When prodigal daughter Heather Evans returns to her family home after her mother’s baffling suicide, she makes an alarming discovery–stacks and stacks of carefully preserved letters from notorious serial killer Michael Reave. The “Red Wolf,” as he was dubbed by the press, has been in prison for over twenty years, serving a life sentence for the gruesome and ritualistic murders of several women across the country, although he has always protested his innocence. The police have had no reason to listen, yet Heather isn’t the only one to have cause to re-examine the murders. The body of a young woman has just been found, dismembered and placed inside a tree, the corpse planted with flowers. Just as the Red Wolf once did. What did Heather’s mother know? Why did she kill herself? And with the monstrous Red Wolf safely locked inside a maximum-security prison, who is stalking young women now? Teaming up with DI Ben Parker, Heather hopes to get some answers for herself and for the newest victims of this depraved murderer. Yet to do that, she must speak to Michael Reave herself, and expose herself to truths she may not be ready to face. Something dark is walking…

June, 1781. An unidentified body hangs upon a hook at Deptford Dock – horribly tortured and branded with a slaver’s mark. Some days later, Captain Harry Corsham – a war hero embarking upon a promising parliamentary career – is visited by the sister of an old friend. Her brother, passionate abolitionist Tad Archer, had been about to expose a secret that he believed could cause irreparable damage to the British slaving industry. He’d said people were trying to kill him, and now he is missing . . . To discover what happened to Tad, Harry is forced to pick up the threads of his friend’s investigation, delving into the heart of the conspiracy Tad had unearthed. His investigation will threaten his political prospects, his family’s happiness, and force a reckoning with his past, risking the revelation of secrets that have the power to destroy him. And that is only if he can survive the mortal dangers awaiting him in Deptford… Over the last few years I have been reading more and more crime fiction. I particularly enjoy when the book in question has a historic setting. One such book is Blood and Sugar, a new novel from Laura Shepherd-Robinson set…

When people shed their skin every seven years, it’s just a fact of life that we will cast off all the attachments of our old life. And when our loves are part of us, those memories of love can be bought, if you know the right people. Introducing the new drug, Suscutin, that will prevent the moult. Now you can keep your skin forever. Now you never need to change who you are. But it’s not so simple for celebrity bodyguard Rose Allington, who suffers from a rare disease. Her moults come quickly, changing everything about her life, who she is, who she loves. Meanwhile, her former client, superstar actor Max Black, is hooked on Suscutin, because he knows moulting could lose him everything. When one of his skins is stolen, and the theft is an inside job, he needs the best who ever worked for him on the job – even if she’s not the same person. Very occasionally, I’ll read a piece of writing that takes my breath away. It’s rare, but it does happen from time to time; The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough immediately springs to mind. The Loosening Skin by Aliya Whiteley has found a…

In Paris, 1888, the city prepares for the Exposition Universelle and the new Eiffel Tower swiftly rises on the bank of the Seine. One August morning, the sunrise reveals the embellished corpse of a young man suspended between the columns of the Pantheon, resembling a grotesque Icarus and marking the first in a macabre series of murders linked to Paris monuments. In the Latin Quarter, occult scholar Remy Sauvage is informed of his lover’s gruesome death and embarks upon his own investigation to avenge him by apprehending the cult known as the Eighth Day Brotherhood. At a nearby sanitarium, aspiring artist Claude Fournel becomes enamored with a mesmerist’s beautiful patient, Irish immigrant Margaret Finnegan. Resolved to steal her away from the asylum and obtain her for his muse, Claude only finds them both entwined in the Brotherhood’s apocalyptic plot combining magic, mythology, and murder. I do enjoy a bit of historical crime fiction, especially when there is just a hint, the tiniest suggestion, of something supernatural about the proceedings. The Eighth Day Brotherhood promises exactly that. The debut novel from Alice M. Phillips features a series of despicable murders, an enigmatic cult and a frantic race against time. What more…

