Dual plot story which pits a police man and ex-soldier against each other. (The Murder Exchange - Simon Kernick)

Member Name: Jeffandk8

Product:	The Murder Exchange - Simon Kernick
Date:	19/02/09 (15 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of attention to detail and great dual plot.

Disadvantages: Some bits are not needed in the story and do not add anything.

I started reading Kernicks books by picking up Relentless at Tesco for about £3.50. Since that book I have ben hooked by Kernick and his grusome and detailed narrative.

The book is based upon two main charaters, Max Iversson, an exsoldier who runs his own business as a security / bodyguard service and DS John Gallen, a policeman working in the same station as Dennis Milne, a policeman gone bad from other Kernick books.

The story is told from both charaters views with the heading for each chapter telling you who you are reading about, which was a great help at times but not strictly neccessary.

Iversson is asked by a contact to provide backup and support for a dodgy club owner, Roy Fowler. He then sets up a small team which will support a deal that Fowler has to do. Suddenly the deal goes bad very quickly and Iversson ends up on the run. Finding himself deep in a world that he wishes he was never part of Iversson, a man who seeks revenge and justice, takes on London's biggest crime gang.

At the same time Gallen is trying to solve a variety of problems starting with the death of a local doorman. The leads he gets from this take him further and further toward the very same crime gang that Iversson is involved in. Each death seems to link to others in the gang until Iversson and Gallen become very much involved in the same thing.

There are some great narrative sections and Kernick's attention to detail (similar to the style of the child author, Anthony Horowitz). Kernick loves to research every last detail to ensure that what he writes is either accurate or as close as possible within the realms of fiction. He draws upon many contacts in the police and other professions to do this.

I love his style and his attention to detail. If you want a large jigsaw style book where all the pieces suddenly join up and make sense then give this a go. Although other books by Kernick are slightly better. you won't be disappointed.

Summary: Great book but not the best in the series. Worth a look though.