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The Night Watch by Neil Lancaster: Lancaster Just Keeps Getting Better and Better

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On February 7, 2023

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Night WatchThe Night Watch

by Neil Lancaster

DETAILS:
Series: DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, #3
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication Date: September 8, 2022
Format: eBook
Length: 461 pg.
Read Date: January 9-10

Being alive is dull, being dead is tedious. The transition is what counts. Watching him die made me feel more alive than I could ever describe to anyone.

What’s The Night Watch About?

After a high-profile trial, a drug dealer walks free. He and his lawyer go separate ways to celebrate and are both soon dead. Theoretically, the lawyer’s death wasn’t suspicious, but the dealer was clearly murdered. The coincidence is too much for Max and his team to believe—and they soon find the evidence to back that up. The two of them killed near the same time? That smells like a vigilante.

These weren’t the vigilante’s first two victims either. A tip from an oddly cooperative reporter puts them on the right track—the victims appear to all be connected with the same investigative team. A vigilante cop is the last thing that Craigie and the rest want to imagine—but now they have to stop the killer before they strike again.

The Killer’s POV

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned a time or twelve that I rarely find chapters from the Killer’s POV in a Detective/Procedural novel to be that effective. I figure I’m in the minority on this point—if only because authors keep using them. And after the first one in this book, I made the note, “Did we need this? Did it add anything?” and it took a while before I saw Lancaster’s point with them in this one.

But note “it took a while,” by the end—I saw (at least most of) what Lancaster was doing with these moments from the Killer’s POV. Not only did I understand the point, but I appreciated what he did with them.

So, what did I think about The Night Watch?

I’m tempted to just copy and paste what I said about the last Max Craigie book, The Blood Tide—it all fits, once I swap out the titles. The Blood Tide was a noticeable growth over everything Lancaster had written before, and The Night Watch is even better.

Some procedurals are about figuring out who did what, and some are about figuring out how to prove they did it—or apprehending them before they do something else. This is about all of those. But—like the others in this series—it’s also about the toll paid by those involved in stopping the killing.

There’s some good character development with all the characters—not just our protagonist. Although most of it is happening between novels, and we just get to see the effects—I really like that style, it’s so much easier to buy than growth in the middle of one case that takes place over a limited time.

The Night Watch had some very effective twists, some great reveals, and some genuine surprises. Yeah, I identified the killer right away—but Lancaster fooled me and I abandoned the idea—and I just love that. As always, Lancaster knows how to keep the reader turning pages because you just have to know what happens next. Basically, this is exactly what I’m looking for in a police procedural.

Wholly satisfying and it just made me more eager for the next DS Craigie book.

4 Stars

PUB DAY REPOST: The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster: A Gripping Sequel, Stronger than its Predecessor

By

On February 23, 2022

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Blood TideThe Blood Tide

by Neil Lancaster

DETAILS:
Series: DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, #2
Publisher: HQ
Publication Date: February 23, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 384 pgs.
Read Date: February 7-9, 2022

Dead Man’s Grave Spoilers Ahead

It’s impossible to talk about this sequel to Dead Man’s Grave without spoiling it. If you haven’t read that yet, go read my post about it and skip this post. (but thanks for the blog view, I always appreciate the visit)

What’s The Blood Tide About?

It’s been a few months (if we’re told specifically, I missed it) since Dead Man’s Grave, but not too long. Tam Hardie’s in prison for his crimes, his wife and kids are out of the country, and his syndicate is in trouble from without and within. The Policing Standards Reassurance Team, now established, is still trying to find Hardie’s remaining contact(s) in the police. On the personal side, Max Craigie’s wife has moved back in with him, and things are going well.

Basically, things are in a good place. This means it’s time for things to happen—a fisherman goes missing on a routine fishing trip (well, a routine something anyway), not long after that, an intelligence officer with the National Crime Agency commits suicide—and the only witness’s notes go missing, too. And then there’s another (apparent) suicide. There’s almost no reason for anyone to see a link between them—but once Max Craigie is shown the link, he’s able to convince the rest of his team and soon will get more proof.

This is where things get really dicey—and the Team is immersed in a case involving drugs, murder, corrupt officials—and at least one criminal in their own midst.

