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#BlogTour #BookReview No Way To Die by Tony Kent @eandtbooks

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No Way To Die PB BT Poster-2Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for No Way To Die by Tony Kent which will be published in paperback on 14th April 2022.  My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour. Do check out the Instagram post by my tour buddy for today, Kim at Kim’s Reading Adventure.

I read No Way To Die when it was first published in November 2021 and you can find my review below. But first, here’s what some others who really know their stuff have had to say about No Way To Die:

‘The fourth volume in the Dempsey and Devlin high octane action thriller series does not disappoint, and provides the requisite number of fisticuffs, races against time and knuckle-bruising encounters to fill an IMAX screen and more.’ Crime Time

‘Definitely his best yet – a thrilling journey across America that channels Baldacci and Crais, all leading up to the classic ticking clock climax. Terrific.’ Mason Cross, author of What She Saw Last Night

‘What an absolute belter of a book. Dempsey reminds me of an amalgam of 007 and OrphanX. A blistering, two-fisted thriller you won’t want to put down until you’re done.’ Neil Lancaster, author of Dead Man’s Grave

‘[A] nail-biting epic thriller…Utterly unputdownable!’ Steph Broadribb, author of Deep Dark Night

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No Way To Die PBAbout the Book

When traces of a radioactive material are found with a body in Key West, multiple federal agencies suddenly descend on the scene. This is not just an isolated murder – a domestic terrorist group is ready to bring the US government to its knees.

The threat hits close to home for Agent Joe Dempsey when he discovers a personal connection to the group. With his new team member, former Secret Service agent Eden Grace, Dempsey joins the race to track down the bomb before it’s too late. But when their mission falls apart, he is forced to turn to the most unlikely of allies: an old enemy he thought he had buried in his past.

Now, with time running out, they must find a way to work together to stop a madman from unleashing horrifying destruction across the country.

Format: Paperback (512 pages)    Publisher: Elliott & Thompson
Publication date: 14th April 2022 Genre: Thriller

Find No Way To Die on Goodreads

Pre-order/Purchase links
Hive | Amazon UK
Links provided for convenience only, not as part of an affiliate programme

My Review

No Way To Die is the fourth book in Tony Kent’s Dempsey/Devlin series featuring ISB agent Joe Dempsey, a man described as ‘an unquestioning soldier with a talent for death’.

Since it’s impossible to summarise the plot without giving anything away plus the fact I still haven’t got my breath back after finishing it, I’ll just say No Way To Die is:

  • a book with an explosive (literally), twist-a-minute plot that incorporates double-crosses, triple-crosses, quadruple-crosses (you get the picture) and more state-of-the art military hardware than you could ever want (or need)
  • a story involving right-wing extremists, conspiracy theorists and a deadly plan of breathtaking audacity
  • perfect for thrill-seekers, those suffering from James Bond withdrawal symptoms or evil geniuses in search of their next masterplan for world domination

In three words: Action-packed, compelling, twisty

Try something similar: Hunter Killer (Pike Logan #14) by Brad Taylor

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Tony Kent 20/06/18About the Author

Tony Kent is a practising criminal barrister who draws on his legal experience to bring a striking authenticity to his thrillers: Killer Intent, Marked for Death, Power Play and now No Way To Die.

Ranked as a ‘leader in his field’ Tony has prosecuted and defended in the most serious trials during his twenty years at the Criminal Bar – specialising in murder, terrorism, corruption, kidnap and organised crime. His case history is filled with nationally reported trials and his practice has brought him into close professional contact with GCHQ, the Security Service and the Ministry of Defence. He has also defended in matters with an international element, involving agencies such as the FBI.

Tony also appears as a criminal justice expert on a number of TV shows, including Meet, Marry, Murder (coming soon to Netflix), My Lover, My Killer and Kill Thy Neighbour (both Channel 5).

Prior to his legal career Tony represented England as a heavyweight boxer and won a host of national amateur titles.

He lives just outside of London with his wife, young son and dog.

Connect with Tony
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

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#BookReview The Sunken Road by Ciarán McMenamin @VintageBooks

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The Sunken Road PBAbout the Book

Annie, Francie and Archie were inseparable growing up, but in 1914 the boys are seduced by the drama of the Great War. Before leaving their small Irish village for the trenches, Francie promises his true love Annie that he will bring her little brother home safe.

Six years later Francie is on the run, a wanted man in the Irish war of Independence. He needs Annie’s help to escape safely across the border, but that means confronting the truth about why Archie never came back….

Format: Paperback (272 pages )          Publisher: Vintage
Publication date: 17th February 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction

Find The Sunken Road on Goodreads

Purchase links
Bookshop.org
Disclosure: If you buy a book via the above link, I may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops

Hive | Amazon UK
Links provided for convenience only, not as part of an affiliate programme

My Review

The story unfolds in alternating chapters moving between the trenches of France in 1915/16 and Ireland in 1922 during the Irish War of Independence. I’ll admit the latter is not something I knew much about prior to reading this book. What I learned can perhaps be summed up by one character’s observation, ‘The North, the South, the British, the Specials, the Free State Army, the IRA. It’s a right fuckin’ mess up here’.

The author has an actor’s ear for dialogue and the rhythm of Irish speech. The book’s vivid, punchy language accentuates the black humour of Frankie and his comrades. Apart from drink, it’s their only shield against the memories of the terrible scenes they have witnessed and the senseless loss of life. The madness of war is exemplified by a trench raid which is hailed a success despite it yielding no results apart from the death of a highly regarded officer, awarded a posthumous DSO. ‘For conspicuous gallantry, in action… There is nothing conspicuous about him now. Apart from his fucking absence.’

The Sunken Road is not a book for the faint-hearted as it includes harrowing scenes depicting the realities of trench warfare in France and Belgium during the First World War. ‘There is a uniformity to men’s voices when they choke on their own blood while begging for their mother’s tit. A million shells from thousands of guns for hundred of hours.’ It is during his time serving with the British army that Frankie first encounters the man who will become his nemesis – a man who is a bully, a coward and a hypocrite.

It is only in the final chapters of the book that Annie – and the reader – discover the tragic circumstances surrounding Archie’s failure to return from the war. The author resists the temptation to end the book on an uplifting note (echoes of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) although you could say that a kind of justice is served.

I thought the writing was superb and the characters of Frankie, Archie and Annie beautifully realized. There’s Archie, the gentle dreamer who believes it is his ‘destiny’ to liberate Europe, Frankie, the loyal friend tormented by guilt, and Annie, the feisty young woman torn between love and an unwillingness to forgive.  Although not an easy read, I found the book incredibly moving, immersive and utterly gripping.

The Sunken Road is the fifth book I’ve read from the thirteen books on the longlist for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2022 and it’s definitely up there with my favourite book so far, The Fortune Men.

In three words: Powerful, dark, gripping

Try something similar: Where God Does Not Walk by Luke McCallin

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Ciaran McMenaminAbout the Author

Ciaran McMenamin was born in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, in 1975. A graduate of the RSAMD, he has worked extensively for the past twenty years as an actor in film, television and theatre. His acclaimed first novel, Skintown, was a WHSmith Fresh Talent pick.

Connect with Ciaran
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