Monty's Book Reviews

A Snapshot of Murder Frances Brody 4 Stars Publisher's Blurb Taking the perfect photograph can be murder . . . Yorkshire, 1928. Indomitable sleuth Kate Shackleton is taking a well-deserved break from her detective work and indulging in her other passion: photography. When her local Photographic Society proposes an outing, Kate jumps at the chance to visit Haworth and Stanbury, in the heart of Brontë country, the setting for Wuthering Heights .   But when an obnoxious member of their party is murdered, the group is thrown into disarray. Is the murderer amongst them, or did the loud-mouthed Tobias have more enemies than they might have imagined?    Armed with her wit and wiles, and of course her trusty camera, it's up to Kate to crack the case, and get that perfect shot too . . . Review This is the first Frances Brody novel that I've read and overall it was a good well paced read and has all the hallmarks of a good murder mystery - plenty of suspects...

  Ghost Flight by Bear Grylls 4 Stars Pages: 464 Published: 4 Jun 2015 Publisher: Orion Publisher's Blurb Author of MUD, SWEAT AND TEARS and star of MAN VS. WILD and THE ISLAND, Bear Grylls delivers his action-packed debut novel - the start of a major new adventure series. Haunted by his wife and son's brutal abduction and murder, ex-soldier Will Jaeger runs to the ends of the earth to recover and to hide. But even there he is found, and compelled to undertake one last mission, and to confront a savage past he can barely even remember. Jaeger agrees to lead an expedition into the Mountains of the Gods in the remote Amazon jungle. At the dark heart of this real life Lost World lies a mystery WWII warplane, one that harbours a secret so explosive its very discovery may tear the world asunder. Terrifying forces are hell-bent on keeping the warplane forever hidden. Unwittingly, Will Jaeger is going in against them. But as Jaeger joins a team of former elite warriors - including...

The Camel Club by David Baldacci Publisher's Blurb Existing at the fringes of Washington D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man know as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions. Their efforts bear little fruit --- until the group witnesses a shocking murder ... and become embroiled in an astounding, far reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil --- an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes. Review It seems that there are hordes of books out there that feature plots to kill world leaders, most of them deal with the US President. This one features a group of conspiracy theorists who witness ...

Sparks: Welcome To The Madhouse by Dan Cummings 4 Stars Publisher's Blurb Dave Reynolds has grown jaded with his life, locked in a dead end janitorial job at the Ravenswood Institute for Mental Health, he quietly yearns for some excitement to stir up his mundane existence. That is until he learns that far below the hospital's grounds lies the Madhouse, the regional headquarters of the Frontline Unified Battalion of Arcane Resistance (FUBAR), a clandestine government agency tasked with combating supernatural evil. If that wasn't enough of a surprise, he also learns that he is a Spark, an individual with latent gifts, carrying the residual energy of a nigh extinct race of universal protectors.   Drafted into service, he is accidentally afflicted with a curse, casting the sensible, rational aspects of his personality into a subconscious prison, unleashing a clownish psychotic who is as deadly as he is irritating.   A wild card personified, Dave must now lead Whiskey Team,...

Choosing A Master by S.M.Perlow Publisher's Blurb Reason or passion, good or evil, duty, love, or pure pleasure--in a world with two vampire factions at war, choosing the right master is everything. "Like the blood of God..." In New Orleans, a passage from a Renaissance-era book is Ethan's only hope to save the woman he loves. He's a vampire, so he can live forever. Ellie, however, is mortal, ill, and running out of time. "If Sanguan vampires drank synthetic blood, like Spectavi vampires, the world would be so much safer for humans." In the Spectavi laboratory where synthetic blood was created, Vera is making no progress with her current projects. But for her devotion to the Spectavi cause--and their leader--she will go to any lengths. "She would hold me when she bites, and at least while she sips my blood, I wouldn't be alone." In a nightclub in France, John has an unusual encounter with a gorgeous vampire, but his love for a mortal woma...

Soul Smuggler  by Milo James Fowler Publisher's Blurb Who is Mercer? Coyote. Soul Smuggler. A body-hopping, phantasmal anti-hero. A disenfranchised spirit doomed to inherit the earth, cursed by both Heaven and Hell. An enemy of God, but no friend of the devil. Soul Smuggler collects 9 Mercer tales: "The Coyote" - In the future, Mercer's services are requested by a powerful man seeking to keep his stepdaughter quiet about certain indiscretions. "Soul Smuggler" - An orphan boy seeks Mercer's help in reuniting with his dead mother. "The Second Option" - Father Thomas, assassin from the clandestine Terra Sacra order, sets out to destroy Mercer once and for all. "Abomination of Desolation" - A boy with horrifying powers is at the top of the Church's extermination list, replacing Mercer for the time being. Father Thomas makes Mercer a deal he can't refuse if he helps rid the earth of the young abomination. "The Coyote's W...

ENDOHUMAN: Love Vs Duty: Book 1  by Nick Dream Publisher's Blurb A page-turning debut in the tradition of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, amped up and on steroids with some X-Files mystery, some Hitchcock suspense and countless plot twists and cliffhangers that will keep you guessing. And you'll still be wrong! Review Adam is a loner, a loner with super powers, powers he needs to keep a secret. Adam is Endohuman The book takes us on a journey with Adam through his troubled school life and his secret training at home with his grandfather. Evie is the smart, cute girl at school that Adam admires but cannot get close to because of her sometime boyfriend Brad, the violent bully that makes Adam's life hell. The author paints an interesting picture of life for Adam and his fumbling interaction with his classmates and his desire to be accepted as one of the crowd. All this is done with an undercurrent of darkness and supernatural expectation. The book starts to drift once the sc...