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Strike a Match #1
Serious Crimes
Even after the apocalypse, crimes must be solved.
Strike A Match They called them Artificial Intelligences. Sentient viruses were closer to the truth. They spread throughout the world until every networked circuit was infected. Then they went to war. Millions died in the nuclear holocaust that brought an abrupt end to the AI's brief reign of terror. Billions more succumbed to radiation, starvation, and disease. But millions survived, and they rebuilt.
Serious Crimes Twenty years later, a ceremony is being held to mark the first transatlantic broadcast since The Blackout. The Prime Minister of Britain and two of the Presidents of the United States will speak to an audience of nearly ten million people. Not all are celebrating. Crime is on the rise, and power is once again a prize worth murdering for.
Ruth Deering, a new graduate from the police academy, doesn't care about ancient history or current affairs. She only joined the force to escape the smog-infested city. Those hopes are dashed when she is assigned to the Serious Crimes Unit, commanded by the disgraced Sergeant Mitchell. Her first case seems like a simple murder, but the investigation uncovers a counterfeiting ring and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy their fragile democracy.
Serious Crimes is a transatlantic thriller set in a world of rationing and ruins, democracy and despotism, steam trains and smart phones. This is not the story of how the apocalypse is survived, but of what happens next.
Strike A Match They called them Artificial Intelligences. Sentient viruses were closer to the truth. They spread throughout the world until every networked circuit was infected. Then they went to war. Millions died in the nuclear holocaust that brought an abrupt end to the AI's brief reign of terror. Billions more succumbed to radiation, starvation, and disease. But millions survived, and they rebuilt.
Serious Crimes Twenty years later, a ceremony is being held to mark the first transatlantic broadcast since The Blackout. The Prime Minister of Britain and two of the Presidents of the United States will speak to an audience of nearly ten million people. Not all are celebrating. Crime is on the rise, and power is once again a prize worth murdering for.
Ruth Deering, a new graduate from the police academy, doesn't care about ancient history or current affairs. She only joined the force to escape the smog-infested city. Those hopes are dashed when she is assigned to the Serious Crimes Unit, commanded by the disgraced Sergeant Mitchell. Her first case seems like a simple murder, but the investigation uncovers a counterfeiting ring and a conspiracy that threatens to destroy their fragile democracy.
Serious Crimes is a transatlantic thriller set in a world of rationing and ruins, democracy and despotism, steam trains and smart phones. This is not the story of how the apocalypse is survived, but of what happens next.
228 pages, Paperback
First published November 15, 2015
437 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
About the author
Frank Tayell
54 books485 followersAuthor of post-apocalyptic and near-future science fiction, with a focus on democracies struggling against dystopia.
For more information, or to join the mailing list, please visit; www.FrankTayell.com, facebook.com/FrankTayell, or facebook.com/TheEvacuation
For more information, or to join the mailing list, please visit; www.FrankTayell.com, facebook.com/FrankTayell, or facebook.com/TheEvacuation
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
August 1, 2016
I like the little glimpses into the past, the what happened after the TEOTW. I like that society rebuilt. That people mostly worked together. I would like to learn a little more about our American Policeman. Actually, I might even check out the next book. I didn't mind the murder mystery plot, I liked how it tied in with TEOTW. I will say the actual writing could have been better, but overall the story was engaging.
October 5, 2019
An okay read
It seems the consistent thread between Indy authors is the Lays potato chip theory - betcha can’t read just one. The books are not finished, just read as if another chapter ended. This is an okay plot with okay characters but I believe in a few years time even the author will say I wasn’t yet ready for prime time. And that’s okay. We all have to start somewhere and this is a good start. But it just didn’t have a finish.
It seems the consistent thread between Indy authors is the Lays potato chip theory - betcha can’t read just one. The books are not finished, just read as if another chapter ended. This is an okay plot with okay characters but I believe in a few years time even the author will say I wasn’t yet ready for prime time. And that’s okay. We all have to start somewhere and this is a good start. But it just didn’t have a finish.
December 27, 2016
Post apocalypse after The Blackout and society is reforming. Refreshing to read a story that incorporates an equal number of male and female characters and that gender doesn't seem to dictate careers. Refreshing because it's rare to read in most post apocalypse fiction I've read before and it's noticeable when you read something that doesn't follow stereotypes
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November 17, 2017Life is too short to read poorly written books.
February 1, 2023
Stars: 3 out of 5
This is not a bad book at all. It was just rather meh to me, but that might just be because I was expecting something more out of this post-apocalyptic read.
I liked the glimpses into the past and what brought down the end of the world as we know it, even though the explanation about the AIs wasn't all that satisfying. I mean, the technological remnants we are shown in this book aren't advanced enough to have created something as sophisticated as the AIs as they are described. From everything I've seen in this book, the world "before" was at about our technological level (as in 2020's), and we don't have AIs or are even close to reaching that threshold.
Also, a lot of things are hinted at, but not fully explained. Like the fact that the official story behind the Blackout isn't really how it happened. I understand that this is only the first book in a longer series, but I would have appreciated a few more answers.
I think the biggest reason why this book was meh to me is that I never managed to connect with the characters. Mitchell seemed promising enough, but the author purposefully keeps him as a closed book. He knows a lot of things and a lot of people, but he speaks in riddles. We also never really get a glimpse inside his head or understand his motivations. I mean it's hinted that Ruth's mother asked him to look after her, but their connection isn't explained.
Ruth herself didn't work for me as the protagonist. I think it's because she is so passive for most of this story. She joined the police academy because she couldn't go to University and didn't want to be a farmer or miner. She isn't particularly motivated to be there. This is not a career she decided to pursue yet. So she kind of tags along for most of the investigation.
She also feels woefully unprepared for the job she is supposed to be doing, which is surprising. Are you telling me that in a post-apocalyptic world where things are so bad that there is food rationing, people stopped committing crimes like murders and burglaries? So the police force is thought math and science instead of how to shoot a gun and how to best overpower and disarm a belligerent suspect? I'm sorry, but human nature being what it is, I would think that crime would have skyrocketed in society like that, so the police force would have to be a lot more brutal and better trained.
