Tag Archives: thriller

Falling By Emma Kavanagh Book Review

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fallingemmakavanaghA plane falls out of the sky. A woman is murdered. Four people all have something to hide.

This debut psychological thriller from former police psychologist Emma Kavanagh is stunning indeed. An engaging and exciting novel. This novel is brilliantly executed, it is a confident debut written by an extremely talented writer. You can tell that Emma Kavanagh was once a police psychologist: her novel is believable. She knows what she is talking about. The characters are incredibly well written and the nuances of life, grief and marriage are all well observed by the eye of a very adept writer.

The story itself is thoroughly engaging, drawing you in and making the book unputdownable. I love how the characters are woven together, how they end up dipping in and out of each other’s lives. This is a crime thriller that belongs on the same shelf as Nicci French. It is high praise indeed, but well deserved.

 

Jim is a retired police officer and worried father. His beloved daughter has disappeared and he knows something is wrong.

Tom has woken up to the news that his wife was on the plane, and he must break the news to their only son.

Cecilia had packed up and left her family. Now she has survived a tragedy, and sees no way out.

Freya is struggling to cope with the loss of her father. But as she delves into his past, she may not like what she finds.

 

Falling is available here. Read our Day in the Life piece on Emma Kavanagh here.

 

 

The Shining Girls Book Review + 5 Copies To Giveaway

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shininggirlsThe Shining Girls is a book about a serial killer who kills girls who shine. One by one they die, but not Kirby. The heroine of the story is a courageous, feisty girl who survives a vicious attack and then hunts down the man who tried to kill her. Kirby is definitely one of the most ballsy fictional heroines for a long time. You could imagine her teaming up with Lisbeth Salander. She is brave and as witty as she is determined to bring the man who tried to kill her and killed her dog to justice. (don’t be thrown about the dog, it is a heartwarming and sad part of the story. You will fall in love with the dog)

Harper Curtis, a violent and arrogant killer, stumbles across a house that opens up into other times, allowing him to visit his victims as children, teenagers and women. He murders them in a horrendous way across the decades. He is a skilled killer without mercy. He thinks he is invincible and undetectable, but is he a match for Kirby?

Kirby teams up with Dan, an ex-homicide journalist who investigated her attempted murder. He is burnt out and jaded. Covering sport instead when Kirby becomes his intern for a college credit. They make an unlikely pair but they are a great team. Kirby’s mother Rachel is another brilliant character.

This well written, pacy book was hard to put down. Written by Lauren Beukes who won the coveted Arthur C. Clarke Award for her visionary novel Zoo City in 2011. The Shining Girls crosses over a few genres and manages to do them all flawlessly. Crime meets thriller meets science fiction.

Beukes is an incredibly talented writer. It seems obvious to say a writer is good at putting sentences together, but some are better than others. The book is obviously well researched with wonderful gems of information and character observation throughout.

The killings in the book are quite horrific so the book may not be for the faint-hearted. The fact that the book is fiction does not make Harper Curtis any less terrifying. The Shining Girls is a very original book. An exceptional example of thriller writing.

Frost Magazine has five copies of The Shining Girls to giveaway. To win just follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win #TheShiningGirls with @Frostmag’. Alternatively like us on Facebook or sign up for our newsletter. Good luck.

 

The girl who wouldn’t die, hunting a killer who shouldn’t exist…

Lauren Beukes’ ‘The Shining Girls’ is out on Thursday 25 April. You can buy it here.

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Man on a Ledge | Film Review

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Man on a Ledge is a smart, fast-paced thriller. It is very much a ‘cinema’ film, and by that I mean one of those films you watch just for pure entertainment.

An ex-cop (Sam Worthington) is jailed for a crime he says he didn’t do and manages to escape from prison. He later threatens to jump to his death from a Manhattan hotel. He asks for a female police psychologist (Elizabeth Banks) who tries to stop him jumping. As the film unwinds we see that things are not as straightforward as they seemed. The plot has lots of twists to keep you entertained.

I really liked Elizabeth Banks’ performance. She known as a strong comedic actress but is equally good in this thriller.

A lot of this movie was filmed on a real ledge, a brave move by Sam Worthington who suffers from vertigo. Jamie Bell plays Worthington’s brother. Bell is fantastic in the film and so is Mandy Gonzalez as his girlfriend.

Ed Harris is as amazing as ever as the villain of the piece. I really don’t want to give too much of the film away but it really is worth a watch. Rent or buy for a good night in.

Man on a Ledge is pure entertainment. It is just a fun film which has the benefit of having brilliant actors in it. The acting really is top notch.

Win a DVD Boxset of CIA Thriller Covert Affairs.

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From the producer of The Bourne Trilogy…

Piper Perabo stars in COVERT AFFAIRS. SERIES 1

Out on DVD from 18 June

Also available for legal download and via video-on-demand on 18 June

Frost Magazine have one boxset of CIA thriller Covert Affairs to giveaway. For how to win, see below. The sexiest, action packed spy series to hit the UK, COVERT AFFAIRS: SERIES 1, comes to DVD on 18 June from Universal Playback. TV channel Really’s most watched drama ever stars Golden Globe (R) nominee, Piper Perabo (Cheaper By The Dozen, Coyote Ugly), Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty, Love Bites) Peter Gallagher (The O.C., Burlesque) and is from the producer of The Bourne Trilogy, Doug Liman.

