Calvary: A Short Novel

Just when you think it's all over, the author throws you a bone. The editing could use some work, but all in all a good read. Aug 27, Adrian Ramos rated it liked it. This guy is a Jason Bourne wanna be. May 16, Sangram Takmoge rated it it was amazing Shelves: I've quit reading this book. Sep 04, Michelle rated it it was ok. Good book You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so.

Feb 17, Kerry Dillenburg rated it it was amazing. Slow build up to non-stop intense action. Tim Stevens is masterful. I can't believe I hadn't read his work before. As good or better in many ways as Robert Ludlum. Nov 20, Alan Marston rated it really liked it. If you like your books fast and furious with a fair amount of gore in them, then this could be for you. Calvary what a great name is a very complex character, and there are times when he is distinctly unpleasant, but there are enough occasions that give him time to show just how capable he is, and how sympathetic he can be.

He makes decisions very quickly, and is obviously highly skilled with an incredible pain threshold — the description of the torture on his head is pretty precise and it is If you like your books fast and furious with a fair amount of gore in them, then this could be for you. He makes decisions very quickly, and is obviously highly skilled with an incredible pain threshold — the description of the torture on his head is pretty precise and it is not something that any of us would wish to have delivered to us, but his powers of recovery are a little startling as well.

I think that I would have been hospitalised for weeks if not months! The action scenes, which follow one another very quickly, are luridly described and none of them could be described as less than violent.

Severance Kill

There are a number of surprises in store for Calvary and the reader, with some quite unexpected developments. A not entirely enjoyable read, but one, despite a fair number of typos, that did have me wanting to see how everything was going to work out.

I may well come back for more! Another excellent Tim Stevens novel. What more can I say? If you like action spy thrillers, they don't get much better than this--especially indie novels for which I am rapidly becoming a fan. Because they surprise me instead of being the same old commercial stuff that's out there. This well-plotted novel starts with a bang, carries through with a cast of interesting and well-crafted characters, and finishes on a note that makes you want more.

This is the third novel I've read from this British author, and I have not been disappointed with any of them. And what I like most is that the British language is retained here, with no attempt to "Americanize" it. That makes it feel even more authentic. Sep 08, Arthur rated it it was amazing. He has to be eliminated or brought back to England. In a country, whose prime language he doesn't know, Calvary relies on his ability the speak Russian, a little German and English to recruit help, but suddenly be Severance Kill Martin Calvary 1 It seems to be an impossible task, find Sir Raines, retired, SIS, living in the same country where he retired from active service; but the knowledge he possesses poses for too great a threat to TARPA, a Mole buried in the Russian intelligence division.

In a country, whose prime language he doesn't know, Calvary relies on his ability the speak Russian, a little German and English to recruit help, but suddenly becomes the hunted, because someone else has informed the local mob boss, about his mission. You'll have to read the book to find out if Calvary is successful.

Thanks for letting me know a little more about counterterrorism. Jun 26, Richard rated it really liked it. Lots of moving parts This book is definitely not for the rookie reader.

The Case of the Seven of Calvary

I did enjoy the read, but found many other productive ways the novel could have went. I hope the author continues this series as it is good from time to time to read fiction that makes you think.

I am a huge fan of the Purkiss series Rat Catcher. Oct 08, Joe Vitucci rated it liked it. I like books like this where the action never seems to stop.

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I guess this book is sort of James Bond-ish with more violence and less sex. I guess the good guys should always live thru the action, and the hero manages that in this book, but there are so many escapes in this book that it turns out like a video game. Some of the escapes where well planned and plausible, but so many others were just too far out there. I enjoyed the book, even though it was not very realistic. Sep 08, Jeanne rated it really liked it. A fun action adventure where the hero named Calvary is larger than life and easily takes on Russian gangs, foreign government operatives and special ops.

The good guys are not always good, the bad are really bad. And nothing is what is seems. This was an interesting change of pace from my usual reads. Will most likely follow up with the second book in this trilogy. Sent in to kill a traitor under the threat of blackmail, Martin goes on a non stop roller coaster ride, attacked on all fronts. Good read and looking forward to the next in the series. Severance Kill was an ok read for me. I picked it because I wanted something with a bit off action and that is what I got. I didn't think the story was too original but it is very well written and definitely good enough for me to grab another book by the author.

If you are looking for a good thriller it won't disappoint you. Feb 27, Frank M Fernholz rated it it was amazing. Great book if you like the Bourne series Cavalry is a man with all the skills. Some of his escapes are pretty fantastic but that what I was looking for. A take no prisoners kind of guy. I will read more of his books. If you like the Bourne books, you will like this. Sep 13, Edward rated it really liked it.

