The Colour of Thunder

by Suzanne Harrison

"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this gripping and intriguing mystery… Not only is the story full of deep secrets and provocative characters but it also captures the many compelling and diverse facets of Hong Kong in the narrative. This captivating and dynamic book is a must for anyone who enjoys a stormy atmospheric ride set in a city rich in culture and intrigue. " —Jules Hannaford, author of Fool Me Twice, Podcaster of Hong Kong Confidential One small island, six troubled lives, and the storm of the century is on its way. In one of the world’s most vibrant international cities, present day Hong Kong, the lives of six people become irreversibly intertwined. The past is catching up with those running from it, while the futures of others hangs dangerously in the balance. But who knows the most? And what will they do to keep it that way?

Genres: Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2021

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Half an "amateurish, vapid, unbelievable" star !!!

Thank you to Legend Press, the author and Netgalley for an e-copy. This was released Feb. 2021.
I am providing my honest review.

Ok folks I am stopping at 30 percent.

I was foolishly drawn in by that amazingly gorgeous book cover and the promise of some soapy mysterious fun in cosmopolitan Hong Kong.

What I got instead were vapid outlandish caricatures (sexy mixed race businessman, traumatized mixed race (god forbid bisexual too) female PI, a party boy fruitier than Liberace, a top notch psychologist that nonsensically becomes attached in friendship to a client, and some whip smart women filled with a feminist arrogance and lots of misandry etc) Just dreadful that these characters are cartoonish despite given a bit of developmental history. The mystery was not compelling, the dialogue was either over the top or dull dull dull.

I am really turned off at how these horrid little novels are getting churned out. Sorry not sorry !

The descriptions of Hong Kong though were detailed and at times wonderful. That and that absolutely gorgeous book cover give this the half star that the book does not deserve. Onwards !

[Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my thing, didn't get invested in the story and didn't really care what was going on

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Colour of Thunder instantly grabbed me with its Hong Kong setting, but it did take a little while for its mystery to go full force.

While the introduction might be confusing and a bit too layered at times, I do think the ending was fully worth it. We've been reading about the characters for the last hundred pages or so and we do get to see how it all comes together. I think the impact will make mystery fans happy as it did satisfy me with a couple of tension-filled moments without being predictable.

Like I've mentioned, it's where the introduction to this book struggles. We get a lot of characters and a lot of information pretty quickly, and we have zero clue how any of it's connected. While it's satisfying when the puzzle pieces come together, I did need to flip back a couple of pages a few times to make sure I wasn't missing any key components.

This book is impressive in the way it creates a mesmerizing visual for a setting, and did leave me satisfied with the reveal.

[Sayantoni Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you're going to seek revenge, dig two graves." - a Chinese proverb that the author deftly slips into the reader's subconscious right from the very beginning.

The Colour Of Thunder starts off as a literary stunner but then quickly blends into a mystery.

I loved the atmospheric writing that enveloped the storyline in an eluding epoch of passion and suspense. It's a dangerous amalgamation, these two, that worked wonders for the plot.

The narrative style is exceptionally anticipating and the plot taut with tension.
Awash with a glittering array of characters, this book is literally a fair - colorful, vibrant and incessant. It does lag a bit midway but picks up space trifold towards the end. So it's advisable to keep going, as it gets better.

The representation of Hong Kong was stunningly vivid and boisterous. Bustling with people visiting from all around the globe, this enchanting place has multiple faces of its own that reflects the spirits of its occupants.

I would definitely recommend this book even though it's true that not all might enjoy it. But if you love the taste of literature with an immersive storytelling then you shouldn't hesitate to pick it up.

[Zuky the BookBum · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this is a tricky book to review. While there were aspects of the book that I enjoyed, I've found that the majority of my feelings have led me to being disappointed by a book I thought had so much potential.⁠
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I really did love the backdrop of Hong Kong, a place I've not often visited while reading, so I liked the change of scenery to the norm. It was interesting to feel the bustle of the city as well as the quieter areas of the region also.⁠
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I think it was the synopsis of this that led me to believe it was going to be slightly different to what I got. I found the pace of this mystery extremely slow, and with the number of characters involved, a lot of the story felt bogged down and made for confusing reading a lot of the time. Not to mention the 'storm of the century' plot line happens only within the last 80 pages or so, so it felt like a long time coming before we really reached the real story.⁠
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The mystery in this book was deeply intertwined between a whole host of characters, and when the reveal finally emerged, it took a long time to unravel everyone's place in the story. I thought the concept of the plot was great but it could have been told in an easier way.⁠
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Ultimately, this book did have some positive aspects to it, including the scenery and the mystery plot, but I personally found the whole thing too awash with characters for anything to perfectly fit into place. I know other readers on the tour enjoyed this more than I, so it is always worth reading those reviews to get a full picture!

I was gifted this book by Legend Press in exchange for an honest review

[Rhian Eleri · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of my favorite book covers ever! So pretty.

I read this one in Jan, and today is my blog tour stop for it 💕

I enjoyed it, it was like piecing together a big puzzle as at the beginning, the stories and characters didn't seem to link together!
I kept looking for clues, trying to match the story to someone elses and this kept me very interested.
It does come together in the end, in the most clever of ways! The characters were all linked but didn't even realise this themselves!
The last 50 pages were fast and really got my attention, loved how it ended, jsut enough information to let my mind wonder ☺
A great fast, power read, set in Hong Kong.
The busy, bright lights of the city come alive in this witty story of 6 people who are all involved in the same dodgy circle involving Johnny Humphries!

[Thebooktrail]

Discover the locations in the novel

A great novel for setting and getting the buzz of the city of HK. Six stories and vignettes in one wasn't my cup of tea and I would have preferred a more cohesive story but it was good overall.

[rina dunn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the premise of this one and I love the fact that its set in Hong Kong but unfortunately that's all I liked about this. I actually didn't read the last 30 pages so technically I didn't finish it and heres why.
I was so confused... I feel like I've read 200 pages learning about these characters and don't care about any of them. Or even know that much about them.
The second half of the book was better and I felt like it was going at a faster pace but at that point I just didn't feel at all invested in either the plot or any of the characters.
Its such a shame as the author has created such a wonderful sense of place but I just don't understand what she was trying to do or say? There is a sense of intrigue but its that complex and fragmented it just didn't work for me.

[Atticus Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timely reminder of the special place that is Hong Kong. Colourful, exciting, at times a roller coaster of differing perspectives and deep insights into each characters’s back stories. If you’ve ever been to HK or know it well - or indeed are curious about this now politically challenged/sensitive city - you will appreciate the vivid descriptions and fantastical people who take you on this wild ride. Worth it for the escapism!

[France-Andrée · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good character study, you really get to know the characters, but a mystery? I would not describe it that way. For something to work as mystery, it needs more action and an actual mystery… everybody was exactly who I thought they were, there’s three characters that are seen as two different people and, well, that was so guessable! Interesting look at Hong Kong, interesting characters, but waiting so long for something to start and then it being so predictable was disappointing.

[betwixt.the.pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very different from my usual picks. That may be one reason I took a little longer to get into it, but once I was in, I was hooked. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set predominantly in China so I was definitely intrigued by the vibrant descriptions of the country.

There are quite a lot of characters and switching between timelines which I personally like as it adds more depth to the story. And I do love it when all of these characters have a common tie which brings them unexpectedly together! For me this really made the ending brilliant, leaving a lasting impression on me.

Really well-written and easy to read, ‘The Colour of Thunder’ combines mystery, intrigue, secrets and love. Ultimately it depicts how far some people will go in order to seek revenge... especially those with access to money.

[Cathy Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the story, very captivating and I couldn't put the book down.

[Elizabeth Giordano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read The Colour of Thunder by Suzanne Harrison thanks to Legend Press and NetGalley. I was excited to read this novel because it sounded so intriguing. I was instantly confused by what the story was about. It starts at an orphanage in Tianjin, the narrator being a worker seeing an argument play out, ending with the murder of one of the orphanage employees. The story then moves to Hong Kong and discusses other characters, that had nothing to do with the orphanage at the time. The story moved in a confusing way, weaving different characters together in the same chapter.
I had a hard time in some places figuring out which character’s point of view was being described in each moment of a chapter. It went from present to a flashback to one of the characters pasts, making it hard to keep up with what was going on at times. I appreciated the flashbacks because it helped to better understand what happened in each of the characters upbringing that led them to this hard life they are leading as adults and why they are struggling in their present lives.
There were a few key components to the novel that really spoke to me and weaved the characters pasts and presents together in interesting ways. The author mentioned bougainvillea many times in the story; part of me thought it was foreshadowing of hard times to come. Another thing that was similar in the upbringing of many of the characters was the rough childhood they all had, whether it was having troubled parents, absent parents, being bullied, etc. Another thing that sparked my interest was that the author showed that each of the characters wanted to escape to a better life when they grew up; they all had plans to move away, either alone or with a friend.
A few other things confused me, like how did the protests and revolution tie into the story other than bringing two characters together through them. Another thing that did not make sense to me was the first chapter with the orphanage. I know that some of the main characters had donated to that orphanage, but the murder there had nothing to do with them, which I was hoping to find out more about that in the end. The author had some loose ends that did not get solved in the end, which made me upset.
The mystery element of the novel was interesting, with the crime, the kidnapping, murder, it was all very intriguing and cool, and I found myself wanting to finish the novel quickly to find out what happened. I just felt like the novel was lacking some substance in places and some of the chapters encompassed too many points of view. I think the author could have separated some of the chapters to help with that. I think if you like historical fiction and mystery, you should read this book.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by its beautiful cover, intriguing blurb and a setting far from home. However, the story really didn’t deliver on expectations and I quickly became bored and frustrated by the narrative.

It felt like this was a non-linear narrative but I don’t think Harrison was particularly clear when there was a time shift. The opening chapter feeds into the rest of the novel but I didn’t appreciate the significance because the following chapters then introduced so many characters in quick session. As a result, I was quite lost in the story before it had even begun.

Despite seeming to be strangers, the key characters are all irrevocably linked by a kidnapping that took place many years ago. There is the victim, the perpetrator and those who also became entangled in this crime. The story shows how the characters eventually come together, realising true identities and intending to seek revenge. Yet, the slow pace of the plot, lengthy speeches and chapters meant I couldn’t get a grasp of any urgency or the mystery that was unravelling. I don’t think it was helped by some of the more unusual character names and that I stumbled to keep track of character identities.

This book was a struggle and I didn’t even notice the impending typhoon that was literally heading towards Hong Kong. I was still on the metaphorical level! For me, it was a chore to get through to the end and the only reason I persevered was because I wanted to see what happened to the main characters. As for the typhoon itself, it felt more downplayed because of the characters continued to dash about everywhere and the political protest that was also happening at the same time.

A disappointing read. The descriptions of Hong Kong held my interest but the story was too slow, dialogue too prolonged and the characters just not very dynamic to drive the plot forwards.

With thanks to Legend Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book about how close people are connected in Hong Kong.

