Friday, June 12, 2015

TLC Book Tour & #Giveaway for Ryder: Bird of Prey by Nick Pengelley

Ryder:  Bird of Prey
Nick Pengelley
An Ayesha Ryder Novel, Book 3

Publisher:  Alibi  
Release Date: May 5, 2015 (ebook) July 21, 2015 (Print)
Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Female Sleuth
Format:  Print/ eBook
Length:  293/243
ISBN:   978-1443439039
ASIN:  B00N6PD2C4





About the book:

Fans of Steve Berry and James Rollins will devour Ryder: Bird of Prey, the latest white-knuckle thriller featuring Palestinian-born, British-educated adventurer Ayesha Ryder. She’s one of fiction’s boldest heroines—and now she’s rewriting royal history.

According to the last words of a dying man, the Maltese Falcon was no mere legend: The fabulously jeweled golden bird really existed—still exists, in fact. And Ayesha Ryder is hot on its trail. Rumor says the Falcon conceals clues to the burial place of Harold II, the conquered Anglo-Saxon King of England—and to an artifact of astonishing significance that few besides Ryder would understand.

Hunted by Scotland Yard, MI5, and those who seek the Falcon to break up the United Kingdom, Ryder joins forces with Joram Tate, a mysterious librarian with a reputation for turning up things that don’t want to be found. Soon Ryder and her handsome, erudite new companion are venturing through lost tombs and ancient abbeys, following a trail left ages ago by the Knights Templar.

Ryder knows she’s close to a game-changing secret, hidden for a thousand years beneath an English castle. But with ruthless killers waiting in the wings, Ryder must go medieval—to defend her life, her country, and the world as we know it.

Praise for Ryder

“[Nick] Pengelley sets an unconventional story loose on and below the streets of London. With his unusual heroine, the author rejects the clichés of action-adventure thrillers and delivers a surprisingly entertaining read.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“An exciting thriller with characters that you can’t help but like . . . a thrill-a-minute story . . . well worth reading . . . Pengelley has a hit with the character of Ayesha Ryder.”—Fresh Fiction

“This fast-paced crime/political thriller not only is timely for today’s Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, but it delves into historical events that helped shape the way the region’s political climate has evolved. . . . Get ready for an edge-of-your-seat ride featuring a kick-butt heroine bent on justice . . . I had a blast reading Ryder.”—Popcorn Reads


“An Indiana Jones–type adventure . . . Ryder has an Angelina Jolie–esque quality about her. . . . She is strong, both mentally and physically, and she was an amazing character to read. . . . [Ryder is] a literary roller-coaster ride I truly appreciated!”—Read-Love-Blog


At the end of Ryder: American Treasure, historian and adventuress Ayesha Ryder was tired, a little beat up and desperate to go back to her research.  Something that’s not exactly easy to do when you’re the female version of Indiana Jones and your friends keep getting you involved in solving historical mysteries.  Lured by the tale that “The Maltese Falcon”, of Dashiell Hammett fame, is real and still in existence, Ayesha finds herself once again drawn into a treasure hunt in Ryder: Bird of Prey.  A thriller filled with political intrigue, dastardly villains and a light touch of romance, Mr. Pengelley’s third installment in the Ayesha Ryder series is sure to be a hit among mystery fans. 

Although already an established character, Mr. Pengelley turns up the heat on Ayesha’s character by providing us with more information about her early life in the Middle East and by providing her with a new sidekick, Joram Tate.   Still suffering with occasional flashbacks to her activities in the Fedayeen, and her family’s death, Ayesha hopes that getting her hands on the “Maltese Falcon” will help her locate the sword owned by King Harold of England (a.k.a. Excalibur) and also help her locate the lost treasure of the Knights Hospitaller (crusaders who stole the treasure from The Holy Land).
   
Filled with existing, and well developed, secondary characters, Mr. Pengelley turns up the heat by once again placing Ayesha in a situation where she’s forced to hide from,  and outrun,  Dame Imogen and MI-5 and once again depend on Lady Madrigal and also on Joram Tate, a new character, who is a librarian with information on the “Maltese Falcon”.  An intelligent, attractive man, Joram is an interesting character and one I could see becoming a series regular.  The fact that he and Ayesha have great chemistry is also a major plus, all while working for a man who she doesn't like and whose secret agenda is something Ayesha would never approve of.

Will Ayesha locate the real Maltese Falcon and will it give her the clues she needs to find the hidden treasure?  Will she somehow manage to save her adopted country and its prime minister once again?  You’ll have to read Ryder: Bird of Prey to find out. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading Ayesha’s next adventure,

My Rating:  4.5 out of 5 Crowns


About Nick Pengelley


Nick Pengelley is the author of the political thrillers Ryder, Ryder: American Treasure, and Ryder: Bird of Prey. Australian by birth, he’s had careers in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom as a law professor, legal consultant, and analyst on Middle East politics, which is his passion. Pengelley lives in Toronto with his family.





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4 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great review! :-)

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  2. Great review, sounds like a book I would really enjoy. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  3. I appreciate well-developed secondary characters - they can really make a story.

    Thanks for being a part of the tour!

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  4. I love to read about a female sleuth.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

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