Shadow of the Rock

Spike Sanguinetti #1

by Thomas Mogford

On a humid summer night in Gibraltar, lawyer Spike Sanguinetti finds Solomon Hassan, an old school friend, waiting on his doorstep. Accused of murdering a Spanish girl in Tangiers, Solomon swears his innocence. He has managed to skip across the Straits, but the Moroccan authorities demand his return. Spike travels to Tangiers in the hope of delaying the extradition.

Solomon's boss, Nadeer-the founder of a renewable-energy company called Dunetech that is on the verge of financing an enormous solar-powered site in the Sahara-suggests that if Spike can delay Solomon's trial until after the deal is signed, he will persuade the governor of Tangiers to bury the extradition demand. Complicating this offer, Spike encounters a Bedouin girl who insists that Dunetech is engaged in a nefarious scheme linked to the disappearance of her father. As Spike uncovers the truth, he finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a world of secrets, corruption, and murderous lies.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Ebooks, Thriller, Morocco, Audiobook

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Thomas has worked as a journalist for Time Out and as a translator for the European Parliament and the UEFA Champions League. While studying to be a lawyer, he looked into practising abroad. Instead, he decided to write a series of thrillers set in the Mediterranean region.

In addition to writing mystery / thriller fiction under the name Thomas Mogford, he also writes historical fiction under the name T.L. Mogford

Reviews

[Rob Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I picked up merely because it was set in Gibraltar, which I might be visiting in the fall.

As with the first (John LeCarré’s disappointing A Delicate Truth), it is only partly set there, just in the first few and the last few chapters, which still do provide some interesting peeks into Gibraltar as a setting and a place to live (far more than LeCarré provided). The rest of the book is set in Morocco, which was quite intriguing, too, in its own way (and which I might also visit).

And really, the setting locations and descriptions are one of this book's many strong points. Mogford does a great job of making each scene take place in a unique and well-defined location. The characters, too, are strongly depicted, each individual and memorable.

I really enjoyed following along with the story's “detective”, Gibraltarian tax lawyer Spike Sanguinetti, a latter-day Mickey Spillane/Rick Blaine, who is pulled into the events when his friend approaches him for help after fleeing Tangiers where he is wanted for murder.

Spike heads to Morocco where a colorful cast of characters help and/or impede his investigation and where his own life soon is threatened.

An egaging, well-written, unique story set in (to this suburban Chicagoan) a fun, exotic location!

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spike Sanguinetti arrives home to Gibraltar only to find Solomon Hassan waiting from him. Solomon is on the run, a Spanish girl was found with her throat cut on the beach in Tangiers and he is being accused of the murder. Spike travels to Morocco to try and delay the extradition, where he meets a woman investigating the disappearance of her father, which is also is leading back to Solomon being involved.

Shadow of the Rock seems to be book one of a newly planned series by Thomas Mogfold. Not only is there a real sense of mystery, but also the protagonist finds himself questioning just how much he knows his friend. Two different situations has put Solomon in a world of suspicion. Spike Sanguinetti is a tax lawyer, a job that for me seem very boring, and now he is thrown into this huge adventure, really putting him out of his comfort zone. With all the excitement, I did feel like the book lacked any real character development; sure I learned about the protagonist and support cast, but it felt like very broad strokes of development. This might be the plan, as a series the writer needs to save some development for the other books. But for me the character development was underdone and too sloppy.

For me the highlight of this book was Gibraltar and Morocco as the backdrops for the danger Spike surely finds himself in. I’ve not been to either places but I have very fond memories of Spain and imagine the atmosphere and the culture would be similar. It was so great to read a book set in an unusual location. As far as the mystery of this book, it was very generic; it ticks all the right boxes for a formulaic best seller thriller series and I truly hope Thomas Mogfold has a huge success with Spike Sanguinetti.

I just feel this series has a lot of great potential and I’m curious to see if book two turns out to be something more developed. I can see myself either loving this series or really hating it depending on which path the author takes; the formulaic thriller route in the hope to become a best selling crime writer or the well-developed character route. I will be checking out book two but if it fails to show any improvement I plan to abandon this series. Spike has so much to offer so we will wait to see what happens next.

This review originally appeared on my blog; http://literary-exploration.com/2012/...

[Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally came across the third book in the series featuring street-smart tax lawyer Spike Sanguinetti first but I confess to being daunted by the setting of Gibraltar and the Moroccan port of Tangiers, largely because my knowledge of both the history and the melting pot of cultures that live side by side in the regions is minimal. Although I knew that Gibraltar was a British Sovereignty my only memories are of being told that it was basically Britain in something of a time warp where the 1970's never ended! Thankfully, Thomas Mogford clarifies this was an eye-opening glimpse of life on the Rock. The sense of place is incredibly well realised, making for a fascinating immersion straight into the essence of firstly Gibraltar and then the marked contrast of life in bustling Tangiers, Europe's gateway to Africa. Mogford gives a fascinating insight into the history, geography and attitudes of both locations and he does so by drip-feeding information to his readers making it easily accessible. As a keen reader of crime fiction set in the cities of Northern Europe and the Scandinavian climes there is a world of difference to the exotic setting on show here! Think Montalbano's Sicily for an idea of the corruption and rule bending and increase it exponentially for an idea of life in Tangiers!

Opening with tax lawyer Spike Sanguinetti making his way along the cobblestone streets of the Old Town to the home that he shares with his father, an unexpected visitor awaits him and not a hugely welcome one at that. Old school friend, Solomon Hassan, now resident in Tangiers, looking less than pristine and clearly shaken has sought out Spike after finding himself with a spot of "trouble" on his hands, specifically, the murder of his boss's Spanish step-daughter, Esperanza, all just a "misunderstanding" according to Solomon. Given that Solomon is a Sephardic Jew and that Jews aren't flavour of the month in Morocco he has illegally crossed the water, knowing that he risks life and limb with imprisonment in Tangiers.. As a tax specialist who has not taken a criminal case in over four-years Spike offers to find him a criminal barrister, but Solomon wants Spike who has no intention of getting involved, especially given his lack of the specifics surrounding extradition law and his nagging doubt that Solomon isn't giving him the full story. As Spike crosses to Tangiers in a bid to delay Solomon's extradition and ensure that any future trial is held in Gibraltar, he senses that something much deeper and darker lies at the root on Solomon's situation and perhaps inadvisably, he can't resist taking a closer look..

By day Spike meets Solomon's employer, an ethical corporation named Dunetech with a focus on harnessing renewable solar power to alleviate the "scourge of poverty" that blights Morocco who are on the brink of signing a deal that is seen as critical for improving the wealth of the nation. (Why? Because the government heavily subsidises energy and hence a switch to renewable power will free up government funds for other usage.) Yet Spike starts to believe that Dunetech are not as altruistic as they appear and when he meets a beautiful Bedouin girl, Zahra, last seen arguing with Esperanza his problems get a whole lot more complicated. For Zahra claims she confronted Esperanza about the disappearance of her father, a desert elder who refused to sell his essential slice of land to the might of Dunetech and she holds Esperanza's step-father responsible. As Spike hooks up with the enigmatic Zahra to probe both cases in a frankly murky manner, he finds himself with making some very nasty enemies in Tangiers, begging the question of just what his safe passage home will cost.

Don't be fooled by the idea that life with a tax lawyer in the backwater of Gibraltar is a pedestrian affair by any means. Spike Sanguinetti is no corporate slave; he is quick-witted and nobody's fool, playing hard ball with all the classic traits of a tenacious noir protagonist, a cynical take on life and a wandering eye for the ladies.. Crucially, Spike knows how things operate in both regions and that the greasing of palms loosens tongues... A refreshingly intelligent thriller that rattles on but does require readers to stay on top of the unfolding drama. Admittedly Spike's character is not fully fleshed out but he clearly has plenty of potential and I look forward to learning more about both him and his exploits, particularly the future of any potential relationship with volatile Bedouin, Zahra, who on the surface seems the polar opposite of London educated "Gibbo" Spike.

Shadow of the Rock comes highly recommended and Thomas Mogford's incisive and perfectly crisp narrative complements clued-up Spike. Mogford writes astonishingly well, never wasting a word in this fast-paced thriller. Hugely compelling, I urge any readers with a similar lack of awareness about life on the Rock not to hesitate as Mogford does a magnificent job of showcasing the exotic location and also making child's play of a plot which at first glance appears potentially complicated. Rich in cultural detail, Shadow of the Rock is a whirlwind tour of Gibraltar and Morocco and exudes the spice of life on both sides of the Gut (the Straits).

