Chasing the Dragon (Betancourt Mystery Series Book 2) - Mark Wightman

Singapore, 1940

A local fisherman finds the body of a missing American archaeologist

Detective Inspector Betancourt of the Singapore Marine Police is first on the scene. Something doesn't quite add up. He finds out that the archaeologist, Richard Fulbright, was close to deciphering the previously-untranslatable script on a pre-colonial relic known as the Singapore Stone. This was no accidental drowning.

Is there more to this case than archaeological rivalries?

Betancourt also discovers that Fulbright had been having an affair. He is sure he is onto something bigger than just academic infighting.

A government opium factory draws criminal interest.

In his investigations into the death, Betancourt finds his own life in danger, and now he has also put himself on the wrong side of British Military Intelligence, and he is unsure which set of opponents he fears the most...

 

What did I think?

Wow!  I thought Mark Wightman's debut, Waking the Tiger, was fantastic but this next book in the Betancourt Mystery series, Chasing the Dragon, is absolutely stunning.  There's even a map at the start of the book and I do love a map in a book, although I didn't refer back to it as often as I expected because that would have slowed down my reading of this completely gripping novel.

Mark Wightman's writing draws you in and sets a very vivid scene of Singapore in 1940.  The era and the location is very film noir and so atmospheric that I felt as if I was reading through a fug of opium smoke...chasing the dragon that can never be caught.

Max Betancourt's latest case is investigating the death of an American archaeologist which the powers that be seem determined to rule as accidental death...but Max smells something fishy and it's not the whiff from the docks.

I love not only the main character of Max but the whole cast of returning characters, for those readers who have read the first book.  You can totally read Chasing the Dragon without reading Waking the Tiger, but it's wonderful to see how the characters develop as they each have their own personal challenges.

The plot is very intricate but Mark Wightman's vivid writing makes it easy to follow all the strands of the story and how it all comes together at the end is nothing short of breathtaking.  I couldn't read it fast enough and with a virtual bomb thrown under Max at the end, I'm already chomping at the bit for the next book in the series.

Atmospheric, gripping and immersive, Chasing the Dragon is an unforgettable and unmissable crime thriller.  I really can't recommend it highly enough and I'm having an Oliver Twist moment: please Mark Wightman, can I have some more?

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Waking the Tiger (Betancourt Mystery Series Book 1) - Mark Wightman

Singapore, 1939

A young Japanese woman is found dead on the dockside, her throat slashed

Inspector Maximo Betancourt is working a new beat, one he didn’t ask for. Following the disappearance of his wife, his life and career have fallen apart.

A distinctive tiger tattoo is the only clue to her identity

Once a rising star of Singapore CID, Betancourt has been relegated to the Marine Division, with tedious dockyard disputes and goods inspections among his new duties.

Who is she? And why are the authorities turning a blind eye?

But when a beautiful, unidentified Japanese woman is found murdered in the shadow of a warehouse owned by one of Singapore’s most powerful families, Betancourt defies orders and pursues those responsible. What he discovers will bring him into conflict with powerful enemies, and force him to face his personal demons.

 

What did I think?

What a fantastic debut!  Waking the Tiger is a completely gripping thriller that I absolutely raced through.  I loved everything about it: the immersive writing, the well-developed characters, the dark and sometimes seedy location, the pre-war era and the razor-sharp plot. 

I love Max Betancourt; he's a brilliant detective but there's one case he can't crack: the one relating to the disappearance of his wife.  It's like someone has pressed pause on his personal life and he can't go any further until he finds out what happened to Anna.  He's even lost touch with his daughter Lucia, who is living with her grandparents.  At least he can rely on Alex...his motorbike!

It feels as if the whole novel is written in black and white and I could imagine every scene playing out in my head as if it was on the big screen.  The mystery surrounding the murdered woman is fantastic; it feels like Max is pulling at several threads and just one more tug will see the whole thing unravel and what's hidden underneath will be revealed. 

