phillip strang
Review of ‘Death in the Village’
Most small communities hide big secrets, and the village of Compton is no exception. When village gossip, Gloria Wiggins, is found hanging in her garage, DI Keith Tremayne must peel away the layers of deceit, hatred, and intrigue that has infected the village, in order to find a murderer. But, even as he investigates, more bodies start to appear, and he fears that he might have a serial killer on his hands. The reality, though, is even more bizarre.
If you want to know what that means, you’ll have to read Phillip Strang’s Death in the Village. A captivating story that I promise you, you’ll love.
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Another great DI Tremayne thriller. I give it five stars.
Review of ‘Murder in Hyde Park’
DCI Isaac Cook is at a critical point in his relationship with his fiancée, Jenny, when an unidentified corpse is found in a local park. Personal plans have to be put on hold when there’s a murder to be solved. Isaac and his team pull out all the stops to ID the John Doe, but when they do, the mystery only deepens. They discover that the dead man had been working as an escort under one name, but was actually someone else entirely, and was involved with a married woman whose previous lover died under questionable circumstances, and who is married to a shady defense contractor who is very possessive.
Intrigued? Well you should be. Murder in Hyde Park by Phillip Strang is yet another fantastic offering in the DCI Cook series, about the British-Jamaican police inspector who has to fight internal police bureaucracy and politics as much as he has to fight crime. Despite all obstacles, false trails, and red herrings, though, Isaac and his crew persistently unravel the tangled threads of the crime until they end up at the door of the killer.
If you are, like me, a fan of this series, you’ll be taking action right now to get this one. If you’ve not read them before, as soon as you finish this one, go back to book one and start educating yourself.
Mystery at its best. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. I’m a great fan of the character, so I can’t say in all honesty that my review is totally unbiased. It is honest, though. I give it five stars.
Review of ‘Murder of a Silent Man’
Octogenarian property tycoon Gilbert Lawrence has been a recluse for thirty years since the disappearance of his wife, with his only contacts with the outside world through his solicitor, Leonard Dundas and his housekeeper. When he’s found stabbed to death in his front garden, DCI Isaac Cook and his team are left with a crime that has murky motives and no shortage of suspects, but no way to point a conclusive finger at any of them.
Murder of a Silent Man by Phillip Strang continues the riveting saga of DCI Cook and his ability to balance the demands of the police bureaucracy while maintaining his professional integrity. A story that moves with a sometimes measured, sometimes erratic pace as more bodies start cropping up and the hand of organized crime reveals itself. The trail to the killer moves in a serpentine way, uncovering other evils along the way until it ends at the most unlikely destination.
If this is the first DCI Cook mystery you’ve read, you’ll be motivated to go back and read earlier books in the series, but if, like me, you’re a fan of this character, you’ll just be satisfied that all is right with the world.
I received a complimentary review copy of this book. I loved it, and I can guarantee that you will as well. Another five stars for Strang and his amazing cast of characters.
Review of ‘Murder Has No Guilt’
A gunman walks into a high-end London hair salon and opens fire, killing the owner, two staff members, and five customers. For DCI Isaac Cook and his team, the race is on to find the killer, but they must start with a relatively blank slate. At first, there’s no motive, but as they begin to look under the rug, they find much trash: a ruthless Romanian gangster and his henchmen, a Russian oligarch with an impeccable reputation in England, but who heads one of Russia’s top mobs, and assorted other bits of flotsam and jetsam of England’s criminal underworld, all come together in a maze that foreshadows a possible gang war, and more blood on the streets.
Cook and his crew not only have to deal with the criminal bad guys, but with the bureaucratic and sneaky weasels in their own organization, who are more interested in making points than solving crimes.
Murder Has No Guilt by Phillip Strang is another outstanding chapter in the adventures and misadventures of the indomitable DCI and his band of merry men and women, as they face danger and duplicity with their usual dogged persistence until the guilty—or most of the guilty—are brought to justice.
I’m a fan of this series, which never disappoints, nor does it become boring, with each story building on the last and keeping you reading until the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. I give it five stars without hesitation.
Review of ‘Death by a Dead Man’s Hand’
Released after serving 17 years for the murder of his brother after a gold heist gone awry—from which half the loot was never recovered—Ethan Mitchel is killed in a church, and the evidence initially indicates that his murderer is his dead brother. DCI Keith Tremayne is not fooled. He knows that dead men don’t kill. The problem, though, is that he has too many possible suspects, and no real evidence against any of them.
Death by a Dead Man’s Hand by Phillip Strang is another offering in the DCI Tremayne series, and it continues the tradition of good British mysteries. Good descriptions of police procedure without burdening the reader with excessive detail, and well-developed characters with whom we can relate. Oh, and a well-plotted, tightly paced story that holds your interest for page after page.
I received a free copy of this book. I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Death at Coombe Farm’
The view was idyllic, but with a body that’s been trampled by horses, DI Keith Tremayne is not appreciating it. There’s more in the village of Coombe than meets the eye, and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it. Death at Coombe Farm by Phillip Strang is another offering in the DI Tremayne series that will keep you thrilled from the very first page. The author has an amazing ability to pack tons of procedural details and background information into the story in a way that’s interesting rather than boring, and keeps the reader guessing until Tremayne eventually stumbles—plods—into the truth.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Murder in Notting Hill’
Two women are murdered, in the same manner, within an hour of each other. One, a wealthy white socialite in upscale Holland Park, the other, a black cleaning woman in the crime-riddled, working class neighborhood of Notting Hill. DCI Isaac Cook knows the two crimes are connected, but is pressed to determine how. He and his team have to deal with the area’s street gangs, the bizarre secrets of the upper crust, and the byzantine maneuvering of London’s police hierarchy, as bodies begin to accumulate.
Murder in Notting Hill by Phillip Strang brings DCI Cook and his team back with a vengeance, as the erstwhile homicide investigator navigates the murky waters of gang warfare, class conflict, and the intrigues within the police bureaucracy. The action moves at a frenetic pace, as Cook and his crew engage in a multi-front struggle to bring the guilty to justice—regardless of their station or class.
This book is, like the first five in this series, a real page-turner, mixing police procedure with insightful looks into the personal lives of the protagonists. I received a free copy of this book, and I give it a solid four stars.
Review of ‘Death and the Lucky Man’
Alan Winters came from a not-so-lucky family, with a neglectful mother, and brothers in prison. His luck seemed to turn, though, when he won 68 million pounds in the lottery—but, not for long. Alan ended up naked, with his throat slashed, on the Altar Stone at Stonehenge. DCI Keith Tremayne and his partner, DS Clare Yarwood investigate the strange death, each having also to face pasts that in some ways were best forgotten.
Death and the Lucky Man by Phillip Strang is another fascinating adventure with Tremayne and Yarwood and the denizens of their working-class English environment. The author takes you effectively behind the curtain in a story that will delight.
I received a free copy of this book. I give it five stars.
Review of ‘Death and the Assassin’s Blade’
DI Keith Tremayne and his partner, DS Clare Yarwood are attending a local theatrical group’s performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar,’ When the actor portraying Caesar is stabbed in Act 3, and the body is removed from the stage, little do the two cops know that they have just witnessed an actual murder. There were seven actors on the stage, and Tremayne soon realizes that two of them are killers, but which two? When more members of the troupe die, the stakes are pushed up, and he and Yarwood have to work overtime to nab the killers before even more people die.
Death and the Assassin’s Blade by Phillip Strang is a tense thriller. Clues abound, as do suspects, but it takes some dogged police work, and lots of luck to catch the killers. As you follow along, you’ll be subject to the same misdirection as our protagonists, and, in the end, be just as surprised as they are.
A great read for a cold winter’s day. I received a free copy of this book. I give this one four stars.
Review of ‘Murder is the Only Option’
When the manager of a homeless shelter is murdered, DCI Isaac Cook and his team are in search of Big Greg, a mysterious homeless man who doesn’t fit the normal pattern of a street person. When more people die, they learn that Big Greg has a secret and a mission, and the intelligence to pull it off right under their noses. To add to Cook’s misery, when a Member of Parliament becomes one of the killer’s victims, the pressure from above threatens to derail his investigation.
Murder is the Only Option by Phillip Strang is another offering in the DCI Cook series. Fascinating characters and convoluted plots, against the backdrop of a modest sized English city, will grab and hold your interest on every page.