Characters

In the previous book, we got a pretty good handle on DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder. In this book, we get to know their boss, DI Ross Fraser better as he’s able to take a greater leadership role (since it’s not an off-the-books investigation anymore) and as we see him deal with problems in his home life.

We also get introduced to a new member of their team, and get to know her fairly well. I liked the fact that we didn’t come into this book with a greatly expanded team, and only added someone after this book’s action had started—it helps the readers to connect with everyone, and it’s also a nice touch of realism, if the team expands too quickly, it’d be more difficult to keep it to those who can be trusted.

Policing the Police

Max and his team operate far differently from the other fictional Scottish detective looking into Police Corruption that I’m familiar with—Malcolm Fox. There’s no way that Fox in his role with Complaints and Conduct would pursue a case this way (although by the end of his time with them, that had started to change, and he might be more open to it).

The Policing Standards Reassurance Team is a band of mavericks, or at least operate as a collective maverick—going back to their inception. They seem more effective running that way—although I do wonder about realism (for those who care about such things—and it’s more exciting to read about than a bunch of people being careful about paperwork.

So often reading what Max and Janie are going through, I wondered how they trust anyone in the Police service. It almost seems like luck when they have an operation go well without someone having leaked something to their target. Does that take a toll on people? I wonder if Lancaster will deal with that in the future.

So, what did I think about The Blood Tide?

It is really hard to talk about this in any kind of detail—the twists and reveals start early on and I fear I may have said a bit too much already.

I will say as someone who’s been reading Lancaster from the beginning, that it’s great to see his growth as an author—the writing, the characterization, the details in The Blood Tide is leagues beyond what his debut displayed. And I enjoyed his debut, and would’ve kept reading him if he kept producing books like it. It’s just so much easier to do when they’re as good as this one.

Along the same lines, there’s growth to this series—as ought to be expected. Dead Man’s Grave was about establishing this world, these characters, and their mission. Now we get to see them in action, we’re ready to see them at work, in danger, and taking on bigger challenges.

Do I recommend The Blood Tide? You bet—a good author getting better at his craft, a handful of strong characters, and a plot that’ll keep you guessing as it ratchets up the tension. Grab both of the DS Max Craigie thrillers and you’ll be in for a good time. The third book is due this autumn, which is too far away for my tastes.

4 Stars

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from HQ via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster: A Gripping Sequel, Stronger than its Predecessor

By

On February 16, 2022

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Blood TideThe Blood Tide

by Neil Lancaster

DETAILS:
Series: DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, #2
Publisher: HQ
Publication Date: February 23, 2022
Format: eARC
Length: 384 pgs.
Read Date: February 7-9, 2022

Dead Man’s Grave Spoilers Ahead

It’s impossible to talk about this sequel to Dead Man’s Grave without spoiling it. If you haven’t read that yet, go read my post about it and skip this post. (but thanks for the blog view, I always appreciate the visit)

What’s The Blood Tide About?

It’s been a few months (if we’re told specifically, I missed it) since Dead Man’s Grave, but not too long. Tam Hardie’s in prison for his crimes, his wife and kids are out of the country, and his syndicate is in trouble from without and within. The Policing Standards Reassurance Team, now established, is still trying to find Hardie’s remaining contact(s) in the police. On the personal side, Max Craigie’s wife has moved back in with him, and things are going well.

Basically, things are in a good place. This means it’s time for things to happen—a fisherman goes missing on a routine fishing trip (well, a routine something anyway), not long after that, an intelligence officer with the National Crime Agency commits suicide—and the only witness’s notes go missing, too. And then there’s another (apparent) suicide. There’s almost no reason for anyone to see a link between them—but once Max Craigie is shown the link, he’s able to convince the rest of his team and soon will get more proof.

This is where things get really dicey—and the Team is immersed in a case involving drugs, murder, corrupt officials—and at least one criminal in their own midst.

Characters

In the previous book, we got a pretty good handle on DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder. In this book, we get to know their boss, DI Ross Fraser better as he’s able to take a greater leadership role (since it’s not an off-the-books investigation anymore) and as we see him deal with problems in his home life.

We also get introduced to a new member of their team, and get to know her fairly well. I liked the fact that we didn’t come into this book with a greatly expanded team, and only added someone after this book’s action had started—it helps the readers to connect with everyone, and it’s also a nice touch of realism, if the team expands too quickly, it’d be more difficult to keep it to those who can be trusted.