Severance kill Enjoyed following martin calvary, brit assassin handled by Llewellin, an untrustworthy member of the "Chapel" group. Martin is a man who thinks outside the box, and handles most situations easily. A good, fast paced novel. For me this was a good nuts and bolts thriller which is written as escapism and it works really well. The storyline is strong enough to keep you turning the pages and the action is nicely balanced against the plot.

This my weekly commute read and I enjoyed it very much. Mar 15, Annastewhotmail. A high octane spy thriller this one had me at the first page. I loved the Martin Calvary character and the dark world he inhabits. The plot was gripping enough to keep me guessing and there was never a dull moment. Tim Stevens knows his genre and seems to me to be an author who delivers good reads. Nov 28, Nic Adams rated it really liked it. A really good read I will certainly be looking for the next book Sep 10, Rhona Crawford rated it liked it. I accidentally started reading this book - just to show a learner how to pace herself when reading on a device.

So I finished it, but wasn't overly impressed with it. Feb 24, Douglas Hord rated it really liked it. One would think that - given the possible consequences -- one would want to make absolutely sure of the identity of one's victim before committing the act, but no -- give them a reasonable facsimile and off they go, slaughtering like mad, sparking off investigations and leaving the whole thing to do all over again. In this, Boucher's first mystery, kindly inoffensive Swiss Dr Schaedel is murdered on a visit to the university campus in Berkeley, California. Martin Lamb, concerned by his friend Kurt's apparent involvement, takes the case to his Sanskrit instructor Dr Ashwin.

The murder is complicated by a design on a piece of paper left near the corpse -- a European 7 atop a series of steps. Paul Lennox, a Swiss historian, explains that this is the symbol of an occult Swiss sect called the Vignards, and is known as the Seven of Calvary. Later, when Lennox himself is murdered, a second piece of paper with the same design is found nearby.

Is it an international plot, or a sordid campus intrigue? With Martin's aid Dr Ashwin unravels the case and identifies the guilty. Boucher adds to the fun by giving pen-pictures of his own acquaintances among the suspects, and providing a Latina love interest for Martin. The first edition of this novel is from Simon and Schuster It has not often been reprinted. The copy that I used for this review is my paperback from Collier, AS97, published in ; this may actually be the latest edition as such, although the novel is collected as part of a four-book omnibus in trade paper format from Zomba in , which to my knowledge is the only UK edition.

Considering that this book is most attractive to highly literate and experienced mystery readers, this seems rather like alerting people at the entrance to the Kentucky Derby that they are likely to see some horses. But was apparently a more solicitous time in the marketing of paperbacks. This gets a tiny bit confusing because most of what happens in the book is that Lamb sits and tells things to a different listener in a different armchair, but eventually it becomes easier to pick out where we are.

Lamb sits and tells the story of recent on-campus events to his advisor, Dr. Ashwin, an eccentric professor of Sanskrit. Lamb goes into great detail about the events of a recent evening among a group of international students on campus, while Dr. Ashwin listens from his armchair, a glass of scotch in his hand.

See a Problem?

The evening ends with the stabbing death of an elderly and apparently inoffensive Swiss humanitarian and quasi-diplomat as he is out for a stroll, and a scrap of paper is found nearby that contains what we learn is the symbol of an obscure religious sect, the Seven of Calvary.

Martin Lamb is falling in love with a beautiful Hispanic fellow student, Mona Morales, and thus becomes a kind of bemused spectator at the string of events. Schaedel has a nephew in the graduate school, Kurt Ross, and he and a number of other young men have spent the evening drinking and talking. This book has quite a bit of drinking and talking in it. And many of these young men including one Alex Bruce have an interest in the beautiful young Cynthia Wood, at whose house Dr. Schaedel, she says, asked for directions moments before his murder. Everyone thinks that the mysterious illustration of the Seven of Calvary means that some sort of religious fanatic is responsible for the murder of Dr.

Schaedel, and while there are a number of people with strong religious beliefs, including Cynthia, whose wealthy father recently embraced a strict form of Christianity, none appears to be a fanatic attached to an obscure European sect.

Severance Kill (Martin Calvary #1) by Tim Stevens

Paul Lennox, one of the young men who spent the evening of Dr. Lamb finds himself in over his head in the murder case and turns to Dr. Ashwin deciphers the mysteries from the comfort of his armchair. He gathers the group together in his rooms and explains that he had only had three remaining questions before solving the case. The first was answered by an express parcel from the head librarian at the University of Chicago that very afternoon; the second was answered that day by a discovery of Martin Lamb in a novelty and theatrical shop near the campus; and he asks the third on the spot.

When he receives a surprising answer to this surprising question, he has everything he needs to solve the case, and explains everything. In the course of his explanation, he reveals that he had started with seven questions to be answered and had whittled them down to four before the session began.