What do you think?
Rate this book
DCI Jeff Temple #3
Random Targets
A sniper launches a series of deadly attacks on Britain's motorways, striking in the dark during rush hour and causing total carnage. No one knows who he is, or why he's doing it, but, as the death toll rises, fear grips the entire nation. It's up to DCI Jeff Temple of the Major Investigations Team to bring the killing spree to an end but, as he closes in on the sniper, Temple makes a shocking discovery about the motive behind the attacks. A ghastly precedent has been set and Temple soon realizes that in future anyone who drives on Britain's motorways risks becoming a random target.
- GenresCrime
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2014
192 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
James Raven
15 books49 followersJames Raven also writes under the pseudonym Jaime Raven. He's been a journalist for most of his working life. After reporting for local, regional and national newspapers he moved into television as a news scriptwriter. He then worked his way up to become Director of a UK News Division.
He is the author of a number of books including Random Targets, After the Execution, Malicious, Rollover, Stark Warning, Urban Myth, Red Blitz and Arctic Blood.
As Jaime Raven he's written four books for Avon/Harper Collins - The Madam, The Alibi, The Mother and The Rebel.
Website at: http://www.james-raven.com/
and http://www.jaime-raven.com/
He is the author of a number of books including Random Targets, After the Execution, Malicious, Rollover, Stark Warning, Urban Myth, Red Blitz and Arctic Blood.
As Jaime Raven he's written four books for Avon/Harper Collins - The Madam, The Alibi, The Mother and The Rebel.
Website at: http://www.james-raven.com/
and http://www.jaime-raven.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 20, 2021
The idea was great it just needed something more in the execution of the story
May 27, 2020
Another great story
Another great story by James Raven featuring Inspector Temple.I have read all the books in the series and that just keep getting better. What impressed me most is the originality of the story lines. They kept me gripped from start to finish. I hope that there will be a lot more to come.
Another great story by James Raven featuring Inspector Temple.I have read all the books in the series and that just keep getting better. What impressed me most is the originality of the story lines. They kept me gripped from start to finish. I hope that there will be a lot more to come.
October 12, 2020
The plot outline of this book is actually awesome, it just wasn’t all that well written in my opinion. I feel like there were so many integral moments in the story that were just brushed over with very little detail. Missed opportunities to really make the reader ”feel something”. Not too bad but I wouldn’t re-read.
July 3, 2020
There really is something special about this series I’m so addicted to them they grip you from the very beginning you think you know who’s dome it but nope no idea until the very end
Another amazing book on to the next
Another amazing book on to the next
February 20, 2024
The third book in the box set and a much better read that the last two books. It was no too hard to work out the suspect was not the person they were looking for but it was surprising to find that there were more involved as well. The ending could have been better.
November 13, 2020
Rush hour on the M27 in Hampshire soon results in a multi-vehicle pile up. Investigators at the scene discover a man, a driver, has been shot. Then they discover another shooting victim in the wreckage. Is this a terrorist attack, or a lone sniper. What if they attack again, how can they be stopped.
DCI Jeff Temple and his team investigate.
An interesting crime story
DCI Jeff Temple and his team investigate.
An interesting crime story
December 4, 2020
Slow build up to a mini climax. Thought the issue of the injured girfriend did nothing for the storyline. However the basis of the book would in reality be a terrifying action
June 26, 2021
Totally gripping and terrifying at the same time. Just guessed who it was right before it was revealed. Now on to the next one
August 28, 2021
Detective Jeff Temple is really up against it Innocent People are being Murdered and Carnage being caused on our Motorway systems .. A Great Story and a real page turner
March 3, 2016
An average day of rush hour traffic near Southampton on an English motorway soon turns to tragedy and mayhem when a sniper shoots two motorists. With the large number of automobiles on the roads there is soon a massive pileup with a number of people killed and many more injured. DCI Jeff Temple of the Major Investigations Team is brought in to investigate. It is the worst tragedy he’s ever seen but he knows he must focus and do his job to the best of his ability to catch the person behind these killings, for the man or woman has left a painted message on a wall for them to find, indicating this will happen again.
