Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Thanks very much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. Many thanks, Dave

DNF

I love a good heist book. The synopsis had me rubbing my hands in gleeful expectation. But then... I started the book. Twice.

I do not enjoy the stream of consciousness, unreliable narrative. It felt even more contrived and needlessly contrived than the language of the Droogs in A Clockwork Orange.

Upon reading other reviews, I see that this is a sequel- perhaps if I'd heard of the first one, i could get into it.

I'm disappointed when a book lets me down, but this felt like it could've used an editor to say knock it off and resume the heisting.

2/5 - disliked, DNF, but maybe I'll finish it later

It's well written but I found it a bit confusing and the story fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I'm sure there'a an audience for this but it wasn't my cup of tea and I DNF. Jack Price is the leader of a band of, well, seven demons who are hired to rob a Swiss bank. Each of the characters has some dynamic issue (best way to describe it) but he lost me in the onslaught of words about them. I suspect this would be a better movie than reading experience. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Jack Price is back in this sequel to “The Price You Pay”. This time he is the head of the group of international criminals called the Seven Demons. They have been hired by an anonymous client to rob an unrobbable bank buried in a Swiss mountain. The bank is accessible only by cable car, and is protected by (among other things) water that will freeze or crush you. At around the 50% point of the book the robbery morphs an intricate revenge plan.

I loved “The Price You Pay” and was hoping for a sequel, however this book disappointed me. The quirky writing that pleased me in the first book was too constant and over the top for me here. This time I think the author is trying too hard with his style, but every once in a while he still makes me laugh. There is also eccentric punctuation. I think it would work better if he just sprinkled in the gonzo rather than going full tilt all the time. I tried to find representative quotes, but it is hard to find anything that I wouldn’t have to heavily censor. Jack and the other Demons have a unique, and often profane, way of speaking. However, these are a few examples:

“...okay I have been off my game that thing with the lady whose car we stole is well she is not alive and obviously there was the unfortunate business with Mr. Sharkey’s exploding face but—but when —let’s say when I am in control of the environment I do not wish to make people die that is not my thing.”

“... what is Fascism coming to, millennial Nazis have no standards they probably eat avocados like the Socialists and then where are we and la la la.”

“I am not watching the golfs I am murderizing people in futurity. The sort of murderizing this requires is not improvisational it is process -driven it is downstream complexity made simple by stages.”

I loved the plot but the writing was tough going at times. Despite my disappointment with this book I still liked it enough to want to read the next one. I just hope the author tones the crazy down a little. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

arc provided via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

this book and story had too much going for it and it's such a shame it couldn't live up to all it had set up for. the story didn't hook me and i felt like i was waiting for something grand to happen to match the promising premise until there wasn't and it left me very disappointed.

I usually like Vintage Crime/Black Lizard publications but unfortunately I gave up on this one half way through. Too speedy, too convoluted and a story that really didn't grab me at all. I kept looking for something heavy to crush the Seven Demons into oblivion....
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to try. It just wasn't my cup of tea