Angel of the Abyss by Ed Kurtz

DarkFuse; 1 edition (Dec 2 2014)

322 pages - 19.40 $

Honestly, I chose this book because the synospis was vaguely reminiscent of one of Franck Thilliez's book, Syndrome E, in which a film makes people blind and generates a lot of dead bodies. I wanted to see how Ed Kurtz was going to treat the subject, if the story was more or less the same, or if it would be really different.

The blurb

When Graham Woodard is hired to restore part of a previously lost silent horror film—Angel of the Abyss—the last thing he expects is the first in a series of murders clearly meant to keep it lost.

With one-time friend Jake Maitland in tow, the two must now navigate the treacherous enigma that is the lost film, while piecing together the story of the film’s ill-fated starlet, Grace Baron, who vanished in 1926. The closer they get to the truth, the more blood is spilled, and it soon becomes apparent that there is much more to the lost film than anyone expected, as there are still forces that will stop at nothing to keep it and its star buried. The darkness the strange film conjured all those years ago has come alive again with its discovery, and now everyone from Graham’s own estranged ex-wife to the LAPD is getting involved.

And the body count is growing.

From the burgeoning film studios of 1920s Hollywood to the perilous streets and dark underbelly of modern-day Los Angeles, Angel of the Abyss is a dangerous tapestry of cinema, history and murder, at the center of which stand two men with everything to lose.

What's good about it

Film buffs will be delighted with this novel that gives pride to the cinema and mainly to silent movies. It talks about the premise of talking pictures, Los Angeles and the superficial life of local people, the beginnings of the great Hollywood companies, in short, a real plunge into a passion Ed Kurtz makes us share.

A special feature of the book I liked is that the story is written in several views (so far nothing new you could say), but it's also partially written in the first person for two of the protagonists. Depending on who's physically restricted between Graham and Jake, it's either talking. I admit that the change of "I" surprise me, but the differentiation between the two characters is carefree and easy.

We going from the investigation about the film today to the shooting of the film at the time, which allows us to understand the atmosphere and ultimately the reason for the disappearance of Grace and  the murderous desire to leave the film to oblivion. Both intrigues conclude one another. On one side you will find the scenes of the film and the characters' lives around the film, on the other the two partner in crime (pun intended!) seek to discover the reason behind the two disappearances (Grace and the film).

Some were disappointed by finding out that it's not a horror book (but about a vanished horror film). As for me, I was expecting a mystery and crime fiction and I was not disappointed with the noir Los Angeles atmosphere, the humor and the action too.

In a nutshell

A dark novel about the lies behind Hollywood, two well conducted intrigues and sympathetic characters, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel

The City of Blood by Frédérique Molay

Le French Book (Jan. 20 2015)

221 pages

Third novel I read by Frédérique Molay... it becomes a habit! I must say that her novels read quickly, and they are nice. And City of Blood blurb intrigued me and it's something I like about Molay: stories always have some originality.

The blurb

When a major Parisian modern art event gets unexpected attention on live TV, Chief of Police Nico Sirsky and his team of elite crime fighters rush to La Villette park and museum complex. There, renowned artist Samuel Cassian is inaugurating the first archeological dig of modern art, twenty-seven years after burying the leftovers of a banquet. In front of reporters from around the world, excavators uncover a skeleton. Could it be the artist’s own son? And does that death have anything to do with the current string of nightclub murders by the “Paris Butcher”? On the site of the French capital's former slaughterhouses, the investigation takes Nico and France's top criminal investigation division from artists' studios to autopsy theaters and nightclubs in hopes of tracking down the murderer who has turned this Paris park into a city of blood.

What's good about it?

The story, original and actual. Who has not heard of these objects we bury everywhere to be unveiled with great fanfare a few years later? Who never imagined that we could discover something criminal, an object that was not originally in... In City of Blood, it's a dead body and it's not anybody, but it's the son of the creator of the time capsule. Who could have killed this young promising artist? Who hate the father at this point to bury his son in his own work? Nico will have to delve into the world of artists, jealousy and love shattered to discover the culprit.

We meet back with pleasure Sirsky Nico and his clique, as friendly as usual. We discover a humorous Nico, looks like love is doing fine with him (his descent into a gay  nightclub is excellent). Again, the life of his family is at stake and this time it's Anya, his mother who is ill. I just hope that every book does not see a member of his family in danger. Maybe it's a brand that some authors choose to constantly put their hero close friend and family in danger, but I find it unrealistic and boring after a while.

