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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
First in the Charlie Fox thriller series based in Lancaster, England, and revolving around Charlie, a self-defense instructor.
My Take
I can see why Lee Child is impressed with Zoë Sharp. She’s good. It’s even more amazing that this is her first book. The only quibbles I could come up with was why didn’t she figure out the bit about seven a whole lot earlier? And WHY would she stay in her flat?? Why doesn’t she pick up on what Gary’s up to? Why would she go back to work at the Adelphi after the lack of support about that fight she broke up? If Marc is the one without the fancy education and Charlie has had one, why is it that he knows about Bacchus and Charlie doesn’t?
In some ways, Charlie reminds me of Reacher---they both assess the situation and decide ahead of time how they’re going to take out the bad guy, and they’re comfortable---not happy---with realizing they’re going to get hurt. I do like that Charlie emphasizes leaving a scene rather than wading into the fight. A very realistic approach. Wait till you read the scene in which Len is trying to provoke her into fighting. She handles it so well! However, she’s not so good at the unexpected.
Although, she did make up for it right quick with her assessment of Marc. Wow.
Oh, I do want her flat. I’ve always fantasized about living in a warehouse…
I’m with Charlie about her mother. Bitch. It’d be a cold year in Hell before I forgave her.
I don’t understand why Ailsa “didn’t feel it was appropriate for [Charlie] to continue her classes at the Lodge”.
Oh, don’t let my whinging keep you from picking this up. It really is a good story with an intriguing tension. I’m curious to find out what will happen with Ailsa and the ladies. Does MacMillan climb off his high horse? Does Charlie’s relationship with her parents start to change? What does Charlie do next? What will Tris do? How does Clare handle her own trauma...
The Story
It’s Susie Hollins’ objection to Clare’s sweet voice that brings Charlie to Marc Quinn’s attention. That and Charlie’s assessment of his club’s security measures. The lack thereof, anyway.
Things might have been okay, except a friend is operating a little too below the belt and the laptop he asks Charlie’s help in cracking is much hotter than either of them realize. It doesn’t help that women are being brutally raped and murdered.
The Characters
Charlotte “Charlie” Fox has her own past traumas, which have set her on the path she follows now: instructing helpless women in self-defence techniques. Sam Pickering is a computer geek at the university and a fellow rider, a 750cc Norton Commando, who’d like to be a lot more. Charlie’s parents. The Foxcrofts. Well, they stopped being interested in her when her twin brother died. At birth.
Clare Elliot is a friend of Charlie’s who rides a Ducati 851 Strada and works at the local paper. Jacob is Clare’s hot and sexy boyfriend, who sells antiques. Bonneville and Beezer are their two dogs.
Marc Quinn is smooth with an instinct for just what to say to Charlie, to help her past the issues in Killer Instinct. To care for her. He owns the New Adelphi Club, a new nightclub in town. Gary Bignold is the bar manager and a friend of Charlie’s. Len and Angelo Zachary are Quinn’s main muscle and handle bouncer duties. Charlie reckons these boys are the wrong choice. Dave Clemmens is the club DJ who is too full of himself. Victoria is the cute little waitress seeing Angelo.
Susie Hollins is an enthusiastic and winning karaoke singer. Her boyfriend Tony is proud of her, as long as she’s winning.
Terry Rothwell operates the mobile side of his and Paul’s video shop (he rides a black Kawasaki GPZ900R). They’re both friends of Charlie’s.
The people at Schelseley Lodge Women’s Refuge include:
Mrs. Schelseley, Tristam’s mother, turned the family home into the refuge when Tristan’s father died. Tristam Shelseley, a masseuse who’s trained in reflexology and aromatherapy married Ailsa, a trainee solicitor who took to the counseling life like a duck to water. The ladies include Nina, Joy, and Pauline.
The filth, er, I mean, the police...
Tommy is a young officer whom everyone seems to know. Detective Superintendent MacMillan is too quick in too many ways, and he doesn’t believe a word that Charlie says. WPC Wilks is the female constable they have protecting Charlie.
The Scouser and the smoker are hurtin’ after that night.
Donalson, Hackett, Morton, and Clay were fellow squaddies of Charlie’s when she was in the army. Sean is the army instructor with whom she was having an affair. Kirk Salter is the soldier who saved her. At first.
The Cover
The cover is Charlie on her Suzuki, cruising down a cobblestoned street in Lancaster at night. It’s almost exactly what she’s telling her students to be wary of.
The title is what Charlie discovers about herself, whether she has that Killer Instinct.
