This was a good enough thriller that I might just read more of Mr. Kernick's work. It's interesting that the blurb calls it Hitchcockian, because I think it was Hitchcock who said, regarding telling good, thrilling stories: you can't just keep the action going full-tilt; you have to have moments for pausing and breathing, and then pick things up again. And I was thinking about that because that's exactly what Kernick did in this book. You feel things are moving non-stop, but if you actually pay attention, you realize that there are very deliberate pauses in the action, usually right after something crazy just happened.

The plot was not completely predictable, although certainly some of the twists and connections were. Many people ended up dead, at least a few of whom I really didn't expect. There were some references to some events that presumably took place in an earlier book, but not so many that you were lost, or felt you were missing a big chunk of understanding about the plot or the characters.

The characters themselves are ones you care about, complete with strengths and flaws that make them seem very real. He goes slightly overboard with names at times - if you're going to kill off a random cop within a page of introducing him, frankly, he doesn't really need a name. I realize that in the real world, they all do have names, and it's important to remember them, and every person who dies is a real person, and if this were real life, I'd have no objection to naming them. But it isn't, and quite frankly, such incidental characters are not really important to the story, and there's no clarity issues if they're not named, so there's no point. It's just one more name you wonder if you need to remember. Unnecessary clutter in the story. That said, it didn't really slow anything down, so it's all good.

Ultimately, this book is basically fluff, akin to chick lit, and it was great for that. Easy to chew through in a day, thoroughly enjoyable at the time, and, frankly, more or less forgettable once it's over. I would definitely recommend this for beach reading, or even curling up by the fireplace on a winter getaway vacation. It's perfect for that sort of thing.2010 fiction4 s Lukasz Pruski921 120

It is only a minor exaggeration to say that Simon Kernick’s “Target” is to an actual thriller McDonald’s meal is to actual food. McDonald’s fare has calories and it fills the stomach, yet the stuff is devoid of taste and has little nutritional value. “Target” contains just the plot; there are no additional values. No portraits of characters, no psychological or sociological observations. Zero depth. And the plot is silly.

The plot begins with Rob Fallon, an aspiring true crime writer, witnessing kidnapping of the woman with whom he is about to go to bed. Then the implausibility fest begins. DS Tina Boyd takes Rob Fallon’s story about the kidnapping seriously despite all circumstances indicating otherwise. Then, she asks Rob to do surveillance work for her. Next, they actually begin working together, a pair of private eyes. Fat chance! Plausibility of the story is on the level of middle-school students who try to imagine police work. The quality of writing matches the level of plausibility.

The plot culminates in a cinematic orgy of death and violence – how else? There are several “twists and turns” towards the very end. I do not want to spoil the ending for readers who might, for some strange reason, find this book interesting, so let me just say that one of them (the method of a bad guy’s escape) is perhaps the unliest I have ever encountered. But the one that concerns one of the “good guys”, as much as I dis “twists and turns”, is pretty much unexpected, and thus, it gives the novel a little bit of redeeming quality.

I am also disgusted to report that Mr. Kernick stays faithful to his signature writing cliché. All characters are able to summon the remainder of their energy to restore their full energy. I noticed it three times (pages 32, 122, and 323 of the hardcover edition). Where is the editor?

Mr. Kernick has fallen a long way from his splendid “The Business of Dying” to this piece of junk.

One star (courtesy of the one aspect of the ending).
4 s Jefi Sevilay640 66

Kitap ismini k?ç?ndan sallama timinden "Target" iken "Oldu?un Yerde Kal" ismi lay?k görülen s?radan bir ?ngiliz Polisiyesi.

Öyle ki kurgu ve senaryo ad?na pek bir?eyin olmad??? ancak bölüm sonu canavar? ve oyun sonu büyük canavar nam?na bol bol vurdu ve de k?rd?n?n bulundu?u bir kitapt?. Film olsa IMDB puan? net 5.5.

?ngiliz polisiyesi yine komik ya nedir bu ?ngiliz polislerin çekti?i. "Do?rusunu" yapaca??m diye eli kolu ba?lanm??. Bir yere bask?n yapacak "Silahl? Polis" diye ba??rarak giriyor. Ya ne olacakt? "Köpük Baloncuklu Polis" deyip suçlular?n yüzüne baloncuk mu üfleyecekti. Bir de ikide bir ?arjör doldurur gibi çubu?u içine sokup ç?k? ç?k? sallay?p tekrar üfleyecek filan. Yok gerçekten öyle büyük bir terör eylemini durdurmaya giden iki polisin elinde biber gaz? var t?r? durduruyor suçlular?n yüzüne f?s f?s biber gaz? s?k?yor.

Neyse bir plot twist hariç oldukça s?radand? ama ak?c?yd? ve doyurucuydu.

Herkese keyifli okumalar3 s Alan344 1 follower

An enjoyable read but not in my opinion one of his best. The plot was a little contrived in my opinion .3 s Emma127

I bought this book as I d the cover, and also the blurb on the back. I didn't expect to read it, and finish it within 6 hours. It was a fast paced thrilling story that had me on the edge of my seat too many times to count.

Rob Fallon, ex-banker wannabe writer (he just hasn't found a spark yet) is thrown into an unimaginable situation, a situation that he thought existed but never realised he would live it firsthand. He attempts to spend a night with his best friends ex-girlfriend only for it to be cut short when two unnamed men break in and abduct her, and in the process attacking him. He escapes (which granted he would have to be VERY lucky but to make a story sometimes the unly has to happen. And I love that!)and the story progresses from there. He has a desire to save Jenny (his best friend's ex) but no one will believe him. And his persistence is causing attention from the wrong people. The people that have no qualms to end his life in an instant. When DS Tina Boyd comes onto the scene however, she thinks something isn't quite right and plans to find out, but with no hlep from her colleagues she enlists the help of Rob, putting his life into the thick of it, not to mention her own.

I really felt that this book was amazing, I love Harlan Coben as a writer and I felt similarities in both their styles, not to mention that my attention was grabbed completely with the characters. I felt they were developed well and I was really able to sympathise especially with Rob Fallon.

I wish I had read the first book with DS Tina Boyd, as it continually referred back to moments in her life, especially with her love interest, but I will have to live with reading that one and all of his others after. I hope they will be as enjoyable, I am sure they will be... I will tell you all later!crime-thriller2 s Gary2,728 392

Another fast paced exciting novel by Simon Kernick. He really does deserve more plaudits.2 s Audrey245

Fast pace, believable characters who seem old friends. Clever plot, still manages a few twists with the bomb plot to disrupt the financial district.2 s Betty286 8

3.25 *
Solid enough read, and very much as I would expect from Kernick. I have read a few such books and although there is a predictability to them, it is nice to know what you are going to get.

Lots of action that races through the story at breakneck speed. I d the use of first, and third person for the different characters. This makes it easier to determine who is speaking in any one chapter. This is all about the pace of the story, and nothing else. I disd what happened to the main character. He really was the ball to Kernick's bat.

On the whole a decent read, not for a reread. If you fast-paced, violent crime stories, this will be for you.

het-crime1 Nikki979 56

2.5 stars. A little predictable towards the end, though I that it’s a bit of a bloodbath throughout. The plot is over complex and overdone though. When I first read one of Kernick’s books I was blown away and couldn’t put it down. I genuinely can’t tell if his writing has changed or my taste has! But this left me a little sad not to have enjoyed it more. A decent enough thriller, but nothing special. 1 ElaF559 7

Audiobook1 Joella Hawkswell21

Really gripping in some parts, in others it was slow. Surprising twists - one I didn’t agree with and nearly put the book down, but a good ending, albeit a predictable and satisfying one. 1 Christopher347 1 follower

Very Kernick1 Seán B77 2

Me being a massive fan of Kernick's - I was delighted when I spotted this in my local charity shop for €1.50 - continuing the Tina Boyd series in order.

We are introduced to an average-down-on-his-luck-guy Rob Fallon who seems to be just drifting through life. His failing attempts at becoming a successful author drove his wife & child away to France and any chance of happiness seems to be long gone. Out with his friend for drinks he bumps in to a long lost acquaintance Jenny Brakspear, who used to date his best friend Dom, Rob always had a crush on Jenny and the two catch up over drinks which leads to Jenny's apartment in the middle of the night.

