Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: crime

  • Exit .45

    Exit .45

    Ben Sanders has written two previous books in the Marshall Grade series with his trademark style of writing bringing his stories to the notice of crime readers. His characters are well rounded; Marshall Grade has quirky traits which help him focus on details which help him predict the thoughts and movements of criminals. Ben writes simply and clearly, with a storyline and action which is comfortable to follow, while tracking the plot.

    Marshall has a background of working for the New York Police dept. He spent a few years working as an undercover Policeman in New York, which led him to leave the city when that particular case was solved. Now, back in New York, a friend has asked to meet him urgently. He is in trouble. Marshall agrees to meet him at a restaurant that evening.

    Ray Vialoux has changed greatly since last Marshall saw him and there is no doubt, he is greatly troubled. He tells Marshall that he has some gambling debts and the gangsters he has become mixed up with are calling them in. As they sit at their table that night, Marshall sees a reflection in the window of a man with a rifle. He tips the table up into the window, but too late, Ray has been shot dead.

    He feels honour bound to track down the killers and bring them to justice of one kind or another. Immediately he recognises that if Ray is dead, he will be unable to repay his debt, therefor there must be much more to the story. There is many a twist and turn here, but never once does the reader fell that the Marshall’s action are mysterious or illogical.

    Exit.45 is a gripping tale, very well described and sharp, with plenty of action and drama.

  • NOTES ON AN EXECUTION

    NOTES ON AN EXECUTION

    Serial killer Ansel Packer, known as ‘The Girly Killer’, is on death row in Polunsky Prison, Texas; he has 12 hours to live. He doesn’t want to die. He wants to be celebrated and understood. Now he is paying the ultimate price for the brutal crimes, which he has committed.

    Not wanting this book to be another about a classic murderer it goes beyond the typical serial killer fiction. The author, Danya Kukafka tells Ansel’s story via the 12-hour countdown to his execution and from the perspective of the women who knew him the best; the women whose lives he touched, his mother, sister-in-law and foster home ‘sister’.

    Lavender, his mother abandoned Ansel Packer, aged four, to fend for his newborn brother and to escape an abusive marriage.  Hazel knew her twin sister’s husband was not who he portrayed himself to be; she’d seen the façade fall from his face in a trice. While Saffy, the detective, who spent years following her gut feeling that Ansel was ‘The Girly Killer’, ultimately caught him. She had spent time with him in the same foster home. They had all seen the dark side of Ansel Packer.

    As the women’s stories are unraveled, the reader is not only given an insight into Packers life prior to becoming a murderer, but also into their lives which have been so greatly impacted. As the reader is exposed to Ansel’s early years, they will no doubt question their own stance in the nature verses nurture debate.

    Although slow moving at times, I highly recommend this masterfully written, suspenseful, thought provoking book; Dayna Kukafka’s second and no doubt there are many more to follow.

  • Unforgiven

    Unforgiven

    Eighteen years ago was the wrong evil peadophile incrassated for the most horrendous crimes against innocent children? Now when bodies are discovered, they appear to have been murdered by Spider, who is languishing in jail. Is this the work of a copycat pretending to be Spider, or is the wrong abuser in jail?

    DI Rachel Langley, who was credited with catching this vile child killer, is now having doubts; did she put away the real Spider? However, Lexi Winter, a survivor of this despicable, infamous peadophile has no such doubts; she is determined to keep him well and truly securely locked up.

    Lexi, ace hacker, is a vigilante who has made it her life’s mission to track down and entrap members of the local, dangerous peadophile ring. Not always remaining within the limits of the law, she is able to penetrate their sites by infiltrating the dark web.  

    Meanwhile DI Langley is under pressure from the government, local press and her colleagues to find the real perpetrator of the recent child murders. Bailee, younger sister of Lexi and local social worker, assists DI Langley by keeping her informed of the valuable information, which Lexi uncovers.   

