BLACK CAT BLACK DOG

TITLE: BLACK CAT BLACK DOG
AUTHOR: JOHN CREED
Pages: 283
Date: 11/01/2009
Grade: 4+
Details: no. 3 Jack Valentine Mystery
Library

Another action packed thriller, set in Northern Ireland featuring Jack Valentine & co.
The whole adventure starts innocently enough when a set of dog tags washes up on a beach in Northern Ireland. They belong to the brother of a neighbour of Jack's who has been missing since the 1950's, and jack accompanies the neighbour to the inquest. When a barrister from London gets the inquest stopped and a young journalist trying to cover the story dies in Jack's arms, he knows he has to return to his undercover past to find out why events from the 50's should remain secret and so dangerous in the present.
Soon he discovers that not just the past holds mysteries and finds himself working with old and new allies against old enemies and facing betrayal from unexpected sources.
This book, like the previous two, was fast moving and filled with twists and turns.
The reason it scored a 4+ is that for me the amount of violence was a bit too much, and the odds against the "goodies" (which characterisation itself is up for discussion) were just too great to make the outcome even remotely believable.
Mind you this still was a fast, thrilling and easy read. Never a boring moment with Jack Valentine.