YvonneThis week’s new arrival on the scene, was a completely unexpected, but very welcome surprise from Janet Asprey at Bloomsbury Publishing. Still nothing can beat the look, smell and feel, of a brand new printed publication – Thanks Janet đ
I see that a few of you have already shared this one and I hope to catch some reviews in due course, to read what you thought about it.
…
“A THOUSAND CUTS”
A fatal explosion in the past. A series of brutal murders in the present. In the blazing Gibraltar sun, is justice being served for betrayals long hidden?
Gibraltar, 1940. A bomb explodes, killing two British soldiers patrolling the dockyards. A Spaniard is executed for the crime, yet protests his innocence to the very last.
Present day, and Spike Sanguinetti finds himself defending the violent and alcoholic Christopher Massetti in a harassment case brought against him by the wealthy and respected Dr. Eloise Capurro. Yet the case isn’t as cut-and-dried as it first seems and Massetti walks free. Only days later, Dr. Capurro leaps to her death from a blazing house fire before Sanguinetti’s very eyes. Sanguinetti spots someone else watching, someone hiding in the shadows. Massetti.
Spike starts asking questions that nobody seems to want answered. Soon, it’s not just the truth that’s at stake: it is everything and everyone that Spike holds precious.
As the Gibraltarian sun beats down relentlessly, crimes of the past and present collide, relationships are tested and long-buried secrets exposed. Who can Spike trust? And where do his own loyalties lie?
…
THOMAS MOGFORD
After reading Modern and Medieval Languages at Oxford University, Thomas went on to work as a journalist for âTime Outâ and a translator for the European Parliament and UEFA Champions League. Whilst training to be a lawyer, he looked into practising abroad. Instead, he decided to write a series of thrillers set in Gibraltar and the wider Mediterranean.
The preceding four novels in the ‘Spike Sanguinetti’ series, Shadow of the Rock, Sign of the Cross, Hollow Mountain and Sleeping Dogs have all been published by Bloomsbury and to critical acclaim.
Thomas was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger Award for best new crime writer of 2013.
He is married and lives with his family in London.
To those who dismiss crime fiction as beneath literary, Thomas replies that thereâs plenty of crime fiction that can rival classic fiction, and that the distinction is fairly futile anyway. âAs long as the characterisation is strong, and the writing is fresh and truthful instead of lazy or clichĂ©d, it doesnât matter what genre your book falls into: good writing is good writing.â Crime fiction is highly versatile, he adds: âMost books contain a crime somewhere in the plot. From âJane Eyreâ to âOliver Twistâ, find me a classic that doesnât!â
Visit Thomas at his website
Follow Thomas on Twitter
âŠ
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house during the last week. Be warned that Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home, where links may be added each week. So why not stop by, leave a link to your own Mailbox Monday post, oh! and donât forget to leave a comment for our three new joint administrators, after all, we all like to receive them ⊠Your Hosts for âMailbox Mondayâ
Leslie of âUnder My Apple Treeâ
Serena of âSavvy Verse & Witâ
Martha of âReviews By Marthaâs Bookshelfâ
This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well⊠You never know where that next âmust readâ book will come from!
âŠ
Sounds like a book you’ll enjoy, Yvonne. Have a good week!
Hi Mary,
Gibraltar is somewhere I have never visited, so I am very much hoping that Thomas has included some descriptive writing about the place, especially during the war-time 1940 period, as I know very little about the country during this time. Post war, Gibraltar used to be a favourite military posting for the British Armed Forces, but we were never lucky enough to be offered detachment there during our service time.
Thanks for stopping by and have a Happy Reading week đ
That author looks so young and the book sounds very relevant. I look forward to your thoughts on it.
Hi Kathy,
There are a couple of shots of Thomas in which he might look a little older, but they were all privately taken, so I decided to use the same picture as is on his website. Believe it or not he is 40 this year, so I guess the saying that “you know you are getting older when the policemen start to look younger” is true, even when applied to authors!
As Thomas, “whilst training to be a lawyer, looked into practising abroad, instead deciding to write a series of thrillers set in Gibraltar and the wider Mediterranean”, I am hoping that he is an author who has really researched the area and the political conflicts which exist, to add some authenticity to the storyline.
I always appreciate you taking the time to comment and hope that you have a good week đ
It sounds interesting. Have you read any of the earlier books in the series?
He does look young! I really like his commentary on ‘crime fiction’.
Hi Kelly,
I too thought that Thomas’s commentary about crime fiction was very astute and well considered.
Surely classic fiction in its purest form, is simply another genre which sits alongside so many others, with each of us having our own favourites and preferences.
I definitely echo Thomas’s thoughts about writing being good, as one of the main criteria, regardless of genre. Perhaps that is one area where classical fiction has the slight edge over modern day authors and writing – but that is only a very personal opinion.
This book was sent completely out of the blue by publisher Bloomsbury and up until then, I had never come across the author before, so I haven’t read any of the previous books in the series. We have however visited Malta, where ‘Sign Of The Cross’, the second book, is set, so I do hope to get to read that one eventually.
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. As always I am very grateful đ
Sounds really good. I hope you enjoy it.
Hi Carol,
Spike Sanguinetti sounds like a force to be reckoned with and a great character worth getting to know.
Be default, I have come into this series when there are already four previous books out there in circulation, so I am just hoping that they all work well as stand alone stories.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, I always appreciate it when folks stop by for a chat đ
Sounds really good, enjoy.!
Hi Mary Ann.
I like the locations Thomas has chosen for his books, the storylines sound strong and Spike Sanguinetti sounds like a great character, what more could you ask for?
Thanks for visiting this week, it is always good to touch base with you đ
I am not sure I would like this book, but thanks for sharing.
Have a great reading week, Yvonne.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
Hi Elizabeth,
It wouldn’t do for us all to enjoy the same kind of genre, author satisfaction, or reading experience, now would it?
I do try to take on the majority of author / publisher requests, but that isn’t going to help my TBR pile in the slightest, especially when Thomas is a new to me author and I now want to add his previous 4 titles to my list as well!!
I hope that you also have some great books to read this week đ
This sounds like good suspense to me. I like the irony in the title (based on the blurb).
Happy Reading!
Hi Martha,
This does sound like a high impact, high intensity story, doesn’t it?
I am definitely intrigued about the link between past and present, particularly if it is going question everything Spike believes in.
It sounds as though ‘Massetti’ holds the key to everything, does he hold the key to Spike’s future as well?
Thanks for stopping by this week and for co-hosting such a great meme đ