Dangerous Cargo

Art Marvik #2

by Pauline Rowson

In his second mission for the National Intelligence Marine Squad, former marine commando Art Marvik finds himself on the trail of a 50-year-old mystery.

For his second mission, Marvik is detailed to attend the funeral of Bradley Pulford, whose body was washed up on an Isle of Wight beach in January - only he'd officially been declared dead 55 years earlier. So who is the imposter and why did he assume the name of a dead man? What's more, why did he suddenly show up in the Dorset coastal town of Swanage in 1989, hook up with a local fishing family, the Killbecks, and after fathering a child with Stacey Killbeck, disappear in 1990?

When an innocent woman is killed during the course of the investigation, Marvik realizes that the stakes are much higher than he'd previously thought. As he begins to uncover a trail of deceit, corruption and murder that spans over half a century, Marvik must confront a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to make sure that the sins of the past stay in the past.

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2016

About the author

Pauline Rowson is the author of thirty- one crime novels - nineteen featuring DI Andy Horton in the Solent Murder Mystery series; five in Art Marvik mystery thrillers series, six in the 1950s set historical mysteries with Scotland Yard's Inspector Ryga, who is sent out to solve baffling coastal crimes and two standalone thrillers. All her crime novels are set against the backdrop of the ever changing sea.

Reviews

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Espionage meets family and community secrets and loyalties from the perspective of an ex-marine PI whose reasoning is followed in great detail. I enjoy following logic of police procedurals, but here the scope of cause and effect is way too wide for the reader to have a hope of keeping up. There are too many shifting characters over too many generations, locations and historical events.
There are several good stories in here, but they are lost in the telling.

[Maya Morikawa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

Finally finished it ,but too convulted for me.Basic story was good but too many people involved,and too slow.Guess I am not interested in it.

[Mrs J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing thriller

Art Marvin is tasked to investigate the death of someone who had apparently died before. He and his colleague are pulled into a mystery that dates back many years before with historical, political events before. The body count rises as they try to find who is behind the attempts on their life and what they are all searching for.
Fast-paced and tense, the action moves along quickly. The number of names from the past and trying to remember who was pretending to be who was confusing and lost me a little although it was all explained at the end. Lots of twists and duplicity in this action packed plot.

[Barbara Deeprose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of Twists and Turns

When a body is found washed up on the beach, it seems this is the second time the man has died! Art Marvik is sent to investigate and this is only the first body involved. After my praise for the first book in the series, I feel a bit bad at only 4 stars for this one. The writing and attention to detail was excellent as ever, but I did get a bit confused with so many characters, although this may well say more about me than the book. I enjoyed the summing up at the end which solved a few of my questions. Onwards with book 3 in the series.

[Elva Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dangerous Cargo. (The Art Marvin Mysteries Book2)

what a book, complicated to follow going back and forward in time. Very political too but so very enjoyable if you like mysteries involved with governments, Army, Navy and the sea. I really loved it, as with the first book. You must read them to find out.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel and found it to be very well written but there just too many characters for me to remember who was who. The protagonist is a complex character and the plot moves very quickly . A good story.

[David Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

An extremely convoluted plot with many twists, turns and distractions which require an above average MENSA score to follow but well worth the effort. I sincerely hope this will be an on going series.

[R.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the second book about Art Marvik who is scarred not just physically, but phsychologically from brutal actions in his past. This story involves several people he meets and who are subsequently murdered. Some have to do with his mission, and others have to do with his personal history.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trifle confusing

Okay I admit I was reading this well into the early hours and I might have been tired, but it was somewhat confusing. I got a bit lost in all the plot points and machinations but still enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this series.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very convoluted so maybe needs more concentration and stretch of imagination to get the best out of it. However building on first novel, so tempted to read another to see where Marvik goes with his own history.
More enjoyable because I know the area so can forgive some of the twists and turns

[Bea Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

complicated

It was a good read but the plot line became a bit too complicated. I should have had paper and pencil to make key notes to ensure I stayed on track!

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

good thriller

Expert portrayal of characters and as usual, further questions for the detective! I loved the vivid portrayal of Solent places and marinas.

[Elite Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping read from start to finish

This novel has it all - stolen identities, murder and mayhem. The plot is very convoluted with many twists and turns but this adds to the story and had me guessing right up until the end.

Marvik and Strathan are two former Royal Marine commandos tasked with luring an unnamed target into the open without alerting said target. The decomposed body of Bradley Pulford is washed up on the Isle of Wight and this is the start of the mystery.

Marvik and Strathan have no idea of the bigger picture at first and are only privy to a scant amount of information. They work for Philip Crowder, a DCS in the National Intelligence Marine Squad but have no idea of the complexity of the task.
As they seek to unravel the mystery their lives are at risk on many occasion and many of the people they question end up dead. Pauline Rowson uses a tremendous amount of detail and she also develops each character fully and this makes it a great read.

At times the plot seems overly complicated and I struggled to keep track of all the twists and turns but I would rather a complicated pollen than a simple narrative.
The story casts back and forth between Singapore in 1959 and the present and the dangerous cargo referred to in the title is slowly revealed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Pauline Rowson.

Gillian

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many characters; too much repetition

This is the second book in the Art Marvik series by author Pauline Rowson. I don't think it would have helped for me to read the first book.

There are lots of characters in this story and it doesn't help that some switch names with each other. The author then goes on and on about these characters, coming at them from different angles, as if repetition will help the reader keep track of them. It didn't work in my case.

Former marine commandos Art Marvik and his sidekick Shaun Strathen are on a second mission for the National Intelligence Marine Squad, who seem to have some dirty laundry in high places they want hidden.

The story spans decades, from 1959 to present day, and takes place in England.

I did enjoy the ocean scenes and liked reading about the English countryside but otherwise I could have done without reading this spy thriller.

And the one thing that got my curiosity going didn't get answered in this book. I assume it will come up in a future book in the series.

I received this book from Severn House through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent page turner and well written