Dat Isaac, he one sharp copper, mon! I received a free copy of this book, and I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Death Unholy’
There was little left of the body other than two legs still in shoes, and greasy ash on the chair. The coroner’s conclusion was that death was the result of spontaneous combustion, cause unknown. But, DI Keith Tremayne and his partner, Sgt. Clare Yarwood, suspected foul play. As they begin their investigation, other deaths occur, one definitely a murder, another an unexplained suicide, and a missing man, presumed dead. Somehow, they know, all are connected to a strange, isolated village, cut off from the rest of the region and occupied by unfriendly people who apparently believe in pagan myths and sacrifice. Under the iron control of a mad man, the villagers are willing to kill without guilt, and act out of both belief and fear. Tremayne and Yarwood find themselves facing death at the hands of a mob, with no apparent help in sight.
Death Unholy by Phillip Strang is the first book in the DC Tremayne series, and it introduces an aging police officer in rural England who refuses to allow himself to be distracted by esoteric beliefs and superstition in the pursuit of justice. Riveting action and tense drama, and a cast of unusual characters, typical of Strang’s books, will chill and entertain you from start to finish.
I received a free copy of this book. An intriguing start to what promises to be a fascinating series. I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Murder in Little Venice’
When a butchered body is found in Regent’s Canal in London’s Little Venice area, DCI Isaac Cook and his team of investigators are baffled. As they struggle to identify the body, Cook knows this is not the last body they’ll find, and he soon learns that some very high-level people are involved, greatly complicating efforts to solve the case.
Murder in Little Venice is book four in the DCI Isaac Cook mystery series by Phillip Strang, and it keeps to the standard set by its three predecessors. Detailed police procedure is merged with complex human interactions and spot-on dialogue and description, as the reader is taken on a whirlwind tour through London’s grimy underbelly of intrigue and deception.
A thorough page-turner, this one is a don’t-miss addition to your thriller bookshelf.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book.
I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Murder is only a Number’
DCI Isaac Cook and his team are after a woman who is stalking London, killing men, and carving a number in each victim’s chest. They know the identity of the killer, but are unable to ascertain her motive, or find her. Cook is on the hot seat, at odds with a new commissioner at the Met, who is after him as much as the killer.
Murder is only a Number by Phillip Strang is the third book in the DCI Cook thriller series. The author takes the reader step-by-bloody-step through a chilling tale of murder and revenge, with a background of bureaucratic intrigue, that will keep you flipping pages until the end.
This is a bit more disturbing than the first two books in the series, but it provides more background on the main protagonist, as it explores his struggles with balancing his professional and personal lives. The antagonist is chillingly portrayed, but with a measure of empathy that makes her supremely real—and, all the more frightening.
I give this one four stars.
Review of ‘Murder House’
When the Baxters, newly moved to London, bought the house at 54 Belleview Street, they were ill-prepared for the amount of fixing-up that would be required. They were even less prepared for the body found in one of the boarded up fireplaces.
DCI Isaac Cook and his murder investigation team are then tasked with solving a 30-year-old murder, a challenging case where the witnesses keep dying, and old secrets are well-hidden. Murder House by Phillip Strang is an interesting peek into British social dynamics and police procedure, with plenty of false leads and red herrings that would be an even better mystery if there’d been more showing and less telling. The telling made it a bit of a slog, but on the whole it was rather enjoyable.
I received an advanced review copy of this book. I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Murder is a Tricky Business’
Why is the senior detective of the murder squad being assigned to the case of a missing soap opera actress, especially when she has a history of occasionally ‘disappearing?’ DCI Isaac Cook and his partner, DI Farhan Ahmed, are intrigued. Someone high up in the government has an interest in the case, but they have no need to know—or, so they’re told, but the assumption is that she’s been murdered. “Murder is a tricky business,” Cook tells his partner, “When you have no body, no suspects, and no motive.” When more bodies start turning up, though, it gets even trickier.
Murder is a Tricky Business by Phillip Strang follows Cook and Ahmed as they doggedly pursue clues, to one dead end after another. All the while, powerful people are pulling strings to keep them in the dark, and becoming dangerous when they start getting close to the truth. The missing actress has a secret, a secret that threatens someone powerful, and people are dying to keep that secret hidden.
The action moves rapidly in some chapters, but when the author digresses to give back story on a character, primarily Cook and Ahmed, it slows down almost to the point of distraction. While some of these distractions offer tantalizing clues to the mystery, others simply tell us about the things the character fears, having little of nothing to do with the murders they must solve. The book would have been just as interesting without them, or if they’d been shortened considerably.
