New Books and the Spy / Thriller Novel

Occupied

It's a sunny, bright Sunday morning and we've got a stack of Indiana Jones movies on Space today. Last night I watched the second episode of a Norwegian series called Occupied. It's based on an idea by mystery writer, Jo Nesbo, he of Harry Hole fame.

This is the synopsis of the show. The episode I've watched was interesting.

"In the near future, Norway is occupied by Russia on behalf of the European Union, due to the fact that the newly elected environmental friendly Norwegian government has stopped the all important oil- and gas-production in the North Sea."

I had my 2nd visit to my local use book store yesterday, the 2nd since everything shut down back in February. It was nice to just walk down the aisles and look at books again. I picked up 4. I'll update those and also continue with my look at the Spy / Thriller novel; two books by different authors today.

New Books

1.The Skin Collector by Jeffery Deaver (Lincoln Rhymes #11). I've read 8 or 9 in this series and I do need to get back to it. I've enjoyed every one of the books so far.

"The killer's methods are terrifying. He stalks the basements and underground passageways of New York City. He tattoos his victims' flesh with cryptic messages, using a tattoo gun loaded with poison, resulting in an agonizing, painful death.

When a connection is made to the Bone Collector-the serial killer who terrorized New York more than a decade ago-Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are immediately drawn into the case.

Rhyme, Sachs, and the NYPD must race against time to answer the many questions the investigation uncovers: Whom will the killer attack next? What is the message behind the victims' tattoos? Does the killer's own inking--a fanged centipede sporting a woman's face--hold any significance? And what is his ultimate mission?

As time runs out, Rhyme discovers that the past has returned to haunt him in the most troubling way imaginable..."

2. What Lies Behind by J.T. Ellison (Dr. Samantha Owens #4).

"Waking to sirens in the night is hardly unusual for Samantha Owens. No longer a medical examiner, she doesn't lose sleep over them, but a routine police investigation in her neighborhood has her curious. When her homicide detective friend, Darren Fletcher, invites her to look over the evidence, she jumps at the chance and immediately realizes the crime scene has been staged. What seems to be a clear case of murder/suicide—a crime of passion—is anything but. The discovery of toxic substances in hidden vials indicates that something much more sinister is at play… 

As Fletch and Sam try to understand what and who they are dealing with, they are summoned to a meeting at the State Department. High-level officials are interested in what they know and seem to be keeping secrets of their own. It's up to Sam and Fletch to uncover what lies behind the deception as the threat of bioterrorism is exposed, and her boyfriend, Xander Whitfield, may be in the line of fire. 

Unsure who to trust, Sam and Fletch find themselves up against very powerful people at every stage in the investigation. No one is who they appear to be and with every minute that passes, the danger escalates. It's Sam's most complex case yet and the terrifying reality is beyond anything she could have imagined."

3. When the Devil Holds the Candle by Karin Fossum (Konrad Sejer #4). I've read one book in this Scandi mystery series so far.

"When two teenagers steal a purse from a stroller, it results in an infant’s death. Unaware of the enormity of their crime, Zipp and Andreas are intent on committing another. They follow an elderly woman home, and Andreas enters her house with his switchblade. In the dark, Zipp waits for his friend to come out.

Inspector Konrad Sejer and his colleague Jacob Skarre see no connection between the infant’s death and the reported disappearance of a local delinquent. And so while the confusion outside mounts, the heart-stopping truth unfolds inside the old woman’s home.

Unflappable as ever, Sejer digs below the surface of small- town tranquility in an effort to understand how and why violence destroys everyday lives."

4. Willful Behavior by Donna Leon (Commissario Brunetti #11). One of my favorite mystery series.

"Mystery lovers everywhere are addicted to Donna Leon's ever-honorable Commissario Guido Brunetti and her portrayal of Venice's beautiful but sinister byways and canals. In Willful Behavior, Brunetti is approached for a favor by one of his wife's students. Intelligent and serious , Claudia Leonardo asks for his help in obtaining a pardon for a crime once committed by her now-dead grandfather. Brunetti thinks little of it-until Claudia is found dead. Soon, another corpse and an extraordinary art collection lead Brunetti to long-buried secrets of Nazi collaboration and the exploitation of Italian Jews-secrets few in Italy want revealed."

The Spy / Thriller Novel

Books by two authors in today's post, one is by one of my favorite authors of all time, Nevil Shute, and the other created one of my favorite crime series, Ian Rankin.

Nevil Shute

1. Nevil Shute Norway lived from 1899 - 1960. He was born in Ealing, England and died in Melbourne Australia. He has written some of my favorite novels, On the Beach, Pied Piper, A Town Like Alice, The Far Country. He wrote was stories, personal stories, even science fiction. Today I'll look at one that's on my bookshelf but I haven't read yet that I think might fit the spy / thriller category.

a. Lonely Road (1932).

"This spy thriller finds Malcolm Stevenson, a wealthy, middle-aged shipbuilder, embroiled in an international Communist conspiracy. Smuggling guns into England, he gets caught up in politics and alien ideologies. In time he becomes more concerned with his lone quest for the truth."

If you'd like to explore Shute's books, the complete listing can be found at this link.

Ian Rankin

2. Ian James Rankin was born in Carendon, UK in 1960. I have featured him previously in my look at the mystery novel, with his crime series set in Edinburgh and featuring crusty cop, Rebus. I'll feature his 3rd published novel here, one dealing with the UK spy services.

a. Watchman (1988).

"I've enjoyed reading Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus books very much. I'm well in to that series. Watchman was Rankin's 3rd novel, written after the first of his Rebus books. It's quite different from the Rebus books; in fact, it's more in line with early John le Carré than what you expect from Rankin.

 

Miles Flint (from the intro, Rankin borrowed the name from the In Like Flint movie series starring James Coburn) is a Watchman, working for the British Secret Service. Having issues with his marriage, he decides one night to assist in the monitoring of an Arab spy instead of going home. Unfortunately, the spy gives the group the slip and the Arab ends up killing an Israeli arms dealer.

This starts a somewhat convoluted series of events as the story follows a variety of people; Flint, his wife Sheila, a news reporter trying to get a big scoop, other members of the spy agency, a politician, etc. At times it's a bit hard to follow who is who and what is going on, but like the best of le Carré, slowly and then more quickly, the various stories begin to tie themselves together with an ultimately satisfying ending.

There is a great deal of political and in-office intrigue. Who is phoning the reporter with clues? Who is threatening the politician? Who can Flint trust in his department? Why is he suddenly sent to Northern Ireland? The story is set during the period when the IRA is bombing regularly in London and other English cities, which adds a very interesting atmosphere to the story. I wasn't sure I'd like it, at the beginning, but as the story moved along, it got more and more interesting. Well worth trying if you want to see a different side to Rankin's writing. (3.5 stars)"

Ian Rankin's complete catalogue can be found at this link.

So there you go. Have a great week!