PositiveCriminal ElementSeparated by little more than 30 years from The Black Dahlia, Ellroy’s hyper-realistic, signature, profane-laced, police patois and jazz slang is in full Ultra HD 4K surround sound effect. Reading the prose from This Storm, I can see the rain falling, hear the rapid-fire back and forth of two cops on a stakeout, and smell their boozy coffee cigarette-smoked clothes. Ellroy’s writing style is completely his own ... The cast of This Storm is diverse and monumental ... Reading This Storm won’t make you a proud American, but reading it will make you realize what it was like behind all the glitz and glamour when Los Angeles was trying to decide who she wanted to be.
Jo Spain
RaveCriminal Element...a gripping psychological thriller that makes you question whether the confession of a crime on the first page is driven by a guilty conscience or whether it’s a calculated move in a deadly game ... The Confession was anything but simple, but it was a refreshing change—a meta-narrative—as surprising and pleasant as thinking you had opened up a bottle of cold chardonnay only to find out it’s champagne ... Many elements of The Confession, especially her characters, were reminiscent of the plays of American playwright Tennessee Williams ... Jo Spain drops narrative gems that gleamed perfection ... I’m always pleased when I see such expert narrative skill on display.
Dan Fesperman
RaveCriminal ElementDan Fesperman is no stranger to thrill and intrigue... [Safe Houses] showcases a lean, muscular prose that is able to deliver plot points as cleanly and quickly as a switchblade’s twist ... The strength of [Safe Houses] relies on the author’s deft handling of spy-jinx. The story isn’t bogged down with tradecraft or explanations of how things work. But that’s not to say that one is left wanting more, either. Fesperman uses just enough to progress the plot and keep us wondering what he’s going to do to our two heroines next ... The novel’s strength also lies in its historical and cultural context... [there\'s] enough description and realism to enthrall me with the historically fascinating past while avoiding the bogging of encyclopedic descriptions ... I’m definitely a new fan; read [Safe Houses] and you will be too (if you aren’t already).