I must confess that I skipped a lot of these flashbacks, skimming until the author came back to the present and the case at hand. I enjoyed the story, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if there’d been fewer Cook/Ahmed flashbacks.
I received an advance reader copy of this book.
It is a five-star concept, but I can only give it three and a half for execution.
Review of ‘Malika’s Revenge’
Malika Khalova is a 27-year-old heroin addict and prostitute in a Tajik village near the Afghanistan border that’s used as a transit point for the heroin trade. Her life consists of waiting for the next unwashed heroin smuggler to abuse her in exchange for a fix, until she meets Oleg, a small time Russian gangster who has fled to the region from Moscow, one step ahead of the KGB. Oleg has thrown in with the local Tajik heroin mastermind, and he ends up in the village to do his new master’s bidding. When he meets Malika, his life changes; changes in ways he has no way of anticipating.
Malika’s Revenge by Phillip Strang is a riveting story that could very well have been ripped from the small stories we occasionally see in the back sections of our Western newspapers. The degradation of the drug trade, and the constant state of war among the predators who conduct that trade form the backdrop for a story of survival. For Malika is, if nothing else, a survivor. She’s driven to survive through sheer will power, and the desire to take revenge on those who have abused and dehumanized her.
From the machinations of local warlords to the intrigue of the Russian mafia, Strang has woven a colorful tapestry, in blood-red for all the blood that has been shed, is being shed, and will be shed in the future in this desolate region.
This is a book that will satisfy most adventure junkies, and will delight lovers of contemporary historical fiction.
I received an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
I give it four stars.
Review of ‘Hostage of Islam’
Hostage of Islam by Phillip Strang is a compelling story of the extremism and violence in Africa brought about by the terrorist group Boko Haram and criminal gangs that prey on foreign workers in Nigeria.
It revolves primarily around the murder of a missionary couple and their friend and co-worker, and the abduction of two young women, an American and a Brit, one of whom is marked for sale to a Saudi prince as a concubine. The book begins rather slowly with historical and biographical background on the murder victims, and then picks up with background on Helen, the British woman who, after leading a trouble life of drug use and prostitution, has decided to redeem herself by devoting her life to missionary work in Africa. It then picks up with the introduction of Kate, a young American woman who is traumatized by the death of her boyfriend in an auto accident.
The overall theme of the book is sound, but it drags in places with the insertion of a lot of background historical, political and personal information that would be better included in smaller amounts or through dialogue. At times, also, because the author has such a large cast of characters, and introduces them with rather fulsome histories, it becomes a bit confusing for the reader to try and keep track of all the comings and goings.
The book does have lots of action and human drama, and is about a subject that is very much currently in the news. It would be a far tauter thriller, though, if it started with the attack on the missionary compound and then all the information on the pages before that was brought out as the story unfolds.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. The theme is definitely five-star quality, but I give it three and a half stars for execution.
Review of ‘The Vane-Martin Conundrum’
Frederick Vane and Andrew Martin, long-time colleagues, are experts at making predictions based on events and trends. When the British government is faced with a crisis in the Middle East, and criminal activity at home, that is hard to get a handle on, the two are brought in to develop predictions to allow a reasoned government response. The Islamic State (IS) is mounting a concentrated bombing campaign in the UK, and the British Prime Minister (PM) is incapable of handling the situation.
Police DCI Isaac Cook, faced with a series of random bombings, is led to the conclusion that the PM is the ultimate target, and Vane and Martin come to the same conclusion. While investigating the bombings, Cook develops a relationship with the ambitious deputy PM. Now, the three men, along with the deputy PM face a moral and ethical challenge, do they allow the planned assassination of the PM to happen, or do they try to stop it. Their futures as well as the future security of the nation and the world rides on the decision they make.
The Vane-Martin Conundrum by Phillip Strang is a tense thriller, with all the elements that make it a potential blockbuster film: romance, politics, terror, and religion, all combined in a story that will grab you by the short hairs and not let go until the end. An in-depth analysis of the possible outcome when an international terrorist organization’s goals happen to coincide with the political desires of certain individuals within the target country. This is a down and dirty thriller that you shouldn’t miss!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review, and I give it four stars.
Charles Ray's Ramblings 