Matt McAvoy Book Review

You know exactly what you’re going to get when you read Gary: intelligent storytelling, immensely well-researched attention to historical detail, and a top-quality production value.  He is a professional at the top of his game, and The Pompeian Betrayal is another gripping entry in his series of puzzling historical mysteries – though in my view this has a touch more action than some others in the series.

Gary’s mysteries always have the same ingredients: a priceless ancient artefact, a...

Dennis Barger clearly knows his business, and in this book he makes a bold effort to combine it with some very credible suspense – up to a point.  It is certainly procedural and well researched, though delivered in a way which is simple and accessible to the most uninformed reader in the subjects of insurance and fraud investigation.  Adding an element of gritty mob activity and a touch of pretty realistic violence turns what might otherwise be something rather staid and officious into a pr...

Pure tribute and nostalgia from Javier.  A dramatized throwback to his childhood years of Spielberg movies and a life before you really grow up – though this has definitely more in common with Stephen King’s “The Body” (which became the movie Stand by Me) than The Goonies.  I don’t know how much of this tale is real, fictionalized or based on hearsay from Javier’s own childhood, but it is one of those crime stories which pop up often in fiction and rarely in real life; although, o...

A nice easy narrative which doesn’t test, but simply entertains.  A sports story which is light-hearted, character based and gripping; I was engaged right from the outset.  Running in the Dark has all the ingredients which made the light-hearted sports fiction genre staple diet in the ‘80s and ‘90s: an underdog’s challenge; a second chance at a dream; a bold ambition and a little bit of corporate agenda thrown in – and it all makes for a very enjoyable read.  There is no dark drama,...

An interesting collection of what the author unambiguously titles “true stories” and “real-life events”, and I think that whether you are a believer or a sceptic is beside the point; Victor writes with a raw authenticity which suggests he is 100% sincere in his anecdotal musings.  I personally like the format he has chosen and the style in which he writes very much – he clearly has a great deal to say about the events which have either haunted or thrilled him throughout his life.  F...

Don’t believe other reviews on Goodreads; this is a pretty good, fun and very dark read.  Sure, the writing style takes a bit of getting used to; it does tend to focus on the visceral and the simplistic at first, with a little attention on explicitly suggestive kind of stuff – some of the sexual content is not going to be to all tastes – but in my opinion Corbeill is a decent writer who knows how to craft horror in its purest form.  The seven stories are interesting, and it should be po...

Difficult to tell how much of this book is fact and how much is fiction; I believe it is best considered as a fictionalized and humorous, slice-of-life look at the day-to-day of a GP in Britain in the 1980s, as told through the eyes of an educated observer - in this case his son.  The fact that the primary character is named after the author himself suggests that there is a great deal of this account based on actual events - though, as the blurb explains, it shouldn't be considered strictly "...

A tremendously knowledgeable book, though I admit, certainly not what I was expecting.  Rather than advice for the improvement of society and how we personally can all do our bit to enjoy and/or help to repair the worst social problems, it is actually a rather in-depth study rooted in classic undergraduate psychology; much of its findings and conclusions can be found in the famous work of giants like Bowlby and Freud.  Indeed, I would argue that Goldman’s nurture and development rhetoric, a...

A pretty easy-going, formula crime whodunnit from a likeable author.  There is no violence to speak of, and no profanity, but rather standard, afternoon-TV detective fare; indeed, at one point the narrator (the primary protagonist, Frank Gibson himself, with Martin writing in the first person) even refers to it as a “family book”.

I have to say that the murder plot itself, whilst initially intriguing, does rather fall by the wayside; this book becomes perhaps more about Gibson’s inoffe...

A particularly endearing and light-hearted read, reminiscent of those quintessential early Sunday evening TV shows set in a British village (though, of course, events in this book take place in the States).  It does have a small element of mystery, though I have to honestly say this feels like little more than a tenuous strand running through the narrative.  Instead, it is rather more a book about friends and budding relationships.  Gillian has cleverly drawn very subtle parallels between the...

If I’m being honest, I found the title to this book of short affirmations – each just a page or two – slightly misleading.  I couldn’t really see why it is intended to be aimed exclusively at retirees – or, for that matter, just to women.  I didn’t see any reason why the book can’t be of tremendous emotional and spiritual support to everyone, of all ages, male or female.  Recommended particularly as a bedside reference, it contains 52 uplifting, spiritually fulfilling sermons of...

I didn’t read the predecessor to this, part two in Loretta and David’s series about murder and betrayal in Texas, but that doesn’t matter; it is a decent, standalone murder mystery with a pretty good ending and reveal.  It is well written and generally flows quite satisfyingly, without necessarily breaking a sweat.  I would personally consider it rather more cosy mystery than the grisly serial killer style we’ve come to expect, and that may certainly be a plus-point in the mind of man...

Some books stand out for their superior production value, and this is undoubtedly one of them.  You will finish Get a Life! in little doubt about two things: first, author Alan Poon is an indisputable authority on the subject of philosophy, and second, he is a highly educated, exceptionally articulate writer.  Whilst for some readers Alan’s intellect and eloquence may be daunting, it is certain that, with the right amount of dedication and concentration on the part of the reader, you will l...

There are some surprisingly dark themes in this unsettling tale, when considering its intended age group, which I would imagine to be around middle-school pre-teen.  The stakes facing our pre-teen heroes are very grave indeed: no less than complete erasure from existence, and, always gripping, “The Price of Wishes” is genuinely quite disturbing at times.  This is a well-executed passion project by Desiree Dusablon, a quality kids’ author with a big heart and a clear goal: to make a dece...

