Format: Hardback
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 25.04.24
Synopsis:
Your father is on death row. You have seven days to save him. But do you want to?
Alice knows her father is guilty of many things.
He’s guilty of abandoning her.
He’s guilty of being unfaithful to her mother.
But is he guilty of murder?
Now on Death Row, he has seven days to live.
Some people want him released.
Others will kill to keep him just where he is.
Alice has only one chance to save him. But should she?
My Thoughts: (spoiler free)
Rating *****
Wow, what an absolute rollercoaster of a read, there is a dark undertone to the feel of the book which adds to the atmosphere, one high octane pulsating thriller
Be warned you will find this hard to put down, it’s mesmeric in the way it holds you spellbound
Just from the premise of the book you know your’e in for a tense, suspense filled read where time is your enemy, but that doesn’t do justice to what actually follows, each chapter constructed to maximise the thrill value, like the best tv drama, each with that added value of ending in that dramatic cliffhanger fashion that forces you to turn the page to know what has actually happened
By the time you have finished the book and reflected, you realise that the book is plotted meticoulsly, sublime in its ingenuity, borne of a freshness and originality, however, you have to get to that point. I loved the way that at each step there is some element of doubt and trust in Alice’s mind, making you question how the story is going to develop and what the outcome will be
However, whilst this maybe an action thriller, it would be nothing without character and the author has certainly created those which are believable and written so that each belong. I liked the way that Alice’s viewpoint as a person changes whilst she starts out with a certain caution, she still has a strong determination to seek the truth, there is still a vulnerable side to her character. Luc Boudreaux is another character I found interesting especially the way he is written, I think it would have been easy to write him in another way, but that would have changed the dynamic of the story, you still get that little bit of doubt as to his motives but definilety a stand out character, you feel as though there could be more to come.
The way the author makes not only the characters but the reader run through a gamut of emotions, it’s difficult to draw breath
There are moments within the book where the twists have a real shock value in there reveal, which turn things on there head, as for ending, well find out for yourself, a masterclass in nail biting, jaw dropping drama, talk about throwing in a curveball
It’s a book which races along, building in intensity as it does so, a pulsating read, addictive and compelling, it grabs you from the opening pages and is relentless in the way it holds you firmly in its grip
At the end for me the reasons behind the plot were quite interesting, poses many question surrounding morality and the rights and wrongs of individuals actions and there consequences, even then there is an understanding to how the past events play out in the present, it leaves you with an element of sympathy.
This is a book that deserves all the plaudits and accolades, the writing crisp and to the point, the story designed to thrill and entertain, the plot constructed to keep the reader on their toes, to question which direction the story will take
Robert Rutherford has jumped straight into the Champions League of thriller writers
Cannot recomend this highly enough, a quality read, I read for entertainment Seven Days does that and more
About The Author:
Robert Rutherford is author of Sunday Times bestseller, SEVEN DAYS (2024, Hodder). He had a random mix of jobs before taking the dive into crime writing; he’s been a bookseller, pizza deliverer, karate instructor, football coach, and HR Manager. He lives on the North East Coast with his wife, children & overly-needy dog, and is a founding member of the Northern Crime Syndicate crime-writers group.
Robert’s work has also seen him win the Lindisfarne Prize for Crime Fiction in 2021, as well as being shortlisted for a CWA Dagger in 2021 and 2022, and long listed in 2024.
He also writes as Robert Scragg, with “What Falls Between The Cracks”, the first in his Porter & Styles series, written under Robert Scragg, being chose as a New Writing North pick as one of the 2019 Read Regional books of the year.
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