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Frank Yakabuski #3
Mission Road
From the Edgar Award- and Arthur Ellis Award- nominated author of Ragged Lake comes the third installment in the Frank Yakabuski series
In the final scene of Cape Diamond, millions of dollars' worth of diamonds went missing, which is where Ron Corbett's latest novel begins. When rumors spread that they were buried on Mission Road, an old logging trail outside the town, people swarm to the area, setting up temporary camps and searching for fortune. But when a known murderer shows up, the real mystery begins.
Detective Frank Yakabuski must juggle a 21st-century diamond rush, killers on the run, and his ex-cop dad, in this third book in the series.
In the final scene of Cape Diamond, millions of dollars' worth of diamonds went missing, which is where Ron Corbett's latest novel begins. When rumors spread that they were buried on Mission Road, an old logging trail outside the town, people swarm to the area, setting up temporary camps and searching for fortune. But when a known murderer shows up, the real mystery begins.
Detective Frank Yakabuski must juggle a 21st-century diamond rush, killers on the run, and his ex-cop dad, in this third book in the series.
- GenresFiction
300 pages, Paperback
Published June 9, 2020
34 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 25, 2020
Mission Road by Ron Corbett is the third installment of the Detective Frank Yakabuski series. At the end of the previous novel Cape Diamond, 1.2 billion dollars in diamonds are stolen and the mystery takes off from there. Frank Yakabuski is the law on the Northern Divide which is a continental divide in central North America. He will need to solve the theft of all those diamonds which, rumor has it, have been hidden on Mission Road, an old logging road. All kinds of characters come to town as modern diamond prospectors, dreaming of riches. Also present are vicious criminals who join the fray. All of this provides the reader with an extensive list of characters, sometimes adding confusion. The body count is unrealistic and, if you are bothered by excessive violence, this may not be for you. There is plenty of activity and the reader will not be bored: this is an action-packed mystery. Thank you to ECW Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and ECW Press for an advance copy of Mission Road, the third novel set in Canada’s Northern Divide to feature Senior Detective Frank Yakabuski.
The theft of $1.2 billion’s worth of uncut diamonds attracts hoards of treasure hunters to the town of Springfield and more specifically the Mission Road logging road area where the diamonds are rumoured to be hidden. Unfortunately for Yak not all the hunters are well intentioned and soon he is hunting killers as well as the diamonds.
I thoroughly enjoyed Mission Road which tells the tale of the aftermath of the heist and various efforts to secure the loot. Firstly it should be noted that it is a big, if not enormous, ask of the reader to believe that two men could drive on to an airfield, steal so much from an unsecured plane and drive away unhindered and yet, somehow, it doesn’t really matter. Perhaps it is the matter of fact attitude and tone that does it - it happened so let’s move on to the repercussions and boy, are there repercussions, murder, mayhem, gangsters and stone cold killers, not to mention backstabbing, double dealing and betrayal. It’s a heady, exciting broth all told in the same matter of fact voice.
The plot follows several characters, some incidental but mostly those germane to the plot, as they follow the sparkling lure of the diamonds, and Yak as he tries to untangle not only how the heist went down but how the main players interlink and their exact angle in the ensuing mayhem. It takes some close reading as not all the roles and angles are immediately apparent. In fact, the clearest thing in the novel is Yak’s thinking and logic. I must admit that I was a little disappointed in the ending as it is a bit touchy-feely and aspirational after all the preceding violence and general mayhem. I didn’t see it myself.
Mission Road is a good read that I can recommend.
The theft of $1.2 billion’s worth of uncut diamonds attracts hoards of treasure hunters to the town of Springfield and more specifically the Mission Road logging road area where the diamonds are rumoured to be hidden. Unfortunately for Yak not all the hunters are well intentioned and soon he is hunting killers as well as the diamonds.
I thoroughly enjoyed Mission Road which tells the tale of the aftermath of the heist and various efforts to secure the loot. Firstly it should be noted that it is a big, if not enormous, ask of the reader to believe that two men could drive on to an airfield, steal so much from an unsecured plane and drive away unhindered and yet, somehow, it doesn’t really matter. Perhaps it is the matter of fact attitude and tone that does it - it happened so let’s move on to the repercussions and boy, are there repercussions, murder, mayhem, gangsters and stone cold killers, not to mention backstabbing, double dealing and betrayal. It’s a heady, exciting broth all told in the same matter of fact voice.
The plot follows several characters, some incidental but mostly those germane to the plot, as they follow the sparkling lure of the diamonds, and Yak as he tries to untangle not only how the heist went down but how the main players interlink and their exact angle in the ensuing mayhem. It takes some close reading as not all the roles and angles are immediately apparent. In fact, the clearest thing in the novel is Yak’s thinking and logic. I must admit that I was a little disappointed in the ending as it is a bit touchy-feely and aspirational after all the preceding violence and general mayhem. I didn’t see it myself.
Mission Road is a good read that I can recommend.
February 22, 2025
Der dritte Teil der Reihe um den kanadischen Cop Frank Yakabuski beginnt nahezu unmittelbar an das Ende des Vorgängerbands. Auf dem Flughafen von Springfield, einer fiktiven Großstadt im Norden Kanadas, wurde ein Frachtflugzeug mit ungeschliffenen Diamanten im Wert von mehr als einer Milliarde Dollar ausgeraubt. Offenbar sind zwei lokale Verbrecherbanden involviert, die Polizei hat Grund zur Annahme, dass sich die Diamanten noch vor Ort befinden. Das macht auch die Runde in der Öffentlichkeit und ruft harmlose wie kriminelle Schatz Jäger auf den Plan. Die ersten Morde geschehen. Die Polizei in Springfield gerät in die Defensive, vor allem, als zwei gefürchtete Gangster und Killer sich am Geschehen beteiligen.
"Mission Road" kann die gelungene Reihe adäquat fortführen. Die Ereignisse spitzen sich zwar immer mehr zu und auch Frank Yakabuski wirkt hier etwas getriebener, er kann den hohen Blutzoll kaum verhindern, dennoch bleibt der hartgesottene Cop weiterhin der Fels in der Brandung. Autor Ron Corbett überzeugt mit einer harten Geschichte von Gewalt und Habgier, bei der vor allem positiv auffällt, dass er den zahlreichen Figuren Aufmerksamkeit schenkt und Konturen verschafft. Zudem hält Corbett das Tempo und die Spannung bis zum unvermeidlichen Showdown aufrecht. Eine klare Leseempfehlung, aber unbedingt auch den Vorgänger lesen.
"Mission Road" kann die gelungene Reihe adäquat fortführen. Die Ereignisse spitzen sich zwar immer mehr zu und auch Frank Yakabuski wirkt hier etwas getriebener, er kann den hohen Blutzoll kaum verhindern, dennoch bleibt der hartgesottene Cop weiterhin der Fels in der Brandung. Autor Ron Corbett überzeugt mit einer harten Geschichte von Gewalt und Habgier, bei der vor allem positiv auffällt, dass er den zahlreichen Figuren Aufmerksamkeit schenkt und Konturen verschafft. Zudem hält Corbett das Tempo und die Spannung bis zum unvermeidlichen Showdown aufrecht. Eine klare Leseempfehlung, aber unbedingt auch den Vorgänger lesen.
April 24, 2020
I kindly received an ARC of this novel by Ron Corbett to read and review! Even though this is the third installment in the Frank Yakabuski series, this is the first I have read. I didn't think I would, and I didn't want to like it, but … I did! Being an Ottawan, I enjoyed the references to our fair city, even though this story is situated in a fictional town. I enjoyed the setting and the descriptions of the stark seasons and environment. The main character was a bit of a mystery to me; I never got a good grasp of who he was although perhaps if I had read the first two of the series I would have a better understanding . I couldn't really get a liking (or disliking) for him because I never really figured out what he was all about. He didn't seem to have much of a personality - I always enjoy a character with a bit of emotion or sense of humour but I got none of that here. It was a good mystery, with a bit of suspense, lots of bad guys doing what bad guys do. If I had it over, I would read the other 2 of the series, to get a better sense of who the characters were and what happened at Ragged Lake. If you like a story with some violence, greed, gangs, prison life, and a good old diamond heist, this may be for you!
April 3, 2020
There’s a fortune in stolen, uncut diamonds hidden somewhere along the way down Mission Road. (Sounds sorta like an old country song, eh b’ys?)
That’s what a whole slew of fortune hunters and criminals believe anyway.
There comes a time though when Detective Frank Yakabuski of the Regional Police Service isn’t sure that’s where the diamonds are cubby holed. The diamonds might be … well, somewhere else, anywhere else.
Mission Road runs into the bush beyond the city of Springfield, a community located on Canada’s Northern Divide. There, biker gangs and almost folklore-ish crime families have been tangling with each other for over half a century. Stir in representatives from the Boston mob and you have all the ingredients for a bubbling cauldron of violence.
Events come to a boil after a young hiker disappears down Mission Road one day in February, in bleak midwinter.
Listen, there’s a couple of particularly nasty villains in this yarn, Yakabuski’s third adventure — there’s the legendary Bobby Bangs whose uncle was one of the region’s well-known Bay Guys, and Cambino Cortez, a stone-cold killer up from the States.
Here’s the thing …
While Yakabuski tries to nail down some solid evidence about exactly where the diamonds are and who stashed them … wherever, the criminal elements spat among themselves.
Much hinges on Sean Morrissey’s release from prison. Morrissey is top dog of the Shiners, folksy nasties from way back. The Popeyes — biker badies — wait for Morrissey’s return to the streets, so to speak, figuring he will lead them to the diamonds he hid years ago, immediately after the heist from a diamond mining company’s plane.
You know how in old western stories opposing groups — the local ranchers and some invasive railroad company, say — both have hired guns who eventually meet in a street at high noon for the showdown finale? Well, in this story, it appears as if Bobby Bangs will meet in a Clint Eastwood, squint eyes, shootout … or knife fight … or something, with Cambino Cortez.
Quite likely, Yakabuski will be in the midst of the fracas, in the crossfire, kinda.
B’ys, this is a Cops and Bad Guys novel, standard fare in a way, but hours of fun to read, nonetheless.
So, get cracking.
That’s what a whole slew of fortune hunters and criminals believe anyway.
There comes a time though when Detective Frank Yakabuski of the Regional Police Service isn’t sure that’s where the diamonds are cubby holed. The diamonds might be … well, somewhere else, anywhere else.
Mission Road runs into the bush beyond the city of Springfield, a community located on Canada’s Northern Divide. There, biker gangs and almost folklore-ish crime families have been tangling with each other for over half a century. Stir in representatives from the Boston mob and you have all the ingredients for a bubbling cauldron of violence.
Events come to a boil after a young hiker disappears down Mission Road one day in February, in bleak midwinter.
Listen, there’s a couple of particularly nasty villains in this yarn, Yakabuski’s third adventure — there’s the legendary Bobby Bangs whose uncle was one of the region’s well-known Bay Guys, and Cambino Cortez, a stone-cold killer up from the States.
Here’s the thing …
While Yakabuski tries to nail down some solid evidence about exactly where the diamonds are and who stashed them … wherever, the criminal elements spat among themselves.
Much hinges on Sean Morrissey’s release from prison. Morrissey is top dog of the Shiners, folksy nasties from way back. The Popeyes — biker badies — wait for Morrissey’s return to the streets, so to speak, figuring he will lead them to the diamonds he hid years ago, immediately after the heist from a diamond mining company’s plane.
You know how in old western stories opposing groups — the local ranchers and some invasive railroad company, say — both have hired guns who eventually meet in a street at high noon for the showdown finale? Well, in this story, it appears as if Bobby Bangs will meet in a Clint Eastwood, squint eyes, shootout … or knife fight … or something, with Cambino Cortez.
Quite likely, Yakabuski will be in the midst of the fracas, in the crossfire, kinda.
B’ys, this is a Cops and Bad Guys novel, standard fare in a way, but hours of fun to read, nonetheless.
So, get cracking.
February 15, 2025
„Mission Road“ schließt unmittelbar an den zweiten Band der Frank-Yakabuski-Serie „Cape Diamond“ an, der im fiktiven kanadischen Springfield spielt. Darin ermittelte der Senior Detective der RCMP zum Tod des ermordeten Bandenchefs Augustus Morrissey auf Basis der Vorgeschichte zweier verfeindeter Banden. Yakabuski, der zuvor Undercover für die Sûreté du Québec arbeitete und mehrere Kriegseinsätze in Bosnien hinter sich hat, hielt sich bisher für hart im Nehmen. Die Ereignisse im dritten Band verschlagen jedoch selbst ihm die Sprache; denn im Windschatten eines spektakulären Rohdiamanten-Raubs im Umfeld der De Kirk Mines fallen die Todesopfer wie die Domino-Steine.
Frank und seine Kollegin Donna Griffin ermitteln im Fall eines an der Mission Road vermissten Mathemathik-Studenten. Für die Ermittler verblüffend verfügte Jason McAllister über eine Karte des Bereichs, in dem die Diamanten-Räuber unmittelbar nach der Tat innerhalb von 14 Minuten ihre Beute versteckt oder weitergegeben haben können. Seine Karte ähnelt zwar der aufgrund von Überwachungsvideos erstellten „Schatzkarte“, mit der die RCMP arbeitet, McAllister hat sie allerdings selbst berechnet und in den Sozialen Medien geteilt. Während nun unterschiedlichste Schatzsucher auf der Spur der Diamanten nach Springfield pilgern und ihr Zelt an der Mission Road aufschlagen, muss sich Yakabuski weiter mit dem Bandenkrieg im Ort befassen, der damaligen Entführung von Grace Dumont (aus der Métis-Clique) und Franks zunehmender Angst um seine Schwester Trish, die ausgerechnet mit dem Anwalt der Shiner-Bande Tyler Lawson verheiratet ist. Da von dem Überfall nur 5 Personen gewusst haben sollen, lauert Yakabuski nun auf die Entlassung von Sean Morissey aus der Haft …
Fazit
Ron Corbett erzählt von Yakabuskis spektakulärem Fall, indem er von Orten und Personen jeweils einen Bogen zur Vorgeschichte schlägt. Dieses Ausholen zurück zur Vorgeschichte erinnert mich an das Erzählen legendärer Abenteuer am Lagerfeuer, wenn man alle Zeit der Welt hat, bis das Feuer heruntergebrannt ist. Wir hören vom Aufwachsen in Armut oberhalb der nördlichen Wasserscheide und erfahren u. a. von Franks Sozialisation durch einen Trapper der Ojibwe und seine Prägung als Ex-Soldat. Ron Corbetts Frank-Yakabuski-Serie besticht durch die Persönlichkeit seines erfahrenen Ermittlers, der sich vermutlich einen ruhigeren Job vorgestellt hat, als er sich für die Stelle im abgelegenen Springfield bewarb.
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Serieninfo: Band 3 von 4, Band 2 sollte bekannt sein
Frank und seine Kollegin Donna Griffin ermitteln im Fall eines an der Mission Road vermissten Mathemathik-Studenten. Für die Ermittler verblüffend verfügte Jason McAllister über eine Karte des Bereichs, in dem die Diamanten-Räuber unmittelbar nach der Tat innerhalb von 14 Minuten ihre Beute versteckt oder weitergegeben haben können. Seine Karte ähnelt zwar der aufgrund von Überwachungsvideos erstellten „Schatzkarte“, mit der die RCMP arbeitet, McAllister hat sie allerdings selbst berechnet und in den Sozialen Medien geteilt. Während nun unterschiedlichste Schatzsucher auf der Spur der Diamanten nach Springfield pilgern und ihr Zelt an der Mission Road aufschlagen, muss sich Yakabuski weiter mit dem Bandenkrieg im Ort befassen, der damaligen Entführung von Grace Dumont (aus der Métis-Clique) und Franks zunehmender Angst um seine Schwester Trish, die ausgerechnet mit dem Anwalt der Shiner-Bande Tyler Lawson verheiratet ist. Da von dem Überfall nur 5 Personen gewusst haben sollen, lauert Yakabuski nun auf die Entlassung von Sean Morissey aus der Haft …
Fazit
Ron Corbett erzählt von Yakabuskis spektakulärem Fall, indem er von Orten und Personen jeweils einen Bogen zur Vorgeschichte schlägt. Dieses Ausholen zurück zur Vorgeschichte erinnert mich an das Erzählen legendärer Abenteuer am Lagerfeuer, wenn man alle Zeit der Welt hat, bis das Feuer heruntergebrannt ist. Wir hören vom Aufwachsen in Armut oberhalb der nördlichen Wasserscheide und erfahren u. a. von Franks Sozialisation durch einen Trapper der Ojibwe und seine Prägung als Ex-Soldat. Ron Corbetts Frank-Yakabuski-Serie besticht durch die Persönlichkeit seines erfahrenen Ermittlers, der sich vermutlich einen ruhigeren Job vorgestellt hat, als er sich für die Stelle im abgelegenen Springfield bewarb.
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Serieninfo: Band 3 von 4, Band 2 sollte bekannt sein
November 22, 2025
3.75 stars. an exciting, fun read through most of the book. Had some pacing and congruency issues towards the end.
June 8, 2020
Mission Road by Ron Corbett is the third book in the Detective Frank Yakabuski series. The story starts off with the disapperance of a college student who came looking for the mission 1.2 billion dollars worth of uncut, untraceable diamonds. This is where the mystery begins. Two weeks after the disapperance of the first diamond hunter, a map is published online detailing the approximate location of the diamonds, Mission Road. This map brings hoards of people to Mission Road in search of the diamonds, but it also brings a murderer. This is where the fun begins for Yak.
Even though I haven't read the two previous books in the series, I was pulled into the story quickly and had me thouroghly intrigued from the start. It took the view of several characters, some of which were major players in the story and others who were incidental but necessary to build the scene and plot. There was a heavy emphasis on the rival gangs found in the area and these two mysterious men, one of which was hired to take care of a previous issue and the other one who was thought to be a local legend. There is a power play between the two which results in a lot of people dead, some of whom were simply wrong place, wrong time, which just added to the mystery of who the men were. This book was quite violent but not gory. How they found out where the diamonds travelled was really interesting and took a lot of imagination on the author's part. It made it more interesting that they didn't find them right from the beginning but actually had to work for it. The ending was satifying and I'm hoping there will be another story in the series. I also loved how it was set in a small town on the Northern Divide.
Some people may have issues with how the diamonds were stolen, but many don't realize that small town airports wouldn't necessarily have much security because they aren't in heavily populated areas and some companies try to do things on the down low.
I recommend this novel to those who enjoyed Ron Crobett's other novels and those who like mysteries involving heists and how it happened.
Warning, there is a lot of deaths in the novel, but as i mentioned above, they are not very gory, more person gets shot in the head and is no longer recognizable or just shot.
Thank you ECW PRESS from the ARC .
June 23, 2020
Millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds went missing, which is where Ron Corbett’s latest novel begins. When rumors spread that they were buried on Mission Road, an old logging trail outside the town, people swarm to the area, setting up temporary camps and searching for fortune. But when a known murderer shows up, the real mystery begins.
Ron Corbett is from my home town of Ottawa and was my favorite writer at the Ottawa Citizen. I had no idea that he also wrote novels until I picked up “Ragged Lake” a few years go. This was the first in the Detective Frank Yakabuski series and it was nominated for An Edgar and several other literary awards and was a flat-out fantastic novel as was the second “Cape Diamond”.
“Mission Road” keeps the tradition going and it may be the best in the series so far. He is a great writer and this is an excellent novel. Detective Yakabuski may be one of the most compelling characters in this genre today. If you are a fan of John Sandford, Michael Connelly or David Baldacci than you will love this guy. He is certainly a hidden gem, no pun intended,
Like the other books in this series, the supporting cast of characters are well developed and all play an integral part in the storyline. If you are a first-time reader, the book stands on its own but I’m betting you will go back to read the other two. The series is just that good!!
Another thing that I loved in this book is the way that Frank Yakabuski goes back to cases and other stories and experiences outside his novels that lead credence to his personality and beliefs as a. cop and person. I recommend this book and ones that came before it. The series is just that good!! Hope there will be more.
Ron Corbett is from my home town of Ottawa and was my favorite writer at the Ottawa Citizen. I had no idea that he also wrote novels until I picked up “Ragged Lake” a few years go. This was the first in the Detective Frank Yakabuski series and it was nominated for An Edgar and several other literary awards and was a flat-out fantastic novel as was the second “Cape Diamond”.
“Mission Road” keeps the tradition going and it may be the best in the series so far. He is a great writer and this is an excellent novel. Detective Yakabuski may be one of the most compelling characters in this genre today. If you are a fan of John Sandford, Michael Connelly or David Baldacci than you will love this guy. He is certainly a hidden gem, no pun intended,
Like the other books in this series, the supporting cast of characters are well developed and all play an integral part in the storyline. If you are a first-time reader, the book stands on its own but I’m betting you will go back to read the other two. The series is just that good!!
Another thing that I loved in this book is the way that Frank Yakabuski goes back to cases and other stories and experiences outside his novels that lead credence to his personality and beliefs as a. cop and person. I recommend this book and ones that came before it. The series is just that good!! Hope there will be more.
June 1, 2020
Detective Frank Yakabuski has a real mess on his hands- there are a LOT of diamonds out there on (or buried under) the Mission Road and a LOT of bad guys who want them. There's not point in trying to summarize this except to say that it's an action packed tale that's not really a mystery. There are gangs, there are bikers, there are villains of all sorts. There's a lot of violence. Everyone wants those diamonds and many of them will do pretty much anything to get them. Some of this is unrealistic but it's also a very readable page turner. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
May 29, 2020
It was a gripping and entertaining read, well written and with a cast of interesting characters.
Even it's not the first in a series I had no issue with the plot or the characters.
I look forward to reading the next, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Even it's not the first in a series I had no issue with the plot or the characters.
I look forward to reading the next, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 30, 2023
This third and last book in the Frank Yakabuski series was my favorite. I am sad to see this character go.
The book picked up right where the second book left off . I have to say the ending was quite amazing. The characters in this book are either really good or really bad and maybe one in between. I have blown through this series and it was a good read.
The book picked up right where the second book left off . I have to say the ending was quite amazing. The characters in this book are either really good or really bad and maybe one in between. I have blown through this series and it was a good read.
July 25, 2021
I really enjoyed this novel in spite of all the violence and gruesome murders. Corbett has a fantastic writing style and his protagonist, Yakabuski is the type of police officer we all want in our communities. The story is interesting and of course good triumphs over evil even in northern Ontario
July 9, 2020
A good mystery
I enjoyed reading about a book that takes place in Canada,particularly in Ontario. It is also a good mystery story. Will read more of Corbet' s books.
I enjoyed reading about a book that takes place in Canada,particularly in Ontario. It is also a good mystery story. Will read more of Corbet' s books.
December 15, 2020
This is the 3rd book I've read in this Canadian series. Great characters. Looking forward to more from this author
January 5, 2021
Clever ending
March 7, 2021
This was a great read . Enjoyed the characters and the flow of
the story .
Hope there is more to come from Ron Corbett .
the story .
Hope there is more to come from Ron Corbett .
December 23, 2023
Wow, fast paced and a storyline that hooks you in right away, never expected that ending. Definitely one of his best books to date
August 3, 2020
这套三本是连着的，情节和人物也有联系，其实比较符合小地方背景，坏蛋就是那些人，镇上出点事情就是那俩帮派的事儿，在一定程度上有点美化，但结局上来讲意外的算是圆上了，感觉还可以。
December 28, 2025
Not having read the previous book, I had no expectation or backstory about this one and honestly, it didn't matter.
The plot is simple: there's a rumor that a cache of diamonds is buried somewhere on Mission Road. Of course, there are a lot of people interested in finding that cache, not all of them criminals. Some of them are, and they're violent and murderous and incredibly talented at their "job." And poor Yak, trying to manage the hunt for the diamonds and finding/stopping the killers... I'm going back to the first two books!'
The plot is simple: there's a rumor that a cache of diamonds is buried somewhere on Mission Road. Of course, there are a lot of people interested in finding that cache, not all of them criminals. Some of them are, and they're violent and murderous and incredibly talented at their "job." And poor Yak, trying to manage the hunt for the diamonds and finding/stopping the killers... I'm going back to the first two books!'
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews