SLASH AND BURN

Ayo Onatade is an avid reader of crime and mystery fiction. She has been writing reviews, interviews and articles on the subject for the last 12 years; with an eclectic taste from historical to hardboiled, short stories and noir films

In this, the third book in the blokish thriller series featuring Joe Hunter, he is trying to enjoy a break.  His mobile phone is switched off and he does not want to be contacted.  His attempt to benefit from some peace and relaxation does not last long when he is approached by Kate Piers the sister of a deceased friend who urgently needs his help.  Their sister Imogen has gone missing and Hunter feels obliged to help mainly because her dead brother was a close friend of his.   

As the two of them join forces to track down Imogen they come up against a brutal and thuggish group of men who act as enforcers for a businessman who also wants to track down the missing woman.  Who is Robert Huffman the local businessman and why does he want Imogen?  Unable to find her Huffman kidnaps Kate and soon once again Joe is up to his eyes in organised crime, violent killings and gun battles as he tries to rescue Kate without getting the two of them killed in the process. 

Like many, I enjoy thrillers and Slash and Burn can certainly fall into the category of a high-octane page-turner.  There is no let up from the first page and vicious and brutal is a word that easily comes to mind when reading this book.  It is certainly not for the faint hearted and I think that to truly enjoy Slash and Burn you must certainly suspend your disbelief on a number of occasions. This is where I have the problem.  It is not because I cannot suspend my disbelief and it is not because I could not read Slash and Burn or I did not enjoy it.  I did. In fact it lives up to the premise of the type of book that has to be read at one sitting.