Will Patching’s “The Hack” asks the reader to interpret the various shades of human behavior. That’s the ultimate compliment from me, as I’m really really trying to avoid buying any new books until I get my TBR under control, but it’s a buzz to discover a new author who writes exactly the kinds of books I like best.more I’m not sure it needed the instant romance subplot, but the author wisely avoids any graphic sex scenes and the relationship will presumably be important for the sequel - The Hunter - which I have already bought. There’s black humour and some gore, including descriptions which will have male readers wincing. It has a large cast of characters but I had no problem keeping track of them all the chapters are quite long and the narrative occasionally had us jumping back to events which were described earlier from a different POV, jarring the timeline a little. This was very well written, especially for a debut novel, with convincing dialogue, fast paced action and believable skulduggery from all sides. I was also surprised by some of the characters who earned my sympathy, while others deserved everything they got.
HACK VERSION OF GOOD NOVEL SERIAL
This book puts the reader firmly on the side of a serial killer, and paints the law enforcement assigned to catch him in interesting shades of grey - in fact my favourite character was Chief of Police Lee, who stoically navigates the murky waters of Thai policing to try and achieve the greater good. It was originally published in 2006 but did not feel dated at all. In his afterword Patching references the huge UK and US investigations into CSA that remind us that unfortunately these horrific experiences are real for children around the world. There is a note from the author at the start of this that if you’re the kind of person who needs a trigger warning, these probably aren’t the right books for you! It certainly does feature some gruesome killings & torture, references to child sexual abuse and some swearing, but none of it was gratuitous, and it was all necessary for the plot. Travelling to Bangkok to follow the story, Kate and Johnny have no idea of the danger they’re in from the high-ranking monsters desperate to protect their power and wealth. The man turns out to be a prominent businessman at the centre of a vast paedophile network and Kate is the first to break the story, thanks to her genius teenage brother’s hacking abilities. When Doug Brown overhears a transaction in a Thai beach bar, a long dormant rage is reignited and he slaughters the American tourist who has bought a young boy to his hotel for sex.
HACK VERSION OF GOOD NOVEL FREE
A good move, as it turns out - this was brilliant and has restored my faith in free books! I had heard of this author through the UK Crime Book Club Facebook group, and picked this from my stupidly large accumulation of free ebooks to be my last book of the year, because he seems like a nice chap. A good move, as it turns out - this was brilliant and has restored my faith in free books! When Doug B The Hack is the first book in a dark international thriller trilogy featuring Hunter, a CIA assassin turned vigilante killer of paedophiles, and idealistic London journalist Kate O’Sullivan. The Hack is the first book in a dark international thriller trilogy featuring Hunter, a CIA assassin turned vigilante killer of paedophiles, and idealistic London journalist Kate O’Sullivan. With a serial killer on the loose in Thailand, the CIA on the hunt for Kate’s brother, and ruthless VIPs in London determined not to let Simm’s death expose their own pedophile activities, Kate’s world will never be the same again. Kate sells the story to a UK tabloid newspaper, setting in motion a bloody chain of events that destroys many lives, and threatens her own. For Kate O’Sullivan, a freelance journalist, his death provides the scoop of her dreams when her computer genius brother discovers Simm’s dark secret – by hacking into the CIA’s confidential report on the killing. George Simm, friend of the US President and well-respected international business guru, leads a double life. A real page turner from start to finish." For Kate O’Sullivan, a freelance journalist, his death provides the scoop of her dreams when her computer genius brother discovers Simm’s dark secret – "A rapid-fire international thriller. A real page turner from start to finish." George Simm, friend of the US President and well-respected international business guru, leads a double life.