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Tina Boyd #7
The Final Minute
‘It's night, and I'm in a strange house.
The lights are on, and and I'm standing outside a half-open door.
Feeling a terrible sense of forboding, I walk slowly inside.
And then I see her.
A woman lying sprawled across a huge double bed.
She's dead. There's blood everywhere.
And the most terrifying thing of all is that I think her killer might be me …'
A traumatic car-crash. A man with no memory, haunted by nightmares.
When the past comes calling in the most terrifying way imaginable, Matt Barron is forced to turn to the one person who can help.
Ex Met cop, turned private detective, Tina Boyd.
Soon they are both on the run…
The lights are on, and and I'm standing outside a half-open door.
Feeling a terrible sense of forboding, I walk slowly inside.
And then I see her.
A woman lying sprawled across a huge double bed.
She's dead. There's blood everywhere.
And the most terrifying thing of all is that I think her killer might be me …'
A traumatic car-crash. A man with no memory, haunted by nightmares.
When the past comes calling in the most terrifying way imaginable, Matt Barron is forced to turn to the one person who can help.
Ex Met cop, turned private detective, Tina Boyd.
Soon they are both on the run…
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2015
100 people are currently reading
717 people want to read
About the author
Simon Kernick
74 books1,166 followersSimon Kernick (born 1966 in Slough, Berkshire) is a British thriller/crime writer now living in Oxfordshire with his wife and two daughters. He attended Gillotts School, a comprehensive in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. Whilst he was a student his jobs included fruitpicker and Christmas-tree uprooter. He graduated from Brighton Polytechnic in 1991 with a degree in humanities. Kernick had a passion for crime fiction writing from a young age and produced many short stories during his time at polytechnic. After graduating Kernick joined MMT Computing in London in early 1992, where a relative was the Chairman and Managing Director. Kernick was a key member of the sales team and was very highly regarded. However, he left the company after 4 years in the hope of trying to secure a publishing deal. Despite interest from a number of publishers Kernick was unable to secure a deal, so he joined the sales force of the specialist IT and Business Consultancy Metaskil plc in Aldermaston, Berkshire in 1998 where he remained until he secured his first book deal (The Business of Dying) in September 2001. His novel Relentless was recommended on Richard & Judy's Summer book club 2007. It was the 8th best-selling paperback, and the best-selling thriller in the UK in the same year
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
July 22, 2015
Featuring Simon Kernick's maverick detective, TINA BOYD, this is the gripping new race-against-time thriller by the best-selling author of Relentless, The Last 10 Seconds and Stay Alive.
Matt Barron is recovering from a serious car crash in which he lost his memory. His Sister Jane has nursed him for months with the help of conscientious male Nurse Ben and Hypnotherapist Dr Bronson. Of course this being a Simon Kernick book nothing and no-one is what they seem and the first fatalities are not long in coming. Barron runs for his life and the carnage begins. With the help of Tina Boyd, now a Private Detective, Barron slowly discovers his past and why people are intent on shutting him up.
Like all of Kernick's books, some familiar characters will make an appearance along the way, including Tina Boyd and DCI Mike Bolt. As we will also learn, Matt Barron has himself been a major character in a previous book .
I know why I return to Simon Kernick, because you cannot find many authors who can keep up with him for action, suspense, heart pounding chilling and thrilling and gripping stories.
To me, like Lacey Flint from Sharon Bolton, Tina Boyd is another great character, that you are happy to follow and seem to get to know better with each book.
When you just cannot stop thinking about the book you are reading, and cannot wait to get back to it, you know it's good, it has your attention.
Simon Kernick continues to be one of my favourite authors, and my usual five stars.
Matt Barron is recovering from a serious car crash in which he lost his memory. His Sister Jane has nursed him for months with the help of conscientious male Nurse Ben and Hypnotherapist Dr Bronson. Of course this being a Simon Kernick book nothing and no-one is what they seem and the first fatalities are not long in coming. Barron runs for his life and the carnage begins. With the help of Tina Boyd, now a Private Detective, Barron slowly discovers his past and why people are intent on shutting him up.
Like all of Kernick's books, some familiar characters will make an appearance along the way, including Tina Boyd and DCI Mike Bolt. As we will also learn, Matt Barron has himself been a major character in a previous book .
I know why I return to Simon Kernick, because you cannot find many authors who can keep up with him for action, suspense, heart pounding chilling and thrilling and gripping stories.
To me, like Lacey Flint from Sharon Bolton, Tina Boyd is another great character, that you are happy to follow and seem to get to know better with each book.
When you just cannot stop thinking about the book you are reading, and cannot wait to get back to it, you know it's good, it has your attention.
Simon Kernick continues to be one of my favourite authors, and my usual five stars.
November 29, 2018
Another great action story featuring established characters by Simon Kernick. Persons such as Tina Boyd, Mo Khan and DCI Mike Bolt. Excellent plot, sub plots and characters. First class thriller.
September 16, 2021
Geneli itibariyle sıkıcı olmayan, ortalama bir polisiye seriydi. Serinin ismi Tina Boyd yerine Mike Bolt olmaliydı bence 😏
August 16, 2018
Simon Kernick is a very talented author. He has written fifteen novels and is the number one best seller. The Final Minute is Simon's sixteen novel and my first novel that I have read of his. I found The Final Minute gripping from the very first line right to the very last page. Not only is this a great plot with great characters it speeds through with very fast brilliant action. I loved this story and will definitely be reading more of Simon Kernick's novels in the future. I have put Simon Kernick on my list as one my favourite crime authors.
The story The Final Minute is about an Ex undercover cop Matt Barron who is in a traumatic car crash and has no memory of who he is or his life before the crash. But Matt seems to be haunted by the same nightmares. What Matt needs is help in finding out who he really is. He turns to a Ex Met cop, Tina Boyd who has become a private detective, in hope that she will help Matt find out more about himself and his past.
