Psychological thrillers are known to be slow, but the author has interestingly crafted a fast paced mystery yet, keeping all the elements of a psycholPsychological thrillers are known to be slow, but the author has interestingly crafted a fast paced mystery yet, keeping all the elements of a psychological thrillers intact. The uniqueness of the story is that in murder mysteries the crime culminates with murder, but here the real deal starts after the murder. The murderer is interested with the cadaver than the living beings. The protagonists include a psychologist and a profiler, Zoe, and an FBI agent, Tatum. The duo is investigating a series of murders of hookers wherein the body of the victim is embalmed and placed in a particular position at different places of Chicago. While in murder mysteries generally forensics and interviews are involved, the protagonists here employe psycho analysis of the killer to find the culprit. The writing is the let down point of this book. Not as immersive as the psychological thrillers should be....more
I like Steve Berry and was finding similar authors. I tried a few authors but none turned out to be as exciting as Berry's thrillers. I stumbled upon I like Steve Berry and was finding similar authors. I tried a few authors but none turned out to be as exciting as Berry's thrillers. I stumbled upon The Atlantis Covenant and thought to give it a try and surprisingly it turns out to be a good read. The protagonist is Max Hunter who is a retired soldier from British army and now an archaeologist. He teams up with a special branch of FBI to stop a secret society of getting hold of some relics that hold the location of mythical Atlantis. It's not mind blowing and has its own flaws. Max Hunter's character is very believable. One would expect him to be a daredevil but he himself accepts in a couple of occasions that he is no Indiana Jones. The plot follows the similar template of an archaeological thriller. The protagonists will solve clues one after the other, hop from one place to another, dodging assassins and bullets. There are a lot of secondary characters which aren't developed properly, perhaps to maintain the pace of the story and also to keep it for coming books of the series....more
The most important requirement of such thrillers is characterisation, but in this book, I can't connect to the protagonist, Zoe Sutton. The villain toThe most important requirement of such thrillers is characterisation, but in this book, I can't connect to the protagonist, Zoe Sutton. The villain too is not really intimidating, his backstory narrated only in the end and very vaguely. The police officer working alongside Zoe too is not fleshed out really well and doesn't get much space in the entire story. It's because of the weak characters the book turns out to be a mediocre read....more
I tried Ernest Dempsey with The Templar Curse. While that book was strictly okay, I thought to give another book a try and hence, picked, The NapoleonI tried Ernest Dempsey with The Templar Curse. While that book was strictly okay, I thought to give another book a try and hence, picked, The Napoleon Affair. I'm not sure if I find it better or worse than the earlier book. The author follows a template, and it is accepted by his characters as well. The protagonists will come across some puzzle which would take them through several clues to the final step where they would find a relic which if goes to the bad guy's hands, lead to devastating consequences. While I have no problem with this recurring theme, I don't like the climax and pay-offs which is consistent in both books. The central problem of the story, the dangerous relic for which the protagonists are risking their lives, doesn't get much attention in the end. Be it the Ark of Covenant in The Templar Curse or Saint Bishop's ring in The Napoleon Affair. I like Sean and Tommy's banters and how theh turn a grim situation comic. Another problem is the shifting point of view. Normally the pov shifts after a chapter or a section at the least, but here the pov changes with paragraph which makes things very confusing. I'll try another book from this author but not very soon....more
An unworthy sequel to the "bloody" brilliant thriller, A Dark Lure. So this book is set in the same world as A Dark Lure. The three characters from prAn unworthy sequel to the "bloody" brilliant thriller, A Dark Lure. So this book is set in the same world as A Dark Lure. The three characters from previous book, Olivia, Cole, and Tori, making a comeback. They have a guest appearance, basically because it's majorly the story of a detective, Rebecca, who's investigating the suicide of his father, which she believes is a foul play. Her father had recently reopened a decade old case of two missing teenagers, who he believed had been killed. What comes next is Rebecca's continuing his father's investigation. While A Dark Lure was majorly focussed on the characters, their backstories, their fears, etc, this book spends most of its time in investigation and hence, it's not as immersive as it's predecessor. The climax too wasn't that great and there was no great revelation in the end on the part of whodunit. An average crime thriller, I would label it....more
