Amazing book!
I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book and I didn't want to put it down! The author captured my attention from the get go! Five stars from me :)

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of All Body Bags and No Knickers, the third novel in the Mercenaries in Suits series featuring Chance Yang and his boss Felipe Kazama.

Chance and his new bride, Catherine Roxburgh, are honeymooning in China and spending time with his family. Their time is marred by the discovery of three bodies, who have uncomfortable links to Chance’s family.

I was quite disappointed in All Body Bags and No Knickers as I feel that it doesn’t live up to its predecessors in terms of page turning appeal and humour. Having read the previous novels I was aware that the crime element comes second to both the characterisation and social commentary, but this has too many descriptions of what they eat and Chinese beliefs at the expense of the riotous fun.

The novel is split between pre-marriage events in London and the honeymoon in China with a few fairly inexplicable, at least at first, flashbacks to events of 11 years before in China. It quickly became apparent to me that Felipe Kazama and his motormouth are the main draw for me in this series, so he makes the London scenes fun, but doesn’t appear in China, leaving that episode flat and more like a travel and food guide than anything else. To be fair, it is very informative, if not what I was expecting. There is very little investigating until the final chapters and, even then I found it rather underwhelming and a bit inconclusive.

I always appreciate an author trying a new direction and this is certainly different. It doesn’t appeal to me in the same way, but I think it may appeal to readers of a more literary bent.

Overall, an interesting book that focuses on character development, relationships and explorations of cultures than the mystery which comes late in the story. I did expect the mystery would take more of a central stage with a subtle title of mercenaries in suits but I did enjoy the intelligent conversations about international politics, pop culture and just China in general that I did not know. Ruckus does create a good atmosphere of suspense, danger and preternatural dread. This is the 3rd book in the series and the first one I have read. I do fell that I have probably missed some things by not reading the other books first.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

On the annual Ghost Night when spirits wander, newlyweds Catherine Roxborough and her partner Chance Yang never imagined death would stalk their summery seaside destination. Like the previous two books in the series, while very well written, this is not much of a mystery. As I described in my review of the other two, this is far more a character study with lots of thoughts and observations.