This cleverly crafted historical masterpiece is shockingly spectacular - exemplifying the intensity of a cracking thriller!
353586
This exquisite novel with its dazzling cover is something to treasure, for it contains such intricate detail as to take your breath away. The electrifying tension radiates off the pages as this thrilling, mesmerizing tale is as gripping as Dan Brown's `The Da Vinci Code' if not more so. I was swept into a mysterious world shrouded in conspiracy theories, deep-rooted history and ancient prophecies. The fast-paced, layered plot is something to loose yourself within as you unravel the truth bit-by-bit, reveling in the delights of the perilous backdrop that is so atmospheric. I was taken on the most thrilling journey to the exotic, piquant and vibrant Jerusalem where an ancient evil lies waiting hidden beneath a troubled, divergent civilization.

There is a single manuscript nearly all but forgotten, which contains the key to the greatest, shocking historical secret of all-time...

Sean Ryan and his girlfriend Isabel Sharp are exploring the ancient, mysterious city of Jerusalem when they find themselves drawn into a dangerous game with deadly consequences. Meanwhile in the same city Doctor Susan Hunter was translating an ancient manuscript, until it suddenly disappears without a trace. Behind Lady Tunshuq's Palace in the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem the archeologist Max Kaiser is found dead, with murder on the cards now no one is safe...

The sequel to `the Istanbul puzzle' (shortlisted for the Irish crime novel of the year 2012) continues the story from where it left off, by including the square and arrow symbol (that Sean and Isabel discovered within the Museum of Antiquities), in central Cairo near Tahrir square. Against the backdrop of the many Pharaohs, including notably King Tutankhamun's mask, this beautiful story is something that will delight those who enjoy exploration and adventure. The intriguing, fascinating historical elements are wonderful that combined with exciting action for a rollercoaster of a ride make this a splendid story and page-turner. Complete with photographs and information about Jerusalem this is a book dedicated to the city, its culture and is a testimony of the author's accomplished writing ability for he allows you to glimpse beneath the shiny surface and explore the unexpected!

This confident, convincing strong thriller is an undeniably remarkable piece of great writing, that is perfection itself and which I highly recommend. To find the answers to all the secrets and unravel the riddles one must delve deeper into the complexity of the plot, remicent of the detective /archeologist that is longing to explore and uncover so much. This fantastic book is a must-read and one that I cannot praise highly enough, for it unexpectedly surprised and overwhelmed me!

*I won a copy through a `GoodReads, First-Read' giveaway. I would like to thank the author, as I concider myself to be extremely privileged to have had this opportunity*
306068
Harris, author of the acclaimed thriller's Fatherland and Archangel, has a hard task here: He must eke out suspense in a tale to which the final outcome will be known by every reader. Pompeii could well fall flat on its face, but instead it is a remarkable triumph. It straddled the bestseller lists in the UK for about 4 weeks, and should garner a similar reaction across the pond.
Its high summer along the Bay of Naples. The merchants are trading, the tourists are visiting, and the rich are lounging in their villas by the ocean. But all is not well...Recently installed Chief Engineer of the Aqua Augustus Maximus Atillius Primus senses trouble; springs have been failing for the first time in years, his predecessor remains missing, and fish have been dying in their pools. Everything indicates a problem with the aqueduct, a disruption somewhere on the sixty-mile mainline, on the Northern slopes of the great mountain Vesuvius. Then, one by one, the towns around the bay begin to loose their water supply...
One might think that because the reader automatically knows the outcome of the book (a horrendous eruption) it might be a little dull, but that is not true at all. Harris skirts the pitfalls presented by this potential lack of suspense by creating some great characters whose fates the reader cares about. Will they perish? Will they somehow escape? He also manages to weave in some excellent themes, most notably the slight shadowy parallels he draws between Rome, the superpower of the time, and modern-day America, and the subtle message that even a great power is irredeemably vulnerable when confronted by great unexpected destruction from within. In a way, he is warning us about complacency, but, more importantly, he is displaying how all the power in the world can not ensure our safety or complete peace-of-mind in this modern day-world, exactly as it could not then. It's rather clever how the book seems to reach across the years.
The historical detail is amazing, and the atmosphere - at first relaxed, then later full of fear - is built expertly. He makes everything so interesting. Certainly, I never would have believed I could enjoy reading about the workings of an ancient aqueduct! (Actually, there might be a little too much detail on the engineering ins-and-outs.) The pace is good, and the book is, often inexplicably - the beginning, the scene-setting, threatens to grow dull once or twice - a complete page-turner. It moves softly, until the final 100 pages, which are absolutely brilliant. Possibly the best final 100 pages I've read this year. Suddenly, the book explodes along with Vesuvius. The pace cracks like a whip and suddenly everything's full of electricity and terror as everyone flees and rushes about confused. Everything progresses in tense bursts and then aching graduality, with painfully slow descriptions of people trying to wade through thick ash, for example. It is a very effective juxtaposition.
Pompeii has everything: it is impeccably written, is crammed full of subtle historical information, it has death, destruction, undercurrents, mystery (the previous engineer went missing, remember) and even a little romance! As a thriller, I would recommend it highly. As an enjoyable education, I would recommend it unreservedly.
2231525
A fun spy thriller that combines historical events and the culture of the CIA with fantastic Middle Eastern cultural details, and then mixes in inspired and compelling espionage characters and plot twists that take the reader on an amazing ride!
3785706
chose to read this historical novel because of its setting during the Enclosures, which I'd started to become interested in having recently read Lucienne Boyce's equally excellent "Bloodie Bones", which takes place in the southern counties. Like Boyce's, this is also a thriller with an unconventional detective, but in contrast it's set in the north of England.

