I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay

Today we have our review (non spoiler as always). Book blurb read out loud if you prefer than reading from the text. I also have captions as some folk struggle with my Scottish accent (I do slow it down and enunciate when reading the blurbs resulting in a poshy accent apparently lol shhh Laura). Click HERE for the book blurb to be read to ya.

Here is our non spoiler review, enjoy, perfect for reading anytime, we curled up with a blanket or duvet because it is freezing here.


I Will Ruin You by Linwood Barclay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1.5 days

Pages - 341

Publisher - HQ Stories

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

In the latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay, a teacher’s act of heroism inadvertently makes him the target of a dangerous blackmailer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

How would you react in a life-or-death situation?

It’s a question everyone asks themselves, but few have to face in real life. English teacher Richard Boyle certainly never thought he would find himself talking down a former student intent on harming others, but when Mark LeDrew shows up at Richard’s school with a bomb strapped to his chest, Richard immediately jumps into action. Thanks to some quick thinking, he averts a major tragedy and is hailed as a hero, but not all the attention focused on him is positive.

Richard’s brief moment in the spotlight puts him in the sights of a deranged blackmailer with a score to settle. The situation rapidly spirals out of control, drawing Richard into a fraught web of salacious accusations and deadly secrets. As he tries to uncover the truth he discovers that there’s something deeply wrong in the town—something that ties together Mark, the blackmailer, and a gang of ruthless drug dealers, and Richard has landed smack in the middle of it. He’s desperate to find a way out, but everyone in his life seems to be hiding something, and trusting the wrong person could cost him everything he loves.

What price will he pay for one good deed?


My Review

Ooft the opening chapter, an ex pupil comes to his old school with a bomb, teacher Richard Boyle goes directly to the threat and ends up making the news in their wee town. Despite Richard being the hero of the hour he soon finds himself in a situation of blackmail, something that could ruin not just his career, his life but everything he holds dear. Buckle in folks you are about to go on a wild ride!

The chapters are short (we LOVE that) and they switch between Richard and untitled but they basically focus on the other characters and back and forth. There is so much going on, Richards family life and responding to how he put himself in harms way and everything that follows. The people blackmailing Richard and their chaotic lives but also the people involved in their dodgy dealings. The other one being Marta, Richard's sister in law who is a cop and the interlinked between her investigation and things that bring crossover to her sister and Richard.

It is absolutely a thriller, page turner and does have some themes that folk may find triggering, drugs, sa mentioned, murder, violence, blackmail, relationship issues, investigation its a whole mixed bag. Despite going between characters it all flows well and has good pace, it has been a wee while since we read Barclay and we do have others on the tbrm. Perfect when you just want to escape reality and absorb into a whole world of choas, 4.5/5 for us. This is a standalone just make sure when you pick it up your day is clear because you are going to want to devour it!

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American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days (in and out as able)

Pages - 400

Publisher - Tinder Press

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Lydia Quixano Pérez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son, Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. And while there are cracks beginning to show in Acapulco because of the drug cartels, her life is, by and large, fairly comfortable.

Even though she knows they’ll never sell, Lydia stocks some of her all-time favorite books in her store. And then one day a man enters the shop to browse and comes up to the register with a few books he would like to buy—two of them her favorites. Javier is erudite. He is charming. And, unbeknownst to Lydia, he is the jefe of the newest drug cartel that has gruesomely taken over the city. When Lydia’s husband’s tell-all profile of Javier is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Forced to flee, Lydia and eight-year-old Luca soon find themselves miles and worlds away from their comfortable middle-class existence. Instantly transformed into migrants, Lydia and Luca ride la bestia—trains that make their way north toward the United States, which is the only place Javier’s reach doesn’t extend. As they join the countless people trying to reach el norte, Lydia soon sees that everyone is running from something. But what exactly are they running to?

American Dirt will leave readers utterly changed. It is a literary achievement filled with poignancy, drama, and humanity on every page. It is one of the most important books for our times.


My Review

For Lydia and Luca (the main characters) life as they know it is about to change forever. The opening chapter had me holding my breath and where we meet Lydia and Luca and the event that changes everything for them. The event kicks off their desperate journey to try and escape from Acapulco, turning into migrants desperate to escape to safety and all they endure and face to survive and gain their freedom with their lives.

