Review: Sandraker, by Heide Goody and Iain Grant

Sandraker

The aristocracy abide by a different set of rules…

…or so it seems to Sam Applewhite when her job brings her to Candlebroke Hall, the stately home. The burglary definitely wasn’t what it appeared to be, and the subsequent accidents suggest that it’s a dangerous place to spend time.

Sam is caught up in events as she tries to protect the interests of young Hilde Odinson, part of the local viking family. The Odinsons insist on doing things their own way though, with scant regard for the law. In the meantime, Sam starts to understand that while many people would kill to live at Candlebroke Hall, maybe there are others who would kill to get away from it

Purchase Links

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B095LV3F8T

US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B095LV3F8T

My Review

Thanks to the authors for sending me a copy of this book and to Rachel for organising this blog tour.

I have to admit I’m only 305 pages into this 528 page novel because I’m ill and have been asleep on and off since Friday afternoon. I feel really rough and I’ve been struggling with everything. I had to cancel my fantasy reading and writing workshop yesterday, and swimming today, and my trip out with my sister tomorrow, so yeah, some things have to take a back seat right now.

The Odinsons are in trouble, again. Hilde has been caught at Candlebroke Hall with a stolen drinking horn. Sam is called in as her ‘appropriate adult’, event though Hilde and her younger sister Freyella are probably the smartest Odinsons around. Sam doesn’t believe Hilde has broken in to the Hall and starts to investigate, in her role as security consultant at Candlebroke Hall for her employer DefCon4.

It appears something dodgy is going on at the Hall, but what? There’s a fake psychic called Antoine de Winter and an ex-B movie star, Lady Kiki Lettuces, nee Harris, in residence. They’re both skint although they’re pretending otherwise, and things have gone missing.

The Odinsons are getting the blame, and they have their ship confiscated, because they stole the oak in Doggerland. They decide to take their case to social media and paint it as religious discrimination.

This novel continues Sam’s adventures and her developing relationship with DC Lucas Camara; Rich has disappeared from the scene entirely. The Odinsons and the bizarre people at the Hall are the centre of this novel, while Sam investigates all of them.

I enjoyed the story so far, and there’s a good mystery. No murders as yet, which contrasts with the first two novels. It’s obvious who the thief is but not what Hilde’s role in it all is. The Odinsons are funny and a bit daft.

The book could do with some editing, it feels a bit waffling in places and could do with tightening up.

Update – After dragging myself out to buy food I came home, collapsed in my bed and read the final 223 pages. Took me a couple of hours. The story becomes even more madcap as the Odinsons plot to get their ship back, Kiki and Antoine both start to lose their grip on reality, and Sam tracks down the stolen items and gets chased by a sword wielding crook. DC Camara doesn’t know what to make of it all but he’ll be round for tea, eventually.

This book was utterly bonkers. But enjoyable and easy to read. It kept me distracted despite my runny nose, painful sore throat and hot red eyes. The humour was a bit less directed and controlled in this novel compared to the first two novels, and the deaths didn’t happen until near the end. The reader always knows who did what because the story is told from multiple perspectives, but it all comes together at the end as Sam finally finds out. She even work’s out why Hilde had the horn and what she was doing at Candlebroke Hall in the middle of the night, the triggering event for this novel. It’s a fairly good reason too, given her morality.