What The Dark Whispers - MJ Lee

 

Book 11 in the DI Ridpath series released 3rd July from Canelo

Having had the pleasure to read the DI Ridpath series from its genesis in the years prior to the global pandemic, it is the first time in my long tenure of reading that this reader has followed such a new detective series and character from its inception to the present day. Following, enjoying and anticipating.

Lee returns along with Ridpath in a Halloween set tale that sees the maverick Ridpath again having to uncover the truth behind a series of recent murders in the Greater Manchester area which may or may not be connected. A man sets himself on fire at a petrol station, a family is brutally murdered in their home and a single mother is strangled by her daughter.

Ridpath under his guise as policeman and assistant to the Coroner, has to battle familiar office politics - those who have been promoted ahead of him - with his embatteled support staff who endeavour to do the right thing despite the best efforts of those to merely tick a box. 

This along with his daughter, Eve, going through the tumultuous period of hormones and school coupled with the conclusion of the last book - What The Dead Want - where she was attacked by a male teen; with the two navigating their life together without mother, Penny around. 

A familiar experience when reading Lee's series (and this can be said for his contemporary Marion Todd) is that the books start off sprightly with the problem laid out before our hero in the first act. Only when he starts investigating and is at loggerheads with a superior officer, does the narrative gain pace and reads at a clip that is enjoyable as this reader digests with aplomb.

The last act of the book as the answers become clear to Ridpath and his team - a credit and salute to the leg work and diligence of police work - before the murderer can kill again, is pulsating and heart racing. The last quarter of the book flies past with a mixture of thrill and enjoyment as the plot unravels

Written with flair, pace and tension, Lee again has written a thriller of exceptional quality that in time may well rank as one of the best in the series overall. Lee like Ridpath has done it again.

What The Dark Whispers is out from Canelo on all formats from 3rd July 

The Last Ride - Nick Louth

The fun of reading new thrillers from established and new writers, is that they welcome you into their world so to speak.

Having followed writers from up and down this land ranging from St. Andrews, Scotland to Manchester to the abundance of London set novels, this reader has now had the luxury of reading a new novel set in the vast countryside of Cornwall in the a new thriller by Nick Louth

The second in the Jan Talantire novel - this is a new sort of twist on the thriller. Having read female protagonists by female writers and male protagonists by male writers, here is a female protagonist by a male writer.

The story revolves around a joyriding incident that goes horribly wrong culminating in a chase and a crash that leads to a fatality and critical injuries to other youngsters in the car. Talantire comes in on the night shift and starts the investigation that much like the winding road on which the accident occurred, there are many twists you cannot see coming

As with other Canelo Crime strand releases, there is a plethora of obstacles for Talantire to overcome and most are the office politics at play culminating in decisions and repercussions for all. Another great addition is that you become quickly aware of the difficulty and vastness of the Cornwall landscape and how hard it is to police in that region

This was a thrilling read and one that has piqued my interest to this writer, with this reader looking forward to further releases

The Last Ride is out from Canelo now on all formats.

What The Dead Want - MJ Lee

 

Tenth book in thrilling Manchester based detective series by MJ Lee

Author Lee burst into this reader's viewpoint in 2019 when the second book of the series Where The Dead Fall was released on NetGalley. From there this reader has looked forward to each release with relish as to how DI Thomas Ridpath, but his friends just call him Ridpath is navigating the delicate balancing act of working for the coroner's office and being seconded to the police office with the melting of law enforcement and investigation of suspicious deaths meeting.

At the end of book nine, What The Shadows Hide, Ridpath was dealing with the tragic injury of his boss Coroner Challinor who was attacked by an assailant and left for dead. The book begins with her still in a coma some months later, with Ridpath working for a new boss who is nothing like his predecessor. 

A good mark of any crime detective series is that the hero detective is only as good as his opponent, and in this new novel What The Dead Want, we have the unlikely return of the evil pathologist Harold Lardner who has planned a series of murders despite being behind bars..

A mysterious disappearance of a young boy in Manchester during the Covid lockdown is investigated and leads to a care home which itself had a spike in suspicious deaths with organs removed from cadavers from being moved from care home to the mortuary slab.

As ever, Lee writes with such efficient fluency and swiftness that you are never left in doubt about the action taking place. Ridpath continues to have to deal with office politics and the new know-it-all detective Helen Shipton brings its own problems, with her being in direct conflict to Ridpath's loyal footsoldiers.