My Take
I can see why Lee Child is impressed with Zoë Sharp. She’s good. It’s even more amazing that this is her first book. The only quibbles I could come up with was why didn’t she figure out the bit about seven a whole lot earlier? And WHY would she stay in her flat?? Why doesn’t she pick up on what Gary’s up to? Why would she go back to work at the Adelphi after the lack of support about that fight she broke up? If Marc is the one without the fancy education and Charlie has had one, why is it that he knows about Bacchus and Charlie doesn’t?
In some ways, Charlie reminds me of Reacher---they both assess the situation and decide ahead of time how they’re going to take out the bad guy, and they’re comfortable---not happy---with realizing they’re going to get hurt. I do like that Charlie emphasizes leaving a scene rather than wading into the fight. A very realistic approach. Wait till you read the scene in which Len is trying to provoke her into fighting. She handles it so well! However, she’s not so good at the unexpected.
Although, she did make up for it right quick with her assessment of Marc. Wow.
Oh, I do want her flat. I’ve always fantasized about living in a warehouse…
I’m with Charlie about her mother. Bitch. It’d be a cold year in Hell before I forgave her.
I don’t understand why Ailsa “didn’t feel it was appropriate for [Charlie] to continue her classes at the Lodge”.
Oh, don’t let my whinging keep you from picking this up. It really is a good story with an intriguing tension. I’m curious to find out what will happen with Ailsa and the ladies. Does MacMillan climb off his high horse? Does Charlie’s relationship with her parents start to change? What does Charlie do next? What will Tris do? How does Clare handle her own trauma...
The Story
It’s Susie Hollins’ objection to Clare’s sweet voice that brings Charlie to Marc Quinn’s attention. That and Charlie’s assessment of his club’s security measures. The lack thereof, anyway.
Things might have been okay, except a friend is operating a little too below the belt and the laptop he asks Charlie’s help in cracking is much hotter than either of them realize. It doesn’t help that women are being brutally raped and murdered.
The Characters
Charlotte “Charlie” Fox has her own past traumas, which have set her on the path she follows now: instructing helpless women in self-defence techniques. Sam Pickering is a computer geek at the university and a fellow rider, a 750cc Norton Commando, who’d like to be a lot more. Charlie’s parents. The Foxcrofts. Well, they stopped being interested in her when her twin brother died. At birth.
Clare Elliot is a friend of Charlie’s who rides a Ducati 851 Strada and works at the local paper. Jacob is Clare’s hot and sexy boyfriend, who sells antiques. Bonneville and Beezer are their two dogs.
Marc Quinn is smooth with an instinct for just what to say to Charlie, to help her past the issues in Killer Instinct. To care for her. He owns the New Adelphi Club, a new nightclub in town. Gary Bignold is the bar manager and a friend of Charlie’s. Len and Angelo Zachary are Quinn’s main muscle and handle bouncer duties. Charlie reckons these boys are the wrong choice. Dave Clemmens is the club DJ who is too full of himself. Victoria is the cute little waitress seeing Angelo.
Susie Hollins is an enthusiastic and winning karaoke singer. Her boyfriend Tony is proud of her, as long as she’s winning.
Terry Rothwell operates the mobile side of his and Paul’s video shop (he rides a black Kawasaki GPZ900R). They’re both friends of Charlie’s.
The people at Schelseley Lodge Women’s Refuge include:
Mrs. Schelseley, Tristam’s mother, turned the family home into the refuge when Tristan’s father died. Tristam Shelseley, a masseuse who’s trained in reflexology and aromatherapy married Ailsa, a trainee solicitor who took to the counseling life like a duck to water. The ladies include Nina, Joy, and Pauline.
The filth, er, I mean, the police...
Tommy is a young officer whom everyone seems to know. Detective Superintendent MacMillan is too quick in too many ways, and he doesn’t believe a word that Charlie says. WPC Wilks is the female constable they have protecting Charlie.
The Scouser and the smoker are hurtin’ after that night.
Donalson, Hackett, Morton, and Clay were fellow squaddies of Charlie’s when she was in the army. Sean is the army instructor with whom she was having an affair. Kirk Salter is the soldier who saved her. At first.
The Cover
The cover is Charlie on her Suzuki, cruising down a cobblestoned street in Lancaster at night. It’s almost exactly what she’s telling her students to be wary of.
The title is what Charlie discovers about herself, whether she has that Killer Instinct.
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
First in the Charlie Fox thriller series based in Lancaster, England, and revolving around Charlie, a self-defense instructor.
