Escape: The Hunter Cut #LADavenport #EscapeTheHunterCut

By L.A. Davenport https://pushingthewave.co.uk/

Published by P-Wave Press https://p-wavepress.co.uk/ @p_wave_press

482 pages ISBN 9781916937055 (EB)

Publication date 6 May 2024

I was allowed access to an electronic review copy to enable me to take part in this Blog Tour. I would like to thank the Blog Tour organiser Heather Fitt @HeatherJFitt, and of course Author and Publisher for arranging this.

From the blurb

In this all-new edition, Escape: The Hunter Cut takes the classic tale of L.A. Davenport’s debut novel Escape and retells it through John’s eyes, as he battles with himself and the events that threaten to overwhelm him.

The cover

A reworking of the original cover of Escape, dropping the female face and concentrating on the central main character. The crumpled paper/card effect to signify it is a reworking perhaps?

My thoughts

I know it has been done before, particularly with ‘fan fiction’, but I’m not sure there are two many books that I would re-read with it written from a different perspective. I can see the attraction for the author, they often go to great lengths to create scenarios and plots, so they might wish to develop the story from different viewpoint. I have not read the original version of Escape so this review will solely concentrate on the novel I have just read, with no comparisons.

The novel starts with a man on holiday, who we eventually discover is Dr John Hunter a surgeon. He is staying in a grand hotel in a glamourous unnamed town in Italy and we immediately discover he is a troubled man. He is constantly reminded of a woman, and questions why it is him who is still alive. His wife has recently died in a freak accident that left him unscathed, physically untouched but completely distraught and wracked with misplaced guilt. He has taken the trip to try to escape his familiar surroundings, to properly mourn his wife and start the healing and recovery process. Solo holidays are not the easiest and he finds himself lost and confused, using alcohol as a crutch.

The hotel guests include the great and the good, all wealthy, and some more odd characters including a slightly sinister Russian man, who John seems to come across wherever he goes. The hotel staff are as we might expect, slick and unobtrusive apart from a rather odd, over attentive manager. A man who initially irritates John, but later become a trusted friend.

One evening when he is out on the town, the demon drink takes over, so when everywhere else closes he ends up in a ‘gentlemen’s’ club. Here he is captivated by one of the hostesses, Jasna, but he’s convinced it’s not alcohol fuelled lust. They quickly develop a friendship away from the club, but this becomes the source of pain, angst and grave danger.

For an action thriller it is something of a slow burn, with the first third of the novel setting up the scenario, demonstrating the depth of John’s sorrow, how drink brings out his inner demons and the ubiquitous presence of Charles the manager. Like a true master of his calling, Charles has a habit of suddenly appearing, like the shopkeeper in the Mr Benn children’s cartoon, just when John needs him. Initially a bit creepy I thought, he turns out to be a rather engaging character.

If you ignore the blurb it takes a little while for the plot to become apparent, though there are markers along the way. Dr John is thrust into the world of the high-end criminal gang, dodgy nightclubs, drugs, prostitution, extortion and violence, a world he has no real knowledge or experience of.

John is an unconvincing action hero and proves to be so as he tries to sort out the mess of his own making. He doesn’t get angry and turn into the Hulk or Rambo, he is a surgeon and not a particularly worldly wise one, so his efforts are somewhat lacking so more realistic. He is a prodigious drinker though, putting so much away that it would have the spirits of Oliver Reed and Jeffrey Bernard nodding in admiration. He is put through the whole gamut of emotions from being distraught, through love to the desire for vengeance. Not the most likeable hero at times but he is a good man who starts questioning himself and his purpose, before he embarks on something of a modern chivalric quest for justice (or is it vengeance). Instead of slaying a dragon he is after a murderous crime boss and like all quests this is not straightforward, his actions result in people around him being killed. This produces more self-doubt that he casts aside.