It is 1837 and the city streets teem with life, atmosphere and the stench of London. Sarah Gale, a seamstress and mother, has been sentenced to hang for her role in the murder of Hannah Brown on the eve of her wedding. Edmund Fleetwood, an idealistic lawyer, is appointed to investigate Sarah’s petition for mercy and consider whether justice has been done. Struggling with his own demons, he is determined to seek out the truth, yet Sarah refuses to help him. Edmund knows she’s hiding something, but needs to discover just why she’s maintaining her silence. For how can it be that someone with a child would go willingly to their own death? Over the last few years, I’ve been reading more and more crime fiction. The crime novels I’ve enjoyed most have been those that blend history and crime together. The latest addition to this list is The Unseeing by Anna Mazzola. The first narrative thread follows the young lawyer assigned to check the validity of the court’s ruling. Edmund Fleetwood is a rarest of men in Victorian society. He is entirely driven by the need for fairness and a sense of justice. One of the most interesting elements…

Welcome to The Eloquent Page review of 2014. It’s been another barnstormer, genre fiction wise, in the last twelve months. I’ve managed seventy eight books and for the first time ever the site has had over two hundred thousand page views which equates to over fifty thousand unique visitors. That boggles my tiny mind. But never mind all this statistical mayhem. Let’s cut to the chase. It’s time for my awards for the year. Random as ever, and judged by a panel of one, me. The “They Did What?” Award – I’m a boring old sod at heart. I’m not massively interested in the vagaries of the book industry. I read what I like, and that’s about all there is to it. That said, even I’ll admit I was confounded and disappointed when I discovered that Angry Robot were discontinuing Strange Chemistry and Exhibit A. Both were brilliant imprints. Obviously, I appreciate there were probably entirely valid economic reasons why what happened happened, but personally I wish they were both still around. I read some cracking books from both imprints and I’m still disappointed that they are gone. One small silver lining is that Kim Curran’s final book in the…

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain his throne. First he must survive cruelty, chains and even drowning. And he must do it all with only one good hand. The deceived will become the deceiver. Born a weakling in the eyes of the world, Yarvi cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge. The betrayed will become the betrayer. Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast, he finds they can help him more than any noble could. Will the usurped become the usurper? Even with loyal friends at this side, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, and traps and tragedy… I have to start with an apology. After about an hour of reading Half a King, I had already re-christened this book as Game of Throne in my head. I couldn’t help it, but I’d like to stress that I do mean this as the highest form of compliment. Abercrombie’s latest has a distinct flavour of George R R Martin about it. Not only is there plenty of adventure and fighting, it also deftly explores the same sort of political power plays, skull-duggery and manoeuvrings that Martin…

Gosh, has it really already been twelve months since we all survived the Mayan apocalypse? It’s amazing how quickly we all forgot about that isn’t it? All those giant beasties, strange lights in the sky and everything. Crazy times, eh? Never mind, I’m sure there will another rapture-like event arriving imminently. While we’re waiting, why not pull up a chair and we can talk a bit about some of the top genre books that have arrived in the last year. I’ve decided, as I’ve done in the past, to hold an impromptu little awards ceremony. As ever the categories and winners are decided on by a crack team of intelligent, well-educated genre experts me. Here they are then, in no specific order, without any further rigmarole/needless waffle. Welcome Return of the Year Award – The Republic of Thieves delivered exactly the experience I was hoping for. I found myself getting happier and happier with each passing chapter. Just wonderful to have Locke Lamora, Jean Tannen and the other Gentlemen Bastards back. Great to see Scott Lynch’s return and to confirm he is still delivering exquisitely crafted fantasy. Character of the Year – Ack-Ack Macaque – This was a no brainer. C’mon people, he’s a cigar smoking, smart-mouthed simian who flies…

London, 1859. Novice detective, Campbell Lawless, stumbles onto the trail of Berwick Skelton, an elusive revolutionary, threatening to bring the city to its knees with devilish acts of terror. Thrust into a lethal, intoxicating world of sabotage and royal scandal – and aided by a gang of street urchins and a vivacious librarian – Lawless sets out to capture his underworld nemesis before he unleashes his final vengeance. Murder. Vice. Pollution. Delays on the Tube. Some things never change… I’ve discovered over the last couple of years that I really enjoy historical crime fiction. Taking the staples of a good mystery and adding the extra wrinkle of a different time period can really breathe new life into the genre. Authors like Sarah Pinborough and Lynn Shepherd have produced novels that are hugely entertaining, marvellously evocative and a pleasure to read. William Sutton’s debut, set in Victorian England, treads similar ground. The big question is though, does it deliver? Things get off to a good start, Sutton’s writing vividly brings the hustle and bustle of Victorian London to life. The capital is still caught in the vast changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. You can sense the frenetic energy of the city. Everyone has a purpose,…

Occasionally, publishers very kindly include a quote from one of my reviews on the covers of their books, whether it be the book I’ve reviewed or a newer release by the same author. Here is a page dedicated to those quotes. Quote from Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan review ” Night of the Living Dead meets Countryfile ” Featured on the back cover of Apocalypse Cow   Quote from Blood Fugue by Joseph D’Lacey review ” If you’re a horror fan and you’re not already reading Joseph D’Lacey you had better have a bloody good excuse. ” Featured on the back cover of Black Feathers   Quote from Hereward by James Wilde review ” Wilde’s début novel is fantastically realised. There are strong, believable characters, lashings of fast paced action but this is matched by some excellent intrigue and betrayal that helps to keep the plot moving forward. Hereward is a great example of the historical fiction genre. I recommend it highly. ” Featured on the back cover of Hereward: End Of Days by James Wilde   Quote from The Red Knight by K T Davies review ” Heroes, Villains, Violence, Magic – Not just your basic, average, everday, ordinary,…

I do hope that everyone is having a relaxing and enjoyable festive season. Now that most of the serious over-indulgence is done with for another year, I thought it was about time to take a look at what new book-related loveliness is due in 2013. Here are my top ten books I’m looking forward to reading in the next six months or so. Hope you enjoy. Ack-Ack Macaque by Gareth Powell Publication Date: 3rd January Publisher: Solaris Genre: Simian Steampunk Science Fiction The Blurb: In 1944, as waves of German ninjas parachute into Kent, Britain’s best hopes for victory lie with a Spitfire pilot codenamed ‘Ack-Ack Macaque.’ The trouble is, Ack-Ack Macaque is a cynical, one-eyed, cigar-chomping monkey, and he’s starting to doubt everything, including his own existence. A century later, in a world where France and Great Britain merged in the late 1950s and nuclear-powered Zeppelins circle the globe, ex-journalist Victoria Valois finds herself drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse with the man who butchered her husband and stole her electronic soul. Meanwhile, in Paris, after taking part in an illegal break-in at a research laboratory, the heir to the British throne goes on the run….

Another year is nearly done, and if this post has been published then it appears that those Mayan types were wrong (or we’re now living on borrowed time. I can’t decide which). 2012 has been a busy year here at The Eloquent Page. I’ve read over one hundred books and managed to attend three conventions.  So, without any further ado here is my annual post covering my highlights of the year. Book of the Month (January to December) Jan – Hell Train by Christopher Fowler Feb – Cyber Circus by Kim Lakin Smith Mar – Redlaw by James Lovegrove Apr – Alchemists of Souls by Anne Lyle May – Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig June – Empire State by Adam Christopher July – Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis Aug – Blood and Feathers by Lou Morgan Sept – Great North Road by Peter F Hamilton Oct –  Coldbrook by Tim Lebbon Nov – Blood Fugue by Jospeh D’Lacey Dec – Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth And now for a few specific categories of my own devising.* Best Ongoing Series – Department 19 by Will Hill – The second novel in this series ,The Rising, was released this year and it’s great.  Brilliant characters,…

There is nothing to fear but fear itself… and zombies! Following the outbreak of Human Reanimation Virus – more commonly known as ‘The  Death’ – from a hidden crypt beneath a south London church, the centuries-old plague quickly spreads throughout the world, turning victims into flesh-eating zombies. As we learn more about the mysterious Thomas Moreby – ‘Patient Zero’ – the surviving members of the human race begin their fightback against the legions of walking dead, and the Infected themselves begin mutating into something… different. Told through interconnected eyewitness accounts – emails, text messages, reports , diaries, found video footage and graphic adaptations – the remnants of humanity battle to survive in a world gone mad. This month The Eloquent Page will feature, along with regular reviews, a number of posts discussing my favourite genre subject – The Apocalypse. Pull up a seat for the End of the World… First up everyone’s favourite undead shufflers – zombies. Yes, I know that there is an awful lot of zombie fiction out there, but there are some books that really do stand out. Back in 2010 I reviewed Zombie Apocalypse and was pleased to discover a polished anthology that contained some first…