The Executioner By Heather Opperman #BlogBookTour

It’s that time again, where I get to dive into the murky depths of crime, murder and mystery, the criminal underworld always draws in me. I love the puzzle of solving the cases, the twists and turns, and how the authors mind works.

So as usual it’s an #AD GIFTED book in return for a review, but all opinions are my own.

So what do we have this time, the Title itself draws me in, I’m in for a treat. Unusually for me it’s set in a place I have no real life knowledge of, so I’m using all my imagination and authors description to try and visually see the places described. Nor have I heard or read anything about this author before, so it’s a new experience for me all round.

THE

EXECUTIONER – Synopsis

Do you like adrenaline pumping psychological thrillers?

The Executioner is a debut thriller from an author we are sure to hear more about in the future

Alex Reid lives a charmed life.

He has a job he loves, a wife who adores him, and a home which has been featured in magazines. As a Detective in the Serious and Violent Crimes unit in Cape Town, South Africa, Alex is fortunate to live in a country where serial killers are few and far between.
But in a whirlwind turn of events, Alex finds himself locked in a life and death struggle with a malevolent serial killer who has chosen Alex as his arch nemesis.
As the body count rises, Alex must try to overcome his own personal tragedy and loss, and go head to head with the man the media have dubbed the Executioner.
Will Alex stop him before he extracts his final revenge?

The Location

Cape Town is a port city on South Africa’s southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. Slowly rotating cable cars climb to the mountain’s flat top, from which there are sweeping views of the city, the busy harbour and boats heading for Robben Island, the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, which is now a living museum.

The Detective

Detective Alex Reid had a difficult childhood but he survived against all the odds. He is now a Detective solving serious crime cases. He is a unique character that cares about the people he is keeping safe. He has developed a healthy working relationship with Fadi, appreciating his skills along with his strange ways. Together they are determined to take down the bad guys.

The Author

I am always thinking of new ways to describe what I see and feel. Words are my passion! I know it’s nerdy, but I make a point of learning at least 3 new words a week.

I have no formal training in writing. My background is in Corporate Information Technology, where I have 25 years’ experience.

But I have been writing since as far back as I remember, on any surface I could find, including one memorable occasion when I wrote a “poem” on the wall of my Mother’s bedroom, which earned me a clip on the ear.

Thanks to the encouragement, bribes and downright threats to my life and limbs, I was persuaded by friends and family to self-publish The Executioner. I am so grateful to everybody who has walked with me on this journey. I’m not stopping now!

My Review

I’ve never heard of the author Heather Opperman, so I had no bias or opinions on the writing style or story telling abilities. Which was a nice adventure really discover new and exciting authors.

There is a male Detective Alex Reid who’s the main character, but I loved the sidekick Fadi way more, his personality tickled me,and the sassy medical examiner Kate!!

It’s starts from the killers point of view which pipped my interest immediately. Their thoughts and emotions were well described.

Hideous murders, but thankfully not too graphically described or gratuitous. But carefully done so you know what’s happened without flooding your mind with visual images.

I love the characters and how they interact with each other, the niggles and ones that gel well, it makes it feel more realistic, especially with clashes of personalities, as real life is like that.

With the setting being South Africa, which I sadly have no knowledge of, I relied on the author to describe the locations, which I found she did well, and it made me more attentive to the details.

This books starts at a speedy rate straight away, which I personally love. No long chapters bedding in the characters with long waits for anything exciting to happen. This was boom action packed immediately. A truly awesome book, that I highly recommend.

Weekend Vibes

The weekend has arrived and I’m prepping for a birthday party for our soon to be 3yr old grandson Leonardo.

Cue mass meet up at ours for all of my children together, and my parents. It was chaos at times, loud other times, but good fun was had. And I think we had one very spoilt boy.

Laughs, cake and being together made it worth all the aches my hip gave me, preparing for this.

It was all Thomas the Tank Engine themed, he loves his trains.

Boy gifts and parties are all new to me, as I had 4 daughters, so everything was pink, lilac, glittery and Barbie, or bratz. So trains and cars are new to me.

Sunday came and it was family visiting day, but the treat is we get a Sunday dinner made for us.

And we got to capture a photo of us when we were in the audience of Ninja Warrior too. It’s from last week’s show.

3rd row up that’s me! Mini moon and Mr Moon. We went to Manchester last August and it’s finally been aired on TV. Hilarious seeing yourself on the Tele.

