The King's Prerogative by Iain Colvin

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The King's Prerogative, a fascinating historical/crime novel.

Summary:

Scotland, 1983.

Craig Dunlop is bored. Bored of his job, his town, his life.

After a family bereavement, Craig inherits an old heirloom; a wallet given to his grandfather during the war by none other than the deputy leader of Nazi Germany, Rudolf Hess.

The wallet has hidden a secret for forty years, and when Craig stumbles upon it, a chain of events is set in motion that lead to him becoming a hunted man.

Finding himself in a race to unravel a mystery that could shake the very foundations of the British establishment, Craig must find answers before the police catch up with him, or worse still, he is made to disappear forever, along with the secret of The King’s Prerogative

My review:

I found this book to be a gripping, fast paced story. The prologue sets the scene, it's May 1941 when a plane crashes into the Scottish countryside; deputy leader of the Nazi party, Rudolph Hess, has arrived in Scotland... 

Jump to 1983, and our protagonist Craig Dunlop takes the reins, leading us on an intriguing chase through the streets of Stranraer, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cambridge and Caithness. 

The historical facts in this book are fascinating, to say the least, and led me to research Rudolph Hess and the part he played during WWII. The story built around these facts, is a thrilling mystery, with a flawed, and sometimes infuriating lead character, who finds himself catapulted from his mundane life into a race against time (and bad guys) on a quest to find out the truth, before he is caught. 

It's this quest for the truth, this mission to find out what the letter he finds really means, that had me hooked from the beginning. Trying to guess if each character Craig meets on his journey, is friend or foe, had me holding my breath in anticipation. If you like historical fiction, crime novels or a thrilling read, then this book is for you. 

Thank you to Faye Rogers and the publishers for sending me a free copy of this book to review. 

Information about the Book
Title: The King’s Prerogative
Author: Iain Colvin
Release Date: 30th July 2019
Genre: Thriller
Page Count:
Publisher: Clink Street Publishing
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                                   Vengeful by V.E.Schwab 

I love this book! Vengeful is dark and glorious! There is no way, that I am aware of, that I can review this book without waxing lyrical, so here goes! 

Book one, Vicious, is where we got to know Victor and Eli. We found out who they were, what they believed and what they thought themselves capable of achieving. It was brilliant and I couldn't put it down. 

Then the author gave us Vengeful and Oh My Stars! did she deliver! Vengeful is perfection. I love the timeline in the book and the powerful way that flashbacks are used. The writing is incredible, I felt like I was living this book as I was so immersed in the characters and the story. 

Before I go any further I would like to scream excitedly about the cover art. Julia Lloyd is the incredibly talented artist and just look at the beauty!

I love Victor Vale. There, I said it! He isn't one of the good guys, but... I am, without a shadow of a doubt, drawn to him. I adore his makeshift family - Sydney, Mitch and Dominic - and the dynamics of their relationships. Sydney is so incredibly endearing; she brings out my protective side and most outbursts of anger during both books were in regards to how and what she was forced to suffer. 

The what if's of EO's and the infinite possibilities their existence could mean is fascinating and makes me wonder... not enough to attempt to become one though, I am not brave enough! 

I hate the way Extraordinaries are treated by humans throughout this story, it is typical of our world. Undeniably, some EO's were dangerous lunatics and committing crimes, however, the instinct of mankind is that if we don't understand something, we fear it and try to destroy it and this angers me. Okay, okay, rant over! 

The powerful women in Vengeful are amazing. Marcella is intelligent and resourceful and has an inextinguishable desire for revenge and an immense thirst for power. And June is a shapeshifter drowning in secrets and pain. They are both dangerous and awesome! 

I know I have used the word love too many times, but it was inevitable as I really really love this book! 

V.E.Schwab is a genius. The worlds she creates are intricate, magical, dark and incredible. Her characters are complex, believable and unforgettable. If you haven't read Vicious or Vengeful, or indeed any of her other books, then please rectify the situation immediately.  

Thank you to Titan Books for sending me a free copy of this book ❤

Seven Places Without You by Juan Berrio

Seven Places Without You is a beautifully illustrated graphic novel. 

This is a story about a relationship that has broken down. Elena doesn't know what has happened or why, all she knows is that she is alone and heartbroken. There are seven chapters, each one sees Elena in different situations and we see how she deals with her anguish when with her friends and family. 

I love the illustrations and the muted colours used, they match the emotion and pace of the story. What surprised me was the depth of feeling portrayed in the images without dialogue. It's exquisitely done. 

My favourite moments are when Elena goes home and visits with her parents and her younger brother. The relationship between the siblings is sweet, and Elena's mum is very believable in her worrying and nagging!

I was a little disappointed with the last chapter, the story went in a direction that I wasn't expecting. However, that said, I very much enjoyed this book. I haven't read many graphic novels, Seven Places Without You has made me realise that this is a mistake, and I will definitely be reading more. An engaging and poignant short story. 

I received a copy of this ebook from #netgalley in return for an honest review. 

Title: Seven Places Without You
Author/Illustrator: Juan Berrio
Isbn: 9791032807460
Edition: ebook

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