Authentic, atmospheric and addictive, Waking the Tiger is an outstanding debut and a fantastic start to an exciting new series.  Very highly recommended.

I chose to read a digital ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Singapore Fire (An Ash Carter Mystery-Thriller Book 6) - Murray Bailey

The Endgame.

Once again caught between the government and the criminal gangs, it's time for Carter to choose.

Escape now or stand and fight?

What did I think?

I jumped into the Ash Carter thriller series at book 5 (Singapore Killer) and absolutely loved it, proving that each novel can be read as a standalone.  The same can indeed be said for book 6, Singapore Fire,  which is the final instalment in the series.  Whilst I delighted in catching up with some old characters, I certainly wouldn't have lost any enjoyment in the novel if I hadn't read any of the previous books.

Ash Carter is a private investigator in 1950s Singapore.  Being ex-army, he has great rapport with local police and has useful contacts in the military.  When he starts investigating Andrew Yipp, a businessman and head of a secret society, Carter has a slight conflict of interest: he's in love with Yipp's niece, Su Ling.  Yipp also has his eye on Carter and both men are willing to fight to the death, but neither man wants Su Ling caught in the crossfire.  With Carter and Su Ling planning to flee Singapore, will Carter choose love over getting his man?

So I thought I had the ending of Singapore Fire all worked out then BAM!, Murray Bailey totally took the rug out from under me!  It actually couldn't have been a better conclusion but I really didn't see it coming at all.  My lips are sealed so I don't spoil it for others but take my word for it, it is jaw-droppingly good.

I should also mention that there are elements of grooming, child abuse and rape in the novel that make for slightly uncomfortable reading.  It's not particularly graphic but rape is never pleasant reading.  I just think that perhaps a trigger warning might be useful for some readers to be made aware of this in advance.

Blisteringly fast paced and atmospheric, with a plot that sizzles like a stick of dynamite, Singapore Fire is a stunning conclusion to the Ash Carter series.  If you read Singapore Fire as a standalone, you will definitely want to read all the earlier books in the series.  Gripping, breathtaking and heartpoundingly thrilling, Singapore Fire is well worthy of 5 stars.

Many thanks to the author for providing a copy of his book for me to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Singapore Killer (Ash Carter #5) - Murray Bailey

A helicopter crash and burned bodies.

A faceless corpse.

A mysterious town.

It's September 1953 and Ash Carter is drawn into a dark case from which there seems no escape.

What did I think?

Don't worry about picking up this Ash Carter thriller mid-series; although it's book 5, you can definitely read Singapore Killer as a standalone and not feel like you're missing something.  This is my first Ash Carter book and it definitely won't be my last; I absolutely loved it.

Singapore, even Asia, is a new literary location to me and I thoroughly enjoyed my virtual trip there.  I love how Murray Bailey brings the location to life and I felt that not just the location, but also the characters (especially Carter's receptionist, Madam Chau) were described very vividly.  I'm sure I'd get a steely glare from her for calling Madam Chau a receptionist; I certainly wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of her!  

There's a very intriguing helicopter crash at the beginning that hooked me like a greedy fish and I absolutely raced through the pages.  Main character Ash Carter reminded me of a cross between Andy McNab's Nick Stone and 24's Jack Bauer; Ash Carter is a brilliant investigator and fearless in the presence of danger.  Carter is on the trail of the mysterious BlackJack who is targeting and killing military personnel; the trail takes Carter undercover into a cult-like village where the danger levels (and my pulse) went off the scale.

I was surprised how quickly I read Singapore Killer, reading it cover to cover over a period of 24 hours; it just shows you how fast-paced and gripping the story is, without being too heavily military-based (which tends to bore me).  The book is quite unique in that it simultaneously ends on a reveal and a cliffhanger which left me not just thirsty, but positively parched for more!  While I wait for Ash Carter's story to continue, I'll content myself with catching up with Carter's past in the previous four novels.

Singapore Killer is a vivid and gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to well beyond the finish, where I'll continue to perch until book 6 is released!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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