Shelter by Harlan Coben

After tragic events tear him away from his parents, fifteen-year-old Mickey Bolitar is sent to live with his estranged uncle, Myron Bolitar. For a while, it seems his train wreck of a life is finally improving - until his girlfriend, Ashley, goes missing without a trace. Unwilling to let another person he cares about walk out of his life, Mickey follows Ashley's trail into a seedy underworld, revealing a conspiracy so shocking it will leave him questioning everything about the life he thought he knew.

Wow. Seriously, wow. I picked up Shelter at just after four on a Sunday afternoon. I closed the last page just over two hours later, having DEVOURED it. This story of Mickey kept me utterly gripped throughout.

For a start, the chapters are short and snappy, with sleek prose that keeps those pages turning. You feel absolutely compelled to keep on reading - at the cost of missing meals, not taking phonecalls, not packing for an important business trip, things like that.

Shelter wouldn't work half as well if the characters weren't so vivid. The way in which Mickey interacts with Ema and Spoon, the two misfits of the new high school that he starts attending after he moves to live with his uncle, is absolutely bang on. He is bitter and hurting about the death of his father, and doesn't think he is ever able to become close to someone again. And yet Ema, particularly, worms her way into his life. Their conversations - especially Ema's black humour - are a highlight of Shelter.

In addition to this, Shelter works because it *feels* very adult. I mean, it deals with teenagers and yet circumstances lead them into an incredibly adult situation. It's like the Famous Five coming up against proper slave dealers who don't shy away from torture and killing. I love this dark element to the story, the sense of very real danger.

You know something? I honestly can't think of anything I didn't like about Shelter. From the dialogue to the emotions expressed by Mickey, from the investigation to the hint of a massive conspiracy - it was all superb. And man! That cliffhanger! It feels a long, long time to the next novel in the series.

This is sharp, dangerous, funny and, above all, vital reading. It is a masterpiece of a thriller story for Young Adults. Buy Shelter immediately, you won't regret it.

Shelter is released by the Indigo imprint of Orion Books on 15th September

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees

The year is 1791 and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is Vienna's brightest star. Master of the city's music halls and devoted member of the Austrian Freemason's guild, he stands at the heart of an electric mix of art and music, philosophy and science, politics and intrigue.

Six weeks ago, the great composer told his wife he had been poisoned. Yesterday, he died.

Nannerl, Wolfgang's estranged sister, returns to Vienna to investigate his death - and discovers a sinister conspiracy that reaches to the very highest echelons of Austrian society.

Never has the structure of a novel felt more important than in Mozart's Last Aria. Matt Rees takes the essence of Mozart's music to weave a plot that showcases musical genius alongside a desperately paranoid and rather naive young man, who just wanted to introduce equality to all levels of society. Rees starts with a difficult opening - as Nannerl hears about her estranged brother's death and starts to learn that he believed he was being murdered through slow poisoning. The central portion of the book is a more thoughtful and reflective period, where Nannerl discovers more about her brother's place in Viennese society. The final, explosive portion of the novel is the triumphant climax of the music - as Matt Rees calls it: "a crime novel in A minor."

It's been a while since I've read a novel that is as cleverly put together as Mozart's Last Aria. I appreciated the rising tension, the slow build as Nannerl starts to put all the clues together.

This would be nothing, though, without the exploration of Mozart's relationships with those close to him - his wife, his children, the Brothers of his Masonic Lodge, and Nannerl herself. This helps the reader to discover the man behind the music.

I loved the parts of Mozart's Last Aria that dealt with the Masons and how Mozart explored the future of the Masonic Brotherhood through the forms of his operatic pieces, particularly The Magic Flute. The Masons could so easily become an over-used device - all dark cloaks and twirling moustaches, but Rees presents them sympathetically, especially the notion of equality.

The only part of the novel that I wasn't sure about were Nannerl's encounters with the Baron Swieten. It did help to explain why the Baron might have been so willing to lend his aid to Nannerl, but I found it to be a little too sensationalist.