Bite-sized chapters covering all aspects of our lives, with lessons in how to be more fulfilled, content, calmer and happy.  There are no real surprises herein, with spirituality acceptance, meditation and, most of all, a different outlook from the outset presented as the general answer in all areas; in other words, problems, stresses and things that make us unhappy can generally be avoided by changing how we interpret them in the first place – and, by being in the moment, and aspiring to l...

A short yet punchy, wonderfully creative gem, I have to say this short medieval fantasy fable by H&S Alvaurence really did exceed expectations.  What’s more, I read it in just an hour or two – so you’ve no excuse not to!  I admit to not knowing anything about the story, other than to expect a fine, classically written tale with a touch of humour.  I was partly right: it is exquisitely written, in a style so quintessential I was genuinely surprised to find that the author is actually fro...

Absolutely wonderful book, and such a simple premise: a mage conjures up a demon, but not for any nefarious reason; rather, he wants knowledge; the demon’s views on every fundamental life subject – and it willingly shares, each chapter being the demon’s sermon on another topic, the recipient of its lessons being the first-person narrator.  That description of the book might find you a little non-plussed, so I implore you to read it; tuck yourself away and concentrate, for the real star ...

As a person who lost his faith at a young age, Aeternus Costin could have decided to remain happy in atheism; the fact that he did not, I think, is actually credit to his character; rather than simply admitting that there is no God, he set out to do quite the opposite – and prove that there is… in a way.  It also suggests to me, and I do hope he does not pull me up on this fact, that Aeternus was actually rather more agnostic than he may care to admit.  In fairness to him, the epiphany he...

A lot of heart has gone into what is a pretty major project from Richard C. Dieter.  And, whilst I’ll try not to spoil it, it’s a pretty devastating one to behold.  Very early on I found myself utterly gripped, and I think that is because, without wishing to sound too basic in my tastes, Richard has stuck to a tried and tested formula.  It opens with the usual monitoring-station discovering an anomaly in the volcanic activity readings under Yellowstone Park, and escalates from there into ...

Something of a surprise, this poignant and pointed melodrama, as what could become a little twee actually goes off in a completely unexpected direction, with some very serious undertones.  Yet, to its credit, it never wallows in the darkness underpinning it, but simply addresses it as a matter-of-fact, shameful part of Irish history.  When you see this book’s title, it rings of sentimentality and even a touch of romance, and while there is a touch of the former, there is thankfully none of ...

One for the globalist conspiracy theorists – and it’s about as current as it gets, covering the whole spectrum of what we would have called “conspiracy theories” five years ago, and now we might now more likely refer to as “common knowledge”.  I won’t spoil the story, but suffice to say that when a mystery vaccine being tested in a fictional African country is linked to the globalist plans of a billionaire and his “Doors Foundation” (not Gates), then I think you can see wher...

This is a fine book, though I have to say its title is somewhat sardonic, as the Ward family at the start of the twentieth century endures some of the worst traumas one family can possibly go through.  You therefore need to accept that this is a book about faith most of all: faith in God, Heaven and that fortune will prevail.  Though, I don’t want to spoil the book, but I will say prepare yourself to take a beating from life, along with this unfortunate family.  Yet prepare yourself also fo...

Another beautifully poignant, heartfelt book by Stef-Albert, and this one is much more unambiguously memoir than semi-fictionalized.  Stef-Albert is a man who, despite his apparent phenomenal success as an artist, designer and businessman, carries his heart on his sleeve and a burden of insecurity; he is someone who appears not to need love in his life, but throws in hook, line and sinker when it is.  He is also a man who appears to carry a bitter resentment of his indifferent childhood – t...

I would probably put this taut offering by Keira Mayock in the crime melodrama category, rather than calling it a standard formula, suspense-style, twisty thriller.  Rather than threat there is an underlying feeling of family betrayal, and I don’t think you ever really feel any danger imminent – though, to be honest, I think much of this may be because of the relatively small cast of equally rather dislikeable characters, if masterfully crafted.  In hindsight, I could actually envision th...

Full disclosure is necessary here: I helped Charles quite extensively with editing and structural feedback for his book.  However, the content itself and the finished product are all products of his obsessively hard work and tremendous body of life’s work.  The result is a phenomenal achievement; this is not just a book, it is a project, a study into the human psyche, how personalities overlap and the influence they have on each other through their own personal stories.  The Gentling of Han...

A simply stunning piece of work by Stef-Albert, Broken Rooms is all about the writing.  There isn’t particularly a definitive storyline, as such, but rather more a life to be told – and a wonderful one it is, too, one of creative achievement, financial and cultural success, and a refinement which only comes from incredible self-made wealth matched with natural class and style.  Stef’s writing is exquisite at times, it has to be said, with rousing, sometimes breathtaking qualities: descr...

A direct sequel to White Monkey, and more of the same – some real laugh-out-loud humour at times, though perhaps less of a story arc, Darren having already up and left his northern roots.  In truth, I didn’t actually know the book was a sequel until realizing the connection with White Monkey.  What is did realize, very early on, is that this is Brit-lit comedy, with its rough-edged coarseness and language; when you read dialogue like this you know it can only be written by an English auth...

Another action-packed outing for Lily Starling and the crew, and I think I actually enjoyed this one a little more than the first instalment.  This, I would argue, is a simpler affair, with a more straightforward storyline and unambiguous villain – there is something more like A New Hope or The Wrath of Khan about this entry into the series; it is pure space opera.

The dialogue and interaction are sharp and witty, the characters genuinely quite likeable – even the villains, I would say, ...