Customer Reviews

Deadline

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the third novel I have read by Kernick. The first novel I read was Relentless which was a Harlan Coben independent storyline style (average everyday guy suddenly has life in danger by a sudden event, must flee and work out what is going on to survive type reads). The second was Kernick's previous novel Severed which was more of a David Morrell type novel (fast paced albeit a little unrealistic action thriller, well trained ex army guy who rights a wrong type reads). Deadline is completely different again, it is an action novel but more along the lines of through the eyes of a policeman solving a crime type novel. Like the other two, although no masterpiece, it's still a very good and enjoyable read. Not many authors can successfully write across genres but I can tell you that Kernick has proved he can.

Basic plot is Andrea Devern, a rich woman returns home and receives a call from a disguised voice telling her they have her 14 year old daughter Emma and if she doesn't bring them half a million pounds they will kill her. If she tells anyone about the abduction, they will also kill her. Stupidly she doesn't go to the police but instead cons a violent ex boyfriend, telling him that Emma was his child as a backup in case something goes wrong. Of course the kidnappers aren't to happy with this so when she is pulled over by the police for erratic driving with her ex's blood all over her she breaks down and finally tells the authorities what is going on. Deadline is the tale of the police investigation, told through the eyes of Mike Bolt an ex Flying Squad officer now in charge of a unit of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA). What he doesn't tell his superiors is that he came across Andrea back in flying squad days and knows she isn't telling them everything and although he has no doubt Emma has been abducted he also knows that she is a very good liar. He knows he should tell his superiors this info, but knows if he does he will be taken off the case and he has a very good reason why he wants to ensure everything is thrown at getting Emma back.

A fast paced thriller, full of action, a little bit unrealistic at times but a very fun read none the less!

This is the first Kernick book I've read but it won't be the last. I couldn't put it down. Is it a literary masterpiece? Of course not. Is it a fantastic crime thriller that hooks you in from the start and doesn't let go until the end? Yes. 100% recommended to all who love a good, easy, entertaining and exciting novel. Fantastic stuff!

I have to admit, this is Simon Kernick's best book! There are many things I liked about this book, especially the characters and the fast-paced story that always kept me wanting for more! It's awesome how Simon Kernick can twist around the main characters, in this case Mike Bolt, from first being a happy detective and then turning him into a worrying wreck.

If you have previously read other books by this author and you haven't read this one, you'll love it.
BUT
If you have not previously read other books by this author and you think you'd like to read it, I encourage you to do so and even his other works especially 'The Last 10 Seconds' and 'Relentless'.

Simon Kernick writes gritty London based thrillers, all of them are good and some are excellent. Although this is not one of his best, it is still a worthy read.

Basically a woman's daughter is kidnapped and held to ransom and when her own solution goes horribly wrong, she is forced to bring in the Police...
This took a while to get into, and once some familiar faces from Kernick's previous books started to appear, things improved.
The mother is a devious character herself and throws a number of confusing elements into the story which I won't spoil for you, but as usual you don't know where it is going until it is wrapped up in the final pages.
Not great but certainly not a bad novel and well worth picking up.