The Desolate Garden by Daniel Kemp

Publication Date: September 23, 2017

The Desolate Garden by Daniel KempHarry Paterson’s father, Lord Elliot Paterson, is murdered and because he stands to inherit the title, Harry is the #1 suspect. Judith Meadows is assigned to stay with Harry during the investigation to keep him safe and also garner whatever information she can to help solve the case. Together they look into strange messages that Harry received from his father before his death regarding strange transactions at the family bank. Continue reading The Desolate Garden by Daniel Kemp

Welcome to Romero Park (Night of the Victorian Dead #1) by Amber Michelle Cook

Publication Date: March 18, 2018

 

Welcome to Romero Park by Amber Michelle CookWelcome to Romero Park by Amber Michelle Cook is the first novel of the Night of the Victorian Death series. Selected elite families are invited to a house party in the English countryside. When tenants of the host start disappearing and traveling elite are attacked, it’s clear that darker forces are at play. What is really going on at Romero Park?

Continue reading Welcome to Romero Park (Night of the Victorian Dead #1) by Amber Michelle Cook

Once I Was A Soldier by Daniel Kemp

Release Date: September 25, 2017

 

Book Review: Once I Was A Soldier by Daniel KempOnce I was a Soldier by Daniel Kemp starts with a spoiled and callus child of privledge and blossoms into a globe-trotting tale of politics, sex and deceit.

 

 

 

 

Melissa Iverson is a horrible person. Kemp opens Once I was a Soldier with the death of Melissa’s very wealthy and influential father.  Kemp outlines her backstory and seeming lack of desire to connect with humans around her on a dead brother and mostly absentee and hostile mother. Rejecting an idea of friendship and using sexual partners for biological release, she is contemptuous and cynical of everyone she comes across. Her father is smart enough before what seems to be his untimely death to take the responsibility for her factories and workers off of her plate but fails to provide adequately for people who have worked in their home for 40 years. Melissa only cares if she’ll have to stoop to looking for employment and how degrading that eventuality may be. She is brusque and wholly repugnant and if I were not reviewing this book I would probably have stopped reading before the action really began. Fortunately, Melissa isn’t the only character in this tale of international intrigue.

When Melissa, who previously has never been to London, starts traveling she meets Terry, an undercover British Intelligence Officer. Terry is also involved with the wife of a politician who is looking to occupy the Oval Office. Kemp weaves their relationship in such a way that puts Melissa directly in  the line of fire. Terry is not necessarily a nice guy but he’s less defined than Melissa so doesn’t come off as grating. Terry and Melissa have an active sex life between themselves and with others to the point where it’s gratuitous and reads as though perhaps the author is aiming for an E.L. James kind of flavor and that author’s healthy fan-base of middle aged women with money to burn and looking to live vicariously (I say this as a middle aged woman). Some of the more sweeping shifts in the novel read as unrealistic and while realism isn’t necessary to fiction Kemp, at point, pushes the bonds of suspension of disbelief.

Kemp has a colorful writing style that seems to lapse from time to time into purple prose. The dialogue style is quite formal which I initially thought was to indicate Melissa’s breeding but the style is maintained mostly throughout the hefty 376 page work of fiction. The author is English so one would expect a certain amount of formality but Kemp, at times, hits an Austenesque level of cultured language. Despite the far reaching settings, they don’t really read as unique.

“So did she like the novel?” you may wonder. I didn’t like the start. Once the action started going there were some interesting twists. Would I recommend Once I was a Soldier? Maybe. I’d be very selective in the reader. If you like romantic thrillers I think we’re part way to a recommendation. Kemp is a talented writer and the reviews I’ve seen of his work tend to be positive but he was just not a good pick for this reader.

If you like erotica and thrillers, you may like Once I Was A Soldier by Daniel Kemp.

 

 

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About Daniel Kemp
For more information about Daniel Kemp visit his infosite. You can connect with him on Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter @danielkemp6.

The Facility by Brandon Ford

Publication Date: December 20, 2016

 

The Facility by Brandon FordIn The Facility by Brandon Ford, Holly Vogel discovers that her husband has been violating their five-year-old daughter, she takes the child and goes on the run. With no one to turn to, she finds a website known as “The Facility.” Will it be the answer to her prayers or a new beginning to her nightmare?    Continue reading The Facility by Brandon Ford

Knoll: The Last JFK Conspiracist by Stephen Hillard

Publication Date: June 6, 2017

 

Knoll: The Last JFK Conspiracist by Stephen HillardIn Knoll: The Last JFK Conspiracist by Stephen Hillard, the lawyer Bus McIntyre digs into the past of his murdered father, he uncovers a dangerous secret. At the same time, a protege of Edward Snowdon discovers that a project purporting to look for new information in the assassination of JFK is actually identifying people with new information and eliminating them. Is Bus the next victim?    Continue reading Knoll: The Last JFK Conspiracist by Stephen Hillard

Night School by Lee Child

Publication Date: November 7, 2016

 

Night School by Lee ChildIn Night School by Lee Child, it’s 1996 and Reacher is coming off of a big win in his Army career when he’s sent to Night School. His classmates, an FBI Agent and CIA Analyst, have also just celebrated big successes in their careers. The trio soon learns that there have been shadowy whispers of an American and an act of terrorism on a scale the world has never known. Can they, with the help of Reacher’s trusted friend, Frances Neagley, stop the plot in time? Continue reading Night School by Lee Child

What Doesn’t Kill Us by Nirina Stone

Publication Date: March 12, 2015

 

What doesn't kill us by Nirina StoneIn What Doesn’t Kill Us by Nirina Stone, Lucy Reynolds left home at an early age to escape her abusive environment. Now off to the university, she’d like to fly under the radar and forget. Lucy gets caught up in a dangerous game when a secret society called The Seven starts to court her. When Lucy’s friend goes missing, she must fight or she’ll be next. Will she survive and come out stronger? Continue reading What Doesn’t Kill Us by Nirina Stone

Girl Jacked (A Jack Stratton Book) by Christopher Greyson

Publication Date: August 1, 2013

 

Girl Jacked (A Jack Stratton Book) by Christopher GreysonIn Girl Jacked (A Jack Stratton Book) by Christopher Greyson, officer Jack Stratton’s foster sister, Michelle, is missing. The police believe she just decided to leave but their foster mother, Aunt Haddie, knows that she wouldn’t take off without letting her know. Haddie knows that Jack is that one person that will find Michelle at all costs. Girl Jacked (A Jack Stratton Book) is the first novel in the Jack Stratton series.  Continue reading Girl Jacked (A Jack Stratton Book) by Christopher Greyson

False Prophet (A Saul Marshall Thriller Book) by Richard Davis

Publication Date: January 25, 2016

 

False Prophet (A Saul Marshall Thriller Book) by Richard DavisImagine seeing your obituary in the paper just before assassins break into your home. In False Prophet (A Saul Marshall Thriller Book) by Richard Davis, a cult starts killing people and Agent Saul Marshall is on the case. When that cult kidnaps Saul’s son, he may officially be off of the case, but the rules have changed and it’s winner take all. False Prophet is the first book in the Saul Marshall Thriller series. Continue reading False Prophet (A Saul Marshall Thriller Book) by Richard Davis