Review by Michelle Menezes -- Waves Break (on Unknown Sh...

[Michelle Menezes]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)" by Barry Litherland.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Waves Break (on Unknown Shores) by Barry Litherland is a story of friendship, loss and painful memories that don't really go away. Wayne is still haunted by the events that led to Stevie's death when they were children. He can't help but blame himself for it. The killer may have been arrested at the time, but was justice truly served?

Meanwhile, Thomas Oldfield is attacked and burgled and a lot of important people are getting restless owing to the package that was taken. What it contains is a mystery, but some people are willing to go to any extent to get their hands on it. Wayne is a suspect and Philip is being hounded to retrieve the papers. With Tyrone back in the picture, no one is truly safe. Can Philip find the documents in time and prove Wayne's innocence or will he be another victim caught up in a dangerous game?

The book had my undivided attention from the first page itself. The author did a wonderful job in crafting and delivering the story. The plot was gripping and the scenes were highly descriptive. There was a variation in the mood throughout. Usually thriller novels are more serious in nature, but this one had some light-hearted moments with a dash of fun.

The best part of the book was its characters. They were flawed, but that’s what made them so realistic. Philip as the narrator was witty, emotional and possessed a good sense of humor. I loved his honesty especially when he admits to being scared most of the times. Wayne came across as annoying sometimes but when I got to know his whole story my heart went out to him. The supporting characters had a lot of depth to them and were given equal importance.

Another thing I liked was the relationships and interactions between the characters. It was very natural and the way the story was told, I felt like I was a part of that world watching their lives play out in front of me. I experienced every single emotion that they did. Philip and Wayne had a complicated friendship that went from annoyance to protectiveness and I enjoyed reading about it. There were also differing timelines with scenes from the past which gave me an idea of how all the events were connected.

I couldn't find a single negative thing in the book. The humor may come across as inappropriate to some readers but I found it hilarious. For example, Phil's grandpa says that Wayne could irritate the drawers off a nun. I laughed so hard. There is also violence in the book with incidents of child harm. Though it is not described in detail, people who find it triggering should steer clear of the book.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for the well-developed mystery and the way it was unraveled. I have cried, laughed, worried, felt angry and gone through a whole lot of feelings. The ending was beautiful and once I finished reading, it took me a while to get back to reality. I noticed very few minor errors, but they can be overlooked and do not affect the flow of the story so I haven’t deducted any stars for it. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy the crime, thriller, mystery genre filled with emotions.

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Waves Break (on Unknown Shores)
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[markodim721]

I like it when a book makes the reader forget about the world around him until he reads it. I believe that is the case here as well. Thanks for the neutral review.

[Michelle Menezes]

I like it when a book makes the reader forget about the world around him until he reads it. I believe that is the case here as well. Thanks for the neutral review.

Yes, I was completely sucked into the book and had a hard time letting go. Thank you for your comment.