As an avid reader, I’ve embarked on a bookish adventure this year with the A to Z Reading Challenge and today I am focussing on books whose titles commence with the letter ‘C.’ I aim to bring a comprehensive list of books together that start with the letter C as I continue to read throughout the year, so please book mark this page and come back time and time again to see what I have added. Join me as I bring together some amazing books with captivating stories, compelling characters, and remarkable narratives. Let’s explore these noteworthy books that have left a lasting impact on my reading journey this year.
Title: Conflicting Loyalties
Format: Â E Book provided by the ESI Network in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 5***** I loved it and highly recommend
About Book: Aiden Gabor was still a teenager when Department of Justice agents approached him with an ultimatum: spend his life in prison for racketeering, embezzlement, extortion, and conspiracy to commit murder, or become an undercover agent. Conflicting Loyalties is a sharp, honest memoir in three parts: the bloody life of a mob soldier from outside la famiglia; the death-defying, paranoid existence of an informant bringing down corrupt politicians and police departments from the inside; and unexpectedly finding peace late in life through the Baha’i faith while coping with an ALS diagnosis. Conflicting Loyalties is a visceral tale of a man who gambles with his own life in order to save it, dodging his fate while searching for an identity, a father, and a family. It is for readers of Gianni Russo’s Hollywood Godfather, Joe Pistone’s classic Donnie Brasco, and anyone interested in mob life, police and political corruption, and finding peace after a life of violence.
My Thoughts: Conflicting Loyalties by Aiden Gabor is a memoir of a double life as a Mafia enforcer and a Department of Justice informant. The book starts off when Aiden is young and gets pulled into the darker side of life which hooks you in right from the very beginning. The writing is excellent and the prose flows so well, I didn’t want to put the book down so much so that I read it in two sittings.
What makes this book so powerful is the fact that the book is a raw, honest look at the life of an informant through the eyes of Aiden himself. It oozes with fear from both sides of the fence and shows the consequences he faces emotionally as well as physically. I could feel the sadness from Aiden caught in this ever-spiralling trap.
I did think that some of the chapters were slightly long, but that did not detract from the overall story being told.
Gabor’s prose is elegant even in a world of death and corruption painting a vivid picture of life as an informant and one I thoroughly recommend if you love reading about real life.
Series: DI Ziggy Thornes series book 4 of 4
Star Rating: 4 **** I liked it a lot and recommend
About Book: It’s 1989 – the so-called Second Summer of Love
The days are endlessly hot, and ravers are riding on a hedonistic wave of Acid House and MDMA. It’s the biggest youth movement since the 60’s and it’s out of control. Rave organisers mix with underworld gangsters who don’t care about the devastating consequences. But when ravers start dying, undercover cops are sent to infiltrate the chaotic, deadly scene. Little did anyone know that their actions in those heady days would come back to haunt them nearly a decade later. Was it really the Second Summer of Love, or a deadly Summer of Death? And can the instigators be caught twice?
My Thoughts: Catch Me twice by Catherine Yaffe is a crime thriller and the 4th book in the DI Ziggy Thornes series but can be read as a standalone. The book hooks you in right from the start with the story showing a moment in time in the late 80’s where raves were rife but so was the dark side of crime. Yaffe’s writing shows interesting characters with flaws, although they could have been developed further, but I wonder if I had read the first three books, I may have picked up a little more. The story has its surprising moments which unfold and kept me guessing until the end.
The book is a true blend of 80’s nostalgia albeit form the seedier side of life, with suspense that will appeal to you if you love crime and a bit of history thrown in.
Genre: Science Fiction Thriller Mystery
Star Rating: 4**** I liked it a lot and recommend
About Book: Just as Jayden Amare Fox’s quiet life on an East London estate looks to be steadily improving, things take a sudden dark and violent turn. Consumed by pain and obsessed with vengeance, his path crosses with that of an infamous hacker, wanted internationally for the crimes he is accused of.
What begins as a manhunt uncovers conspiracies of corruption and greed, and the consequences of playing god.
When a formidable common enemy emerges, secrets of a mysterious past that Jay has unknowingly been carrying his whole life are both a gift and a curse. The body count rises as the pair are forced to make sacrifices in a desperate attempt to save the little of what remains.
