Jurrasic Jemma & the Trail of Evil: A blend of intrigue, heart, and clever storytelling

Jurassic Jemma and the Trail of Evil is the final installment in this series by John J. Delaney, and having had the pleasure of reading all three books, I can confidently say it’s a fitting conclusion. This one picks up with Jemma Thorne—a fossil hunter, mother, grandmother, and wife—eager to settle into a peaceful life in the seaside town of Lulcombe, England, alongside her husband and young son. Her grown daughter, Ellie, and granddaughter live next door. All seems set for a quiet, happy life, but peace is quickly disrupted when Jemma becomes the target of a vengeful plot.

BookHookup Review: Jurassic Jemma and the Trail of Evil

Delaney excels at creating relatable, well-developed characters that feel like family, each adding depth to the story and enriching the relationships, motivations, and drama. The female antagonist stands out as particularly memorable—someone you love to hate—adding an exciting layer of tension to the plot.

The pacing is spot-on, with plenty of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, while maintaining an inviting atmosphere. Delaney offers neatly packaged clues throughout, leading to a satisfying conclusion that ties up loose ends and leaves you with a sense of fulfillment.

Jurassic Jemma and the Trail of Evil is a delightful blend of intrigue, heart, and clever storytelling, making it a must-read for fans of the mystery-suspense genre. While it can be enjoyed as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the entire series to fully appreciate the depth and richness of Jemma's journey. A solid 5-star recommendation from me.

Unpredictable suspense couched in historical fiction

At the start of this third installment, the Brittle Trilogy opens with the devastating toll of the sweeping flu pandemic of 1918. Plot events carry the main characters through WWII providing a fertile backstory perfect for fate to overlap the paths of several characters. The captivating plot is unpredictable and keeps the pages turning. 

Fans of the first two books will be happy to see the return of Richard Blackmore who was injured during the war and hospitalized for a long stay due to a head injury. The love of his life, Maggie, lives in hiding from her ex-husband and the man he hired to kill her. When Richard is able, he sets out looking for Maggie. He’s a good guy with dogged determination and even though years have passed Maggie doesn’t give up hope that she will see him again.

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Book review: The Brittle Sky

I’ve had the pleasure of reading the entire Brittle Trilogy which spans decades from pre-WWI to post-WWII. If you’ve read the first two books in the series, book three will not disappoint. The entire series takes on Hitchcockian-style elements with climactic plot twists and an innocent man accused. I recommend the entire Trilogy to those who enjoy Historical Fiction. As a WWII buff, I enjoyed the historical threads woven into this work of fiction. I’d love to share my favorite, but it would be a spoiler, and I’d rather readers get the full enjoyment as the story unfolds. The pacing is on target. Believable. I am happy to give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Page-turning suspense and drama

If you have not read the historical thriller, The Brittle Sea, book one in The Brittle Saga Trilogy, then know that this review includes spoilers related to book 1. My recommendation is to read The Brittle Sea before picking up The Brittle Land to get the full experience of the intricacies of the plot, but with that said The Brittle Land is written in such a way that it can be enjoyed without reading book 1.

About the book: The Brittle Land

The Brittle Land is the second book I’ve read by Tom Kane. Both are filled with page-turning suspense and drama with an underlying thread of romance that connects it all. Book two opens with the everyday life of Richard Blackmore as he picks up the pieces after being shot by the love of his life, Maggie. What he doesn’t know is that Maggie has a dual personality. The woman who tried to murder Richard was her alter ego, Magda Turner, but for The Brittle Land, Maggie has resurfaced. The plot has the reader cheering for the two of them to reunite even as Richard heads off to war. What he doesn’t know is that the personality that is the Maggie he loves has resurfaced following the trauma of his shooting. She escapes life as Magda Turner in search of Richard, but she isn’t alone. She brings along her young daughter (Richard’s daughter) with hopes of becoming a family.

 

Book Hookup Review: The Brittle Land

The plot is anything but predictable. It offers a Hitchcockian style theme that takes a dark and twisting turn as Magda’s husband sends his evil henchman, William Harker, after his wife who has now reverted to Maggie. Tension and intrigue build against a backdrop of World War I, the Spanish Flu, and Maggie’s personal struggle with mental health to keep Magda in check as she hopes to reconnect with Richard even as her world burns around her. If you’re in the market for a thriller, I recommend this book with four stars. I love the twist at the end that turned everything on its head. I can’t wait to read book 3, The Brittle Sky.

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As BookHookup I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from the author and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

About the author: Tom Kane

Tom Kane was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV. So said his father many times, and the family agreed wholeheartedly. That seems to have set the tone for the rest of his life. In the corner or behind the TV, what is known about his birth is that it was on a dark and stormy night.

His mother inspired him to write. Doctor Who and Isaac Asimov inspired his love of science fiction. Monty Python inspired him to be silly and he blame Billy Connolly for his infrequent bursts of bad language.