The book opens with a killing. The leads to a domino effect that you won't figure out how much of an impact the killing was until the end. The characters are well crafted and the pacing is quick. Hong Kong itself is a well crafted character.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hong Kong at the present time. Intense, hot, powered by money and people. This is a novel of how six people are linked and yet very different in a small place, as the contrast between their lives divide and yet brings them together. The city is diverse, yet of necessity one entity, one powerhouse of money, influence and danger, a contradiction of history and geography. This powerful novel reveals the stories of six “troubled lives” have reached this point as the author skillfully unravels histories of dysfunctional families, past losses and grievances. Some have been brought up on the island, others have arrived more recently, but all circle uneasily in a trouble existence of attraction, the need for revenge and the hunt for power. In this highly charged novel trust, betrayal and loyalty are all examined as tension builds in the face of a coming storm. This is a novel where memories have a real impact on people’s motives and more, and the nature conflicts with an organized society, and I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this very special novel.
The book begins with an incident in the “recent past”, when an orphanage worker observes “Only bad things happen when it was this hot”, and a tragedy occurs. Three months later there is a party on a junk, a place for people to meet, warnings to be given and lives changed. Alice is a woman willing to share observations and experiences. Scarlett knows no one, but is willing to meet others. Johnny is the young man with secrets, attracted to Scarlett, but keen that Hong Kong is “ticking along nicely- the way it always had-(which) was vital to his business”. Not that anyone is very sure exactly what it is, apart from the fact that it must earn enough to pay for a huge apartment and bespoke scent. His business associate, Phil, is a thoroughly shady character, but Johnny’s real loyalties seem to lie with an even older friend from a troubled childhood. Not that he is keen to relate all of this to a therapist, Carolyn. He reveals that Scarlett has gone from a new acquaintance to the first woman he has brought back to his home to live, yet she has become unreasonable without reason, aggressive without apparent cause. Carolyn encounters Felicity, an unusual woman with a complicated backstory and a need for revenge. Alice, meanwhile, meets a man who seems to fated to challenge others by his mere existence, let alone for his beliefs. As Wang discovers his vulnerabilities in his actions for change, other people circle and strike for revenge and more.
This is an unsettling book in some ways, as several characters recount their stories of tragic family circumstances unconfined to Hong Kong, although that is where they find themselves in the face of an oncoming storm. The authorial voice manages to cover the many memories and motives of the main characters at a well plotted pace. The book has an intense atmosphere in several ways; the heat, the secrecy and the suggestion of violence. This is a difficult novel to catagorise, as it has the elements of a thriller and a mystery with very substantial and well worked out characters. It undoubtedly provides a vivid portrayal of a city, a small island, full of stories, potential and humanity in all of its variety, Hong Kong in the twenty first century.

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Colour of Thunder captured my attention from the very start with a murder at an orphanage in China. The story then moves on to Hong Kong and the reader is introduced to a multitude of colourful characters, all the while wondering how this would all link back to the first chapter, which it does beautifully when all is revealed later on.

The synopsis mentions six troubled lives and as each character was introduced, they brought their own little backstories with them. I made a note of nine characters as I was reading, as I wasn't sure who would turn out to be pivotal to the story, and I'm glad I jotted them down as I sometimes got confused as to who was who. Five of the main characters are vividly drawn, multi-dimensional women who are linked together by businessman Johnny Humphries and the intertwining of their lives makes for compelling reading.

There isn't just the mystery of the murder at the orphanage to unravel, there's also the mystery of the kidnapping and ransom of Madeline Chung. I loved this tantalizing thread weaving through the story and it really held my interest and it's particularly personal to one of the characters. Two mysteries in one kept me rapidly turning pages, especially as the stories ebbed and flowed like the tide and I couldn't wait for the direction to change so I could unravel more of each tale.

Very well plotted and wonderfully atmospheric, The Colour of Thunder is a very intriguing and compelling mystery set against a vividly painted backdrop of Hong Kong. Suzanne Harrison's writing is filled with so much suspense and intrigue that I couldn't tear my eyes from the page until I had read every single word. It's very addictive reading and I really enjoyed my virtual trip to Hong Kong from the comfort of my sofa.

Thank you to Legend Press for sending me an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

[Sahar · Rating 3 out of 5]

🇭🇰“𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘒𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘕𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘬, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤, 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.”

Flitting between past and present, rich and poor, Britain and Hong Kong, The Colour of Thunder sets the reader off on a mysterious journey involving a number of intriguing individuals, unspeakable crimes and fortified secrets. Hong Kong’s bustling, alluring glory serves as the backdrop for the events that transpire. The story revolves around one powerful, puzzled man, who will do whatever it takes to escape his past and carve out a new life in a new land. ✍🏼

Although I liked the premise of this book, I found the story confusing, not particularly engaging and lacking depth, probably due to the volume of characters and the rapidly alternating perspectives. There were many instances where I had to reread bits to remember who was who and what era and city we were in. I didn’t feel particularly drawn to any of the characters (or the story at large), but I did appreciate the characters unique, diverse struggles and efforts throughout the book.

The story overall felt a bit flat and I feel as though it took too long to pick up the pace. I found myself skimming passages because it dragged on and the narrative at times seemed to stagnate. That being said, I did enjoy the little details, particularly regarding the island itself and how it was so contrastingly perceived and interacted with by each character.