This story will have your heart racing wondering what is going to happen next. I do hope all readers that read The Final Minute.
The story The Final Minute is about an Ex undercover cop Matt Barron who is in a traumatic car crash and has no memory of who he is or his life before the crash. But Matt seems to be haunted by the same nightmares. What Matt needs is help in finding out who he really is. He turns to a Ex Met cop, Tina Boyd who has become a private detective, in hope that she will help Matt find out more about himself and his past.
This story will have your heart racing wondering what is going to happen next. I do hope all readers that read The Final Minute.
February 14, 2015
What a load of old tosh
September 6, 2022
Find anmeldelsen her: https://www.instagram.com/p/CiKUgUMjj_b/
Tusind tak til @forlaget_jentas og @simon_kernick for anmeldereksemplaret!
Sidste minut” af Simon Kernick er syvende bog i serien om privatdetektiven Tina Boyd. Bøgerne kan læses uafhængigt af hinanden.
Efter en bilulykke mister en mand sin hukommelse. Han søger til privatdetektiven Tina Boyd, hvilket får dem begge på flugt. Og de kommer i kamp med tiden.
Fortællingen er fyldt med tempo. Der sker hele tiden noget, og der er fyldt med spænding og drama gennem hele bogen.
Jeg har ikke læst de første seks bøger i serien, og selvom bogen sagtens kan læses uafhængigt af de andre bøger i serien, kan det godt mærkes, at der går meget historie forud for denne. Særligt om Tina Boyd. Jeg manglede derfor lidt forhistorie om hende, da hun fra start ikke fylder særligt meget for fortællingen.
Der er utroligt meget action i denne krimi. Handling på handling på handling. Der sker noget hele tiden og det handler om at holde tungen lige i munden for at kunne følge med. Der er også mange små detaljer, der er værd at lægge mærke til og som kommer til at have en stor betydning for fortællingen.
Fortællingen er meget virkelighedstro, og det er nok særligt det der gør fortællingen så skræmmende som den er. Den er meget hverdagsagtig, og derfor er uhyggen tæt forbundet med spændingen.
Hvis du er til en krimi med højt tempo, så er “Sidste minut” en fortælling for dig.
Antal stjerner af 6: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tusind tak til @forlaget_jentas og @simon_kernick for anmeldereksemplaret!
Sidste minut” af Simon Kernick er syvende bog i serien om privatdetektiven Tina Boyd. Bøgerne kan læses uafhængigt af hinanden.
Efter en bilulykke mister en mand sin hukommelse. Han søger til privatdetektiven Tina Boyd, hvilket får dem begge på flugt. Og de kommer i kamp med tiden.
Fortællingen er fyldt med tempo. Der sker hele tiden noget, og der er fyldt med spænding og drama gennem hele bogen.
Jeg har ikke læst de første seks bøger i serien, og selvom bogen sagtens kan læses uafhængigt af de andre bøger i serien, kan det godt mærkes, at der går meget historie forud for denne. Særligt om Tina Boyd. Jeg manglede derfor lidt forhistorie om hende, da hun fra start ikke fylder særligt meget for fortællingen.
Der er utroligt meget action i denne krimi. Handling på handling på handling. Der sker noget hele tiden og det handler om at holde tungen lige i munden for at kunne følge med. Der er også mange små detaljer, der er værd at lægge mærke til og som kommer til at have en stor betydning for fortællingen.
Fortællingen er meget virkelighedstro, og det er nok særligt det der gør fortællingen så skræmmende som den er. Den er meget hverdagsagtig, og derfor er uhyggen tæt forbundet med spændingen.
Hvis du er til en krimi med højt tempo, så er “Sidste minut” en fortælling for dig.
Antal stjerner af 6: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 21, 2015
I did something very typical of me; I picked up a book, decided the plot was intriguing and then discovered it was the latest in a series (seventh in this case). Normally I'll either go back to the start of the series or just not bother at all. This time I decided to read on regardless. I'm glad I did.
Though I'm told this is a Tina Boyd novel she wasn't the main focus of the story and didn't appear for a few chapters. By the time she did I was already invested in the main character and curious how she'd fit in. Whether she's been a support character before I don't know as this is also my first Kernick book.
Given that this is a thriller the book is fast paced with lots of plot twists along the way. What I really liked was the different use of writing tenses. If we were focusing on the lead it was written in first person, anyone else and it was third. This really surprised me how much it worked.
Even though this is an established series I never felt punished for jumping in so late. past events were hinted at so well that it made me want to go back and flesh them out.
I have two issues with the book. The first is that for some reason ugly people don't exist in this world. It felt like everyone is described as attractive and it got a bit tiresome. The other was that given the situation the main character finds himself in he is way too placid and laid back. He also thinks with his groin way too much which felt so.unrealistic.
A very good book that has peaked my interest for more work from Kernick.
Though I'm told this is a Tina Boyd novel she wasn't the main focus of the story and didn't appear for a few chapters. By the time she did I was already invested in the main character and curious how she'd fit in. Whether she's been a support character before I don't know as this is also my first Kernick book.
Given that this is a thriller the book is fast paced with lots of plot twists along the way. What I really liked was the different use of writing tenses. If we were focusing on the lead it was written in first person, anyone else and it was third. This really surprised me how much it worked.
Even though this is an established series I never felt punished for jumping in so late. past events were hinted at so well that it made me want to go back and flesh them out.
I have two issues with the book. The first is that for some reason ugly people don't exist in this world. It felt like everyone is described as attractive and it got a bit tiresome. The other was that given the situation the main character finds himself in he is way too placid and laid back. He also thinks with his groin way too much which felt so.unrealistic.
A very good book that has peaked my interest for more work from Kernick.
November 17, 2015
I do love a Simon Kernick - they rattle along at juggernaut pace. The characterisation is excellent, the plotting tight and the short chapters with alternating first and third person narrative put you right into the centre of the action.