An action & adventure thriller that started with a lot of promise but left too much for the sequel. In any book, the author must solve at least one ofAn action & adventure thriller that started with a lot of promise but left too much for the sequel. In any book, the author must solve at least one of the problem before ending the story, but here it seems that the author wrote a long story and divided it into multiple books. Cosega Search is about an archaeologist, Rip Gaines, who discovers an artefact that goes back to the time when human beings didn't exist, but the artefact appeared as if it's made by intelligent humans, thus challenging both conservative religions and modern science. Then, like typical thrillers of this genre, multiple parties chase after the protagonists, killing everyone in their way, but the protagonists will remain unscathed. The protagonists keep on dodging the FBI and Vatican assassins one after the another while learning about the artefact on their journey. However, nothing much is revealed about the artefact in the end and the protagonists are still on the run. Though I would like to know the mystery of the artefact, I won't return for the second book anytime sooner....more
Bloody brilliant thriller. It was both bloody and brilliant. Right from the first chapter the tone was set. It isn't one of those murder mysteries wheBloody brilliant thriller. It was both bloody and brilliant. Right from the first chapter the tone was set. It isn't one of those murder mysteries where the investigator is finding one clues after other and the bodies are piling up. Author has spend some good amount of time in plotting, interestingly entwining the lives of all the characters with each other. The characters are fleshed out well, convincing and motivated. I could connect to each one of them. Highly recommended for psychological thriller lovers....more
The plot of this book can be summarised as below: Protagonists dodging the villains. A witty banter Protagonists dodging villains. A witty banter . . . The auThe plot of this book can be summarised as below: Protagonists dodging the villains. A witty banter Protagonists dodging villains. A witty banter . . . The author made this template and goes on and on before they arrive at the final battle. The story ends with another witty banter. The story is about the popular secret society, Illuminati, and one of the seven ancient wonders, the statue of Zeus. I would've loved to see more about them but the Hollywood style action and unnecessary banters filled most of the pages....more
The book is an anthology of eight short stories that span over a variety of themes, mostly related to friendship, love and family relations. All storiThe book is an anthology of eight short stories that span over a variety of themes, mostly related to friendship, love and family relations. All stories end with a moral and on a positive. Thus every story has a positive vibe to it. I loved one particular story, Self Happiness Above All, which tells how we keep on sacrificing our happiness in order to keep others happy, which doesn't really matter in the long-term. I'm looking forward to read a full-fledged novel from this author one day....more
In a mystery generally the stake holders are the detective and the killer. What makes The Shark interesting is the the number of stake holders. So theIn a mystery generally the stake holders are the detective and the killer. What makes The Shark interesting is the the number of stake holders. So there's a detective, an ex-FBI who runs a private security company, another ex-FBI who works there and had an affair with the detective. And everyone's past is interwoven with the killer. This sheer list of stakeholders keep you involved in the story. Another interesting thing about this book is that it not only deals with homicide but there's organised crime as well, hence, raising the stakes even more higher. Writing is above average. The word 'tugged' is used to a point that it starts annoying you. Hence, a star less....more
In any mystery, the readers solve the case along with the investigators. They know only the things the investigators would know. In this book, howeverIn any mystery, the readers solve the case along with the investigators. They know only the things the investigators would know. In this book, however, the investigators are gauging 5-6 different suspects and 3-4 different motives behind the crime, but in the villain's chapters, it is revealed quite quickly what's the motive of the villian. Hence, for all other motives the investigators are weighing, we as a reader know that it's a red herring. And when the readers could spot the red herrings, the author has failed as a mystery writer....more
I've been a fan of Steve Berry and was searching for a similar author when I stumbled upon Ernest Dempsey. I had an idea that these kind of historicalI've been a fan of Steve Berry and was searching for a similar author when I stumbled upon Ernest Dempsey. I had an idea that these kind of historical adventure thriller series doesn't require to be read in a particular order. Hence, I picked the 15th book based on the no of reviews. The story involves the usual deal of cracking codes and dodging bullets and Assassins, quite literally, because the antagonists of the book are the secret order of Assassins. The central conflict of the book is a biblical relic called Ark of Covenant, which was brought to America by Knights Templar in early 12th century from France. The author didn't take the pain to explain what is the Ark, neither he showed the real Ark in the end. I liked, however, the camaraderie between the protagonists, Sean Wyatt and his sidekick Tommy Schultz....more
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