As the many rescue workers help those in need and try to get the motorway back up and running again, Temple gets his team together and they glean what few facts they can. The killer is a sharp shooter using a specific sniper rifle that is not easy to acquire, either through extreme black market means or the British military. The killer has left no prints and very little detail that he exists, other than a brief hooded shot on a CCTV camera. Temple’s girlfriend, also a member of the constabulary, was involved in the devastation and has suffered a serious head injury and is recovering in hospital, so he also has a very personal connection to the case and wanting to catch this killer.
Before the team has a chance to put much together, the killer strikes again on a different motorway. There are more dead and many more injured but little evidence to show for it, other than another message that there will be more shootings to come. The next hit is on the great M25 ring-road around London which heavily disrupts traffic for some time. There are those who fear to travel on the motorways anymore and choose to use smaller rural streets, clogging up the countryside. A reward is offered which soon grows to £2.5 million by all the businesses and people involved for any information on the killer.
Temple has his own idea who might be behind it and is doing his best to track down the man. At the same time a new task force is convened as there is new evidence possibly linking these killings to a terrorist cell related to Al-Qaeda. Temple now has a higher-up he reports to, but he’s still pretty sure that his suspect is the killer behind all this.
While Random Targets perhaps lacks the tightly-edited speed and pace of American thrillers, the step-by-step progression of the case and the characters give the book a very realistic feel, as if this is exactly how a case would be investigated and solved in Britain. There is little background development in the characters other than Temple and his girlfriend, Angel, and what few additional female characters there are end up being simply described by their looks and body type. When the ending is revealed, which isn’t completely a surprise, it is done in a ham-handed all telling and no showing way that kills all the momentum of the book.
Random Targets is an interesting look into English law enforcement and how they work when there is a deadly killer on the loose. While the book is lacking in areas of character development and the ending is somewhat anticlimactic, overall the book is a fun and interesting read.
Originally written on October 5, 2014 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
As the many rescue workers help those in need and try to get the motorway back up and running again, Temple gets his team together and they glean what few facts they can. The killer is a sharp shooter using a specific sniper rifle that is not easy to acquire, either through extreme black market means or the British military. The killer has left no prints and very little detail that he exists, other than a brief hooded shot on a CCTV camera. Temple’s girlfriend, also a member of the constabulary, was involved in the devastation and has suffered a serious head injury and is recovering in hospital, so he also has a very personal connection to the case and wanting to catch this killer.
Before the team has a chance to put much together, the killer strikes again on a different motorway. There are more dead and many more injured but little evidence to show for it, other than another message that there will be more shootings to come. The next hit is on the great M25 ring-road around London which heavily disrupts traffic for some time. There are those who fear to travel on the motorways anymore and choose to use smaller rural streets, clogging up the countryside. A reward is offered which soon grows to £2.5 million by all the businesses and people involved for any information on the killer.
Temple has his own idea who might be behind it and is doing his best to track down the man. At the same time a new task force is convened as there is new evidence possibly linking these killings to a terrorist cell related to Al-Qaeda. Temple now has a higher-up he reports to, but he’s still pretty sure that his suspect is the killer behind all this.
While Random Targets perhaps lacks the tightly-edited speed and pace of American thrillers, the step-by-step progression of the case and the characters give the book a very realistic feel, as if this is exactly how a case would be investigated and solved in Britain. There is little background development in the characters other than Temple and his girlfriend, Angel, and what few additional female characters there are end up being simply described by their looks and body type. When the ending is revealed, which isn’t completely a surprise, it is done in a ham-handed all telling and no showing way that kills all the momentum of the book.
Random Targets is an interesting look into English law enforcement and how they work when there is a deadly killer on the loose. While the book is lacking in areas of character development and the ending is somewhat anticlimactic, overall the book is a fun and interesting read.
Originally written on October 5, 2014 ©Alex C. Telander.
For more reviews, check out the BookBanter site.
Read
July 19, 2015Another great story from this author and the third book in the series. This book covers issues such as post traumatic stress disorder in soldiers that have returned from Afghanistan and terrorism, while trying to find the killer!