The book works well on lots of levels: an intriguing murder mystery that keeps you guessing throughout, fascinating and well-told historical detail that is a real education without ever feeling like one, political and class issues explained in a sympathetic yet unsentimental manner, plus appealing will-they, won't-they love stories woven in amongst it all. We are not spared the horrors of the era, from the exploitation and callousness of the Enclosures, to the hypocrisy of what the upper classes do supposedly in the name of religion, the sickening details of public hangings and deportations for negligible offences, but at the same time Lynch explains very well the mindsets of the different classes that made it possible for these acts to take place. All of the characters are very well-drawn, and many are feisty free thinkers that fight back against the expectations for their era and their social standing.

I read this on my Kindle, and haven't seen the paperback, but I must say it was one of the most elegantly presented ebooks I've ever seen, which added to the pleasure of reading it.

In short, a cracking good read that I couldn't put down, and well deserving of the awards it has already received. It really deserves to be much more widely read. This is one of those books that I know I shall be recommending to others for some time to come, and I'm delighted that it's one of a series. Roll on, Book 2!
3287220
What a triumph for the author! This is a complex novel that cleverly covers many wide ranging subjects, masterfully written and totally intriguing from beginning to end. Is it a romance, is it a tragedy, is it an artful historical novel that touches on colonial mores in 1930's India, is it a social statement? - yes, all of these and much more. Thoroughly recommended!  Bring on the author's next offering, please .....
3309757
"The Procession" by Joseph L Moser is an expertly written thriller with a little of everything to suit all readers' tastes. Gripping drama, smart comedy, interesting character study, moving romance - even elements of the historical novel and sci-fi / fantasy. Reads a lot like a classic story from American literature (and is a quick read like many stories by Hemingway, Salinger, Steinbeck, and Faulkner), yet is very modern in its pacing, characters, humor, and plot twists. This would make an incredible movie - Hollywood, do you hear me! A winner from beginning to end!
2491769
Tom Clancy is brilliant and absolutely without equal for developing this complex plot filled with international, political and military action. When I picked this book up, I was glued to to the spot, unable to break from reading it. In this novel, he creates the worst-case scenario of world paranoia, where the two major world powers, the USA and former Soviet Union, play cat and mouse games with military technology and bomb-laden submarines, as the world leaders exchange communications, trying to read between the lines of carefully worded messages, to uncover the truth about a nuclear explosion in Denver, Colorado, the cause of which neither side can readily determine.