The amount of controversy this book has caused. It is a FICTIONAL account of two humans, a mother and son, going from a pretty good life of luxury to losing everything and becoming migrants. Some people are livid at the author, some are livid at the portray of migrants in the book, have a look online and you will see. I myself got some messages because I was just reading the book, I cannot comment on the upset and hurt of others, only how I found the book itself.

Some of the chapters are harrowing, I actually caught my breath a few times reading the horrors some of the characters experience. Abuse, violence, rape, extortion, murder, danger it is unimaginable sitting in your warm safe home reading, albeit a fictional account but created after her own research. There are many books cited that Cummin's looked into during her years of research, I absolutely will be reading some of them and the true life accounts. It is heartbreaking and soul destroying to think of what some of our fellow humans have to endure to try and get to safety, to create a life free of danger and those "humans" they encounter, exploiting and abusing them. If this book helps to shine a light on the very real horrors out there and gets people talking, reading the real stories surely that can only be a good thing. I am mortified at how ignorant and unaware of things going on out in the real world you often don't know about because it hasn't touched your own life.

I found myself on an emotional roller coaster reading this and some of the people who have messaged me talked about the real accounts of life for migrants, devastating. Any book that helps people become aware of real life situations and issues out there, spreading awareness, remember this is a fictional account but of something that is very real in our lifetime, I think it is a good thing.

The book itself takes us between the journey they are experiencing and flips back to the before, how they came onto the radar of the cartel and examines of course the actual journey they undertake. I think whether you love or hate it, are angered or shocked (for whatever reason) no one can deny it is getting people talking and spreading awareness. This is A FICTIONAL ACCOUNT but it is getting people talking, thinking and debating about very real and serious issues, 4/5 for me this time.

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RRR - Robert B Parker's Wonderland by Ace Atkins

Robert B. Parker's Wonderland: The New Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days

Publisher - No Exit Press

Pages - 192

Blurb from Goodreads

Henry Cimoli and Spenser have been friends for years, yet the old boxing trainer has never asked the private eye for a favor. Until now. A heavy-handed developer is trying to buy up Henry's condo on Revere Beach and sends thugs to move the process along. Soon Spenser and his apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, find a trail leading to a mysterious and beautiful woman, a megalomaniacal Las Vegas kingpin, and plans to turn to a chunk of land north of Boston into a sprawling casino. Bitter rivals emerge, alliances turn, and the uglier pieces of the Boston political machine look to put an end to Spenser's investigation.
Aspiration, greed, and twisted dreams all focus on the old Wonderland dog track where the famous amusement park once fronted the ocean. For Spenser and Z, this simple favor to Henry will become the fight of their lives.


My review

Spenser is out main character and a private eye. His friend Henry is an old man who trains boxers and is getting pressure to sell up his condo. He enlists the help of his old friend to find out who is behind it and why. Before long things get violent and out of hand, Vegas big wigs are involved and murder is a foot. Will Spenser get to the bottom of it before he and his friends end up in peril danger?

So this is the first I have ever read this author. The series has over 40 books however this author has only been in place for two (the third is now available), taking over the series after the last author died. This is my first introduction to the series and I did enjoy the banter between the characters however I felt there were a lot of people introduced. Not all had massive parts however it was a lot to take in and try to keep up with what was happening. The story starts up about Henry being forced into giving up his condo however things take a deadly turn and the story becomes much more complex with lots of twists and turns.

Spenser has a sidekick who is referred to a lot but is not in this story and Z aka Zebulon Sixkill is seemingly new to the team or at least still training. He is a troubled character, nothing outrightly obvious but a few things hinted at. I think I need to go back and find out more about these characters in order to fully appreciate these books and the characters relationships with each other.

That said I did get into the story quickly, it has lots of twists and turns and your not too sure what is coming next. It goes a long at a good pace and by the end your questions are answered which I always like in a crime story. 3/5 for me this time, thanks to Realreaders for introducing me to a new author and sending me a copy to review in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely seek out the earlier books in this series and see the difference between the authors and learn more about the characters.

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