The other notable note of credit to Lee is that he loves writing Ridpath and his characters, and he can still get me with a surprise twist in terms of narrative pull. Something else he does well is elicit correctly the feel and atmosphere of being in February - cold, miserable and dire. 

This is another excellent entry into the Ridpath series; and his second excellent novel of this calender year.

What The Dead Want is out now from Canelo on all formats.

Shared Remains - Rachel Lynch

 

New thriller in DI Kelly Porter series out now from Canelo

Following on from last year's bestseller Silent Bones, Lynch returns to her ongoing series of DI Kelly Porter who surveys and polices the Cumbrian landscape with her team while balancing a new relationship when not on duty.

This story revolves around the discovery of a body in a quarry one morning and from there a can of worms very much gets opened involving a nearby elderly home. At the home, mysterious deaths are mounting up, and then the paper trail leads to the discovery that the funeral directors are the main beneficiaries of the recently deceased. The only snag is that the quarry body is the funeral director, Vince, and there-in lies a problem.

Falsifying death certificates, grave digging and fraud all come to head for Porter and her team. This macabre set of narrative junctions lead to a less than breezy feel to the reading of the story that stops and starts on occasion with some emphasis put upon the domestic situation for Kelly at home which at times is a bit distracting.

As ever with Canelo Crime reads, the final quarter of the book - when the evidence comes to the fore and exhumations begin - is when the book kicks into gear with a gratifying conclusion for this reader.

The atmosphere of the book with the greys and dismal weather of late summer becoming that unimpeachable autumn is evoked effectively by Lynch, with the old adage grim up north ringing true.

And yet through the gloom, there is a ray of sunshine coming to the surface for Kelly with the hopes of a new relationship ready to bloom as snow falls on the ground

SHARED REMAINS is out now from Canelo

My thanks to them for the pre-approval on NetGalley for my review 

Dark Road Home - Sheila Bugler

New novel by Eastbourne based, Irish born author Bugler from Canelo Crime

As a vivacious reader of crime novels and thriller reads from the publication house, Canelo, and its sub-print Canelo Crime I have taken pleasure in reading and following the careers of Marion Todd, Rachel Lynch, MJ Lee and Bugler.

Unlike the other contemporaries, who have dealt with a series of detective fiction revolving around a central character, Bugler has dealt with different storylines and characters jumping from a different premise, location and environment from book to book. This book is her 10th release, a wonderful milestone.

In this instance, Dark Road Home, is a coming home of sorts for her. Set in the fictitious west Ireland coastal town of Dungarry; her conduit for this homecoming is Leah Ryan. She returns home after an absence of two decades to face the turmoil she left behind which led her to Australia. Upon her return though to visit her ailing, wheelchair bound mother, another tragedy hits as her first love Eamon is brutally murdered as his restaurant business.

It seems a mystery, but soon as in all small towns where everyone knows everybody's business, everything is connected and there are secrets behind every front door.

Leah starts a flirtatious relationship with a cop who is investigating and she tries to bury the hatchet with her brother, Frank, the sibling who was meant to leave in Leah's place and explore the world. Instead Frank has remained and is a shell of the man he was hoping to be, drinking too much and carrying a spare tyre.

Bugler writes about the Irish homeland - a place she would like to retire to - with such fondness and for fans of The Woman in the Wall and other Irish crime series (the returning Blue Lights) this will be a welcome addition to the canon. 

The story which has a dual narrative of now and twenty years prior which leads to Leah's departure for this reader felt like it was treading water, and yet as so often in Canelo releases the second half of the book picked up steam and went to a crescendo that is worthy of Bugler's talent. The delicate handling of Leah and Frank's relationship and the guilt Leah feels for her leaving is told effectively.

While for me not as good as Bugler's other earlier works or her last work Black Valley Farm, it nevertheless is a solid thriller and a well told standalone plot and story that was entertaining and full of twists.

Dark Road Home is out from Canelo on 18th April on all formats.

Home - Sheila Bugler

Bridges to Burn - Marion Todd

 

Brand new thriller in continuing series by Scottish author Marion Todd

Todd has crafted a thrilling series of novels based around her hometown residency of St. Andrews, based around the central character of DI Clare Mackay, who with her trusted team of police officers solve the crimes that fall on their tranquil doorsteps month-to-month.

Embracing the ethos of write what you know by placing the action in her hometown, Todd mixes a wealth of local knowledge with meticulous police research and a smidgen of admiration for Midsomer Murders. After eight books surely people should stay away from this town yet we as a reader keep returning for more and more of the same.