Also, because Ruth is only marginally interested in the investigation, and the reader sees it through her eyes, I was only marginally interested as well. It doesn't help that everyone talks in riddles and never gives a straight answer.
But I guess that's one more book I cleaned off my TBR list this year, even though I will not be continuing with the series.
This is not a bad book at all. It was just rather meh to me, but that might just be because I was expecting something more out of this post-apocalyptic read.
I liked the glimpses into the past and what brought down the end of the world as we know it, even though the explanation about the AIs wasn't all that satisfying. I mean, the technological remnants we are shown in this book aren't advanced enough to have created something as sophisticated as the AIs as they are described. From everything I've seen in this book, the world "before" was at about our technological level (as in 2020's), and we don't have AIs or are even close to reaching that threshold.
Also, a lot of things are hinted at, but not fully explained. Like the fact that the official story behind the Blackout isn't really how it happened. I understand that this is only the first book in a longer series, but I would have appreciated a few more answers.
I think the biggest reason why this book was meh to me is that I never managed to connect with the characters. Mitchell seemed promising enough, but the author purposefully keeps him as a closed book. He knows a lot of things and a lot of people, but he speaks in riddles. We also never really get a glimpse inside his head or understand his motivations. I mean it's hinted that Ruth's mother asked him to look after her, but their connection isn't explained.
Ruth herself didn't work for me as the protagonist. I think it's because she is so passive for most of this story. She joined the police academy because she couldn't go to University and didn't want to be a farmer or miner. She isn't particularly motivated to be there. This is not a career she decided to pursue yet. So she kind of tags along for most of the investigation.
She also feels woefully unprepared for the job she is supposed to be doing, which is surprising. Are you telling me that in a post-apocalyptic world where things are so bad that there is food rationing, people stopped committing crimes like murders and burglaries? So the police force is thought math and science instead of how to shoot a gun and how to best overpower and disarm a belligerent suspect? I'm sorry, but human nature being what it is, I would think that crime would have skyrocketed in society like that, so the police force would have to be a lot more brutal and better trained.
Also, because Ruth is only marginally interested in the investigation, and the reader sees it through her eyes, I was only marginally interested as well. It doesn't help that everyone talks in riddles and never gives a straight answer.
But I guess that's one more book I cleaned off my TBR list this year, even though I will not be continuing with the series.
August 1, 2016
There were a couple of things I liked and some I didn’t like about “Serious Crimes”. Starting with what I liked, the plot was well thought out and the premise was interesting. How would a police force operate once some sort of government has been established after an apocalyptic event occurred was something I never gave much thought to. In addition, the characters are interesting and likable.
Now for what I didn’t like, to start off with, the story is slowwwww. I mean it doesn’t seem to move much at all for the first 50-60% of the book. When they say that police work isn’t like what you see on TV, that much of it is boring, I think this book wanted to be true to that. The second thing that I didn’t like is that I felt as if the reader doesn’t get enough backstory. The characters start to give up more info as they move farther into the story but by that time I had pretty much given up and stopped caring about them. Also on that note I was able to give up but I had about a week before my next kindle lending library book came available again so I kept plowing through only to realize who the mastermind was shortly after so that was a bit annoying. Finally, I wasn’t a big fan of the author’s writing style. I felt as if he didn’t give enough description to make me feel as if I was right there with the serious crimes team. He gave enough for a reader to know what was going on the story but not nearly enough to be able to picture the scenery in my mind’s eye. I don’t think I’ll be moving along in the series.
Now for what I didn’t like, to start off with, the story is slowwwww. I mean it doesn’t seem to move much at all for the first 50-60% of the book. When they say that police work isn’t like what you see on TV, that much of it is boring, I think this book wanted to be true to that. The second thing that I didn’t like is that I felt as if the reader doesn’t get enough backstory. The characters start to give up more info as they move farther into the story but by that time I had pretty much given up and stopped caring about them. Also on that note I was able to give up but I had about a week before my next kindle lending library book came available again so I kept plowing through only to realize who the mastermind was shortly after so that was a bit annoying. Finally, I wasn’t a big fan of the author’s writing style. I felt as if he didn’t give enough description to make me feel as if I was right there with the serious crimes team. He gave enough for a reader to know what was going on the story but not nearly enough to be able to picture the scenery in my mind’s eye. I don’t think I’ll be moving along in the series.
June 28, 2025
Serious Crimes is a Post Apocalyptic Crime thriller set in a world where civilization was decimated by a war between AI that caused a technological regression. In this new ‘Dark Age’ Ruth Deering a recently graduated cadet is assigned to the Serious Crimes Unit and she is quickly caught up in a case that begins with murder and counterfeit money but soon is revealed to involve an international conspiracy.
Right out of the gate the concept was intriguing so I hoped the book would manage to live up to my expectations, I can somberly report that it does not. A good story is always rooted in great characters and the critical flaw with this story is that it is centered around the wrong person.
Ruth is our protagonist despite her superior officer Sergeant Henry Mitchell being a better candidate. She doesn't fulfill the requirements to be the main character of this narrative, she lacks drive and agency throughout the story with many of the key scenes of the narrative in fact occurring whilst Ruth is doing something infinitely less interesting. Despite being the protagonist of a crime story Ruth really doesn't have much motivation to resolve the case and the internal monologue even seems to suggest that she barely even wants to be a police officer at all. She doesn't even have the righteous zeal of a young police officer and instead she chose policing because her and her adoptive mother Maggie somehow imagined it would be a safe career choice.
As I mentioned earlier, It's obvious that Ruth’s superior is the better choice to be the main character but this still wouldn't solve many if the problems for whilst Mitchell himself does have better motivation, intelligence and dialogue his investment is still ill-defined and he comes across mostly as being a gruff no nonsense cop stereotype. At several points in the story he ignores logical procedure but he lucks out anyway because the story needs him to. He bends the rules and subverts the system but there's no meaning behind it, Tayell seems to be doing it because it's a common trope or to drive the plot not because he has something greater to say.
