The Chemical Cocktail by Fiona Erskine
Begin the countdown to detonation...
When Jaq Silver’s mother dies, she is handed a poisoned chalice. An inheritance more valuable to her than she could have imagined.
Travelling from Portugal to Brazil amid conspiracies and corruption to get to the bottom of her family mystery, Jaq learns she is not the only one with an interest in her unusual inheritance. Racing against the clock as the threats to her life increase on all sides, Jaq must use her scientific know- how to save what matters most.
About the author
Fiona Erskine is a professional engineer based in Teesside, although her work has taken her around the word. As a female engineer, she has been often the lone representative of her gender in board meetings, cargo ships and night-time factories, and her fiction offers a fascinating insight into this traditionally male world. She is the author of The Chemical Detective and The Chemical Reaction. The Chemical Detective was shortlisted for the Specsavers' Debut Crime Novel Award. Her second thriller in the Jaq Silver series, The Chemical Reaction, was shortlisted for the Staunch Prize in 2020.
Review
‘The Chemical Cocktail’ is a fast-paced thriller that packs a punch! I devoured it in a couple of sittings and I loved Jaq so much. This is the third book in the series but I came into this not having read the previous two and had no problems reading it. However, I loved this one so much that I bought the first two to read.
Jaq is spending Christmas in Brazil but when gunmen burst in asking for her inheritance she has no idea what they are on about! All she has after her mother passed away was a safe box filled with old papers. Jaq is sent on a chase to retrieve the box which takes her around the world! But will she make it back in time…
I had such fun reading this book! I adored the characters of Ben, her ‘nephew’, and Marina, the trans tech genius. Can I just say I would pay A LOT of money for that shoe roll!!! Jaq just seemed like a cool person to know as well - intelligence, beauty and she surfs. But she has an inner core of justice and that can sometimes get her into weird situations.
I found the story to be very informative as I learnt a lot about the history of Portugal and Angola. This sent me down a huge google, wiki and Reddit rabbit hole! It was very interesting but harrowing at the same time. Again I didn't know too much about the modern history of Brazil, so again a rabbit hole. But this is what I love about book blogging you learn so much as you read.
I can not wait for the next book to be released as I am sure Jaq is about to kick it up a gear and cause chaos!!! Bring it on.