Again a well written book, which has lots of twists and turns. You just now the ending is not going to be what you expect! The way the book is written, it keeps you captivated and its very difficult to put the book down! I also like how 2 story lines are written as one first and then split of into two directions.
The book comes highly recommended and is a must read!
Again a well written book, which has lots of twists and turns. You just now the ending is not going to be what you expect! The way the book is written, it keeps you captivated and its very difficult to put the book down! I also like how 2 story lines are written as one first and then split of into two directions.
The book comes highly recommended and is a must read!
February 10, 2016
The 3rd James Raven book telling the stories of DCI Jeff Temple.
Random Targets follows the same pattern as the first two books in this series, Easy to follow, easy to read. The book only deals with the main characters in the plot with no digressing into side stories or side issues. It is fast paced and very credible and uncomplicated. The plot is certainly plausible and frightening, the settings are familiar to people who live or travel in the South of England.
Like James Ravens other books Random Targets still suffers from being a little too simple but on the other hand this make it a readable and enjoyable story.
Random Targets follows the same pattern as the first two books in this series, Easy to follow, easy to read. The book only deals with the main characters in the plot with no digressing into side stories or side issues. It is fast paced and very credible and uncomplicated. The plot is certainly plausible and frightening, the settings are familiar to people who live or travel in the South of England.
Like James Ravens other books Random Targets still suffers from being a little too simple but on the other hand this make it a readable and enjoyable story.
January 8, 2020
This author keeps getting better and better with every book. I could not put this one down. It deserves every one of the five stars.
We all know that there are very sick and evil people in this world. It is good to know that there are professionals out there who make it their job to find them, and bring them to justice. Thank God they do.
We all know that there are very sick and evil people in this world. It is good to know that there are professionals out there who make it their job to find them, and bring them to justice. Thank God they do.
Read
January 30, 2020Good thriller
Someone has shot drivers on a major highway causing massive destruction and death . A message indicates there will be more . And there are . A tremendous effort is made to clear the mess , care for the wounded and figure out who could do such a terrible thing.
Someone has shot drivers on a major highway causing massive destruction and death . A message indicates there will be more . And there are . A tremendous effort is made to clear the mess , care for the wounded and figure out who could do such a terrible thing.
November 7, 2014
Never read any of this author's books before. The pace was far and it was easy reading. It was, however, slightly disappointing in parts as some clear issues were missed by the the author which were so obvious from the second they happened. A quick ok read.
February 20, 2019
No real surprises. I guessed who the baddy was quite early. The book was probably a little too short for me, it could have been padded out in some areas. But they are little niggles, I liked the writers style and I enjoyed the book
December 2, 2019
Best so far
This tried book in the series is the best one. Good storyline, good ending a not so much pages filled with words that added nothing to moving the plot forward. Made me interested enough to try the next bok.
This tried book in the series is the best one. Good storyline, good ending a not so much pages filled with words that added nothing to moving the plot forward. Made me interested enough to try the next bok.
November 1, 2014
Towards end of book I thought the story line was a bit thin but there was a twist. Enjoyable read.
January 5, 2015
As Always an enjoying read
I always love j. Ravens novels. His writing is realistic and easy to follow. Can't wait until the next book.
I always love j. Ravens novels. His writing is realistic and easy to follow. Can't wait until the next book.
October 19, 2019
Just keeps getting better.
Another great read from James Raven. Each book becoming more intriguing than the last. Hope we're going to see lot's more of DO Temple.
Another great read from James Raven. Each book becoming more intriguing than the last. Hope we're going to see lot's more of DO Temple.
October 23, 2019
Ok
Not as fast paced as he other two book but a good read none the less a bit more tension required
Not as fast paced as he other two book but a good read none the less a bit more tension required
November 4, 2019
Another Winner
I have enjoyed all three DCI Temple books. All three were brilliant. I can’t wait for the next one. I highly recommend it.
I have enjoyed all three DCI Temple books. All three were brilliant. I can’t wait for the next one. I highly recommend it.
December 13, 2019
Excellent
Plot very good and interesting. Characters are well drawn and believable. Looking forward to reading more books by this author .
Plot very good and interesting. Characters are well drawn and believable. Looking forward to reading more books by this author .
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews