London in a heatwave. As Carolina Carrasco tails a woman for a wealthy client, it seems she’s servicing the whims of a lovesick billionaire
Until she stops an attack on her subject and is plunged into a savage personal war.
Now a target, Carolina races from Oslo to the Dalmatian Coast, battling a lethal crime network as the game of possession and revenge blazes towards its shattering climax and the time left to save herself runs down.
I'm delighted to be sharing my review of Blood Stone today, many thanks to James Easton for sending me a digital copy of his book.
I've been looking forward to reading Blood Stone, the second book in James Easton's Carolina Carrasco series; when I reviewed the first novel, Snow Rush, I observed that there is endless scope for the main character to demonstrate her considerable skills on the international stage. James Easton proves me right here, moving the action from the snow-covered peaks of the French Alps to the sun-drenched Dalmatian Coast. With scenes in London and Oslo too, this is already shaping up to be a series where the location is as unpredictable as the dramatic storylines.
A brief but intriguing prologue set in New York immediately makes it clear that there are people making dangerous plans but who they are and what their aims are don't come to light until a little later in the book. Following this, the storyline moves to London where Carolina Carrasco is on a two week break. Even on holiday, trouble seems to find her but her professionalism is never in doubt and she handles what would obviously be a traumatic situation with quiet confidence. Shortly after this, she is pleased to be offered work which cuts short her holiday and is hired to tail former tennis pro, Kat Varga but before long, she begins to understand just how perilous her life is about to become.
Carolina is a fantastic protagonist; formerly in the army and Spanish police, she is now working in private security. As a result of her extensive experience, she is highly skilled and endlessly resourceful, despite being relatively young – and consequently her abilities are in demand. She may be a young woman but she more than holds her own against her male adversaries, facing a number of tense and dangerous challenges in this fast-paced action thriller. However, she isn't merely an instinctive killing machine and I love that she is supremely proficient but remains believable throughout. There's a vulnerability to her, she seems to be quite a lonely figure at times and it does appear that she holds something of herself back, but she has to form an alliance here and I'm interested to see what this means for her in the future.
There are several bruising encounters in Blood Stone and a lot of blood is spilled as Carolina is tested to her physical and emotional limits. She becomes mixed up in a brutal war of retribution against a chillingly successful gangster whose tight control over his network of criminals and corrupt officials means he is constantly able to stay one step ahead of his enemies. He is such a well-written character; ruthlessly perceptive and capable of shocking violence, he's an intimidating figure and is undeniably fascinating.
Meanwhile, there are a number of other characters who also have important roles to play in this dynamic, complex plot involving a rare precious stone. The most compelling being Novak, a man with a past that seems to have left him with a death wish, and Kat Varga whose intentions are never obvious and who is brilliantly ambiguous right up until the breathtakingly exciting climax.
The Dalmatian coastline is used to great effect and the sense of place is excellent throughout, with heart-pounding scenes taking place on sea as well as land. The exploration of possession, obsession and revenge is a heady mix in Blood Stone and the result is a fast-moving, gripping thrill ride with real depth. I thoroughly recommend it and look forward to seeing where James Easton takes Carolina Carrasco next.
Blood Stone can be purchased from Amazon UK and Amazon US and is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
About the Author
He lives in London with his family. James welcomes interaction with readers and can be contacted at james@jameseastonbooks.com
He is currently writing the third Carolina Carrasco story.
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