Category: Mystery

September 04th, 2014

9/4/2014

Code Breaker is another exciting suspense mystery for young readers in the successful Taya Bayliss series. I was introduced to this series several months ago and am really enjoying the stories.
I would say that the author has written for a slightly older audience this time. My 10 year old didn't engage with it, but my 13 year old thinks it's a great read and recommends it as a great adventure.

It does start off on a serious note and I wasn't quite sure what the hook was, but it soon settled into a riveting mystery adventure by the end of the first short chapter. The themes are darker than in the Taya Bayliss Dog Sitter book I had read previously, with murders and ruthless criminals the order of the day.

Taya is witness to mysterious events in the bird sanctuary of Narralong and her detective skills are put to the test with a obscure code to crack. Her father is keeping secrets and it is up to the youngster to figure out the truth of the bird thieves before more lives could be lost.

The tension builds nicely in the grand tradition of Enid Blyton's Famous Five. The only thing missing I felt was the camaraderie between characters with Taya's friend, Chris, out of action in hospital for much of the story. I do feel that these two have a good rapport and hope Chris returns in future novels.

All in all, a fun read. Well edited and nicely constructed. 4 stars.

I purchased a paperback copy of the book and reviewed it for Writers' Web

Available on Amazon.com

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Book Review: Over Odyssey by Tony Carnival

6/30/2014

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Over Odyssey Yellow is a very interesting read, with some original ideas in the fantasy genre. This is the first third of the book and it definitely entices you in to want to read more.

The story centers around confused teen, Exodus, who is trying to find his way in a changing world. The mystery is slowly revealed, starting with the death of his sister and the strange disappearance of their father. Ex's family move house and he struggles to find his place. There is a mysterious man following him and references to a computer game which eventually culminates in an entry into a fantasy world. I did find it a bit of a struggle to read in places and it didn't keep up the momentum throughout the story.
The story is told by Gadget (also called Leviticus) who isn't the main character and isn't a witness to most of the events he relates. I felt it would have been enhanced by telling the story from Ex's point of view.
I thought young Gadget was quite cute and enjoyed the affectionate relationship he and Ex display. There are some great action scenes in the first half of the book portion, but I was a little disappointed this petered out towards the end and was more conversational. The author promises plenty more action and adventures when you continue on with the entire book.
Alex is not a good friend to Ex, but he does make for an interesting bad-boy character in the story and I quite liked his part in the book. There is something exciting and dangerous about him.
I found the writing style a bit quirky and some of the words used were distracting to me 'entatainment,' 'unda,' 'numba' and 'matta.'
There were glimpses of a Harry Potteresque fantasy world with magical spells. I would have liked to see the magic explored more and more action towards the end of the offering. It will be interesting to see where Tony Carnival takes us in the rest of the Over Odyssey book.
Read this is you like urban fantasy.
I was given a free copy of Over Odyssey to read. My opinions are entirely my own.

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Book review: 'Taya Bayliss Dog Sitter' by E.J. Gore - a fun children's mystery chapter book

6/2/2014

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This is a delightful middle years chapter book telling the story of 11 year old Taya, the amateur detective.

The story started slowly and I assumed this was a gentle tale of a friendship between a girl and a dog. Boy was I wrong! This slowly builds in excitement and I couldn't put it down. It was quite a thriller and I'm sure youngsters will enjoy the mystery.

I really liked the character of Minette, the Golden Doodle cross-breed dog. She sounds quite charming, walking around on her hind legs and collecting neighbourhood possessions like a naughty magpie.

I think there is a little issue with connecting with the target audience at the start, and it could use a more striking cover, but once you read a few pages you will be hooked. I think youngsters will enjoy this series, which reminded me of the Famous Five - type adventures I loved at this age.

I reviewed this book for Writers Web and was given a free copy, but opinions are entirely my own. www.writersweb.com.au

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The Trojan Project by Eileen Thornton * * * * *

10/7/2013

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I definitely recommend this intriguing novel by Scottish author Eileen Thornton. It's a mystery thriller, beginning when strange green mist descends upon a Northumbrian farming community, dissolving all life into a puddle of toxic liquid. Everything and everyone who touches this is rapidly killed and liquefied.
When you start reading, all sorts of weird and wonderful scenarios go through your mind and the scary truth is revealed fairly early in the book. Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you, but it was not what I was expecting.
A few survivors manage to escape the toxic mist and are hunted down like fugitives by the culprits.
I found the characters well-written and engaging. A dastardly villain is revealed to add to the tension and sends minions out to capture the survivors before they can reach London and alert the authorities. Will the goodies reach safety, or will they be caught and the secret lost forever?
The novel is well-written and reminded me of Stephen King and the late Tom Clancy. Well done to the author and I look forward to reading more of her works.
Recommended for adult readers. Rating 5 stars * * * * *

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September 04th, 2014

Book Review: Over Odyssey by Tony Carnival

Book review: 'Taya Bayliss Dog Sitter' by E.J. Gore - a fun children's mystery chapter book

The Trojan Project by Eileen Thornton * * * * *

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