Scan barcode
iainp's reviews
1422 reviews
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
2.5
The Haunted House on Hollow Hill by Derek Landy
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Rough Justice by Stephen Leather
5.0
Once upon a time I was lucky enough to receive a quick email from Stephen Leather when I popped a review of Long Shot on my blog. It was from a cybercafe in Thailand or somewhere so I couldn't reply him. Shame.
Leather has consistently written good thrillers including The Chinaman, one of his first and still one of my favourites of all time. This is the 7th Spider Shepherd novel and I *think* I've read them all to date. I'm not sure, which is one of the reasons I joined GoodReads! I need to keep track...
Rough Justice is very much a crime thriller of modern times. Spider is drafted in to try and discover which corrupt policemen in a special unit attached to the Met happen to be taking the law into their own hands - castrating rapists, shooting gangbangers, hanging paedophiles and the like.
As Spider infiltrates the group, he also has personal issues at home with his son threatened and his old army Major looking for his own form of revenge when his nephew is murdered.
As such, the book throws up the same question from three viewpoints - when it justice just? And how far should you go? Is it OK when it's your family to step over the line? Or a close friend? Or when it's society that's taking the brunt of a poor justice system?
This is definitely the best Shepherd novel and one of Leather's best overall. Highly recommended for pace and delivery. I particularly like the way that little nuggets of well-researched trivia are dropped into the text and dialogue in a way that won't patronise the reader.
Great stuff. I have at least one more Leather in my "to-read" pile and I'm looking forward to it.
Leather has consistently written good thrillers including The Chinaman, one of his first and still one of my favourites of all time. This is the 7th Spider Shepherd novel and I *think* I've read them all to date. I'm not sure, which is one of the reasons I joined GoodReads! I need to keep track...
Rough Justice is very much a crime thriller of modern times. Spider is drafted in to try and discover which corrupt policemen in a special unit attached to the Met happen to be taking the law into their own hands - castrating rapists, shooting gangbangers, hanging paedophiles and the like.
As Spider infiltrates the group, he also has personal issues at home with his son threatened and his old army Major looking for his own form of revenge when his nephew is murdered.
As such, the book throws up the same question from three viewpoints - when it justice just? And how far should you go? Is it OK when it's your family to step over the line? Or a close friend? Or when it's society that's taking the brunt of a poor justice system?
This is definitely the best Shepherd novel and one of Leather's best overall. Highly recommended for pace and delivery. I particularly like the way that little nuggets of well-researched trivia are dropped into the text and dialogue in a way that won't patronise the reader.
Great stuff. I have at least one more Leather in my "to-read" pile and I'm looking forward to it.