All in all if you like a good thriller then these are some of the best. I can't believe no-one's ever filmed them - Tina Boyd would make an fantastic TV series. Or maybe they have and I was too busy with my nose in a book to notice!
All in all if you like a good thriller then these are some of the best. I can't believe no-one's ever filmed them - Tina Boyd would make an fantastic TV series. Or maybe they have and I was too busy with my nose in a book to notice!
June 18, 2016
Disappointing. Had a lot of potential but one must be willing to suspend their disbelief for most of this implausible novel.
January 11, 2019
I've read a few thrillers from Simon Kernick now. He's a fun author for a light, fast-paced read and this one fit the mold of his other novels. He's also an author who recycles characters so that fans can read them in order and enjoy witnessing their favorite characters develop over time. Sadly, this one was quite a disappointment. The main character, Matt Barron, wakes up to find himself in unfamiliar surroundings, with suspicious characters who are unaware of his special agent abilities, combat training, and survival tactics. It's a thrilling set-up but one that is much better accomplished in any Jason Bourne novel. My best advice is to pass on this one.
July 21, 2018
I'm left feeling bittersweet after the end.
My bookish senses were telling me something wrong will happen towards the finish but at least the damage wasn't half as bad as I had anticipated. I'm just feeling sad, that's all. I had good hopes for our main guy Matthew Barron/Sean Egan and the ex-cop Tina Boyd but you don't get everything you want in life.
My bookish senses were telling me something wrong will happen towards the finish but at least the damage wasn't half as bad as I had anticipated. I'm just feeling sad, that's all. I had good hopes for our main guy Matthew Barron/Sean Egan and the ex-cop Tina Boyd but you don't get everything you want in life.
March 17, 2024
Extremely fast ride, action packed every page turn right through to the end, smashing
January 6, 2026
Return of the Black Widow
Once again, a Simon Kernick masterpiece, with Tina Boyd the centrepiece. Great storytelling as ever. Tina Boyd's background gets her involved with a man from her past who had saved her life. Now he is on the run from people threatening his life, so it's quid pro quo. The tale has multiple stories, each involving people from Tina's past, so Tina becomes involved, and as per her character cannot let it go. Great writing, and again, inevitably, we are left hanging in the wind.
Once again, a Simon Kernick masterpiece, with Tina Boyd the centrepiece. Great storytelling as ever. Tina Boyd's background gets her involved with a man from her past who had saved her life. Now he is on the run from people threatening his life, so it's quid pro quo. The tale has multiple stories, each involving people from Tina's past, so Tina becomes involved, and as per her character cannot let it go. Great writing, and again, inevitably, we are left hanging in the wind.
January 6, 2015
As a blogger I feel incredibly lucky to read books weeks before they are released but never more so than when the book is written by one of my favourite authors. I remember the first time I borrowed a Simon Kernick book from the library, I was blown away and had to get my hands on his other books as soon as I'd finished it, bear in mind this was before I had a Kindle and was able to get books instantly, so I was travelling around Liverpool's libraries hunting his books down. He fast became one of my favourite authors, and his yearly release is always one of my most anticipated, so to be reading his 2015 book in 2014 is really exciting.
The most difficult thing about reviewing a thriller is how much of the plot to give away. Some of it? None of it? I'll try and keep it brief. Our main character is Matt Barron and our introduction to him is of a man recuperating after a car crash and suffering from amnesia, with the help of his sister and doctor he is attempting to piece his whole life back together, including trying to understand a recurring dream, and get his head around why something about his sister just doesn't feel right... The first chapter ends putting us straight into the mystery, and straightaway my brain was ticking trying to make sense of what was going on. I imagine Kernick has a lot of fun writing his books, knowing exactly what is going on but writing in a way that confuses the reader, yet in the absolute best way possible. It isn't long before Matt is running for his life, with some nasty individuals breathing down his neck. He is soon forced into turning to the only person that can help him. That person is none other than Tina Boyd, one of Kernick's best and most popular creations and I for one was thrilled to have her back. Can't say any more!
As always the book moves at a relentless pace, barely giving you time to breathe I could almost hear my heart thumping in my chest. For some reason I like to read Kernick's books in the dead of night, there's something about reading them in the day that feels strange. As the book is written in the first person I feel this really puts you into Matt's shoes, looking at the story through his eyes rather than feeling like an outsider. I only ever trust the main character and nobody else, there's characters in the book that know more than you as the reader, and more than Matt knows as he attempts to put his life back together. As snippets come back, and bigger pictures start to form the book becomes really exciting, and really hard to put down. You know when you're reading a book and you have to stop, either to eat, wash or work and you hate whatever it is that made you stop reading? That's this book! I really wish I could have read it in one sitting.
I could sit here and praise this book all night but rather than sounding like a broken record, the best thing I can say is buy it and read it. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed. Kernick is well into double figures with his books now, and it's very exciting that the standard does not seem to be decreasing, if anything his books are getting better. I only wish he could write quicker. 2014 saw the release of Stay Alive but also a three-part serialisation which I very much enjoyed, I'd love to see something like that again as a yearly wait in between books is nothing short of torture. Anyway I'm off to nurse my book hangover, I am currently looking at my staggering TBR with no idea what to start next after finishing this.
The most difficult thing about reviewing a thriller is how much of the plot to give away. Some of it? None of it? I'll try and keep it brief. Our main character is Matt Barron and our introduction to him is of a man recuperating after a car crash and suffering from amnesia, with the help of his sister and doctor he is attempting to piece his whole life back together, including trying to understand a recurring dream, and get his head around why something about his sister just doesn't feel right... The first chapter ends putting us straight into the mystery, and straightaway my brain was ticking trying to make sense of what was going on. I imagine Kernick has a lot of fun writing his books, knowing exactly what is going on but writing in a way that confuses the reader, yet in the absolute best way possible. It isn't long before Matt is running for his life, with some nasty individuals breathing down his neck. He is soon forced into turning to the only person that can help him. That person is none other than Tina Boyd, one of Kernick's best and most popular creations and I for one was thrilled to have her back. Can't say any more!
