Knife edge by Simon Mayo is certainly a fast paced, disturbing intrigue. Plenty of action, betrayal, duplicity and an undercurrent of loyalty and integrity. The characters are well developed and credible with their hopes and dreams, flaws and strengths. I loved getting to know Famie, Sam and Tommi. Was Sophie to be trusted? Was Don Hardin involved? I loved that everything was connected together and the loose ends tied up yet a sequel is entirely possible. This would make a great Sunday evening tv drama series. Loved it

Welcome to current day London on the start of another working day. WHAM! This novel gets off to a frightening start when 7 fatal stabbings take place within 29 minutes on busy London streets.

Knife Edge is the tale of terror that is suddenly unleashed on the capital. What is going on and why? All the hallmarks are there and the reader is forced to remember the tragedy of 7/7.

The central character of this novel is Famie Madden, a journalist working for IPS - International Press Service - as she will get to the very bottom of the 7 fatal stabbings that shocked both London and her workmates.

I found Knife Edge an entertaining and thought provoking read. Knife Edge got off to a dramatic start that asked many, many questions. As Famie progressed in her investigations, slowly details emerged that made the plot unravel. The initial excitement from the start of this novel started to fade as Famie got closer to the bad guys. Knife Edge could not sustain the initial shock to the reader as it became a regular investigative journalist seeks the truth.

I liked how Simon did his research into rebel groups as far back as the late 1960’s. This historical perspective added so much realism to Knife Edge. All these past terrorist groups that have fizzled out, haunted the reader as they read through this story. I remembered these groups just as much as hit music records of the time.

I also liked how Simon repeated phrases that became slogans for the reader to embrace. These phrases remained in my head long after I had finished reading this novel. Remember how people used to scorn car manufacturer abbreviations? BMW became Black Man’s Wheels and GTI became Great Turd Inside, well Simon made up BPW which female readers will find amusing. To any of my workmates reading this review, BPW did NOT refer to Bristol Parkway railway station. Simon’s most memorable phrase undoubtedly was “embrace the butcher” and has nothing to do with vegans!

I enjoyed how suspicion was made of the characters and their motives. I liked how the psychology of terror was explored and the explanation of Collins and Hari’s 16 minutes of fun in a Coventry car park.

We are so used to modern crime/mystery/thrillers involving characters using smartphones and the internet. It was refreshing that Knife Edge involved old school, off the grid information sharing like newspapers, typewriters and writing paper. (Remember those!)

Simon Mayo is well known as a successful English radio presenter and I found Knife Edge a GOOD read that gets 4 stars from me. Knife Edge got off to a terrific start but faded into a steady trawl through clues to the conclusion. I found Knife Edge an entertaining read that was above average but there are better books out there.

The opening of Mayo's novel is compelling. I held my breath as the deaths unfolded against an incredibly well drawn London morning. And this compulsion to read continued for perhaps half of the story.
As a contemporary novel, this captures an era of covert rebellion, mindless hatred and calculated violence. Reflect this through the lens of journalists and the outcome is potentially superb.
The central journalist interprets messages from a young student who has infiltrated a cell which is ntent on a second attack. The attack is only days away so the need to find out where the attack will take place is critical.
The plot races along, alternating between the student and the journalist as they draw closer together.
There is a point, however, where the novel drifts into a kind of farce and it becomes harder to take it seriously. The sinister tone is replaced by a protective layer around the key characters and the denouement, shocking as it is, loses impact. The villains seem like fools, their mission without substance. And Mayo unpacks the resolution in unnecessary detail.
This is worth reading for the opening pages alone, but ironing out the need to protect the characters would make it worthwhile as a whole.

#KnifeEdge #NetGalley Hmmm. This started as a nail biting thriller and I thought that I was going to not be able to put it down. But then it got a bit drawn out, particularly in the middle with a lot of repetition and not as much action and it took me a while to finish - persevering actually, which is not usually a good sign for me. Whilst the ending certainly had plenty of action, it seemed quite far fetched and not plausible and I found myself not really feeling satisfied when the bool ended. A bit meh. Which is a shame because if the rest of the book could have continued as did the beginning I think I would have really enjoyed it.

