Review by Helown -- Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland
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Review by Helown -- Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland
[Following is a volunteer review of "Shifting Sands" by Barry Litherland.]
Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland, ticks all the boxes for the quintessential suspense thriller. Set against the unlikely backdrop of Sefton-on-Sea, it's reluctant hero Phil Tyler is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse in a desperate attempt to unravel the mystery of Westleigh Hall and its enigmatic new owner. Tyler's journalistic interest is aroused when his eccentric and rather wayward source Winston recounts a bizarre encounter with a disorientated naked man wandering the lane in the vicinity of Westleigh Hall at 2am. Stranger still the man is covered with gel and electrodes and is calling for someone called Bunny.
As Tyler's tenacious investigation develops, he uncovers a web of secrets with the Hall at its centre. Secrets that the owners will do anything to protect. The typical little man versus the big corporation; Tyler witnesses his world being systematically destroyed, his friends and colleagues threated and the girl that he loves being taken away. Whilst Tyler constantly questions his ability to cope with the increasing danger, he surrounds himself with a team of larger than life characters that bolster his struggling self esteem and provide the support he needs to make it through to the end.
Told in the first person, through the perspective of our protagonist Phil Tyler, the prose seamlessly switches between Tyler's stream of consciousness and beautiful descriptive narrative that breathes life into the characters and environment. After a tentative start, whilst the story introduces us to the main characters and locations, the central plot gathers momentum and carries the reader through compelling layers of intrigue and subterfuge. The central theme of 'David and Golaith' is complimented with the traditional 'damsel in distress' as our hapless hero attempts to overcome his own self proclaimed failings and rise to the challenge.
I particularly enjoyed how the author developed the plot and built up suspense towards the eventual 'Bond' style showdown and inevitable conclusion. The genre of the book means that it does follow a predictable path, but I did find it hard to put down at times - testament to the good writing style and gripping plot line. At times the characterisation of the supporting roles in the story became a little cliché: The battle-axe female boss, the lovable rogue with his American drawl and suspect moral code and the hard faced ex police officer with the hard exterior and soft heart, but these characters served as a contrast to Tyler and therefore supported the storyline well.
I am happy to award Shifting Sands 4 out of 4 stars The use of profanity in the story is natural and in keeping with the characters so does not cause offence, although I would not recommend this book to younger readers as a result. The book has also been professionally edited as there were very few errors. I really enjoyed the pace and plot of this story and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good, readable suspense novel that does not require notetaking to follow the story.
******
Shifting Sands
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Shifting Sands by Barry Litherland, ticks all the boxes for the quintessential suspense thriller. Set against the unlikely backdrop of Sefton-on-Sea, it's reluctant hero Phil Tyler is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse in a desperate attempt to unravel the mystery of Westleigh Hall and its enigmatic new owner. Tyler's journalistic interest is aroused when his eccentric and rather wayward source Winston recounts a bizarre encounter with a disorientated naked man wandering the lane in the vicinity of Westleigh Hall at 2am. Stranger still the man is covered with gel and electrodes and is calling for someone called Bunny.
As Tyler's tenacious investigation develops, he uncovers a web of secrets with the Hall at its centre. Secrets that the owners will do anything to protect. The typical little man versus the big corporation; Tyler witnesses his world being systematically destroyed, his friends and colleagues threated and the girl that he loves being taken away. Whilst Tyler constantly questions his ability to cope with the increasing danger, he surrounds himself with a team of larger than life characters that bolster his struggling self esteem and provide the support he needs to make it through to the end.
Told in the first person, through the perspective of our protagonist Phil Tyler, the prose seamlessly switches between Tyler's stream of consciousness and beautiful descriptive narrative that breathes life into the characters and environment. After a tentative start, whilst the story introduces us to the main characters and locations, the central plot gathers momentum and carries the reader through compelling layers of intrigue and subterfuge. The central theme of 'David and Golaith' is complimented with the traditional 'damsel in distress' as our hapless hero attempts to overcome his own self proclaimed failings and rise to the challenge.
I particularly enjoyed how the author developed the plot and built up suspense towards the eventual 'Bond' style showdown and inevitable conclusion. The genre of the book means that it does follow a predictable path, but I did find it hard to put down at times - testament to the good writing style and gripping plot line. At times the characterisation of the supporting roles in the story became a little cliché: The battle-axe female boss, the lovable rogue with his American drawl and suspect moral code and the hard faced ex police officer with the hard exterior and soft heart, but these characters served as a contrast to Tyler and therefore supported the storyline well.
I am happy to award Shifting Sands 4 out of 4 stars The use of profanity in the story is natural and in keeping with the characters so does not cause offence, although I would not recommend this book to younger readers as a result. The book has also been professionally edited as there were very few errors. I really enjoyed the pace and plot of this story and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good, readable suspense novel that does not require notetaking to follow the story.
******
Shifting Sands
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Timewise by Robert Leet
