Killer Move

For reference, I've just looked at the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews. The book is better than that.I was pretty engaged with the story, the plot, the characters; I kept thinking to myself 'this is really quite good'. Unlike some reviewers I liked Bill Moore in spite of his failings and because of his bewildered, near-idiotic efforts to do the right thing in the face of incomprehensible malice. Actually, at points in the story some very unbelievable malice conducted by some pretty unbelievable villains. Nevertheless, the journey kept me gripped. Good stuff.Then the story got to the 'escape, get out of town and hit the road' point. I was wanting to read a hundred pages more about Moore and the twists, turns and setbacks to be expected. What I didn't expect, or appreciate, was a sketchy outline explanation of What Happened Next using the familiar device of a few newspaper headlines, and our plucky hero now holed up in the woods, living on berries and leaves. Come on, that's a cop-out!So four stars, not five, from me.

I've got a lot of time for Michael Marshall (and his alter-ego Michael Marshall Smith!) - he's a very clever and inventive author. I was therefore looking forward to reading this latest volume, and if it doesn't find him in top notch form, at least he isn't too far short.The book begins with two separate plot strands, which you know the author is going to pull together at some time - in this case later rather than sooner. One concerns John Hunter, fresh out of prison for a murder he hasn't committed, while the other focuses upon the life of Bill Moore, a realtor, who finds strange things going wrong in his life, and the word 'MODIFIED' popping up on cards and written in blood, among other media.I was intrigued as to how it would all end up and while I largely guessed right, there were still one or two surprises - including an excellent bit of misdirection.If I can issue a warning of sorts, this book is not for those who like a nice, bright, happy ending - oh, and without giving too much away, you will definitely get more out of it if you've read previous novels published under the 'Michael Marshall' moniker. The latter is not an essential requirement however, and newcomers to this author will still find much to 'enjoy' if they like their fiction coming out of left field.

Spares, was the first book of his that I read and I have adored his books ever since. I've had this book for less than 24 hours and have finished it in a not-able-to-put-it-down kind of way. Not as amazing as Spares or Only Forward, but a delightful read none - the - less. The main character is someone you can root for and it is easy to get swept up into a feeling of 'what the he'll is going on'. If you love him as an author, or are just looking for a good read, this is a book you should own. It draws you in and keeps the suspense going with its various first person view points.

This was a rollicking rollercoaster of a thriller.A very well written page turner.Maybe it doesn't quite live up to its premise and maybe it is a tad contrived but I thought that it was a lot less so than the vast majority of thrillers/crime novels.It has a great storyline and it was a less predictable one than I had thought it would be.The main character was pretty original. It was great having one that wasn't the usual quietly heroic everyman or superhuman Special Forces operative.His observations were quite amusing and the author knew when to dispense with them so that they did not become repetitive.This was greatly enjoyable and I genuinely couldn't stop reading it!

I've liked MMS since Only Forward and read all his writings. Was wondering how he would handle more mainstream novels. Answer: brilliantly. Good blend of mystery, humour and intrigue. Am surprised he's not more known. Will appeal to readers of his more weird writings and people New to him. His characters light up and you'll relate to at least one of them. The tale is well written, the twists unexpected, and it's a good balance of action, almost surrealism and common or garden crime story. Thoroughly enjoyable and highly recommended.

Been a while since I read any of the earlier books from this author so some of the references to them were only vague memories. however this book can easily be read as a stand-alone novel without reference to any earlier books. this is another great thriller with plenty of twists and turns in the plot along the way. the main character doesn't come across as very sympathetic at first but once he becomes more and more of a victim it is easier to sympathise with him and the predicament he is placed in. thoroughly enjoyed this one though.

Very involving, I warmed to the protagonist increasingly as I learned more about him, and as his life became increasingly challenging. Unexpected twists, echoes of "The Straw Men". A must-read if you liked that.

For every thousand or so meh-writers out there, there's one that comes along who knows exactly how to get under your skin. Michael Marshall is one of those writers. From the very beginning of KILLER MOVE, Michael, pulls us, pushes us, lures us through the story with his engaging prose and easily likable characters -- which, as in so often with his books, he either tortures in some way or kills off completely. The b*****d.From start to finish, a great read -- and the ending, without giving anything away, is to be loved and hated for exactly the same reason.Recommended for serious readers, and fans of crime/mystery fiction.