Policing the Police

Max and his team operate far differently from the other fictional Scottish detective looking into Police Corruption that I’m familiar with—Malcolm Fox. There’s no way that Fox in his role with Complaints and Conduct would pursue a case this way (although by the end of his time with them, that had started to change, and he might be more open to it).

The Policing Standards Reassurance Team is a band of mavericks, or at least operate as a collective maverick—going back to their inception. They seem more effective running that way—although I do wonder about realism (for those who care about such things—and it’s more exciting to read about than a bunch of people being careful about paperwork.

So often reading what Max and Janie are going through, I wondered how they trust anyone in the Police service. It almost seems like luck when they have an operation go well without someone having leaked something to their target. Does that take a toll on people? I wonder if Lancaster will deal with that in the future.

So, what did I think about The Blood Tide?

It is really hard to talk about this in any kind of detail—the twists and reveals start early on and I fear I may have said a bit too much already.

I will say as someone who’s been reading Lancaster from the beginning, that it’s great to see his growth as an author—the writing, the characterization, the details in The Blood Tide is leagues beyond what his debut displayed. And I enjoyed his debut, and would’ve kept reading him if he kept producing books like it. It’s just so much easier to do when they’re as good as this one.

Along the same lines, there’s growth to this series—as ought to be expected. Dead Man’s Grave was about establishing this world, these characters, and their mission. Now we get to see them in action, we’re ready to see them at work, in danger, and taking on bigger challenges.

Do I recommend The Blood Tide? You bet—a good author getting better at his craft, a handful of strong characters, and a plot that’ll keep you guessing as it ratchets up the tension. Grab both of the DS Max Craigie thrillers and you’ll be in for a good time. The third book is due this autumn, which is too far away for my tastes.

4 Stars

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from HQ via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.

Reposting Just ‘Cuz: Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster: The Debut of Your New Favorite Police Procedural Series

By

On February 11, 2022

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Last night, I fought the Tech, and the Tech won (if you imagine the Bobby Fuller Four singing that, it comes across better). So, instead of a post about The Blood Tide‘s ARC, I’m going to repost what I said about the first book in the series…Hopefully by next week, I can convince my laptop to submit to me, so I can .

Dead Man’s Grave

Dead Man’s Grave

by Neil Lancaster
Series: DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, #1

Kindle Edition, 400 pg.
HQ Digital, 2021

Read: July 17-19, 2021

What’s Dead Man’s Grave About?

Tam “Peeler” Hardie has been the head of one of Scotland’s most powerful, most violent (you don’t want to know how he got that nickname*), crime families for decades. He’s looking at the end of his life and has an overwhelming desire to look into his family’s roots. This quest takes Hardie to an old, small graveyard near a small Scottish town. Thanks to a feud that goes back generations, he won’t leave that graveyard alive.

* Okay, you probably do in some twisted way—but I’m not going to go into it. Go buy the book.

It doesn’t take long before Hardie’s sons suspect something’s wrong—at the very least their father is missing (maybe kidnapped?). Now, if you’re the Scottish Police, the last thing you want is the Hardies to take it upon themselves to go looking for their father—they’re much more likely to start a war with some other criminal organizations than they are to find him. So DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder are assigned to the search, which will hopefully placate the sons for a little while.

Some good detecting by Craigie—and some better instincts—lead to the discovery of Hardie’s body—and some good fortune leads to a quick arrest. It’s soon after that when Craigie starts to notice something’s amiss with the investigation—it’s clear that the Hardies know more than they should, investigative lines are shut down by superiors, and Craigie’s aid is taken as interference, In fact, he’s put on leave when he won’t stop.

There’s something rotten afoot, and now the question is: can Craigie (with or without the aid of Calder, a new detective that he barely knows) find out what kind of corruption is meddling with this investigation and put a stop to it without risking their careers or lives?

DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder

In a very real sense, we’ve seen both of these characters before. He’s the cynical experienced detective who still has a sense of right and wrong; he’s not afraid to defy orders and go his own way to make sure the right people are arrested; his career has taken a toll on his health and family, but he’s driven by a sense of mission that he can’t shake. She’s a little odd and not that popular with the rest of the detectives—but she’s smart, she’s eager, she’s tech-savvy—and you don’t want to face off against her in a physical confrontation. But somehow Lancaster takes these very familiar types and makes them feel fresh—like he’s one of the first to try this combination of partners with these characteristics. Don’t ask me how he did that, but he did.