As I progressed through the novel I found that any opportunities for Ruth to show her usefulness kept getting undercut by Tayell. At one point Ruth arrests a suspect only for another criminal to kill them. Ruth learns the name of the escaped gunman but in the following scene the criminal Mitchell caught reveals the same information almost instantly anyway. It is deeply unsatisfying to observe a protagonist who, when they do manage to take an active role in the plot, are almost instantly punished by the author for daring to be proactive.
Tayell almost stumbled into an interesting character arc during Chapter Six but immediately abandoned it. Ruth and her adoptive mother are hard up for rent which is the only motivation of any kind Ruth has shown so far. Tayell has Ruth pocket some counterfeit money which could have actually been an interesting move for the character but he immediately had the characters internal monologue flesh out why it'd be a bad idea. Riley and Mitchell both instantly guess Ruth's plan and talk her out of it. She then drops the counterfeit money. Tayell setup and abandoned the only interesting thing the character had done in the book so far without realising his mistake.
This sort of development is an ongoing problem where the author frustratingly refuses to allow the protagonist to have nuanced development or to possess complex thoughts or relationships. In the very next chapter after Ruth’s flirtation with stealing the counterfeit money, he raised the prospect of the Police Commissioner asking Ruth to spy on Mitchell for him which could have been a goldmine of narrative tension as the rookie cadet feels conflicted over her loyalties but once again Tayell has that idea nullified almost instantly. At this stage its almost as if the author is deliberately trying to aggravate a reader who is looking for greater emotional depth by repeatedly turning towards into interesting character development before veering back into bland predictability at the last second. It's like we are being punished for looking for interesting possibilities.
Rather than having the conspiracy be uncovered slowly via the dogged police work and intuition of the protagonist, Tayell just ends up having the characters stumble upon the things they need and when they do investigate the very first guess ends up being stunningly accurate for no other reason than narrative convenience. A good thriller will have dead ends that the characters run into before being forced to retrace their steps and discover the true path to the truth. Tayell just cuts any of that out for narrative expediency but it makes the sequence of events just seem far too convenient.
Ruth finally becomes useful in tying things together late in the book but it comes with so little setup that it just feels like the author decided that after fifteen chapters of contributing very little now was the time to make her integral to figuring out the case.
The use of red herring characters and the eventual reveal of the villain of this first book was rather predictable and uninspired. Near the end they suggest a particular government official must be the villain but as she is a character we have never met before it seems highly unlikely. The character who the author does reveal to be the villain was my first guess from halfway through the book when some sloppy exposition dialogue describing the character's background gave the game away very early. I can understand Tayell wanted to lay clues early but the explanation of this character’s beliefs are too obvious a clue when laid out so plainly especially given the conspiracy in this book must logically be driven by someone who opposes the open trade being established in the background of this book.
The villain of this book is very unsatisfying, he works fine as a villainous foil but there's no substance to him. He's just a regular supporting character until the reveal and then he's just motivated by power but without any nuance. If you're going to center a thriller plot around a conspiracy then you have to make the villains motivations relatable or entertaining. Here Tayell just presents us with the most cardboard cutout villain and expects us to applaud it. It seems counterintuitive to everything I just said but it was also insulting that the villain doesn't even get a chance to add any depth to their motives before being written out. It especially seems shortsighted as Tayell planned this as a series but the villainous character with massive political power and possessing a worldview that would have been most interesting to delve into over multiple chapters or books is eliminated so quickly.
To make matters worse not only did our protagonists fail to figure out the villains identity before the reveal but the villain explains they deliberately laid the trail for the heroes to follow. So we are left with a thriller plot where the heroes only managed to discover a conspiracy because the villain wanted them to. This is a plot point that can be used brilliantly in a well plotted text but here it just compounds the general feeling that the heroes were lucky bumblers who the universe just allowed to stumble upon the solutions to the problems in front of them. The very few moments when the characters did seem to achieve results through skill or ingenuity now seem robbed of narrative weight.
The book ends with the villains either dead, thwarted or on the run but with the full extent of the conspiracy left open to further exploration in the multiple sequels. The trouble is that the author is so keen on the idea of this multiple book conspiracy that they put the cart before the horses. If they'd focused on just this one book, on the characters, structure and crafting a plausible and engaging thriller plot then this could have been an excellent novel that would leave readers demanding a sequel. Instead we get an unfortunately derivative, predictable, half baked first installment of an unengaging conspiracy narrative. There are good things here that with an editor’s notes and contemplative rewrites could have lead to a great book but the author seems so impatient to get it done that he doesn't allow the material the sufficient time to develop.
This has possibly come across as a mostly negative review but it honestly comes from disappointment in unfulfilled potential. It is through constructive criticism that we can hope to encourage creatives to discover their weaknesses and improve. I don't think Frank Tayell is a terrible writer as there are moments in many of his books that I do enjoy but he often ends up sacrificing quality to maintain his output of material. Which is a shame as I think if he slowed down and focussed he could start making some really good work.
Right out of the gate the concept was intriguing so I hoped the book would manage to live up to my expectations, I can somberly report that it does not. A good story is always rooted in great characters and the critical flaw with this story is that it is centered around the wrong person.
Ruth is our protagonist despite her superior officer Sergeant Henry Mitchell being a better candidate. She doesn't fulfill the requirements to be the main character of this narrative, she lacks drive and agency throughout the story with many of the key scenes of the narrative in fact occurring whilst Ruth is doing something infinitely less interesting. Despite being the protagonist of a crime story Ruth really doesn't have much motivation to resolve the case and the internal monologue even seems to suggest that she barely even wants to be a police officer at all. She doesn't even have the righteous zeal of a young police officer and instead she chose policing because her and her adoptive mother Maggie somehow imagined it would be a safe career choice.
As I mentioned earlier, It's obvious that Ruth’s superior is the better choice to be the main character but this still wouldn't solve many if the problems for whilst Mitchell himself does have better motivation, intelligence and dialogue his investment is still ill-defined and he comes across mostly as being a gruff no nonsense cop stereotype. At several points in the story he ignores logical procedure but he lucks out anyway because the story needs him to. He bends the rules and subverts the system but there's no meaning behind it, Tayell seems to be doing it because it's a common trope or to drive the plot not because he has something greater to say.
As I progressed through the novel I found that any opportunities for Ruth to show her usefulness kept getting undercut by Tayell. At one point Ruth arrests a suspect only for another criminal to kill them. Ruth learns the name of the escaped gunman but in the following scene the criminal Mitchell caught reveals the same information almost instantly anyway. It is deeply unsatisfying to observe a protagonist who, when they do manage to take an active role in the plot, are almost instantly punished by the author for daring to be proactive.
Tayell almost stumbled into an interesting character arc during Chapter Six but immediately abandoned it. Ruth and her adoptive mother are hard up for rent which is the only motivation of any kind Ruth has shown so far. Tayell has Ruth pocket some counterfeit money which could have actually been an interesting move for the character but he immediately had the characters internal monologue flesh out why it'd be a bad idea. Riley and Mitchell both instantly guess Ruth's plan and talk her out of it. She then drops the counterfeit money. Tayell setup and abandoned the only interesting thing the character had done in the book so far without realising his mistake.
This sort of development is an ongoing problem where the author frustratingly refuses to allow the protagonist to have nuanced development or to possess complex thoughts or relationships. In the very next chapter after Ruth’s flirtation with stealing the counterfeit money, he raised the prospect of the Police Commissioner asking Ruth to spy on Mitchell for him which could have been a goldmine of narrative tension as the rookie cadet feels conflicted over her loyalties but once again Tayell has that idea nullified almost instantly. At this stage its almost as if the author is deliberately trying to aggravate a reader who is looking for greater emotional depth by repeatedly turning towards into interesting character development before veering back into bland predictability at the last second. It's like we are being punished for looking for interesting possibilities.
Rather than having the conspiracy be uncovered slowly via the dogged police work and intuition of the protagonist, Tayell just ends up having the characters stumble upon the things they need and when they do investigate the very first guess ends up being stunningly accurate for no other reason than narrative convenience. A good thriller will have dead ends that the characters run into before being forced to retrace their steps and discover the true path to the truth. Tayell just cuts any of that out for narrative expediency but it makes the sequence of events just seem far too convenient.
Ruth finally becomes useful in tying things together late in the book but it comes with so little setup that it just feels like the author decided that after fifteen chapters of contributing very little now was the time to make her integral to figuring out the case.
The use of red herring characters and the eventual reveal of the villain of this first book was rather predictable and uninspired. Near the end they suggest a particular government official must be the villain but as she is a character we have never met before it seems highly unlikely. The character who the author does reveal to be the villain was my first guess from halfway through the book when some sloppy exposition dialogue describing the character's background gave the game away very early. I can understand Tayell wanted to lay clues early but the explanation of this character’s beliefs are too obvious a clue when laid out so plainly especially given the conspiracy in this book must logically be driven by someone who opposes the open trade being established in the background of this book.
The villain of this book is very unsatisfying, he works fine as a villainous foil but there's no substance to him. He's just a regular supporting character until the reveal and then he's just motivated by power but without any nuance. If you're going to center a thriller plot around a conspiracy then you have to make the villains motivations relatable or entertaining. Here Tayell just presents us with the most cardboard cutout villain and expects us to applaud it. It seems counterintuitive to everything I just said but it was also insulting that the villain doesn't even get a chance to add any depth to their motives before being written out. It especially seems shortsighted as Tayell planned this as a series but the villainous character with massive political power and possessing a worldview that would have been most interesting to delve into over multiple chapters or books is eliminated so quickly.
To make matters worse not only did our protagonists fail to figure out the villains identity before the reveal but the villain explains they deliberately laid the trail for the heroes to follow. So we are left with a thriller plot where the heroes only managed to discover a conspiracy because the villain wanted them to. This is a plot point that can be used brilliantly in a well plotted text but here it just compounds the general feeling that the heroes were lucky bumblers who the universe just allowed to stumble upon the solutions to the problems in front of them. The very few moments when the characters did seem to achieve results through skill or ingenuity now seem robbed of narrative weight.
The book ends with the villains either dead, thwarted or on the run but with the full extent of the conspiracy left open to further exploration in the multiple sequels. The trouble is that the author is so keen on the idea of this multiple book conspiracy that they put the cart before the horses. If they'd focused on just this one book, on the characters, structure and crafting a plausible and engaging thriller plot then this could have been an excellent novel that would leave readers demanding a sequel. Instead we get an unfortunately derivative, predictable, half baked first installment of an unengaging conspiracy narrative. There are good things here that with an editor’s notes and contemplative rewrites could have lead to a great book but the author seems so impatient to get it done that he doesn't allow the material the sufficient time to develop.
This has possibly come across as a mostly negative review but it honestly comes from disappointment in unfulfilled potential. It is through constructive criticism that we can hope to encourage creatives to discover their weaknesses and improve. I don't think Frank Tayell is a terrible writer as there are moments in many of his books that I do enjoy but he often ends up sacrificing quality to maintain his output of material. Which is a shame as I think if he slowed down and focussed he could start making some really good work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2022
This book was OK. It had a plot that carried me through to the end, and a compelling detective story was in there. The writing was a little ropey at times but no worse than expected for a turn-the-handle indie author series. It did, however, have three big problems that stopped it from getting a better rating.
1) Told from the wrong point of view
This story is absolutely Mitchell's story. He's the most proactive character. So why is Ruth the POV protagonist? On several occassions, we follow Ruth into some minor encounter only to rejoin with Mitchell and find that the most interesting and significant scene has played out with him and we didn't get to see it. More than once throughout the book I found myself trying to remember when the last time was that Ruth even said something. (Which makes it especially galling when Mitchell shuts her up in Chapter 12 for supposedly asking too many questions.)
I tried to consider if the author was going for a Sherlock Holmes/Watson type thing, but that didn't really work either. For one thing, Mitchell is definitely not the eccentric, solitary figure that necessitated Conan-Doyle shifting POVs to Watson; if anything, Mitchell's a pretty simplistic figure. For another thing, Ruth is not even the Watson of the story: that would be Riley.
