The Doom Murders is a serial killer mystery set in Belfast, Ireland in late 2010. The main character is DCI Jim Sheehan, a detective with a reputation for using unusual insight to solve difficult cases. He and his squad are assigned to the murder of a Catholic Bishop who was found dead in his office, naked, and obviously posed. This becomes a pattern as bodies show up every Thursday always Catholic, always naked, and always posed. A task force is formed and we follow the police investigation to the final solution. Along the way we learn about the possible psychology and religious motivation behind the killings.
I thought the Doom Murders was a great mystery story and I really enjoyed it. It had a challenging plot with lots of twists and turns. The characters were engaging and well-rounded, and the setting and problems of policing in Belfast after “the troubles” was fully explored. Some of the vocabulary was be a little challenging, but it was important for the feel of the story.
Month: July 2016
Blueblood dragon by Amelia Jade
This is book one in the Genesis Valley series
Ferro has a terrible mission before him. Something has gone wrong with the Dragon Council and he must find out what and fix it before millions are endangered. To make it even worse, all the members of the dragon council and the rebellion are his children. Ferro is the first dragon shifter. He is thousands of years old, and he’s clearly stayed away too long.
As Ferro makes his way towards the secret lair of the dragon council he sees a shifter in trouble and intervenes.
As far as Ana knows she is the only one of her kind. Drifting from one small village to another it always ends the same. Somebody crosses the line and when she defends herself she is hunted as a demon and called an abomination. It’s really getting tiresome.
When Ferro helps Ana out she is suspicious, but when they touch they both feel a powerful pull. Can two ancient shifters adapt to a life together? Maybe if the Order, as they learn their mutual enemy is called, would give them a moment’s peace they could find out…
I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters are well defined, the dialogue is snappy, the action is fast, and the plot is full of rich detail. It builds on the story from the Jade crew series while opening up a new set of circumstances for a new series. It’s a fast read, but a satisfying one.
Sorrows, by Donna Fernstrom
At the beginning of Sorrows, Jay awakens in an alley in terrible pain from hunger and sensory overload. He stumbles to his feet and finds himself stalking a homeless man. Then a van screaches to a halt and he’s thrown inside where a warm donor feeds him.
This is his introduction to Vampire society. Worlds filled with vampires, donors, shapeshifting trackers and even mages await him. Jay has a LOT to learn and he’s not very happy about it.
Jays last “normal” memory is walking home alone after a gig with his band. Then he woke up in a horrific warehouse where he was imprisoned and tortured by a crazed vampire serial killer named Malachi.
Jays experiences in the warehouse are told as flashbacks. Jay suffers PTSD as a result of his experiences, and he is terrified of everything at first. He has been rescued by a Law Enforcement team that has been tracking Malachi. Jay decides he wants to join them so he begins his training in how to live in his new world.
Sorrows is a well-written book and once I got into the story a bit I began to enjoy following Jay’s introduction into a life he didn’t choose, but has to accept. The story is told from Jays perspective with flashbacks and lots of interior dialog. It was a little hard to follow the story at first because there’s a large cast of characters and a lot of world-building going on. Throughout all this, the story is compelling and the author does a good job handling the complex plot. I’d classify this book as urban fantasy with a large serving of horror. Sorrows is an apt title since almost all the characters have more than their share of them.
Sorrows is Book 1 of the Rogue Saga in the World walkers Universe Series. I received a free review copy of the book.
All the Beautiful People, by Jonathan Yanez
Taylor Hart is a cleaner for a pharmaceutical company. When something goes wrong with a drug she takes care of it by any means necessary. A loner, Taylor has little contact with her employer but all that changes with her newest assignment.
The company’s new mood-altering drug, Vanidrum, is supposed to make people feel good about themselves and free them from insecurities. It’s been a wonderful worldwide success, but then Taylor is called in on a case where things have gone terribly wrong. Within hours it becomes clear that Vanidrum is turning its users into nearly unstoppable killers and, to everyone’s horror, the condition is contagious, spreading by contact with blood or saliva.
Taylor finds herself part of a team trying to halt the building disaster. Taylor’s icy shell begins to melt and she finds herself caring about her new teammates as they try to keep each other alive and find a way to stop the disaster. The company has tremendous resources to assign to stopping the problem, but will it be enough to save humanity from the darkness?
Although this book was not what I was expecting, I was quickly drawn in to the exciting story. There’s lots of action as the fast-paced story plays out. The writing is very good and the the plot has plenty of surprises. Once I got into the book I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys action thrillers. Don’t start reading before bedtime, though. The sometimes gory action could lead to very unpleasant dreams.
All the Beautiful People is the first book in the Dread Novel series by Jonathan Yanez. I received a free copy from the author for an honest review.