Jeff Popple reviews three books about crime, murder and old spies. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
Where The Dead Go by Sarah Bailey
Allen & Unwin, $29.99
Sarah Bailey has excelled herself with the final book in her trilogy about Detective Gemma Woodstock. Set four years after the events of Into The Night, Gemma finds herself suddenly on the NSW north coast. With her son in tow, she is investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of the girl’s boyfriend. Dealing with the aftermath of a personal tragedy and resentment from the local police, Gemma must uncover the secret at the core of the crimes before the town erupts in violence. A well-written and exciting crime novel that builds to a taut and bloody conclusion.
The Long Call by Ann Cleeves
Macmillan, $29.99
British crime writing veteran Ann Cleeves is best known as the author of the books behind the popular television shows Vera and Shetland. In The Long Call, she takes a break from her usual characters and heads south from Scotland to the Two Rivers region of North Devon and a new detective, Matthew Venn. Venn grew up in the region and has just returned to it with his husband Jonathan. Despite its idyllic appearance, there are dark undercurrents to the popular tourist spot and Venn finds himself heading up a major murder investigation. Cleverly plotted and totally engaging, this is a superb mystery.
The New Girl by Daniel Silva
Harper Collins, $32.99
Silva is a spy fiction maestro and his latest book is another bulky, topical tale about the war on terrorism. Khalid bin Mohammed, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, was respected as a social and religious reformer until his involvement in the murder of a dissident journalist. When his daughter is kidnapped from an exclusive European boarding school, he turns to an unlikely source for help, famed Israeli spymaster Gabriel Allon. In return for a promise to break the bond between the Kingdom and radical Islam, Allon agrees to help and sets in train a bloody trail of events. Convincing and thrilling!
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