The novel reads very quickly, thanks to the writing quality of the author (and the English translation since I read the book in English) and thanks to the unwavering pace of the story. The dead are piling up and the race against the clock is running. Nico will have to understand the past to stop the killings today that add tension to the investigation. And a bonus in that story: I really loved learning more about La Villette - the city of blood (talk about a cynic choice of place to kill people!) 

In a nutshell

Another good novel by Frédérique Molay, a gripping story, engaging characters, it's a 4/5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

The Strings of Murder de Oscar de Muriel

Penguin UK - Michael Joseph (12 février 2015)

Paperback, 407 pages

I thought the cover was really great, wasn't it? Yep, one again, the cover got me! And the Ripper case. And the victorian era. And Scotland! With all that, the book could only be great, right? 

What's the blurb?

Jonathan Strange meets Jonathan Creek in this blistering crime debut set in Victorian Edinburgh.

Edinburgh, 1888. A virtuoso violinist is brutally killed in his home. But with no way in or out of the locked practice room, the murder makes no sense.

Fearing a national panic over a copycat Ripper, Scotland Yard sends Inspector Ian Frey to investigate under the cover of a fake department specializing in the occult. However, Frey's new boss, Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray, actually believes in such nonsense.

McGray's tragic past has driven him to superstition, but even Frey must admit that this case seems beyond reason. And once someone loses all reason, who knows what they will lose next...

What's good about it?

It's not always the case, but in this book, the characters are not what interested me most. It's the plot, which is well done. The dead comes one after another without logical reason, to a well-designed end and an explanation that is not only plausible, but well explained. This is the big advantage of this book because I have to say I was a little scared at the start of a book with a lousy supernatural explanation (as it was question of a closed room and a Department of mysterious case).

The characters, meanwhile, are well characterized. They each have their own life and differ much from each other. Unfortunately, I disliked the main character, Ian Frey, who happens to be a man imbued of his person, racist against the Scots and cultivating his sense of superiority. Honestly, I rarely dislike a central character that much... In general, the author manages to make us like his hero! The book is told in the first person, so we are entitled to all Frey's personal reflections, as well as those he launches at other. As he describes McGray and the others, it is hard to find them endearing. McGray is painted like a caricature of Scots, which is a shame. In the end, it seems that only Frey is worth something (which surely reflects his feelings), but he's so unpleasant that I didn't like him.

If we put aside the fact that Frey portrayes Edinburgh as a horrible place, smelly and dirty, I still enjoyed being there. The descriptions are well made and we feel the cold and wet of the Scottish winter. So it is a good point for the author who knows how to make us feel his characters feelings.

In a nutshell

A good and well done story marred by a very unpleasant main character, but with well made descriptions, it's a 3.5 / 5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

2014 top five books

For the second time in this short blog story (though less shorter than last year), here are my top 5 readings in 2014. So sure... some books were printed some time ago in their country of origin but these are books published in English this year. These five books are my favorites in no particular order.

I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes

Pilgrim is hunting bioterrorism. A head to head waited throughout the book, a  rivalry stuffed with testosterone and action. Combination of Bond and Bourne, action, espionage, mystery and a very current theme, everything is good in this book. The author has taken years to write and you'll need a few hours (days actually given the length...) to read it. A book with a taste for another book. I hope there will be a sequel to Pilgrim's adventures, a character who haunts you for days after finishing the book.

Runner by Patrick Lee

Another book of action and espionage (well, it looks like I've acquired a taste for that kind of book!) A man saves a little girl from mysterious but very organized individuals and tries to understand why the girl is so important. A breathless race against the watch, a bit of technology, intelligent and plausible SF, very lovable characters. In short, we do not get bored by reading this book! This book will have a sequel and that's good news because Sam is a character we want to follow.

Phoenix Island by John Dixon

Carl, young boxer with a tendency to defend the poor, is brought on a desert island in a boot camp for young troublemakers. The secret he discovers puts his and his friends' life in danger. Once is not custom, it is a book for young adults (which I discovered after spending a sleepless night reading it!) This book is so good that a TV show was ordered before its release. This is a dark, hard, exciting, well written book, incredibly fast-paced and with a main character you'll love.