Rob is confronted by two masked men who kidnap Jenny and attack Rob attempting to silence him. As Rob comprehends what has happened to him and runs to the Police Station to divulge what has taken place - Tina Boyd takes the case. Only then is Rob left dumbfounded that all evidence of a kidnapping/attack on Jenny's apartment is removed. Coincidences start to go against Rob as Jenny's father claims she went on holidays recently and hasnt spoken to her - and Dom hasnt spoken to Jenny in 6 months. Rob must think he's delusional at this point.

However, with Tina Boyd on the case - she is relentless in her approach to the investigation, nice pun there as Kernick has a book called Relentless ;), and she seeks the help of old friends Mike Bolt & Mo Khan to confirm her suspicions. I really enjoyed this installment in the series - even though the book is over 10 years old it still holds that thriller flame and kept my pulse racing as Mike & co honed in on the bad guys. 5 stars for Kernick. simon-kernick1 Dan333 11

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, thanks, once again, to a very good narration by Paul Thornley. The start of this book reminded me of Flightplan where you start to wonder if the events actually happened, and although Simon could have strung this out a little longer, I d the fact that the reader was aware of the whole conspiracy from the outset.

Some reviewers have stated that there is not enough characterisation, but I feel that if you have read previous works by Kernick, that you already know the main characters well enough. I d the way that Simon threw a few curve balls by 'eliminating' some characters that I didn't expect to die. The story flowed well and kept enough tension throughout to warrant its 'thriller' genre.

I Simon's ability to switch between 1st and 3rd person and still keep the story rolling. Although only a sub-plot (revealed in the last few chapters), the fact that Paul Wise was once again present hints towards a grand finale in the coming books where Tina finally faces her nemesis.

Highly recommended, although I would advise trying to read Simon's books in order to avoid coming across spoilers, and to follow the chain of events in the right order. 1 Tania219 3

****** Another fast pasted book by Simon Kernick, he is becoming one of my favorite authors *****


NO ONE TO TRUST
When writer Rob Fallon goes out one night and ends up with his best-friend's girlfriend, Jenny, he's feeling guilty before anything's even happened.

NOWHERE TO RUN
But guilt quickly turns to shock when two men break into Jenny's apartment, abduct her, and try to kill Rob. When Rob reports this to the police, no one believes him. And when he speaks to Jenny's father, he says she's on holiday abroad.

NO PLACE TO HIDE
Rob knows Jenny's life's in danger and starts asking questions. Soon he's the target of brutal killers who are as terrifying as they are elusive. But what do they want? And what does it have to do with an ordinary girl Jenny?

Either Rob finds out or he's dead. It's that simple ...1 Silvia MolinariAuthor 4 books7

Simon Kernick is a safe bet. Any Kernick's book you decide to read, you end up having your nose stuck in the book until the very last page (and it's never enough!). "Target" is totally up to the expectations. The plot is compelling, the description of the operations performed by the various divisions of the British Police are not only realistic but also detailed. The narrative style - that I particularly love - is always intriguing. Mike Bolt and Tina Boyd are, again, a skittish twosome, and their reciprocal attraction manages to find a new level of awareness.
Five well-deserved stars.mystery-thriller1 Sarah78

Addicted to this author

Great plot....superb characters. From the books I've read with Tina Boyd as the focal character ,you just want to see her find some happiness in her personal life because she's one hell of a tough cop. Totally submerged myself in this from beginning to end. I couldn't predict the plot at all throughout the book.1 Sarah Houchen58

Was a good read, easy and straight forward. 1 Jenna Mills2,697 11

An easy read, though throughly depressing. I wondered whether any of the characters would survive!1 Jen251

Sorry Mr Kernick, this was just too "boys' own adventure" for me. 1 Weenie471 12

Usual page-turner, with some nice twists.crime-thriller library-book1 Carol Butler531 1 follower

Rob Fallon while on a drinking spree meets an ex-girlfriend of one of his best friends and goes back to her place, while in the bathroom he hears noises and movement in the next room but as he is no superman stays hidden in the bathroom, but is found and realises Jenny is the target and has been abducted but why? and he tries his best but being drunk he manages to escape and elude these 2 thugs, but he is now a marked man. He tries his luck at the police station and Tina Boyd half believes him but with not much to go on and with constant terrorist threats nobody is trying too hard. His best friend and Jenny's ex is not who is says he is and has this dark side and money speaks, what has he caught himself up in? On the whole most enjoyable and quite dark in places storyline is good but not too keen on the narrator, sounded a bit bland. Tim161 9

I found this one of Kernick's poorer efforts. I have always enjoyed his books before

The beginning scene reminded me a lot of The Witness, especially the kidnapper going off to the bathroom.

The series of fortunate escapes from Rob Fallow stretched believability especially as he was eyeball to eyeball with a professional gunman a few times and escaped.

The book was also too long and could have been tighter. The planned gas attack element was ludicrous.

Also whether Jenny was dead or not was confusing.

Unconvinced by Tina Boyd being in mortal peril as we know she is in later books.

Tina remembering someone's mobile number while under extreme pain and stress was a little too unconvincing.

Body count was very high.
However, the book is an okay read.343-best-authors fiction Sean Beckett243 1 follower

This is not a good story.

To be fair I read it quickly, so it must have something going for it, although I could just put it down to COVID.

It is difficult with thrillers to get the story to move at pace and remain credible. Twists and turns are good but too many and it all just seems contrived.

There’s a bad guy that kills or shoots nearly everyone he sees over a period of 3 or 4 days! He also escapes a burning barn by pretending to be a kidnapped woman, using her own scalp as a wig. And he’s carried by a police officer who doesn’t notice.

A main character doesn’t make it to the end (guess who finishes him off?), which shows a bit of originality.

But it’s not enough to paper over the significant cracks.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Rog Harrison1,809 31

I have read and enjoyed fifteen of the author's books so I thought I would try and get hold of books which I had missed. This book was first published in 2009 and features Tina Boyd and Mike Bolt who appear in several of the author's other books. Quite a lot of this story is told in the first person by Rob Fallon who witnesses a crime but by the time he contacts the police all the evidence has disappeared so he is treated as a crank. The plot is unbelievable but if you go with the flow it is a very exciting read and I finished it in one sitting. It starts with a kidnapping but then many people die at the hands of a particularly nasty and brutal killer. Sebastian Barrow357 1 follower

Another great story.

Tina is really coming into her own in this next in the series. Still runs nicely alongside the Dennis Milne series giving us more background.
The kidnapping of a young woman in front of a friend is the start of this thriller when the friend has problems getting anyone to believe his story. Tina unofficially starts to investigate then all hell begins to break out. Mike Bolt eventually becomes involved in what could become an atrocity.
This author just goes from strength to strength with his writing.









Valettagirl 133 2

Simon Kernick always gives you a good read, pacy, violent with definite room for doubt as to what’s going to happen. Throw in Tina Boyd a talented but definitely lone gunslinger detective and you have a book that doesn’t disappoint. I love the way she always muddies the lines and I can certainly understand why she’s always getting suspended, having said that I love her as a character. We need more police officers prepared to go the extra mile in the real world. Sean Flatley201 1 follower

A cracking great read of a book

I am on a Simon Kernick marathon reading spread and as always I am loving his books as I go along. I am rereading his books again as I read them already in the 2000's
I love the simple fast action pace and can feel the need to know more as I can't put it down. It is so additive as it is nearly true to life.
I am now on to his next book The Last 10 Seconds.
Best wishes Sean Angela Bonner11

This was the first of the author’s books that I have read, it had me hooked from the beginning. Some opinions are that this one isn’t very good compared to his others but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It had plenty of twists and turns, it even shocked me a little when a character who seemed perfectly wholesome turned out to be the opposite! I did not suspect until a much later stage.

The book is not 352 pages long as this app suggests, it’s actually 493 pages long. Mr John Perrett35

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