This book revolves around quite sensitive content as it starts with the suicide of a young female teenager and then the murder of a former local councilman who may or may not have taken bribes when in the position of local authority to get planning permission approved. 

As always two inextricably linked cases are somehow entwinned and Mackay must navigate the two cases along with a DCI who she does not get along with and a very green Family Liaison Officer who she rubs up the wrong way.

This reader has been with Todd every step of the way and has thoroughly enjoyed the growth of not only Mackay as a character but Todd as an assured plotter of narrative. Her strength is remaining in control of the multiple plates she has spinning, at the start of the book the sensitive nature of the teenage suicide is linked to porn websites which is a bit unsettling but then the councilman's murder helps crank up the tension and narrative thrust. 

Any worries that was being endured where thrust asunder with the breakneck pace of the final quarter of the book being both rip-roaring and thoroughly enjoyable. 

Another pleasing aspect of this book was the matriarchal role Mackay has slowly grown into since her debut in See Them Run in 2019. In five years a lot can happen yet the responsibility you have to those you work with remains and the relationship Mackay has with Chris on the eve of his wedding is such a well-handled notion of friendship and respect.

She also has the confidence to bring up old cases and returning periphery characters such as the journalist from In Plain Sight  (2020) which feels neither nostalgic or ill-judged; this is a writer at the top of her powers.

For fans old and new, this is a book I shall be recommending to crime readers. As I have previously stated Ms. Todd deserves a wider audience for her books. 

BRIDGES TO BURN is out on 7th March from Canelo Crime, whom I thank for the approval on NetGalley for.

Silent Bones - Rachel Lynch

 

DI Kelly Porter returns with her new thriller

A gripping tale that is as much about the past as the present. DI Kelly Porter returns with a new tale about a cold case that brings back haunting memories for all involved.

Kelly was a good girl in school she stayed away from the cool kids, she kept her head down and did not rub people up the wrong way yet she remained approachable and knew when the cool kids went bad. 

In 1997, a young boy called Brian disappears and during a drought in the Thirlmere part of the Lake District, a body is found in a reservoir. The body is found to be that of young Brian who never came home one night.

The case spins on the discovery that some people are not letting on to know as much as they originally suggested. From the teacher, Mr. Thompson who hangs out with children at the weekend and may or may not been a drug supplier to those same pupils to Michelle the owner of a Holiday camp who took pity upon a local no-good Jason Cooper.

The discovery of a second body turns the case upside down with two murders to solve in a small town; coupled with accusations that Kelly's father, John Porter, renowned local policeman was not the salt of the earth he led people to believe.

As well as having to solve a case, Kelly also has a young family to look after and this follows familiar tropes of Canelo Crime releases from Lynch's contemporaries (MJ Lee and Marion Todd) who also have domestic routines to account for. This stable of writers make clear that law enforcement have problems at home to deal with as well as the crimes to solve - and this balance or openness of relationships certainly makes the characters more relatable and sympathetic. 

At times highly enthralling and page-turning, this is my first read of a Lynch crime thriller and certainly shall not be the last.

SILENT BONES is out on all formats from 27th July 2023 from Canelo Crime.

Black Valley Farm - Sheila Bugler

 

New crime thriller from Sheila Bugler out 22nd June from Canelo Crime

Hailing from the South Coast, well Eastbourne to be precise, Sheila Bugler has curated a nice niche for her crime fiction. Previously she has written a series of novels featuring Dee Doran an investigative journalist which were very entertaining. This time she has written a novel that could read like a true crime novel about the discovery of bodies at the pseudonymous farm where a cult had been residing.

Incorporating dual narratives and timelines, so we follow the tale of Clare on the run for 10 years following the fire at the farm and how the fire started that engulfed the site killing ten people including children.

Nuala Fox, is a podcaster who won awards for her series based upon the cult, has now fallen by the wayside and needs another hit. She takes the job of working on a documentary with Andrea Leach, a far-right MP candidate for the new Progress Party, yet who is Ms. Leach and where did she come from.

Nuala though is hiding a secret herself in that she fabricated the end of her series to get better results, morality and ethics circumvent the narrative throughout. Everyone is being chased and all are chasing something, namely the truth.

Bugler is a writer this reader admires, and following her career has been a pleasure, and this book took a while to start but once it did get its wheels on track the pacing of the narrative was cranked up and handled with such robustness and thrills that it was hard to put down afterwards. 

