A time traveler's work is never done.
THE SHADOWS OF LONDON by NICK JONES
Series: Joseph Bridgeman #2
Publication date: June 1, 2021
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Genre: sci-fi, time travel
SYNOPSIS
Likable antiques dealer Joseph Bridgeman is back in the present and dreaming of a quiet life. But when a mysterious and enigmatic time traveler arrives in his shop, Joe learns that his first trip was just the beginning and this time, the rules of the game have changed.
Blackmailed into accepting a new mission, Joe is flung back to 1960s London where he comes face-to-face with a ruthless gangster and witnesses the brutal murder of an innocent woman. Joe knows better than most that death can be reversed and the final chapter is sometimes where the story actually begins. Emotionally involved, he has no choice but to act, and quickly. With the help of Vinny, his vinyl-loving sidekick, Joe once again sets out to change the course of history. Sounds simple enough ... but when it comes to time travel, nothing is ever as it seems. Who is the old time traveler working for? And who decides what can and can't be changed? In a thrilling twist, Joe discovers that the victim is critically important to the future and what starts out as a straightforward mission soon becomes a race to unravel a mystery--one that threatens the very timeline he fought so hard to protect. Joe must dig deeper than ever, master his newfound skills, and save the woman before the past catches up with him for good.
Turns out time doesn't heal after all. It just adds salt.
Purchase your copy now!
Amazon | B&N | BAM | Google Play
Praise for The Shadows of London:
''A time traveler ready to settle into a new home and a new reality is convinced to return to the past to prevent a gang murder ... Travels to the past drive the plot, but it's the complexity of the present that makes this book worth spending time with.'' --Kirkus Reviews
''In the Joseph Bridgeman series you find yourself smack-dab in the middle of a time-traveling thriller mash-up written with a vividness that both enthralls and inspires.'' --Thrillerfix
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nick Jones was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire in 1972. He is the author of the Downstream Diaries, a series of novels that tell the story of an average Joe, who discovers he can time travel. It's autobiographical. He lives in his writing shed in the U.K. and can usually be found surrounded by notes and scribbling on a large white board.
Follow her:
The Shadows of London by Nick JonesMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
After reading and loving And Then She Vanished, I knew I had no other option but to continue with this exciting time travel series. I'm a huge fan of the genre, but unfortunately, it's been difficult for me to find a lot of quality series to enjoy. The first book in the series was my first read by the author Nick Jones, and I was very impressed with his skill in creating a detailed, suspenseful, and flawless plot. With time travel stories it's very easy for plot holes to occur, but once again he managed to wrote a seamless story that my analytical mind could not find fault with. Book one was centered around the protagonist Joseph Bridgeman discovering his abilities and using them to save his sister. The Shadows of London focused on the aftermath of the events in book one as well as a new time traveling adventure in 1960s London. He's still the same lovable guy that appeared previously-Joe couldn't have asked for a more loyal friend to support him as he navigates his new life and mission.
Joseph was desperate to save his sister Amy who disappeared when he was a teenager. Her disappearance was the catalyst that destroyed the happy life his family once knew. He always believed that if he could just rewind time and change history that everything would be perfect again. It seemed that it would be at first. Then he realized that altering time has consequences. Changed events change the trajectory of people's life, people's personality, and so many other small things.
All these huge changes and it’s sometimes the smallest detailsthat are the hardest to get your head around.
When Joseph changed history, his family consequently lived a happy life free of tragedy. After jumping back to present time he replaced the version of himself that lived that happy life with his parents and sister. This is something that he finds difficult to accept-that he virtually erased who he calls "Other Joe." It's hard to imagine the guilt you would feel erasing someone from existence. Even if it's yourself and you still exist in another version. Rather than jumping into the perfect life, Joseph must now learn to adjust to his altered reality. Other Joe was adventurous, wealthy, self-absorbed, and athletic. Joseph is none of those things and now must walk in his new shoes convincingly.
We all rode the same train until I was fourteen,and then the track split violently in two.
I enjoyed discovering the many various changes along with him. One of the most interesting developments for me was how he altered his relationship with the love interest Alexia. At the end of book one, he discovers that Alexia has no memory of the developing relationship they once shared. Instead of sharing a budding romance, she now can't stand the sight of him. He must discover what caused her animosity and hopefully make amends to form a new relationship. I was rooting for him to make things right once again because even though his sister was returned to him, he lost the woman who was just starting to mean something very special to him. His friend Mark did not make an appearance in this new installment, but his best friend Vinny returned to make Joe's new mission a little bit lighter. You couldn't ask for a more loyal and fun sidekick than Vinny, and he brings some much needed levity to some life or death situations.
There is new pivotal character introduced by the name of William P. Brown. (side note: I couldn't help but wonder if his name was a nod to Doc Brown from Back to the Future.) Bill is a man with intentions that you can't quite pin down. He forces Joe's hand in time time traveling once again and randomly pops up to give him advice and guidance. Joe despises him with a passion for entangling him in a mess that he wants no part of, but not everything is always black and white. Sometimes things must be done for the greater good. The question is, who will benefit if Joe manages to save Lucy in the 60s? Will it alter his own future for the worse either way?
Nick Jones did a great job setting the scene in the past for the reader. The clothing, language, and London's sights and sounds were all there in vivid detail. When Joe travels, he has new tools and knowledge to guide him on his path. He's not quite as green as he used to be, and there isn't that fear underlying his jumps because he has a better control over how and when to go home. That may have affected the level of suspense somewhat for me, but I did enjoy seeing Joe gain his new skills. He even got to enjoy himself a little in the past, more so than the first time when he was terrified that he wouldn't be able to get home.
The end sets us up a little bit with what's to come. After another successful read, I'm really looking forward to continuing on to see where the news twists lead Joseph Bridgerton. There are still plenty of questions unanswered-especially in relation to Amy in the past and future. She seems to be a troubled person and she didn't get a huge amount of page time in this installment, so I look forward to discovering some of her secrets. If you're like me, and you love a time travel book with plenty of twists and turns, there's a good chance you will love this series! I'm solidly hooked now and there's no looking back.
“The future is in the past,” Vinny says conspiratorially,“and it’s waiting to be rewritten.”
0 komentarze:
Post a Comment