Review of Singapore 52

[Jane Ogwang]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Singapore 52" by murray bailey.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Here's a scenario; you are a Military Police Officer, and you form a team of informants to help make your policing work easier. Unfortunately, one of your informants and their family is murdered in cold blood, and you cannot do anything about it as police. The only way you could get revenge is by resigning and taking independent action against the assailants. I'm pretty sure you'd take that one obvious choice. This was Captain Carter's situation in the book Singapore 52.

He takes the expected action before flying to Singapore to cool off the heat, or so he thought. He's invited there by his friend, Tom, who he finds out is dead by the time he gets to Singapore. A few hours into his stay in Singapore, he's apprehended and taken to Secretary Coates, who worked for the governor. The secretary seems to have a lot of information about him. He gives him a proposal for a job that he is not at liberty to reject. The secretary acknowledges his talents and capabilities before tasking him with stopping a looming attack on the country. Carter, moreover, remains very intentional about clearing the air around his friend's death which he is confident is not just an accident. These missions expose strings of corruption, dirty deals, and engrained political mischief that have engulfed the police and government of the time. Did he manage to stop the attack and clear the issue of Tom's death? Get the answers to these questions by reading this exhilarating story.

I love this book firstly for its authenticity. Murray Bailey makes no secret the role his dad played in inspiring the writing of this book. His dad being a Military Police and telling him stories about his experiences in Singapore inspired the book's writing. The experiences seemed personal, and the conversations quite natural. The author also seemed quite knowledgeable about the procedures and protocols of the military. He was also conversant with Singapore and spoke quite definitely and certainly about it.

I also enjoyed Murray's style of writing. The organization and arrangement of the events were flawless. The dates at the top of the chapters provided an excellent story guide. In addition, they made the timelines much easier to follow. Most importantly, I salute Murray's story writing skills. The creativity, twists, and turns in the story were excellent. He made sure to release information bit by bit, only when the reader was ready for them. This skill was, for instance, made apparent when Captain Carter sent Angel on an errand. I kept guessing the details of that errand and only found out when the task was underway. He also gave information on the uncertainties around Tom's death at just the right time. This helped build up suspense and enthusiasm for the book.

I, however, was appalled by one aspect of the book. I thought the depiction and description of the transgender by Captain Carter was insensitive and unnecessary. They made jokes out of it and coined names to describe the person. It's 2022, and this kind of talk should be behind us. These insensitive jokes, however, only appeared once and did not affect my overall book rating.

I, therefore, give the book a perfect rating of four out of four stars. It is a fascinating, intriguing, and exciting read. It also seemed to have been edited professionally, as I only encountered a few minor errors. I recommend it to all lovers of crime thrillers. People interested in military and police work will also enjoy reading this one.

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Singapore 52
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Amy Luman]

It’s unfortunate that the government in Singapore works the way that it does and Carter has to take a job that he really doesn’t want. He does want to find his friends’ killer, though, so I guess it’s acceptable to him.

[Paully_]

Crime thrillers are stimulating to the mind. I would like to know how Carter resolved the whole mystery. Kudos for a review well written.

[Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine]

I enjoyed reading your captivating review and I am sure I will enjoy the book as well. Captain Carter has an adventure like no other, filled with secrecy, mystery, corruption. I wonder how he will manage to get out of all of it, fight the organized crime and solve the murders of his friend, the informant and his family. It seems impossible that he will do it on his own.

[Sarah Sonbol]

This books sounds great. A great mix of crime, mystery, corruption and politics. I haven't read books set in Singapore before, so this would be interesting. Thanks for the informative review.

[Odala J Phiri]

Very tough situation for the captain. If he doesn't resign to take action, then other team members will no longer be interested in their duties. Thanks for the review.

[Chinemezu Okafor]

This action thriller is quite exciting, and I relish the concept of Carter being put in a tight corner. In order to resolve Tom's murder, he must get his hands dirty. Nice review.

[Hunor Finta]

Very good content and perfect book for kids. Who are playing all day games they should read that book

[Muna Chizzy]

This sounds like an interesting book filled with a vengeance for Captain Carter to resign from his job. I'm curious to know how he will avenge the death of one of his informants. Thanks for the excellent review.

[Jelly_J]

I think I wouldn't resign but maybe I'd take some time of work perhaps. Captain Carter seems to be in for some adventure in Singapore. Your review certainly builds interest in me. I would like to read this book next.

[Nwaka Chukwuemeka]

The action in this book is what I enjoyed so much, what a powerful review. Weldon.

[Fearnia Laurel]

This seems to be a well-written crime thriller. The author is knowledgeable about the subject and settings, is able to arrange the story to flow well, and was able to expertly create suspense. I wonder what is the motive behind the murder of Tom and also Captain Carter's informant. Thank you for the wonderful review.

[Jane Ogwang]

It’s unfortunate that the government in Singapore works the way that it does and Carter has to take a job that he really doesn’t want. He does want to find his friends’ killer, though, so I guess it’s acceptable to him.

It worked for him in the end, thanks for being here.

[Jane Ogwang]

Crime thrillers are stimulating to the mind. I would like to know how Carter resolved the whole mystery. Kudos for a review well written.

Thank you for the kind comments, Paully.

[Jane Ogwang]

I enjoyed reading your captivating review and I am sure I will enjoy the book as well. Captain Carter has an adventure like no other, filled with secrecy, mystery, corruption. I wonder how he will manage to get out of all of it, fight the organized crime and solve the murders of his friend, the informant and his family. It seems impossible that he will do it on his own.

He forms a group of very dependable allies who also play pivotal roles in his quests.