Even if it didn’t feel fresh—there’s a reason we’ve seen these characters paired in this way before: it works really well. Storytellers gravitate to them, readers respond well to them. Lancaster is a great example of someone who takes these characters and uses them right.

I really liked these characters, and can’t wait to see how Lancaster develops them. I predict it won’t be long before most readers of the series think of Calder as their favorite character. (and very likely has started already)

So, what did I think about Dead Man’s Grave?

It took me no time at all to be hooked by this novel–it starts off strong and improves from there. It was tense, well-plotted, and (mostly) well-paced. Add in Max and Janie and Dead Man’s Grave becomes a real winner—one of the better Crime Novels I’ve read this year.

One little complaint—the book wraps up too quickly, it was just a bit too difficult to believe that they met their objectives that speedily. But, by that time, you’re so into the story and characters that you’re willing to go with Lancaster. And the conclusion was so satisfying that the only reason I remember this gripe is that I wrote it down.

I strongly recommend this one to you—it’s the kind of book that makes me want to go and lower the stars on Lancaster’s earlier books because this is so much better than what he’d done before—there’s a depth, complexity, and richness to plot, character, and style that wasn’t there in the Tom Novak books (don’t get me wrong—I enjoyed each of them). If he’s stepped up his game this much in so short a time, Lancaster’s going to have a long and very satisfying career.

4 Stars

20 Books of Summer '21

Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster: The Debut of Your New Favorite Police Procedural Series

By

On August 6, 2021

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Dead Man’s Grave

Dead Man’s Grave

by Neil Lancaster
Series: DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, #1

Kindle Edition, 400 pg.
HQ Digital, 2021

Read: July 17-19, 2021

What’s Dead Man’s Grave About?

Tam “Peeler” Hardie has been the head of one of Scotland’s most powerful, most violent (you don’t want to know how he got that nickname*), crime families for decades. He’s looking at the end of his life and has an overwhelming desire to look into his family’s roots. This quest takes Hardie to an old, small graveyard near a small Scottish town. Thanks to a feud that goes back generations, he won’t leave that graveyard alive.

* Okay, you probably do in some twisted way—but I’m not going to go into it. Go buy the book.

It doesn’t take long before Hardie’s sons suspect something’s wrong—at the very least their father is missing (maybe kidnapped?). Now, if you’re the Scottish Police, the last thing you want is the Hardies to take it upon themselves to go looking for their father—they’re much more likely to start a war with some other criminal organizations than they are to find him. So DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder are assigned to the search, which will hopefully placate the sons for a little while.

Some good detecting by Craigie—and some better instincts—lead to the discovery of Hardie’s body—and some good fortune leads to a quick arrest. It’s soon after that when Craigie starts to notice something’s amiss with the investigation—it’s clear that the Hardies know more than they should, investigative lines are shut down by superiors, and Craigie’s aid is taken as interference, In fact, he’s put on leave when he won’t stop.

There’s something rotten afoot, and now the question is: can Craigie (with or without the aid of Calder, a new detective that he barely knows) find out what kind of corruption is meddling with this investigation and put a stop to it without risking their careers or lives?

DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder

In a very real sense, we’ve seen both of these characters before. He’s the cynical experienced detective who still has a sense of right and wrong; he’s not afraid to defy orders and go his own way to make sure the right people are arrested; his career has taken a toll on his health and family, but he’s driven by a sense of mission that he can’t shake. She’s a little odd and not that popular with the rest of the detectives—but she’s smart, she’s eager, she’s tech-savvy—and you don’t want to face off against her in a physical confrontation. But somehow Lancaster takes these very familiar types and makes them feel fresh—like he’s one of the first to try this combination of partners with these characteristics. Don’t ask me how he did that, but he did.

Even if it didn’t feel fresh—there’s a reason we’ve seen these characters paired in this way before: it works really well. Storytellers gravitate to them, readers respond well to them. Lancaster is a great example of someone who takes these characters and uses them right.

I really liked these characters, and can’t wait to see how Lancaster develops them. I predict it won’t be long before most readers of the series think of Calder as their favorite character. (and very likely has started already)

So, what did I think about Dead Man’s Grave?