The impending threat of being found out or discovering a hurtful truth is encompassing and the claustrophobic atmosphere Bugler creates of the cult itself along with the judgmental world we find ourselves in today, where we feel we have to please everybody but ourselves is key to the tension.

Heart-pounding by the books conclusion, Bugler has again written an engrossing tale of thrilling suspense that you will find hard to put down and find hard to forget.

Black Valley Farm is out on all formats from Canelo Crime on 22nd June.

Check out my reviews of other Sheila Bugler books below:

NextToTheAisle: When The Dead Speak - Sheila Bugler

NextToTheAisle: Before You Were Gone

NextToTheAisle: I Could Be You - Sheila Bugler

A Blind Eye - Marion Todd

 

The latest installment in the DI Clare Mackay series is Seventh Heaven

Marion Todd is a St. Andrews based novelist who with the help of her publishers, Canelo Crime, has produced a great series of detective novels featuring the forthright DI Clare Mackay as she navigates high profile crime cases upon the streets of the famous Scottish town.

The latest case which pushes Mackay to the limit is about the mysterious disappearance firstly of solicitor Harry Richards and then the discovery of his corpse. What follows is a typically labyrinthe case that has many twists and turn as Clare discovers Richards was not the straight laced figure he appeared to be.

While the case gets more involved, Mackay must also contend with personal relationships as the blossoming relationship with her boyfriend continues apace and the possibility of moving in together looms.

What sets Todd's novels apart from others is the camaraderie of Mackay with her colleagues, it paints the loyal serving police force in a positive light with no bent coppers on this force.

Something I have noticed for the first time is how well Todd writes about her hometown, with a real eye for landscape and the feel of nature, this is a writer who loves where she lives and wants to share that love with her readers.

Gripping as always and page-turning to the maximum, A Blind Eye does not disappoint and as ever this reader can heartily recommend this crime thriller to fans old and new.

A Blind Eye is out 8th June from Canelo Crime on all platforms.

What The Shadows Hide - MJ Lee

 

Book 9 in the DI Ridpath series written by MJ Lee

Ridpath is back and this time, someone is attacking his work colleagues. The Ridpath series has been going for about 5 years, I started reading during before the pandemic and have continued reading the series in parallel with his publication buddies - Marion Todd and Sheila Bugler.

Lee writes and paints the story with such clairty and brilliance, it is amazing he can maintain the pace of the narrative. In this story, Ridpath is again towing the line between his work for the Coroner's office and the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Force, he is essentially doing the work of two men yet he does not lose any of his everyman status as a single father at home to a teenage daughter, but a rebel at heart when it comes to his work.

Ridpath is able to rub people up the wrong way quite easily (I know the feeling), perhaps because he is the one able to get results which endears him to those who work closely enough to him and makes him look like trouble to those who are now too long in the tooth.

The narrative of What The Shadows Hide revolves around a case christened Romeo and Juliet, as two young people (when they passed) who were discovered entombed behind a doorway in an abandoned building during works. With no identification in their possession, the problem is trying to identify the two souls and this leads to the use of DNA genealogy technology to help by a freelancer who was an ex-cop. The GMP want results and Ridpath wants to help his chief coroner Challinor in finding results - yet things take a turn when Challinor is attacked herself in a brutal assault. This attack happens early on in the book so that is not giving anything with the plot and it leaves Ridpath with his deputies - Parkinson to find the answers. They are against the clock to find the solution.

After so many books in any series, you worry that will the character lose its lustre yet the best instances of it not happening - Jack Reacher and Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible franchise - is because the care taken to the story being told. Tom Cruise got Christopher McQuarrie to write, and Lee Child always was able to adapt by taking his creation and dropping him in a new unfamiliar terrain. 

Lee restricts Ridpath to the Greater Manchester postcodes with only mentions of such far flung destinations as Cheshire and Derbyshire, yet Manchester is a vast bastion of differing class structures and like most cities has high rise buildings in its centre and the two up, two down households on the periphery a constant reminder to local governments that reality exists.

What The Shadows Hide is an outstanding read, it is rip-roaring, page-turning and full of vibrancy and zest that is so pleasing to enjoy. Written with reckless abandon and verve by a writer hitting his stride thanks to a great story. Highly recommended.

