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Daisy Chain
Alexandra ‘Alex’ Holman-Hunt and Dr Oliver Kane live in worlds, poles apart.Alex lives and breathes the new—fashion. She hopes to influence a modern generation of women. Help them shape the way they dress—a new look to take them away from the austerity of the Fifties and the excesses of the Sixties. A new look to better place them in a man’s world.Oliver Kane is very much buried in the past—the study of human history. He lives for what lies under the ground, sharing his passion with best friends; Linnet ‘Lunar’ Moon, a ‘hippy digger’, and a small black and white dog called Hector. He lives and works in academia, teaching his discipline, but also works with new enlightened Law and Order— new techniques to uncover bones and bodies—a new science; forensic archaeology.Their story, set in Britain, France and West Germany, is played out to the rich sounds and sights of the Seventies; in a world shaped by a terrible world war, and a new world order dictated by new freedoms and new constraints, as communism and democracy fight a new cold war. The world holds its breath.London holds it breath too—a killer stalks, and Oliver is drawn into the intrigue surrounding a serial murderer. Alex is stalked too, by a shadow intent on harm. She fears for her life—who will help her? Lives collide. Secrets are uncovered—death and discovery—murder and mutilation. A string of events unfold—a daisy chain.Daisy Chain is a powerful, complex erotic thriller from the masterly pen of Mark Montgomery, author of the popular Borderer Chronicles. A tale full of rich characters, gripping story telling, profound thought and an affectionate nod to a different time—when innocence still existed in a pre-internet world.
328 pages, Paperback
Published March 6, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 2, 2017
A brilliant mix of the erotic, the macabre, humour and fantasy. A skilful observation of people's natures, and a fantastic whodunit.
I needed to read another of Montgomery's books and I wasn't disappointed. It was an affectionate nod to Seventies culture. It moved at a pace without endangering character development, laid a trail of false breadcrumbs and pointers to allow you to 'solve' the crime. It was believable, engaging, interesting.
I wanted more... and therefore will have to wait for the next book which will answer some unanswered questions from the first... irritating... but necessary as I suspect the second book will run along a different direction to the first... such is the complexity of Montgomery's writing.
I needed to read another of Montgomery's books and I wasn't disappointed. It was an affectionate nod to Seventies culture. It moved at a pace without endangering character development, laid a trail of false breadcrumbs and pointers to allow you to 'solve' the crime. It was believable, engaging, interesting.
I wanted more... and therefore will have to wait for the next book which will answer some unanswered questions from the first... irritating... but necessary as I suspect the second book will run along a different direction to the first... such is the complexity of Montgomery's writing.
February 11, 2017
While waiting for Mark Montgomery's next episode of the Borderer Chronicles, I thought I would read his new work; his offering to the crime fiction genre. Having read his wonderful treatment of intrigue in the Borderer Chronicles, his complex storylines and deep thoughtfully crafted characters, I expected a good read, even though the genre and the period in which 'Daisy Chain' was set was not my first choice of escapism.
Mark Montgomery delivered engagement and entertainment. I found myself completely entwined in the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people. Rich story telling, shifts in emotions, senses, smiles, hurt, humour, groans and gasps.
There was more than a nod given to the 1970s, and in his historical fiction style, Montgomery weaves the period almost seamlessly into the story telling. He reminds you where you are and importantly when you are... informs and educates you, amuses and titillates, throws a hundred clues your way, yet you still gasp at the finale.
As you read, you get the feeling you are not only watching a movie, complete with soundtrack, but you are in it, sharing in the characters' play, love and life...
As in the Borderer Chronicles, the 'lead character' is the weakest in terms of 'character'—flawed, frightened, unsure, selfish, but as in the Borderer Chronicles it allows the other characters to stand tall and play equally in acts and episodes of a story.
I gave five stars to Mark Montgomery... not for 'Daisy Chain' perhaps, but because unlike most writers who excel within a genre, he not only excels, but he can shift his story telling to present a tale that reads very different to the majority of offerings within that genre... He does not rely on gratuitous brutality, sex, or characters with super powers, contrived plots, coincidences, skin-of-the-teeth escapes, or caricatures—if caricature is presented, it is simply to make you grin... You actually care about his characters, you cry when they cry and smile when they smile. He writes with great empathy, care and consideration...
I do hope, however, his next book is a Borderer Chronicle... I love that series.
Mark Montgomery delivered engagement and entertainment. I found myself completely entwined in the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people. Rich story telling, shifts in emotions, senses, smiles, hurt, humour, groans and gasps.
There was more than a nod given to the 1970s, and in his historical fiction style, Montgomery weaves the period almost seamlessly into the story telling. He reminds you where you are and importantly when you are... informs and educates you, amuses and titillates, throws a hundred clues your way, yet you still gasp at the finale.
As you read, you get the feeling you are not only watching a movie, complete with soundtrack, but you are in it, sharing in the characters' play, love and life...
As in the Borderer Chronicles, the 'lead character' is the weakest in terms of 'character'—flawed, frightened, unsure, selfish, but as in the Borderer Chronicles it allows the other characters to stand tall and play equally in acts and episodes of a story.
I gave five stars to Mark Montgomery... not for 'Daisy Chain' perhaps, but because unlike most writers who excel within a genre, he not only excels, but he can shift his story telling to present a tale that reads very different to the majority of offerings within that genre... He does not rely on gratuitous brutality, sex, or characters with super powers, contrived plots, coincidences, skin-of-the-teeth escapes, or caricatures—if caricature is presented, it is simply to make you grin... You actually care about his characters, you cry when they cry and smile when they smile. He writes with great empathy, care and consideration...
I do hope, however, his next book is a Borderer Chronicle... I love that series.
February 11, 2017
As a die hard fan of Mark Montgomery's Borderer Chronicles, I could not wait to read his latest novel, Daisy Chain. A completely different genre and in a decade far removed from the Sixteenth Century yet the author has yet again proven what a wonderfully talented literary wordsmith and story teller he actually is.
Daisy Chain is set in the Seventies, predominantly the UK but also visits locations on the continent. The feel of the period is ever constant but not to the detriment of a superb and engaging story line. A crime thriller, with just the appropriate amount of erotic content ... We enter in to the lives of five sublime characters - Alex, Oliver, Linnett, Frode and Adrianna. All very different from one another, all imperfect, all utterly believable. There is a serial killer at large ... Handsome playboys being murdered.
I had to read this tale in one sitting ... The words so incredibly enthralling that my mind was enraptured with the story, the characters, the period, the thrill and the unknown. Mark Montgomery has cleverly woven music of the period in to the chapters which created a soundtrack to accompany my absolute enjoyment of the piece.
To my mind, few authors have the capability to switch genres, and even fewer to execute the switch successfully. Mark Montgomery has mastered such a switch with tremendous ease. There is no doubt in my mind that Daisy Chain is the next best seller. Truly, a magnificent book!
Daisy Chain is set in the Seventies, predominantly the UK but also visits locations on the continent. The feel of the period is ever constant but not to the detriment of a superb and engaging story line. A crime thriller, with just the appropriate amount of erotic content ... We enter in to the lives of five sublime characters - Alex, Oliver, Linnett, Frode and Adrianna. All very different from one another, all imperfect, all utterly believable. There is a serial killer at large ... Handsome playboys being murdered.
I had to read this tale in one sitting ... The words so incredibly enthralling that my mind was enraptured with the story, the characters, the period, the thrill and the unknown. Mark Montgomery has cleverly woven music of the period in to the chapters which created a soundtrack to accompany my absolute enjoyment of the piece.
To my mind, few authors have the capability to switch genres, and even fewer to execute the switch successfully. Mark Montgomery has mastered such a switch with tremendous ease. There is no doubt in my mind that Daisy Chain is the next best seller. Truly, a magnificent book!
March 7, 2017
I'm not sure how I ended up reading this one, it isn't my usual genre, but once I started, I could NOT put it down. The author's 'voice' is very pleasant and smooth, despite the punctuation differences, and the British terms that made me have to stop and look them up every now and then, I really liked how quickly and easily--spellbinding, this story flowed.
Let me say, you have to pay attention! The plot unfolds with meticulous perfection, but there are little details you may overlook if you're not careful--of course, it may just be me--I'm not used the mystery-suspense genre, and I tend to gloss over details in a rush to get to the end so I can see what happens. I had to go back and re-read a few places because I didn't want to miss a single thing. The POV changes with each line break, but it isn't always obvious right up front who you're seeing, which intrigued me. I found myself excitedly anticipating finding out who's point of view we had the pleasure of seeing with each change--I laughed aloud (drawing strange looks from my family) when one change took me completely by surprise--very clever, indeed.
I recommend this book to anyone. Like I said, this is not my usual genre, and yet, I found myself glued to the suspense, needing to see what happened next with each turn of the page. Well done.
Let me say, you have to pay attention! The plot unfolds with meticulous perfection, but there are little details you may overlook if you're not careful--of course, it may just be me--I'm not used the mystery-suspense genre, and I tend to gloss over details in a rush to get to the end so I can see what happens. I had to go back and re-read a few places because I didn't want to miss a single thing. The POV changes with each line break, but it isn't always obvious right up front who you're seeing, which intrigued me. I found myself excitedly anticipating finding out who's point of view we had the pleasure of seeing with each change--I laughed aloud (drawing strange looks from my family) when one change took me completely by surprise--very clever, indeed.
I recommend this book to anyone. Like I said, this is not my usual genre, and yet, I found myself glued to the suspense, needing to see what happened next with each turn of the page. Well done.
February 27, 2017
Got to like a book that turns a genre around... I left it feeling a sense of loss... My time to it was freely given, the loss was in terms of the characters who I wanted to live on in another three hundred pages... alas there is no sequel (I think)... although another book with one of the characters is touted at the end of the Daisy Chain.
Five stars for not serving up cliche or cardboard (characters)... for an intelligent erotic thriller, very well written and thoughtful... no linear storyline, no 'oh-ah' or gore dished up for convenience, like a Macdonald's happy meal (crappy toy included) designed to keep the reader's libido and blood-thirst engaged so they forget the lack of quality.
Two stars turned to three (it was not my choice of genre, but I like Montgomery's work) with the introduction of the characters. Three stars turned to four with the page-turning writing. Four stars turned to five with the ending.
Well worth the read... and I thank Luke for the recommendation.
Five stars for not serving up cliche or cardboard (characters)... for an intelligent erotic thriller, very well written and thoughtful... no linear storyline, no 'oh-ah' or gore dished up for convenience, like a Macdonald's happy meal (crappy toy included) designed to keep the reader's libido and blood-thirst engaged so they forget the lack of quality.
Two stars turned to three (it was not my choice of genre, but I like Montgomery's work) with the introduction of the characters. Three stars turned to four with the page-turning writing. Four stars turned to five with the ending.
Well worth the read... and I thank Luke for the recommendation.
February 11, 2017
Allow me, the author, to give myself five stars; not so much for the story, Daisy Chain, but for the journey to bring it to life from just one line... ‘You are sex on a stick, my dear… but far lovelier on a rope.’ A line offered up in jest, that led to an idea, that led down a long road to a story written.
You may like it or not... but you will not loathe it. You will identify with some of the characters, you will find something within to engage you... No, you definitely will not loathe it, but you may find it too much of a departure from what you have come to expect from your favourite genre, authors and reads... but isn't that what good literature is about? New ideas, experiences, challenges and a different point of view?
You may like it or not... but you will not loathe it. You will identify with some of the characters, you will find something within to engage you... No, you definitely will not loathe it, but you may find it too much of a departure from what you have come to expect from your favourite genre, authors and reads... but isn't that what good literature is about? New ideas, experiences, challenges and a different point of view?
August 23, 2017
Excellent
The story travels along at a fair old pace, introducing interesting characters and becomes more intriguing the further it goes.
Woven amongst the nostalgia of 70s England without relying on cliches provides a colourful backdrop for the sinister storyline and look at the darker side of human nature.
Sharp twist at the end comes like an unexpected garotte. Good stuff.
The story travels along at a fair old pace, introducing interesting characters and becomes more intriguing the further it goes.
Woven amongst the nostalgia of 70s England without relying on cliches provides a colourful backdrop for the sinister storyline and look at the darker side of human nature.
Sharp twist at the end comes like an unexpected garotte. Good stuff.
September 9, 2024
absolute toilet
Badly written book that was quite drawn out and boring. The author adds a few random sex scenes to try to spice it up but even they are average.
Badly written book that was quite drawn out and boring. The author adds a few random sex scenes to try to spice it up but even they are average.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews