Jack Heath (1) (1986–)

When I first heard about Money Run by Jack Heath it was described to me in a way that had me hooked immediately: "Die Hard meets Hustle". My all time favourite Christmas film meets one of my favourite TV programmes of the last ten years - I was sold immediately and even promoted it straight to the top of the TBR pile and started reading it as soon as it arrived, and I didn't put it down again until I had finished it. Yes, I enjoyed it that much.

I am aware that I sometimes over use certain show more words and phrases when writing reviews. Prime examples would be: "hi-octane", "roller coaster ride", "edge of your seat", and I am sure there are many others (hey... I teach woodwork, not English), and clichéd though these may be I still want to use every single one of them (and more) to describe Money Run. In a world that has seen a huge number of thrillers written for the 11 age group over the past decade this one feels fresh and original and if I sequel was out already I would have started reading it as soon as I had finished this one. As for how it lived up to that original phrase on which I was sold so quickly? I think the only link to Die Hard is its setting in a highrise office, but there are definitely a number of favourable comparisons with Hustle. However, I would also like to throw 24 into the mix, because, apart from the prologue, the whole story takes place over one evening and every 'minute' is made to count.

I can't think of many books for this age group that are set in such a short period of time, and it is quite impressive how much Jack Heath manages to fit in to this mere handful of hours without the plot ever seeming rushed or too crammed with information. More importantly as well, although he manages to include as many action set-pieces as you will find in many a blockbuster action film there are also the essential quieter moments that add tension to the story and kept me eagerly turning pages whilst my heartbeat settled back to something close to its normal rest rate.

Over the past ten years or so I have read a number of action adventure stories that, although they have been (cliché time again) exciting, fun-filled, white-knuckle rides, this has been at the cost of good character development and ultimately they have left me feeling a little cheated, as to really enjoy a scene where your main character is at risk of losing their life you have to genuinely care about that character. When this is the case your pulse accelerates, you get that butterflies-in-stomach feeling, and you really start to worry about the dangers faced by that character...... at least I do anyway and I am sure I am not alone in this. Technically, Money Run has two main characters, Ash and Benjamin, but in this story at least, Ash is very much the main focus, and I was not long into the book before I was reading each page as fast as I could to find out what she would do next.

To say any more about the plot than that which is already written in the publisher's blurb would be to ruin the story for you. It would be like showing all the best bits in a movie trailer and leaving no surprises when you finally come to watch the film itself. However, to put it simply, Ash is a thief and Benjamin is the technical wizard who plans with her and supports her whilst she is in the field, and together they make a formidable team. In Money Run the pair set out to steal a whopping great $200 million dollars from a billionaire businessman, but very quickly find themselves very much out of their depth as Ash finds herself dodging multiple assassins, the police and the machinations of the very same billionaire they intended to relieve of his cash. I remember watching the very first season of 24, and how I realised after the first few episodes that I would never really know what was going to happen next, and guessing would be a pointless exercise. Although whilst reading Money Run I did find myself correctly guessing a few of the plot twists, there were many that I didn't see coming, the biggest of which comes right at the very end of the book.

Money Run has its weaknesses but it is so much fun that it is very easy to ignore these and enjoy the ride, although and you will need to suspend your disbelief at times. As I closed this book I genuinely felt that the couple of hours I had spent reading it were well spent and I felt nothing but excitement at the prospect of a sequel and the potential for even more exciting stories beyond that. show less

Whoa…what did I just read? Before I start my blab, first things first. This is a well written & gripping crime/suspense story with a compelling MC. But…it’s not for the squeably. Seriously. Ok, we’re going in.

Timothy Blake is not your typical FBI consultant. He has little education, lives with a paranoid drug dealer & has about $5 to his name. Years ago he had a run-in with a cop named Peter Luzhin that left a lasting impression on both of them. Luzhin is now director of the FBI show more office in Houston & when a case can’t be cracked, he calls Blake. A successful resolution means Blake gets paid with the only kind of currency he wants.

It all begins with a missing teenage boy. There are plenty of red herrings & inconsistencies but eventually Blake is sure he’s got it sussed. Besides, he really needs to collect his fee. Unfortunately it’s not that simple & Blake is soon caught in a complex web designed by a devious & intelligent killer. Being partnered with a new handler is not helping. Special Agent Reese Thistle is not thrilled about her new assignment, either. She doesn’t understand why Luzhin has brought in this odd outsider who looks likes a homeless guy. But then she sees him work.

Blake is a master at solving puzzles. His sharp, analytical mind notices the tiny details everyone else has missed. Anything out of place, something missing & all the little facial tics & vocal tells that make up a lie. Initially you wonder how this brilliant guy ended up in such dire straits. But through flashbacks interspersed with the story we get the 411 on Blake’s childhood & begin to piece together how the little boy became this man.

The investigative aspect of the story is fast paced & layered, But what really kept me reading was Blake. And believe me, given his proclivities, that’s no small feat. He’s smart, complicated & dryly funny. His history & present circumstances are heartbreaking at times. Then reality would come crashing in & I’d be utterly repelled by his behaviour. No matter what you end up thinking about him, you have to be impressed by the author’s ability to make you feel such polarized emotions so keenly.

So there you have it. It won’t be for everyone & no doubt there will be lots of chatter about this one. My best advice if you’re thinking of cracking the cover is choose a brightly lit room, take your heart medication & maybe keep a wee beverage nearby. You’ll probably need it. show less

Australian writer Jack Heath is an established YA author living in Canberra and Hangman is his first adult novel in my new favourite series featuring anti-hero Tim Blake. Blake is a despicable investigator contracted to the FBI as a last resort to solve crimes other FBI agents cannot. A psychopath with a dark secret, Blake's assistance comes with a steep price.

Recipe for Hangman by Jack Heath
Step 1. Take the pace of any James Patterson or Matthew Reilly novel.
Step 2. Add a gruesome yet show more likeable protagonist; like Dexter from Jeff Lindsay.
Step 3. Make him an anti-hero you can root for like Joe from You by Caroline Kepnes but without the sex.
Step 4. Add a measure of cannibalism from The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.
Step 5. Combine with the shock factor of Stephen King's writing.
Step 6. Bake for 376 pages and your novel will be ready.
Step 7. Consume Hangman in as few sittings as possible.
Step 8. Enjoy every morsel.

Reading Hangman was a guilty pleasure and I found myself getting behind Blake and hoping things turned out in his favour despite his proclivities. It isn't for the squeamish though, so if you can't handle a little gore this fast-paced crime thriller isn't for you.

Jack Heath has created an extraordinary and original character in Timothy Blake, and I can't wait to read his next book. Hangman has already been optioned for television by the ABC in USA so I'll be keeping an eye out for that too. Highly recommended!

* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin * show less

Kill Your Husbands is about three couples who rent a luxury house for a weekend which ends in murder. This is a follow up to Kill Your Brother which I have not read and can safely say you don't need to to enjoy it.

This novel was so fun and suspenseful and kept me guessing right up to the last chapter. There were so many twists and revelations mixed with brutal truths about manipulation and the control others can exact on you.

I enjoyed this book so much I am looking forward to reading some show more of his other books. Jack Heath also writes Junior Fiction books which also look like fun and interesting reads. show less