Thursday, 20 February 2014

THRILLER REVIEW: A Steel City Thriller: Blood Guilt - Ben Cheetham

Release Date: 26/12/13
Publisher:  Head of Zeus

SYNOPSIS:

'Last night, eight-year old Ethan Reed was abducted at gunpoint from his home by an armed intruder. We are urging members of the public to get in touch. A coordinated search of the local area will be carried out.'Four years ago, Detective Inspector Harlan Miller killed someone. Now - divorced, alone, consumed by guilt - the world outside his prison walls holds little for him. Until, mere days after his release, an eight-year-old boy is abducted. Ethan Reed. The son of the man he killed. Frustrated by a police search that finds nothing, driven to desperation by repeated appeals that bring in no new leads, Ethan's mother knocks on the door of the man she has reason to hate most in the world. She has one question to ask - beg - of Harlan Miller. Find her little boy. Do whatever it takes.


REVIEW:

This was a book that I liked the sound of from the blurb and whilst I really got into the concept as the tale wound its way, I had one major problem, the principle character, I really just couldn’t stand him. For me there was no real hook to get the reader to associate with him and when added to a thoroughly dislikeable personality had me wondering if I’d made a huge error.

Don’t get me wrong, the concept was fairly strong, some of the twists were very clever but when I don’t care for a principle character how am I meant to actually care whether they live or die or achieve their objective. All round a book that I’m pleased I read but not only that’s going to make me reach for the authors next book immediately.


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