Groove Book Report: A Killer Harvest: A Thriller - Paul Cleave (Upstart Press $34.90)

Apparently, this book was conceived as a YA novel but it really creeps you out.  It's not quite as good as his previous one, Trust No One about a novel writer with Alzheimer's who starts to reveal secrets about it's still very good.  Christchurch is still very prominent here.  The plot on this one is a bit weird but go with  it.
This one concerns a blind teenager who receives a corneal donation and begins to see and feel memories from their previous owner—a homicide detective who was also his father.

Joshua is convinced there is a family curse. It’s taken loved ones from him, it’s robbed him of his eyesight, and it’s the reason why his father is killed while investigating the homicide of a young woman.

Joshua is handed an opportunity he can’t refuse: an operation that will allow him to see the world through his father’s eyes. As Joshua navigates a world of sight, he gets glimpses of what these eyes might have witnessed in their previous life.

What exactly was his dad up to in his role as a police officer?

There are consequences to the secret life his father was living, including the wrath of a man hell bent on killing, a man who is drawing closer and closer to Joshua.

Joshua soon discovers a world darker than the one he has emerged from…

Every chapter finishes with a cliff hanger.  Every Chapter keeps you guessing.  Fast paced and relentless.  A bit of violence but moreover, slightly disturbing.  The plot premise is part fiction-part Sci-fi and part comedy.  It's like being trapped in a Trent Reznor song.  Well recommended if you want a bit of a freak out.  And best of all, it's set in Sunny Christchurch!

Paul Cleave is currently dividing his time between his home city of Christchurch, New Zealand, where all of his novels are set, and Europe, where none of his novels are set. His eight novels have so far been translated into over a dozen languages and nearly 20 territories. He has won the Saint-Maur book festival's crime novel of the year in France, has been shortlisted for the Ned Kelly award, the Edgar Award, the Barry Award, and has won the Ngaio Marsh award for NZ crime fiction.

The New Zealand Listener said that Cleave writes with 'an energy that conventional crime novels lack', and he has been called 'the next Stephen King', 'a rising star of the genre' and 'a writer to watch'. Publishers Weekly have said 'a pulse-pounding serial killer thriller. The city of Christchurch becomes a modern equivalent of James Ellroy's Los Angeles of the 1950s, a discordant symphony of violence and human weakness... the book's real power lies in the complexity of its characters,', and

Cleave numbers among his fans top crime and thriller writers such as Mark Billingham, who wrote: 'Most people come back from New Zealand talking about the breathtaking scenery and the amazing experiences. I came back raving about Paul Cleave.' John Connolly called Blood Men 'dark, bloody, and gripping . . . classic noir fiction', and said that in Paul Cleave 'Jim Thompson has another worthy heir to his throne'. The Lab's John Heath calls Cleave's writing 'uncompromising, unpredictable, and enthralling', adding, 'Made me vomit -- seriously, it's that good.' Simon Kernick said 'Cleave writes the kind of dark, intense thrillers that I never like to finish. Do yourself a favour and check him out,' and S.J Watson said 'An intense adrenalin rush from start to finish. It'll have you up all night. Fantastic!'

His novels are - The Cleaner, The Killing Hour, Cemetery Lake, Blood Men, Collecting Cooper, The Laughterhouse, Joe Victim, Five Minutes Alone, and Trust No One.

Read more of his novels at: Upsatart Press