With the arrival of summer, we look back at our spring offerings and why we couldn’t wait to share them with the members of our reading club, along with the feedback from The Crime Syndicate members themselves. If you’d like to read more about The Crime Syndicate or explore the other ways we’ve delivered justice over the last 18 months, then click the buttons on the right or continue below.
Savage Ridge
by Morgan Green
In April, we dispatched our Crime Syndicate members to the Pacific Northwest and the small town of Savage Ridge. This one largely turns the crime novel on its head, and the intrigue stems from the how and the why of the murder of the young and wealthy brat of the Saint John dynasty.
This small town setting occasionally feels claustrophobic as the culprits and investigators circle one another, but it never gets bogged down. The pace keeps you on your toes with a few cracking twists to boot. This hit the sweet spot between dark and fun.
“I’m enjoying this book and the fact that it’s set in a small town. The enclosed atmosphere vibe is similar to Jane Harper’s The Dry which I loved. Thank you!”
“This is an excellent mystery – well written, with a twist that you felt coming but couldn’t see. The characters were plausible, and the hidden tragedy is hinted at amidst the gloomy setting of Savage Ridge. Would recommend.”
A Line in the Sand
by Kevin Powers
May’s taught thriller revolves around Arman, a former interpreter for the US military in Iraq, who has been allowed a visa to begin a new life in the States… only to find the things he was running from in the Middle East have come to find him in America.
This is sharply written with swift (sometimes breathless) plotting but it’s the character writing of those attempting to help Arman, and the politically astute evil of the all-too-believable villains that make this one of the best things we’ve read this year.
“The characters are so well drawn and harmoniously blend together. The story moves at a brisk pace, with a some surprises towards the end, which I, for once, did not foresee. Be warned it’s unputdownable!”
“Loved this book! It was part mystery, part crime, part conspiracy thriller, part social comment on the commercialisation of war. I really cared about the characters and what would happen to them and felt positively punch drunk by what happened to one. The pace was slow for a thriller but that suited the darkness & menace of the book. Once I’d picked it up though, I found it impossible to put down.
Would definitely recommend.”
Good Reasons to Die
by Morgan Audic
June’s selection was a brilliantly atmospheric thriller, tightly wound right through to the brilliant conclusion.
Set against the backdrop of the Chernobyl exclusion zone, a mutilated corpse is found hanging from a building, seemingly reminiscent of a homicide committed during the meltdown of the power plant. Some grisly passages might make this one of the darker books we’ve sent in the subscription, but in truth, this heightens the senses and doubles down on the suspense.
“Great book. Couldn’t put it down! Read it within 24 hours. Interesting setting and the characters were well described and loved all their flaws. Bit dark but loved it!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The suspense and plot were sustained till the end. The effects of the Chernobyl disaster and many local ramifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, were realistically portrayed as a backdrop to the story.“
If you want to learn more about The Crime Syndicate or pore over last year’s selection, click the buttons below.