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What Will Burn (Inspector McLean #11)
What Will Burn (Inspector McLean #11)
James Oswald | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the 11th outing for Inspector McLean and although it's not completely necessary to have read any of the previous books in the series, it does help a little but I definitely think it works well as a stand-alone.

Mr Oswald manages to continue to write ever interesting and intriguing stories featuring DI Tony McLean, his excellent team and eclectic mix of friends, which are all superbly written, within a story which cleverly mixes the past and the present with a smattering of the unexplained; it all blends together seamlessly to give an engaging and totally engrossing read.

I would highly recommend reading any of the books in the series especially if you enjoy something a bit different than the usual police procedurals.

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
Death Line (1972)
Death Line (1972)
1972 | Horror
7
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Nihilistic Anglo-American horror movie. The disappearance of an MP leads the police and two students to discover the existence of something nasty living in the London Underground.

An odd mixture of slasher movie, cannibal splatter and sheer existential bleakness results in a very distinctive film; it would probably be much better known if original casting Marlon Brando (playing a degenerate inbred plague-ridden cannibal; would have been an interesting challenge for a Method actor) had been able to participate. As it is, most of the acting is done by Donald Pleasence (who may be trying a bit too hard). Works much harder at creating a dismal, oppressive atmosphere than at actually being scary, though there are a few effective shocks. The cannibals themselves are depicted relatively sympathetically and considerable pathos is generated. Not your typical horror film, but very creepy and unsettling.
  
Demolition Man (1993)
Demolition Man (1993)
1993 | Action, Comedy, Drama
"There's a new Shepherd in town..."
I think I first saw this movie in the cinema when it came out.

In 1993.

So nearly 30 years ago now (writing this in early 2021).

Starring a pre tax evasion Wesley Snipes, Sylvester Stallone and a very young Sandra Bullock, this is a sci fi actioner set in a (supposedly) utopian future where there is no crime, and in which Snipes character of Simon Phoenix escapes from his cryo-freeze prison (in which he was placed in 1996!), leading the hopelessly outmatched police force of the time to reanimated his original captor John Spartan (Stallone) at the suggestion of the 90s-mad Sandra Bullock Lieutenant Huxley, who was also put on ice after being framed by Phoenix for the killing of 30 civilians.

Yes, it's aged.

Yes, it still well worth a watch.
  
The Killing Kind
The Killing Kind
Jane Casey | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Killing Kind is a gripping psychological thriller packed full of suspense. I didn’t know who to trust - even the main character, a barrister, is pretty unreliable. It’s hard to put a finger on who the bad guys are: it’s not black and white, but shades of grey. So this is a book that will keep you guessing from start to finish.

It’s always interesting when the character you’re not supposed to like (in this case it’s John Webster, a stalker amongst other things) is more likeable than Ingrid, the main character. And the police don’t seem to be much better.

I really enjoyed this - it’s the second Jane Casey book I’ve read, and I doubt it’ll be the last. If you like psychological thrillers, you’ll love this!

Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this 😊