Note that Shadow of the Rock is a novel which requires investment by the reader and a willingness to often read between the lines and make your own inferences, hence this isn't a read to switch off through. Certain instances would have benefitted from further clarification, especially given the vast differences to life in Britain. Also there is a fairly extensive use of foreign language words and expressions and likewise for those appearing in yanito (the patois of Spanish, Genoese, English and Hebrews used by native Gibraltarians), and whilst the gist is largely easy to pick up that is by no means always the case. I would have appreciated a major reduction as although it adds to the vibe it did become increasingly frustrating. Some readers may find Shadow of the Rock a little top-heavy on both the historical and geographical information, however I found it stimulating to be educated in this digestible manner and now I am intending to make up for lost time and read the next two Spike Sanguinetti outings that I already have on my colossal TBR pile. A series with huge potential.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the first thing that needs to be said is big respect to Mogford to managing to make a tax lawyer slick, sexy and dangerous- no mean feat and one he accomplishes with aplomb! Spike Sanguinetti is a truly compelling character from the outset with a terrier-like determination that leads him into dangerous territory defending his long time friend Solomon Hassan, who is facing a charge of murder. Despite his initial unwillingness to embroil himself in his friend’s trouble, but soon proves himself a stalwart defender as Hassan as a Jew faces trial in the religious cauldron of Tangiers, that would not ensure him a fair trial. As the action moves from Sanguetti’s home of Gibraltar to the sinister and dangerous environs of North Africa, an exploitative corporation, Dunetech, bent on raping the natural resources of a native desert region, proves itself a formidable foe to Sanguinetti’s investigation. As the layers of this corporation’s deceit is revealed, Sanguinetti must draw on his natural wiles and assured sense of morality, that reveals some uncomfortable truths in the faith of his friendship with Hassan. I could not help drawing comparisons with Michael Dibden’s creation Aurelio Zen in terms of Sanguinetti’s inherent charm and moral fibre, but Sanguinetti’s closest personal relationships with his ailing father and the mysterious Bedouin woman, Zahra added different layers to his character, showing his difficulties at the more emotionally complex aspects of the human experience. An interesting and multi-faceted character that carried the central thrust of the book with ease, and more importantly with a sense of believability.

Mogford’s writing is superb and what struck me most was the wonderfully compressed descriptions of people that spoke volumes about the person without overblown description. He describes a taxi driver as a ‘small bug eyed man with pictures of small bug-eyed children gummed to his glove department.’ A projectionist is described as having ears ‘that broke the sheen of his hair like two dolphins breaching’ and my particular favourite, a policeman in Tangier is described as having ‘a face, long and grey, like a lolly sucked dry of flavour’. Perfect little snapshots of a person that fire the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest. The story is also imbued with a natural wit from the quotations of a hotel receptionist who seems to neither eat nor sleep- ‘Life without friends is like couscous without salt’ and the verbal sparring of Sanguinetti and his stubborn father. What Mogford holds back from his description of his protagonists, he then lavishes upon his description of location and history, but controlling this so it does not overpower the reader. Using two locations, that to me certainly were entirely unfamiliar, Mogford paints a picture of Gibraltar and Morocco, that not only brings both locations visually alive, but also gives the reader a sense of the troubled and complex multi-racial histories of both countries, and the issues that loom large in their current state from identity and migration to the exploitation of the indigenous populations. Weighty issues are seamlessly melded in to what is both a compelling thriller, infused with wit, and yet also a controlled depiction of the greed and excesses of mankind. A highly impressive debut.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're going to be a business lawyer dragged into criminal matters by an old school friend who gets himself into a heap of trouble, then the mean streets you walk somehow seem considerably more exotic when they are the laneways, byways and desert tracks of Gibraltar and Tangiers.

SHADOW OF THE ROCK is the first Spike Sanguinetti novel from UK author Thomas Mogford. An old-fashioned hard-boiled style thriller, this book is not short of a lot of running around, some lurking, a lot of our hero lost in a strange new world, a love interest, some unexpected threats, a big business styled conspiracy, and a very big allocation of action.

