The Murder Exchange

First off let me just point out you can buy this novel with Kernick's sensational debut novel - The Business of Dying, under the title Die Twice: Two Crime Novels in One The Business of Dying and The Murder Exchange. There's only a two page foreword by Lee Child which is clearly not originally written for Die Twice anyway so if buying them separately is cheaper, you're not missing out on anything. Anyway The Murder Exchange is a very enjoyable novel but it's not quite up to the standard of his first or later work. The novel is divided into two through the eyes of the character storylines. One of the two main characters, Detective Gallan, is a bit boring personality wise and he's a bit old to get up to much action wise either. Plus for fans of the Business of Dying he is very critical of that novel's main character which doesn't make you like him anymore. The two parallel storylines which cross at different times in the story. Detective Gallan is investigating a homicide when he sees the bullet ridden vehicle being driven by the other main character ex army now security provider max Iversson. Iversson is a much more likeable and interesting character. His tale begins with providing security for a bar owner who says he's being forced to sell and needs some muscle with him to ensure he actually gets given the money. Unfortunately everything goes wrong and having been seen by Gallen before hiding his vehicle he's now on the most wanted list. Iversson doesn't like being set up either so he's also out for vengeance before going overseas until things die down, even if that does mean going up against the biggest and most ruthless crime family in the UK.

Former veterans, Max Iversson and Joe Riggs own and operate Tiger Solutions, a security protection firm that provides bodyguards. Thus, when nightclub owner Roy Fowler wants to hire them, Max ignores his internal gut warning system that shouts at him that this guy is trouble and accepts the business because that is what they do for a living and the fee is terrific. Roy needs Max to protect him during a dangerous business deal. Taking along two of his better operative (Tony and Eric), Max accompanies Roy to the isolated rendezvous. While, Max checks the joint out, Tony kills first Roy and then Eric, but Max kills Tony. Max flees with Roy's attaché case only to later find it empty. Detective Sergeant Gallan investigates the murder of a drug dealer who worked security in Fowler's club. However, the persistency begins to pay off when Gallan finds several interesting threads that have nothing to do with the homicide investigation. He comes across a tie between Fowler and the Holtz mob and one to Max. Digging deeper, Gallan has no idea where these clues will take him, but he suspects that he will learn that Max operates on the wrong side of the law. THE MURDER EXCHANGE is a wonderful crime thriller that contains a solid police procedural. The story line, for the most part, rotates first-person perspectives between Iversson and Gallan so that the audience can see what each man is thinking, which at times focuses on the same incident. Though some twists seem too extraordinary, readers will enjoy this strong tale carried off by the sardonic wit of the two lead antagonists. Harriet Klausner

This is a cleverly told thriller coming from a first person perspective, but it's a little bit different than usual because the perspective alternates between two characters. This is achieved by changing perspective from chapter to chapter with the title of the chapter given to the character doing the talking. It's also following a timeline that counts down to a zero hour scenario that gives the feeling of building to a tremendous crescendo. It's very effective.The two men telling the story are Max Iversson and John Gallan. Max Iversson is a former soldier, first with the army and then as a mercenary who now works as a personal bodyguard. He finds himself wanted by the police when a protection job goes horribly wrong. He realises he had been set up and wasn't supposed to have survived and now is desperate to find out who set him up and why, while still avoiding apprehension by the law. John Gallan is that law, working as a Detective Sergeant in CID; he is trying to investigate an unrelated murder when Iversson's name and business begin popping up throughout the investigation.Mixed into the story and the lives of the two protagonists is an organised rime family, the Holtz family, and as with most stories involving organised crime, drugs, prostitutes and violence make their appearance. Iversson is pretty sure that it was the Holtz family that was involved in the set up, so he's trying to find out why, as well as working out a way to get some sort of revenge. Gallan is pretty sure the Holtz family was somehow involved in the murder that he is working on and so he begins to tangle with them. The Holtz family is known to be ruthless towards anyone who crosses them no matter who they are, setting up a tremendous showdown as it becomes obvious that they're all going to meet somehow. The results are not going to be pretty.I like my thrillers to come with a fast-paced storyline carrying plenty of action sequences, which usually equates to full on violence. This book certainly fills that bill. The bad guys are ruthless, so are some of the good guys providing a no-holds-barred battle to the death. It's a terrific follow-up to Kernick's first book, The Business of Dying, with a character or two making a return appearance here.