As always the book moves at a relentless pace, barely giving you time to breathe I could almost hear my heart thumping in my chest. For some reason I like to read Kernick's books in the dead of night, there's something about reading them in the day that feels strange. As the book is written in the first person I feel this really puts you into Matt's shoes, looking at the story through his eyes rather than feeling like an outsider. I only ever trust the main character and nobody else, there's characters in the book that know more than you as the reader, and more than Matt knows as he attempts to put his life back together. As snippets come back, and bigger pictures start to form the book becomes really exciting, and really hard to put down. You know when you're reading a book and you have to stop, either to eat, wash or work and you hate whatever it is that made you stop reading? That's this book! I really wish I could have read it in one sitting.
I could sit here and praise this book all night but rather than sounding like a broken record, the best thing I can say is buy it and read it. I can almost guarantee you won't be disappointed. Kernick is well into double figures with his books now, and it's very exciting that the standard does not seem to be decreasing, if anything his books are getting better. I only wish he could write quicker. 2014 saw the release of Stay Alive but also a three-part serialisation which I very much enjoyed, I'd love to see something like that again as a yearly wait in between books is nothing short of torture. Anyway I'm off to nurse my book hangover, I am currently looking at my staggering TBR with no idea what to start next after finishing this.
March 23, 2015
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The Final Minute by Simon Kernick is a fast paced novel with a wide range of different, interesting characters that combines action with suspense.
The novel is really easy to read and although a lot happens it wasn’t too hard to follow, and so I raced through it!
The story seems to focus more on Matt Barron, the guy who has lost his memory and is being chased down by ‘questionable’ characters, than Tina Boyd who is the main detective that this new series is about.
The character development was really good; I actually didn't feel like we really learnt much about Tina Boyd as a detective, only snippets from her past but I suppose this is setting the future books up to reveal more about her character as the series goes on. I also gather that she has appeared in previous books by Simon Kernick and so is semi-established, and therefore I imagine those who have read these novels already know a little more about her, but she now has her own series (of which this is the first book!). Tina seems like quite a maverick and continues to help Matt even though she knew his history and that he had done questionable things, and it was quite refreshing to read about a dynamic, talented female ex-detective.
Also interesting is the way the novel makes you doubt the main character Matt, who seems to have had a shady past. Kernick makes you wonder sometimes if he’s actually a good guy or not, but ultimately you are rooting for him to survive until the end of the novel, which at times seems less than certain! Kernick makes you think though about the fact that people can make mistakes but if they've served their time the question is whether you should just forget about their past issues?
You read the story from different perspectives which I really enjoyed; it jumps mainly between Matt and Tina’s narratives but we also see some of what the ‘baddies’ are doing which really keeps the reader on their toes throughout.
I would recommend this novel to those who already love thrillers and also to anyone wanting to get into this genre- it’s fast paced and exciting whilst also being well-written; it doesn’t veer into trashy like (in my opinion) many other books in this genre tend to do an awful lot!
The Final Minute by Simon Kernick is a fast paced novel with a wide range of different, interesting characters that combines action with suspense.
The novel is really easy to read and although a lot happens it wasn’t too hard to follow, and so I raced through it!
The story seems to focus more on Matt Barron, the guy who has lost his memory and is being chased down by ‘questionable’ characters, than Tina Boyd who is the main detective that this new series is about.
The character development was really good; I actually didn't feel like we really learnt much about Tina Boyd as a detective, only snippets from her past but I suppose this is setting the future books up to reveal more about her character as the series goes on. I also gather that she has appeared in previous books by Simon Kernick and so is semi-established, and therefore I imagine those who have read these novels already know a little more about her, but she now has her own series (of which this is the first book!). Tina seems like quite a maverick and continues to help Matt even though she knew his history and that he had done questionable things, and it was quite refreshing to read about a dynamic, talented female ex-detective.
Also interesting is the way the novel makes you doubt the main character Matt, who seems to have had a shady past. Kernick makes you wonder sometimes if he’s actually a good guy or not, but ultimately you are rooting for him to survive until the end of the novel, which at times seems less than certain! Kernick makes you think though about the fact that people can make mistakes but if they've served their time the question is whether you should just forget about their past issues?
You read the story from different perspectives which I really enjoyed; it jumps mainly between Matt and Tina’s narratives but we also see some of what the ‘baddies’ are doing which really keeps the reader on their toes throughout.
I would recommend this novel to those who already love thrillers and also to anyone wanting to get into this genre- it’s fast paced and exciting whilst also being well-written; it doesn’t veer into trashy like (in my opinion) many other books in this genre tend to do an awful lot!
December 30, 2014
As a seasoned Kernick reader he has a pretty tried and tested formula which keeps us readers happy. Thankfully his latest release is no different and you end up feeling like you’ve just done an hour long workout just reading the first few chapters! Matt Baron takes centre stage in this latest Kernick novel as a man that is suffering with a form of amnesia. He has been told he was involved in a car crash, and is being cared for by his sister. As Matt starts to slowly recover his memory starts to play tricks with him when he suffers a recurring dream.
Matt knows that his dreams are showing him a dead woman, and he also knows that he has some connection to the killing, but just isn’t sure how. The story dragged me straight in and point blank refused to let me go until the last page. The character Matt was likeable but not all that nice if I’m being 100% honest. I had the feeling that he may not be what we first thought and as the story progresses my opinion of him see-sawed violently from one chapter to the next.
The one thing I loved was the re-introduction of a great character Tina Boyd. She has appeared in The Crime Trade, Relentless, Deadline, Target, The Last Ten Seconds and Ultimatum. She is a great character and in this latest book she at first seems like she has taken the safer career option, which is until she meets Matt! As always the plot and pace are fast and frenzied and you are engaged from start to finish. There is plenty of action and you are constantly wondering when Matt’s chances are going to run out. This was certainly a great read and one that Kernick fans will enjoy. It’s also great to see Tina Boyd back in the saddle. I will as ever, look forward to the next hair raising book by Mr Kernick.