I also want to raise the use of slurs in this book which may be uncomfortable to some. I appreciate the author has lived in Hong Kong for quite some time, but I still found it unnerving to see various c-slurs being thrown around.

The cover is stunning.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this book – Hong Kong is a place I have heard of but know little about & I was looking forward to finding out more through the characters in the book.
However, I struggled with this book – there were some aspects that I enjoyed but I struggled to make sense of the characters and how they fitted together.
Essentially this is a book that explores 6 different characters, but the way it does that is through a series of vignettes & flashbacks. Whilst this is a style often used by authors, in this case it was somewhat confusing as more than one character could be explored in a single chapter, without a clear link as to why both stories were being explored.
There was an underlying mystery within the book but it got very lost in the slow pace and even when the mystery became more clear, it was not easy to figure out the role of each character within it.
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I liked the Hong Kong setting, but felt that it wasn’t really explored fully for the reader not familiar with the area.
I would have preferred a more cohesive storyline, or perhaps to lose a couple of characters to help the rest of the story to emerge more successfully. By the end of the book, I was more than ready to finish it, which is unusual for me.

I listened to the audiobook, and whilst the narrator was ok, the fact that there were six characters should really have added a second narrator - I did get lost at times which character was "speaking" as the voices were not as distinctive as they could have been for a book of this type.

[Tilly Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a brilliant page turner - from the very first shocking chapter the suspense is set and you can’t help but keep speeding through to work out what happened.

We are gradually introduced to an array of interesting characters and I loved the way the author slowly revealed a little bit of each of their backgrounds - and how varied their histories were. Countries range from the UK, to Australia, the US and Hong Kong itself making it quite a complex web of crime and deceit.

Whilst I’m not sure I ever warmed to any particular character, I did find them all very intriguing and couldn’t wait for the author to make the connections between them all in the final reveal - I definitely didn’t click who ‘the boss’ was so that was a great surprise revelation for me!

The only thing I was a little disappointed in was that despite the exotic Hong Kong location, I didn’t necessarily feel as though I “travelled” through the book - this was definitely more of a character focused mystery and Hong Kong the backdrop rather than focus. Getting a sense of a place from a novel is one of my favourite things so this was a shame, but luckily the excitement of the story made up for it!

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a great, fast paced mystery that will make them want to play detective - I was completely engrossed in it.

[Charline · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌩️ Synopsis 🌩️ One small island, six troubled lives and the storm of the century is on its way. In one of the world's most vibrant international cities, present day Hong Kong, the lives of six people become irreversibly intertwined. The past is catching up with those running from it, while the futures of others hangs dangerously in the balance.

A man shot dead in front of an orphanage. A kidnapping from the 1990's that hasn't been fully solved. Rich but possibly dodgy ex pat's. What does it all mean?

Things can be a bit confusing in the beginning. I wasn't even quite sure what was going on. But stick with it and you will be rewarded when everything becomes clearer. This book is like a jigsaw, just waiting on all the pieces coming together. And it's so satisfying when they eventually do.

I loved the childhood back stories of the characters with Alice and Jonny in particular interesting me the most. And I loved the descriptions of the city, immerse yourself in the culture and vibrancy of Hong Kong. "The party lights were always on in Hong Kong, but on Friday nights, the neon volume was blasted that bit more, it's intensity matched only by the human frisson emanating from every street corner. Cigarette smoke hovered cloud like under flashing colour...If you stood still and deeply inhaled, you'd smell garlic and onions fizzing in oil, the sting of cheap perfume, wafts of wet rice and exhaust fumes" A thrilling and mysterious novel. Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thing I liked about this book was the writing. It was easy to picture, it was engaging and it was complex. However in parts I felt like there was a lot stuff going on that I couldn't pin point.
The nature of the story surrounding six characters would naturally have the tendency to make me feel a bit lost (don't forget I'm dumb).

The other thing I liked was the character building. Although sometimes too much, Harrison really made an effort with how well you know the characters. Not just the connection with each other but their back stories and what led them to ending up in Hong Kong.

