Review: A Good Day to Die

Denis Milne first appeared in Kernick's debut novel The Business of Dying which appeared in the UK in 2002 and a year later in the US, Europe and Japan. Now we find Milne is living in exile, as he fleed London for the warmer [and safer?] climes of the Philippines where he takes on the non-de-plume Mick [Marcus] Kane. Back in London, Asif Malik who appeared in Kernick's last two novels The Murder Exchange and The Crime Trade is found murdered with fellow officer Jason Khan. Milne is not pleased and so begins this tale of revenge. Milne is hiding out in Mindaro Island with his old contact Tomboy Darke with whom he runs a struggling diving-supplies business. As business is slow, Milne [aka Kane], helps inject extra cash into the dive-shop by working as a hitman for London criminal overlord Les Pope [an underworld contact of Milne's partner Tomboy Darke].

Milne's first hit is Richard Blacklip a British pedophile on the run for one of Pope's clients [a former victim], and then he's assigned by Pope to kill Billy Warren another criminal fleeing British justice. Milne discovers a link to the murder of Asif Malik so heads back to London. A series of misadventures follow and Milne soon runs up against some really serious villains, and soon starts to wonder about the fabric of his own reality, because Les Pope and even Tomboy Darke may have secrets in their past more dangerous than even Milne's. Lacking friends, contacts or help, Milne is joined on his personal quest by Journalist Emma Neilson, someone also interested in the murder of Malik [and Khan]. The cynical Milne senses something amiss as they uncover a conspiracy that leads to the pillars of influence, and turns this taut thriller back on itself. The theme of A Good Day to Die is morality; the use and abuse of power and considering that Milne starts the tale by two cold blooded murders, but ends up the hero, tells you much about the yarn that Kernick weaves from.

As a revenge thriller, this is second to none, and as an examination into morality, it probably poses more questions than answers, but during the hours it takes to read this tale of revenge, you get a chance to look at yourself through the eyes of Milne, which for my money is well worth the price of admission.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ali Karim - RAM

Book Review: A Good Day to Die