What The Shadows Hide is out on March 23rd from Canelo Crime

The author MJ Lee is on Twitter @WriterMJLee

Old Bones Lie

 

Old Bones Lie - the Sixth book in the DI Clare Mackay series -
out July 7th by Canelo Crime

Marion Todd has established herself in the last four years as a writer of great intellect, delicate plotting and wonderful characters based around the central figure of DI Clare Mackay who attempts to navigate the tricky neighbourhood of St. Andrews that has a murder rate to match Midsomer.

In six books to date, Todd has created the Mackay-verse with her band of characters handling criminal cases with swiftness and professionalism as crimes surround them. In this novel, proceedings begin innocently enough with a Saturday night takeaway which turns nasty as armed men come into the home of two prison officers with their wives, they kidnap all four people and the case begins.

What follows is a convoluted case involving a jail break, a jewellery heist gone wrong and the murder of a lady who is attempting blackmail on the owner of the jewellery shop. Keep up please it is a lot to take in.

As a reader of all of Todd's books to date, for whatever reason (perhaps mine) I found the first half of the book to be a bit complicated to follow but once the kidnapped women turn up this prompts the book to ratchet up a few gears quickening the pace to the benefit of the book and the enjoyment of this reader.

The plot is so well handled as always by Todd that you are left in no doubt that you are in the hands of a talented writer who takes great care over the narrative and loves her creations. The ending again shows Mackay at a crossroads of sorts both professionally and personally; yet you know she cannot alter her position too much.

Like her contemporary, MJ Lee from the same publishing house, this reader looks forward to the new St. Andrews suspense tome. As ever, the next one cannot come soon enough.

Old Bones Lie is out 7th July from Canelo Crime

When The Night Ends - MJ Lee

The Eighth book in the DI Ridpath series is out from Canelo Crime on 9th June

Ridpath is back and this time it's murder. Sorry, I was doing that silly voiceover you used to hear at the end of Columbo/Perry Mason episodes.

Yet those famous detectives are renowned for many things, one is their tenacity and never giving up - their desire for justice and truth amongst a world where every obstacle is put in front of you.

Author MJ Lee is a prolific novelist, one who has hit upon a star vehicle in the literary world, a returning hero who has an everyman quality, a stickler to uncover the truth in some plots that are brilliantly written all the while set amidst an ever changing world as government changes and pandemics take a grip of the world.

Ridpath is one of those characters that is a joy to journey with from investigation to investigation; in this tale he has to figure out how a prisoner died alone in his cell after seemingly falling over and hitting his head. The death occurred three years ago, a lot has happened before Ridpath in his role as working for the Coroner re-opens the case. Many have given statements and some have been moved sideways in their career as they deal with their role - from Saunders who has been stuck on desk duty due to being station agent when the death took place. Ridpath's intention to investigate a fellow police officer does not sit well with others in Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as anybody who watches Line of Duty can attest, internal affairs are not favoured in the police force; police should catch criminals not cops. But what if the criminals are cops?

This leads Ridpath to collide as always with his nemesis Turnbull, a man who detests Ridpath and his maverick streak. Yet Lee goes to great lengths to show that Ridpath does play well with others, respected by others especially when in partnership with Emily Parkinson and Sophie, they prefer Ridpath's candour and commitment to proving things right.

The case as always has its twists and turns, with bodies appearing from nowhere, witnesses being either unable to source or turning up cold; the spectre of organised crime looms over the case and that is where Lee is so good at bringing in factual information to his fictional storylines. While reading it you might think some of it is too good to be true and the fact as always is that truth is stranger than fiction.

This reader devoured the book in a few sittings, this is partly due to the knowing the rhythm established so effectively by the author yet this was an enjoyable read throughout - crisp, clean and intelligent crime writing with a real hero at the heart of the action.

When The Night Ends by MJ Lee is out from Canelo Crime from 9th June

My thanks to Canelo for the review opportunity via NetGalley.

Marion Todd Interview

On the day of publication, of her fifth book in the DI Clare Mackay series from Canelo. I was afforded the opportunity to interview the prolific author Marion Todd to talk about the gestation of her lead protagonist and her growth as one of the best authors to appear on the scene in recent years and just what is it like to write during a pandemic

• How did Clare Mackay come into your life? – ‘See Them Run’ was my first published novel but it wasn’t the first book I had written. A year earlier I wrote a novel set in St Andrews in which a murder took place. The focus was very much on the relationship between the killer and the victim. When I’d finished it I realised I’d learned a lot during the writing process and that it had flaws which might be too great to fix. But what it had given me was a feel for the setting and a ready-made cast of police characters I could use in the future, including my protagonist, Detective Inspector Clare Mackay. So I set about writing another novel and that became ‘See Them Run.’ I had chosen a female detective because I’m female and it felt easier to try and get inside her head than a man’s.