Fortunately, unlike in a lot of these big, bold thriller style books, there are some very engaging characters who behave in a surprisingly real way. Sanguinetti in particular is brave when pushed, daft when required and a son, a lawyer and a friend way before he's any sort of an action hero.

The sense of place delivers strongly as well, although most of the action does take place in Tangiers and surrounds. Obviously this provides a lot of the tension and difficulties for Sanguinetti to resolve as he's very out of his depth, in places and a culture that is outside his own experience. There are some early scenes in Gibraltar however, but not a lot actually happens in the Shadow of the Rock. Which if you want to think about it this way, could be a good thing. Now there's hope that the next book in the series looks locally at Gibraltar providing the same view of a place, and a culture, which is very different from the mean streets of ... say Melbourne, Glasgow, or New York.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...

[Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spike Sanguinetti is a classic noir thriller set in the novel location of Gibralter. If you're looking for that beach-read or something to take you through the Autumn/Winter nights of 2012/2013, to take your mind of the economic woes of the world this is just the ticket to transport you to the unfamiliar climes of north africa in the company of a detective who never knows when to turn back. I loved it.

[Calzean · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sleuth is a tax lawyer from Gibraltar. The murder is in Tangiers. The bad guys are international. It's an OK book leading to a longer series.

[Lakis Fourouklas · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I’d like to give you an advice: Don’t start reading this book late at night. I did and I had to pay the price; that is stay awake until early morning when I finally finished it.

I guess that I was surprised in a way that a thing like this would happen to me with a book that’s not a fast-paced thriller, full of twists and turns, car-chases, explosions and other cinematic elements. On the other hand though it has all the other qualities that make a crime novel stand out: mystery, exciting settings and a hero who, well, at first doesn’t seem to want to be a hero.

Shadow of the Rock by Thomas Mogford is the first book in a series starring tax attorney and amateur detective Spike Sanguinetti.

Spike considers his homeland, The Rock, as Gibraltar is widely known, as one of the best, if not the best place in the world. Everything looks simple there. Everybody seems to know everyone else, the way of life is kind of serene but mostly cosmopolitan, and nothing of much interest, or rather exciting I should say – apart when it come to the world of business – seems to happen.

There’s some love in the air, but it never seems to settle in the hearts of the main protagonists. Jessica Navarro is one of Spike’s closest friends, along with his partner at the law firm, Peter Galliano, who’s a lover of good life. There seems to be some kind of attraction between Spike and Jessica, but that doesn’t even morph into words. It’s as if they know that what they have is what there’s ever going to be.

One of the most unusual things in this novel is that cops and lawyers seem to get along very well. They talk a lot, they drink beers together and they help each other out. For instance when Spike advices his old friend and now client, Solomon Hassan, to surrender to the police in Gibraltar, he knows that he’s going to be in good hands. Actually the only one who verbally abuses him is Spike himself in order to make certain that he is innocent. And even when he travels to Tangier to investigate the crime that Solomon is accused of, he’s still in close contact with the police through his colleague, Galliano, who keeps him up to date.

Of course he doesn’t expect the same kind of co-operation from the Moroccan authorities. If he wants to have something done he has to do it himself. And thus starts the adventure, an adventure that would make the cynic in him come to life, especially as he wanders the streets of the mythical city: “He tried a different route down, passing an American woman of a certain age arm in arm with a handsome Moroccan youth. The irresistible pheromones of the green card.”

Spike finds Tangier attractive and kind of repulsive at the same time. As he walks the streets, talks to the people, pays bribes, and moves on from place to place, he feels good there, but at the same time he knows that it’s a place where he could never live.

Shadow of the Rock is a character driven novel. Spike may be in the epicenter of things, but there’s a colorful cast of secondary characters that enrich the story: headstrong and dismissive inspector Eldrassi; Marouane, the bar owner who sure likes his bribes; Jean-Baptiste, Spike’s hotel neighbor who’s willing to offer a helping hand; some goons and a rich industrialist; Zahra, the girl who knows too much and has her own agenda, and his receptionist at the hotel; an avid reader who answers almost every question with a quote.

