Hi all:
As you know on Fridays I bring you new books. This one I’d had on my list to share for a while, but I was determined to read it and include the review in the post too. And finally, its turn has come. Today I share a fascinating book:
“Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul But I do love thee! And when I love thee not Chaos is come again.” Sean hears voices in his head. Travis snorts cocaine. Teagan thinks she’s the next Lady Gaga. Avery has the boss from Hell, and a mother with dementia. And Goose wants to catch a serial killer. ‘Chaos Is Come Again’ is a psychological suspense, a mystery and a love story, loaded with irreverent humour and viewed through the lens of obsession. WARNING: Contains references to Judas Iscariot, a dwarf, and a performing monkey.
I think the description will probably give you a fair idea of what’s to come, but here is my take on the matter:
The publishing business, murders and madness
I have read and love the three books (so far) in the series Time, Blood and Karma by John Dolan. I know Fiona Quinn from her fantastic blog (I recommend it to anybody interested in writing thrillers. I had the pleasure of being one of her guests). And I was very intrigued by their collaboration. If any more encouragement were needed, the reviews were great too.
I had read interviews about the process involved in writing the novel and I wondered how it would have worked in reality, as it sounded fairly complicated.
Given all that I had been looking forward with trepidation to reading the novel and it did not disappoint.
The novel is seamless. I could not pick up parts that I fell were more likely to have been written by either author (I might have my theories, but nothing stood out), and once I got into the story that was no longer important.
The novel has two main protagonists: Sean, a young Englishman, a barista diagnosed with schizophrenia and with a violent incident in his past that weights heavy in his mind (although we’re never given any details), and Avery, an American woman, a literary agent burdened with a mother suffering from dementia, and whose difficulties provide at times light entertainment and at others add poignancy to the proceedings.
The two storylines: life in the literary world, a woman’s point of view, friends and chocolate cakes; and London’s gritty life, anxiety and self-doubt, together with a writer with a penchant for scandal (some would say blasphemous), an aspiring poet/singer and girlfriend with no evident redeeming qualities, and a mysterious serial killer, create as many plot threads as any eager reader would wish for (possibly even more).
Social media (Twitter in particular) helps bring the two protagonists together and reels us into a thriller/romance, with a disquietingly open ending.
It’s dynamic, flows well although the rhythm varies according to whose point of view we’re seeing the story from, and with its mixture of characters and likable central duo it’s difficult not to find somebody to root for.
This is a book for readers who like to explore outside established genres and don’t mind open endings. I’m not sure die-hard thriller fans would approve but writers will have a chuckle. I did.
Here is where you can get it:
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Come-Again-John-Dolan/dp/0957325665/
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Chaos-Come-Again-John-Dolan-ebook/dp/B00OSP0AGW/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chaos-Come-Again-John-Dolan-ebook/dp/B00OSP0AGW/
Thanks to John and Fiona for their book, thanks to all of you for reading, and you know the drill, if you’ve enjoyed it, like, share, comment, and above all, read and review!
32 replies on “New book and review. Chaos Is Come Again by John Dolan and Fiona Quinn.”
What an intriguing review! And just when I thought my ‘to read” list was beginning to dwindle! Good job I love reading. Thanks, Olga.
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Thanks so much. As soon as I heard about the project I was intrigued but it took me longer to get to it than I anticipated (yes, long reading lists…). Ah, if you haven’t checked John Dolan’s previous series and you like thrillers (with an exotic touch) I truly recommend it. I’ve heard the next one is a bit delayed but they are well worth waiting for, and maybe in the meantime I’ll have time to catch up on some more reading. Although Fiona Quinn’s new book is being published in the next couple of weeks, I think, so there’s no rest for the reader! Thanks for the comment and I hope you have a lovely reading weekend. 🙂
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Another to add to my list….oh for endless time, sitting by a lake, reading:) Have a beautiful weekend. Janet.x
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Thanks Janet. I agree with you. That sounds like paradise. Have a magical weekend, Janet.
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A never ending supply of books happening here Olga. Flying monkeys? Love it.
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Thanks Laurie. Yes, the description sets the tone for the whole book…:)
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Great post. It’s a fantatsic book and now I want to read it again! 🙂
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I know what you mean, Christoph. Although I think Fiona’s book is out on the 16th or so… You always find incredible gems…:)
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Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Another spot on review by Olga Nunez Miret on her blog Just Olga.. Chaos is come again by John dolan and Fiona Quinn.
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Thanks Sally!
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Thanks for the introduction Olga. I’m off to check out Fiona Quinn’s blog!
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Thanks Noelle. I remember quite an interesting series on how to escape from the boot of a car…
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The book sounds great Olga. I have it on my list to read. Thanks for the introduction too! ❤
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Thanks Colleen. Fiona’s blog is a great resource for all crime thriller writers and I love John’s books. I’m thinking about sharing the review in Lit World Interviews to make sure it gets to a fair amount of people.
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Please do. Great choice. 😊
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I will then. Thanks Colleen! And I’m very pleased to read that you’re going to go ahead and start writing the swamp fairy stories…
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Thanks Olga. I am conquering my fear, as we speak. 💖
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It’s quite different to writing for a blog (you don’t get the immediate feedback) but it also allows you to explore and go further. And hopefully you’ll share some bits of the process… Best of luck and keep going!
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Thank you Olga. You are on my list to read it and offer your advice. This is my first book, so I need lots of advice. 💖
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Count on me! Judging by the posts you’ve written so far I’m sure I’ll enjoy it!
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The title is a grabber. I’ll come back and read again when I’m better able to absorb things. Hugs.
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LOL, hold on a minute… No meat dresses or big eggs, etc for this Teagan. 🙂
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I hope you’re feeling better Teagan. Oh, yes, I did notice the name thing. Thankfully you’re nothing like that Teagan…:)
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Like you, have read all of JD’s books – and this one with Fiona… Loved them all: great talents, these two authors. It matters not, I know, but EVERYONE BURNS was my first of John’s to read, and I still THINK it is my favorite…but admittedly tough to choose a favorite of the three! Very good review, Olga. All good wishes.
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Thanks Billy Ray. I’m not sure which one I liked best of John’s books. I felt with ‘Everyone Burns’ that I wanted to know more about the characters, especially the main character. (I guess as much as I love adventures and complex plots, at heart I’m a characters’ reader and it might be partly professional deformation, but the more flawed and complex the character, the more interested I am). And the UK background in ‘A Poison Tree’ plus the references to ‘Strangers in a Train’ did make my day (also I found it a very interesting exercise on seeing how much or how little I had guessed about the background of the character). And in ‘Hungry Ghosts’ I thought the plot couldn’t get much better either. And of course, it left us with a big question…Have a lovely weekend.
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After your excellent review, I am fascinated with the story. 🙂 ❤
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Considering the authors started writing it after exchanging messages in Twitter, it makes my mind spin…I’m sure you’d enjoy it, Tess! And happy weekend!
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Amazing people accomplishing amazing things. ❤
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Happy new week, Tess!
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To you as well, Olga. ❤
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Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
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[…] story related to it, and a collaboration between the author and Fiona Quinn (Chaos Is Come Again. See review here) and I was eager to read this one. When I reviewed the third novel in the series A Poison Tree in […]
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