    ‘Unforgiven’, which is set around Gosford on the central coast of NSW is the latest thriller by Australian author Sarah Barrie. By using flashback to explore the relationship between the much younger Rachel and Lexi, the author gives the reader a greater understanding of why it’s so important to both women to solve the current child murders.

    Although crimes against children do not make for an easy read, readers of crime fiction will find this a page turner; an intriguing murder mystery with strong female protagonists.

  • Choose Me

    Choose Me

    The setting for this crime/ thriller Choose Me is Boston. A young woman has moved to the prestigious university there from a tiny town near Maine. She is hoping to continue her studies and do her Doctorate at the university. Her subject is English Literature, and the course she is doing is “Star Crossed Lovers in Literature.”  As the characters are gradually introduced, and their stories unwind, we meet a range of people and discover their personal situations.

    The young woman, Taryn, has been dating Liam since High School. After a long time together, Liam wants a break. Taryn cannot accept this rejection and is determined to win him back. Cody is a fellow student, who cares for Taryn deeply. The Professor who takes the classes that Taryn attends is Jack. He is a good lecturer and makes the topic they are studying come alive. However, Jack and his much-loved wife, Maggie, have had several devastating pieces of news. They recently lost a baby, and Maggie’s father has been diagnosed with cancer.

    The story is set out in an interesting and compelling way. It begins with the heading AFTER. This chapter describes a situation that has taken place, and in which the Police become involved. The following chapter is titled BEFORE, THREE MONTHS EARLIER. In this way we learn about events that have preceded the situation, and the character’s interactions. Continuing along this path we gradually begin to build up a picture of the people who are linked to each other, and the desperation some of them are feeling.

    Cleverly we have to put pieces of the story together and question the facts that are alluded to. A terrific teaser for those who love mystery and crime novels.

  • Treasure and Dirt

    Treasure and Dirt

    Treasure and Dirt is Chris Hammer’s fourth book, and he has maintained the exceptionally high standard of descriptive writing, great storylines, and a mysterious murder, set in previous books. Finnigan’s Gap, where this story is set, is loosely based on the opal mining town of Lightning Ridge. The heat, dust and flies follow Ivan Lucic, as he arrives fresh from Sydney, to conduct a murder investigation.

    A miner has been crucified down his mine shaft. Where to begin? Arriving at the small airport, where the terminal is presided over by a man in dressing gown and thongs, Ivan is taken to the Police Station. His assistant is Nell Buchanan, a young Detective who had formerly served in Finnigan’s Gap. He is impressed by her quick mind and attention to details. Together they begin the routine tasks of eliminating any obvious suspects.

    When they meet the townspeople, characters become lifelike as they are given histories and backgrounds. And what wonderful characters they are. In such a small community the actions of individuals are not forgotten. However, as Ivan and Nell begin to uncover more details of movements and motivations of the miners, links to higher authorities begin to emerge. Then two millionaires come to town. They are not interested in opal, but a far richer prize.

    Even in this remote community, international affairs are involved. With Chris Hammers experience as a journalist, he is not afraid to bring world politics into the story. He is also not afraid to look at the world of share trading and complexities relevant to a share market.

    Treasure and Dirt is a hard book to put down. Be warned, you will need a cool drink and some fly spray, as Hammers descriptions immerse you in the story.

  • Firekeeper’s Daughter

    Firekeeper’s Daughter

    Angeline Boulley is an Indian woman of the Bear Clan from Sault Ste. Marie, a woman with tradition as an inbuilt component of her soul. She chose to write Daunis’ story as, in her opinion, there are few too many stories told by and about Native Americans.

    The basis of the story comes from her own life as a young teen where she rather fancied the new boy at school. It turned out he was an undercover narcotics agent. The storyline that could have been, stayed with her and many years later, The Firekeeper’s Daughter was born, based in the modern world of the American Indian, still living with and accepting of the many traditions of the old ways.

