Thicker Than Water - Ken Lussey

 

Brand new novel by prolific author Ken Lussey

Lussey has been quite the prolific author since just before the pandemic, this is his 10th novel in nearly six years.

Lussey first came to this reader's attention in the summer of 2018 when he released his first book EYES TURNED SKYWARDS which merged historical fact and detective fiction to create a rip-roaring narrative with a new sort of hero in RAF pilot Bob Sutherland who becomes a Thaw like detective when investigating the actual crash of King George VI's younger brother the Duke of Kent. The intrepid former police officer uses his wits to find out what caused the crash and avoid the cover-up. This is itself the birth of a special branch of Military Intelligence where Bob must come to grips with a new sort of political espionage all while co-operating with a new partner, Madame Monica Dubois, a double agent. Together they forge a passionate and honest relationship of secrets and lies, where the only thing true is their burgeoning love for each other.

Over five books, this reader has followed the paths of Bob and Monica from restricted Scottish highlands to chases in Stockholm and most recently their honeymoon spy tour in Malta in THE EYE OF HORUS.

Whilst writing those books, Lussey has also written two books starring Callum Anderson, a former Metropolitan Police officer who following a bitter divorce has returned to his roots in Scotland to become a private investigator. He is now courting a doctor, Jenny Mackay, who is overcoming her own alcoholic demons and yet the unlikely pair (like Bob and Monica) have found solace together when the chance for love may have gone in their eyes.

Lussey has taken the bold and brave decision to melt his two universes (1940s war-time and modern day detective) together in a story about place and how history can tie a place to two separate occasions when one act takes place. This is not a time-travel story but a place-portal story. 

It is the season of Hogmanay, Callum and Jenny visit Sarclet Castle in Caithness where they are asked to investigate the brutal murder of a young woman in 1943, whose ghost is believed to haunt the castle. A cold case to begin with but not the first woman to be stabbed in nearby Sarclet Broch; there was another murder nearly two thousand years earlier. And upon their arrival, a third fatal stabbing occurs. Can Callum prove anything on a case eight decades old while avoiding danger in their hunt for the contemporary killer.

Callum in his third appearance comes across as a more stable protagonist not too dissimilar from Bob Sutherland - methodical, patient and intelligent, yet it is the growth of Dr. Jenny that is the most impressive portion of the book. Jenny is treated as an equal to Callum, they slowly are forming a working as well as a personal partnership that will hold them in good stead in books moving forward.

Lussey has attempted something grand and he has achieved success, crafting a thrilling cat and mouse with his usual admiring travelogue with snippets of history. Like whiskey, this is a wonderful blend of escapism, entertainment and education

Thicker Than Water is published by Arachnid Press on all formats.

The Red Hollow - Natalie Marlow

Second novel of Birmingham Noir by Natalie Marlow 

out 28th March from Baskerville

Natalie Marlow's highly anticipated sophomore novel set in the fracitious 1930s Birmingham backstreets made more relevant to people by the astronomical success of Peaky Blinders, Marlow has crafted a fascinating protagonist in William Garrett, a private detective who resides out of Needless Alley (title of the first book). Garrett has daily dalliances with the ne'er-do-well's of Birmingham's backstreets and he must maintain his head above the parapet as he always deals with problems.

While the first book became a gripping whodunnit, in this second novel Garrett and his now wife become entangled in what can be described as a what-dunnit. They are called to the titular stately manor on the outskirts of Warwickshire countryside to oversee a mysterious sequence of deaths in this house that now operates as a male-only sanatorium, overseen by Dr. Moon whose patients are leaving premises.

On the wettest day of the year, local flooding makes it hard for Garrett and Queenie to arrive at the site, and the tale of the mysterious mermaid who may or may not be responsible for the murder that has occurred. Disturbances that appeared to be pranks are now being claimed upon the ghost of the Red Hollow, a girl who seeks revenge upon the men who killed her. 

The placing of the narrative in a bottle format or self-contained environment is a clever tweak and acts as a homage to the works of Agatha Christie especially The Mousetrap. This is in stark contrast to the debut novel where Garrett was discovering different landscapes, traversing those places that do not exist anymore with Marlow/Garrett acting as our guide. 

In this novel, the limitations of the narrative by restricting it in one setting does a disservice to Garrett's potential as a character, one who needs to discover due to his job title and by restricting him to one location is a shame.

This reader hopes that Marlow returns Garrett to the cobble streets of the second city - the different districts encourage different cultures and language. In this setting, you have Garrett always being the smartest person in the room where you always felt he would overcome the problem he faces eventually in this instance. 

That is only a small note of criticism, credit where it is due, the professional relationship Garrett has with Phyll Hall, a fresh detective, is a winning one. They are a platonic pair who finish each other's sentences and the pain he feels when trouble arrives at Phyll's feet is clearly felt and well handled along with the precarious nature of the situation Garrett/Phyll have gotten themselves into.

Marlow also cleverly melds the influences of Gothic influences of British literature with the back and forth dialogue that effortlessly flies off the page, a book of atmospheric pressure that resonates creating a taut and scary tale. Marlow a self-confessed film fan brings those influences of the Haunting and The Innocents to her advantage in creating the eerie environment.

William Garrett is back and he will return. This is a character you cannot wait to see more of the future.

The Red Hollow is out on 28th March from Baskerville/John Murray Press

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.

She Had It Coming - Carys Jones

 

Brand new thriller from Carys Jones

This book is about what happens when a best friend goes missing, and your daughter was the last person to see her best friend alive. And how the search for truth tells you so much more about the people you think you know best.

Pippa is a popular girl as school, yet her best friend Heather is a tearaway, a rebel who is acting out against her mother who is the work too hard while Pippa's mother Abbie is the ever-faithful, loyal housewife who wants nothing more than the perfect life for her family.

The disappearance and subsequent finding of Heather's body leads to an upheaval of Abbie's homelife and puts an already terrible strain on her marriage to John who is working too hard at the hospital in his role as surgeon.

Jones cleverly weaves a tale of truth and lies, able to correctly give voice to both Abbie as the caring mother and Pippa the erstwhile teen whose life has fallen apart as suspicions spread around the school upon the discovery and knowledge of Heather's passing becomes known.

The influences on this book range from Fiona Barton to the television series Doctor Foster, written by Mike Bartlett - the series that was at times misanthropic and did not like its lead character mostly. Jones however, has crafted in Abbie a forthright and strong woman, partial to the odd tipple but will do anything to save her child.

That is the ultimate message of this book, how far would you go to protect your child and stop the truth coming out. Jones writes the characters of Abbie and Pippa with such care and attention, you do side with their actions as they aim to resolve the problems caused by Heather's disappearance.

A gripping read for this reader, yet not quite as memorable as was hoping, albeit written with a great conviction and assurance.

SHE HAD IT COMING is out from Orion Publishing now on all formats.

My thanks to the author's agent, Emily Glenister, for the review opportunity.

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.

The Dark Hours - Michael Connelly

 

Brand new LA set crime thriller from master storyteller Michael Connelly

Michael Connelly is most famous for creating the indelible detective Harry Bosch, rendered in the Amazon production Bosch starring Titus Welliver. Bosch is a hard-bitten, hard-working policeman who knows what is right and wrong, while the forces that be conspire to restrict his brand of policing in these more politically correct times.

As Bosch has grown up and in the narrative of his books, retired from the police force to become a private detective, we now follow Renee Ballard, a female police officer who works the same beat as Bosch used to do and is also facing the same troubles Bosch used to notice - colleagues who do not work as hard, no empathy for victims and hands tied by paperwork.

This new tale starts on New Years Eve, Ballard has to work the beat as all police officers must do on a busy night of the year in Los Angeles. In a pique of revelry, angelinos shoot bullets into the air amidst this unusual tradition a bullet goes astray leading to a murder investigation. The bullet leads to the reopening of a cold case led by Bosch.

The predatory Midnight Men are on the prowl, a duo of sex predators who attack women on major holidays - single women in their own home attacked and victimised. Ballard takes these attacks personally and chooses to hunt them down. Connelly has always had a great eye for detail in police work, as Bosch says 'get off your ass and knock on some doors' and Ballard's detective work in noticing the streetlights in terms of giving the perpetrators extra darkness is a wonderfully painted narrative detail.

As ever, there is a crispness to the dialogue spoken with real world dialogue apparent amidst a global pandemic and the swiftness of the narrative as Ballard spins numerous plates in the air while combining with Bosch to great effect. 

This makes for a winning combination and this is another winner from the desk of Connelly, a master of the crime genre.

The Dark Hours is out now from Orion Publishing on all 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. 

What They Knew - Marion Todd

 

Fourth instalment of DI Clare Mackay series from Scottish based novelist Marion Todd via Canelo Crime.

Over the last two years of reviewing I have been fortunate to fall into via the NetGalley website the opportunity to review crime thrillers, one of my favourite genres. When liking publishers, you get familiar with a publishers writers and genres in terms of conventions and trends. This reader particularly likes MJ Lee and his Manchester noir novels, while also falling for the work of Marion Todd and her DI Clare Mackay series. It is the fourth book of the series, but Todd is not slowing down.

It is Hogmanay, Clare Mackay is set to return to work at her St. Andrews constabulary following the Christmas festivities, yet her return to work normality is ruptured by the death of a woman at her home alone with no signs of breaking in, instead she has been strangled and left for dead in her bathtub.

After initial enquiries, investigations lead to the discovery of another body in the Kinness Burn, this linkage of water in the killings leads Mackay and her partner Chris (engaged to Sara) to believe a serial killer is on the loose in the fair city.

What this reader likes in particular about Todd's writing is that the author clearly loves her main character, some writers can get a bit resentful of a famous character, yet Todd loves to spend time with her protagonist and her friends. The banter or dialogue between Clare and Chris is so winning, the slight joshing of Chris' new teeth whitening experience and the camaraderie in her workforce springs off the page. We are so familiar of television depictions of maverick cops and rogue policemen, it is always refreshing to see a positive workplace environment, a trait she shares with MJ Lee.

  

The plotting within this novel is sprightly, light and clever in its deliberate pacing - she allows Mackay moments of levity and time to herself in the pursuit of love and even the opportunity of a haircut, time to herself despite working fourteen straight days in pursuit of the killer.

Personally, I feared that Todd may have run out of steam and this book took a while to get going but once the second body is found in the burn, this novel took off and as per her first three novels it was devoured in three sittings over my own Hogmanay celebrations.

What They Knew is published from Canelo on 11th February 2021 on all formats 

Those Who Know - Alis Hawkins

 

The third novel in the Teifi Valley series arrives from Dome Press. It has been my pleasure to be a part of the blog tour for the release

The novel brings us back together with Henry Probert-Lloyd, lead coroner for region who is having to experience a local election for his role against a favoured local. Henry along with his loyal subject, John Davies, are reporting on a local death of a popular school teacher, Nicholas Rowland, who has died under strange circumstances. Amidst the local hustings, Henry and John must find the answers to a local death which has become murder, rule upon the case and win an election while saving face - this threatens to undermine his ambition and his career.

Hawkins does a great deal of work in creating the gothic and eerie atmosphere of the surroundings of the Valley; what also must be said is how we are at a tipping point in Welsh history and for that reason the culture of body science. One character very much would like to conduct an autopsy of the dead victim to see the full extent of the injuries suffered, the belief being that you will learn more by opening up the body and discovering that the inside will tell more of a story than mere external contusions, lacerations and blood loss.

