Saturday, July 11, 2015

Review of So What Do I Do? by author G.J. Griffiths

I love to read and review books. I do this a lot for self-published authors because, being an indie author myself, I know how important reviews are...and how hard they are to get. I haven't really posted reviews on my blog before, but I've decided it might not be a bad practice to start. Any publicity helps, and I've learned in the last few years what an awesome thing it is to help out another author. It always comes back, in one way or another...and it's a really fun thing to do.

So, here is my first posted book review. This book comes from a series written by author G.J. Griffiths. I've read all three books that make up this series. (Will there be more? I hope so.) I've enjoyed them all, but this third one, So What Do I Do? is my favorite.




The third book in the So What series starts off with Gil Hodgson, whom readers were introduced to in Griffiths’ previous novel. This time, we are offered a closer peek at his personal life when we are introduced to his wife, Jean. It’s been five years since Hodgson’s Hide was built, and as the story opens, it is here we find the couple as they take part in a bit of bird watching. They aren’t alone, however. They are unknowingly in the company of some troublemakers, and Griffiths has shown a bright spark of storytelling brilliance with this introduction. He starts the story off with more than a little intrigue, and succeeds in keeping the pages turning from the beginning all the way through to the end.

Hodgson’s Hide, a once beloved nature corner, and Birch Green High School, which is interested in becoming an academy school, both seem to be in danger at the hands of some rather unscrupulous partners; half of which are interested in exacting personal revenge, and the other looking for financial gain. The plan goes awry, setting off a domino effect of one crime committed after another.

Griffiths uses some of the most entertaining phrases such as; “In contrast to his brother-in-law Sherwin’s lack of tallness had more of the Dumpty about it. But this “egg” was of the hard-boiled type, with a shell that cracked easily, having no time for fools.” These creative gems are sprinkled throughout his engaging prose, delighting the reader while giving an already imaginative story even more color.

This tale holds a bit more mystery than those before it, and shows Griffiths’ talent for intrigue. It’s an interesting puzzle, one that is not so much a ‘whodunnit’, but ‘how’dtheydoit’. The pieces are created incredibly well and fall into place nicely. This story rolls along at a very pleasant pace with many surprises along the way…including possibly one of the best bad guy confessions ever written, and a very satisfying ending.

Here's a little bit about G.J. Griffiths:

G J Griffiths is a UK baby-boomer who worked for quite a while in the photographic industry. Then he became a science teacher for about twenty years. He likes reading (lots!) walking in the countryside and birdwatching - Oh! and being a Grandad! Having retired he thought he would like to write a novel. 

Learn more about him, or connect with him via the following links:





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