    Eighteen-year-old Daunis has always felt like an outside, both at school and within her community, that of the Ojibwe. She goes to a party, going outside for a breath of air, when she witnesses the death of her best friend in a carpark shooting.

    As it turns out an undercover cop is also there and as Daunis has only just missed being shot, as she witnessed who did the shooting, he quickly gets her to a safe place, but that too comes with a catch. She is asked to go undercover into a world of drugs, lies and deceit to find out what is really going on in the community, as well as who or whom is behind the events which are slowly destroying her beloved community, which initially sounds like something she can do, and do well.

    But as the murders keep on happening, the world of drugs and murder creep ever closer to those she loves and cares for, Daunis begins to doubt not only herself, but the people in her community: those she has grown up with and learned to trust.

    This time old story is wrapped up in the tribal culture, the law that applies to the tribal peoples and their land, the grave injustice often done and the many shades of trust that are intermeshed in the world of crime and corruption, systemic in the so many cultures.

    The Firekeeper’s Daughter captivates with reality, while offering a comprehensive understanding of life with the structures of another culture, which while rubbing shoulders with the modern world, is still very much anchored in the past. A gripping, emotional and totally absorbing read.

  • Gun to the Head

    Gun to the Head

    My life as a tactical cop. The impact. The aftermath.

    In his second book Gun to the Head, Keith Banks opens up a world of policing, corruption, bravery and challenge, based on his twenty years as a serving officer with the Queensland Police Force.

    Each aspect of his varied placements in the Force look at the often complex, frequently overlapping areas of Policing in the 1980’s, during a time when corruption was endemic within the Force, all the way to the top and beyond.

    Beginning his career as an undercover cop with the Drug Squad, he and a mate refused to be part of a lucrative ’sideline’ selling a portion of the confiscated drugs. They soon found themselves out of the squad, out of a job he loved, transferred to Taringa Criminal Investigation Branch, eventually reaching the rank of Senior Detective Constable, but found he missed the edgy, adrenaline filled life of undercover work.

    As a part time member of the Emergency Squad, formed to deal with hostage taking and sieges, he and his mate Peter felt they were finally right where the wanted to be; right at the serious edge of modern day Policing. He eventually went on to become a formation member of the Tactical Response Group, facing off against some of the most formidable, ruthless criminals of the day.

    This took a huge toll and it was not until he found himself on the verge of committing suicide, something not uncommon in those days and still to agree today, gun in mouth, finger on the trigger he began to realise he needed serious medical help. His marriage was done, his life a shambles and he either had to get it sorted out or leave what he loved the most, Policing.

    Each of the chapters moves back and forwards through his years of service, each one detailing a case, an incident in the tragi-comedy that was often all part of a day’s work.

    Thoroughly entertaining Keith Banks takes a walk back through a world of varied police work, throwing a light on the dedication of so many men and women who do enjoy the many challenges involved what they consider a normal day’s work.

    Gun to the Head looks at the corruption that was endemic within the Police Force back in the day, at the people who perhaps should never have been in that line of work, but also at the many honest ‘çops’, of whom there are many, trying to make a difference in a world where violence is real and present threat, even on what appears to be a simple, straightforward call out.

    Gun to the Head is a must read for anyone who is into True Crime or enjoys a very well-constructed, totally readable look at the history of Crime and Policing in Australia.

  • Space Detectives

    Space Detectives

    Back with more rollicking fun in space, Mark Powers has discovered another zany case to be solved in Space Detectives. Connor and Ethan have moved on from their last adventure, or rather case, to go and spend the summer with Uncle Nick, to help him out running his ice-cream stand on Starville, a fantastically out-there sort of place, which is great, but really they would rather have another case to be solved after their last success.

    Somehow it is not too long before what could be another case comes along, via their new found friend Edwina and a strange mutant virus that sends the ice-cream machine into a frenzied sort of meltdown. According to their findings, also involving Edwina, who is a serious technology wiz and a series of codes, Starville is on a collision course with the moon and if something’s not done very quickly then it will be BOOM!

