Category: Crime Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing
ISBN-10: 1937744086
Type: Fiction
Pages: 257
Copyright: July 30, 2012
ISBN-13: 9781937744083
A serial killer stalking the streets of London is bad publicity for a city preparing to host the Olympics. Detective Kurt Lancer is on the case -- but his investigation might take him a little too close to home.
As the countdown begins, the body count rises.
With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn’t need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they’ve got one anyway.
Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter’s disability.
Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims.
One of whom could be his own daughter.
Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer’s only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene.
Professional Reviews
A superb police procedural
When a string of homicides hits London on the eve of the 2012 Olympics, DI Kurt Lancer becomes the point man in a race to stop a killer that's anything but ordinary. Lancer's quarry is ruthless, cunning and seemingly driven by Greek mythology. Nothing is random. Everything is executed according to an unknown plan. And with the body count rising and the clock ticking, Lancer must solve this macabre puzzle, even as the killer strikes dangerously close to home.
What I really enjoyed about ORACLE was its strong sense of place. Film-makers call this the 'voodoo of location', and author J.C. Martin most certainly exercises it to its fullest potential. London here is alive, frenetic and filled with personality, and you can just feel the buzz and excitement of the Olympics permeating the pages. What's pure genius, though, is the way the author gives equal coverage to the two contrasting sides of the city -- the shiny, smiling Cool Britannia shown to the world, and the dark, brooding underbelly that hints at urban decay.
The real stand-out of the story, though, is Kurt Lancer. Having lost his wife under tragic circumstances, he is the archetypical Byronic hero -- strong, steadfast and laden with just the right amount of emotional angst simmering under the surface. His two key relationships, with daughter Meghan and police partner DS Sam Blaize, are finely drawn and brilliantly realised. There's sensitivity, pathos and dark humour. Certainly a cut above what you would find in most other books in the genre. And it's exactly this kind of relationship-building that makes the cat-and-mouse games with the killer all the more gripping. With everything precious in Lancer's life on the line, you can really feel the adrenalin and sweat and desperation as the stakes ramp up.
To say much more would be to give away spoilers. But if you enjoy stories by Mo Hayder and Ian Rankin, then ORACLE is truly a superb police procedural that you just have to read. Pick it up. You'd thank me later.
John Ling
Author, The Blasphemer
The Thriller of all Thrillers
J.C. Martin captures the very essence of a mystery thriller in her debut novel, Oracle! It's twisted and elusive murderer keeps suspense building as each crime takes its toll on lead detective Kurt Lancer and his determined partners.
Not only will Martin scare the living daylights out of her readers, but she will also give the story a sense of reality that only comes from having all the pieces of a mystery come together in the most unexpected ways. Oracle is a mystery that doesn't just focus on closing the case, but also takes into account the personal life of the characters. Lancer feels the pressure stemming from his daughter's declining eyesight and the urgency to catch a crazed killer. His partners Blaize and Holloway both battle with personal secrets that may or may not effect their work. With all that's going on with the cast, Martin still manages to make the 'Oaksecutioner' case the story's main focus.
As the kind of story that will really make brain gears turn during investigation, Oracle proves to be the thriller of all thrillers as it's plot moves to a heart-racing and mind-blowing conclusion!
Lovey Dovey Books
Complex & Colrful
Thoroughly enjoyed this debut crime novel by J.C. Martin. A multilayered plot woven around colorful characters keeps the pages turning. J.C. handles police procedure like a pro, and her detective lives on in imagination like every good one does, waiting for the next big case. Modern dilemmas involving childcare and relationships set this novel firmly in realtime while the Oracle injects a haunting vision into a creepy alternate reality.
Can't wait to read what Martin comes up with next!
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