Review: Nightshade by Paul Doherty

I can't believe this is the 16th in the Hugh Corbett Medieval Mysteries series, and I have them all!!! Not only that, I'm now up to date, with the next in the series due to be published in paperback on 1 November 2010.

I've enjoyed the character development throughout the series. Sir Hugh Corbett wants to spend quality time with his wife, and is anguished each time the King sends him away on a new piece of business. Meanwhile Ranulf is power hungry and keen to advance, eagerly accepting secret instructions from the King. Ranulf's investigative skills and powers of observation continue to grow and he is beginning to emerge as a force to be reckoned with.

In Nightshade, we're transported back to 1304 as Sir Hugh Corbett, Ranulf and Chanson are dispatched by the King to Mistelham. They are to retrieve items stolen from the Templars during the Crusades as well as get to the bottom of the hideous slaughter of 14 seemingly innocent members of a religious order, their corpses left to hang in a deserted area of the forest. Tales from the Crusades, hidden clues, tightly held secrets and a deadly bowman stand in the way of Sir Hugh restoring order and finding the culprit/s.

Doherty conjures the sights, sounds and smells of the period extremely well, which is the main reason I continue to follow and enjoy his series. His descriptions of the biting cold and the fog make me appreciate the luxuries of the present day all whilst snuggling down deeper into my doona. Doherty follows the familiar plot construction of the series, which makes for a predictable style but pleasurable read.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!

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September 13 - 17 is Book Blogger Appreciation Week, and you can join in the celebrations by visiting their website (above) and discovering and supporting new book blogs. You can also find them on Facebook.

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Review: Swimsuit by James Patterson

Swimsuit was written by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro and it was the best Patterson I've read in quite a while. A psychopathic serial killer who goes by the name of Henri Benoit (amongst other names and identities) viciously rapes and kills a swimsuit model in the beginning of the novel. To make matters worse, he is being paid to kill at random and film his evil deeds for super rich clients all over the world.

The hero of the book is a former cop turned reporter, Ben Hawkins who has been told to fly to Hawaii and report on the missing model. He unwittingly becomes involved in the case himself when the killer confronts him to ghost write his story or become his next victim.

If you keep in mind this is a James Patterson and allow yourself to enjoy the short chapters, quick pace, and violence and leave any expectations at the door for deep character development and poignant prose Swimsuit is a quick, easy and entertaining crime thriller.

My rating = ***

Carpe Librum!