    Connor figures out that somehow the settings for the orbit of Starville have been changes for some dastardly reason, but who would do such a thing is yet to be discovered. In the meantime, Connor and Ethan find themselves at a very posh party hosted by Edwina’s mum, who is the Supreme Governor of Starville, which certainly does not go to plan.

    Add in the terrifying Neptunian Rat Bots, a purple tufted Grotsnobbler, which created mayhem earlier in the book and you have a challenging mystery to solve.

    Fantastic illustrations from Dapo Adeola allow the Rat Bots and Alice, the Grotsnobbler to truly come into their own personalities. What will their next adventure be, well I guess you just have to get the next exciting book from Mark Power and find out!

  • A Special Place in Hell: The World’s Most Depraved Serial Killers

    A Special Place in Hell: The World’s Most Depraved Serial Killers

    Noted writer and world renowned investigative criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee in his recent book ‘A Special Place in Hell’ chronicles the ten most heinous serial killer/mass murders of all time; each one has his own chapter. The author believes that these devils’ level of immoral killings transcends evil and hence they deserve a special place in Hell.  

    The ten vile criminals he has selected date back from the early 20th century to modern times and he has included well known perpetrators such as Peter Sutcliff and Ted Bundy to the less familiar evil beings Richard Benjamin Speck and Thomas Watt Hamilton.

    Each serial killer’s early life is analyzed, the murders recounted in great (often gruesome) detail and finally their life after being incrassated documented. The book delves deeply into the main reasons killers do what they claim they can’t control.  In some chapters the author has reproduced verbatim the very words of the killers as they describe their unimaginable crimes; this allows the reader a glimpse into the inner workings of the minds of these evil beings.   

    Readers of true crime will find this an interesting well researched book, as it provides an insight into how these men became killers.  However, it is not for the faint hearted, as the author doesn’t shy away from the horror or violence of their acts by providing some of the worst details.  For those who wish to increase their understanding of these sexual psychopaths the author has recommended some follow up reading and viewing.  

  • When You Are Mine

    When You Are Mine

    Touted as the best of the best from crime writer Michael Robotham, When you are mine is a standalone thriller that focuses on the dark side of obsession, passion and revenge.

    A Crime Boss, a mistress, a police woman and an investigative journalist forms the basis for an edge of the seat psychological crime thriller that demands to be read from beginning to end. What could possibly go wrong apart from everything.

    Philomena (Phil to her friends) is an up and coming cop in the Metropolitan Police Force, defying the odds of her family history; her father is a well-known crime boss, her uncles all having done time for one crime or another.

    She responds to a call for help, with the assailant being somewhat difficult about being arrested, so she deals with him promptly, handcuffing him and charging him with a range of offenses. Trouble is he is a much decorated Top Cop and also a member of the infamous ‘old boy’s club’ within the Met.

    The woman, Tempe, his mistress creates a bond with Phil and as Phil becomes the persecuted within the Met, she and Tempe form a friendship of sorts, which as time goes by and strange incidences begin to occur, leaves Phil wondering who she can trust.

    When a journalist’s body is discovered wrapped in chains attached to a lump of concert it is considered as a gangland killing, and as the journalist has links to both Phil and her father, the Met is keen to use this to their advantage, which they do with ruthless precision.

    Phil is forced out of the Met, has to face the fact that being part of crime family is something she has to face up to rather than run away from, as well as try and work out who is trying to frame her, sets the scene for a complex and riveting plot that is all too believable.

    Loosely based on the issues faced by the Metropolitan Police Force in Britain some few years ago, when the extent of the ‘old boy’s network was laid bare for public inspection, the reality of the many cover-ups makes for terrific background material for a host of seriously chilling crime thrillers of which Robotham in When you are mine, mines for pure gold.

    When you are mine is Robotham at his best.