 

• What got you into writing? – In common with most writers, I’ve written since my schooldays. I have a 6-chapter mystery story I wrote when I was nine and I just carried on from there, writing children’s stories, short articles for my local newspaper, short stories for magazines etc. I love the idea of creating worlds and characters that haven’t previously existed

 

• Why base the action in your hometown of St. Andrews? – Actually I grew up in Dundee, eleven miles from St Andrews, although I moved closer to St Andrews when I married. I also lived in the town for a year and my children went to school there so I know it very well. It’s steeped in history with its ancient buildings and university. But it also has an eclectic mix of people, the population swelled each year by thousands of students and tourists from all over the world. It has a ruined castle, two beaches and is surrounded by rich countryside – it’s a gorgeous place to live. The only downside is it’s quite small (fewer than 17,000 people) so, six books in, I’m having to branch out of the town to avoid repetition.

 

• How have you coped during the pandemic, while releasing three new books? – I was one of the lucky ones. I found it easy to write during lockdown. I love company but I’m also good at being solitary. So I swapped the time I would have spent socialising for writing. I did miss seeing friends and family so much but, workwise, I was quite productive. I felt so sorry for those with young children, though, trying to home-school, work from home and stay sane – it wasn’t easy for lots of folk.

 

• Do you feel DI Mackay is a fair representation of current policing in Scotland? – Yes and no (hedging my bets, here!) She is careful, and mindful of regulations, rights and ultimately the law. She knows that evidence obtained without authority can be disallowed and even weaken the prosecution’s case. So she tries to stick to the rules. But, in terms of how she runs an investigation, the reality is quite different. St Andrews doesn’t even have its own Inspector, and murder investigations would be run by a Major Investigations Team which could include officers from across Scotland (we have a unified force). So I give Clare power and authority which wouldn’t exist in all these cases. But it’s fiction so I feel entitled to take some liberties. I have had positive feedback from serving officers which is the highest praise I could ask for.

 

• What is your opinion on current guidance for women to safely walk the streets at night? Do you feel safe yourself or is that not the problem? – That’s a difficult and complex question. Feelings run very high at the moment and a response is needed but it has to be considered, with input from all concerned, rather than a knee-jerk reaction. As a parent with children of both genders I’m concerned for them when they’re out and about. I want every single person to be safe but the reality is there are people out there who seek to harm others. In an ideal world we would spot these behaviours at an early age and intervene but I don’t feel qualified to say how that could be managed. I was married for many years to a police officer and, as a result, I became highly risk-averse so I am watchful when out at night, very aware of who is around me. I’ll go the long way round rather than down a poorly-lit street. I wish it wasn’t so but I do what’s necessary to feel safe.

 

• Do you write every day? – when I’m in the middle of a novel I try to write every day to avoid losing track. But I don’t have a routine. I tend to be more productive in the evenings so I’ll often work from 8 pm to midnight (or beyond, if it’s going well). But I’ll happily take a break when I’m between books. For me, thinking time is as important as writing time so I’ll dig the garden, walk the dog, all the while muttering to myself about plots and characters. And then there are other things to do – talks to prepare, social networking, answering emails from readers etc – great excuses for putting off writing!

 

• Do you read, I see so many similarities between stable mates MJ Lee/Sheila Bugler and yourself – That’s a lovely compliment. Thank you! Sheila and Martin (Lee) are wonderful writers and I’m thrilled to be compared with them. I suppose the three of us being Canelo Crime authors means there are certain similarities in how our books are edited and marketed but I love that I can dip into their books and enjoy a thoroughly good read. I do try to read as many different crime authors as I can so I always have a book on the go. At the moment I have an advance copy of Jane Shemilt’s new book, ‘The Patient’ and it’s a thrilling read.

 

• What is in store for Mackay, will she be happy with DCI Gibson? – now there’s a question! At the moment they are rubbing along together but it’s always in my mind that I might throw some rocks in to upset things. I’m still playing about with how to end book 6 (published in July next year) – I might just upset things. Watch this space!

