Book #42 Last Breath

Last Breath by Robert Bryndza
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's Wimbledon fortnight. So what on earth was I doing starting to read the latest DCI Erika Foster? Last Breath? I nearly took mine! How can Robert Bryndza keep getting better? A short while ago I read Dark Water - Foster #3. Robert sure as hell knows how to rack up the tension. But Last Breath truly had me gasping. Until 2:15am in the early hours of yesterday morning. I don't do that! Well, you try putting this down! Those chapters that get shorter and shorter. As DCI Erika Foster chases down a monster - a serial killer who exhibits the most despicable traits as the mutilated bodies turn up.

I am not giving away any of the plot; it's darned clever, there are blind alleys, there are heart-stopping moments when you do catch your breath. You have to carry on. You know who the killer is, one of the most despicable individuals you will encounter in a serial killer, thriller. And Last Breath has thrills galore! I was completely sucked in with the almost unbearable tension.

And completely forgot about Wimbledon. No mean feat. If you haven't read Last Breath, get a copy. And be prepared to stay awake nights. It doesn't get any better!

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The Honourable Woman

I have watched more TV over the past two weeks than I probably have since the beginning of the year. Heady days of World Cup football, Wimbledon tennis and F1 Grand Prix racing have kept me entertained amidst a calendar containing no 'soap' episodes, much to my wife's chagrin.

Beside my love for sport I do enjoy a good drama series. The Scandinavians are particularly good at producing these; The Killing and The Bridge are two typical examples. Occasionally we British come up with the goods and my interest was aroused in a new BBC2 drama entitled 'The Honourable Woman' - the first of eight episodes aired on Thursday. Written by Hugo Blick (that alone is usually a good recommendation) and starring Maggie Gyllenhaal as businesswoman Nessa Stein, this first episode had me gripped from the start.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

This could turn out to be the 'spook' drama to eclipse all predecessors. Scene stealing Stephen Rae (did you see him in 'The Crying Game' - brilliant) portrays sceptical MI6 agent Hugh Hayden-Doyle, a terrific performance that put me in mind of George Smiley. I will watch this first episode again today (series set to record on the Virgin box) with my wife who has yet to see it.

The momentum, richness and complexity of this drama are maintained throughout. If the remaining seven episodes are equal to this, The Honourable Woman will win every award going (yes, it's that good) and when it ends in the final days of summer its fans will be legion and messianic in its cause. Nothing on telly is going to be this good for some time to come.