Close Reach by Jonathan Moore

A couple who cruise around the world falls onto pirates... this could be the simplistic blurb of this book, but it would not do justice to the author, nominated for the Bram Stroker. A game of cat and mouse in the sea told by a lover of sea, boats and horror. An explosive mixture and not for the faint of heart to discover! Small bonus for me, the detailed and very understandable explanations on cruise and medical techniques... (and here, you think "medical?" Yeah, the price Adam Stroker is not the price Care Bears, right?)

The Second Deadly Sin by Asa Larsson

A family seems particularly affected by misfortune in this Scandinavian story. Rebecka, the young detective who has some problems with a detestable attorney, succeeds in unraveling the mystery. I loved the author's writing, her way to make us feel the emotions of her characters, the dark and hopeful atmosphere, the way we feel like family with Rebecka and the plot that is well done. Another author from the cold, sure, but among the plethora of Scandinavian writers, she clearly stands out!

And as I still read a lot of paperbacks and I'm not always up to date in my readings, here are some books that I really liked, but printed earlier than 2014 (and to be true it allows me drag more books in my top 5!)

The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi. For a first book, it's a hell of a book! How to be led by the nose and ask for more? Just discovered this author who spreads the twists and makes you appreciate his characters to a background of facts.

The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler Olson. Because there are very good Scandinavian authors and Jussi Adler-Olson is one! A breathless story that one reads in a few hours and a duet of investigators as endearing as improbable.

Saints of the Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin. Because it's a shame not having read Ian Rankin earlier! Edinburgh (and its pubs) is a character in itself. Everything is good, the dialogues, the story, the characters (ah ... Rebus!), The plot and the social portrait of Scotland.

The Bleiberg project by David S. Khara. This French author is a very nice surprise for me. Action, suspense, history (with a capital H) and mind-blowing humour. A race against the clock and a mysterious character to follow.

Irene by Pierre Lemaitre. An author I don't get tired, the quality of his writing always amazes me and serves so well its well-crafted plot, with a fierce humour. An author apart in the Francophone world. Irene is not for the fainthearted and surprises until the end!

The Whispers & The Burning Girl de Lisa Unger

The Whispers: A Whispers Story (The Whispers Series)

Pocket Star (Oct. 27 2014)

66 pages - 1.99 $ (Kindle Edition)

First book of the series (there are three). These are short novels (66 pages, this is actually very short!). I was intrigued by the slightly supernatural side (a psychic helps police) of this novel. And then I thought it would change me some pretty violent novels I've read lately!

The Burning Girl: A Whispers Story (The Whispers Series)Pocket Star (Nov. 25 2014)

75 pages - 1.99 $ (Kindle Edition)

Second book of the series and I read it in stride. It must be said that it is so short that finish first short novel resembles a coitus interruptus: in feel good that there is a sequel, but it ends there. In short, so I read the first two series in one sitting.

The blurb

In the first story short, Eloise Montgomery and daughter survive a tragedy in which she lost her husband and her other daughter. Then they learn to live in their new reality Eloise begins to have visions. She "gets" home people dead or in danger. Not knowing what to do at first, she eventually talk to the police and to assist in an investigation.

In the second book, a few years have passed. Eloise and her daughter are in conflict (his daughter never really liked that his mother had visions). Eloise and the cop she helped in the first volume are now partners and conduct investigations.

What's good about it?

We have all heard of psychic who help the police one time or another. Heard that some police officers do not hesitate to use their service. And then, almost everyone saw The Sixth Sense! So it's a recurring and more or less credible subject (according to your beliefs!) Both books actually read very quickly. I guess you can read the three in an evening (and no, I have not read the third).

The first was more interesting, there is an investigation about a missing girl (and we agree that to the extent that I like thrillers, that counts for a lot in my opinion!) Eloise has "received" this girl at home and was able to help the police. The novel, although very (very) short managed to camp characters, make us feel their emotions, their pain and  Eloise's struggle to forgive the author of her tragedy. This is sufficiently well written and narrated that I started reading the second book immediately, as if the end of the book was a chapter end.