 

• Any tips for new writers starting out, you started later in life, so is it never too late? – I don’t think age is a factor. It’s time and head space that matter. To write well you need to find time when you’re not distracted by the rest of life – not easy for lots of folk. Writing is like exercising a muscle. The more you do the more naturally it comes. A novel is a big commitment though – months of work – so start with smaller things. Look for opportunities online. FutureLearn offer free courses. The Scottish Book Trust is a great source of ideas for writers in Scotland. Look at The BBC Writers Room online. Immerse yourself in the writing world and become a writer. Join a book group and, as well as reading, listen to what the others in the group are saying about the books. What they like/ dislike, what works/doesn’t work. Attend author talks and listen to what they say about their process. Above all, read. Read widely, particularly in the genre you’d like to write in. Good quality prose will seep into you almost by osmosis and it will help your own writing. Start now and good luck!

My thanks to Marion for her time in answering my questions.

Please download, buy and read the DI Clare Mackay available from all good retailers.

Next In Line is out from Canelo on 21st October 

Next In Line - Marion Todd

 

Fifth book in the DI Clare Mackay series, Marion Todd does it again

Marion Todd is an author this reviewer has followed since the inception of her lead protagonist in the debut novel See Them Run which was released back in late 2019. A lot has happened to not just Mackay but the rest of the world and to the DI also; from losing a fiance to her re-locating away from Glasgow to the more sedate but just as murderous St. Andrews, to then losing a new boyfriend to a job relocation in Boston, USA. Clare Mackay remains as a resolute and durable character who has much to overcome in her own life as well as solving the swath of murders that ruin the picture postcard quaintness of the university town; the influence of Marple and Midsomer resonate through the five book series thus far.

This new novel NEXT IN LINE tells the story of a murder by shooting at a remote holiday cottage of a business entrepreneur celebrating his 40th birthday, at the same time Clare is overcoming a personal obstacle by attending the wedding of her ex-fiance Tom when the call comes in of the new case. Clare has started a new burgeoning relationship with DCI Alastair Gibson who seems charming and perfect for the DI.

As the case grows, it becomes known that the victim Russell Fox, is related to a TV presenter Gaby (imagine Holly Willoughby), who was at the same wedding as Clare that a brief prologue allows us to introduce each other. The title refers to the idea of family and hereditary traits - Gaby is the next in line, yet there is a dead brother from the 2004 Christmas Tsunami with no body ever recovered; and cleverly, the title also extrapolates Clare's current relationship status with Gibson next in line to her heart while she still vulnerable from the leaving of Geoffrey previously.

Throughout the novel, the compassion between Clare and Gaby is key to show that women can be safe around police forces and the empathy of a victim's family is key to any investigation - the recent unseemly details of the last hours of Sarah Everard's life in the case against Wayne Couzens brought the conduct of police to light.

The camaraderie continues between Clare and partner, Chris, a tenacious soul who always has Clare's back and will fight her corner no matter the situation - the loyalty of the siblings in blue is paramount to a good case and story.

As ever, with familiar Canelo Crime publications, there is an editorial richness to the swiftness of narrative pacing as we go from suspect to suspect amongst the cases. Coupled with the work of MJ Lee, these two authors should be read side-by-side of how to write tightly constructed detective stories - you never lose sight of the fact thanks to the week long structure that time is of the essence and the need for resolution is not faraway.

Gripping, enticing and pleasing in equal portions, this book much like Todd's other tomes was devoured in short order and this reader looks forward to the next crime thriller starring DI Clare Mackay.

Next In Line is out from Canelo on 21st October

When The Guilty Cry - MJ Lee

 

The Seventh book in the DI Ridpath series is out now on Canelo 

MJ Lee returns with another entry into the DI Ridpath series, another tale of crime and conspiracy in the Greater Manchester area while overcoming personal difficulties.

Fans of my blog will know that I have followed the genesis, birth and growth of DI Ridpath ('just Ridpath') from the beginning under the penmanship of Mancunian author, MJ Lee. This series is a thrilling clash of thrills, spills and chills - combining the thumb turning efficiency of Lee Child with the prolific nature of James Patterson. Lee is able to weave a wonderful world of police work, the pressures they are under to get results whilst there being changes in the world as computer analysis and data seemingly attempts to alter the hunches a policeman would have had in the past.

This tale set amidst the still ongoing global pandemic makes the book feel current and now with its heart on the pulse of current affairs much like the work of pulp and dime novels would have been in a by-gone era; and there is a by-gone quality to our lead character. He seemingly is a maverick who works with the coroner but also has a foot in the police camp - this makes him a rogue in some people's eyes but also respected by others, and not adverse to putting some people's noses out of joint.

