This is a fantastic thriller. I was aware of Simon’s fiction writing from his YA novels which my son loved, so I was interested to read his first adult novel. The book throws you into the premise with the violent murder of several journalists during the London rush hour, once you are hooked it really doesn’t let you go. He characters are well drawn, interesting and believable. Simon has the rare ability to write women characters well and it heartening that they largely drive the story. He manages to populate the book yet you see every character clearly without confusion. The terrorists aren’t cardboard cutouts either, while you can’t understand their motives or sympathise with them. The end of the book is a rollercoaster and the twist is a real shock, I really enjoyed it and, if time allowed, would have read it in one sitting.

To start with I didn't think I was going to like this book as it was not my usual genre but gradually the momentum gathered and I enjoyed it but I did skip a lot of the descriptions of different terrorist factions. Parts were edge of the seat but other parts dragged for me.

A most unusual story centred on an international news agency. In one day a whole team of investigative journalists were individually killed, each of them while on their to work. It seems to be a co-ordinated terrorist act as they were all knife attacks, but why and for what reason and who was behind it. Interesting but not an easy read as it drags in parts

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this Advanced Review Copy.

I’d never heard of Simon Mayo except as a British DJ before, so I had no preconceptions about this book. The cover and the description both intrigued me, so I requested a copy.

The storyline started out strong but soon fizzled, and by the middle it sagged a lot. I pushed through and kept going, and the last 20% picked up to a rip-roaring pace, which I enjoyed greatly. However, the ending was left quite open and dangling with many questions unresolved. I found the writing passive in the extreme and the book needs a solid edit. The narrative is full of telling rather than showing and every character has to know or feel or see or hear, instead of simply experiencing. This puts a block between the reader and the immediate action and spoils the pacing.

I found that I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, and not enough to care about them one way or the other.

Not a bad read, and on the whole set at a good pace. Though this one doesn’t make it onto my ‘re-read’ shelf, I would probably consider other books by this writer in the future.

I give this book 2.5 stars, as it sits somewhere between ‘It was good!’ and ‘I may have liked a few things’ (see my note on ratings below). I round this up to 3 stars for rating purposes.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.



5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.

4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.

3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.

2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.

1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for an advance copy of Knife Edge, a stand alone thriller set mostly in London.

On May 22 seven journalists are stabbed to death within thirty minutes in separate locations on their way to work. It is not long before Famie Madden and the rest of the newsroom at IPS learn that all the dead were part of IPS’s investigation team. There does not seem to be an obvious reason for the murders but when Famie receives an anonymous note hinting at more information she starts to investigate.

I enjoyed Knife Edge although it is a bit of a mixed bag. It has an original plot with plenty of twists and turns and one of the best openings I have ever read but it definitely sags in the middle before finishing with a high octane, action packed bang. The opening chapter is amazing with taut, tense prose and a palpable sense of “what the ...”. It very successfully describes the shock and disbelief as the news team processes the news and being the subject rather than the reporters. It just grabs the reader. Sadly, the middle part of the novel is not nearly as gripping and is very easy to put down. It seems muddled as it alternates between various points of view, mainly Famie and “the student”. There are no real hints about what is going on and the reader feels that they are stumbling about in the dark. This does reflect the situation of the main characters but I got perilously close to saying “who cares?” and giving up. This would have been a shame as the novel rouses itself to a crescendo with an action packed finale and one final shocking twist that I struggled to take seriously.

This is going to sound stupid but my enjoyment of the novel was seriously compromised by Famie’s name. Is it Fame-ie or Famm-ie? I didn’t realise how much I need to be able to pronounce a name in my read and with no knowledge I stopped to think about it every time I saw it written down and it was incredibly distracting.

As this is a thriller characterisation isn’t overly important so it’s fall broad brushstrokes. Famie is a tough, in your face professional, so not overly endearing and the only character with any kind of life.

Knife Edge is, as I said, a mixed bag but the beginning and end are so tense that my verdict is 3.5* rounded up to 4*.

Knife Edge is an engaging, fast paced story. It tells of an attack on investigative journalists on May 22nd. A team of people struck down on their way to work.
It tells of a young man caught up with terrorists and Famie, Sam, Charlie and Sophie who strive to save him and to prevent a further attack.
Knife Edge is entirely topical because it deals with one of our greatest fears , domestic terrorism and is completely believable because t is so well written.

Until this book, I had only heard of Simon Mayo as a radio DJ. I was, therefore, able to read this with no preconceived ideas about the author.
I was hooked by the violent start to the book and found it very easy to read. The story is very topical in that it involves a terrorist cell active in Britain and a team of investigative journalists who slowly uncover the plot.
The action moves along quickly and keeps the reader's attention. well. I could recommend this book to all who like this genre.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this, having not read Simon Mayo's previous book. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this fast-paced and twisty thriller.

