Now I don’t think Simon Kernick needs much of an introduction as I (and many others) consider him to be a household name and one of the biggest names in UK-based thriller writing. However, if you have never read a Simon Kernick novel before (…seriously? You’ve been missing out!) then all you need to know is that Simon has released a number of darn good, bestselling, high intensity thrillers over the years and continues to do so (I hope, for many years to come). He leads the way for British crime thriller writers, leaving many in his wake. The majority of Simon’s books are standalone thrillers chock full of action, adventure and heaps of excitement. He has previously published a couple of three-part serial thrillers but this, The Bone Field, marks the start of a brand new series. And what a series it’s going to be! High energy, action packed reading that’ll keep your heart rate high and your attention glued to the pages. Some books should come with a health warning and this is certainly one of them. Edge of your seat stuff that I insist you read! What I love about The Bone Field is that the author, as is customary in his previous books, has used fully developed, pre-existing, previously published characters but put them up against (or with, in this case!) a new ally. The Bone Field features DI Ray Mason who is now working at part of the Met’s Homicide Command. We have met DI Mason before when he featured in The Witness (published June 2016) but back then he was part of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command. DI Mason (who I love by the way, he’s nearly everything I look for in my detectives…just not quite grumpy enough!) contacts a PI by the name of Tina Boyd as part of the ongoing investigation. There was something familiar about Tina to me. A strange sense of recognition. That was when I realised that she is the lead protagonist in Relentless (pub. 2006), Target (pub. 2009) and The Last 10 Seconds (pub. 2010), all of which I have read and very much enjoyed. What a treat! The simmering chemistry between Ray and Tina was quite addictive. As I may have mentioned before, I’m not one for romance in my crime books but they really worked for me. I loved the action which was well written and at a consistent pace throughout. This novel was incredibly easy to read, I polished it off in two short days (that’s quick for me). There is, unsurprisingly in a Simon Kernick novel, a number of violent scenes but regular readers of the blog will know that the more gore and violence in a book, the more it appeals to me. I would also like to mention the villain of this book who is by far one of the creepiest bad guys I have met in a novel for some time. Expertly written much like the majority of characters within the pages of The Bone Field. I very much enjoyed the plot which I found twisty and unpredictable from start to finish. And as for that last sentence….WOW!! Would I recommend this book? I would as it’s a high octane, well written thriller by an author who knows his characters inside out and round-side-round. To be able to maintain such a high level of action and suspense is a real skill and Simon Kernick is a master of the thriller. I can’t wait for the second book in this new series. Four out of five stars. I chose to read and review an ARC of The Bone Field. Many thanks to Sam Deacon at Penguin Random House for providing me with a copy. All of the above views are my own and are unbiased.

Once again Simon delivers a fast-paced, gritty novel with strong characters and an intriguing story line that forces you to read on into the night and I thank the publisher, Randomhouse UK Cornerstone, and NetGalley for my copy in return for a review. As the blurb above indicates, the story follows the investigation into the disappearance of Kitty Sinn who went missing in Thailand in 1990’s but whose bones are discovered in Buckinghamshire; there’s no trace of her coming back into the country so how did they get there? And so it begins … the roller-coaster ride that is Simon Kernick’s books. For me, one of Simon’s great gifts is to create characters that you care about and DI Ray Mason, in this second outing, is fast becoming one of those; there is a depth to DI Mason that makes him believable and I look forward to getting to know him more. Tina Boyd needs no introduction; she is my favourite female character EVER. She is feisty, brave, unorthodox at times but always with the best of intentions and the perfect person to have on your side. However, where Tina goes trouble is usually not too far behind. I admit to being a fan of Simon’s work and always look forward to his next outing; the way this book ended has me chomping at the bit for the next one.