This case starts with the discovery of human hands in a backpack by a team of YouTube ghost hunters in an old abandoned children's home. The case then collides with that of an 11 year disappearance of a 16 year old in 2009 and the requirement for a death certificate to be approved to the family of that young girl. Ridpath uncovers the connection between the two cases thanks to a missing social worker who looked the other way when sexual abuse occurred at the children's home with shady callbacks to one Jimmy Saville.

The book does take a while to come together, but the timeline of one week for everything to unravel helps propel the second half of the book to something that is all consuming and impressive.

Lee writes again with such panache that it does surprise this reader that the book is not read by a larger more deserving audience. Go read this book and you shall not be disappointed.

WHEN THE GUILTY CRY is out now on all book formats

When The Evil Waits - MJ Lee

 

The sixth book in the DI Ridpath series is out now from Canelo Press

Writer MJ Lee is an author of some renown, prolific and intelligent in his depiction of a searing individual who has to combat many obstacles in his day-to-day life as an assistant to the lead coroner of the Manchester region.

Lee, who writes a book a year for Ridpath, seems to reflect the social context of work to his narrative needs. This is no different in When The Evil Waits, as the action takes place over the month of August 2020 so Ridpath and all his colleagues have had to combat the threat of the global coronavirus pandemic. This helps you appreciate that all the action takes place with the police force with face masks on for the protection of all. This relatability to proceedings helps with the visualisation of the action.

In this novel we find Ridpath dealing with the ramifications of the action that ended When The Past Kills, where one key character was left fighting for their life. Ridpath is in a period of grieving, his daughter Eve is not living with him at moment while he recuperates. He has been signed off for work but he still sees his wife Polly in his dreams. So the spectre and question of if he is fit for work has to be asked by his superiors and one definitely has it in for Ridpath throughout the book.

The unity of those who support Ridpath is there for all to see, he is well liked by his peers because he gets results albeit by unfamiliar methods and gut instincts. 

This is another fine entry into the catalogue however, for this reader the depiction of the villain in this instance was not totally well rounded and a bit of a stretch for reality, yet the action in apprehending him was well told and fittingly gripping to the high standard you expect.

Lee also has fun with the depiction of the journalist who is seeking to upend the police force and their reputation all to better her own career forsaking personal relationships at any cost seemingly; this dweller of bottom feeder journalism still exists in the gossip-mongering all lights on internet.

In conclusion, while it may not have reached the heights of previous Ridpath novels like Where The Silence Calls perhaps but it is still better than some television dramas of recent times and with the in vogue Line of Duty back on our screens, sometimes it is better to remove from escapist fare on the visual medium and rejoice in the assured hand of MJ Lee with DI Ridpath for comfort.

When The Evil Waits is out now on all formats from Canelo Press.

My thanks to Canelo for the review opportunity. 

Before You Were Gone

 

Third book in the series out from Canelo on 28th February

FFO: Marion Todd, Fiona Barton

Sheila Bugler returns with the third book in her Dee Doran series, Dee the intrepid reporter based in Eastbourne, who following the conclusion of the second book is now writing the non-fiction account of that escapade yet a family problem is coming to her attention.

Dee Doran is from an extended Irish family, her cousin Emer Doran's life was turned upside down by drowning of her sister Kitty. Yet twenty years later, Emer swears to have seen her on the London Underground - and believes her sister to be alive.

Dee jumps at the chance to help her cousin help locate this mysterious person; yet it is not the happy family reunion she was hoping for. Emer's family, her stepfather Robert O'Brien a prominent politician in the Irish Republic with aspirations of gaining the Presidency, endears to help and yet as always there is more than meets the eye.

As Dee attempts to untangle the elements of lies around her, she has to combat an old beau in the police force an amour she cannot shake, and the departure of her neighbours meaning the young Jake who will be leaving for Canada with her Mum, pastures new await them there while Dee must while away on the Sussex coast with worries of work and menopause.

There are elements of this work this reader enjoyed, the knowing nods to the difficulty of writing that Dee has is Bugler putting herself on the page for example and it is so rare to see a middle-aged woman be present in the centre of a narrative with all her worries there to help define her and not be defined by them.

However, unfortunately the narrative and plot was too convoluted and confusing on occasion and when reading on the kindle found it hard to grasp who was who, and who was telling the truth.

Not as strong an entry in the series as previous releases especially When The Dead Speak, yet Bugler has so much nous at her disposal as well as the ever interesting Dee that another book cannot be too far away.

Before You Were Gone is out from Canelo on 28th February on all formats.