Book #36 Orphan X

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gregg Hurwitz has delivered a masterpiece of suspense and thrills with his latest novel ORPHAN X. I agree with you Tess Gerritsen "This is the most gripping thriller I've read in a long, long time". Runs circles around Jason Bourne and Jack Reacher - that says a lot.

The Orphan Program is a secret government programme that takes children and turns them into sanctioned lethal assassins. Sound familiar? Wait until you read it. Mind-blowing descriptions of mixed martial arts, unheard of weapons, arcane and invasive technologies - and our hero Evan Smoak. You really care what happens to him along with the people he cares about and those he's trying to save in the midst of the mayhem. Others have talked more about the plot so I will leave it there. ORPHAN X is a great, roller-coaster read that will leave you breathless.

But don't take my word for it. Grab a copy soon.




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Book #35 Fire Damage

Fire Damage by Kate Medina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Riveting. A humdinger of a murder mystery and the first in what is to be a series that follows army psychologist, Jessie Flynn as she seeks to uncover the truth behind the traumatic experiences of a four-year-old boy. Flynn is a complex, not always likeable heroine, still suffering from a traumatic experience from her childhood which has shaped her life and her relationships. In many respects she reminds me of DI Helen Grace and that's not a bad thing. Fire Damage contains a great plot that must have involved a good deal of research by the author, very satisfying as the threads inexorably come together. The fast pace of the final third of the book really racks up the tension. Great stuff.

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BREXIT - Damn Right!

I am tired of listening to the negative political spin being espoused by Cameron and Osborne about our membership of the EU. Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 seems to fawn over the ‘IN CROWD” and casts mild sarcasm at those who opine that OUT is better. Well, Mr Cameron, Mr Osborne and Mr Vine - here is just another reason while I will be voting OUT come 23rd June although I suspect I will be in the minority:

MEPs: The salaries and allowances of the MEPs of the 27 EU states now total £137million. But this does not include the cost of the £217,000 office allowance available to each MEP. Do you know who your MEP is? Did you vote for an MEP at the last election? MEPs earn about 200 per cent more than Westminster MPs! Unlike MPs in this country, MEPs still vote on their own salaries and perks. And what exactly do they do for us? I would suggest something like the square route of diddly-squat! Do we need them? The answer for me lies in the question. MEPs on the Brussels gravy-train now enjoy an average income of £182,826  including allowances for attendance and travel. Why? Why on earth do we put up with this? MEPs now have incomes up to 20 times higher than the people they represent. But have you ever seriously asked yourself - what do they do for this extravagant lifestyle afforded to them by an eye-watering level of income? If you are going to vote “IN” are you really happy with this? I am extremely concerned about the cost of the European Parliament, which maintains expensive legislatures in both Brussels and Strasbourg but still has relatively few real powers, except over the EU budget where it has repeatedly voted for above-inflation increases. The power in Europe lies with the unelected EU commissioners. 

I am voting for an end to this gravy-train, at least for our British MEPs, control of our own borders and no more payments for being a member of an organisation that I see as marching towards a Federal Republic of Europe. And let’s be clear about what we do contribute. Our “rebate” is effectively deducted at source, and so not actually sent to the EU.  Using the post-rebate figure, it’s more accurate to say the UK sends £35 million a day to the EU. That still represents a net figure of £12.8 billion per annum! Just consider how better we could use such a sum for our own purpose.

Here is my parting shot Mr Cameron. I would rather endure a period of austerity in which we are in control of our own destiny than for ever relinquish our sovereignty to the mandarins of Brussels and Frankfurt. That is not a choice I can, for one moment, consider. You know which way I will be voting…. 

Book #34 Between Weathers: Travels in 21st Century Shetland

Between Weathers: Travels in 21st Century Shetland by Ron McMillan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you have ever had the good fortune of visiting the Shetland Isles you will undoubtedly enjoy this book. If you have ever had an inkling of visiting these northern isles you also will enjoy this book. If you enjoy enquiring, lyrical travel writing then get a copy of this most enjoyable travelogue by Ron McMillan. My wife and I were enchanted with Shetland where we recently enjoyed a holiday. I purchased a copy of this enthralling book in the Shetland Tourist Office in Lerwick. An evocative read with McMillan visiting many of the locations that we enjoyed and far more that we didn't, like Fair Isle (a must for a future visit), Papa Stour and the island of Foula.

McMillan enjoys flights on the Loganair Islander, sitting up front in the co-pilot's seat, this stubby little aircraft able to fly in most of the weather that Shetland has to throw at it. If ever a phrase was made for Shetland: "It's a day atween waddirs"... Between weathers.

This wonderful account of his travels brims with insights into the islands' wildlife, archaeology and geology and most of all it casts a warm and engaging light on Shetlanders themselves.

If you read this book and you haven't been to Shetland - you will want to.