Matt knows that his dreams are showing him a dead woman, and he also knows that he has some connection to the killing, but just isn’t sure how. The story dragged me straight in and point blank refused to let me go until the last page. The character Matt was likeable but not all that nice if I’m being 100% honest. I had the feeling that he may not be what we first thought and as the story progresses my opinion of him see-sawed violently from one chapter to the next.
The one thing I loved was the re-introduction of a great character Tina Boyd. She has appeared in The Crime Trade, Relentless, Deadline, Target, The Last Ten Seconds and Ultimatum. She is a great character and in this latest book she at first seems like she has taken the safer career option, which is until she meets Matt! As always the plot and pace are fast and frenzied and you are engaged from start to finish. There is plenty of action and you are constantly wondering when Matt’s chances are going to run out. This was certainly a great read and one that Kernick fans will enjoy. It’s also great to see Tina Boyd back in the saddle. I will as ever, look forward to the next hair raising book by Mr Kernick.
April 13, 2015
Simon Kernick's books are reliable page turners. They hook you in quickly and have you flicking the pages until late in the night. This one is no exception, and the fact that I gave it only three stars doesn't mean that it's not relentlessly readable - it is! However it's not one of the strongest plots that Kernick has delivered, relying too much on coincidences and the reader's willingness to overlook logic as the body count mounts. And while the protagonists are very likeable, their behaviour stretches credibility too far.
The plot focuses on Matt Barron, recovering from a car accident which has given him amnesia. His sister is looking after him and has hired both a nurse and a psychiatrist to help him recover his memories. However he has a nagging suspicion that things aren't what they appear to be and when two very nasty killers turn up one day, he finds himself on the run for his life, while at the same time desperate to make sense of the vague memories that he has and find out why so many people are after him.
Like all of Kernick's books, some familiar characters will make an appearance along the way, including Tina Boyd and DCI Mike Bolt. As we will also learn, Matt Barron has himself been a major character in a previous book (if you don't want to know which it was because that would constitute a spoiler, stop reading this review now - but if you do want to know, it's the eigthth Simon Kernick book, with the number ten in the title).
The plot focuses on Matt Barron, recovering from a car accident which has given him amnesia. His sister is looking after him and has hired both a nurse and a psychiatrist to help him recover his memories. However he has a nagging suspicion that things aren't what they appear to be and when two very nasty killers turn up one day, he finds himself on the run for his life, while at the same time desperate to make sense of the vague memories that he has and find out why so many people are after him.
Like all of Kernick's books, some familiar characters will make an appearance along the way, including Tina Boyd and DCI Mike Bolt. As we will also learn, Matt Barron has himself been a major character in a previous book (if you don't want to know which it was because that would constitute a spoiler, stop reading this review now - but if you do want to know, it's the eigthth Simon Kernick book, with the number ten in the title).
February 4, 2015
4.5* review
I love it when it is time for a new Simon Kernick novel! I know the poor man writes as quickly as he can but they don't come quickly enough for me which is why I really enjoyed the 3 parter he did not that long ago. When you read his race against time thrillers you really feel as though you have been parachuted into your worst nightmare and you have to hit the ground running! Your pulse rate rises, the adrenaline levels increase and I honestly don't know another author who can do this consistently like Mr Kernick.
I don't like to give too much of the storyline away with a thriller such as this but once again we get to meet Tina Boyd who is now working as a private investigator and there is also an appearance from Mike Bolt. They become involved helping an amnesiac called "Matt" who seems to have information that a lot of people are willing to kill for.
I would have given this 5 stars but have given it 4.5 as, although I absolutely loved it, I really didn't like the main character especially his attitude towards women! I suppose he is a type of "anti hero" and this may be the way the author wanted him to come across but it meant I wasn't rooting for him as much as I wanted to. Loved Tina Boyd though, as usual, and hope she will continue to make her presence felt in future books.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
I love it when it is time for a new Simon Kernick novel! I know the poor man writes as quickly as he can but they don't come quickly enough for me which is why I really enjoyed the 3 parter he did not that long ago. When you read his race against time thrillers you really feel as though you have been parachuted into your worst nightmare and you have to hit the ground running! Your pulse rate rises, the adrenaline levels increase and I honestly don't know another author who can do this consistently like Mr Kernick.
I don't like to give too much of the storyline away with a thriller such as this but once again we get to meet Tina Boyd who is now working as a private investigator and there is also an appearance from Mike Bolt. They become involved helping an amnesiac called "Matt" who seems to have information that a lot of people are willing to kill for.
I would have given this 5 stars but have given it 4.5 as, although I absolutely loved it, I really didn't like the main character especially his attitude towards women! I suppose he is a type of "anti hero" and this may be the way the author wanted him to come across but it meant I wasn't rooting for him as much as I wanted to. Loved Tina Boyd though, as usual, and hope she will continue to make her presence felt in future books.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
April 16, 2015
A man wakes up with a scary nightmare, two bodies and the feeling that he killed them... He had no memories of the bodies or his life before the accident, just what his sister and doctor had told him, but is it the truth or they are hiding something from him?
Tina Boyd is a PI investigating the disappearance of a young girl, she has been missing for a few months now...
Could it be that these two successes are related somehow? We'll see...
This is my first Simon Kernick book, I haven't participated in any of the Tina and Boyd books before, but it seems that they have some history together, good and bad, I will have to take look at the other Simon books!
This is a non-stop thriller; with killers, mafia and some political issues mixed. You will not be able to stop running until you know where are the bodies hidden, and why they are so important!
Can you imagine waking up in a hospital with no memories? I would be so scared... don't know if the person you are trusting is telling the truth... this book has some similitude with Before I Go To Sleep from S.J. Watson. Both of them trapped in a blank page with some scary dreams and no one to help them!