This most believable book includes suspense, intrigue, political maneuvering, media manipulation and exploitation, espionage, cutting edge technology, military power and submarine warfare.  Arab terrorists combine forces with East German scientists. Disgruntled political activists, an American-Indian and German, get together under the most auspicious of circumstances to  destablize the world as we know it. The Arab terrorist group uses an East German scientist to redesign a nuclear bomb which was found by chance buried in a farmer's garden in Syria. All the characters are fleshed out, realistic, completely believable. They have personality traits which make the reader look forward to reading about their responses to circumstances that unfold. It is worth learning how this accidental find played into the hands of a terrorist organization who redesigned the nuclear device for their own purposes. It is worth discovering how the aftermath of this explosion creates havoc between the two super-powers. It is worth reading to see the effect this unexpected terrorist attack in Colorado has upon Washington, DC: the President, CIA Deputy Director Jack Ryan, the National Security Adviser, Liz Elliott, and the FBI. This cataclysmic event could unleash waves of destruction throughout the Middle East and the world, discovering its  resolution is worth reading. This roller coaster ride of a novel has so many ups and downs and twists and turns it should not be missed! Erika Borsos (erikab93)
4338957
An excellent espionage thriller wrapped in historical fact and fiction. A stand alone novel, where all of the characters past is detailed. Fast paced, action packed, twists and turns to the very end. I'm sure there will be a sequel!  Enjoyed tremendously!!! Gayle lynds has hit the mark again!!
2882503
Prepare yourself for grand adventure as William Dietrich deftly blends the fruits of a fertile imagination and well-researched historical facts into a tale so well-crafted that characters and images seem to jump from the page in wide-screen 3-D. I was only 12 pages into Blood of the Reich when I became apprehensive that this hypnotic thriller would eventually come to an end.

From the golden, autumnal splendor of present day Washington State's Skagit River Valley to the vivid color of prayer flags waving in contrast to the stark remoteness of Tibet, you'll be there, deeply involved, wanting more. Blood, a major player in this complex mystery, will be as red as the trees of  the Pacific Northwest are green.

Then find yourself in 1938 when a Nazi expedition journeys to the high Himalayas to determine if there is any truth to a myth that hints  of  an ancient city located there that cradles a source of immense power--power which could accelerate their plan of world domination. Close on their heels are the Americans, bent on decoding the satanic plan. Both parties are armed and dangerous.  However, the Nazis have the advantage: a very old vial of blood.

In a saga that spans a turbulent seventy years of action, romance and intrigue, the historian-author maintains a high level of entertainment and page turning. Dietrich's narrative is as informative and amusing as it is boldly exciting. Be prepared to fully surrender your sense of reality to a high velocity ride that crashes head-on with a sensational blood splattered finale.

Blood of the Reich deftly blurs the line between science and the paranormal as it exposes the veins of a twisted relationship between the human race and our own, often terrifying, technologies.  With his memorable characters, dichotomy of  modern technology and ancient Buddhist Tibetan temples,  along with non-stop action, and thrilling plot, Dietrich delivers.
4956983
I just finished The BENEFACTORS: Gold Factor and the best way to describe my excitement is to say I'm "out of breath."  I love spy and intrigue thrillers.  I love the historical grounding and close tie-ins in fiction works.  I have a philosophical bent and seek novels that force me to ask questions for which there are no ready answers.  This novel hits the bulls-eye on each of these dimensions!

OK -  so sometimes I just like to immerse myself into an exciting story well told - and with the Gold Factor I was transported out of reality and into the murky world of the BENEFACTORS.  Like gaining a super-power, how could I NOT be intrigued with gaining the means to change the way the world works!  The authors effectively convince me it could - and did - happen.

The book is at once, a fast-moving suspense / thriller - but has many sophisticated dimensions:  On the one hand, there are the two, seemingly different plot lines - one that arises from the ashes of the world at the close of World War II, and the other spinning around the apparent assassination of the president in contemporary time.  In one, we're treated to three strong willed men of remarkable virtue.  In the other we're engaged with 4 equally remarkable and strong women.  The book explores the classic enigmas of idealism, power, corruption, and the downward spin to perdition.  How did it all go wrong?  Can redemption be had?

