The Overlook - Michael Connelly

It's difficult to go wrong with Michael Connelly a consistently excellent author.

Harry Bosch is a compelling character you try to visualise. I have not yet succeeded but I like the character. In The Overlook the action unfolds at quite some pace. The story's premise allows a justified sideswipe at some of our post 9/11 pre-occupations.

I felt a little short changed with my UK paperback version as it contains an extract of the next story and a strangely conceived "interview" between the author and his protagonist. These reduce somewhat the number of pages occupied by the story but it was a good straight through read and I will move on with "The Brass Verdict".

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith

This debut novel set in the Soviet Union of Stalin and Kruschev is near faultless. An intriguing crime thriller in its own right, the fast paced story is embedded in a grim but captivating historical context.

The odds faced by the main protagonist were the odds faced in reality by millions for years of senseless oppression and the novel whilst entertaining serves as an important reminder of one of history's most disturbing periods.

I am already looking forward to Smith's 2nd, The Secret Speech in which Leo Demidov continues his travails.