The book is well written and the start is gripping but for me it began to flag in the middle. From reading other reviews I understand that it picks up and the ending is good but I wasn’t engaged enough to finish it.

Journalists are meant to report the news, not to be part of it. They aren’t usually the story but after seven murders in one shocking calculated attack, Famie Madden is about to discover that she is front & centre in this tragic event. Her colleagues seem to be the focus of a terror campaign but Famie must unravel the inconsistencies to find the truth while avoiding being the next target.

This is a masterful thriller with brutal events & attitudes that are expertly twisted around a mystery. I loved the simmering tensions throughout the novel and the chapters from Hari’s point of view were gut-wrenching. The changing voices of the story added extra depth to the frantic pace while teasing the reader with the direction of the story. It was expertly done.

Something darker from the ‘nicest man in radio’ that doesn’t just pique your interest, it grabs you by the collar and drags you into the drama and keeps you on the edge of your seat til the very end.

I also adored the small reference to The Princess Bride as well. That made me smile so much.

Not the best book I have read personally but overall it was a well written, well developed story with good characters but for me it wasn't an edge of seat thriller but a good read throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
Being familiar with the author from his days on radio, I was very much looking forward to getting to grips with his debut publication particularly as it was in a genre that I love.
Not quite sure what is was about the book that failed to grab me and ignite the fire to find out what happened but this was all a little bit of a tedious read for me.
Although I stuck with it right to the end, it didn't really do it for me and was all a little bit "meh"

I loved "Mad Blood Stirring" and thought that the author might have found a niche in historical fiction so I was surprised to find that his next book was a contemporary thriller.

But thrill he most certainly does as the action is breathless and constant and the plot credible and totally in tune with what is happening on our streets.

An exceptionally well written thriller which is totally recommended.

This book starts off with all the promise of a rip roaring thriller, but then becomes a bit of a plod through the chapters. The journalist Famie Madden, is a well rounded character as the ubiquitous feisty, larger than life central female. However there are too many coincidences and double jeopardy situations , in some cases triple jeopardy as the narrative progresses for it to be plausible.
This is my main issue with this story, it had all the makings of a great story, but got too far fetched as it went on.
The ending was just ridiculously unbelievable, and came from left of field.
I’m sure many readers will enjoy this book, but it just didn’t work for me, sorry.
My thanks to the editor and Netgalley for my advance copy of this title.

Like most people I am used to the name Simon Mayo from his time as a radio presenter, so I am looking forward to reading this debut novel.

When I started to read this book I was a few minutes into a 50 minute journey by team, passing through Croydon. I mention this as it added a certain poignancy as I read the hectic, pacey and disturbing opening to this book.

This proved to be a reasonably enjoyable crime thriller which certainly explored some disturbing modern themes. I liked the fact that there are some interesting twists and turns in the story, with a few twists and turns along the way.

I found that the style of writing grew on me, enough to say that I will look out for future fiction by Simon Mayo.

I give my thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK (Doubleday) for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

WOW this had such a gripping and terrifying opener that I was hooked from the first page!!

It’s early morning in London, the city is busy with commuters going to work. Tragedy strikes when 7 murders are committed by 7 killers in an orchestrated attack, the victims are all journalists working for IPS the International Press Service.

Famie Madden also works for IPS and knows the victims well, she starts to receive cryptic messages and investigates, even if it puts herself and her daughters lives at risk.

This is an addictive fast paced thriller that had me guessing until the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

If I told you this modern-day London-based thriller involved seven separate people, all being knifed to death on the tube within the same half an hour, you would like as not think it all boils down to some Islamist terror plot. And you'd not be alone in that prediction – the book does the same long before it reveals whether that thought is right or not. But alongside that, we also see our strong heroine, a journalist who had been colleague to all the victims – and if it does all boil down to Islam, why, the implications for her and her family could be very strong indeed…

I know this is celebrity Simon Mayo's sixth book by now, and he should know enough about providing a good read, but there is surprisingly little of him in it. Yes, it's peppered with classical music as if he and his colleagues at a certain radio station would soundtrack the film adaptation, and yes the town of his alma mater features heavily, but he's got a fine story, and it's told convincingly. Whatever research he had to do in the press department he might actually have given us more – more detail and information about what our lead was doing, or was going to be doing on the interrupted shift the book opens with. But that's secondary to the plot, and how it shows itself to us and to the heroine.