The novel opens with the killing of seven IPS journalists within minutes of each other one morning. The action then focuses on the journalists left behind as they try to work out what their murdered colleagues were working on that could have sealed their fate. What is uncovered is surprising and interesting and far too complicated for me to explain here! Suffice it to say that there is plenty of peril and action to keep the plot moving.

This is an engaging read, although it's not perfect. The main characters are interesting, but not as developed as they could be - I didn't really have any sense of Sam or Sophie as characters in particular. Some of the events and twists are also a bit incredible - it's a pacy read but not one that bears up to much scrutiny in places.

Overall, this is a lively read - albeit slightly disturbing in its capturing of 21st century Britain and the threats of both terrorism and knife crime. If you're happy to overlook some plot holes and occasionally thin characterisation, there is plenty to like here.

Famie is a journalist. We are introduced to her on the day that the team of investigative reporters for her agency are murdered in separate coordinated attacks. She is caught up in trying to solve the puzzle as the police ignore her concerns and at one point suspect her of being involved. Fast paced and enjoyable read. The only bad thing about this book is the heroine`s name!!!

Roller Coaster fast paced contemporary thriller which I loved.

After a terrible day that saw an entire team of journalists stabbed to death Famie, her daughter and her friends must try to make the police see the connection.

Whip fast , well written with believable characters and a relevant topic this is a definite read for any thriller fan

Thank you so much Netgalley, I couldn’t put this book down!
Famie works as a journalist for IPS and one morning, 7 of her colleagues are killed in seemingly separate attacks across London. She sets out on a mission to find out who was behind these attacks and to save herself. But she gets drawn in and bad things happen.
This story was full of so many twists and turns and the characters are brilliantly written. It makes you want to follow them along the way and feel as passionately as Famie does about getting justice.
Simon Mayo’s first thriller is certainly not disappointing!

Well it was good. But it wasn't fantastic. I enjoyed the start. It was fast paced, edgey and intriguing... Then I kind of lost interest about half way through. It just felt like it dragged a bit. I enjoyed the premise, even though it felt a bit predictable at times. I'd read another Mayo, but not this one again. Unfortunate, because it had potential.

This book has one of the strongest openings to a thriller I have read in ages. Although the rest of it didn't quite live up to that opening, it was still a classic, fast-paced, gripping, action-packed thriller full of twists and turns which I thoroughly enjoyed and raced through in a day.

When it started I thought I was going to really enjoy Knife Edge. Sadly about a third of the way in I started to get bored and struggled from then. I had a few tries at getting back into the plot but it became a drudge. I so wanted to enjoy this book as I really like Simon Mayo but it wasn’t to be. Sorry !

Mary Lawson was the first to die... So begins Simon Mayo's new novel. I was hooked from that line and raced through the rest of the novel. Knife Edge is a pacy thriller, guaranteed to get your heart racing as you keep towards the conclusion. (I didn't love Famie as a character but I don't think you're meant to, and the story moves so quickly that her slightly aggressive nature makes total sense.) Thanks @penguinukbooks and @netgalley for the advance copy, I'll be raving about this one well beyond publication in June!

A great premise and a book I really enjoyed.
I found myself rooting for the central character and on edge most of the way through.
Flows nicely and happily filled a weekend.
Many thanks.

This contemporary thriller starts with a bang but soon lost my interest. Thinly drawn characters do little to create tension.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys a page-turner thriller. Set in present day England involving journalists, terrorists and the police. Saying too much runs the risk of spoilers, but the plot is believable, the characters realistic, and the climax - in Coventry Cathedral - definitely keeps ones attention.

Sadly I felt alienated from this book from the very beginning. I had no idea what "the slot" was or have an understanding of the way a press office works. I found it very hard to relate to the characters from the way the book was written. I found the writing style a bit hard going and struggled to finish it. Such a shame as I rate Mr Mayo highly as a DJ

The opening exchanges in Simon Mayo’s “Knife Edge” are utterly compelling. In the early moments of rush hour, across different stations, seven people are murdered in a coordinated attack. We then meet journalist Famie Madden on the way to work , we soon find out they are all employers at Famies place at work.

The book then takes off… or not. I really struggled to get into this book. I am a big fan of Simon Mayo, both as a person and writer and went into this book willing to love it. With such a pulsating begening it never really took off from there. I never connected to Famie or any of the mystery that unfolded as the story drew on. There were brief moments of tension but I never bought into it and therefore it made any twist and turn which came unspectacular in every way. Famies character was well structured and a saving grace was her relationship with her daughter which brought warmth to the novel.

A sensational start will certainly make this book memorable but it never took off from there in what was a disappointing read.