My Thoughts: Catalyst by Cameron Phoenix is a blood thirsty thriller told in the third person, which is a little unusual for me. The book is about Jaydon Fox whose life changes overnight in ways that are totally unexplained. There is a lot of blood thirsty, vengeful fighting right from the start of the book with a variety of separate attacks going on, with each of them intertwined. This book is about one mans retribution.
I did wonder at the beginning how some of the events could even have happened. However, I hadn’t realised from the blurb that this book is down as a science fiction book and as the story unfolds the events start to make sense and becomes a thrilling ride in every sense with new twists and revelations coming at speed.
I found Catalyst a compelling and intense read that I think will satisfy not only Science Fiction fans but fans of thriller and suspense. Cameron Phoenix has crafted a story that not only entertains but also provoked thoughts about justice and the lengths to which individuals will go to uncover the truth or to avenge what they care about. If you want a book that combines high stakes with intricate conspiracies, then this book is for you.
Title: The Croaking Raven
Series: Shakespeare Murders
Publisher: Bullington Press
Star Rating: 4**** I liked it a lot and recommend
About Book: The Croaking Raven draws DC Toby Marlowe and DS Fred Williams into the dark world of Hamlet, not on the stage but on the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon. Oliver Lawrence has returned and he’s looking for revenge.
My Thoughts: The Croaking raven by Guy Hale is a crime book based in the 70’s, a period I love. I really enjoyed the characters DS Fred Williams and DC Toby Marlowe, although unorthodox and clearly of its time, I enjoyed Fields humour, most of which I don’t think would be allowed today. The relationship felt real, and Toby fitted in well. I love history, so the Shakespearean element fitted in well for me. The story switched from the police point of view to the killer’s point of view of which I think made the story all the more interesting. Some of the chapters were short which gave an intensity to the story. I also enjoyed the play on words which mad me chuckle. I liked the structure of the story where the reader knows who the murderer is and their motives, while the police work to unravel the identity of the criminal from the opposing side which made a compelling tension as I was privy to the murderer’s identity that fostered a sense of anticipation, suspense and foreboding. I did however think the story stopped short with the ending, but I guess I will have to wait for the next book.
In conclusion a crime book set in the 70’s clearly of its time with tongue in cheek humour and a premise where you know whodunnit and great for those of you who lover the period, crime, suspense and a little humour thrown in.
Title: The Company She Keeps
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Format: paperback supplied by Love Books Tours in return for an honest review
Star Rating: 4**** I liked it a lot and recommend
About Book: 1979. Leading businesswoman Rebecca is struggling to build healthy relationships. Her on off partner is a philandering police officer, part of the team chasing the Yorkshire Ripper who’s striking terror across the county. Then Rebecca meets Larry, the charming American, with a troubled past. And then of course there’s Mervyn, the creepy journalist who’s desperate for a girlfriend and willing to do anything to keep her in his life. With three very different men craving her attention, and a serial killer on the loose, Rebecca finds herself in a twisted game of cat and mouse. But what do these men really want from her? Can any of them be trusted? And could one of them in fact be a cold-blooded killer?
My Thoughts: The Company She Keeps by James Woolf is a psychological thriller based in the late 70’s when the Yorkshire Ripper was prolific.
The book is methodical and weaves the murders from the Yorkshire Ripper with the life of Rebecca and whom she meets and knows. The book leaves you wondering who to trust and has some twists and turns along the way, with the tension building for the main protagonist, not knowing who to trust.
Although, I remember the time period I am not from Yorkshire so it is difficult for me to know how I would react but the book moved through stages of fear and being blasé about the women going out in the evening during these times and it felt believable.
The book is a slower pace than expected with a psychological thriller but that didn’t deter from the story line which was intense in places
There was a point in the book that I was not convinced would have happened, but in conclusion a methodical plot with twists and turns that keeps you enthralled and if you like a softer psychological thriller then this book is for you.
 Conclusion: Embark on a Literary Adventure with Books Beginning with C
From the deepest realms of Psychological Thrillers to the true crimes of the past and present, these captivating books beginning with the letter ‘C’ offer a diverse and enriching reading experience. Whether you’re seeking adventure, or introspection, these titles have something for every reader. Let these stories ignite your imagination, stir your emotions, and inspire your next reading adventure.
So, dear reader and book enthusiasts, which of these captivating ‘C’ books will you add to your reading list next? Let the magic of literature take you on a journey beyond imagination and discover the profound impact that a well-crafted story can have on your mind and soul.
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