Book Synopsis:

How can you spot a murderer?

 
Leo Stone is a ruthless killer – or the victim of a miscarriage of justice. A year ago, he was convicted of the murder of two women and sentenced to life in prison. But now he’s free, and according to him, he’s innocent.
 
DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent are determined to put Stone back behind bars where he belongs, but the more Maeve finds out, the less convinced she is of his guilt.
 
Then another woman disappears in similar circumstances. Is there a copycat killer, or have they been wrong about Stone from the start?

Cruel Acts is available in ebook and hardcover now. You can purchase your copy using the link below.

My Review:

Cruel Acts is one of the best crime mysteries I’ve read recently and helped me get out of the reading slump I was in.

I was immediately drawn into the story and intrigued by the idea that a miscarriage of justice could have been done. I was wondering how the story would unfold, what with it being a cold case, but the author is very clever with the way new information about the case is discovered. This is done in a realistic and subtle way with the author slowly revealing holes in the original investigation which ensured I was thoroughly gripped!

I loved the two main characters Kerrigan and Derwent who seemed to work well together, despite sometimes rubbing each other up the wrong way. They obviously care about each other which was lovely to read about and made for some quite dramatic though funny scenes. It was interesting to learn more about their lives outside of being police officers as it helped me to understand what makes them tick. Kerrigan is a wonderful, clever character who was fascinating to watch solve the case as she often found little clues that no one else manages to. She works hard and has gained a lot of respect from her colleagues for this. It was sad to see her wrong footed from a seemingly innocent mistake but watching her fight back made for great reading.

This is a fast paced gripping book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. There is lots of action happening either with the case of in their personal lives which made the book hard to put down. The twists in this book took me totally by surprise and I kept being wrong footed over what had happened. The way the investigation goes was completely different to what I expected and I was completely shocked with the ending which had me on the edge of my seat whilst reading. This is the first book from this author that I’ve read and I’m excited to have found a new crime series to enjoy.

Huge thanks to Harper Collins for my copy of this book via Netgalley which I received in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

“All my criminal elements have some basis in reality, no matter how awful they may be. Nothing is completely farfetched.” Jane Casey

Crime is a family affair for Jane Casey. Married to a criminal barrister, she has a unique insight into the brutal underbelly of urban life, from the smell of a police cell to the darkest motives of a serial killer.

This gritty realism has made her books international bestsellers and critical successes; while Detective Constable Maeve Kerrigan has quickly become one of the most popular characters in crime fiction.

Winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award for The Stranger You Know, Jane has been shortlisted four times for the Irish Crime Novel of the Year Award and longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award.

Book Synopsis:

CAN GREECE RESIST THE MIGHT OF ROME?

Get ready for the climax of the Roman invasion of Greece in Sunday Times bestseller Ben Kane’s latest historical adventure.

ONE FINAL CLASH
Reeling from his defeat at the hands of the Macedonians, Rome’s furious General Flamininus gathers his legions for the final strike on King Philip’s mighty phalanx.

AN EMPIRE ON THE EDGE
Both leaders know the victor will rule Greece, and both armies will do everything in their power to claim the ultimate prize.

TWO HEROES PREPARED TO DIE
Fighting on opposing sides, Felix and Demetrios think they have survived the worst of the campaign. But between vicious infighting, unruly locals, and intense battle, both will be tested as the final showdown between two great civilisations begins . . .

THE FALLING SWORD is the gripping follow-up to CLASH OF EMPIRES from Ben Kane, the master of historical fiction – for fans of Simon Scarrow, Harry Sidebottom, Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell.

The Falling Sword is published on the 2nd of May 2019 in ebook and hardback. You can pre-order your copy using the link.

My Review:

I’m such a huge fan of this author as his books are always utterly fascinating and gripping, making the history come to life.

Once again the author has clearly done his research on an area of history that I didn’t know anything about. He has skillfully managed to bring the bloody battle field to life so that the reader feels that they are actually there. It was great to revisit Felix and Demetrios again as I enjoyed the personal battle between the two of them in Clash of Swords. As the story unfolds I found it interesting to watch their relationship have to change as they found themselves on the same side.

This is a really fast paced book with lots going on to keep the reader firmly gripped to the story. I enjoyed following the characters throughout the book and I felt invested in them so cared about what happened to them. Even though this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone as anything you need to know is explained. I do however highly recommend Clash Of Swords as it’s all absolutely brilliant!

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Virginia from Orion books for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

The battle of the Teutoburg Forest, or Varian Disaster, took place in Germany, in September of AD 9. Three Roman legions were massacred by native tribes in a supremely well executed ambush. The defeat was one of the greatest ever suffered by Rome, and the body blow it delivered was one of the reasons that the Empire never again made a serious attempt to conquer Germany. 

All my books are born from my obsession with Roman history, and this one was no different. Planning and writing a series of novels about the lead-up to this conflict, the battle itself and its aftermath has been thrilling. I have twice visited the area of Germany in which the battle took place, and its many museums. Seeing the equipment, weapons, coins and even the bones of legionaries who’d died in battle didn’t just fuel my imagination – it stirred my soul.

Eagles at War is the first in my ‘Eagles’ trilogy of novels about the Varian disaster and the events thereafter. Although it is a work of fiction, it is peopled by historical characters and is based on real events. I hope, like me, you will want to immerse yourself in this incredible story, to remind yourself why the legend of Rome endures, and to stand with Varus’ legionaries during the rain-soaked, muddy, bloody terror of Arminius’ ambush.

To find out more about all my books, please go to my website: http://www.benkane.net.
or to Facebook or to Twitter – you’ll find me easily there.
You can also watch some short, documentary style videos on Youtube: http://bit.ly/1yVwDhG

Many thanks.

Ben Kane
April, 2015

To find out more about Ben Kane, his world and his novels visit: http://www.benkane.net
Twitter @BenKaneAuthor
Facebook.com/benkanebooks

(The image of Ben with the sword on Hadrian’s Wall was provided by North News & Pictures, and the one with authors Anthony Riches and Russell Whitfield on Hadrian’s Wall by Dr. Mike Bishop.)