Louise Doughty

Nail-bitingly tense this is not. I read one-third and found the novel prohibitively dull. The author doesn’t provide enough information about what the main character is running from, and the reader consequently can’t really engage with her. It’s a case of too many questions and too little background information. Her flight seemed pointless. On and on it went. Lots of movement—Carlisle, Glasgow, Skye; hitchhiking, train rides, ferries— but there wasn’t a single vaguely interesting development as far as I got. I kept waiting for lift off. It didn’t happen, and I was increasingly convinced it never would. I didn’t care for Heather or what happened to her. Bailed. Enough time wasted.… (altro)

A tale of espionage. Heather aka ‘Bird’ goes on the run after suspecting her boss of double dealings implicating her. She finds herself in a race against time as she is hunted from pillar to post across the UK and the Nordic countries.

I very much enjoyed this story. It’s quite a slow burner with a hint of suspense, the tension building gradually. It’s not fast paced but Bird’s journey is definitely full of danger. It’s like a travelogue, really, and gives a great insight into the countries she visits. It’s beautifully written with some vivid descriptions of the landscape. I found it different to normal psychological thrillers or even spy novels but gripping nevertheless. Bird is an interesting character and I loved accompanying her on her perilous adventure. The ending is a little ambiguous - I hope she finds peace somewhere! An exciting and compelling read.… (altro)

Platform Seven at 4am: Peterborough Railway Station is deserted. The man crossing the covered walkway on this freezing November morning is confident he’s alone. As he sits on the metal bench at the far end of the platform it is clear his choice is strategic - he’s as far away from the night staff as he can get.
What the man doesn’t realise is that he has company. Lisa Evans knows what he has decided. She knows what he is about to do as she tries and fails to stop him walking to the platform edge. Two deaths on Platform Seven. Two fatalities in eighteen months - surely they’re connected? No one is more desperate to understand what connects them than Lisa Evans herself. After all, she was the first of the two to die.

I had heard good things about this book so looked forward to reading it. Unfortunately I got about a quart of the way through and that was it. It was a DNF for me. I found myself getting a bit bored with it and I have too many books on Mount TBR to waste on something I know I’m not going to finish.… (altro)