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The Black Series #2
Back to Black
A new horror awakens and twelve young girls are kidnapped and imprisoned somewhere under ancient London. The Game is on again.... Young Detective Chief Inspector Allie St Clair has been through the wringer. Her life is in chaos and she is exhausted after investigating a series of brutal murders. She has confronted true evil and has had to accept that she and her family are connected to a world few can imagine. But now an ancient God has been resurrected and he has powerful allies... Allie St Clair is thrown into conflict with her Commander at New Scotland Yard as she battles desperately to save the girls and solve another sickening murder. What follows is a frantic race through forgotten catacombs with secret horrors. What and who lies at the dark heart of these heinous crimes? What is their purpose? What she does know is that she is the girls' only chance. If she fails, they die.. and a new Order will reign. Welcome back to The Game, Allie St Clair...
- GenresParanormal
446 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2013
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21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 12, 2014
I did wonder how this was going to go, because the bumf said Mr Black was back, even though our intrepid duo had finished victorious in the first book. So - how did he come back. Seems there was a loophole :)
I did enjoy this book, and can recommend it, even if you do have to suspend disbelief. I really don't believe that a senior police officer can swan off as much as Ali does without getting carpeted officially, instead of the occasional bollocking of her seriously inept superior officer. And it is also pretty unbelievable that said superior officer could get where he is by being such a bigoted inept prat!
However, we must remember that this is a story of angelic proportions, and so disbelief must take a back seat. If you can do that, it is a cracking story that leaps along without a chance to catch your breath from one nasty murder to the next.
The end was a bit of a surprise, and one I was totally not expecting (although a little part of me did raise an eyebrow at a certain point - can't tell you when as it would ruin the ending).
Just started the third in the trilogy this morning, and I am hoping that it lives up to the first two.
I did enjoy this book, and can recommend it, even if you do have to suspend disbelief. I really don't believe that a senior police officer can swan off as much as Ali does without getting carpeted officially, instead of the occasional bollocking of her seriously inept superior officer. And it is also pretty unbelievable that said superior officer could get where he is by being such a bigoted inept prat!
However, we must remember that this is a story of angelic proportions, and so disbelief must take a back seat. If you can do that, it is a cracking story that leaps along without a chance to catch your breath from one nasty murder to the next.
The end was a bit of a surprise, and one I was totally not expecting (although a little part of me did raise an eyebrow at a certain point - can't tell you when as it would ruin the ending).
Just started the third in the trilogy this morning, and I am hoping that it lives up to the first two.
August 3, 2013
A wonderfully atmospheric and sinister novel by Steven Bannister, Back to Black is set in London, a city described so well it's almost a character in its own right and provides a menacing backdrop to murder and a pitched battle between the forces of heaven and hell.
It is full of acute and penetrating observations of human nature, which not only make the characters plausible, but very real – not only DCI Allie St Clair and her colleagues, but also the Archangel Michael and the demonic Mssrs Black and De Ville, and builds to a horrifying and adrenaline-filled climax.
Steven Bannister writes with intelligent wit to which he adds a humorous balance to expertly craft what is essentially a dark tale of the battle between good and evil and kept me glued to the Kindle. Highly recommended and I can't wait for the third book in the series.
It is full of acute and penetrating observations of human nature, which not only make the characters plausible, but very real – not only DCI Allie St Clair and her colleagues, but also the Archangel Michael and the demonic Mssrs Black and De Ville, and builds to a horrifying and adrenaline-filled climax.
Steven Bannister writes with intelligent wit to which he adds a humorous balance to expertly craft what is essentially a dark tale of the battle between good and evil and kept me glued to the Kindle. Highly recommended and I can't wait for the third book in the series.
April 26, 2013
Whilst I did want to keep reading this, by the end I wasn't sure why. The main character was likeable but the paranormal element just went too far. The death scenes were stomach churning and whilst I can see the point of them portraying that evil has no bounds, they just went too far. The idea of 'the game' seemed one sided and the references to 'rules' that weren't explained was annoying.
I did enjoy elements of this book, but for me the story just didn't go in the direction I had hoped for & was just a little too bizarre.
I did enjoy elements of this book, but for me the story just didn't go in the direction I had hoped for & was just a little too bizarre.
March 31, 2015
This second book in the series is even better than the first and I loved that.
Allie St Clair is a detective who must fight all manner of evil and is surrounded by villains, monsters and many surprising characters.
It is difficult to say too much because it would spoil the story for others, however for those who enjoy a puzzle, one that is steeped in a gritty fantasy, yet believable and clever, this well written and fast paced novel is for you.
Highly recommended.
Allie St Clair is a detective who must fight all manner of evil and is surrounded by villains, monsters and many surprising characters.
It is difficult to say too much because it would spoil the story for others, however for those who enjoy a puzzle, one that is steeped in a gritty fantasy, yet believable and clever, this well written and fast paced novel is for you.
Highly recommended.
September 29, 2015
Speed read this as I realised after 100 pages it was more of a supernatural genre and I cannot get on with those.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews