Taken - Robert Crais

Taken - Robert Crais (2012 )

Way back in the day, Lee Childs Jack Reacher used to roam the mean streets picking off the bad fellows and quietly going to the next hotspot.  Lately however, he has been stuck going up and down the same country roads, picking off the same gang of toughies - much like a 90's computer character stuck on the same stage.

Back on the real mean streets of LA we have Cole and Pike who in this episode are off to find a missing daughter and her boyfriend, plucked from the desert by a gang of bajadores - gangs who prey on other bandits.

  It is pretty grim stuff, it did  make me cringe in several scenes,  with the thought of people smuggling being a modern day slavery.  There is pretty extensive violence portrayed but somehow you can always sense that the baddies will get their comeuppence in the end.

So if you are sick of strolling with Jack Reacher - don't forget to give Robert Crais a go - he's good! 4/5

The Sentry - Robert Crais

The Sentry - Robert Crais (2011) Robert Crais is one of the few crime writers that seems to have sustained his talent past the first five books. We've all seen Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs and Lee Child crash and burn and lose their momentum, whereas I have found that so far, I have enjoyed each of Mr Crais new books. In this new one, an incidental stop at a petrol station results in ex-marine Joe Pike witnessing a confrontation that he soon becomes involved with. After his new friends sudden disappearance, Joe enlists the help of his friend Elvis Cole to find them, and find out why federal agents seem reluctant to help. So I'm going to have to say that it is a 4/5, it made me want to head to my cold bedroom and read the book, and I await his next book.

The First Rule - Robert Crais

The First Rule - Robert Crais (2010)

A lot of the thrillers I have read lately have been cracking disapointments, with bumbling plots and see through story lines. I picked up the latest Linda Fairstein last night, but couldn't get pulled in and abandoned it after 5 pages, which is a record as normally I will give it a good 50 or so.

Robert Crais, however rarely fails to deliver, his thrillers are fast paced, get to the point action packed books that remind me of the promise that Lee Child started with in his early novels, but fails to deliver in his latest offerings. This book is what Lee Child wanted to write when he grew up and what James Patterson can only dream of.

Joe Pike becomes involved with a series of brutal home invasions when the latest victim is a past retired mercenary colleague, his wife and two young sons. Ultimately set on revenging his death, Pike with the help of Elvis Cole delves into the world of the Serbian thugs who are involved in violent crime, extortion, gun running and prostitution.

Somehow, once I am involved in the story I always picture Bruce Willis with a scowl and a big gun playing Joe Pike. It is one of those books where you can see the movie playing in your head.

So it's a big winter 4/5 from me. Long dark nights tucked up in a warm bed are making me read more. I went to the library today to grab my latest stack, and I have been good and watched little tv, and ploughed my way through 180 pages of my latest book.

Thanks for dropping by!