Invincible by James Patterson

Reviewed by Desere

Everyone thinks Emma Dockery has gone mad, as in completely off the deep end! She's obsessed with finding the link between hundreds of unsolved cases, she's even gone as far as taking leave from her job as a FBI researcher.

Surrounding herself with newspaper clippings on the walls of her bedroom and night after night suffering through endless nightmares of a raging all-consuming fire, she dredges on day after day seeking to find that one vital clue to make the world believe her.

She of course comes off as so nuts that not even her ex-boyfriend, FA Harrison 'Books' Bookman will believe her crazy theory that hundreds of kidnappings, rapes and murders are somehow all connected. That all comes to a earth-shattering " now you believe me" moment when Emma finds the one piece of evidence not even Books can ignore.  As more and more murders are reported each passing day with no motives, no murder weapons in sight and zero suspects Emma's chances of proving the unthinkable seem bleaker with each murder, and worst of all, she might just die trying.

I loved this book, it had me guessing at each and every turn, and best of all it was one of those books that once you start, putting it away for later is simply just not possible. The author sucks you in to the mystery and there is no way you can leave this absolutely thrill ride of a book for even a second!

There was many twists and turns in this book, but not the kind that would have you thinking " I saw that coming!" and then silently keeping the " I so did not see it,  but I want to look smart " comments to yourself, no this author hits you with the unexpected when you least expect it and completely threw me for a loop each and every time.

I am a big fan of mystery reads and I am pretty good with solving the mystery after about six or seven chapters and long before the end, yet with this read I simply could just not get to it. Each time I thought I have it all worked out the author would bring forth such a rollercoaster of a twist it made me feel like Emma , back to square one!

I could not get enough of the emotion in this book, from frustration to anger to hurt to absolute " Eureka!" moments and back again to " Oh no, that did not just happen!!" very addictive !

I highly recommend this book for all fans of a fantastic, blow your mind, knock your socks off mystery reads. Once you start this book you will simply be trapped in this author's world and believe me you will not want to leave, it's simply too good to want to go!

4.5 star review
" Within the flames of hate lies the truth of death" 

*** Now available at Random House Struik South Africa 

The Murder Bag by Toni Parsons

Reviewed by Desere

The read tells of seven school friends, just like everyone they bonded with each other because they had no choice due to the school not being your everyday run of the mill school. This school takes "worthless" kids and turns them into men of the going to war, face anything, always be in power kind.

Not necessarily a bad thing but if you know what happens behind the closed doors you will just as I go into a squirming fit, but this is also what sets the scene for the big bang moments in this read.

Fast-forward a couple of years and we have each of of the seven boys now men with wives, businesses and addictions. One my one they start dying, only not the "Oh dear died because of some addiction of tragic natural event", nope these guys have their throats slashed open.

Enter Detective Max Wolfe, determined to always get his man, smart and focused at all times.  Only this is a killer like no other he has ever dealt with before and before long he's as trapped in the nightmare as the men dying, can he catch his man or is that men?

My first Toni Parsons book but so not the last! I was wonderfully lost inside this read I devoured it in twenty four hours!  A brilliantly clever plot that had me guessing only a few things and being totally surprised at the rest.

The mystery in this read was pure brilliance, I guessed the identity of  the killer three times and got it wrong every time, in that alone lies the truth that this is a truly remarkably crafted murder mystery read, I always get it by the second guess!

The characters were extremely well written and so realistic it was as if I could see them playing out their parts right in front of me. The scene descriptions were so well written it felt the fear, the anger and the knife slashing into the victims, truly gripping.

The book contains a fast array of characters but not the to extent as in some reads, where you feel there is just too much going on. Each character is as vital as the other one and they all made this read a roller-coaster ride of mystery, intrigue, a good educational look at weapons, and best of all a finale that will blow you away!

The book reads like a soft floating wind, not once did it feel as if it was dragging to get to a conclusion which I find in most thrillers happens too often.

I highly recommend this read for all fans of thrillers that entertain on every page. I look forward to another read from this author.

5/5 star review
" The bag of murder contains more than just a secret of the past"

** Copy provided by Random House Struik South Africa  in exchange for a honest review