This is an entertaining and swift read through the possibility of Mozart being murdered. The mystery of who might be behind the murder - if, in fact, it is such - will keep the reader guessing to the end, and the character of Nannerl is one to be cherished. But the real treasure of Mozart's Last Aria is the appreciation of the man's music, and allows him to take his place as a true virtuoso.

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

The setting is 1950s Russia, under the rule of Stalin. Leo Demidov - an officer of the MGB, State Security - is forced to tell two grieving parents that their beloved son was not murdered. His death was an accident. In actuality, Leo has stumbled upon a series of grisly murders that have been covered up by the State. Stalin has proclaimed Russia to be the perfect society, thanks to Communism - in a perfect society, crime cannot exist and therefore these murders are not linked, are rather the work of individuals acting against the State.

When Leo is disgraced and sent into exile with his wife, Raisa, he realises that he must redeem his behaviour in helping to cover up this crime by finding the killer. But any wrong move will see him executed for standing up against the mighty state of Russia...

Child 44 is truly a tale of two halves. The first part of the book, from the building of a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere of fear and paranoia to the description of this faceless killer and the corpses he leaves behind him, is glittering brilliance. At times I struggled to turn each page, knowing that, at any point, Leo could be denounced as a traitor to Russia and executed. The relationship between Leo and Raisa is strained and believable.

It was a stroke of genius setting the novel in such a shocking arena: a time when Stalin's brutal regime was at its height. Anyone who spoke out against the rules would vanish into labour camps - or vanish altogether. Torture to gain confessions was rife - and our hero, Leo, is a part of this institution. It would have been very easy to hate Leo - to hate what he stands for, and the fact that he closes his eyes to the situations around him. But you are invited to realise that Leo is very much a product of the State that defines him - his fear for his parents and Raisa, in the event that he is brought in for questioning, showcases the horribly difficult dilemmas faced by those who suffered under Stalin.

Smith's writing is meticulously researched - the downright frightening world of Stalin is captured perfectly, from the queues for food to the approved books that people are permitted to read. It is a fantastic backdrop for a grisly serial killer case, and adds real flavour and unique depth to this tale.

For a debut novel, the prose is assured and very capable, sweeping the reader into the cold east and a dark story of murder.

So... what is wrong with Child 44? The ending, I'm afraid. Once Leo and Raisa are on the run, and pulling together to attempt to find the killer, the novel loses some of its power and punch. I found myself incredulous about some of the coincidences, and everything was tied off a little too neatly. This is a shame, because, up until the last few chapters, this was one of my top books of 2010.

Frankly, I'm astonished at the fact that this is Smith's debut - Child 44 could have easily come from the pen of one of the genre greats, with the level of tension and the feeling of claustrophobia. I am very excited to see what he produces next.

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

The Snowman tells the story of Harry Hole as he becomes embroiled in a sinister serial killer case. Norway is not known for its serial killers, and Hole has a lot to prove to the rest of the police department to ensure that they believe they are dealing with multiple murders. Assisted by mysterious new detective Katrine, Hole can feel the tension ramping up as he tries to solve the case before the snows come - and The Snowman kills again.

Well, after reading the three books that composed The Millennium trilogy, I was looking to continue my Scandinavian crime reading stint and decided to pick up the new Big Thing in the form of The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. It was similar, but only to the extent that both works deal with serial killers.

On the plus side, The Snowman is tauter and far less bloated. The story whips along with little clues and red herrings littering the work and leading you towards the inevitable conclusion. In fact, this novel might be worth a re-read - just to check all the details that form part of the clues.

On the negative side, we have a far less charismatic hero in the form of Harry Hole - we're back to the usual stereotype of alcoholic maverick detective, who is determined to solve the case to the point of obsession and losing all of his friends and family.

One thing is very clear: we are not dealing here with a nice story. The Snowman is a terrifying plot device to use - something that is usually so innocent and free from horror. I don't think I will ever, ever want to make a snowman again, especially not after reading passages like this:

"The snow in the garden reflected enough light for him to make out the snowman down below [...] At that moment the moon slid from behind a cloud. The black row of teeth came into view. And the eyes. [...] The pebble-eyes were gleaming. And they were not staring into the house. They were looking up. Up here."