If you are planning to read this book, remember that you will need 24 hours free, because this book will hook you till the end!
Ready to remember your worst nightmare?.
Tina Boyd is a PI investigating the disappearance of a young girl, she has been missing for a few months now...
Could it be that these two successes are related somehow? We'll see...
This is my first Simon Kernick book, I haven't participated in any of the Tina and Boyd books before, but it seems that they have some history together, good and bad, I will have to take look at the other Simon books!
This is a non-stop thriller; with killers, mafia and some political issues mixed. You will not be able to stop running until you know where are the bodies hidden, and why they are so important!
Can you imagine waking up in a hospital with no memories? I would be so scared... don't know if the person you are trusting is telling the truth... this book has some similitude with Before I Go To Sleep from S.J. Watson. Both of them trapped in a blank page with some scary dreams and no one to help them!
If you are planning to read this book, remember that you will need 24 hours free, because this book will hook you till the end!
Ready to remember your worst nightmare?.
August 5, 2017
A bit shit. Didn't like the main character much, the section of him recovering from amnesia was too long; the author had us holding on for the big reveal of 'Where are the bodies? And whose are they?' But the answer isn't all that interesting or satisfying. Was rooting for Pen to be honest, she deserved better. All she wanted was a happy life and to retire and get married. But she had that taken away from her because Sean thinks his life in which he has no friends, his family doesn't want to see him, he's a criminal (and lied to the police) , his girlfriend never loved him and is dead, and he's a killer, is more imoortant than a girl who only got into crime because of her abusive childhood and actively wants to resign from the criminal lifestyle and pursue her own happiness. So sean is selfish really and i wish he died instead of Pen. Thats all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2014
I received a forward copy of "The Final Minute" by Simon Kernick off Netgallery in exchange for a honest review.
Well this was easy, started the book this morning and was immediately hooked and continued to read it throughout the day where possible only to finish it this afternoon.
A great story with familiar characters to readers of Simon Kernick's books, the plot is well paced with the usual mix of twists and turns and for me a book I couldn't put down. This author deserves more plaudits as I continue to be impressed by his novels. Thank you Netgallery.
Well this was easy, started the book this morning and was immediately hooked and continued to read it throughout the day where possible only to finish it this afternoon.
A great story with familiar characters to readers of Simon Kernick's books, the plot is well paced with the usual mix of twists and turns and for me a book I couldn't put down. This author deserves more plaudits as I continue to be impressed by his novels. Thank you Netgallery.
August 14, 2015
Ooooooo, I just love Simon Kernick's books. Can't get enough of them! As ever he has produced yet another gripping, page-turning thriller, where things aren't always as they seem and there are so many twists you end up in knots. Highly recommend this to others
May 13, 2018
Pretty much one long chase scene. 48 hours of "man on the run"
Not bad and Kernick keeps up pace but the story is not as engaging as other books of his and it's jsut not as good as other Kernick books.
Not bad and Kernick keeps up pace but the story is not as engaging as other books of his and it's jsut not as good as other Kernick books.
December 30, 2018
It had a decent amount of suspense but that's about it. I was grossed out by the perverted protagonist and the general perversion which seems to hang in the air involving everyone but Tina Boyd, who is just about the only decent character in the story.
March 1, 2015
fast paced.
September 2, 2015
Very good and gripping... Couldn't put the book down .... When a chapter ended, couldn't switch light off! Highly recommend ... Easy read, less than a day...
March 25, 2023
This is my first book by Simon Kernick. If I hadn't bought two of them at the same time, it would have been my last, but I figure I ought to try the other one since it's here already.
Anyway, the book grabbed me from the first sentence: "I've been worried that I'm not who they say I am for a while now." But the more I read, the more bizarre and implausible it got. Our hero has to run for his life from some bad guys who are desperate to get information from him, information that he doesn't have - except that it might be buried deep in his memory, which he lost after an accident. Okay, fine, but after a while it just began to make little sense. They keep coming at him with the same question: "Where are the bodies?" So of course he has to run like hell - with no resources, little money, and no idea whom he can trust (rather Harlan-Coben-ish, I thought). He winds up on a wild odyssey using buses and trains and hiding out in a barn - you name it. By the time we find out what they're looking for and what's really happened, the whole business about these "bodies" makes no sense - I couldn't figure out why it was so important that they discover where the bodies were. It certainly didn't seem important enough to pursue this guy to the extent that he did, not to mention killing all the people that got killed along the way. The body count in this story got ridiculous; I lost count, but there were something like eight or ten people who wound up dead, some of whom were just collateral damage. Because of that, it was the kind of book that, when it comes to an end, instead of the reader feeling a sense of satisfaction that it's over and the truth has come out, the reader feels empty because there's been so much death and destruction along the way that it's hard to feel good about any of it.
The protagonist is far from an innocent in all of this, and his detective friend is barely of any help. The bad guys are borderline cartoonish. And seriously, does there really have to be so much torture, or threat of torture, in books like this? People who read murder mysteries generally have a reasonably thick skin where talk of violent death is concerned, but really, some of the descriptions of how the bad guys plan to get information out of others is truly gruesome, and you get the feeling that the author enjoyed writing about it a little more than is comfortable to think about.
A lot of information got leaked by the simplest imaginable method: bugging, i.e. listening devices. Apparently half the characters had access to listening devices AND to the homes and offices and phones of the people from whom they wanted information. It's like they all attended the same spy school. Yeah, not implausible at all (!).
And the denouement, aside from being confusing, was a huge disappointment. There were breathlessly-spoken hints all along that there was some huge conspiracy afoot which reached the highest levels of the British government. I thought "what's it going to be? A plot to kill the Prime Minister? An attempt to conceal evidence that the Prince of Wales is a pedophile?" No; after all the running around, shooting, Russian gangsters, dirty cops, etc., the truth that came out was so pedestrian that even the main character commented on it: "I can't believe this whole thing's just about (SPOILER ALERT)........a company takeover." You and me both, buddy.
