by Rachael Blok
SYNOPSIS
Eleven guests. Three nights. One murderer... This is the haunting and atmospheric new thriller from rising star of crime fiction, Rachael Blok.
In a gorgeous mansion in the Hertfordshire countryside, sisters Lois and Ebba prepare to launch their new venture. Archipelago is an exploitation-free tech company whose virtual reality game promises to unite the worlds of technology, politics and the environment.
Invited to the launch party are their investors: current and ex-politicians, international business moguls and activists, one of whom – Marieke – has been receiving online abuse and death threats for her views on eco-politics.
DCI Maarten Jansen has been summoned to join the house party. He is sure the threats are from online trolls with nothing better to do – he's only offering police protection because his boss wants to put the VIP guests at ease. But when eight of the guests are involved in a suspicious helicopter crash, Maarten starts to uncover long-buried secrets – and a murderer in their midst...
REVIEW
Without wanting to give away any spoilers, when I reached the second page of Into The Fire and realised that over half of the main characters were involved in the devastating helicopter crash, I was really unsure about how far the story would be able to go from this point. Not only was this a really bold move from the author, the novel also took a very different turn to what I was originally expecting. Eleven guests at an exclusive launch party for a virtual reality game in a countryside mansion gave me the impression I was about to read an ultra-modern take on an Agatha Christie style locked-room mystery - but it turned out to have a much deeper storyline running throughout, looking at the impact of modern slavery, injustice and the cut-throat world of business.
As I said, the book literally started with a bang, then became more of a slow-burn as we learnt more about the history of the characters and the various relationships between the group. From about the halfway point, the tension started to build and build as I tried, and failed, to work out what had happened and who was involved.
A really unique set of characters, and a complex narrative - I questioned the motives of each person at some point during the story. This combined with the different perspectives and time shifts in each chapter made it difficult to put down. A truly modern and refreshing murder mystery!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachael Blok is a best-selling author of the UK crime series set in the cathedral city of St Albans featuring DCI Maarten Jansen. Under the Ice and The Scorched Earth are out now. Into The Fire is is the third book in the series and is published today.
About writing, she has said: 'I'm constantly surprised how differently stories turn out on paper than in their original planning. Fiction has a life of its own'.
Follow her: Twitter @MsRachaelBlok; www.rachaelblok.com; Insta @r_blok
Thanks to @sophmidas, @midaspr, @HoZ_Books and @MsRachaelBlok for the opportunity to read and review.
Fiction: Thriller
Product format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-1838931704
Pages: 384 pp
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