Review by Prince Chime -- Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)
Posted: 23 May 2020, 13:03
[Following is a volunteer review of "Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)" by Barry Litherland.]
Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland is a forty-two chapter, two hundred and ninety-eight-page crime fiction novel that brings to light a childhood misfortune and its subsequent outcome in adulthood. The narrative captivated me from its first page to its last, I found it difficult to let it down.
The story took place in Sefton, “…a sizeable town, big enough to stay hidden in but small enough to feel at home" in the very words of Philip. In it lived Philip, Wayne, Tina, Stevie, and members of their family. These four were best friends. At a very young age, a tragic event happened at Wayne’s apartment which led to the death of Stevie, and the ensuing arrest of Tyrone, Wayne’s older brother. This pebble that dropped in a pool triggered waves that would break in unknown shores.
After the release of Tyrone from prison twenty years later, a series of events took place. Wayne, Tina, her family, and Philip were hemmed in these events. Wayne was accused of the burglary at Alasdair Riley’s and Tina’s houses. During the burgle at Tina’s house, the burglar fought with Mr. Thomas Oldfield, Tina’s father. He was gravely beaten by the burglar and left unconscious. He was hospitalized for a while as a result of this. Philip was given an ultimatum to provide a package with the name JAYDEE which was missing from Mr. Thomas's safe or face his death. All evidence pointed to Wayne as the burglar; but, was he the one? Would he hurt his very good friend Tina for filthy lucre and endanger the life of Philip? How important was the JAYDEE package to those who wanted it, as they would stop at nothing to ensure it did not see the light of the day? How did Philip go about the search for the JAYDEE package? Who was the brain behind the proposed blackmail on Mrs. Thomas Oldfield and George Mackie? Why did Tyrone choose to work with George Mackie? All these and more are left to the reader to discover in this fabulous, suspense-packed, and intriguing thriller.
The narrative is told from the first-person perspective by Philip. There was good character development throughout the book. This made it stress-free to understand why certain characters acted the way they did. The author skillfully kept me bonded to the book as he told events from the past, and excellently connected them to the present. The big picture is only seen at the end. The brilliant use of similes and metaphors to describe certain events in the book is what I liked the most. Of particular interest to me was the expression, “He sneaked out of the building like a mouse in a city of cats”.
The only thing I disliked about the book was the excessive use of vulgar words, cursing and profanity. These were present in almost every chapter. It equally contained scenes of violence that sensitive readers should take note of. Despite all the action, Barry Litherland was able to blend a skin-deep romance into the plot.
I found this book to be professionally edited and proofread with no errors. For this, I rate Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland 4 out of 4 stars. This book is recommended to lovers of fast-paced crime fiction with good character development. If you prefer sci-fi, fantasy or more cozy reads, you might want to stay away from this. Due to its graphic violent scenes, it's not recommended to minors or sensitive readers.
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Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland is a forty-two chapter, two hundred and ninety-eight-page crime fiction novel that brings to light a childhood misfortune and its subsequent outcome in adulthood. The narrative captivated me from its first page to its last, I found it difficult to let it down.
The story took place in Sefton, “…a sizeable town, big enough to stay hidden in but small enough to feel at home" in the very words of Philip. In it lived Philip, Wayne, Tina, Stevie, and members of their family. These four were best friends. At a very young age, a tragic event happened at Wayne’s apartment which led to the death of Stevie, and the ensuing arrest of Tyrone, Wayne’s older brother. This pebble that dropped in a pool triggered waves that would break in unknown shores.
After the release of Tyrone from prison twenty years later, a series of events took place. Wayne, Tina, her family, and Philip were hemmed in these events. Wayne was accused of the burglary at Alasdair Riley’s and Tina’s houses. During the burgle at Tina’s house, the burglar fought with Mr. Thomas Oldfield, Tina’s father. He was gravely beaten by the burglar and left unconscious. He was hospitalized for a while as a result of this. Philip was given an ultimatum to provide a package with the name JAYDEE which was missing from Mr. Thomas's safe or face his death. All evidence pointed to Wayne as the burglar; but, was he the one? Would he hurt his very good friend Tina for filthy lucre and endanger the life of Philip? How important was the JAYDEE package to those who wanted it, as they would stop at nothing to ensure it did not see the light of the day? How did Philip go about the search for the JAYDEE package? Who was the brain behind the proposed blackmail on Mrs. Thomas Oldfield and George Mackie? Why did Tyrone choose to work with George Mackie? All these and more are left to the reader to discover in this fabulous, suspense-packed, and intriguing thriller.
The narrative is told from the first-person perspective by Philip. There was good character development throughout the book. This made it stress-free to understand why certain characters acted the way they did. The author skillfully kept me bonded to the book as he told events from the past, and excellently connected them to the present. The big picture is only seen at the end. The brilliant use of similes and metaphors to describe certain events in the book is what I liked the most. Of particular interest to me was the expression, “He sneaked out of the building like a mouse in a city of cats”.
The only thing I disliked about the book was the excessive use of vulgar words, cursing and profanity. These were present in almost every chapter. It equally contained scenes of violence that sensitive readers should take note of. Despite all the action, Barry Litherland was able to blend a skin-deep romance into the plot.
I found this book to be professionally edited and proofread with no errors. For this, I rate Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland 4 out of 4 stars. This book is recommended to lovers of fast-paced crime fiction with good character development. If you prefer sci-fi, fantasy or more cozy reads, you might want to stay away from this. Due to its graphic violent scenes, it's not recommended to minors or sensitive readers.
******
Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