And, as I said, the book soon evolves to be about what the whole case means for her, and this is done most deftly – she's not too naive or allowed to be meek victim, nor is she a superwoman, she just is. She however, in ways I cannot reveal, is not the only person with which we gain sympathy.

Where I think the book does fall down, however, is the fact that it is written by a celebrity, and that celebrity can't be seen to 'say' anything. The terrorists declaim that they will succeed because Britain is falling apart, built around a flimsy frame, but the mise en scene cannot show that. One belated, five word sentence, that suggests vigilantism, is the most politically charged corner of the whole piece, and even the big twisty reveals feel a little underwhelming. And that might be being generous – the final twist is presented in an almost anaemic way; it never convinced me that the full seven victims were doing the same single job; and the story revolved ultimately around too great, or certainly too many, circumstances. Still, I think there is enough for a three star diversion here – this is a day's entertainment few will object to.

Oh, and this is a rarity in that it is a book to feature its own in-built drinking game. Just have a tot every time gin is mentioned needlessly, and you'll be pie-eyed long before the conclusion.

I am familiar with Simon Mayo as a broadcaster but not as an author but I can honestly say that this book did not disappoint. Faced paced, brilliantly written, would definitely recommend to any thriller fans

I love Simon Mayo as a broadcaster but this was the first of his books that I'd read and was hoping I would love him as an author just as much...
Ultimately this is a solid UK-based thriller revolving around a pretty believable terror plot. With a fast paced start and a thrilling finish a four star rating from me overall - It went a little slow in the middle for my liking.

Many thanks for the ARC. I look forward to the next Simon Mayo book!

This is a very believable story with what goes on in today’s society. It was literally very close to home.

I liked the characters but did think some of the things they did were a tad far fetched, especially with today’s technology and the fact they could be traced. I kept saying “don’t do that” ... However, overall it was rather thrilling.

The book did dither a bit in the middle but it picked up again to an amazing crescendo, with a huge twist that I didn’t see coming.

My thanks to the author, the publishers and netgalley for the ARC.

This is quite a clever book. Seven violent murders take place in London at the same time one morning and all before seven o’clock. All of the victims are investigative journalists and this leaves their colleagues worried.

Famie Madden works as a journalist in the same company and she begins to investigate the killings which lead her to believe there may be more murders so her and others who work with her may still be in danger.

The beginning of the novel blew me away but I have to confess that the middle section slowed and left me skip reading some chapters, which is not like me.

The final chapters gathered pace again and over all this was a good read. It was so believable in parts and did leave me wondering about the presentation of some news stories.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK and Simon Mayo for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it didn’t disappoint. It had a thrilling start with seven journalists working for the same company being murdered at different London locations in less than an hour. Their friends and colleagues try to find out what they were working on and why they were murdered. I really enjoyed this book, it was a fast paced and held my attention from start to finish. The main character was very likeable and tenacious. There are lots of twists and turns in the story which I loved and a big reveal at the end that shocked me. A fab read. 4 stars

When 7 reporters from the IPS are stabbed in different places on their way to work in London fear sets in for their associates where they work. Some of them decide to hand in their notice before they meet the same end but no-one knows why. Then Fames , one of the reporters starts to get some strange anonymous message and while her and some friends try to put the facts together the truth starts to surface and the number of deaths rises.
I loved this book found it easy to follow with the characters coming to life and I found I cared what was happening to them as I turned the pages. I would highly recommend this read.

Loved this book! One morning on the daily commute, a team of investigative journalists are murdered. Their colleagues, including Famie try to get to the bottom of what they were investigating.
Can't recommend this book enough.