So from one hectic day, to a pretty relaxed chilled day, its been a perfect weekend. Spent with the people we love the most!!

15 weeks post #HipReplacement

Has the weather turned for you? It sure has here, sadly with that comes the ever present extra aches, my hands are becoming clicky and stiff once again. (The reprieve wasn’t long enough)

The hip is achy and not feeling so painfree, but as every other joint hurts I know it’s just that time it’s all meant to hurt again. So it’s definitely shoots my happiness in the foot. But I need to make the most of it, as the weather is never going to be permanently dry and warm, mores the pity!!

I still can’t do weights, but as joints hurt, I have to do some physio to engage the muscles and stop them from dislocating.

Can’t hold weights, but I can pull the theraband resistance bands, that o have tied to my door. These are stabilizer exercises for the shoulders, but they help my wrists and elbows too.

Finished off with rolling a ball in a circle to the right, then circle to the left, then push the ball up and down the wall, do this both shoulders.

So it’s week 15 and though I have had rapid recovery as predicted. I’m still walking with a walking stick, I have numb areas, (seriously cant feel a thing!) Niggles of pain in groin occasionally, and thigh aches. Knee pain occurs with physio but quickly disappears. And the whole thigh still swells up.

But upon reading medical journals, it seems it’s not unusual for the recovery to keep going albeit at a slower rate for the first 2 years. So it seems frustrating at times, but really it is early days.

And here ends my daily updates, as now the progress is more minimal, and things are just going to be repeated until it gets fully better. I’m thrilled that I never once felt alone in this recovery, so thank you so much.

Day 104 #HipReplacement

As the week progresses, I need to start thinking of Saturday which is a party day for my Grandson, he will be 3 yrs old. So the weekend won’t be used for walking or physio.

So I need to get my physio in on these 4 days at least. Still having some thigh pain I’m reluctant to do much. And my elbow is still super sore and feeling odd from partially dislocating on Friday, so weights are definitely out for now.

I think I will do my hardest ones, but very low reps for now.

• Mini squat 15 reps
• Clam raise 15 reps (some improvement there)
• Side leg raise 15 reps
• Prone lying, bent knee raise 15 reps
• Aerobic step lunge 15 reps (I don’t have a Bosu Ball)
• Aerobic step overs 15 reps
• Ankle weighted side steps 30 steps

I do NOT lunge as well as this, more like a lean forward with the weight solely on the operated leg. Then push back off that leg. Really hard, really difficult, and does twinge my knee at times. I need to speak to Physiotherapist to check it’s ok. I do less of lunge to protect the knee at the moment.

For the walk overs the step, I do exactly what it says, I use the operated leg on the step and step right over with the opposite leg, keeping the operated leg planted the whole time. Again difficult for me,but hoping it helps with strength.

Day 103 Geocaching Fails

We decided to do some walking but on flat ground as the thigh has been aching since Friday night, but I couldn’t waste this glorious sunshine.

So off we trot to explore the marshes, funnily enough we’ve lived here for 14yrs and not once gone to explore them. So today’s the day!!

Planned to do a loop around the water and it’s all pretty much flat. I’d love to see otters, but it’s not the right time of day to see them. Squirrels and birds are all we will see today.

Had a few (4) caches planned to find, but we failed at ALL of them. We tried to find them, but they are certainly too well hidden. And too many nettles for me to stick my hand anywhere too.

In my head the marshes were just boggy grounds, but actually we saw lakes, rivers, and small boggy pools, each with a different selection of wildlife to be found there.

I could hear frogs but sadly didn’t see any.

Sat down a few times as I needed too. Sneaked inside hides to have a drink break, and to gaze at the birds.

One day I would like to cycle it, the path seems easy enough too. I just need to get over my fear of putting the leg down.

It was so peaceful and quiet even on blazing hot bank holiday, I’ll definitely be returning again, possibly with some binoculars too!! And definitely in the evening to catch the elusive otters.

Day 102 Easter Weekend

Well this weekend has been eventful and hugely victorious in the recovery period of the hip replacement.

I’ve done things I’ve not done for a decade (walk down stairs normally) standing to put trousers on, and finally going out clubbing with NO groin pain!!

We’ve celebrated this glorious weather and the celebration of ‘normie’ me returning to myself with Gin in the park.

Walking around the Victorian Park and River.

Even eating ice creams, because why not.

Loving the new lease of life this hip has given me. Yes I have niggles, and twinges, but absolutely nothing like before. Hoping it just keeps improving, and that the other hip doesn’t fail me.

Warm weather has meant minimum pain and stiffness for my hands, so that’s been a bonus. Though I did partially dislocate my elbow going to the toilet. That wasn’t so pleasant.

Day 101 #hipreplacement

Well it’s the day the night before! I’m a little bit hanging as I was full of absinthe, prosecco and aperol, and Stella.

Club was ace! I felt steady on my hip all night so that was good, there was really good seating so that helped massively. I saw another walking stick there, and he had a light (like a bike light on) I think I need one!!

Small club, so not endless walking to places. It was the longest I’ve ever stood up for. I did use my walking stick most of the night. Hip held out well, just nagging thigh pain. In fact I was just tired more than anything.

So recovery mode on, out in the garden. Rest and recover time. I’m immensely stiff this morning.

100 Days Post #HipReplacement

Holey moley it’s been 100 days!! It’s Easter weekend, the sun is shining and it’s Rave day!!

Which means absolutely NO physio exercises to be done, I’m resting my legs and saving my energy for later on tonight.

To celebrate getting here, we are off to #Suki10c in Birmingham, listen to some amazing music and with great company to boot.

The club is impressive with its unique artwork outside.

And inside they are making some serious environmental stances too. Which I like.

So time to get my nerves in check (as I am highly anxious, and scared of falling) but it’s not rational, so I’m masking it with prosecco and aperol. My trusty walking stick ever by my side. It’s time to party.

Day 99 First Land Physio

The day is finally here, my first official land physio appointment. Thankfully I’ve retained my Physiotherapist that I’ve worked with for years, through various different surgeries. So it’s fair to say she knows me well and my abilities too.

So I loved it when straight away, she noticed that some of the waddle has gone. Yes it’s there when the leg is fatigued but no longer is it there 100% of the time.

First off it’s Stationary bike 5 mins

With the bike it was on level 3, so the first time in many years I’ve had a resistance on it.

Then Sit down/Stand ups 15 reps

Sat fully down, then got up again, without holding onto anything.

Dreaded Clam Raises 15 reps

I say raise but it’s not actually raising, but the muscle is tightening, so although I’m not successful yet, the muscle is still being worked.

Keeping bottom leg bent, into a Side Leg Raise 15 reps

Weirdly found these quite easy. Only doing the operated side at the moment at physio.

Into Prone Lying, Bent Knee Raise 15 reps

This feels a lot better than before, it used to want to fall outwards, so I’ve obviously gained some strength to hold it upwards and straight.

Next up is some Green Resistance Band exercises Hip Extension 15 reps

Hip Abduction 15 reps

Hip Flexion 15 reps

Found these not too bad as I’ve been practicing at home already.

Next up is my enemy!! Bosu Ball Lunge 15 reps

Single leg lunge into the unsteady unbalanced ball surface. My knee HATED it.

Staying with the Body Ball Walkover 15 reps

From the lunge then holding onto balance bars I had to walk over and return backwards. Emphasis on the single leg taking all the weight and balance. Thank goodness for the bars holding me up!!

Ended on one I’ve been doing at home, so felt a lot easier to me Side Steps Green Resistance Band 15 reps

I was absolutely shattered leg wise after this, walked out like Bambi, feeling muscles and aches I forgot existed. I’m glad I still have my walking stick, else I would not be walking out of there.

Knee very very sore, so home to a hot water bottle and lots of rest now.

Week 14 #hipreplacement

A week of mini victories, first I had walked down the stairs once without holding on for dear life, and one step at a time.

Next I put on trousers standing up, wasn’t totally graceful but I did it!!

I’ve bought some skinny jeans for my out out evening Friday. Skinny style though not a skinny size (but that is something I am and I will work on) They both have a stretch in them so they aren’t too weird over the scar. As I still don’t like seams over scars.

Slowly slowly I’m regaining myself back which is wonderful news.

Then of course I’m going to a techno night out on Friday night, a night a friend runs in Birmingham. Chapel Of Chaos

So I can’t do too much physio this week, so I save my energies for this. We’d bought tickets for this before Christmas,and before my surgery dates changed too. Determined not to miss another one. Does anyone else rest a lot before a thing? I know I have too.

Heres week 14 scar, looking pretty deep still at the top, but almost disappeared at the bottom, looks as faded as the two scars that are either side of it. Should be fine wearing shorts if we get some sunshine this summer.