I love how the authors have tied their tale into actual historical events with a very smooth style - their fictional characters engage and interact with recognized historical people using natural and plausible dialog within feasible events and historically accurate venues and circumstances.  The Gold Factor story might not be fiction, I convince myself, and I'm not always sure what is the author's creation and what might have actually happened.

Then there are the clever and subtle plot elements that create multiple layers of web-like strands linking events, people, and story lines throughout the book.  All of these characters, and the two main story lines are inexorably linked.  This is a master tale of cause and effect - and it soon becomes evident the book is really only the first chapter of a tectonic landscape that defines all we see in the world around us, today.

But if you prefer to simply enjoy a spy thriller, it is that too.  Jeff Callan and Wes Miller have created an immensely entertaining story with real-as-life characters, sparkling dialog, surprising twists, and exciting action.  I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Walt Washburn is a published non-fiction technical author who lives and works in Colorado Springs
1512572
I absolutely enjoyed reading Devil's Move! And, I suspect fans of the Mystery/ Thriller/Suspense genre will love getting stuck into this new and exciting story. This truly is a well crafted political thriller.

The story had every element a good story should have. An exciting plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There's an abundance of well illustrated scenes that really make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that's something I really look for in a good book.

This captivating and commendable work had me immersed from the beginning. The story flows from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional skill when it comes to storytelling.  There are twists and turns in this page turner that will take the reader on a thrilling journey.

It's one of those rare stories that come along that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I'm giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery!

I'll certainly be looking forward to reading more from Leslie Wolfe in the future.

A highly recommended read!
2183153
As far as summarising  the plot is concerned, there's not much that can be added to the previous reviews without spoiling surprises for readers. And surprises there certainly are.

Suffice it to say that this book contains a remarkable number of separate plots, that the author orchestrates their parallel progress with much skill, and that these plots converge in an extraordinary finale. The latter is tense, protracted, well-narrated and as horrifying and memorable as the climax of De Niro's `Taxi Driver' - though much more thought-provoking through the anguished dilemmas which arise for each participant. What a nightmare situation for each individual to face, each for different and often secret reasons! If nothing else, keep reading so you can understand the threads which converge in the utterly gripping last five chapters.

Some compelling tales from history form the backcloth behind this story. These are tales which largely have been muted in British history books or censored altogether. The extremes to which British Suffragettes took women's struggle for the right to vote, for instance, and the horrors of force-feeding of Suffragette hunger-strikers. The huge armed revolt by the original Ulster Volunteer Force and the help it received from Fifth Columnists within government forces. The underworld of vice and child prostitution serving the Edwardian gentry. The culture of sexual abuse in the British Empire's exclusive boys' boarding schools and the resulting misogynistic homosexuality common among officers in Kitchener's army. The darkest part of  `Cat and Mouse' is a double saga of gay revenge between misogynistic militarists of the 1914 warmonger kind. `Cat and Mouse' presents such history with the lightest of touch. There are no heavy-handed passages over-explaining things. Some readers may find a peep at Wikipedia helpful to further illumine real events, like some Suffragette tactics, about which nowadays so many Britons are ignorant.

But while `Cat and Mouse' features such historical issues, they are not its focus. First and foremost it is a novel and about people, a mixture of romance and thriller. First it engagingly explores its characters' very different worlds. Then it carefully brings them together for a shattering conclusion. You won't forget this book!
3244955
Matthew Peters has done it again! After tantalizing us with his first Nicholas Branson novel, THE BROTHERS' KEEPERS, I expected to be entertained and mildly intrigued with his sequel, KILLING JOHN THE BAPTIST. I mean, how does one top TBK? But I did not expect what Peters dishes out in this second book of the series: a thoroughly engrossing, globe-hopping thriller with a mind-blowing secret that could change the course of history.

Peters hooks us with interlocking storylines of a high-level governmental murder, papal intrigue, a persecuted religious group, and ex-Jesuit Nicolas Branson's conflicted relationships with two women. The author slowly ratchets up the tension as Branson and Jessica Jones (a Cathar and religious expert in her own right) criss-cross the globe and banter their way into solving a Biblical mystery and saving the John-the-Baptist-worshiping Mandaeans from extinction.

The intrigue of he book lies in the juxtaposition of good and evil. And when Peters hurdles us into the mind-boggling denouement, we're left questioning everything we've ever been fed about our governmental and religious institutions.