*shudders* Other people might find sections like that a little ridiculous, but for me it brought out all those nightmares you have as a child. Adding in real passages of terror, where the unseen killer commits his murders, just increases the fear factor for me. I had to have the light on last night after reading this into the wee small hours. And I had to keep checking to convince myself that the snow hadn't started to fall.

It was a fairly disposable read, however. Having mentioned a re-read above, I don't think this is a book I would pick up again. It did the job effectively, but it won't stay with me for too long and I didn't like or empathise with many of the characters. In a way, it is incredibly routine, with only the snowman angle lifting it out of the doldrums of mediocrity.

In conclusion, a decent enough way to spend a few hours. And I do feel a necessity to post this picture now:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest is the third book in the acclaimed Millennium trilogy, and completes the tale of Lisbeth Salander. In this novel we find her recovering from the events at the end of the second book, facing trial for attempted murder and various other counts. Mikael Blomkvist knows that she is innocent, and, in fact, is the victim of a conspiracy that goes to the very top of government - can he prove her innocence before she is locked away?

That little summary does not do justice to the sheer detail of plot in this novel. We are introduced to various characters within secret police departments, within SMP (the newspaper that Erica Berger moves to), within the criminal fraternity. We are shown subplots concerning revenge, romance and money. You certainly get bang for your buck here!

My biggest complaint about the two prior books in the trilogy was the extreme slow-burn start of both. In this novel we pick up the events immediately following the end of book two, so Larsson hits the ground running. I loved the way the plot built and knitted together - but I have a new complaint. Instead of the slow burn start, we have two instances of about 20 pages each within The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest where the plot slows to an absolute crawl as Larsson stops to explain the formation of a secret government department. Even given that I was desperate to find out what would happen to Lisbeth, I almost put the book away at these two periods. Slow, dull and dry.

It is hard to say whether this is Larsson's writing or the translation his original manuscript was given - but I've heard that the translation is deemed to be above par, which means the fault goes to Larsson.

In spite of this, I found the novel a fitting and exciting conclusion to this massive, sprawling trilogy. There are some real fist-punching-the-air moments. Lisbeth Salander becomes more... human. We see her interacting with more people in this book, both online and in real life, and her dark humour yet serious demeanour are displayed to great effect. I make no secret of the fact that she is one of the very best heroines I have read in recent times. It takes real skill to make readers care for a sociopath who refuses to take help from people and has zero social skills.

The fact is that if you read the first two books in the trilogy, you'll be picking this book up. If you discarded The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo in the first fifty pages, you won't be touching this with a barge-pole. BUT I write this review for anyone who is considering picking up the first book in the trilogy. Do it. Work hard through those first two hundred pages. The pay-off is unbelievable. These are three of the most entertaining novels I've read this year and they absolutely deserve the acclaim.

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played With Fire is the second book in the Millennium trilogy by Stieg Larsson and progresses the tale of Lisbeth Salander, a rather unusual heroine. In this novel Lisbeth gradually makes her way back to Sweden and picks up her life there, after a year travelling the world. She just wants a quiet life, and to be left alone - but, unknown to her, an investigation has started into sex trafficking that gradually draws her in. When a triple murder occurs, Salander's prints are all over the weapon used, and she finds herself on the run from the police, and forced to once again get in contact with Mikael Blomkvist.

I enjoyed this book, but not half as much as the first novel in the trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). Having established the characters of Blomkvist and Salander, I thought that Larsson would hit the ground running with this book, but we had the same very slow start that I experienced with the first novel. I was roughly 200 pages into The Girl Who Played With Fire before it became unputdownable. Now I read to the end of every book I pick up (I'm a sadist like that) but I have friends who give books a few chapters or maybe fifty pages before they discard a book that doesn't interest them - all those people will miss out on the thrilling read that this became.

I also objected thoroughly to the fact that many of the characters are still wondering how Lisbeth Salander manages to find out all the information she does during investigations: have none of them heard of computer hacking?! I don't know when Larsson originally wrote these three books - whether it was before the prevalence of the Internet and the ability of people to hack computers - but so many characters seemed woefully ignorant to the point of stupidity.