Hitchcockian style suspenseful drama

The Brittle Sea by Tom Kane is the first book in an historical drama trilogy. This suspense-filled psychological thriller opens with a young Ukrainian woman heading to America for an arranged marriage. She’s rather a manipulative independent sort as she boards the Titanic and survives the ship going down. When she awakens, she doesn’t remember who she is, where she is from, or where she was going, and her personality is sweet and innocent. The boat that rescues her is The Lady Jane, captained by Richard Blackmore, and he quickly finds he cares for her. The ship’s steward decides she needs a name while onboard, and gives her the name Maggie.

The Brittle Trilogy

 

About the Book: The Brittle Sea

This story is full of plot twists as the man Maggie is supposed to marry is a shrewd American businessman by the name of Matthew Turner. He doesn’t plan to marry her because he wants a wife, but because he has plans to procure oil-rich property her family owns in Alaska. But when the Titanic goes down, Maggie goes missing and when The Lady Jane arrives in New York, Richard Blackmore takes Maggie to live at his apartment until her memory returns, and the two of them fall in love. In the meantime, Turner hires his sociopath henchman, William Harker to hunt down the woman he has paid to marry.

 

@donnasundblad BookHookup Review The Brittle Sea #bookreview #bookreviews #bookreviewer #historicalfiction #thrillerbooks #suspensebooks #bookhookup #booktok #readersoftiktok ♬ original sound - Donna Sundblad

Book review: The Brittle Sea

I’m not going to give more than that away because I don’t want to include spoilers in this review, but I can tell you that The Brittle Sea will set you on the edge of your seat and hold you there. The characters in this Hitchcockian-style suspenseful drama are unpredictable and you will either love them or hate them. Sometimes both. The complex plot is volatile and will take you on a tortuous journey filled with danger, paranoia, and a thirst for revenge. I highly recommend The Brittle Sea to readers who enjoy historical thrillers or psychological thrillers couched in a love story that reads like detective fiction. The end took away my breath. I’m happy to give it 4 stars.

 

About the author: Tom Kane

I was born in the corner of the living room, behind the TV. So said my father many times, and the family agreed wholeheartedly. That seems to have set the tone for the rest of my life. In the corner or behind the TV, what is known about my birth is that it was on a dark and stormy night.

 

My mother inspired me to write. Doctor Who and Isaac Asimov inspired my love of science fiction. Monty Python inspired me to be silly and I blame Billy Connolly for my infrequent bursts of bad language.

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As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

 

 

 

The Bone Key Curse delivers a plot riddled with mystery & suspense

The Bone Key Curse by Mike Scantlebury is an adventure/thriller with a religious premise. Think of Raiders of the Lost Ark but bring it to modern day Bristol England where students from Bristol University have been excavating for years. The story centers on what they discover in the River Trym, which flows through north Bristol and empties into the River Avon. It’s an ancient ship, and it holds well-preserved secrets. Mickey and his team arrive on site due to a terrorist threat. He’s out of his element, but his co-worker, Amelia Hartliss, provides him with enough information to give him a foundational understanding of the importance of the find and why religious zealots might want to capture or destroy the artifacts. 

 

Book Review

 

This story explodes with action in the first chapter and introduces a plot riddled with mystery and suspense. Scantlebury weaves a web of intrigue as Mickey, and his team, follow ancient clues to catch the terrorists. The Bone Key Curse is book 7 in the Mickey from Manchester series and the first I’ve read. The story stands alone, but it would be fun to pick up this series from the beginning. I wish the characters were more developed so I knew them better and could care more about what happens to them, but overall, I give this book 4 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy books like The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown or Altar of Eden By James Rollins. The Bone Key Curse entertains and keeps the pages turning.

 

As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book and have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

 

About Author Mike Scantlebury

 

Free-wheeling author Mike Scantlebury confuses a lot of readers. Most days he writes adventurous stories, but he has so many other creative interests as well, it’s hard keeping up. Sure, you can find his books in all good online book-stores, but there’s e-books and paperbacks too, as well as a slew of audio-books that he’s narrated himself. Is that why he’s on Sound Cloud? No, he’s also got songs up there, as well as podcasts. You can also find him on You Tube. Talking about writing? Of course, but also performing, (songs, yes, and he’s also made a series of short drama movies, with local friends).

For a dedicated author, it’s almost as though he has NO PLAN at all. Well, yeah, That’s why they started calling him ‘Free-wheeling’. He’s so laid back, you never know what he’ll be doing today.

Still, if you want to read what he’s written - novels, short and long - try the usual book outlets. But if you want to hear him TALK, search out audio-books, (as well as podcasts on Sound Cloud). If you want to hear him SING, it’s Sound Cloud again, (plus You Tube), and if you want to see him act, try You Tube (and Vimeo.com).

That voice? It will tell you one thing. Mike Scantlebury is from the West of England. In fact, he’s the North West’s only West Country crime writer. That sounds like fun. He deserves an Award for that in itself!