A tantalizing mix of well-researched fact and fiction, KILLING JOHN THE BAPTIST is a provocative, taut, well-written thriller that leaves the reader reeling with questions and thirsty to know more. I highly recommend this book and hope for another adrenaline shot of Nicholas Branson in the near future.
2287831
With every turn of the page, the suspense rises, the pace quickens, and the plot thickens! I am in awe of the author's ability to represent dialects and accents and his intimate knowledge of the historical period. Blathers and Duff's characters are richly drawn, and the supporting cast is varied and colorful. This page-turner had me alternately laughing out loud and pausing to honor the fortitude of the downtrodden of the time. Mr. Dickens' cameo appearances underscored the harsh reality and gave this reader the clue I needed to understand how and why Blathers and Duff came to the Black Lion. Let's have more Blathers and Duff, Mr. Coyle!
2660187
This is one of the best books I've read in a while, though it's not for lightweight readers.  It's dense, long, and full of minute historical details perhaps only appreciated by nerdy PhDs like myself.  Dan Brown's DaVinci Code reads like a movie script; in contrast, Kostova's writing is mesmerizing. I often found myself stopping to reread her wondefully evocative, beautifully crafted sentences. That she manages to weave together the cold war, the conflict between Islam and Christianity, father-daughter relationships, and Dracula into a single riveting story is testament to Kostova's creativity and intelligence.  The book was so good that I took an afternoon off work to finish it -  having started it that morning on an airplane, I found myself unable to put it down.  By the time I came to the chilling ending, it was midnight- and with my husband out of town, it was a half hour before I could fall asleep.  I wish all books were this compelling and fun.  I can't wait for her next one!
3354449
Elizabeth Chadwick's historical grasp is so secure, bringing an age of ambition and greed, passion and intensity vividly to life. Her extensive series spanning over more than fifteen novels is exceptional, with `The time of singing' being one of the most memorable and noteworthy works.  Capturing quintessentially the medieval world that is a vibrant place where historical figures live and breathe, together with those events that shaped the modern world. Based on a true story, (that has up until now never been told) this impeccably researched tale is so compelling that you will be blown away by it. Amidst an absorbing narrative which canters along at a fast pace, is an intriguing and most enjoyable story equally as dazzling as it is fascinating.

If you adore historical fiction at its very best and are fond of works by authors such as Philippa Gregory, Emily Purdy and `the Tudors' then you will love Elizabeth Chadwick's books - for she is my favorite author within this genre!

Based on a true story...

When Roger Bigod, heir to the powerful earldom of Norfolk, arrives at court in 1177 to settle a bitter inheritance dispute with his half-brothers, he encounters Ida de Tosney, young mistress to King Henry II. A victim of Henry's seduction and the mother of his son, Ida is attracted to Roger and sees in him a chance of lasting security beyond the fickle dazzle of her current life. But her decision to marry Roger carries an astonishing price. Roger's importance as a mainstay of the Angevin government puts an increasing strain on their marriage. Ida is deeply unhappy with the life she must live in his absence and grieves for her losses. Against a volatile political background, the gulf between Roger and Ida threatens to widen beyond crossing, especially when so many bridges have already been burned.

This exquisite historical masterpiece is just stunning, as too is the eye-catching covers of Chadwick's book which also bring the medieval age to `life'. Deeply ingrained within the pages is the background historical detail, which is so acutely accurate hence Ida and Roger's saga is brought to life within the cleverly crafted plot. Realistic, memorable and sublime I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys lavish elements within great literature and inspired storytelling.
1260566
What a fun ride!  I could not put this thought provoking book down!  The plot moves along quickly leading the readers on a journey they will not want to end!  The story is a skillfully written thriller full of twists and turns.  The subject is very a propos with the melting in Antartica.  Global warming Is definitely a possibility.

Mr. Rosser is a brilliant author and a superb storyteller!  in his standout offering, he gives us a taut action packed thriller!
This week end, my to-do list suffered greatly,  I could not put this book down!  I will definitely buy everything this author publishes and I recommend this story to anyone enjoying thrillers  It is brilliant!