2) Infodumpy Worldbuilding
I liked the setting of the book, and I especially enjoyed reading about a post-apocalyptic versions of places in England I know quite well myself. But the delivery of the worldbuilding was very clunky and unnatural, and often came in the form of Mitchell waxing lyrical about the past in ways that go way beyond answering whatever question started him off. Other minor characters do the same thing from time to time, and sound bizarrely like Mitchell when they do.
It also didn't help that the years immediately following the apocalypse of this series sound like they were vastly more exciting and interesting than the events of the actual story.
3) Dumb dialogue
So many times, characters say things which seem out of place or are just nonsense.
"She has a six-year-old son. I can imagine she doesn't get much sleep." A six-year-old is not a newborn, and there's no reason to suppose he isn't in a pretty regular sleeping pattern.
"Growing up, there hadn't been much money, so Ruth had never really thought about it much." This doesn't feel right at all, it tends to be the case that people who don't have much money need to think about it more, not less!
"You can tell a lot about the people who live in a house by their front garden." Really?
"I was his supervisor. I made sure he had everything he needed: water, tea, pens, paper, what have you. If I could understand half the things he was doing, then I'd have a room like this of my own." Wait...what do you think a supervisor is?
"And you're his brother?"
"His adoptive brother. We sort of adopted each other in the early days."
OK so not his brother at all then.
Oh, and one of my favourite ones is near the end when one of the antagonists says "It's only in bad fiction that the hero gets an explanation. But this isn't fiction, and you are not the hero."
And he then proceeds to give a lengthy explanation.
Overall there just wasn't enough finesse to the writing or the story to inspire me to continue with any more books by this author. The ending is pretty 'blah' and I kinda realised that once I'd finished I still wouldn't really be able to explain what the book was 'about'. But it wasn't so bad that I was angry I'd spent the time reading it so, you know, there's that.
1) Told from the wrong point of view
This story is absolutely Mitchell's story. He's the most proactive character. So why is Ruth the POV protagonist? On several occassions, we follow Ruth into some minor encounter only to rejoin with Mitchell and find that the most interesting and significant scene has played out with him and we didn't get to see it. More than once throughout the book I found myself trying to remember when the last time was that Ruth even said something. (Which makes it especially galling when Mitchell shuts her up in Chapter 12 for supposedly asking too many questions.)
I tried to consider if the author was going for a Sherlock Holmes/Watson type thing, but that didn't really work either. For one thing, Mitchell is definitely not the eccentric, solitary figure that necessitated Conan-Doyle shifting POVs to Watson; if anything, Mitchell's a pretty simplistic figure. For another thing, Ruth is not even the Watson of the story: that would be Riley.
2) Infodumpy Worldbuilding
I liked the setting of the book, and I especially enjoyed reading about a post-apocalyptic versions of places in England I know quite well myself. But the delivery of the worldbuilding was very clunky and unnatural, and often came in the form of Mitchell waxing lyrical about the past in ways that go way beyond answering whatever question started him off. Other minor characters do the same thing from time to time, and sound bizarrely like Mitchell when they do.
It also didn't help that the years immediately following the apocalypse of this series sound like they were vastly more exciting and interesting than the events of the actual story.
3) Dumb dialogue
So many times, characters say things which seem out of place or are just nonsense.
"She has a six-year-old son. I can imagine she doesn't get much sleep." A six-year-old is not a newborn, and there's no reason to suppose he isn't in a pretty regular sleeping pattern.
"Growing up, there hadn't been much money, so Ruth had never really thought about it much." This doesn't feel right at all, it tends to be the case that people who don't have much money need to think about it more, not less!
"You can tell a lot about the people who live in a house by their front garden." Really?
"I was his supervisor. I made sure he had everything he needed: water, tea, pens, paper, what have you. If I could understand half the things he was doing, then I'd have a room like this of my own." Wait...what do you think a supervisor is?
"And you're his brother?"
"His adoptive brother. We sort of adopted each other in the early days."
OK so not his brother at all then.
Oh, and one of my favourite ones is near the end when one of the antagonists says "It's only in bad fiction that the hero gets an explanation. But this isn't fiction, and you are not the hero."
And he then proceeds to give a lengthy explanation.
Overall there just wasn't enough finesse to the writing or the story to inspire me to continue with any more books by this author. The ending is pretty 'blah' and I kinda realised that once I'd finished I still wouldn't really be able to explain what the book was 'about'. But it wasn't so bad that I was angry I'd spent the time reading it so, you know, there's that.
January 13, 2019
So this is a thing to start your year with. I got this book for free way back when I was perusing the Kindle store and considering the subject matter, I was rather curious. A detective story set in the post apocalypse-times? Why yes, my Barnaby-loving, Fallout-playing self would rather like to read that.
Set in a world where the AIs waged war on each other, driving humanity to the brink of extinction, resetting technology to that of a pre-industrial society in the process. There's been a murder and only a cadet fresh out of the academy, a tough and quiet captain and a sergeant who plays by his own rules and doesn't respect authority can solve the crime.
At its most basic, ignoring the setting, it's a pretty straight forward story about a cadet realizing her rosy view of policing doesn't quite match reality. Out here, on the streets, they play fast and loose with the rules! Her boss, while at first rough and abrasive, soon instills the young cadet with what she needs to survive in the real world, not that claptrap they teach at the academy.
It's really the setting that saved it for me, seeing a pretty straight forward murder mystery but through the lense of post apocalypse really does give it a unique and appealing flavor. The troubles they face in solving the crime makes it more compelling to read and the landscapes and sets visited give it that extra edge to where it's not a complete chore to read. Which is good because the mystery itself was not particularly engaging and easily solved too, at least if you've read and seen enough of these murder mysteries to last you a lifetimes by your thirties. To be fair, I guessed it more based on tropes and cliches rather than actual clues. Which is the only way to do it cause the books doesn't give you nearly enough to actually guess it before it straight up tells you the solution.
Character-wise, I can't really say much. They're a bit... meh, I suppose? Each character fills a typical stereotype nicely and doesn't do much to push the limits of their role. Outside of Ruth, the main character cadet, no-one really seems to grow or learn anything. Who they are at the beginning is pretty much who they are at the end. Granted, there are two additional books in the series that may continue their development but little of it was here in this one.
And at this point, I'm not entirely sure I'll even read the sequel. Considering it's a continuation of a plot that didn't really reel me in all the way, I'm hesitant to read a book that continues said thread. Had this gone down to a "case of the week"-format, I might actually have been more interested in reading. It doesn't help that it seems to follow the character I liked least either.
So I guess we'll see. This book was fine for the price that I paid and maybe if I get the sequel cheap (or for nothing) I'll read it.
Set in a world where the AIs waged war on each other, driving humanity to the brink of extinction, resetting technology to that of a pre-industrial society in the process. There's been a murder and only a cadet fresh out of the academy, a tough and quiet captain and a sergeant who plays by his own rules and doesn't respect authority can solve the crime.
At its most basic, ignoring the setting, it's a pretty straight forward story about a cadet realizing her rosy view of policing doesn't quite match reality. Out here, on the streets, they play fast and loose with the rules! Her boss, while at first rough and abrasive, soon instills the young cadet with what she needs to survive in the real world, not that claptrap they teach at the academy.
It's really the setting that saved it for me, seeing a pretty straight forward murder mystery but through the lense of post apocalypse really does give it a unique and appealing flavor. The troubles they face in solving the crime makes it more compelling to read and the landscapes and sets visited give it that extra edge to where it's not a complete chore to read. Which is good because the mystery itself was not particularly engaging and easily solved too, at least if you've read and seen enough of these murder mysteries to last you a lifetimes by your thirties. To be fair, I guessed it more based on tropes and cliches rather than actual clues. Which is the only way to do it cause the books doesn't give you nearly enough to actually guess it before it straight up tells you the solution.
Character-wise, I can't really say much. They're a bit... meh, I suppose? Each character fills a typical stereotype nicely and doesn't do much to push the limits of their role. Outside of Ruth, the main character cadet, no-one really seems to grow or learn anything. Who they are at the beginning is pretty much who they are at the end. Granted, there are two additional books in the series that may continue their development but little of it was here in this one.
And at this point, I'm not entirely sure I'll even read the sequel. Considering it's a continuation of a plot that didn't really reel me in all the way, I'm hesitant to read a book that continues said thread. Had this gone down to a "case of the week"-format, I might actually have been more interested in reading. It doesn't help that it seems to follow the character I liked least either.
So I guess we'll see. This book was fine for the price that I paid and maybe if I get the sequel cheap (or for nothing) I'll read it.
June 2, 2022
.
I had to quit at Page 87. I just could not go on!!
A SERIOUS well-written book….
…BUT….
EXTREMELY BORING !!!!!
Extremely.
Extremement !!!
BORING !!!!
(I understand the author is trying to “capture the moment,” and that everything has regressed in time to an earlier age, but this was something books did 150 years ago, and it has already stopped flying: description of the View.)
“…Drake Avenue didn’t deserve the name. It was less than a hundred feet long, barely five feet wide, and filled with trestle tables. They clearly belonged to the pub halfway along the road. It was called The Golden Hind according to the freshly painted sign swinging in the gentle breeze and was doing brisk business….”
“…The houses in this neighbourhood were mostly abandoned. A few had been boarded up. Others had been stripped even of their window frames. The area had become a builder’s yard, the properties dismantled to form repairs on those closer to the coast or railway, but it wasn’t completely deserted. Where there had once been a garden in front of a house, there was now a patch of dug-over earth dotted with canes and shreds of thin netting….”
“… Labourers moved with glacial caution as they loaded wooden crates from the light bulb factory that sprawled around an ancient church. The track joined an old cobbled street as it went through a small park where rusting children’s swings stood forlornly among the precisely divided allotment plots. That was replaced by a field of wheat, and then with one empty of crops but full of farmers hacking at the soil with pick and shovel….”
YAWN!!!!!!!
I quit.
.
I had to quit at Page 87. I just could not go on!!
A SERIOUS well-written book….
…BUT….
EXTREMELY BORING !!!!!
Extremely.
Extremement !!!
BORING !!!!
(I understand the author is trying to “capture the moment,” and that everything has regressed in time to an earlier age, but this was something books did 150 years ago, and it has already stopped flying: description of the View.)
“…Drake Avenue didn’t deserve the name. It was less than a hundred feet long, barely five feet wide, and filled with trestle tables. They clearly belonged to the pub halfway along the road. It was called The Golden Hind according to the freshly painted sign swinging in the gentle breeze and was doing brisk business….”
“…The houses in this neighbourhood were mostly abandoned. A few had been boarded up. Others had been stripped even of their window frames. The area had become a builder’s yard, the properties dismantled to form repairs on those closer to the coast or railway, but it wasn’t completely deserted. Where there had once been a garden in front of a house, there was now a patch of dug-over earth dotted with canes and shreds of thin netting….”
“… Labourers moved with glacial caution as they loaded wooden crates from the light bulb factory that sprawled around an ancient church. The track joined an old cobbled street as it went through a small park where rusting children’s swings stood forlornly among the precisely divided allotment plots. That was replaced by a field of wheat, and then with one empty of crops but full of farmers hacking at the soil with pick and shovel….”
YAWN!!!!!!!
I quit.
.
May 19, 2019
Was intrigued by the plot and having read a couple of books in Tayell's other post apocalyptic series (Surviving the Evacuation) I thought it was worth a go. Especially since there was no supernatural element here so other areas to focus on.
Definitely glad I gave it a shot - the setting, 20 years after the event gives it a lot of room to move. The main character, Ruth, is new to the police force and young enough to not know much about the old world or the early post black out years. This allows for a more natural exposition for the reader to get those drabs of information along with her.
Once again Tayell has created female characters that are fully formed and hold their own. I know it seems like an odd thing to mention but its very common for male writers to just throw in the token one dimensional female character but here there was a much more refreshingly diverse character base.
There has been a lot of thought given to how we realistically could recover from such an event and I really enjoyed the detail we were given.
Though it is intended to be a series and thus ends with some mysteries intact it wrapped up enough to give satisfaction and a decent character arc. I'm looking forward to seeing where Ruth's journey heads next.
Definitely glad I gave it a shot - the setting, 20 years after the event gives it a lot of room to move. The main character, Ruth, is new to the police force and young enough to not know much about the old world or the early post black out years. This allows for a more natural exposition for the reader to get those drabs of information along with her.
Once again Tayell has created female characters that are fully formed and hold their own. I know it seems like an odd thing to mention but its very common for male writers to just throw in the token one dimensional female character but here there was a much more refreshingly diverse character base.
There has been a lot of thought given to how we realistically could recover from such an event and I really enjoyed the detail we were given.
Though it is intended to be a series and thus ends with some mysteries intact it wrapped up enough to give satisfaction and a decent character arc. I'm looking forward to seeing where Ruth's journey heads next.
March 19, 2022
An interesting world building challenge: the remnants and rebuilding (20 years worth) of society after AIs set off a limited nuclear war against each other and humans. (The everyday lifestyle/situation reminded me of "The Walking Dead", but without the constant existential threat of zombies.) Kudos for bringing in a new cadet to the Serious Crimes division of the British Police force as an exposition device to give the history of "how we got to where we are" as these events are explained to her from the sergeant that lived through it and has been stranded in England (from America) since "The Blackout".
The story had an interesting crime. making their way through the world and emerging politics as food and medicine production and communications and transportation has been ramping up over the last two decades to a point where trade is now being contemplated with America (or at least one of the countries that previously had been the United States). The solution to the mystery was a tad obvious, which dropped my rating down by a star.
I've got the second book in the series on my Kindle, so I will pursue at least one more story in this world.
The story had an interesting crime. making their way through the world and emerging politics as food and medicine production and communications and transportation has been ramping up over the last two decades to a point where trade is now being contemplated with America (or at least one of the countries that previously had been the United States). The solution to the mystery was a tad obvious, which dropped my rating down by a star.
I've got the second book in the series on my Kindle, so I will pursue at least one more story in this world.
December 14, 2017
I thought it was pretty good, I've not read a lot of detective genre in a while, but it was good enough to keep me reading.
It's 20 years after the world ended, not zombies or EMP, but the AI's went to war against one another.
Young Ruth is a cadet assigned to the Serious Crimes unit and things go pear shaped pretty quickly.
This is my first read from this author and I can't quite get "in" to the story. There is enough to keep it moving at a good pace, but something is missing. I never got to the point where I was watching a movie in my head as I was reading... Hard to describe.
If I see the next book in the series at a good price I might pick it up. But my reading queue is pretty much backlogged.
It's 20 years after the world ended, not zombies or EMP, but the AI's went to war against one another.
Young Ruth is a cadet assigned to the Serious Crimes unit and things go pear shaped pretty quickly.
This is my first read from this author and I can't quite get "in" to the story. There is enough to keep it moving at a good pace, but something is missing. I never got to the point where I was watching a movie in my head as I was reading... Hard to describe.
If I see the next book in the series at a good price I might pick it up. But my reading queue is pretty much backlogged.
December 24, 2022
Unlike the majority (at least that I have seen) of post-apocalyptic novels that are set either in the US or (sometimes) in Australia, this one is set in the island of Great Britain, although with connections to what is happening in the recovering US. The apocalyptic event in question was a war between AIs and among some there is a fear that reestablishing technology will result in a repeat of that. The action and the crime involved is well thought-out and well-detailed. One important note. Although there is a conclusion at the end of this book, there are a couple of unanswered questions about the main protagonists that await explanation in one or both of the subsequent novels in the Strike a Match series.
October 23, 2017
20 years after an inadvertent apocalypse, humanity has struggled back to something like 1910 levels of technology. New police recruit Ruth Deering finds herself assigned to Serious Crimes: a unit with an impressive name but no real jurisdiction. The unit is about to have plenty on its plate, however, as it stumbles across a crime that could literally destroy the fragile civilisation that has been rebuilt.
Tayell's book is a decent little read. I had some minor structural issues with it, but on the whole he delivers a story that hangs together well and has a satisfying ending while still leaving the way open for a sequel (which in fact, there is).
Tayell's book is a decent little read. I had some minor structural issues with it, but on the whole he delivers a story that hangs together well and has a satisfying ending while still leaving the way open for a sequel (which in fact, there is).
December 21, 2017
Set some time in the future, we kept making our smart devices "smarter" and one day the went to war with each other. We were caught in the cross fire - cities and individuals were only directly attacked when the tried to stop the smart machines. Then there was the post-apocalypse - disease, starvation, freezing to death etc. Now twenty years later society has rebuilt; we have medicines, trains, electricity and soon international trade. The world is coming back around; then why has the Serious Crimes division stumbled onto a situation that appears to be more than just a simple murder.
June 11, 2019
Good start to a new series
Received the book free on Amazon. Not a bad start to a post-apocalyptic series. Making England the technical and agricultural center of a rebuilding civilization is s neat twist. The story itself is a thriller, as a rookie policewoman and two experience cops find that a murder leads to a conspiracy that threatens the attempt to link emerging countries. This is a quick read. The end leaves several loose ends for the next installment.
Suitable for teenagers.
Received the book free on Amazon. Not a bad start to a post-apocalyptic series. Making England the technical and agricultural center of a rebuilding civilization is s neat twist. The story itself is a thriller, as a rookie policewoman and two experience cops find that a murder leads to a conspiracy that threatens the attempt to link emerging countries. This is a quick read. The end leaves several loose ends for the next installment.
Suitable for teenagers.
December 9, 2017
A fresh take on the Post Apocalypse
I was surprised by how good this story was, reading more like a historical detective novel that just happened to be after the apocalypse than most of the distopian novels set in the same realm. The characters are distinct and engaging, the action fast paced and the twists were on par with the best detective novels. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
I was surprised by how good this story was, reading more like a historical detective novel that just happened to be after the apocalypse than most of the distopian novels set in the same realm. The characters are distinct and engaging, the action fast paced and the twists were on par with the best detective novels. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.
May 8, 2021
A seasoned author that I had not heard of before.
Basically this book is ala Sherlock Holmes sans Dr Watson. But only basically. The characters in this book have distinct personalities. The storyline is not obvious and there is no bumbling or arrogance to the characters. Yes I would rather read more books by this author than Conan Arthur Doyle. I highly recommend this book and I will go in search of his other work.
Basically this book is ala Sherlock Holmes sans Dr Watson. But only basically. The characters in this book have distinct personalities. The storyline is not obvious and there is no bumbling or arrogance to the characters. Yes I would rather read more books by this author than Conan Arthur Doyle. I highly recommend this book and I will go in search of his other work.
September 26, 2021
This is the first book in the series. I had read a book by this author before and enjoyed it. Again this is an apocalyptic story set years after a blackout event. A young cadet joins the serious crimes department of the police and gets embroiled straightaway with a murder. I enjoyed the book and I felt that a lot was hidden from the cadet. I guess more truths come on in the following books. I would definitely read more from this series.
May 21, 2022
I enjoyed the setting : a world recovery from an apocalyptic event that sent technology back 100 years (except where required for plot purposes)
The three main characters are engaging, although without much depth.
It’s unfortunate then that the main mystery is a confusing mess that requires the villain to reveal their scheme (despite already saying that doesn’t happen in real life) and without a proper resolution.
The three main characters are engaging, although without much depth.
It’s unfortunate then that the main mystery is a confusing mess that requires the villain to reveal their scheme (despite already saying that doesn’t happen in real life) and without a proper resolution.
February 5, 2023
cracking Read
This book held me all the way through. Totally different from all the apocalyptic fiction. Yes there’s a worldwide disaster but it avoids the clicker hackneyed story of a family fighting their way across the ravaged land to reunite. This had the collapse as a backdrop to a police murder mystery but the disaster was intertwined with enough mystery to keep the plot rolling along and enough to lead me in to round two. Well written and worth it.
This book held me all the way through. Totally different from all the apocalyptic fiction. Yes there’s a worldwide disaster but it avoids the clicker hackneyed story of a family fighting their way across the ravaged land to reunite. This had the collapse as a backdrop to a police murder mystery but the disaster was intertwined with enough mystery to keep the plot rolling along and enough to lead me in to round two. Well written and worth it.
June 19, 2023
Like It!
I generally like conspiracy books. The thing I liked most was the subtle revelations along the way about the calamity had unfolded to bring the world to this place. Due to the story within a story I did have a difficulty time keeping characters straight (thank goodness for the search feature of Kindle). On balance, it is a good book and I look forward to the next part of the series.
I generally like conspiracy books. The thing I liked most was the subtle revelations along the way about the calamity had unfolded to bring the world to this place. Due to the story within a story I did have a difficulty time keeping characters straight (thank goodness for the search feature of Kindle). On balance, it is a good book and I look forward to the next part of the series.
November 11, 2023
A refreshing take on post-apocalyptica
A lot of post apocalyptic stories focus on the immediate aftermath or a world that never recovered. This story was a refreshing break from the mold, taking place in a society in the midst of recovering from near extinction.
It is a wonderfully written story with engaging characters and plot twists. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
A lot of post apocalyptic stories focus on the immediate aftermath or a world that never recovered. This story was a refreshing break from the mold, taking place in a society in the midst of recovering from near extinction.
It is a wonderfully written story with engaging characters and plot twists. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
January 6, 2024
Amazing author
I read this book after reading all 21 of the author's Surviving the Evacuation series. That series was amazing with plots and characters and
a world setting that made you want to continue to see what would happen next. This book starts a new and different series, but the style and characters remain solid and exciting. I'm so glad I found this second series by this author.
I read this book after reading all 21 of the author's Surviving the Evacuation series. That series was amazing with plots and characters and
a world setting that made you want to continue to see what would happen next. This book starts a new and different series, but the style and characters remain solid and exciting. I'm so glad I found this second series by this author.
November 29, 2017
Fast paced and easy to read but I found also rather predictable to plot out. Tayell recycles a lot of ideas across his various series and while his characters are interesting enough in that I will probably pick up a couple more of these when kindle prices are low I feel it is a weaker series overall.
May 29, 2018
Post apocalyptic detective fiction
Thoroughly enjoyed this first in a series about society rebuilding after an AI attack and how people will always be the same no matter what befalls us. Witty and incredibly imaginative as to the circumstances of a fallen society and it’s rebuilding. Quick read that keeps you interested
Thoroughly enjoyed this first in a series about society rebuilding after an AI attack and how people will always be the same no matter what befalls us. Witty and incredibly imaginative as to the circumstances of a fallen society and it’s rebuilding. Quick read that keeps you interested
November 30, 2021
A fun premise
I enjoyed this world, which included society slowly coming back after a Toby apocalypse. Really, it was a detective story, but the world added additional obstacles due to limited technology. I think the series is a sequel to a more traditional apocalypse series of books. I don't expect to read another two dozen books in this world, but one entry was entertaining.
I enjoyed this world, which included society slowly coming back after a Toby apocalypse. Really, it was a detective story, but the world added additional obstacles due to limited technology. I think the series is a sequel to a more traditional apocalypse series of books. I don't expect to read another two dozen books in this world, but one entry was entertaining.
July 20, 2022
Satisfying and interesting
Nice to read an apocalypse story where the crisis is past and the world has found a new normal. Interesting characters with back stories that are only alluded to gives a great sense of realism that I really enjoyed. I'll certainly be reading the next in the series.
Nice to read an apocalypse story where the crisis is past and the world has found a new normal. Interesting characters with back stories that are only alluded to gives a great sense of realism that I really enjoyed. I'll certainly be reading the next in the series.
June 3, 2023
At last, no zombies!
There may well be an apocalypse, but it’s not that likely to feature zombies. This book and the “AI wars” present a more realistic plot line. The characters are interesting and the writing is good, aside from a few comma splices. Comma splice are the new zombies.
There may well be an apocalypse, but it’s not that likely to feature zombies. This book and the “AI wars” present a more realistic plot line. The characters are interesting and the writing is good, aside from a few comma splices. Comma splice are the new zombies.
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