I have to admit that I did laugh at one moment at the end, though, when one of the bad ones came out brandishing a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. I couldn't help wondering whether she also had a bottle of poison in her pocket just in case.
No. If this is Kernick's typical style, I'm not going to look for any more of his wild tales, once I finish the second book of his that I unwisely already bought.
Anyway, the book grabbed me from the first sentence: "I've been worried that I'm not who they say I am for a while now." But the more I read, the more bizarre and implausible it got. Our hero has to run for his life from some bad guys who are desperate to get information from him, information that he doesn't have - except that it might be buried deep in his memory, which he lost after an accident. Okay, fine, but after a while it just began to make little sense. They keep coming at him with the same question: "Where are the bodies?" So of course he has to run like hell - with no resources, little money, and no idea whom he can trust (rather Harlan-Coben-ish, I thought). He winds up on a wild odyssey using buses and trains and hiding out in a barn - you name it. By the time we find out what they're looking for and what's really happened, the whole business about these "bodies" makes no sense - I couldn't figure out why it was so important that they discover where the bodies were. It certainly didn't seem important enough to pursue this guy to the extent that he did, not to mention killing all the people that got killed along the way. The body count in this story got ridiculous; I lost count, but there were something like eight or ten people who wound up dead, some of whom were just collateral damage. Because of that, it was the kind of book that, when it comes to an end, instead of the reader feeling a sense of satisfaction that it's over and the truth has come out, the reader feels empty because there's been so much death and destruction along the way that it's hard to feel good about any of it.
The protagonist is far from an innocent in all of this, and his detective friend is barely of any help. The bad guys are borderline cartoonish. And seriously, does there really have to be so much torture, or threat of torture, in books like this? People who read murder mysteries generally have a reasonably thick skin where talk of violent death is concerned, but really, some of the descriptions of how the bad guys plan to get information out of others is truly gruesome, and you get the feeling that the author enjoyed writing about it a little more than is comfortable to think about.
A lot of information got leaked by the simplest imaginable method: bugging, i.e. listening devices. Apparently half the characters had access to listening devices AND to the homes and offices and phones of the people from whom they wanted information. It's like they all attended the same spy school. Yeah, not implausible at all (!).
And the denouement, aside from being confusing, was a huge disappointment. There were breathlessly-spoken hints all along that there was some huge conspiracy afoot which reached the highest levels of the British government. I thought "what's it going to be? A plot to kill the Prime Minister? An attempt to conceal evidence that the Prince of Wales is a pedophile?" No; after all the running around, shooting, Russian gangsters, dirty cops, etc., the truth that came out was so pedestrian that even the main character commented on it: "I can't believe this whole thing's just about (SPOILER ALERT)........a company takeover." You and me both, buddy.
I have to admit that I did laugh at one moment at the end, though, when one of the bad ones came out brandishing a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. I couldn't help wondering whether she also had a bottle of poison in her pocket just in case.
No. If this is Kernick's typical style, I'm not going to look for any more of his wild tales, once I finish the second book of his that I unwisely already bought.
November 25, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
‘It’s night, and I’m in a strange house.
The lights are on, and I’m standing outside a half-open door.
Feeling a terrible sense of foreboding, I walk slowly inside.
And then I see her.
A woman lying sprawled across a huge double bed.
She’s dead. There’s blood everywhere.
And the most terrifying thing of all is that I think her killer might be me …’
A traumatic car-crash. A man with no memory, haunted by nightmares.
When the past comes calling in the most terrifying way imaginable, Matt Barron is forced to turn to the one person who can help.
Ex Met cop, turned private detective, Tina Boyd.
Soon they are both on the run...
*3.5 stars*
There is one thing I can usually count on with Simon Kernick's books - consistency. Cracking plot, a main character that you can feel comfortable with, and a series of twists and turns that keep the pages flicking.
And for the most part, that is exactly what I got. Tina Boyd is one of the better private detectives I have come across (and believe me, I have read my fair share!) She has developed really well over the duration of this series. Still a highlight of this series, that is for sure.
The action and suspense were their usual high level. Plenty of thrills and spills to keep the most die-hard thriller fan happy...
But, for me, the plot seemed to go missing this time. The body count seemed to grow, but the logic behind it all seemed to falter along the way, leaving me wondering if he was going to be able to pull it back together in time for the finale. He did, but not without some moments (many pages) of wondering what was actually going on.
All in all, a good thriller novel - but not as good as some of the previous books in this series - or indeed, his career.
Paul
ARH
‘It’s night, and I’m in a strange house.
The lights are on, and I’m standing outside a half-open door.
Feeling a terrible sense of foreboding, I walk slowly inside.
And then I see her.
A woman lying sprawled across a huge double bed.
She’s dead. There’s blood everywhere.
And the most terrifying thing of all is that I think her killer might be me …’
A traumatic car-crash. A man with no memory, haunted by nightmares.
When the past comes calling in the most terrifying way imaginable, Matt Barron is forced to turn to the one person who can help.
Ex Met cop, turned private detective, Tina Boyd.
Soon they are both on the run...
*3.5 stars*
There is one thing I can usually count on with Simon Kernick's books - consistency. Cracking plot, a main character that you can feel comfortable with, and a series of twists and turns that keep the pages flicking.
And for the most part, that is exactly what I got. Tina Boyd is one of the better private detectives I have come across (and believe me, I have read my fair share!) She has developed really well over the duration of this series. Still a highlight of this series, that is for sure.
The action and suspense were their usual high level. Plenty of thrills and spills to keep the most die-hard thriller fan happy...
But, for me, the plot seemed to go missing this time. The body count seemed to grow, but the logic behind it all seemed to falter along the way, leaving me wondering if he was going to be able to pull it back together in time for the finale. He did, but not without some moments (many pages) of wondering what was actually going on.
All in all, a good thriller novel - but not as good as some of the previous books in this series - or indeed, his career.
Paul
ARH
November 1, 2025
Nach einem Unfall bei dem er sein Gedächtnis verloren hat, wird Matt Baron von seiner Schwester in deren Haus betreut. Ein Krankenpfleger und ein Psychiater sollen ihm bei der Rekonvaleszenz helfen. Aber je mehr sich Matt seiner alten Form annähert, desto mehr hat er das Gefühl dass etwas nicht stimmt. Nach einigen Versuchen kann er das Haus endlich verlassen. Aber damit fangen seine Probleme erst an...
Meine Meinung
Die Idee mit dem Gedächtnisverlust ist nicht neu. Aber es ist interessant, was Simon Kernick daraus macht. Die Erinnerungsfetzen die Matt hat, sind dramatisch. Er sieht Menschen, die ermordet worden sind und ist sich sicher, dass er dabei gewesen ist. War er Mittäter oder ein Opfer, das entkommen konnte? In seiner Not wendet er sich an den einzigen Menschen, an den er sich erinnern kann: die Privatdetektivin Tina Boyd. Die konfrontiert ihn mit einer unangenehmen Tatsache aus seiner Vergangenheit, bevor sie ihm die Hilfe verweigert.
Je näher er der Wahrheit kommt, desto gefährlicher wird es für Matt. Mehr als einmal gerät er in eine aussichtslos erscheinende Situation, aus der er sich nur mit viel Glück befreien kann. Er hat immer mehr den Verdacht, dass er einer großangelegten Verschwörung auf der Spur ist.
Die Geschichte ist spannend erzählt und hat mich mit seinen Wendungen mehr als einmal überrascht. Nicht so gut gefallen hat mir, dass Matt zwar in gefährliche Situationen geriet, sich aber immer recht leicht daraus befreien konnte, fast schon zu leicht. Im letzten Drittel wurde die Geschichte ein wenig durchsichtig, der Täter und sein Motiv waren mir schon vor der Auflösung im Buch klar. Es sieht aber so aus, als ob das nicht die letzte Begegnung mit Matt gewesen ist, das versöhnt mich mit dem kleinen Schwächen.
Meine Meinung
Die Idee mit dem Gedächtnisverlust ist nicht neu. Aber es ist interessant, was Simon Kernick daraus macht. Die Erinnerungsfetzen die Matt hat, sind dramatisch. Er sieht Menschen, die ermordet worden sind und ist sich sicher, dass er dabei gewesen ist. War er Mittäter oder ein Opfer, das entkommen konnte? In seiner Not wendet er sich an den einzigen Menschen, an den er sich erinnern kann: die Privatdetektivin Tina Boyd. Die konfrontiert ihn mit einer unangenehmen Tatsache aus seiner Vergangenheit, bevor sie ihm die Hilfe verweigert.
Je näher er der Wahrheit kommt, desto gefährlicher wird es für Matt. Mehr als einmal gerät er in eine aussichtslos erscheinende Situation, aus der er sich nur mit viel Glück befreien kann. Er hat immer mehr den Verdacht, dass er einer großangelegten Verschwörung auf der Spur ist.
Die Geschichte ist spannend erzählt und hat mich mit seinen Wendungen mehr als einmal überrascht. Nicht so gut gefallen hat mir, dass Matt zwar in gefährliche Situationen geriet, sich aber immer recht leicht daraus befreien konnte, fast schon zu leicht. Im letzten Drittel wurde die Geschichte ein wenig durchsichtig, der Täter und sein Motiv waren mir schon vor der Auflösung im Buch klar. Es sieht aber so aus, als ob das nicht die letzte Begegnung mit Matt gewesen ist, das versöhnt mich mit dem kleinen Schwächen.
January 22, 2021
This book is superb. It sets off at a fast pace and that doesn't wane throughout the book.
The only thing that I find slightly disappointing is the last 50 pages. The conclusion leaves me wanting.
I needed more from the protagonist - it all seemed to wind up rather suddenly for him. I wanted to learn more about his wrongful conviction (sorry spoiler alert - but it's pretty obvious). I needed to know what was next for him. Moreover - I needed for the bad guy to suffer!
The deuteragonist (Tina Boyd - who funnily enough by title it would appear the book is actually more central to the story) is a great character and I can see, from her complex background both on and off the force, that it makes sense to tell some of her tales. This being the first Simon Kernick book I've read - I certainly won't hesitate to seek some more out!
My DH and I discussed the book at length (he's really crap at keeping secrets - so I forbid him to mention the book in any great detail until I'd finished reading it ... believe me when I say those 2 days nearly killed him - albeit he knew that if the keeping shtum didn't - I would!). He felt even more let down by the ending than I did - but I placated him by saying such a sudden ending surely gave the sequel an 'in!'
I can only imagine that Simon Kernick has already penned or is in the middle of writing a sequel? Simon if you're reading this - please LET ME KNOW!
The only thing that I find slightly disappointing is the last 50 pages. The conclusion leaves me wanting.
I needed more from the protagonist - it all seemed to wind up rather suddenly for him. I wanted to learn more about his wrongful conviction (sorry spoiler alert - but it's pretty obvious). I needed to know what was next for him. Moreover - I needed for the bad guy to suffer!
The deuteragonist (Tina Boyd - who funnily enough by title it would appear the book is actually more central to the story) is a great character and I can see, from her complex background both on and off the force, that it makes sense to tell some of her tales. This being the first Simon Kernick book I've read - I certainly won't hesitate to seek some more out!
My DH and I discussed the book at length (he's really crap at keeping secrets - so I forbid him to mention the book in any great detail until I'd finished reading it ... believe me when I say those 2 days nearly killed him - albeit he knew that if the keeping shtum didn't - I would!). He felt even more let down by the ending than I did - but I placated him by saying such a sudden ending surely gave the sequel an 'in!'
I can only imagine that Simon Kernick has already penned or is in the middle of writing a sequel? Simon if you're reading this - please LET ME KNOW!
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