It took me no time at all to be hooked by this novel–it starts off strong and improves from there. It was tense, well-plotted, and (mostly) well-paced. Add in Max and Janie and Dead Man’s Grave becomes a real winner—one of the better Crime Novels I’ve read this year.

One little complaint—the book wraps up too quickly, it was just a bit too difficult to believe that they met their objectives that speedily. But, by that time, you’re so into the story and characters that you’re willing to go with Lancaster. And the conclusion was so satisfying that the only reason I remember this gripe is that I wrote it down.

I strongly recommend this one to you—it’s the kind of book that makes me want to go and lower the stars on Lancaster’s earlier books because this is so much better than what he’d done before—there’s a depth, complexity, and richness to plot, character, and style that wasn’t there in the Tom Novak books (don’t get me wrong—I enjoyed each of them). If he’s stepped up his game this much in so short a time, Lancaster’s going to have a long and very satisfying career.

4 Stars

20 Books of Summer '21

The Friday 56 for 7/30/21: The Heathens by Ace Atkins

By

On July 30, 2021

In Currently Reading, News/Misc., Quotations, The Friday 56

The Friday 56This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice.

RULES:
bullet point Grab a book, any book.
bullet point Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
bullet point Find a snippet, short and sweet.
bullet point Post it

from Page 56 of:
The Heathens

The Heathens by Ace Atkins

“You had a chance, Chester,” TJ said. “You stole my momma’s money. Money she only had ‘cause she’d stolen it off me. You tried to threaten me, sending the police out knocking on my door like I did something wrong.”

“Get out of here,” he said. “I’ll call the sheriff.”

“Do it,” TJ said. She reached down on the glass table littered with an empty bag of chips, an overflowing ashtray, and the silver insulated cup of booze. She snatched up his cell phone and tossed it right in his lap. “Call 911. I damn well dare you. Call Sheriff Colson and let him know some seventeen-year-old girl is gonna shoot you. Because you’d be right. But then at least we might can get straight on all the trouble you caused me and my family. You’re sitting here drinking whiskey and eating Golden Flake chips while my little brother can’t even get breakfast.”

Pub Day Repost: Going Back by Neil Lancaster: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. Just another day for Novak.

By

On August 21, 2020

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Going Back

Going Back

by Neil Lancaster
Series: Tom Novak Thriller, #3

eARC, 506 pg.
Burning Chair Publishing, 2020

Read: August 11, 2020

What’s Going Back About?

Over the last couple of books, Tom Novak has received some pretty significant favors from Mike Brogan, his old friend who does some sort of work for American Intelligence (I like how vague his actual role is kept). And now he’s collecting.

There’s an ex-Serbian Special Operations officer who was freed from a prison van by a paramilitary force using some sort of device that seems like a portable EMP. Which is something that everyone (including governments around the world) wants, but no one’s been able to create. There’s a two-fold interest in this—1. can that portable device actually do what they think? and 2. There seems to be something major underway from this officer, probably using the EMP-like device. Which is not good for anyone.

Brogan’s team is pretty sure they know who’s bringing the tech-savvy to the team. Stefan Cerović left the country about the same time as Novak—but he ended up in the States. He was recently fired from a prominent tech company for failing a drug test and resurfaced in Belgrade. Cerović appeared to be relying on one particular black-market arms dealer, who’d recently been arrested. The job is for Novak to present himself as a new supplier as a way in. His ability with the language and similar background to Cerović is seen as a way for him to connect.

Mike will be around as backup, and of course, Pet will be around, too, doing all the typical technical wizardry.* Pet’s one of those characters that changes every scene she’s in—and makes Novak a more likable character when she’s around. I forget how much I like her until she shows up.

* Minor spoiler: Pet makes a costly mistake. I was so happy to see this. So often tech wizards like her are depicted as nigh infallible. But she makes a bad judgment call and she and Tom pay for it, keeping her human—a fantastically talented human, sure—but human.

As things are wont to do, after some initial success (Cerović’s a lot more interested in drugs than initially thought, which opens up so many doors for Novak), Brogan’s nifty plan goes off the rails—but not in a way you’d expect. Novak and Pet have to rely on Novak’s Marine slogan, and improvise and adapt so they have a shot at overcoming their opponents.

Serbia, huh?

I keep wondering how much mileage Lancaster’s going to be able to get out of Novak’s heritage and assume at some point we’re going to get a novel where it’s not so central. But until then, I’ll continue to be interested in seeing how Lancaster can adapt it.

This time out, putting him in his old homeland allows (forces?) him to confront and better understand his history (both recent and decades-old). Lancaster is able to get a two-for-the-price-of-one return here, not only is it the perfect setting for this kind of story, but we get a little character development.

One Gripe…

No self-respecting Texan is going to describe himself as from the “Deep South.” Sorry. Yes, it’s a minor issue, but it took me out of the moment. And for a book/series that reeks of authenticity, it’s a conspicuous blunder.

I did read an eARC which I know are still subject to change. Hopefully, that’s one of those edits that’s addressed before publication date.

So, what did I think about Going Back?

The first two books in this series had a pretty clear line of demarcation between the “undercover police officer” part and the “action hero” part of the book, and it worked pretty well. In Going Back, however, Novak slides back and forth between the two pretty easily (although the there is a clear shift in emphasis). I liked that a whole lot and hope Lancaster can do more of that in the future.

Throughout the whole book it felt to me like Lancaster had taken everything that worked best in Going Dark and Going Rogue, combining them while leaving off everything that didn’t work as well. Giving us the best in the series, a confident and well-paced thrill ride that will please fans and probably pick up a few for the series. You don’t have to have read the previous three to enjoy this one, the backstory isn’t that important to it. This is a fun way to spend a couple of hours and I recommend it to you.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks for this.

4 Stars

Going Back by Neil Lancaster: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. Just another day for Novak.

By

On August 14, 2020

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Going Back

Going Back

by Neil Lancaster
Series: Tom Novak Thriller, #3

eARC, 506 pg.
Burning Chair Publishing, 2020

Read: August 11, 2020

What’s Going Back About?

Over the last couple of books, Tom Novak has received some pretty significant favors from Mike Brogan, his old friend who does some sort of work for American Intelligence (I like how vague his actual role is kept). And now he’s collecting.

There’s an ex-Serbian Special Operations officer who was freed from a prison van by a paramilitary force using some sort of device that seems like a portable EMP. Which is something that everyone (including governments around the world) wants, but no one’s been able to create. There’s a two-fold interest in this—1. can that portable device actually do what they think? and 2. There seems to be something major underway from this officer, probably using the EMP-like device. Which is not good for anyone.

Brogan’s team is pretty sure they know who’s bringing the tech-savvy to the team. Stefan Cerović left the country about the same time as Novak—but he ended up in the States. He was recently fired from a prominent tech company for failing a drug test and resurfaced in Belgrade. Cerović appeared to be relying on one particular black-market arms dealer, who’d recently been arrested. The job is for Novak to present himself as a new supplier as a way in. His ability with the language and similar background to Cerović is seen as a way for him to connect.

Mike will be around as backup, and of course, Pet will be around, too, doing all the typical technical wizardry.* Pet’s one of those characters that changes every scene she’s in—and makes Novak a more likable character when she’s around. I forget how much I like her until she shows up.

* Minor spoiler: Pet makes a costly mistake. I was so happy to see this. So often tech wizards like her are depicted as nigh infallible. But she makes a bad judgment call and she and Tom pay for it, keeping her human—a fantastically talented human, sure—but human.

As things are wont to do, after some initial success (Cerović’s a lot more interested in drugs than initially thought, which opens up so many doors for Novak), Brogan’s nifty plan goes off the rails—but not in a way you’d expect. Novak and Pet have to rely on Novak’s Marine slogan, and improvise and adapt so they have a shot at overcoming their opponents.

Serbia, huh?

I keep wondering how much mileage Lancaster’s going to be able to get out of Novak’s heritage and assume at some point we’re going to get a novel where it’s not so central. But until then, I’ll continue to be interested in seeing how Lancaster can adapt it.

This time out, putting him in his old homeland allows (forces?) him to confront and better understand his history (both recent and decades-old). Lancaster is able to get a two-for-the-price-of-one return here, not only is it the perfect setting for this kind of story, but we get a little character development.

One Gripe…

No self-respecting Texan is going to describe himself as from the “Deep South.” Sorry. Yes, it’s a minor issue, but it took me out of the moment. And for a book/series that reeks of authenticity, it’s a conspicuous blunder.

I did read an eARC which I know are still subject to change. Hopefully, that’s one of those edits that’s addressed before publication date.

So, what did I think about Going Back?

The first two books in this series had a pretty clear line of demarcation between the “undercover police officer” part and the “action hero” part of the book, and it worked pretty well. In Going Back, however, Novak slides back and forth between the two pretty easily (although the there is a clear shift in emphasis). I liked that a whole lot and hope Lancaster can do more of that in the future.

Throughout the whole book it felt to me like Lancaster had taken everything that worked best in Going Dark and Going Rogue, combining them while leaving off everything that didn’t work as well. Giving us the best in the series, a confident and well-paced thrill ride that will please fans and probably pick up a few for the series. You don’t have to have read the previous three to enjoy this one, the backstory isn’t that important to it. This is a fun way to spend a couple of hours and I recommend it to you.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks for this.

4 Stars

Quick Takes on Some Quick Reads: The Time Traveler’s Guide to Dating; Ice by Neil Lancaster; Shall We Gather by Alex Bledsoe

By

On April 20, 2020

In Alex Bledsoe, Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Science Fiction, Tufa

The point of these quick takes posts is to catch up on my “To Write About” stack—emphasizing pithiness, not thoroughness. These three were all short reads, making it very difficult to write much more than this, anyway.
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The Time Traveler's Guide to Dating

The Time Traveler’s Guide to Dating, Issue 1

by Todd Gilbert, Brandon McKinney, Zachary Brunner, Daniel Bruckner
Series: The Time Traveler’s Guide to Dating, #1
PDF, 22 pg.
Read: April 4, 2020

I saw an advertisement for this on Instagram last weekend—something about a Time Travel Rom-Com in six free issues. I decided it was worth a shot.

This is the story of an assistant manager at a “big box” store, angry and resentful over being denied a promotion (a series of them, I think). He sets out to exact his revenge by (the reader can see) future versions of himself.

So far, I’ve read the first issue—it’s a clever story, I like the art. I really don’t like the protagonist, but have hope he can be redeemed (or another major character emerges to get behind). But for the moment he’s an impetuous, selfish fool, and I’m sort of rooting against him.

I’m not going to check back in on this until I finish the series, but I’m looking forward to the rest of it.

Ice

Ice

by Neil Lancaster
Series: Tom Novak Thriller
Kindle Edition
Read: April 4,2020

So, it seems that a Mexican drug cartel is trying to bring a new, extra addictive variety of Meth into London. We see both a user recruited by the cartel’s representative and a less-than-ethical tax specialist who finds himself laundering money for them. Novak comes into both of their lives in his efforts to stop this incursion.

So, here’s the cool thing—minor spoiler—Novak takes on a criminal enterprise and doesn’t hurt/shoot/kill anyone. That’s a nice thing to see.

But, this just wasn’t a good story. It feels like an outline, there’s no real drama or suspense. There’s a lot of talking, a lot of exposition.

I don’t like not saying good things about Novak or Lancaster, but aside from the novelty of Novak not leaving a trail of death and destruction, there’s not a lot of positive things to say. I like the idea of this, I just didn’t dig the execution.

Shall We Gather

Shall We Gather

by Alex Bledsoe
Series: Tufa
Kindle Edition, 18 pg.
Tor Books, 2013
Read: March 24, 2020

There’s not much of a plot here, either—but there is one. This is primarily a way to look at two characters—the outsider desperately trying to make a home in Cloud County, Rev. Craig Chess, and Mandalay Harris. Someone (no one we’ve met before) is dying and he asked for Chess to come. Outside, Chess meets Mandalay for the first time and the two have a couple of interesting conversations. There’s a bit more to it than that, but that’s enough for this.

I really liked watching these two interact, sizing each other up. Mandalay is at her creepifying best and Chess is his earnest, loving self. As much as he and I would debate essentials of the Faith, Chess has always been one of those fictional characters that’s easy to respect as well as like. I always appreciate the way that Bledsoe writes him.

Short (very short), but absolutely worth the time. It’s the one thing that I’ve taken off the TBR list since I started those Down the TBR Hole posts because I’ve read it. Will hopefully not be the last.