My Take
I can see why Lee Child is impressed with Zoë Sharp. She’s good. It’s even more amazing that this is her first book. The only quibbles I could come up with was why didn’t she figure out the bit about seven a whole lot earlier? And WHY would she stay in her flat?? Why doesn’t she pick up on what Gary’s up to? Why would she go back to work at the Adelphi after the lack of support about that fight she broke up? If Marc is the one without the fancy education and Charlie has had one, why is it that he knows about Bacchus and Charlie doesn’t?
In some ways, Charlie reminds me of Reacher---they both assess the situation and decide ahead of time how they’re going to take out the bad guy, and they’re comfortable---not happy---with realizing they’re going to get hurt. I do like that Charlie emphasizes leaving a scene rather than wading into the fight. A very realistic approach. Wait till you read the scene in which Len is trying to provoke her into fighting. She handles it so well! However, she’s not so good at the unexpected.
Although, she did make up for it right quick with her assessment of Marc. Wow.
Oh, I do want her flat. I’ve always fantasized about living in a warehouse…
I’m with Charlie about her mother. Bitch. It’d be a cold year in Hell before I forgave her.
I don’t understand why Ailsa “didn’t feel it was appropriate for [Charlie] to continue her classes at the Lodge”.
Oh, don’t let my whinging keep you from picking this up. It really is a good story with an intriguing tension. I’m curious to find out what will happen with Ailsa and the ladies. Does MacMillan climb off his high horse? Does Charlie’s relationship with her parents start to change? What does Charlie do next? What will Tris do? How does Clare handle her own trauma...
The Story
It’s Susie Hollins’ objection to Clare’s sweet voice that brings Charlie to Marc Quinn’s attention. That and Charlie’s assessment of his club’s security measures. The lack thereof, anyway.
Things might have been okay, except a friend is operating a little too below the belt and the laptop he asks Charlie’s help in cracking is much hotter than either of them realize. It doesn’t help that women are being brutally raped and murdered.
The Characters
Charlotte “Charlie” Fox has her own past traumas, which have set her on the path she follows now: instructing helpless women in self-defence techniques. Sam Pickering is a computer geek at the university and a fellow rider, a 750cc Norton Commando, who’d like to be a lot more. Charlie’s parents. The Foxcrofts. Well, they stopped being interested in her when her twin brother died. At birth.
Clare Elliot is a friend of Charlie’s who rides a Ducati 851 Strada and works at the local paper. Jacob is Clare’s hot and sexy boyfriend, who sells antiques. Bonneville and Beezer are their two dogs.
Marc Quinn is smooth with an instinct for just what to say to Charlie, to help her past the issues in Killer Instinct. To care for her. He owns the New Adelphi Club, a new nightclub in town. Gary Bignold is the bar manager and a friend of Charlie’s. Len and Angelo Zachary are Quinn’s main muscle and handle bouncer duties. Charlie reckons these boys are the wrong choice. Dave Clemmens is the club DJ who is too full of himself. Victoria is the cute little waitress seeing Angelo.
Susie Hollins is an enthusiastic and winning karaoke singer. Her boyfriend Tony is proud of her, as long as she’s winning.
Terry Rothwell operates the mobile side of his and Paul’s video shop (he rides a black Kawasaki GPZ900R). They’re both friends of Charlie’s.
The people at Schelseley Lodge Women’s Refuge include:
Mrs. Schelseley, Tristam’s mother, turned the family home into the refuge when Tristan’s father died. Tristam Shelseley, a masseuse who’s trained in reflexology and aromatherapy married Ailsa, a trainee solicitor who took to the counseling life like a duck to water. The ladies include Nina, Joy, and Pauline.
The filth, er, I mean, the police...
Tommy is a young officer whom everyone seems to know. Detective Superintendent MacMillan is too quick in too many ways, and he doesn’t believe a word that Charlie says. WPC Wilks is the female constable they have protecting Charlie.
The Scouser and the smoker are hurtin’ after that night.
Donalson, Hackett, Morton, and Clay were fellow squaddies of Charlie’s when she was in the army. Sean is the army instructor with whom she was having an affair. Kirk Salter is the soldier who saved her. At first.
The Cover
The cover is Charlie on her Suzuki, cruising down a cobblestoned street in Lancaster at night. It’s almost exactly what she’s telling her students to be wary of.
The title is what Charlie discovers about herself, whether she has that Killer Instinct.
My Take
I can see why Lee Child is impressed with Zoë Sharp. She’s good. It’s even more amazing that this is her first book. The only quibbles I could come up with was why didn’t she figure out the bit about seven a whole lot earlier? And WHY would she stay in her flat?? Why doesn’t she pick up on what Gary’s up to? Why would she go back to work at the Adelphi after the lack of support about that fight she broke up? If Marc is the one without the fancy education and Charlie has had one, why is it that he knows about Bacchus and Charlie doesn’t?
In some ways, Charlie reminds me of Reacher---they both assess the situation and decide ahead of time how they’re going to take out the bad guy, and they’re comfortable---not happy---with realizing they’re going to get hurt. I do like that Charlie emphasizes leaving a scene rather than wading into the fight. A very realistic approach. Wait till you read the scene in which Len is trying to provoke her into fighting. She handles it so well! However, she’s not so good at the unexpected.
Although, she did make up for it right quick with her assessment of Marc. Wow.
Oh, I do want her flat. I’ve always fantasized about living in a warehouse…
I’m with Charlie about her mother. Bitch. It’d be a cold year in Hell before I forgave her.
I don’t understand why Ailsa “didn’t feel it was appropriate for [Charlie] to continue her classes at the Lodge”.
Oh, don’t let my whinging keep you from picking this up. It really is a good story with an intriguing tension. I’m curious to find out what will happen with Ailsa and the ladies. Does MacMillan climb off his high horse? Does Charlie’s relationship with her parents start to change? What does Charlie do next? What will Tris do? How does Clare handle her own trauma...
The Story
It’s Susie Hollins’ objection to Clare’s sweet voice that brings Charlie to Marc Quinn’s attention. That and Charlie’s assessment of his club’s security measures. The lack thereof, anyway.
Things might have been okay, except a friend is operating a little too below the belt and the laptop he asks Charlie’s help in cracking is much hotter than either of them realize. It doesn’t help that women are being brutally raped and murdered.
The Characters
Charlotte “Charlie” Fox has her own past traumas, which have set her on the path she follows now: instructing helpless women in self-defence techniques. Sam Pickering is a computer geek at the university and a fellow rider, a 750cc Norton Commando, who’d like to be a lot more. Charlie’s parents. The Foxcrofts. Well, they stopped being interested in her when her twin brother died. At birth.
Clare Elliot is a friend of Charlie’s who rides a Ducati 851 Strada and works at the local paper. Jacob is Clare’s hot and sexy boyfriend, who sells antiques. Bonneville and Beezer are their two dogs.
Marc Quinn is smooth with an instinct for just what to say to Charlie, to help her past the issues in Killer Instinct. To care for her. He owns the New Adelphi Club, a new nightclub in town. Gary Bignold is the bar manager and a friend of Charlie’s. Len and Angelo Zachary are Quinn’s main muscle and handle bouncer duties. Charlie reckons these boys are the wrong choice. Dave Clemmens is the club DJ who is too full of himself. Victoria is the cute little waitress seeing Angelo.
Susie Hollins is an enthusiastic and winning karaoke singer. Her boyfriend Tony is proud of her, as long as she’s winning.
Terry Rothwell operates the mobile side of his and Paul’s video shop (he rides a black Kawasaki GPZ900R). They’re both friends of Charlie’s.
The people at Schelseley Lodge Women’s Refuge include:
Mrs. Schelseley, Tristam’s mother, turned the family home into the refuge when Tristan’s father died. Tristam Shelseley, a masseuse who’s trained in reflexology and aromatherapy married Ailsa, a trainee solicitor who took to the counseling life like a duck to water. The ladies include Nina, Joy, and Pauline.
The filth, er, I mean, the police...
Tommy is a young officer whom everyone seems to know. Detective Superintendent MacMillan is too quick in too many ways, and he doesn’t believe a word that Charlie says. WPC Wilks is the female constable they have protecting Charlie.
The Scouser and the smoker are hurtin’ after that night.
Donalson, Hackett, Morton, and Clay were fellow squaddies of Charlie’s when she was in the army. Sean is the army instructor with whom she was having an affair. Kirk Salter is the soldier who saved her. At first.
The Cover
The cover is Charlie on her Suzuki, cruising down a cobblestoned street in Lancaster at night. It’s almost exactly what she’s telling her students to be wary of.
The title is what Charlie discovers about herself, whether she has that Killer Instinct.
yellauraya's review against another edition
3.0
Date read: November 17-November 21, 2019
Actual Rating: 3.00 STARS
Cheers to all the story with a strong and tough female character. It was always fascinating to read about women with the ability to level themselves with men, or even proved them how capable and even more competent they are compared to the opposite sex. It felt refreshing and reassuring. Though there are elements and parts of this story that didn't sit with me well, I still think I will continue with this series and blessed myself with more of this bad-ass female character. Maybe not instantly because I think I have more urgent reads (LOL), but I definitely will in the future.