The second book, meanwhile, is weaker. It doesn't happen much, no real investigation or real mystery elucidated. I guess it has to do with the idea of letting go that Eloise struggles with as she remains frozen in time, at the time of her tragedy and she has some difficulty moving forward. So if that was the goal, it's really well done! If not... I felt the same frustration or boredom in reading the second novella I felt by reading the second volume of the Millennium trilogy. This impression that the author fills some gaps between the first and third volume in which all happens. Despite this, the writing is still as enjoyable and easy. We discover a new character, Agatha, a very renowned psychic who helps Eloise and brings some freshness and exoticism.

In a nutshell

I will not speak for the third part of this trilogy, but the first two are nice, they can be read quickly and will delight readers who want to start AND finish a book (or even three), while they have only a few hours before them. It's a 3.5/5 for me. 

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.

Once for this time...

I won't review a book but show off with my interview!

Marina Sofia, whom you can find on Twitter or on her delicious blog, findingtimetowrite, is featuring interviews with avid readers of crime fiction. And I had the great pleasure to answer her questions this month. 

Marina Sofia is a writer, a poet, who also review crime fiction on the Crime Fiction Lover website. She's a book lover and a crime fiction fan. We almost meet each other at Quais du Polar in France. Well, she saw me as I was a volunteer and didn't allow her to go into a room already too full of people (it was YOU! she told me) (I'm happy to see she's not mad at me!) Now I wish I could remember our first encounter (I guess I just have to go back there and meet her again!)

On the first of december, I was her guest. So if (or more "as" mwahaha) you want to know a little bit more about me or you don't but you'd like to read her posts which go from poetry to pictures, interviews, reviews, etc (everyone of you should find some kind of delight!), you just have to go there.

The Bleiberg Project by David Khara

(Consortium Thriller Book 1)

Le French Book (April 22 2013)

280 pages - 4,48 $ (kindle edition)

One again, it's because of Le French Book that I discover a French author. And I'll say that it's because I love their books that I tried The Bleiberg Projet as spy stories are not what I choose first. But it must be said that the fact that it speaks of history also helped me to choose this novel...

The blurb

Are Hitler’s atrocities really over? For depressive Wall Street trader Jeremy Corbin, absolute truths become undeniable lies overnight. He finds out his long-lost father is dead and boards a plane to Zurich with a Nazi medallion in his pocket, a hot CIA bodyguard next to him, and a clearly dangerous Mossad agent on his tail. What was his father investigating? Why was his mother assassinated? Can the conspiracy be stopped? An instant sensation in France -- Blue Moon Award for Best Thriller -- Over 130,000 copies sold

What's good about it?

The relentless pace of the story. This book is short and intense. From the very beginning, we are drawn into the story. It starts with Jay that we follow throughout and in the first person. I thought that it was cool to live the story with the other two protagonists but when through the eyes of Jay, it brings the kind of dark humour I like. Jay is assisted by a Mossad agent, Eytan, a giant who hides a dark secret (secret that one quickly understands) and a CIA agent, cute enough to give Jay back a certain taste for living. The story is told from different points of view and moves from the third person to first person when it comes to Jay, but this is done very well and helps to make the story lighter when Jay let out some very ironic remarks.

The story is well done, the indices are given throughout the story, even if we discover things by ourselves and before the protagonists (which I always find a bit of a shame) (but which can be flattering: yeah ! I found the answer before him!) (in the same time, him being a character, it's pretty silly to be best) (but one finds his delight where one can, right?) The three accomplices find themselves chasing the missing elements to allow them to save the world and their lives. With that, if I tell you that there's some CIA, Mossad and other hidden but global organizations involved... it gives you a good idea of the tension in this book. For fans of global conspiracy, genetic mutation and other experiment, you'll love The Bleiberg Project! (anti-GMO will also find compelling arguments)

We meet a bunch of characters, from the protagonists - Jay the trader-moron who proves intelligent, funny and humble enough eventually, Eytan the enigmatic character that you would like to know more, especially given his past and Jackie the CIA secret weapon: small but mighty! - to the historical figures (Himmler, Hitler and other Nazis eager for scientific experiments and to create the perfect creature). Because yes, we go from one era to another, from one gang of merry men to another, it sprays with bullets, it bursts and it's breathtaking.

And kudos for the translator, Simon John! I don't know what the book is like in French but the tone of the English version was excellent!

In a nutshell

An excellent book that reads quickly, a fast-paced story and a devastating humor. The Bleiberg Project was a great success and it's well deserved. It is a 4.5 / 5 for me.

Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.