Series 2 is currently showing on Really, with Series 3 expected to air later in 2012 as the show continues to grow in popularity.

Being a federal agent isn’t easy as Annie Walker (Perabo) experiences at her first interview at the CIA. Wired up to a polygraph machine Annie has to answer probing questions from a future co-worker who clearly doesn’t think she’s up for the challenge. Using her wit and intelligence Annie manages to avoid all stages of embarrassment and impresses her new colleague with some tactful answers, all the while beaming with confidence.

Annie is thrust into the inner sanctum of the agency when she is unexpectedly promoted to field operative and is propelled into a shadowy world full of cons, killers and international crime rings when she begins working on a case lead by Arthur Campbell (Gallagher), who heads up the agencies most secretive department.

While it appears that she has been plucked from obscurity for her exceptional linguistic skills, there may be something, or someone, from her past that her CIA bosses are really after.

Covert Affairs: Series 1 is available on DVD from 18 June, courtesy of Universal Playback.

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DVD DETAILS

Title: Covert Affairs – Series 1

Certificate: 12

Run Time: xx

Genre: TV Drama

RRP (DVD): xx

Special Features:

 Deleted scenes

 Gag reel

 Cast and crew commentaries

 Behind the scenes featurettes including:

o Welcome to the farm

o Blind insight

o Set tour

Pixie Lott Helps Showcase Live Celebrate

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Having enjoyed the presence and support of pop princess Pixie Lott at their fifth birthday celebrations in February, Showcase Live will once again open its doors, or rather those of Stamford Bridge’s ‘Under the Bridge’ Club, in Fulham, to an eclectic bunch of musical talents on 16th April 2012.

The live music event, which has been running for five successful years, since being founded in 2007 by Director George Eason, is set to be hosted by presenter and stand up comic Lee Collins. Lee is a regular on Lisa Snowdon and Dave Berry’s breakfast show on Capital FM as well as on the comedy scene.

Showcase Live is a great platform for new and unsigned artists and has been a starting point for many UK artists including Lawson, JLS and Jessie J. Showcase Live has seen support from many industry leaders and artists, including The Wanted, Fearne Cotton, JLS, Parade, Dionne Bromfield, Twenty Twenty and Westlife.

The next big event, on 16th April, will see London based Trio, Mitsotu perform a selection of their own material including “break your heart”.

Showcase Live favourite, Alex Buchanan, is back. Alex, originally from Manchester, has seen massive success when landing the role of the lead in the West End Musical, Thriller. He has successfully choreographed two music videos and has since been working on his debut album.

Daytona lights will also be performing at the event, offering us some enjoyable upbeat pop. Daytona Lights are a male five piece from London.

Domino Go, who are based in London are currently busy writing and recording their debut album with Atlantic Records will be sure to entertain the crowd with their breathtaking vocals on the night.

Artists that have featured in Showcase Live in the past have gone on to sign with Epic, Polydor, Global Talent, Columbia, Warner Music, Atlantic and many other record companies.

Tickets can be purchased now from See Tickets.

http://www.seetickets.com/Tour/SHOWCASE-LIVE

Picture: Pixie Lott with group ‘Times Red’ from the last showcase event on February 20th.

Michael Jackson's lawyers battle to save art

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Michael Jackson’s lawyers are battling to save his $900 million secret art collection.

The late ‘Thriller’ star’s “rare intact major collection” has just been discovered, but rather than securing the financial future of his three children – Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, eight – lawyers for the star are battling to reverse its $87.7 million sale to an undisclosed international businessman.

Appraiser Eric Finzi told Star magazine the 182-piece collection, which has never publicly been seen, has “an invaluable pedigree for future sales in the international art market”.

He added: “Michael’s mystique in life combined with this exposure of his wonderful fine art creations following his tragic death will escalate the value of these works and the popularity of his artistic vision worldwide. I do not think we have begun to see the true value of this fine art yet.”

The collection is made up of drawings, sketches and sculptures made by the ‘Beat It’ singer over a number of years while being taught by an Australian artist and friend, Brett Livingston Strong.

Among the artworks are sketches of Martin Luther King, President Abraham Lincoln and President George Washington, said to be worth in all, more than $8.1 million, sketches of Jackson’s own feet doing his signature dance move the Moonwalk and recreations of the Statue of David and Dying Slave, the masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo.

Before Michael died in August 2009 his estate was in financial trouble, yet a letter sent to Brett by Dr. Tohme Tohme – Jackson’s last business manager and spokesperson – paved the way for the sale, transferring over the collection of artwork free of charge “to keep, sell, copy, exhibit and to use in whatever way you wish”.

Brett and his advisors are thought to have orchestrated the deal to sell off the artwork recently.

Lawyers are now questioning the validity of the letter and trying to reverse the sale.

The letter transferring the works to Brett reads: “Michael wants you to know he is truly grateful for the loyalty you have shown him over the years, and he views this as a small token of appreciation for your continued friendship and artistic partnership.”