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Spiral
Laurence Turner, a pharmacist from Sydney, is wracked with guilt after his fiancé dies on a sailing trip. The tragedy is followed by yet another fatal incident when he dispenses the wrong medication to a customer.
Laurence moves to the Clare Valley in South Australia for a fresh start, but when he stumbles across the dead body of a visiting American reporter, things take a turn for the worst.
The case explodes into far more than Laurence could ever expect with the arrival of a beautiful American woman, Skyler Hawthorne. Her troubles put Laurence in the path of both domestic and foreign agents, including a dangerous Russian spy who believes Laurence is hiding a secret.
Laurence moves to the Clare Valley in South Australia for a fresh start, but when he stumbles across the dead body of a visiting American reporter, things take a turn for the worst.
The case explodes into far more than Laurence could ever expect with the arrival of a beautiful American woman, Skyler Hawthorne. Her troubles put Laurence in the path of both domestic and foreign agents, including a dangerous Russian spy who believes Laurence is hiding a secret.
- GenresThriller
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2020
About the author
Khaled Talib
20 books303 followersI was born in Singapore and write thrillers shaped by observation, travel, and a lifelong habit of noticing what others overlook.
I’m the author of six thriller novels, inspired by my time spent in Australia, Cairo, Geneva, Italy, and cities like Singapore and New York, where crime, belief, power, and identity collide.
My stories draw tension from psychology and cultural fracture rather than spectacle, exploring the uneasy spaces where morality bends. I believe a thriller should unsettle as much as it entertains—and linger long after the final page.
I’m the author of six thriller novels, inspired by my time spent in Australia, Cairo, Geneva, Italy, and cities like Singapore and New York, where crime, belief, power, and identity collide.
My stories draw tension from psychology and cultural fracture rather than spectacle, exploring the uneasy spaces where morality bends. I believe a thriller should unsettle as much as it entertains—and linger long after the final page.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 27, 2021
Khaled Talib has crafted another magnificent thriller to keep you on the edge of your seats.
In Spiral, Laurence Turner is apart of many tragic, surprise events that just keep coming his way. He's been around enough dead people to make it suspicious. Honestly, it's amazing this guy hasn't been labelled suspicious before! His fiancee died on a tragic trip that he doesn't remember much of. He picks grapes but also is near a lab that is cloning, which tragedy will soon fall on them too. This guy is just a tragedy magnet, the poor fellow.
As bad luck follows Laurence, he gets swept up into a giant conspiracy. Russian spies, fake friends and thrills everywhere, this book is gonna leave you breathless! There's lots of plot twists that are awesome and I didn't see coming (seriously, I was surprised which is a hard thing to do with how many books I read and soap operas I grew up on).
Other fun notes:
1. A dude named Snowman, because of course there is.
2. Fast paced, constant action and rescue missions.
3. Biker gangs!
4. Excellent introduction to insane terminology like coddiwomple.
Overall, this is an excellent thriller for those seeking something not mainstream. I love picking up indie thrillers because they don't follow the same formula the bestsellers list does. Seriously, if you love thrillers and mysteries then grab an indie book. You'll be surprised how many new favourites you'll pick up!
Four out of five stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the author, Khlaed Talib, in exchange of an honest review.
In Spiral, Laurence Turner is apart of many tragic, surprise events that just keep coming his way. He's been around enough dead people to make it suspicious. Honestly, it's amazing this guy hasn't been labelled suspicious before! His fiancee died on a tragic trip that he doesn't remember much of. He picks grapes but also is near a lab that is cloning, which tragedy will soon fall on them too. This guy is just a tragedy magnet, the poor fellow.
As bad luck follows Laurence, he gets swept up into a giant conspiracy. Russian spies, fake friends and thrills everywhere, this book is gonna leave you breathless! There's lots of plot twists that are awesome and I didn't see coming (seriously, I was surprised which is a hard thing to do with how many books I read and soap operas I grew up on).
Other fun notes:
1. A dude named Snowman, because of course there is.
2. Fast paced, constant action and rescue missions.
3. Biker gangs!
4. Excellent introduction to insane terminology like coddiwomple.
Overall, this is an excellent thriller for those seeking something not mainstream. I love picking up indie thrillers because they don't follow the same formula the bestsellers list does. Seriously, if you love thrillers and mysteries then grab an indie book. You'll be surprised how many new favourites you'll pick up!
Four out of five stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the author, Khlaed Talib, in exchange of an honest review.
December 24, 2020
A gripping novel with twists and turns that kept me glued to my Kindle. Nothing is as it seems and there are surprises around every corner. If Laurence Turner doesn't have enough problems the 38-year-old pharmacist turned grape picker, is trying to stay alive. Well-written with spunky characters.
July 19, 2021
I was offered a complimentary copy of Spiral by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Spiral is a fast paced thriller set in Australia, which was one of the first things that really caught my attention about this book. I don't know why, but up here in Canada I rarely find thrillers set in Australia. They're usually in the southern states of the USA, like Georgia. (Why? I don't even know.) When they're not they're some place really cold, like Scandinavia or Russia. Australia? New territory to me when it comes to thriller settings!
I love the use of odd and interesting language in this book, like coddiwomple (which means "To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.") I shall add that to my list of obscure words to pull out right under widdershins.
In terms of the thriller aspect of the novel, it's absolutely gripping! This is definitely a solid thriller plot that will have you on the edge of your seat, refusing to put the book down long after bedtime because you just have to know. If my review were solely on the plot, this would be a 5 star book, hands down, no questions asked. My review and rating reflect the entire book, however, and I found that I wasn't main character Laurence's biggest fan for more than a few pages at the beginning. He wasn't unlikable, but I didn't immediately connect with him, and it's hard to care about a character's plight when you haven't connected yet. He grew on me, though, and by the end I was all-in!
Spiral is a fast paced thriller set in Australia, which was one of the first things that really caught my attention about this book. I don't know why, but up here in Canada I rarely find thrillers set in Australia. They're usually in the southern states of the USA, like Georgia. (Why? I don't even know.) When they're not they're some place really cold, like Scandinavia or Russia. Australia? New territory to me when it comes to thriller settings!
I love the use of odd and interesting language in this book, like coddiwomple (which means "To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination.") I shall add that to my list of obscure words to pull out right under widdershins.
In terms of the thriller aspect of the novel, it's absolutely gripping! This is definitely a solid thriller plot that will have you on the edge of your seat, refusing to put the book down long after bedtime because you just have to know. If my review were solely on the plot, this would be a 5 star book, hands down, no questions asked. My review and rating reflect the entire book, however, and I found that I wasn't main character Laurence's biggest fan for more than a few pages at the beginning. He wasn't unlikable, but I didn't immediately connect with him, and it's hard to care about a character's plight when you haven't connected yet. He grew on me, though, and by the end I was all-in!
April 16, 2022
I've always been a fan of thrillers, crime, and suspense novels, and this book didn't disappoint me. The start was slow but the pace picked up and there were heaps of twists in the book that I didn't see coming. It made the book hard to put down.
The main character, Laurence Turner, has the worst luck ever--basically is the unluckiest character in the book. I don't envy him for one minute. His fiancee dies on a sailing trip, he dispenses the wrong medication to a customer (and loses his job), then he gets caught up in a murder at a winery in SA (after relocating from NSW to start a new life) and ends up attracting authorities and a heap of bad guys.
The writer has done a good job of making each character unique and realistic right down to the dialogue. One of my favourite pieces of dialogue was by the Russian Spy, who, as expected, was pretending to be a tourist. He was trying to make Laurence appear crazy when Laurence came to his hotel room with a staff member to search for a character that went missing. That dialogue: "This is the worst vacation ever... I demand a refund!" I can so imagine him saying that to portray his "innocence" in the situation. Hahaha!
Definitely worth a read if you're into thrillers. I've added this author's books to my reading list as I rather enjoyed his style of writing.
The main character, Laurence Turner, has the worst luck ever--basically is the unluckiest character in the book. I don't envy him for one minute. His fiancee dies on a sailing trip, he dispenses the wrong medication to a customer (and loses his job), then he gets caught up in a murder at a winery in SA (after relocating from NSW to start a new life) and ends up attracting authorities and a heap of bad guys.
The writer has done a good job of making each character unique and realistic right down to the dialogue. One of my favourite pieces of dialogue was by the Russian Spy, who, as expected, was pretending to be a tourist. He was trying to make Laurence appear crazy when Laurence came to his hotel room with a staff member to search for a character that went missing. That dialogue: "This is the worst vacation ever... I demand a refund!" I can so imagine him saying that to portray his "innocence" in the situation. Hahaha!
Definitely worth a read if you're into thrillers. I've added this author's books to my reading list as I rather enjoyed his style of writing.
January 29, 2021
I hold my hands up and say that this is an author unknown to me until he requested a review - and I'm so glad he did!
Laurence Turner works as a grape-picker; he has fled his previous life which holds too many bad memories - but is Laurence one of the good guys? When he finds a dead body on the winery estate, it's the beginning of events that neither he, nor anyone else, could have foreseen. With a colleague missing, his daughter appeals to Laurence for help which ends up with him embroiled with not one, but two sets of renegades. Can Laurence survive the trauma?
Well, you don't have to wait long for the next bit of action in this novel! It is action packed from beginning to end but in a sensible, explained way. The calibre of writing is extremely high; I found it extremely difficult to find a place to pause when real life called. An exceptionally exciting read which kept my heart pumping like an express train all the way through . I really thought I had kept up with all developments but never in my wildest dreams could I have predicted the outcome. Intriguing and spellbinding, this one demanded my full attention - and it got it. I have been totally enthralled and hope to read more from Khaled Talib. Five stars - and it earns each and every one!
Laurence Turner works as a grape-picker; he has fled his previous life which holds too many bad memories - but is Laurence one of the good guys? When he finds a dead body on the winery estate, it's the beginning of events that neither he, nor anyone else, could have foreseen. With a colleague missing, his daughter appeals to Laurence for help which ends up with him embroiled with not one, but two sets of renegades. Can Laurence survive the trauma?
Well, you don't have to wait long for the next bit of action in this novel! It is action packed from beginning to end but in a sensible, explained way. The calibre of writing is extremely high; I found it extremely difficult to find a place to pause when real life called. An exceptionally exciting read which kept my heart pumping like an express train all the way through . I really thought I had kept up with all developments but never in my wildest dreams could I have predicted the outcome. Intriguing and spellbinding, this one demanded my full attention - and it got it. I have been totally enthralled and hope to read more from Khaled Talib. Five stars - and it earns each and every one!
March 2, 2021
What a wild ride! I had never read any of this author's books before, but I do enjoy a good thriller from time to time.
This book was well written, and it literally kept me on the edge of my seat. So many twists and turns, never knowing who was going to die next.
I'd probably read another book from this author, as I really quite enjoyed it. While I really like a cozy mystery, sometimes it's good to get down and dirty with a fast paced thriller.
My thanks to the author for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was well written, and it literally kept me on the edge of my seat. So many twists and turns, never knowing who was going to die next.
I'd probably read another book from this author, as I really quite enjoyed it. While I really like a cozy mystery, sometimes it's good to get down and dirty with a fast paced thriller.
My thanks to the author for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 19, 2021
There was definitely a lot going on in this story. Laurence became embroiled in a scientific espionage debacle all by accident. There was plenty of action, violence, death, and secrets. I loved the little aboriginal ceremony and philosophy thrown in. At times I got a little lost with all the players in the game as to who would get the science first, but the story ended on a satisfactory note, with a little hope for this type of science in our world.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
April 17, 2021
Spiral is spiraling out of control with twists after twists with murder, kidnapping, secrets, and lies that keep the pages rolling right up to the end. Laurence Turner, a pharmacist, life is filled with tragedy. Where ever he turns something sinister seems to be waiting around the corner.
Laurence moves to Clare Valley in South Australia after the death of his Fiancé in a sailing accident. Laurence is hoping for a new start on life in Clare Valley but death seems to follow him around. Just as Laurence is arriving in Clare Valley he happens upon a dead body.
Then he happens upon a beautiful young woman Skylar Hawthorne. Skylar’s arrival puts Laurence in the path of some very dangerous people, both domestic and foreign agents, and a dangerous Russian spy.
Spiral doesn’t lack for action or suspense as it keeps you in the dark from page one. It will have you hooked with twists after twists hanging on for more and more as each secret is revealed one after another. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. There was this one big gigantic twist that I never saw coming it was a big shocker. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
I would recommend Spiral to anyone who likes thriller, sinister, with lots of action books! One-click your copy of Spiral today for an ominous adventure!
Laurence moves to Clare Valley in South Australia after the death of his Fiancé in a sailing accident. Laurence is hoping for a new start on life in Clare Valley but death seems to follow him around. Just as Laurence is arriving in Clare Valley he happens upon a dead body.
Then he happens upon a beautiful young woman Skylar Hawthorne. Skylar’s arrival puts Laurence in the path of some very dangerous people, both domestic and foreign agents, and a dangerous Russian spy.
Spiral doesn’t lack for action or suspense as it keeps you in the dark from page one. It will have you hooked with twists after twists hanging on for more and more as each secret is revealed one after another. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. There was this one big gigantic twist that I never saw coming it was a big shocker. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
I would recommend Spiral to anyone who likes thriller, sinister, with lots of action books! One-click your copy of Spiral today for an ominous adventure!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews