Russell Brooks

Russell writes a good thriller novel; he also writes a good short story. Three, in fact: Crème Brûlée, To the Last Bite, and Shashlyk and Morozhenoe. The first and last feature Ridley Fox—a familiar face, as he’s the main character in Russell’s Pandora’s Succession. And, as always, he’s in top form: focussed, clever, and not to be messed with.

We’ve all heard the expression ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. In ‘To the Last Bite’, a chef knocks the socks off a scorned woman…I have a very sound piece of advice: take care not to upset a chef before you’ve sampled his food.

This was a most enjoyable read. Small though these little snacks might be, Russell packs nice juicy filling ingredients of tension, suspense, and wryness, into them, leaving you pleasantly satisfied.
… (plus d'informations)

Super stuff—think Bond, James Bond. Russians, chemical warfare, egos the size of a large country, psychotic maniacs, and a CIA agent who gives as good as he gets (and then some) are just part of what makes this a great thriller.

Ridley Fox is the CIA agent—raw and vengeful after the murder of his fiancée by an outfit which has managed to get hold of a powerful and devastating microbe—who finds himself in a race to get hold of it before it gets into the hands of crazed and delusional madmen/women. No one is who they appear to be, and those most obsessed to gain possession of the deadly microbe are intent to either gain financially or powerfully—or both. The chase takes Ridley from Russia to Tokyo, where he finally meets up with a former female colleague, Nita Parris. Despite her rancour at being stood up by him a few years previously (with very disturbing consequences), together they do their best to prevent power-crazed individuals from wiping out the human race.

Brooks is a good storyteller. This is the second book I’ve read by him—I enjoyed Chill Run very much. He sets it well, he tells it well—his action scenes translate into brilliant imagery. In fact the whole book played as a movie in my mind. It focussed on action and the thrill in ‘thriller’, and I was glad it didn’t concentrate too much on the obviously electric attraction between Ridley and Parris. What wasn’t said spoke volumes.

I’m certainly a fan and look forward to this author's next novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.… (plus d'informations)

This was a fun thriller by Russell Brooks: This was a fun thriller by Russell Brooks. The story, set around Montreal, Canada, revolves around Eddie, a struggling writer. He is disheartened by his poor e-book sales and even more despondent when his novel is rejected by two publishing houses. His parents are unsupportive, his girlfriend has cheated on him and his best friend (and flatmate), Corey, owes him rent. Could it get any worse? Oh, indeed it could—he gets laid off from his job at a book store. Corey’s girlfriend, Jordyn is a ‘femdom’, a dominatrix, when she is not waitressing; a lucrative side-line which will enable her to save up enough money to buy her own café. As this little side-line introduces her to all sorts of high-profile people, she suggests that Eddie could do worse than be a ‘maledom’ for one night. A publicity stunt can bring attention to both participants…what better way to get his name ‘in lights’?

When he is finally persuaded, poor Eddie finds himself with more than just public exposure. He's on the run with Corey and Jordyn; the pursuant ‘police’ are determined to catch up with them with more than handcuffs and a slap on the wrist in mind.

This is an enjoyable, fast-paced thriller with likeable characters set in the cold harshness of a Canadian winter. The dialogue between Eddie, Corey, and Jordyn is just what you would expect from three best friends who have known each other for a long time—it’s jovial banter which often raises a smile. Hapless Eddie is easy to empathise with, and the brotherly bond between him and Corey goes back to when they first met, as young teenagers, in an incident which could have ended considerably less than happily for Eddie. The action and characters were all well-described and portrayed. Russell’s style is light and easy to read. I liked the use of French dialogue—it helped to integrate the setting into its French-Canadian backdrop.

A lively and entertaining story.… (plus d'informations)

It's not often that I read novels full of espionage and politics. I'm extremely picky about those that I do choose to read. That being said, Ridley Fox is one character I'll always happily come back to. I first met him in Pandora's Succession, and quickly fell into step with his complex personality. In The Demeter Code he's back for more. A little more rough around the edges, a little less willing to play by the rules, and once again caught up in a mission that extends far beyond what he could possibly imagine.

Brooks writes this tale on a global scale. I followed Fox and he traveled the world, tracking down informants and constantly putting himself in harms way. Being completely honest, this isn't a light read in the least. If you're an avid reader of thrillers, it might be a little easier to keep up. I found myself reading this book very carefully though. It took me extra time to dissect the overlapping plot lines, catch up with the large cast of characters, and keep abreast of all the secrets being revealed. This is a well crafted novel, but it reads in a way that assumes you're used to this type of story. It took a different kind of attention for me to finish, but I didn't mind. I was more than happy to follow along.

I think the thing I've always liked most about these books is that Ridley Fox and Nita Parris complete one another so perfectly. Fox is the one who goes underground, assuming identities and creating important connections. Parris is the intel and scientific mind. She's just as fierce as Fox, but she chooses to use her talents to help him get what he needs. There's always intelligent banter between these two, perhaps even a bit of spark, but the fact remains that they're two halves of the same whole. Keeping up with them as they tried to figure out the Code was a lot of fun.

My only complaint, and it's a small one, is that this story is much more technical than where I first met Ridley Fox. As I said, it took me a lot longer to finish it than I anticipated because I really had to buckle down and read carefully. Still, the action was plentiful, the twists well executed, and I really can't be too upset. Just be warned that this is a story you're going to want to settle in for. It will sweep you up, and you'll find yourself unable to stop reading once you've started.… (plus d'informations)