Pub Day Repost: Going Rogue by Neil Lancaster: Tom Novak and His Own Brand of Justice are Back!

By

On November 21, 2019

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Going Rogue

Going Rogue

by Neil Lancaster
Series: Tom Novak Thriller, #2

Kindle Edition, 322 pg.
Burning Chair Publishing, 2019

Read: November 12-14, 2019

I’m a little afraid that this doesn’t sound positive. It should because I enjoyed the book. I shelved the post for a day and tweaked it to help. But, if anything, I think I sound less positive than I did before. So here’s what this post is supposed to say: Great first part, really strong second part, with a couple of hiccups. Hopefully, that’s what you get out of it.

Following his exploits in Going Dark, DS Tom Novak has got himself a new assignment. He’s part of a task force investigating corrupt public figures—politicians, police, military, judiciary and whatnot. This is a much better fit for him than his old job, with a supervisor that he won’t have to battle with (much)—as this series progresses, I really look forward to spending more time with this group.

When a new domestic terrorist group begins attacking Muslim targets, the nation goes on high alert. It’s clear that the terrorists aren’t amatuers—they likely have military training and it’s possible they have assistance from someone in the government or police as well. Enter Novak’s group (every officer in London is looking to get into the hunt for the terrorists, but this team has a legitmate interest).

The man who carried out the first mission is in prison and he’s really the only lead anyone has into the Aryan Defence Front. Novak enters the prison as a Slovenian veteran under suspicion for the murder of a Muslim to gain his trust and hopefully an invitation to enlist. I really can’t describe more of the plot than that, as much as I want to—you need to see what happens from there.

The ADF is a small, but very well organized (and funded) group looking to create and increase divisions between Muslims and Non-Muslims in England—leading to Whites vs. Everyone Else with public riots, mayhem and the rest until supposed Right Thinking and Superior Whites kick everyone else off the island. Something about this group seems easier to believe than similar groups in other novels that I’ve read in the last couple of years—I can’t put my finger on why that is, I’ll just run with it and enjoy it.

There are basically two parts to this book (oversimplification warning) as there was to Going Dark—the undercover work and then what Novak has to do unofficially, using very un-approved methods. The undercover work portion of the book is just great. Yeah, he has to work a little faster than he did in Going Dark, but the short time-frame to get implanted with the group felt legitimate enough (I really hate it when UC officers are put into an inner circle within days of starting). In fact, this part being fast-paced really added to the tension and heightened the drama. Sadly (speaking for the characters’ viewpoint, not the readers’), as effective as the police are—they’re not enough, so Novak ends up Going Rouge to mop up with a little help from his friends that helped him so much last time.

I really have no complaints at all about the part where Novak “goes rogue” to get his man. However, the parts of the book focusing on his undercover work were much more interesting—they’re gripping, taught and seem more realistic. Given that, watching Novak and his allies take the rogue/extraordinary steps to get the job done—it is so hard to talk about this without ruining anything—was a blast. I did (and do) wince at what happens to one of his allies, it’s a relatively minor form of torture, but it literally curls my toes to think about. But aside from that

My biggest complaint is in the dialogue—and it’s not that big of a complaint, I should stress. There were two or three occasions where it seemed to me like that a character essentially repeated themselves. I’m not sure that I was clear there. An example (using the dullest dialogue ever):
George: I watched this TV show last night.
Liza: Good to know.
George: After my evening meal, I viewed a television program.
Sure, people do this all the time in real life, but 1. They are dull to talk to; and 2. I want fictional dialogue to be better than real life (if for no other reason than: editing). Also, some of the threats made by the bad guys toward the end seemed a little lifeless. This is their chance to shine, put some oomph into it.

Then again, if you’re reading a thriller for the sparkling dialogue, you’re probably looking in the wrong place.

Again, nothing against Tom Novak, Action Hero; but Tom Novak, Good Policeman is more up my alley. But either Tom Novak is a real pleasure to read—Going Rogue is filled with great action, a strong protagonist with some good supporting characters, and villains you really want to see thwarted and punished. This is just what you want in a thriller.

I do think that Going Dark was a slightly more effective and polished work, but I won’t hesitate to recommend this one—and I’m already eager to see what Novak is Going to do next.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion. I sincerely thank him for this.

3.5 Stars

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