Lisbeth is still a startlingly charismatic heroine - almost a sociopath, with her own strong morals and hints of Asperger's Syndrome. I enjoyed every single part of the book that contained her, and loved the fact that we learnt more of her back story (a crucial part of the plot in this book).

Blomkvist was less readable this time out, but then The Girl Who Played With Fire isn't so much 'his' book. Instead we gained a vast cast of police officers and Millennium staff and private investigators. I struggled to keep them all straight in my head, in all honesty, with very few of them becoming more than simply plot devices.

In addition, the subplot concerning Berger and her angst about taking a new job became merely filler - since it wasn't completely resolved in this novel, I am assuming it will become more important in the third book.

Middle novels in trilogies often tend to suffer a little in terms of maintaining reader interest, and The Girl Who Played With Fire is no exception to this. After an extremely slow burning start, the ending turned out to be utterly explosive and kept me reading into the wee small hours. I would urge those who find it difficult to give it a chance, since I thought the last few hundred pages were spiked with adrenaline and well worth the early effort a reader will have to put in. I'm looking forward to seeing how Larsson completes Salander's story.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

We start the book following Mikael Blomkvist as he is tried in court thanks to a libelous case he brought against an industry giant with a murky past. His name is brought to the attention of Henrik Vanger, the head of the Vanger Corporation - a man who is plagued by a possible murder that occurred forty years previously. Vanger offers Blomkvist the job of investigating the disappearance of Harriet Vanger. Gradually Blomkvist is drawn into what he believes is an impossible case - with the help of the enigmatic and delinquent Lisbeth Salander, he starts to believe he might bring light to the events.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been a phenomenal success, hyped by many, and I was interested to see what Stieg Larsson actually achieved with the Millennium trilogy. We all know those books which receive hype, and are subsequently disappointing. I'm happy to report that in this case the hype is deserved.

That is not to say this is an easy read. The first 200 pages or so were a struggle to get through at times, and I found it all too easy to put the book down. In the second half of the book the pace accelerates to a driving rhythm which whips you through the rest of the tale. It becomes an absolute page turner (which is a horrible cliche - in the words of Michael McIntyre, that is really the least you should expect from a book, surely? *grins)

I found the prose stilted at times, but I don't know how much of this is to do with the translation of Larsson's original work. Give great credit to the translator, in the most part this felt like a very natural read with very little confusion. I would just say that I didn't appreciate the odd occasion where Larsson appeared to quote word for word the catalogue entry for various pieces of technological equipment.

Lisbeth Salander is a truly startling character - not someone I ever expected to love come the end of the novel. She is spiky, sassy, fiercely intelligent - but also annoyingly private and tolerating of virtually no one. Her upbringing is hinted at, and is made out to be fairly horrific. I wanted to read about Salander - she was totally fascinating and owned the book. I also liked Blomkvist a great deal - with these two leads the book had a strong central core.

At times the rest of the cast of characters could, at times, be mixed up. The Vanger clan was rather large, and led to some moments of 'who was that again?' There was a family tree at the beginning, but I wonder whether a detailed dramatis personae would have worked better?

The plot was intricate and detailed, with a fabulous jigsaw puzzle style - slotting each piece of information into place just at the right time to keep you reading and intrigued. I loved trying to work out ahead of time who might have committed the crime, but I totally failed to put the clues together! It came as a complete surprise, which I'm also pleased about - the book felt clever and not at all by the numbers.

I do want to mention some of the rather harrowing and graphic scenes within this novel. We are dealing with some rather nasty individuals and their behaviour at times was sickening. There is one truly horrible rape scene, which helped to show Salander's attitude and delved a little into her past, but I really didn't appreciate the dark quality of it. There was also a pretty horrendous event involving a cat, and this made me feel physically sick. I deemed this to be a strength of Larsson's writing - his prose made me feel nervous and sickened and as though I was genuinely involved.

Startling, dark and tremendously skilled prose - this novel is an incredible read. Not always easy, but well worth the effort. Recommended.