Book Review | One Beats The Bush by Riall Nolan - The First in the Max Donovan Adventure Series

on
One Beats The Bush is a well-paced action thriller that ticks multiple boxes; page-turning twists, fight scenes, a lot of crime and, more importantly, a main character you cannot help but love. Vietnam veteran Max Donovan is in Bangkok, and very hungover, when his friend “Fat” Freddie Fields is arrested in San Francisco for the murder of an Australian diplomat. He knows his old buddy would never hurt a fly, so he rushes back to the Bay Area to help. Suspecting Freddie is being framed, Donovan tries to rustle up some cash to bail him out, but only succeeds in getting into trouble with the local mob.  He’ll have to solve the case on his own. Unfortunately, the only clue he has suggest the answer lies in the jungle-covered mountains of Papua New Guinea. As he comes face-to-face with smugglers, hostile tribesmen, insurgents, and a web of corruption and deception, can Donovan achieve what is seemingly impossible? Nolan has managed to achieve a page-turning action thriller that doesn’t feel
2

Book Review | The Burning Girls by C.J.Tudor - A Perfectly Written, Spooky Thriller

on

If there is one author I see everyone ranting and raving about on Twitter it has to be C.J.Tudor. Not only does she seem like a lovely person but her books are phenomenal, and after finally popping my Tudor cherry I can one hundred percent agree with this. 

The Burning Girls follows Rev Jack Brooks and teenage daughter Flo as they move to what seems like a close-knit community, to take over the church. But everything isn’t as it seems. Why did no one mention the dark past linked with the church? Why is Jack and Flo being threatened? But most importantly, why does Flo keep seeing visions on burning girls? No one is save in this twisty, gripping thriller. 

The plot of this book is so perfectly done in so many different ways. Its a spooky thriller but isn’t done in a really over the top way which some books fall victim too. It’s done to just the right degree to play tricks on your mind without making you unable to sleep at night. You’re left questioning everyone as least once and I love that, makes you think twice about who is in the wrong or right. As with most thrillers, the plot ends with big twists and although I knew they would be there I couldn’t figure them out fully. I did think I had almost got there with some, but of course I was still completely blindsided. And not to mention all the little twists and turns dotted throughout, just goes to show how incredible Tudor is at plotting and writing! 

The Burning Girls completely sucked me into its world and I generally struggled to put the book down, staying up way to late for a work night - ooops! But it was so worth the sleepy mornings. I am a woman who loves her sleep so I don’t find many books that force me to stay up, so when I do I know its a good one. And of course the short chapters didn’t help as everyone knows its way easier to convince yourself ‘one more chapter’ when they’re small. 

If The Burning Girls is anything to go by, C.J.Tudor is a very talented writer and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to realise it. Now the hard decision to figure out which of her books to add to my bookshelf next, or maybe just all of them? 

A safe space for me to ramble on about the books I’ve read. Don’t expect high quality, news worthy reviews; I’m just a simple woman who needs somewhere to vent! This blog contains affiliated links.

Comments

Post a Comment