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The Well Travelled Tilley

Those who enjoy the great outdoors will probably recognise a Tilley hat when seen perched securely on the wearer's head.  I own several Tilleys - my favourite is the Tilley hemp. Made from one of the oldest and strongest natural fibres in the world, this medium brimmed hemp Hat is hardwearing and breathable. Its natural fibre means natural fade, so the hat will change colour in time and become truly unique. One becomes really attached to a Tilley...

My hemp Tilley has travelled many miles affording excellent protection from inclement weather. The chin strap ensures that the hat remains in place when facing fierce Force eights on Shetland!

Imagine then my dismay when we reached Aberdeen airport on 14th May having disembarked from MV Hrossey an hour or so earlier and I suddenly realised that I had left my Tilley in the cabin. By the time I was able to contact NorthLink ferries the Hrossey had departed, en-route to Kirkwall, Orkney! So had my hat! A day later I received an email from NorthLink saying they had found my hat and it was at their Kirkwall office. They said they would send it to me free of charge - and so they did. My Tilley arrived today - I had my old friend back after it had travelled rather more miles than originally planned.

Thank you NorthLink....

The Rain Goose

Of all the birds we longed to see on our recent holiday on Shetland, the Red-throated Diver, known by Shetlanders as the Rain Goose, figured at the top of the list. It is a characteristic bird of Shetland’s moorland lochs. It has also been called the Lum (old Norse Lomr) and hence many small Shetland lochs (shuns) are known as Loomieshun.

The Red-throated Diver is a rare bird in Britain with only about 900 breeding pairs. These are confined to Scotland with more than half nesting in Shetland. Divers are superbly adapted for life in the water. Their bodies are streamlined with legs positioned at the back of the body to provide efficient propulsion when they dive and swim below the surface in pursuit of small fish. As a consequence divers can only move on land with difficulty, so their nests have to be close to the water’s edge.

Our hotel was located in Veensgarth, a few miles northwest of Lerwick. The owner, Gordon, has provided accommodation for many birders over the years. Discussing our interest in the Rain Goose he directed us to a small loch on East Burra, the loch of Gershon, where he knew birds were nesting. Red-throated Divers are specially protected by law as a Schedule 1 species and as such great caution needs to be observed when approaching a possible site, so as not to disturb them.

We set off on Thursday morning 12th May for the drive, much of this on single track roads with passing places provided at regular intervals. East Burra is sparsely populated and we encountered hardly any other vehicles on our journey. It is a wild, rugged place and a strong south-westerly was blowing. Reaching the loch we alighted from the car, clothed in plenty of warm clothing. Just as well as the wind was determined to make life most uncomfortable! We stood at the loch-edge for more than an hour getting colder by the minute. Nothing. No Red-throated Diver to be seen, just a solitary Shelduck. Really disappointing. That evening, back at the hotel and enjoying a single malt, Gordon appeared. “Did you see them?” he asked. “Afraid not” we responded. “Well, they were there this evening!” he replied (he lives close to the said loch). As Friday 13th May was to be our last day on Shetland we decided to try again the next morning.

We packed the car and set off early for the journey to East Burra. We stood at the side of the loch for another hour in another force 8. Nothing. Just a couple of Curlews. No Red-throated Divers. A huge disappointment again. It wasn’t to be, not on this visit.

Does make me more determined to go back to Shetland though. It’s a beautiful location with friendly locals. I could happily live there…..

Book #33 A Lesson In Dying

A Lesson in Dying by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Oh dear. I read this on my Kindle and had to summon up the energy to keep reading to the end. Having read all of the Shetland series and three of the Vera Stanhope series I was expecting another enjoyable read. Sadly that was not the case. Inspector Ramsay is as dull as ditchwater - he hardly does any detecting, leaving that to other characters in the story. The plot, what there was of it, was tedious, the motive for murder was ridiculous, the characters were shallow and I just found it all incredibly boring.

Time to move on...

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Book #32 The Crow Trap

The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't often do things back to front but here is one such case. I enjoyed the Vera Stanhope series on TV and when I came across 'The Moth Catcher' in Waterstones I bought a copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is number seven in the series. I took a step back and read number six, 'Harbour Street'. Both copies were liveried in the TV tie-in covers and when the remaining five were so issued I jumped in and bought the lot. I like book covers. So here I was, ready to read this the first in the series, first published in 1999. I was slightly daunted with the prospect as this book weighs in at 550 pages but I need not have been concerned as this is a very absorbing read - a slow burner, full of atmosphere and suspense, a well-drawn cast of characters and a satisfying plot. If I had read this without having known anything about DI Vera Stanhope I would have been rather taken aback at this portrayal of a dowdy curmudgeon, certainly nothing like the woman played by Brenda Blethyn in the TV series. (By book six Stanhope seems to have mellowed somewhat).

I won't go into the plot as other reviewers have done that and I shall look forward to reading number two in the series: 'Telling Tales'.

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