Book
Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: Princes Gate
Subtitle: (DCI Frank Merlin
#1)
Author:
Mark Ellis
Genre: Crime/Thriller/Mystery
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 1
Best read after earlier
books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26244386-princes-gate
Overall
score:
I
scored this book 4/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short
Summary of the book:
A murder mystery set around the American
Embassy in London at the start of the second World War. Will Frank Merlin
identify the killer?
What
I liked about the book:
It’s a great detective story.
What
I didn’t like about the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My
favourite bits in the book:
The twists and turns.
My
least favourite bits in the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
Any
further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This is the first book I’ve read by this
author. The title suggests there will be more in the series to follow.
What
books could this be compared to and why?
It can be compared to many other detective
stories.
Recommendation:
In
summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
|
Children |
No |
|
Young
Adult |
Perhaps |
|
Adult |
Yes |
If
you like mysteries and intrigue, this
book may be the book for you.
I’m
certainly looking forward to reading more by this author.
Book
Description by Author:
Princes Gate is the first in the DCI Frank
Merlin series. These atmospheric books set in wartime London mix historical and
fictional characters and feature a charismatic and intriguing half-Spanish
Scotland Yard detective. When a brilliant emigre scientist is killed by a hit
and run driver and a young woman's body is washed up in the Thames, Merlin and
his team must investigate. The woman is an employee of the American Embassy,
whose Ambassador at this time is Joseph Kennedy. DCI Merlin's investigation of
diplomats at the Embassy ruffles feathers at the Foreign Office - the American
Ambassador is a well-known supporter of appeasement and many powerful and
influential Britons favour the pursuit of a negotiated peace settlement with Hitler.
The death of another Embassy employee leads Merlin into some of the seedier
quarters of wartime London where a corrupt night-club owner, various
high-flying diplomats and the Ambassador himself appear to be linked to the
events surrounding the deaths. Merlin has to pursue his detective work under
the interfering supervision of an Assistant Metropolitan Commissioner who is
fearful about the impact of Merlin's investigations on Anglo-American relations
at a time when America represents to many Britain's only hope of salvation.
Capturing the atmosphere of Britain in 1940 during the 'phoney war' when,
although war rages on the Continent, life continues relatively peacefully in
Britain, Princes Gate is an enthralling detective novel."
About
the Author:
Former
barrister and businessman from Swansea. His first crime thriller, Princes Gate,
set in WW2 London and featuring charismatic Scotland Yard detective Frank
Merlin, was published in Summer 2011. Frank Merlin 2, Stalin's Gold, published
March 1 2014. Merlin 3 Merlin At War published in July 2017. Merlin At War has
been longlisted for the 2018 CWA Historical Dagger.
"Masterful"
Bestselling historian Andrew Roberts' review of Stalin's Gold
"Ellis
does a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere as thick as any 1940's London
pea souper you may find and I have to admit once I'd read the opening chapters,
I was well and truly hooked." Talk Books, review of Princes Gate by Milo's
Rambles.
"Nostalgia,
sex and intrigue all rolled into one-great!" Tony Page in 50Connect.
"Set
in London, in January 1940, we are quickly propelled into the atmosphere and
feel of desperation...we can smell the sweat under the arms of the men, and the
stale perfume of naive girls in the nightclubs; we can see the unshaven chins
and the venal eyes of the club owner...we
can
even share the fear as a plane passes high
over
the darkened streets and the instinct is to
duck
into an air-raid shelter...an interesting
character
and era, and I'd like to read more."
Adrian
Magson, best-selling author, in Shots
Magazine.
"A
real treat" Hereford Times
No comments:
Post a Comment