As far as debuts go this couldn’t have been any better. The author has taken full advantage of his material in order to create an engrossing tale that captures the reader’s heart. I, for one, look forward to the new adventures of Mr. Spike Sanguinetti.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sleuthing in Gibraltar and Tangiers

Spike Sanguinetti can find his place alongside other European sleuths, and probably (I believe) is the first to be based on the Rock of Gibraltar. But he's not a detective, he's a tax lawyer who is a character on a mission to defend his friend from way back, Solomon Hassan.

Solomon stands accused of murder of a young woman, across the water in Tangiers, and Sanguinetti finds himself travelling there to try and delay Solomon’s extradition to stand trial – he is Jewish and fears incarceration in North Africa.

Tangiers is very different to the Rock, which the author refers to as the “magical island for the idle English’ (and amazingly is apparently only the size of Hyde Park – the things you learn!).

From Gibraltar the reader dives right into the melee that is Morocco. The pace is generally languorous so that the reader is given time to assimilate the landscape, as Sanguinetti ploughs back and forth between contacts and suspects and gradually begins to explore the links that feed back to a big multinational specializing in solar energy. He soon hooks up with Zahra, a young Bedouin woman, who is looking into the disappearance of her Father, who owned the land where the multinational concern is building.

The author has really captured the feel of these two contrasting land masses, separated by the stretch of water, known as the Gut (it got this name because of the dangerous cross currents feeding in and out of the Mediterranean). The Rock feels sedate and British, with names like Tank Ramp, Bedlam Court, Devil’s Tower, yet preserves its own patois, yanito, comprising Spanish, Genoese, English and Hebrew (there, yet another interesting snippet of life on the Rock gleaned from the novel!); Tangiers feels very different, hot, bustling and so very chaotic.

Throughout there are the sonorous notes of Paganini as Sanguinetti turns to his music to soothe and enjoy. This is the first novel featuring the lawyer, and he is not particularly knowable. We learn a few facts – he has a dog and a Father who has concoction of pills to swallow, but as a character he is still lean, he is not yet of the caliber of Brunetti (busy in Venice) or Montalbano (busy in Sicily). But I anticipate that he will develop over time as more books are added to the series.

[Melisende · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first in the 'Spike' Sanguinetti series.

I picked this up as I wanted something that was not set in either the UK or USA - it had been sitting on the shelf for some time before I decided to give it a go. For me it was an okay read - tax lawyer gets involved in a murder mystery and takes on a shady energy company in Tangiers, whilst helping a girl find out what happened to her father. Bit of action, adventure, a final twist at the end.

[Sam Still Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before you place Shadow of the Rock firmly under the thriller category, think again. This is not James Bond style action, not Jason Bourne hand to hand combat (although it does contain a little of both). This is more the ‘ordinary man turned investigator on an adventure’ category (if there is such a thing). And that’s primarily the reason why I enjoyed this novel, because it shows an everyday guy getting out of his depth.

Spike Sanguinetti is a lawyer in Gibraltar, famous for its rock and tax benefits. That’s what Spike does day in, day out – he’s not a criminal lawyer, but a tax one. When a friend calls him after he’s been falsely accused of murder in Tangiers, Spike reluctantly offers his help. Once in Tangiers, he’s faced with another world of murder, solar panels and secrets. His attempt to help his friend Solomon has got him into trouble and his growing friendship with Zahra (who suspects her father was murdered in the name of ‘progress’) isn’t helping.

I enjoyed this book for many reasons, but the first one is because of its setting. You don’t see Tangiers or Gibraltar as a location for many novels and most of my knowledge of this area comes from various travel programs. It was insightful to get an idea of Gibraltar not just as a place to see a big rock and get some duty free. Tangiers, well…I’m not sure if I’d want to travel there just at the moment given that Mogford paints it as a somewhat crooked place. In Shadow of the Rock, Tangiers is presented as a city where all sorts of corruption are taking place in the background. However, the description of the souks and buildings has got me more interested in Morocco.

Shadow of the Rock is also exceptionally action packed for a book lacking the stereotypical action man main character. The pages literally turn themselves, as Spike runs into more and more problems and as more people start to target him. There are a lot of chapters in this book (some less than a page) and it did get a little annoying, because they were used as to stop the action or to jump forward in time. However, that’s a minor thing to complain about!

I admire Mogford for using a different style of hero for his main character. Spike doesn’t get in a lot of fisticuffs or death defying situations, but uses his brain to turn situations to his advantage. It reminds me a little of Stella Rimington’s Liz Carlyle (who does have the benefit of being a British secret agent). There’s also light relief with the secretary character at Spike’s hotel in Tangiers, who speaks only in mysterious sayings.

The ending was somewhat open, which was a refreshing change from some books that tie up everything neatly. There’s also mention of what could become the next book in the series, which I’ll be looking forward to. Spike can now add to his credentials crime solver.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com

[The Bookish Wombat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spike Sanguinetti is a business lawyer in Gibraltar who is approached by old friend Solomon Hassan, who is bening sought by the Moroccan police for the murder of a Spanish woman on a beach in Tangiers. Against his better judgement Spike agrees to act for Solomon, but a trip to Tangiers to investigate the crime sees Spike embroiled in politics, corruption and danger.

This is a hard-boiled thriller of the old school where a man must walk down dangerous streets in search of the truth. I loved the setting of the novel in Gibraltar and Morocco, which are both described very evocatively, as I don't think I've read very much set there before.

The characters are realistic creations who act like real people, i.e. they don't always make the best decisions or do what is expected of them. I particularly liked Spike's relationship with his father. I also enjoyed the fact that there are other relationships of Spikes that we don't find out much about, though there's obviously a lot of history there.

The author is very clever as he seeds his narrative with little clues (including something on a TV) that make you think the plot is going to go in a particular direction, but then it doesn't. The final denouement is satisfying and wasn't one I expected.

I would recommend Shadow of the Rock to anyone who enjoys crime writing, and I look forward to reading more about Spike Sanguinetti in future books.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so I had to add a new shelf, mystery-gibraltar, for Mugford's The Shadow of the Rock, and likely this book will stand alone on the shelf, at least until Mogford writes another Spike Sanguinetti mystery.

What a great read! Sanguinetti is a Gibraltar attorney who takes up a friend's cause, fighting his extradition to Tangiers for murder. There's no justice in Tangiers, no possible legal defense, and certain death for his friend if extradited.

Shadow of the Rock is a complicated mystery, involving international investment, new energy sources, the romance of the Bedouin people. Mogford is a new voice in international crime fiction, writing of a place that has an intricate history and culture, and complicated contemporary politics, and Spike Sanguinetti's point of view is a marvelous expression of that voice.

Mugford's The Shadow of the Rock is a must read if you have any interest in this part of the world, Gibraltar an odd appendix at the end of Spain, as much Northern Africa as European.

Thank you Walker & Company for publishing Thomas Mogford - I hope we'll see more of him. And thanks to the Ashland Public Library, where I found this marvelous work!

--Ashland Mystery

[Ken Mahieu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, what a disappointment "Shadow of the Rock" (SOTR) was. Seemed like a winner. A lawyer based in Gibraltar agrees to help a friend accused of murder in Morocco; and the next book takes place in Malta. After seeing Bogart in "Casablanca" years ago, I'm a sucker for anything with a Moroccan tag, be it a book, restaurant, movie, so I was predisposed to writing a good review for this, but no way. While reading SOTR I often felt like I was watching a foreign language film with no subtitles. I got a sense of what was going on based on the action, but the dialogue was often unclear, and the descriptions of place were lacking. While that was the major problem for me, there were others. The plot was confusing, and I'm not sure what the miracle technology is all about that is so central to events in the book. Also, the hero lawyer (a tax lawyer!) had no problem gaining access whenever to the key executive of a company which has billion euro potential - uhhh, not likely. Ditto for a sex scene and a rescue scene.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

First in a new series set in Gibraltar featuring lawyer Spike Sanguinetti... The action moves between Tangiers and Gibraltar in the first book... I had a mixed response to this book. Impossible to discuss the plot without spoiling the book for others, except to say that the ending turned my perception of what was happening on its ear. I may raise my rating after I think about it for a bit. Still digesting it. Things are not necessarily as they appear.

I liked the main character and the setting in Gibralter and Tangiers.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is set in Gibraltar and a little in Tangiers.
Poor Spike, he is a business law lawyer who suddenly becomes a private investigator. It a good "hard-broiled type mystery with thugs, head knocking, betrayals and plot twists, all under the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar. Therefore, there is some cultural education too.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was motivated to read this book by the setting, in Gibraltar, where I lived for a couple of years, (many, many years ago) and then the action moved across to Tangier.
The story started out a bit slow and disjointed, but it picked up the pace midway through, and was an OK read, but all in all, not very impressive.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, a visit to a piece of the world I have only visited in historical writings and the news. Pictorial, entrancing, gritty, full of the varied ethnic cultures that inhabit Gibraltar and Tangier, with a protagonist as ethical as he is tough. I would like to read more ....

[Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure why I didn't enjoy this. Maybe because the 'baddies' were so obvious and 'evil' and the goodies all had good intentions. Interesting settings - Gibraltar andTangiers - but not sure I will give no 2 a go.

[Shelley Greensted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read - end of each chapter makes you want to read on to the next. Can't wait for his next book

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true "Who-Done-It" till the VERY end.

[Don Dealga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly generic crime-story enhanced by the locales: Gibraltar and Tangiers. An interesting lead character who incredibly makes tax lawyers seem sexy and charismatic! Some gore starting with the description of the initial murder victim's death, and among other nasty events we are given a horrific sounding Bedouin version of the 'Witches Ducking Stool' type of 'lie detection' (The Bisha'a), a description of a dead dog's carcass in a fetid stream/pool, a cockroach running over a dying man's nether regions and various other yucky elements. The fast pace and brevity of the novel assist the reader in skimming over details that upon a closer more considered reading I suspect would expose some slap dash plotting and a few loose ends. An entertaining read with interesting depictions of elements of Mediterranean cultures which if not quite as analytical, extensive or insightful as Fernand Braudel, do add considerably to the reader experience.

[Bernie Critchley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this 3.5 stars if I could give half’s stars, as it’s an enjoyable read and I like the main character Spike Sanguinetti. The story was exciting at points, and it was interesting learning more about life in Gibraltar and Tangiers. However, it’s not the most memorable book, and I didn’t like how the author kept throwing in Spanish words, which I felt interrupted the flow. I’m going to read more of the books in the series, so it did enough to keep me invested.

[Shiela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. Exotic setting, interesting characters, stimulating storyline.
Mogford is a “minimalist” writer - “less is more” philosophy. Though I prefer concise narrative instead of spoon-fed, I found jumping from scene to scene without explanation a bit confusing. Perhaps a little more explanation next time, please? I certainly would like to follow Spike’s further adventures.

[Mya R]

Read this for a geographical challenge, and it’s excellent for that. Lots of details on Gibraltar and Tangier, Morocco. Follow along with Maps and Wikipedia and it’s a great introduction. But I stalled out halfway through because I lost interest in the protagonist, and the story feels choppy, and I haven’t been able to dig back in. Maybe as a vacation read sometime when I don’t really care?

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spike is a lawyer living in Gibraltar although the novel primarily takes place in Tangiers, definitely an exotic setting for a novel. Spike heads to Tangiers to investigate an old 'friend's' possible involvement in the murder of the stepdaughter of a head of a clean energy company. There's no new ground being broken here. It's a standard murder mystery.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

More blatantly anti-semitic and sexist than this expat US American little ol' lady is used to. Noiry, masculine, depressed and depressing.
Interesting for the views of Gibraltar and Morrocan society, global business, crime. Gutsy female character.

[BooksandBacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok for me the first half was a bit slow and was considering not finishing it but I stuck to it and happy I did. I give it 3.5 *.

P.S. Couldn't stop smiling reading the local slang, "vale pisha" lololol

[Geoff from · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thriller does well enough what thrillers do: keeps the pages turning till the likeliest of endings. Sufficiently distracting or engaging in places, and a not unpleasant way to spend some time. May reach higher echelons of praise for fans of the genre.

[Eileen Sterling · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first mystery set in Gibraltar and Morocco. Glad this was the beginning of a three book series. I waited excitedly for the next and was not disappointed. Wish there was more.