Fifth Column by Mike Hollow (Book Review!)

Fifth Column (The Blitz Detective, Book 2)

By Mike Hollow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Suspense

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 336

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-186-5

We are taken back to the time of the London Blitz during WW II in Fifth Column, by Mike Hollow.

D.I. Jago is back to solver another mystery.  After a night raid, the body of a young woman is found.  She has no identity and can’t be tied to the area, so D.I. Jago is called in.  He quickly learns that her name was Mary Watkins and was strangled.  She worked for an engineering company which is now missing chemicals.

Is she to blame for the theft?  Who killed her?  And will the romance between D.I. Jago and the American reporter, Miss Dorothy Appleton. 

About the Author-

Mike Hollow currently lives in Hampshire with his wife.  He has worked for the BBC and Tearfund.  He is a freelance writer and editor.

My thoughts-

One of my favorite genres to read is mysteries, so I was excited when I was given the chance to read Fifth Column, the second book in the series.

While I enjoyed trying to figure out who killed Mary Watkins, my favorite part of the book was learning all the little interesting tidbits about the London area in 1940.  It helped me to know and feel what it was like for those in the area at the time.  I didn’t know that they had Dig for Victory gardens (vegetable gardens), similar to our Victory gardens in the States.  I didn’t know that there were people who liked Hitler in England and wanted to be a part of his world.  It was interesting that there were the superstitions like “knock and wood” and that a magpie by itself means bad luck.  Those superstitions came from a lady from Scotland. 

I liked the map of the area in the front of the book, but I would like to see a list of characters in future books.  I kept getting the characters mixed up.  The acknowledgements were interesting, because I learned that this mystery was based on a 1939 trial about a man who tried to extort money by threatening to accuse someone of spying for Germany. 

I enjoyed learning more about Detective Inspector John Jago and meeting new characters in this book.  Fifth Column stands alone, but it is still a good idea to read Direct Hit first.  I look forward to reading more books by Mike Hollow.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Fifth Column, by Mike Hollow, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Direct Hit by Mike Hollow (Book Review!)

Direct Hit (The Blitz Detective)

By Mike Hollow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 318

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-127-8

We are taken back to the beginning of the London Blitz during WW II in Direct Hit, by Mike Hollow.

Detective Inspector John Jago and his associate know who the victim is, but the body is obliterated by a bomb.  Now they have to build their case without it.  It will be even more difficult, because the victim, Charles Villiers, was disliked by many people and had many secrets.

About the Author-

Mike Hollow currently lives in Basingstoke with his wife.  He has worked for the BBC and Tearfund.  He is a freelance writer and editor.

My thoughts-

One of my favorite genres to read is mysteries, so I was excited when I was given the chance to read this book.

I enjoy reading historical fiction.  I thought it was great how this book included the thoughts and feelings about the people who were in the direct paths of the bombings.  It also included the differences between the upper class and working class.

At some points in this book I kept getting the different characters confused.  Sometimes they were called by their last name and sometimes their first.  They were also so similar that I wasn’t sure what part they played.  A list of characters at the beginning of the book would have been helpful.

I liked the map in the front.  I was able to know what side of London was being hit.  I do wish the acknowledgements were in the front of the book.  It would have tied the information together.

I enjoyed meeting Detective Inspector John Jago and the other people in this book.  I look forward to reading more books by Mike Hollow.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Direct Hit, by Mike Hollow, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.