Book Review: Voices by David Shaw

I’m not one for the supernatural. I find all things ghostly a tad far-fetched and unbelievable. For this reason I’ve never read a supernatural type book because I just didn’t think I could enjoy one. Oh how wrong I was! I received Voices by David Shaw from the publisher and was a more than a little sceptical about it but thought I’d give it a go anyone (I’m not one to turn down a free book!).

The story begins with a bomb explosion in a school canteen which kills or maims everyone in the vicinity. Chris Deacon, an IT teacher is one of the few survivors, but things totally change for him after he wakes from his coma; he is no longer able to speak or hear and he sees frightening apparitions that seem to want him to do something.

I really enjoyed the book, it was full of twists and turns and I genuinely was gripped from beginning to end. I really wasn’t sure if I would enjoy the supernatural aspect of it, but I found that it wasn’t too far-fetched in the grand scheme of things and that Shaw actually uses this to make the story make sense.

The characters are very well written and the main protagonist is likeable and believable, despite his tendency to see and hear things that most others can’t. I think this is David Shaw’s key success in the story because if he hadn’t made the main character believable, the whole story would have just been rubbish. As it is, I actually found myself understanding the situation and believing it to be the truth - very bizarre!

Book Review: Dead End Deal By Allen Wyler

I have to be honest, I had never heard of Allen Wyler before I was sent this book to review, but after reading it, I think it is safe to say that I am a fan. Dead End Deal is a sort of medical science based thriller and, although I am not a fan of medical related things in general, I loved this book.

The story focusses on Jon Ritter who is a scientist on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s. Suddenly the research is slated and Ritter’s mentor is killed. Ritter himself is threatened by an anti-abortion group who promise more of the same if he continues his research. Ritter must decide whether the risk is great enough to give up the thing that has been dominating his life for the last 10 years . . .

Allen Wyler is a well-respected former neurosurgeon and this shows in the story of the book, but it isn’t overly detailed and tiresome for the layman (me!). When I first read the blurb of the book and the author’s ‘About Me’, I was a bit worried that it would be too technical for me, but this is not the case at all. Wyler does an excellent job of simplifying things enough that someone without experience in the field can understand and enjoy the story, but not so much that it doesn’t feel authentic.