Prayer of the Dragon - Eliot Pattison

Prayer of the Dragon by Eliot Pattison

Another Inspector Shan novel set in Tibet.

These are some of my favourite books. This time the story centres around two murders, and a Navajo ex-judge exploring Tibetan sacred sites with his niece.

This latest novel in the series is more gritty and political in many ways than the rest, including episodes of torture and thamzing by a villager on Shan and his two monk companions.

I highly recommend this book but, as usual, suggest you read the series in order starting with The Skull Mantra, if you want to understand the psyche of the characters in detail.
The books stands on it's own as a good thriller though. Recommended.

The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman

The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman

I enjoyed this book, reading the whole thing in bed last night.
A Gothic thriller: an artist retreat, Italian gardens, mediums, dead and missing children, the past and present colliding.

Read as part of Another Bloomin Challenge
Finished 1st June 08

Loser by Ken McCoy

Loser by Ken McCoy

A Sam Carew crime mystery.
A man is found bludgeoned to death and it's up to Sam to prove that the man who is arrested for the crime is innocent.

A good read.

The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

Enjoyed this medical thriller.

After finding the body of a skeleton while digging her garden, Julia uncovers the thrilling story of Norris, a medical student, and Rose, a young Irish girl, and their lives in Boston in the 1800's. Centring around Harvard Medical school and incorporating tales of 'body snatching', this thriller will keep you wondering until the end.

Read as part of the Suspense ad Thriller Challenge - medical thriller
Finished 31st May

Citizen One by Andy Oakes

Citizen One by Andy Oakes

A crime thriller featuring detective Sun Piao, in which he has to solve a string of murders of prostitutes, murders in which elite army officers are implicated.

Complex and intriging story...delving into the politics and social structures of modern day China.

I enjoyed this novel. I'll be getting hold of the previous one in this series 'Dragon's Eye'.

World War Z: an oral history of the zombie wars by Max Brooks

World War Z by Max Brooks

I loved this book. It's well told, innovative and totally convincing. It's so well written, in interview format, that you could almost believe that it had really happened.

I'm eager to read his 'Zombie Survival Guide' now.

Synopsis: 'It began with rumours from China about another pandemic. Then the cases started to multiply and what had looked like the stirrings of a criminal underclass, even the beginnings of a revolution, soon revealed itself to be much, much worse. Faced with a future of mindless, man-eating horror, humanity was forced to accept the logic of world government and face events that tested our sanity and our sense of reality. Based on extensive interviews with survivors and key players in the 10-year fight-back against the horde, "World War Z" brings the very finest traditions of American journalism to bear on what is surely the most incredible story in the history of civilisation.' (from Amazon.co.uk)

Finished 10 May 08
Horror thriller - 4th book read as part of the Thriller Challenge .

Ice Hunt - James Rollins

Ice Hunt - James Rollins

Choose this book as part of the Suspense and Thriller Challenge.
Initially I picked it as it filled the techno-thriller criteria, but I've loved this book. I couldn't put it down...full of action, intrigue and scientific conspiracy.

Set in the Arctic, the novel centres around the US discovery of an abandoned WW2 Russian Ice Station. What follows is action and adventure above and under the ice, and the unlocking of scientific secrets and unspeakable horrors.

I'll definitely be reading more of James Rollins books.

Finished 23/04/08
3rd book read as part of the Suspense and Thriller Challenge: techno thriller

Nothing To Loose - Lee Child

Nothing To Loose by Lee Child.

The latest in his Jack Reacher series. Another excellent thriller.

I discovered Lee Child by accident late last year, and have read all his novels since then. This latest one is just as good as the rest.

This time, the ex-army cop and current drifter Reacher, ends up embroiled in a conspiracy involving missing persons, murder, recycling of ex-army equipment, toxic waste and much more ...

Finished 20/04/08
2nd book in the Suspense & Thriller Challenge: conspiracy thriller.

Tenderness of Wolves - Stef Penney

The Tenderness of Wolves - Stef Penney

I loved this book.
I was original, well written, and kept you hooked right to the end.
Set in Canada in 1867, the novel follows a variety of frontier characters as they try to solve a murder in a snow filled landscape.
The novel explores the characters pasts and their current lives, as the plot unfolds.
It is a beautifully written book, which I highly recommend.

Finished 26/03/08

Suspense and Thriller Challenge

Oh no...another irresistible challenge...

This time the Suspense and Thriller Challenge here.

The aim of this challenge is to:

* Read SIX (6) different (one from list above to total six) sub-genres of thrillers in 2008.
* Read SIX (6) different (one from the list above to total six) sub-genres of thrillers in 2009.

The list includes these sub-genres:
(books in italic are my possible choices, in bold & italic are definate ones):

1. Action thrillers - Into the Fire by Linda Davies
2. Conspiracy thriller - Nothing to Lose by Lee Child - finished 20th April
3. Crime thriller - Black Daffodil by Katherine John
4. Eco-thriller - Flood by Stephen Baxter
5. Erotic/Romance thriller - Izzy and Eve: An Erotic Thriller by Neal Drinnan
6. Historical Thriller - The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney - finished 26th March
7. Horror thrillers - World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks - finished 10 May 08
8. Legal thrillers - A Walk in the Dark by Gianrico Carofiglio and Howard Curtis
9. Medical thrillers - The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen - finished 31 May
10. Political thrillers - The Successor by Ismail Kadare and David Bellos
11. Psychological thrillers - Strangers by Carla Banks or Die for me by Karen Rose
12. Religious thrillers - The Sacred Bones by Michael Byrnes
13. Sci-Fi thrillers
14. Serial Killer thriller - Death's door by Quintin Jardine.
15. Spy thrillers - Deep siege by Charles Ingram.
16. Supernatural thrillers - Valley of Bones by Michael Gruber
17. Techno-thrillers - Ice Hunt by James Rollins - finished 22nd April
18. True-Crime thrillers

You can find out more details of the sub-genres and example books on the challenge website.
Note: You don't have to choose your books first... I just like to do so!

Killing the Beasts - Chris Simmons

Another new author discovered - Chris Simmons. Enjoyed his novel Killing the Beasts and I'm now reading his Savage Moon.

The Judas - Steve Jackson

Discovered a new author while browsing the library - Steve Jackson. A british author.

Read his first novel - The Mentor, and I'm now reading his second The Judas. Books are centered around a MI6 agent Paul Aston and his friend George. Lots of intrigue, spying and conspiracies...

Thoroughly enjoying these books...

Skin Privilege - Karin Slaughter

Love Karin Slaughter's thrillers, and once again Skin Privilege didn't let me down.