Following the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, there was a real fear of grave robbing and a fear of surgeons with god complexes who may well carve up bodies for their own reasons. Probert-Lloyd must cleverly weigh the aspirations of his medical career with a political aspiration and being a novice detective.  Lloyd must navigate this path of being true to science and rationality, and not use his intelligence as a weapon against those less fortunate.

Hawkins' expert research and natural storytelling creates a well written narrative; a story that can be dove into on newcomers to this series as well as existing fans.  In Probert-Lloyd you have an enjoyable but flawed main character who in partnership with John Davies is a tandem to follow and saviour.

Those Who Know is out from Dome Press in September.

My thanks to Emily Glenister for the review opportunity.

Follow Alis Hawkins on Twitter here

The Last Crossing - Brian McGilloway

The new novel by New York Times Bestselling author, Brian McGilloway, THE LAST CROSSING is out in April 2020 from Dome Press.

It is always fascinating how writers totally miss your radar, perhaps it is the region you live in, maybe you only like crime and legal thrillers so if someone likes only Jojo Moyes or Mike Gayle they may never have picked up a John Grisham or Lee Child.

Being a book blog reviewer and living part-time on book-Twitter (does Twitter have a PO Box for my postage), you see threads and trends quicker than you would if you relied upon magazines or book clubs as you may have done 20 years previously.  The growth of book reading has increased by the advent of kindles and other reading devices being available. As a reader, I give myself a challenge of percentage now, minimum 10% a sitting, a winning book is one that makes me forget about those short-term goals and next thing you know a quarter of the book has been consumed.

By making contacts on book twitter you get links and emails a plenty, one such piece of luck was this title THE LAST CROSSING being extended to me by Dome Press. As a well read person, I have never heard of McGilloway and upon research the reason is that he is from Ireland. A fine country with a distinctive history of crime and thriller writing, but his name is not one familiar to English writers, despite him being the author of ten novels to date, this is his first standalone novel following the DS Lucy Black thrillers and Inspector Devlin mysteries.

Brian McGilloway - Author of The Last Crossing

Personally, though this is a great book. This reader consumed this book in approximately three sittings, the writer creating a simple story with the now familiar two parallel storylines taking place thirty years apart featuring the same set of characters as a big decision.

Set in Northern Ireland, but with the majority of action being focused to a forest in remote Scotland, McGilloway takes the story of four individuals drawn together by the troubles in Derry and how they can be resolved. Sometimes the truth cannot be buried for long; and it stays with you as McGilloway attests to in this episode of The Essay on BBC Radio 3.

Tony, Hugh and Karen thought they had seen the last of each other thirty years previously, yet the past comes back to haunt them again. So on another journey together to lay ghosts to rest, the three come to terms with their actions from before and learn a bit more about themselves and each other.

The internal journey Tony must travel is a well told one, yet McGilloway has crafted a tale built around the central theme of cliché - ghosts from the past, regret of actions, loss and the impact of memory - yet a tale that is unlike anything digested before.

The Last Crossing is quite simply a brilliant piece of fiction, which is both gripping and riveting in equal measure.  The story is so economical you forget how much detail he weaves into each page making the narrative zip along at a pace that is at times breakneck and necessary.

Cannot recommend this novel highly enough.

The Last Crossing is out from Dome Press on April 2nd 2020.

My thanks to Dome Press for the review opportunity.

The Wreckage

Debut novel from Robin Morgan-Bentley released by Trapeze Books on 6th February

Morgan-Bentley is a debut author, but one who works in the world of Audio books, a new voice who spends a lot of time listenting to other people's words in his day to day life, this has led to the creation of a traditional well told story but with a twist on the narrative.

The Wreckage tells the story of a road traffic accident told from three different viewpoints. Ben is a primary school teacher who is driving to work one cold wet January morning and then he sees a white flash. He has hit something, or more like someone. That someone is Adam, who has jumped in front of Ben's car that morning - this has led to his untimely death a few weeks later leaving behind a grieving wife, Alice and seven year old son, Max.

Ben, understandably, feeling guilty from breaking up this domestic bliss attempts to make contact with Alice at the hospital to explain himself. Following a frosty first reception, the two start to become more entwinned into each other's lives; Ben provides a shoulder for Alice to cry upon and a parental rock for Max during this difficult period of transition for all.

The book so easily could become a rote tale of the stalker, and RMB does flirt with that at times with the shifting perspective from Ben to Alice which never allows you to fully sympathise with one narrator and the balancing act of emotions and feelings from both parties does the service of oddly seeing and appreciating both sides of the story.

That is until the twist reveal which opens up a totally different storyline and plot, when the realisation to Alice of what has happened to her husband is shown to her.

A tale as much about mental health and well being, reaching out to those you love for the help required to overcome; and in this new year the resolution to be more open about the interiority of ourselves and channel that in a way that people can understand. All people have these moments of inner torture, how Adam deals with it is not the best way to go about it and how he attempts to make life better for his family is evidence of someone who went too long without help. Help is available to us always, starting with the ones we love.

Morgan-Bentley is an author to watch out for, this is a very interesting debut and one that shows how the benefit of reading and listening to an abundance of literature over the years leads to a unique and personal voice telling an often told tale with a different twist.

The Wreckage is out from Trapeze Books on 6th February.

Marion Todd - See Them Run

Published by Canelo, Marion Todd's debut novel is out on 31st October

Set in the plush and lovely surroundings of the illustrious St. Andrews, DI Clare Mackay is in a new job having relocated from Glasgow following a firearms incident.

Mackay is trying to get back in the saddle and find a reason to work, the relocation to the supposed quiet surroundings of the famous golf resort should hold her in good stead, as she gets over the trauma of the shooting mishap.

The quiet gets disrupted by a hit and run case at a local wedding one Saturday night; a supposed mistake becomes a criminal case and apparently pre-meditated as a card with the number 5 on his body. Once they delve into the deceased's history they find that he simply disappeared every Thursday evening with no reason.

So a hit and run, no surprise. Accidents can happen, but then another attack occurs the next day with a number four on this victim.  With the second victim being a local business mogul who owns the renowned brewery, and a friend of Mackay's superior; the attention turns to finding the murderer quickly. Mackay knows there will be a third victim and suddenly a serial killer is on the loose

Mackay must navigate all manners of boundaries; be they constructs of her gender, her class and the fact that she is coming from the gritty Glaswegian streets to the quaint St Andrews countryside. Throughout the book, a great trick is Mackay learning her way around the town and surrounding locations, she constantly has to ask for directions and how far away places are.

And yet as Mackay tries to keep her head on straight, more bodies start to turn up with the same vehicular modus operandi - knowing that a third would turn up soon enough, it could have been prevented yet her eagerness scuppers the preventative measures.

Todd has written a unique character in Mackay, one who is secure in her position as an authority figure, confident in her decision making and respected for her work.  The camaraderie of her team is one that will build up in more novels in the future, yet it is good to read a book with a leading female protagonist defined by her job and not her being a women coupled with a fish out of water narrative.

For a debut, Todd has written a well crafted thriller with genuine moments of jeopardy faced by our St. Andrews police force as they track down the killers.  The use of the Scottish town is clever in that it translates the worst of human nature into a microcosm of a small town, as if St. Andrews is a petri dish of all that is wrong with the world.  This is something that could be developed in further tomes but it is clear that DI Mackay will be able to handle anything this bad world can throw her way.

See Them Run is released from Canelo on 31st October.
My thanks to Tracy Fenton for running the book blog tour

M J Lee - Where The Silence Calls

M J Lee, is back with another DI Ridpath thriller the third in the series following the success of Where The Truth Lies and Where The Dead Fall, launched by Canelo on Monday 23rd September.

Ridpath, a detective who has overcome cancer and has re-established a stable home environment at the conclusion of the second novel, Where The Dead Fall, is settling into the new position of assistant coroner to Mrs. Challinor. In this role, he helps distinguish if certain deaths are natural or require further criminal investigation following a post-mortem autopsy.

Ridpath is still dealing with the politics of policing, his best friend Charlie Whitworth is retired following the car crash which broke his leg, ribs and left him with a drinking problem. Claire Trent is holding him to account for the fallout of the Connolly case, and is trying to negotiate budget restrictions on her force at all levels.

A new case presents itself when Joe Brennan is set alight in his home; initial investigation establishes perhaps it was suicide but the investigation by Challinor and Det. Schofield refutes that allegation and pronounces the death as homicide.

More deaths sparked by deliberate fires appear day upon day, soon Ridpath discovers that they may have a serial killer on the loose due to the modus operandi of the killer with the use of accelerants and killing them before setting the victim alight.

Ridpath has trouble negotiating the rigid class structure of the policing hierarchy; peers are threatened by his knowledge and hide behind their higher positions to throw weight around and deny others the chance to establish cases - Ridpath is accused of brown nosing yet the only way seemingly to get ahead in cases is by doing just that or convince the higher up's of what they are missing. The juxtaposition of Ridpath to Lorraine Caruso is startling.

Lee goes to great lengths to build this air of PC suffocation thrust upon the hierarchy, and like his other novels he cleverly uses Manchester itself as the second most important character in the story - utilising the industrial revolution architecture with its gothic forebodings amongst a large range of districts to his advantage in weaving a story of protagonists cast by their surroundings.

The author uses contemporary cultural touchstones to mark as this as a time capsule piece; this is brave as the writer is not afraid to age his work by naming such things as South Korean pop band BTS for instance, as the object of affection for Ridpath's daughter. By putting the story in the here and now, you give the story a great sense of current, this is utilised further by having a vital piece of evidence being linked to child abuse within youth football teams in the 1980s and 90s, something Manchester has had to deal with starkly following the arrest and imprisonment of Barry Bennell.

Again, Lee has a written a winning novel - full of fast paced narrative, quick dialogue that speeds along the story. Much like the king of vigilante narratives, Lee Child, Lee uses the landscape as a main character to his advantage. Whereas Reacher though is not restricted by his homeland, visiting different geo-political locations from novel to novel; Ridpath is restricted by the M6 ring road but as Lee has shown - there is a lot going on within that motorway with ventures out to Derbyshire and the Pennines available.

For those who liked the first two Ridpath novels, this will be a much read and a pleasant surprise to those new to this exhilarating everyman character.

Where The Silence Calls is released by Canelo Press on 23rd September

Endgame by Daniel Cole

The third Ragdoll book, Endgame, by Daniel Cole is published on Thursday 5th September

William 'Wolf' Fawkes returns following a brief absence from the majority of Hangman; to be the main driving force of the narrative.  Fawkes returns following the suicide of former colleague, Finlay Shaw; something does not add up though for Wolf who believes there is more than meets the eye in regards to the suspected suicide.

With his former partner, Emily Baxter and private detective Edmunds; Wolf attempts to solve the case in a race against time as he puts his career on the line while not everyone in the Met wants him back to begin with.

Cole does a clever narrative trick of showing the investigation into the suicide along with a flashback narrative of Finlay along with his then partner Christian in the late 1970s, when they made a name for themselves in drug busts and yet became the target of gangs who seeked retribution.

Once the narrative gets going in the 70s narrative in terms of Finlay and Christian dicing with death and establishing the relationships Finlay's suicide leaves in limbo, then the present day narrative takes off especially when Wolf and Baxter must address his leaving the end of Book 1, Ragdoll.

Daniel Cole, author of Endgame.

Cole has created in Baxter a unique female protagonist - fierce yet vulnerable, stubborn but knee-jerk - and the chemistry with Wolf who is a cantankerous soul brings the emotions to the fore for all.  In this novel, Wolf is merely a tool for psychological insight into the waste he left behind, his reappearance granting people a chance to vent and rage against his cynicism and selfishness.

What sets this book apart from the other novels of the trilogy - whereas the opener was a true original concept and plot; the sequel was an action packed female fronted thriller; Endgame is a book less about the end result but how you get there, a tale about camaraderie and fraternity within the police force - the bond forged between the boys (and girls) in blue and the ties that bind them to each other.

While the title may have a sense of finality to it all, hopefully that is not the case and the characters such as Wolf and Baxter can continue to work together and we be able to join them on the ride.

Endgame is out from Orion Books on 5th September.
I am appearing on the Compulsive Readers Blog Tour on 6th September

My thanks to Tracy Fenton for the opportunity to review.

Dark Sacred Night

Michael Connelly returns with the latest novel featuring Detective Harry Bosch

Set in and around Los Angeles, Bosch is not necessarily the lead protagonist of this novel. He is partnered up with the younger female Renee Ballard, a detective who must navigate the dreaded graveyard shift.

The wonderful plot device that Connelly uses is that we have the dual threat of following both Bosch and Ballard as they go around investigating, and while Bosch can seemingly focus all his efforts on solving the case of Daisy Clayton, a murder case that has not been solved for 10 years.

Ballard is used as a political statement - a younger member of the police force who must navigate all various channels of enquiry as well as the actual beat of hitting the street and resolving disputes. 

In the middle part of the book, Ballard investigates the disappearance of an elected official's son; she visits the apartment where he resides, questions the room-mate and then notices a rug has been moved.  It shows that the flat-mate has murdered the missing son, this is great writing and shows the ingenuity and intelligence of Ballard in such matters, in another chapter she attends a strip joint that is worried about someone breaking in and robbing them, this turns out to be youths sneaking a peek at female flesh.

This constant dipping in and out of actual day to day work away from the deeper dive into the Clayton murder case keeps the reader on its toes while appreciating the sincerity of Ballard married with the sheer doggedness of Bosch - a nice union which has perhaps breathed new life into the old sage. A sequel or new book the The Night Fire is out in October of this year

Connelly shares the writing style of contemporaries Child and James Patterson, it is quick and zips along at a clip that allows the book to be devoured in several sittings.  Like James Ellroy who famously writes about Los Angeles and Hollywood, Connelly writes about the city using the vast landscape of the sprawling cityscape to his advantage with a milieu of background characters and cameos breathing life into the story whenever needed.

Dark Sacred Night is one of those thrilling books that can be perfect for the beach or the bedroom, a master storyteller at the peak of his powers.

Out from Orion Books in Paperback from 16th May.

My thanks to Tracy Fenton for the review opportunity and being part of the blog tour

Where The Dead Fall

MJ Lee's second DI Ridpath novel WHERE THE DEAD FALL is out from Canelo in April 2019

This exciting new novel is in keeping with a renaissance of British crime writing which had laid dormant following the unprecedented success of Inspector Rebus. Whereas, those memorable series of books by Ian Rankin where driven by the lead character at the helm; the resurgence spearheaded by A.A. Dhand and Joseph Knox has seen characters from different backgrounds come front and centre yet these men have been grafted from the landscape they reside in.

Away from the metropolitan mess of London; these novels are showing us a sign of Britain in dire straits - in Leeds and Manchester, crime is just as rampant and they need policemen to be the law.  The men though have their own demons to combat; whilst Rebus saw solace at the bottom of the bottle, Harry Virdek in Leeds most combat racial prejudice and Aidan Watts (Knox) in Manchester must overcome his drug affliction.

DI Ridpath in Manchester is no different, a long serving detective who has to overcome personal struggle and the pull of wanting to see his growing daughter more which is putting a strain on his married life.  Ridpath must overcome the cancer scare he suffered in the first novel, and we see him returning home.

At the start of Where The Dead Fall, we encounter Ridpath travelling back to Manchester from a rehab centre looking forward to seeing his family; travelling on the rush hour roads on the same night as a Manchester United match and stuck in traffic, he sees a near-naked man running across the carriageway running away from something. Ridpath sees a shooter tailing the man, or did he, and in an instant a life is crushed and Ridpath is slap bang in the middle of it all, when he just wants a quiet road back to balance.

Lee has woven a gripping rip-roaring novel that was devoured by this reader in four large chunks - characters are rendered efficiently and the everyman Ridpath is a sympathetic character to get behind.  Featuring a unique forensic pathologist who is a growing child in adult form; gang warfare and daily traffic gridlock this is a tale of our time - frustration for many with paperwork being tied up and the grind of office politics.

Lee crafts a picture of Manchester much like Lowry one of dourness, rain, darkness and yet one full of life and character with football very much (sometimes) the centre of the universe.  This may only be the second of the series but I cannot wait to read more of him in the future.

Grab this book for your holiday read or just a page turner to get away from the April showers.

Where The Dead Fall is out now from Canelo.

MJ Lee can be followed on Twitter @WriterMJLee

My thanks to Tracy Fenton for the review copy and opportunity to be on the Blog Tour

For The Missing - Lina Bengtsdotter

It seems that Nordic noir is not going away, from the high point times of the The Girl trilogy by Steig Larsson to the Wallander novels; noir from Scandinavia is in vogue and not retreating to the shadows.

The debut novel by Bengtsdotter, is one of those novels that takes a while to get its claws into you, and once it does, it refuses to let go.

Nordic noir follows a template of a structure familiar to crime readers old and new; a young detective fighting her own demons must go back to her hometown following a long absence as a new case opens up old wounds for not just our protagonist but the family and friends she left behind for the bright lights of a big city.

This familiar tale of redemption to overcome a failing is well handled. DI Charlie Lager, is a detective with an affliction for alcohol, but the type of drinking where she drinks to an oblivion yet she wakes up for work with no problem; her peers know of her vices and dance around the issue as she is good at her job.

A missing child in her hometown leads Charlie to head north away from Stockholm, at odds with her partner and at odds with the town she returns to; nevertheless Charlie must find the missing Annabelle before it is too late.

And yet it is not Annabelle she is really looking for, Charlie is really looking for herself and this journey home helps her. Good writing is not just by the numbers of thriller and crime tropes, Bengtsdotter navigates a gripping tale of kidnapping, infidelity and violence against women with assuredness.

For The Missing is out now from Orion Publishing on all formats.

Sirens

Debut novels are all the rage in this the early part of 2017, new crime voices are making big strides and in recent months I have reviewed thrilling bows from A. A. Dhand with Streets of Darkness and the impending arrival of Daniel Cole's Ragdoll.

Whilst Ragdoll is that mixture of genuine thriller writing, good plotting and the page turning abandon you find in Lee Child or Dan Brown novels; there is another new voice on the block. Joseph Knox is here to make himself heard and Lee Child himself, has been most praiseworthy of this debut novel.

Sirens tells the story about DI Aidan Watts, a disgraced policeman in the Manchester Police Force, who whilst on suspension is asked for a special undercover role in finding a politican's daughter's whereabouts; but when Watts gets further into the loyalties of a crime lord he the past becomes murkier and the present day darker.

Knox in an interview with Radio 5 Live's Phil Williams last week said it took him the best part of seven years to finish the novel which prompted a bidding war between 10 publishers, with Doubleday/Transworld Publishers coming out on top.

Knox writes with a real verve and creates a foreboding atmosphere of a darker side of Manchester, much like Dhand did with Leeds and Bradford in his work.  The author has a keen eye on little details which he shares with Watts from the politician not wearing his wedding ring when away from his wife to the way people share looks and talk too loudly at house parties.

In the radio interview, Knox promised another novel starring Watts is in the works.  Whilst the line between good and evil is tread with fear by our protagonists, Knox is not afraid to take you to these places and his admiration for Manchester is clear to see. Should he continue to write with this flair and character, it will not be the last we hear of him.

Sirens is out from on Thursday 12th January from Doubleday Press/Transworld Publishers