Meaner Things

by David Anderson

Emma ran out on Michael ten years ago when they were university students. Since then, their lives have taken very different paths: hers to a luxurious lifestyle and international big business; his to a tiny bachelor suite and a succession of dead-end jobs. Now Emma has reappeared in Mike's life and needs his help to bring down a very powerful, very bad man - her husband.

As Emma discovered a decade ago, Mike has one outstanding skill, namely the ability to plan and execute even the most difficult heist. Mike reluctantly agrees to reboot these shady talents, this time for a righteous cause. In the process he finds new purpose filling his previously empty life. With the help of Charlie, an old friend and master of gadgetry, Mike begins to infiltrate the target building, a seemingly impregnable downtown Vancouver high-rise.

But despite falling in love with Emma all over again Mike is still unsure if he can depend on her. Will she let him down once more? Should he heed Charlie's misgivings about her? Can the co-conspirators trust each other long enough to pull off a heist so complex and dangerous it makes 'Ocean's Eleven' look like a walk in the park?

The fate of them all hangs in the balance...

'Meaner Things' is a brilliantly plotted mystery story.

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2015

About the author

David Anderson lives in Vancouver, Canada but is originally from Northern Ireland, where he graduated from Queens University, Belfast with a philosophy degree.

His short stories have been anthologised alongside Bram Stoker, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro and other acclaimed authors. His thrillers 'Earthly Powers' and 'Meaner Things' were published by Endeavour Press and republished by BWL Publishing.

'The Beachhead', a dystopian thriller, was his first Young Adult novel and 'The Remnant' is its sequel. His adult thriller 'Shadow of a Killer', "Enters Graham Greene land" according to noir expert Bruce McBay. Next came a YA thriller 'Uninvited', followed by 'The Citadel', the concluding volume in The Beachhead trilogy.

Reviews

[Terry Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better than his first one. I enjoyed the unusual descriptions and the authentic details. Must have done a lot of research! Again, the tempo was fast and the story kept moving at a good rate. Conclusion was exciting and satisfying.

[Stanley Mortensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great price on Kindle and I'm very glad I bought it.

[Jock MacTavish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me turning pages until well into the wee small hours.

[John Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty heist (vault robbery) and on/off romance. Enjoyed the combination.

[Hal Hartnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex and satisfying.

[Richard MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believable heist.

[Aylmer Dennison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very complex and realistic.

[Helmut Nagel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best heist / robbery novel I have come across.

[Mike Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bit too much on the planning of the robbery but I got well wrapped up in it.

[Jim Bookbinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this author's previous thriller 'Earthly Powers' so much, I simply had to read this one too. And it turns out: it's even better! I'm in Vancouver myself (this is how I learned of this writer) and I can testify that he got the settings right. But it's the characters and the tense plot that makes this thriller so spellbinding. Check it out if you like very suspenseful heist adventures.

[Bill Cardew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good heist novel.

[Brent Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like heist novels and this is a heist novel par excellence. And, unlike Ocean's Eleven, it's realistic - but very suspenseful and thrilling at the same time. Hard to put down once I'd started it!

[Mary Short · Rating 5 out of 5]

One to read and re-read. I enjoyed this very much and it made me think. Great Canadian setting too.

[Margery Dawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best heist novel I've ever read.

[Raymond Kolbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched heist novel, with engaging characters, that kept me reading page after page, well into the night.

[Jody Roche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super heist novel about a "righteous robbery"! Splash of romance too.

[Mac Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody good book.

[Mac Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

One hell of a read.

[Joely Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful heist / caper novel, serious but touching too.

[Joely Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly touching romance element for a male author!

[Max Richter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific.

[Mario Lambretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complicated but kept me reading.

[Justin Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever and intricate, a thriller about trust.

[Elmer Fogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps many balls in the air at once.

[Jason MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched.

[Martin Smithson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intricate and believable heist novel.