Overall I enjoyed #TheColourofThunder but I felt as though it lacked a little in the mystery and suspense it promised, and in some parts felt a little long-winded. I expected it to really pack a punch and be incredibly intense, and although quite seductive secretive in parts, it was very subtle.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #LegendPress for this copy in exchange for my review.
The Colour of Thunder comes out 01.02!

💘

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reading copy of this novel in exchange for a review, with thanks to Legend Press. The Colour of Thunder is the debut novel by writer and journalist Suzanne Harrison.
The story is set in Hong Kong and is inspired by the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong in 2014. The protests provide the political backdrop to this mystery thriller.
It is a story in which the main characters are working through issues from their past and it is this intrigue and the flowing style of the narrative that I found most absorbing. I felt gripped from the first page and as the mystery unravelled.
I would have liked there to have been more flavour of Hong Kong culture woven into the storyline although we are given a taste of the nature and climate in the description of the chaos caused by the typhoons.
Overall I really enjoyed reading this novel- it is perfect escapism that transfers the reader to another world, far away from cold wintry days of lockdown.

[Bri Childs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vibrant tale of the roots of revenge and the price of complicity.

I truly enjoyed this read. The storyline was unique - offering an atmosphere of bustling Hong Kong and the myriad of mixed nationalities who have flocked to it.

There’s an abundance of characters and twice the amount of secrets. I especially loved the group of five women who circle around three men with dirty pasts to hide. The author is wonderful with unraveling the truths bit by tiny bit AND making you waver on who is truly a “bad guy” since everyone has their hurt and their reasons.

The imagery of “the color of thunder” is brought into the book in a beautiful way, as a memory shared by one of the characters, a reference to darkness that many of us go through and literally in the form of a typhoon that builds up during the climax of the book.

I was able to guess most of the outcomes but it was well organized despite so many characters, clever, and very atmospherically written!

[Stacie · Rating 2 out of 5]

TW; Suicide, Kidnapping, Child Abuse.

I was really looking forward to diving into this book. A thriller set in Hong Kong, at the height of a natural disaster. It sounded fantastic! Unfortunately, I was really disappointed.

The Colour of Thunder was slow from the start. As I was enjoying the vivid descriptions of Hong Kong, I continued on with it. The characters are introduced gradually and I started to get snippets of back stories from each, which I liked. It made them more interesting, there was some depth to them.

Unfortunately, that was all I liked about this one. The characters were dull and boring - I didn’t connect to any of them. There were too many! New characters are introduced constantly throughout this book, I couldn’t keep up. At one point I actually considered getting out a piece of paper and writing them all down, so I could make sense of them. Some of them had no real purpose or involvement in the story, they were completely unnecessary. Very frustrating!

The group of women investigating one of the characters worked out his involvement towards the end of the story. But that was it, nothing else seemed to happen after that. It was very strange!

As there were so many characters I didn’t connect to any of them. Not one - I didn’t care what happened and actually skimmed the final four chapters, because I just wanted to finish it. I couldn’t tell you the ending!

I actually found myself wanting more emphasis on the natural disaster element; a typhoon. This ramped the tension up a little, but it only happened towards the end of the book which was a shame.

There are lots of other reviews of this on booksta. I’d recommend having a look at those to get a balanced opinion.

*I was given a copy of this via Netgalley in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Susan Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much intrigue here and the characters so mysterious and engaging, once I started I couldnt put it down. You can smell Hong Kong in Harrison’s vivid descriptions and imagine the bars and alleys, the expats and the locals. The way their lives are interwoven is ultimately believable and creates a world the reader is completely drawn into. Harrison has created a world of secrets and lies and players playing off each other in a delicious thriller that had me guessing until the very end. Can’t wait for this authors next one!

[David Fox-Meakin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't really get into this book. There were a lot of characters, none of which I could get invested in or find likable. The atmosphere and unravelling of the unlikely 'mystery' took place towards the end, by which time I didn't really care much about any of it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whodunnit based in Hong Kong along the lines of Noble House, but set during the recent protests.

[Bev Wratten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure about this book. Nearly gave up on it but persevered. Not my usual choice

[Roxanna Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5