Chaotic Ninja

The Girl Who Had No Fear is the fourth book in the series and arguably the most complex. It takes you from one point to the next not only in a geographical sense but also in emotional terms. There is a clear character progression for George McKenzie as she attempts to infiltrate a drug cartel in Mexico while she struggles to deal with the unprocessed emotions leftover from the previous three books. And let’s talk about the new locations, the new seedy characters, and the seemingly outrageous situations introduced in the book. Of course, I’m not going to go to spoiler territory, but let me just say that there are moments in the book that could have very well been lifted from science fiction or steampunk trope. But as they say, truth is stranger than fiction. Friend: That’s outrageous! That’s not believable at all, ninja. That could not happen in real life. Me: Two words: Mauner Mahecha. Friend: Say what? Me: Go on, Google it! Later… Friend: *MINDBLOWN* Me: Told ya.   ...

Kim Stone. Middle name: Badass. She’s the fierce detective with a no-nonsense approach to solving crimes. She comes across as cold and calculating and emotionally closed-off, but reveals bits and pieces about herself and her real state of mind. This makes her a fascinating character full of contradiction and ambiguity.  Then, of course, there’s her team – a cast of characters with quirky personalities but work together with clockwork efficiency. A love interest that may or may not have a future cuts through the grittiness and gruesomeness of the crimes committed by a dangerously unstable serial killer. Play Dead  by Angela Marsons is a tightly written story with impressive forensic details that make you feel you’re really in the middle of a crime scene investigation and actually understand what’s going on. The dialogues and the banters are as natural as they come.  It’s an exciting read that gets the blood pumping. It’s a shame that it took f...

The second book in the series usually re-introduces characters only briefly so there’s always a chance of not understanding certain aspects of the character dynamics.  With that said, The Night Stalker by Robert Bryndza brilliantly presented the characters in such a way that I didn’t feel like I’ve missed out on important background details. On to the review… A serial killer is on the loose and it’s up to DCI Erika Foster to find the violent, heartless, totally deranged person who’s killing male victims. The killer operates by stalking the victims first with ninja-like precision then killing them mercilessly. The weapon of choice: Suicide bag . The victims never see the killer coming. I like that the killer is revealed a bit earlier than usual. Some would say it’s easy to guess who the killer is. But one has to realize that it’s the thrill of the chase that makes this book a wicked page-turner. Erika and her team have to outsmart the seemingly untracea...

See How They Run by Tom Bale   is what happens when regular folks get mixed up with a network of criminals so vicious, they wouldn’t think twice of committing a violent act if it suits their needs (or save their necks). Who would want to be in this kind of predicament? No one! But Harry and Alice French find themselves in such a sticky situation and they take the reader along with them. Just imagine the stress and exhaustion of being thrown into a bloody mess. Oh, by the way, there’s a baby tagging along. Crazy, huh? Though Harry and Alice are characters you’d easily empathise with, it’s the wicked bad guys that shine through. They are all convincingly evil! They are the kind of people you pray you don’t cross paths with in your lifetime. Although this a gripping story with non-stop action (physical and emotional), I feel that the writer held back on the resolution. It went to “safe” territory after treating the reader to one shocking event t...

The Teacher by Katerina Diamond Even before I flipped to the first chapter, I already sensed that the story is going to be very dark, but I wasn’t prepared for how gruesomely dark the story is. At one point, I actually flinched when the author described the last moments of this one poor, poor character. Was it over the top? Perhaps. Did the character deserve it? Perhaps not. But my theory is that the graphic depiction was used to justify whatever was to come (dun-dun-duuun!). This effectively puts the reader in an ethical and moral quandary (that is if you’re like me who gets too involved in stories like this). What’s great is that even DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are in that same predicament. So yeah, we’re all in the same boat. Although it’s easy to get hooked, there’s a lot of jumping around between story arcs, timelines, and characters. If you have short-term memory, it can be challenging. (Sorry, Dory, this isn’t for you). The next hurdle ...

After binge-reading on crime fiction for the past several weeks, I needed a change because I’m starting to look at my work mates as serial killers plotting their next kill. So, this particular book is free on Amazon. It’s written by the same author whose YA books I have read in the past. Only this time, she uses a pen name. Closed Off To You  by Rachel S. Rose  is categorised as Women’s Fiction and Inspirational . So, yeah, I could use some inspirational reading to take my mind off the blood and gore of crime fiction. So I dive in. The first chapter has a Chick Lit vibe to it and it’s hilarious! It had me in stitches the entire chapter. Melissa is such an endearing character from the get go. She’s funny, self-deprecating, and exciting in a blundering kind of way. Cute. Then the story takes a sexy turn. The funny bits turn to naughty to very naughty to full on dirty. Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot. My jaw dropped to the filthy floor. I’m not...