Review by Vogan -- Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland
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Vogan
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Review by Vogan -- Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland
[Following is a volunteer review of "Shifting Sands" by Barry Litherland.]
Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland, is a paradoxical world between a comedy and a mystery thriller.
Winston tells a seemingly tall tale of a disorientated, naked man on a country lane at midnight, shouting “Bunny” as he stumbles along. After enduring an embarrassingly loud, and admittedly unbelievable, story from his unreliable friend, journalist Philip Tyler can’t shake the feeling that there might be a real story behind the ramblings of an undiagnosed lunatic. Details of electrodes being attached to the man’s glistening chest raise the suspicion that something is amiss.
Philip makes a few inquiries and with the help of his editor, Liz, he finds exactly what he’s looking for, the history of Westleigh Hall. He learns that Logrum Research has bought Westleigh to transform it into a rehabilitation center for a rich clientele. With his journalistic instincts, Philip picks up on a rotten fish-scent when investigating this endeavor. As his suspicions lead him further down the dark path ahead, Philip meets Wendy, a patient at Westleigh.
A conspiracy presents itself when he finds out that Logrum is funded by a billionaire and is under the protection of the British government. As the stakes in this investigation rise, Philip realizes he needs support to figure out the truth behind this dodgy set-up. Unfortunately for him, he only has Liz, the editor from hell, Winston, the unreliable source, and an ex-cop who now frequents the local pub, Slattery.
In this humorous, simile riddled novel, there is not a moment where you aren’t simultaneously biting your tongue to keep from laughing, and sitting at the edge of your seat as the mystery unfolds before you.
I enjoyed reading this well-written novel with an uncomplicated plot and its short-and-sweet sentences that keep the story moving at a reasonable pace. With sentences like, “Only Winston has never learned to take a hint. You could drop a hint by clubbing him with a cricket bat, or you could scream in his face. It’d make no difference. He’s always been the same. A nuclear warhead would bounce off Winston.”, you remain entertained.
As entertaining as Shifting Sands may be, it has its faults. The first-person narrative only allows the reader to focus on what is happening to Philip and it leaves you with no insight into what is happening on the antagonist’s side of the novel, or to how the other characters feel at any given moment. This leads to these characters seeming undeveloped to the reader and ultimately pointless or not worth remembering. Again, the reader will only notice Philip’s growth as a character, from a frightened desk dweller to an action-seeking journalist who isn’t afraid of standing up to his boss.
Another personal peeve would be the characteristics that are told by the main character himself. “I’m not heroic, macho-man material.” This takes away the element in which the reader figures out what the characters, especially the main character, is made of and also then realizing when he changes from cowardly to courageous. Another flaw would be many of the things described or spoken about by Philip, are repeated. He’s essentially describing the same thing twice by using synonymous language. This causes redundancy.
Despite all of these minor flaws, I am happy to award Shifting Sands 4 out of 4, for Litherland’s smart use of figurative language which paints a vivid picture, such as, “...Tim is looking at me like I’m there to steal the silver or kidnap the kids.” And comparing Liz’s glare to staples.
It’s a solid read which I would recommend to readers who enjoy mystery thrillers, as well as a spectrum of humor ranging from light-hearted to dark.
******
Shifting Sands
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland, is a paradoxical world between a comedy and a mystery thriller.
Winston tells a seemingly tall tale of a disorientated, naked man on a country lane at midnight, shouting “Bunny” as he stumbles along. After enduring an embarrassingly loud, and admittedly unbelievable, story from his unreliable friend, journalist Philip Tyler can’t shake the feeling that there might be a real story behind the ramblings of an undiagnosed lunatic. Details of electrodes being attached to the man’s glistening chest raise the suspicion that something is amiss.
Philip makes a few inquiries and with the help of his editor, Liz, he finds exactly what he’s looking for, the history of Westleigh Hall. He learns that Logrum Research has bought Westleigh to transform it into a rehabilitation center for a rich clientele. With his journalistic instincts, Philip picks up on a rotten fish-scent when investigating this endeavor. As his suspicions lead him further down the dark path ahead, Philip meets Wendy, a patient at Westleigh.
A conspiracy presents itself when he finds out that Logrum is funded by a billionaire and is under the protection of the British government. As the stakes in this investigation rise, Philip realizes he needs support to figure out the truth behind this dodgy set-up. Unfortunately for him, he only has Liz, the editor from hell, Winston, the unreliable source, and an ex-cop who now frequents the local pub, Slattery.
In this humorous, simile riddled novel, there is not a moment where you aren’t simultaneously biting your tongue to keep from laughing, and sitting at the edge of your seat as the mystery unfolds before you.
I enjoyed reading this well-written novel with an uncomplicated plot and its short-and-sweet sentences that keep the story moving at a reasonable pace. With sentences like, “Only Winston has never learned to take a hint. You could drop a hint by clubbing him with a cricket bat, or you could scream in his face. It’d make no difference. He’s always been the same. A nuclear warhead would bounce off Winston.”, you remain entertained.
As entertaining as Shifting Sands may be, it has its faults. The first-person narrative only allows the reader to focus on what is happening to Philip and it leaves you with no insight into what is happening on the antagonist’s side of the novel, or to how the other characters feel at any given moment. This leads to these characters seeming undeveloped to the reader and ultimately pointless or not worth remembering. Again, the reader will only notice Philip’s growth as a character, from a frightened desk dweller to an action-seeking journalist who isn’t afraid of standing up to his boss.
Another personal peeve would be the characteristics that are told by the main character himself. “I’m not heroic, macho-man material.” This takes away the element in which the reader figures out what the characters, especially the main character, is made of and also then realizing when he changes from cowardly to courageous. Another flaw would be many of the things described or spoken about by Philip, are repeated. He’s essentially describing the same thing twice by using synonymous language. This causes redundancy.
Despite all of these minor flaws, I am happy to award Shifting Sands 4 out of 4, for Litherland’s smart use of figurative language which paints a vivid picture, such as, “...Tim is looking at me like I’m there to steal the silver or kidnap the kids.” And comparing Liz’s glare to staples.
It’s a solid read which I would recommend to readers who enjoy mystery thrillers, as well as a spectrum of humor ranging from light-hearted to dark.
******
Shifting Sands
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
