—or maybe patch things up with his ex, who recently dumped him for NO REASON. (Fingers crossed it wasn’t because she found the poor guy boring!) … Either way, there’s something quietly compelling about the way Horst gently nudges these two love-starved characters toward each other.

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Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner – Book Review

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Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner – Book Cover

Frankie Elkin is a skinny, petite white woman—with a complicated relationship with alcohol and a massive savior complex. In Boston’s immigrant-populated Mattapan neighborhood, she stands out like a lighthouse on a dark sea. So what the hell is she doing there?!

Well, Frankie specializes in missing persons—specifically, cold cases where the police have already failed. So far, she’s found fourteen people. Every single one of them dead. But with Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who disappeared eleven months ago, maybe—just maybe—things will be different this time…

Before She Disappeared is the first book in Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin series.

The Power of Personality

If you’re not a towering, unstoppable muscle-bound force like, say, Major Jack Reacher (see: Lee Child’s Die Trying), who typically extracts information from reluctant witnesses and suspects with a well-placed, bone-rattling punch, then you’ve got no choice—you’ll have to rely solely on the power of your personality.

And that’s exactly what Frankie Elkin does.

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The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons by Karin Smirnoff – Book Review

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The Girl in the Eagle's Talons by Karin Smirnoff – Book Cover

Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy—better known as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series—put Scandinavian crime fiction on the global map in the mid-2000s. The books, which were later adapted into film and television, became so wildly popular that even after Larsson’s death, the adventures of the eccentric yet unstoppable hacker and her loyal (though occasionally unfaithful) collaborator, Mikael Blomkvist, continued. Karin Smirnoff’s The Girl in the Eagle’s Talons is now the seventh installment in the series.

The Controversial Past of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

What started as a crime series quickly evolved into something more. Something bigger. The protagonist, Lisbeth Salander—a woman who, even with the bed included, barely weighs 40 kilos—soon became an action hero. More than that, she transformed into a vengeful angel, a strong, independent woman who made life a living hell for the men who deserved it.

Then came the sequels by David Lagercrantz, and… well, I have no idea. In my humble opinion, Lagercrantz is one of the weakest among the ever-brooding Nordic crime authors. I haven’t been able to finish a single book of his that I picked up. Naturally, that includes the three Millennium installments he cobbled together.

But let’s see how Karin Smirnoff approaches the iron-willed, tattooed girl—who, after two decades, is undoubtedly a tattooed woman by now.

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Written in Blood by Chris Carter – Book Review

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Written in Blood by Chris Carter – Book Cover

When we started this blog, I was somewhere around book four or five of Chris Carter’s Robert Hunter series. And honestly, I was getting tired of it—the formulaic structure and predictable elements were wearing thin. Then An Evil Mind came along, introducing a villain so unimaginably evil that it changed everything. It reinvigorated the series, giving new life to the detective duo who dive headfirst into the most horrific murders imaginable. But by the time we get to Written in Blood, that energy seems to be fading again.

Crime Series, Written in Blood

Robert Hunter and Carlos Garcia, the seasoned two-man team from LAPD’s Ultra Violent Crimes Unit, have an uncanny knack for running into California’s most deranged criminals. About 99% of them just so happen to be serial killers.

And these aren’t your run-of-the-mill, discreet murderers. No, these guys leave crime scenes so drenched in blood it’s practically dripping from the ceiling. And Chris Carter? He revels in the grotesque details, delivering long, painstakingly detailed descriptions of crime scenes.

That’s really the essence of Chris Carter’s books: sheer, almost unimaginable horror. The kind that makes readers shake their heads in disbelief, thinking, “Dear God, this is awful! I could never do something like this!”

But Written in Blood does something different. Those drawn-out, gore-filled descriptions? They’re almost entirely missing.

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The Defense by Steve Cavanagh – Book Review

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The Defense by Steve Cavanagh – Book Cover

Defense attorney Eddie Flynn receives an offer he can’t refuse—from the Russian mafia. He must smuggle a bomb into the courthouse. Little Benny is about to testify against his former boss, the ruthless Volchek. The Russians’ plan is simple: send Benny—along with the witness stand—flying into the air. Then feign surprise. “Who, us? No idea what happened. Total shocker!” … To ensure Eddie’s cooperation, the mob kills his business partner and kidnaps his daughter. Eddie’s time is running out—and he has to find the defense method that will save him and his family.

Defense Attorney and Con Man

The Russian mafia overlooked one crucial detail: Eddie Flynn isn’t your typical defense attorney. Throughout most of his life, he’s been swindling people—reading them like an open book. On top of that, he’s an experienced boxer. And his best buddy? Jimmy the Hat, the head of the Italian mafia.

Suddenly, things aren’t so one-sided, are they?

But there’s still a bomb strapped to his back and weapons constantly pointed his way. Eddie must wait until night falls and the mafia settles down. Then, as quick as—ahem—a cockroach scurrying across the floor, he starts putting his counterattack into motion.

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Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado – Book Review

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Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado – Book Cover

Antonia Scott is the smartest person in the world. She’s a member of a special covert police unit designed to crack the most complex criminal cases. Her codename? Red Queen. But for the past three years, Antonia has been in a state of near-hibernation after an attack took away the one person she cared for most in the world…

The Red Queen Is Back in Action

With Red Queen, Juan Gómez-Jurado has broken through the nearly impenetrable barrier of international recognition after publishing numerous books in Spanish. Not an easy feat if you’re not writing in English. To pull it off, you need something truly extraordinary—something that grabs readers’ attention immediately.

And Antonia Scott is precisely that.

The superintelligent yet quirky and eccentric personality commands both your admiration and your sympathy, making her even easier to relate to. (Much like Lisbeth Salander, a.k.a. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.)

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The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – Book Review

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The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman – Book Cover

In the charming retirement community of Cooper Chase in southern England, there are numerous clubs designed to keep the residents entertained. There’s a crossword club, French conversation classes, Zumba sessions, and for those seeking a bit more excitement than puzzle-solving, there’s also the Thursday Murder Club. The Last Devil to Die is the fourth collaboration between the retired amateur detectives and the well-known English TV host, Richard Osman. This time, the club members are investigating a missing shipment of heroin, all while seeking revenge for the murder of a friend.

Investigation in a Laid-Back Atmosphere

One might think that the club members, all nearly eighty years old, would have a bit of a handicap when it comes to chasing down criminals, simply due to their age. But that’s not the case. (Of course, they always have hip replacements, walking sticks, and Cavinton on hand if needed!)

You might also expect that various deranged villains would quickly neutralize of the club members with a well-placed elbow to the jaw, and while the amateur detectives recover from concussions in the hospital or lie comatose, the criminals would easily wipe away all evidence.

But the criminals in The Last Devil to Die are as mild as lambs! And remarkably patient and respectful toward the seniors!

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In the Darkness by Mike Omer – Book Review

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In the Darkness by Mike Omer – Book Cover

Being a serial killer isn’t easy. Take, for example, the one who buries their victims alive—an exhausting amount of digging is involved. And in the scorching heat of San Angelo, Texas, no less. Not to mention the hassle of dealing with that sticky clay soil. But don’t think I’m trying to drum up sympathy here—anyone who does this sort of thing is a total scumbag and deserves to suffer for it. Still, what about the victim (in this case, as is often the norm, a pretty young woman) who suddenly finds herself buried in the darkness? …

… Zoe Bentley and her partner, Tatum Gray, once again delve deep into the twisted mind of a serial killer in this second installment of the series.

Something’s Missing in In the Darkness

What’s most lacking is a distinctive voice—something truly original that would set Mike Omer’s writing apart from the dozens of other thrillers featuring serial killers.

In many ways, In the Darkness is an average piece of work. The characters aren’t particularly compelling, the plot lacks genuinely exciting twists or scenes, and the writing as a whole feels rather bland.

The acknowledgments at the end of the book give a telling glimpse into just how many collaborators it took to piece together something coherent. It gives the impression that Mike Omer might not be capable of putting a finished product on the table by himself. And maybe that’s the case.

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Deadly Class, Volume 8: Never Go Back by Rick Remender – Comic Book Review

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Deadly Class, Volume 8: Never Go Back by Rick Remender - Comic Book

Deadly Class, a comic series with one of the most unbelievable storylines and some of the most downright unlikeable protagonists of all time, kicks off its eighth volume, Never Go Back, with an unusual opening: a lenghty drug trip.

Pls, Don’t Mess With Me, Mr. Remender!

If your protagonist is unreliable, unpredictable, unstable, a chronic backstabber, and endlessly whiny, a drug-induced hallucination is probably the last thing that will make them more relatable to your readers. Drug trips are like listening to someone describe their dreams in excruciating detail: nobody gives a damn except the dreamer. In fact, the more they share, the more irritating it becomes.

The entire first quarter of Never Go Back, which corresponds to issue 36, might as well be flushed down the toilet as a complete waste of ink.

Of course, if only a quarter of Never Go Back were just wasted space, you could count yourself lucky…

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