Actual Rating: 3.00 STARS
Cheers to all the story with a strong and tough female character. It was always fascinating to read about women with the ability to level themselves with men, or even proved them how capable and even more competent they are compared to the opposite sex. It felt refreshing and reassuring. Though there are elements and parts of this story that didn't sit with me well, I still think I will continue with this series and blessed myself with more of this bad-ass female character. Maybe not instantly because I think I have more urgent reads (LOL), but I definitely will in the future.
nglofile's review against another edition
4.0
I'm thrilled that the publisher is finally bringing the first Charlie Fox books to the U.S., but in all honesty I don't know if I would have fallen as hard for the series if I had been able to start with book one. Charlie is still a fascinating character, but she spends a disproportionate amount of time being attacked and assaulted.
balthazarlawson's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those books with a very strong female lead. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but for some reason I couldn't connect with Charlie Fox as she seemed to have a chip on her shoulder. I found her annoying. This book features too much on motorbikes and self defence. I know these are two elements in the story but at times it was sounding like a dummies guide to self defence.
The story was generally okay but confusing at times.
The story was generally okay but confusing at times.
peapod_boston's review against another edition
3.0
“Killer Instinct” is a Jack Reacher novel if Jack Reacher was British, female and a lot more emotionally damaged. A really solid first novel that doesn’t shrink away from some hard topics and avoids most of the “tough female lead” cliche’s out there. Charlie Fox, the narrator and protagonist, is former British special forces-type who makes a living teaching self-defense classes to women. Sharp weaves together Fox's background, a serial rapist, a women’s shelter, a new nightclub (and it’s mysterious and attractive owner), and a host of other secondary characters and businesses into a gritty mystery. Worth it for some of the fight scenes alone, which are intensely real. Not the kind of thing I usually read, but worth the time if you’re in the mood for a mystery.
myrdyr's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5 stars. I made it 3/4 of the way through this book before stopping. Part of me wanted to keep going to find out what happened, but I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. Every time I would start to get into the storyline, something about the writing would have a jarring effect, and put me off. It's not a horrible book; it's just not for me.
kkilburn's review against another edition
3.0
Wonder Woman, Modesty Blaise, and now Charlie Fox. As Lee Child notes in his introduction, female action heroes are few and far between, and Charlie Fox is a welcome addition. Sharp has created a character with a strong backstory, a clear and solid presence, and plenty of room for emotional growth. She is far from perfect, but she has a good heart; she is someone I can like as a person as well as a kick-ass heroine. I have added the second book in the series to my TBR list and am eager to check it out.
Sharp tells a good story - I turned pages late into the night. Her prose is strong, and she has an eye for arresting metaphor. Unfortunately, poor editing led to some of those metaphors being mangled by grammatical errors, but I expect that will change with later books in the series.
As a martial artist and student of self defense, I often find myself suspending disbelief when I read fight and/or self-defense scenes. Sharp does a much better job than most at writing realistic encounters with realistic results in the forms of broken bones and other damage. I took issue most strongly with the way she shapes Charlie's thoughts about sexual assault and self-defense, which often lapse into the sort of victim-blaming that the best self-defense instructors work very hard to avoid. And the final fight, in which Charlie uses the old palm-strike-drives-bone-fragment-into-the-skull trick - well, that was just so over the top and ridiculous that I literally had to stop reading for a minute.
All that said, I enjoyed the book and hope that future books bear out the promise of this one.
Sharp tells a good story - I turned pages late into the night. Her prose is strong, and she has an eye for arresting metaphor. Unfortunately, poor editing led to some of those metaphors being mangled by grammatical errors, but I expect that will change with later books in the series.
As a martial artist and student of self defense, I often find myself suspending disbelief when I read fight and/or self-defense scenes. Sharp does a much better job than most at writing realistic encounters with realistic results in the forms of broken bones and other damage. I took issue most strongly with the way she shapes Charlie's thoughts about sexual assault and self-defense, which often lapse into the sort of victim-blaming that the best self-defense instructors work very hard to avoid. And the final fight, in which Charlie uses the old palm-strike-drives-bone-fragment-into-the-skull trick - well, that was just so over the top and ridiculous that I literally had to stop reading for a minute.
All that said, I enjoyed the book and hope that future books bear out the promise of this one.
oedipa_maas's review against another edition
3.0
Non-stop action and fight scenes, but with a once-victimized-now-fighting woman as the main character. Fairly violent, decently written, and the end did not disappoint. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
hrkershaw's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0