Well, this series has me hooked and I'll be reading more. The setting is well researched and authentic, and the characters are likeable.

In this case a female body is found on top of the ruins of a bomb site but it hadn't been there two hours earlier. The woman is identified as working in local premises that deal with the some sensitive projects. The pathologist confirms that she has been murdered.

Inspector Jago finds other things are going on and he is not sure that everyone is acting honestly, nor that everyone is just who they say they are.

Interesting plot. ( )

Fifth Column is the second book in Mike Hollow’s Blitz Detective series. Set during the years of the Nazi bombings of London, this mystery is perfect for those who want an authentic look at England during WWII. I loved the attention to detail that Hollow brings to his novel — from women’s fashion and popular culture to the more serious issues of the nightly attacks from the skies and the threat of sabotage from spies (fifth column refers to a group within a country sympathetic to the enemy). While Fifth Column is the sequel to Direct Hit, it can be read as a standalone. But I recommend you begin at the beginning; you don’t want to miss any part of this great series.

The nightly bombings are beginning to wear on Detective Inspector John Jago. A survivor of the Great War, he never thought that his world would be upended in such a way again. But he has a job to do. When a body of a young woman is discovered at the site of a bombing, it becomes obvious that a bomb was not the culprit and a murderer is on the loose.

Fifth Column has a number of strengths. It is a slowly unfolding mystery that will keep you guessing. There are quite a few suspects all with tenuous connections to the victim. DI Jago, DC Craddock and the reader have their hands full trying to discover just what is going on. Thrown into the mix are blackmarket dealings, pro-Nazi sentiment, thefts and an extortion plot. Sounds like a lot going on and there is, but Hollow allows his detective to methodically and intuitively work through each clue. DI Jago is an interesting and sympathetic character. All alone in the world and with his life revolving around his work, he, nevertheless, looks to the future that seems just out of reach. Other characters are great compliments to the story and to Jago’s character development. For historical accuracy, Fifth Column cannot be beat. It is obvious that Hollow spent a great deal of time on research. Every detail seems just right and adds a depth to the story not often found in mystery fiction. The author’s website is a treasure trove of information surrounding the story and the history of the era.

I loved Fifth Column, and if you are a fan of historically based mysteries, I am betting you will too. A plot line concerning Jago’s personal life is left dangling, ensuring that I’ll have another enjoyable return visit with The Blitz Detective.

Highly Recommended. Please note: this is a British novel and contains some language.

Audience: Adults.

(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

This was an easy and fairly enjoyable read, but I don't think I will be seeking out the author's other books. The plot and mystery had promise, but I found the writing and character development to be rather flat and uninspiring. The historical references and background about WWII London were very interesting and by far my favorite part of the book. ( )

A fairly easy read. A police procedural set during the London blitz of World War Two. The writing is competent although somewhat uninspiring. Not great literature but it passed the time inoffensively. The wartime atmosphere is accurate - the author is British and from London, so none of the obvious howlers that can occur with a non-British author. The historical references are many and are perhaps laid on with a heavy hand - Selfridges anderson shelter, bakelite alarm clock, HP sauce, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera,. That's a minor point and it's how the author chooses to evoke time and place. And sometimes the detail is esoterically accurate; a Riley car with a "gear change pedal", extra points to you on that one Mike. But they were rather obviously peppering the pages and one felt he was just name dropping for historical effect without actually adding much. Personally I pretty much know what products were available in wartime London - but how did it FEEL for these particular characters? I would have liked a more subtly nuanced approach.
There is a romantic element and I felt it was treated awkwardly. And, yes, the romantic interest is the obligatory American character. Ho hum. Send those Yankee dollars folks - are we wondering yet who'll play the part in the PBS Masterpiece Theatrer adaptation? It probably would make a better script than a novel. And with good direction and well cast it would be show that I'd enjoy. Except this sort of thing has already been done sans pareil as "Foyle's War".
I didn't find it to be a gripping page turner, although it tried so very hard to have intrigue and suspense. I'm sorry. Mr. Hollow, I did want to like it, truly I did. I'm guessing that IF it gripped you it would be a great read. Sadly, it just passed me by and felt rather like a damp squib.
Probably worth trying if it's your kind of thing and you are looking for a diverting read. I generally do like these kind of novels but I won't be bothering to follow this up with any others by this author. ( )

This, the second in Mike Hollow’s series featuring Inspector Jago, is a delightful read and satisfies on many levels…. The Jago character is a decent chap, not particularly brilliant but he brings a workmanlike devotion to the task of finding a killer…and perhaps also an extortionist in London during the early days of WW I bombing.
The victim, Mary Watkins is found in a setting that at first suggest she is a casualty of night bombings as the Germans attempt to tear apart London’s inner world. It soon becomes known, however, that she was in fact a victim of murder most foul, and Jago along with his colleague Detective Inspector Craddock pursue a multitude of clues, discovering that all is not well with Mary’s job, her family and her love life.
Jago’s perseverance, his tenacity and his skillful insights into human behavior ultimately lead him to a cumbersome web of relationships and deceit, and ultimately he discovers not one but at least two criminals whose activities have overlapped in the life of Mary Watkins.
A good read…parts seemed a bit ponderous, but overall Enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of Mrs. Hollow’s efforts that involve Jago. ( )