DNF due to writing style. The author uses a LOT of dashes. They're everywhere and they break up the flow of both dialogue and narrative. I couldn't hack it.

3 Stars


I had no idea what to expect from Human Resources by Robin Trigg when I started the novel. I really knew nothing about the author or the story so I came in with a blank slate. My only expectation is that this was a book from Flame Tree Press so I expected it to be good. That was enough for me to give it a try.



Many saw Australis as the future. This city at the edge of the world was tucked into Antarctica and gave humankind another place in which to grow in the overcrowded world. Many saw it as a symbol of hope as man tried to build a utopia in the frozen wasteland. Others, like Anders Nordvelt, knew that there struggles and petty differences of the rest of the world were still present here. This was not utopia. It was just another place to live and Nordvelt was in charge of security for the town. He knew that there were incidents of dissent that have begun in the city. When one of the leaders of the dissidents is murdered, though, things are about to hit a whole new level.



What Nordvelt never suspected is that the protests and civil unrest were not unfounded. As he began to peel back the layers of the mystery surrounding the murder, he began to uncover much more than expected. It soon became clear that many of the newer arrivals to Australis did not come by choice but were rather sold to the Company to be sent to the town. In addition, it looked as if a group once thought to be a mythical creation of the paranoid my actually be real. Nordvelt must peel away the layers of conspiracy to get to the heart of the matter and catch a killer. He must hurry, as well, because the body count only continues to grow.



Human Resources can be read quickly as a type of police procedural and thriller novel but there is much more to the story than just that level. One layer down lies a science fiction novel that is steeped in class and racial tension. This is not just the story of a murder mystery or government conspiracy. This is a tale of all mankind within the microcosm of a small town on the edge of the world. Like a real-world utopia, there is much more to the city than one can take in at first glance and Triggs piles on layer after layer of both intrigue and moral value. What is the price of humanity and what will one do to control it? Humanity in all its goodness and greed is laid bare in this novel for the reader to sift through and search for the answers that plague the real world. There is a depth here that takes the story beyond simple diversion and into the realm of the philosophical.



I do not know that Human Resources is for all readers and I do admit that it took me by surprise. I was not really expecting the story that I found in the novel. It started off much as I expected but then took a twist away from what I was expecting about halfway through. While I thought the story lost some of its urgency through the deepening of the conspiracy, it also gained some gravitas and walked a tightrope between the thriller and the moral tale. Triggs manages to pull this off well and keeps the balance for the most part but I would expect some readers may get left behind along the way. There is a depth here but I also finished the story feeling as if I was missing something. It was almost as if the novel aspired to be something more than it was and fell just shy of its mark. Human Resources is an entertaining tale and is sure to make the reader think, but I also wished that there could have been a little more. There is a lot of promise in the novel and it does stand well on its own but I am looking forward to see what more Triggs will have to offer the reader in the future.



I would like to thank NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for this review copy. Human Resources is available now.

After being approved by NetGalley to read and review HUMAN RESOURCES by Robin Triggs, I didn’t realize it was the sequel to NIGHT SHIFT, so I purchased it and read it first.

I like the storyline Triggs created in NIGHT SHIFT; an excellent tension-filled survival mystery in Antarctica, an ending that I wasn’t expecting and left me puzzled regarding the why of things.

I found myself wanting to know more about the Company by the time I finished Book One; as I made my way into Book Two, knowing the former's ending, I struggled to make sense of the beginning.

Though HUMAN RESOURCES is a DNF for me at the fifteen percent mark, I may revisit at a later date. I’m so excited to read what Triggs comes up with next.

Thank you, NetGalley and Flames Tree Press, for loaning me an eGalley of HUMAN RESOURCES in exchange for an honest review.

NIGHT SHIFT
Source: Kindle eBook/Own

Human Resources by Robin Triggs is the sequel to Nightshift. Both stories take place in a post apocalyptic world where the organization known simply as the Company has power on the same level (if not higher) as the United Nations. The Company is building a city in Antarctica in a desperate search for resources. The story is again told from the perspective of Anders Nordvelt, the chief of security. I won’t reveal any spoilers concerning Nordvelt, but if you read Nightshift, you already know that his perspective is not always reliable. This is again a murder mystery that is a bit murky, but overall it was an entertaining read. I would love to know more about the events that brought about this new world order and more about the Company. I would also love to read more about Nordvelt’s family. Those topics would make for a fascinating dystopian read.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press, Robin Triggs and Netgalley.
Straight up, I can tell you that I really didn't like this story. The characters are bland. But, because of the first book, I wanted to know more about this strange world.
Turns out that black, brown and white are still at odds. Anders isn't rascist, at all. But, at 40% as soon as race came up, I quit the book.
I prefer my readings of the future to be as one.
I have no recommendations for this book. I find myself uninterested.

“Human Resources” is a thrilling whodunit crime novel in a science fiction landscape, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Firstly, the author did a brilliant job of maintaining suspense. Nordvelt shines in the role as he probably wishes he never worked at Australis. Nordvelt tries to figure out who is behind the murders, even if it means ruining his reputation. Moreover, the author adds quite a few twists, which keep the plot gripping. It was thrilling to see how Nordvelt finds himself in deeper trouble as the murder counts go up. At times, the story progresses in a delicious way where you don’t know if Nordvelt is responsible or not.

Similarly, all the supporting cast also adds nicely to the backdrop. Nascimento, Maggie, Ameli, and Mithu add nicely to the mix. At one point, most of these characters are potential suspects in the first murder. Bartelli was another favorite, and I loved the way he supported Nordvelt. Moreover, the reveal, in the end, threw me off and one that I did not see coming. This twist made the story very memorable, and I was satisfied with the way things turned out.

Also, I didn’t know that this was the second book in the series. Although I have not read the previous novel, I had no trouble following this. I am eager to pick up and read “Night Shift,” from which this novel picks up. Overall, “Human Resources” is a gripping crime thriller that takes you on an epic ‘whodunit’ chase.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Human Resources tries hard to be more than it is. It tries to be fast paced and twisty. It turns into repetitive and convoluted. Regardless of the attempt of the author, it was pretty straightforward. I kept hoping for more and was left at the end with a sense of completion but no sense of satisfaction. It was OK but I will probably not be thinking about it in a week.

For the sole nine survivors of the Antarctic events of Book 1, NIGHT SHIFT, life and career have only been downhill. Not fitting in, the object or scorn or fear or anxiety, these individuals "don't belong" and don't know how to. The newly constructed city Australis, replacing the lost Antarctic base, should be a Paradise, with constant immigration and a job for everyone. So why suddenly are there protests and dangerous sabotage? Once again, who can be trusted? Can anyone?

What A Bitter World To Live In!

This story takes place somewhere in the near future and is about a new world being built (Australis) while trying to exist in the deep recesses of frozen Antarctica.. Anders Nordveldt is chief of security and a man who believes in truth and justice. There are many people especially one of his sergeants who believe that Anders is not qualified for his position and in over his head, so they try discredit him and make his job more difficult than necessary whenever possible. This security chief has paid his dues in this frigid nightmare of a place which is considered to be a wonderful new world where people can live in harmony without so many problems and annoyances of the past. There aren't any pesty insects, mice or rat problems to worry about !n this frigid environment sitting on the edge of the world but but, also there aren't any pets as cats and dogs or birds for companions since the temperatures are so frigid that people must wear what is called a warm suit with an oxygen mask whenever they go outdoors to protect their skin which would have frostbite within minutes.. There are new groups of citizens voluntarily coming to live in Austrailis but also rumors of forced immigration are emerging and Anders must investigate some of these claims and report back to the Committee of which he is also a member. Suddenly a respected member of the committee if found murdered and there aren't any immediate suspect's or DNA evidence found and it becomes top priority that Anders find the culprit responsible and why this murder happened or his job may be on the line. Before he even gets his investigation started another very gruesome murder occurs and the security team want to blame the spouse and wrap the murder case up, while Anders wants only the truth and justice to follow and before long Anderson will find himself running to solve these crimes but also running to save his sanity and maybe also his own life.

This was a very intriguing book for me. I went in blind and at first I thought "oh no" a futuristic sci-fi book, since I'm not a big fan of certain science fiction stories. I am so glad that I gave this book a chance because it was terrific. The story was a little bit of everything including being a thriller, mystery, suspense, adventure, science fiction, even a touch of romance (not much) and so much more. The book was very well-written with great character development and I really ended up loving this book and I now want to read the first book in this series, but this was definitely a stand-alone story and was fun and easy to read. This was my first book by Robin Triggs and I am looking forward to reading more fro this author.

I want to thank the publisher "Flame Tree Press" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this novel and any opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given this terrific book a rating of 4 Futuristic 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!!

The sequel to the Night Shift which was another four star read. A great whodunnit, full of red herrings and more twists than a twisty corkscrew. I had my list of suspects which i had great delight in whittling down and I still got it wrong. A real workout for the grey matter. A really enjoyable read and I really hope that this is not the last we hear of Anders Nordvelt. Loved it.
Thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book. Kept assigning characters within the story and still got it wrong a few times. There is a bit of a twist when it comes to the ski instructors that I didn’t see coming that did make it a bit of an OMG moment, but would definitely recommend

This is the sequel to the excellent Night Shift, even if it takes place in a different setting and features mostly new characters. Anders Nordvelt is again Chief of Security. This time, he’s in Australis, the underground city in the frozen Antarctica. He finds himself involved in another old-fashioned whodunit with tons of suspects and red herrings. His old buddies from the first volume come back to get more or less involved in the new case, and as always Anders is overwhelmed, but smarter than he looks. I really like his voice, he is friendly and sympathetic. His new team is interesting. I actually really liked one of the members and another one I loathed from the beginning. I suspected one and trusted the other. Nothing, not one of my assumptions ended up being right. The plot is very suspenseful and I can only hope there will be more. I like Anders and his world. I wouldn’t like to live there, but it’s fun to visit.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Flame Tree Press!