There is plenty of action for the thriller lover, and the brutal violence that comes with the subject matter. The criminals are thoroughly unpleasant without becoming parody and dish out a severe beating for John.

Jasna is nicely judged, whichever version of her ‘truth’ is correct, or whether it is somewhere in between. The interaction between John and Jasna is low-key and quite touching which is nicely judged considering ‘surgeon falls for hostess on holiday whilst grieving his wife’ is edging into fiction cliché territory. The reader is unsure of their motives or indeed who is exploiting who, so it never ends up as Pretty Woman, more a reminder that there is good in us all.

In Escape: The Hunter Cut Dr John Hunter must conquer his own inner demons whilst he battles for justice.

Escape: The Hunter Cut can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

L.A. Davenport is an Anglo-Irish author and journalist, and has been writing stories and more since he was a wee bairn, as his grandpa used to say. Among other things, he likes long walks, typewriters and big cups of tea

Don’t forget to check out the other stops on this blog tour:

Edge of the Land #MalcolmHollingdrake #EdgeOfTheLand

By Malcolm Hollingdrake https://malcolmhollingdrakeauthor.co.uk @MHollingdrake

Published by Hobeck Books https://www.hobeck.net @HobeckBooks

262 pages ISBN 9781915817419

Publication date 16 April 2024

Edge of the Land is the third book in the Merseyside Crime Series. Click on the link to read my review of Catch as Catch Can the first book in the series.

I was sent an electronic copy to enable me to take part in this Blog Tour. I would like to thank Rebecca at Hobeck Books and of course the author for the invitation to participate.

The cover

A distinctive local landmark is always a great bet for a cover and this one is magnificent. It’s a clocktower from Liverpool Docks which ends up playing a part in the story. If you visit Liverpool it’s something to look out for.

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My review

The waterways of the Liverpool docks contain many ghosts and shadows. It’s a place to disappear… a place to die. (from the blurb)

Well, that should grab the attention of the potential reader and it’s a great summary of the novel.

The death of one homeless alcoholic on the streets sadly is no shock; just another tragic statistic, someone with bad luck, let down by the system or by family and friends. A second death in similar circumstances a couple of days later, registers as unusual with the police, but there seems to be no connection or suspicious circumstances for now. However, it will soon become clear that they have a serial killer on their hands…

Danny Maynard is a young man who is no stranger to trouble and has already served time for drugs offences. When attacked and savagely beaten on the orders of a drugs gang, he denies it to the police and goes on the run. Slipping into the shadows, he is off their radar but DI April Decent and DS Skeeter Warlock are fearful for his safety. Danny does appear to be a survivor though and a resourceful one, as he leaves a series of clues behind like a trail of virtual breadcrumbs.

A two-strand storyline with one baffling and motiveless; the other with a puzzle at its core. The plotting is very clever to make this story come together and maintain the intrigue throughout.

The murder of the homeless people is quite shocking in its callousness, such that the reader will think who would do such a thing and why? This feeling is accentuated by the humanity which the author gives these victims, their circumstances may tragic, but these are people with feelings trying to keep hold of some semblance of dignity. There are sadly many such people on our streets and they all have a story to tell, sometimes it is just bad luck or a need to escape abuse that sees them there.

The puzzle is a cracker, it takes the form of photographs left behind on a mobile phone. These are subtle clues though, the pictures are not easy to decipher as they’re taken odd angles, are close ups or part details. A real rebus for the squad to solve, as they embark on a Magical Mystery Tour of the City requiring a team effort to solve. Different officers latch onto things they recognise, which is more realistic than a Sherlock like supersleuth figuring it all out. It’s all very cleverly assembled and I’m sure that people familiar with Liverpool will enjoy identifying the locations as they read along. It’s a little bit harder for those of us with little knowledge of the city, it’s a shame that these photographs are not reproduced even if just on his website.

One thing is clear though is the affection the author has for Liverpool, which brings a vibrancy to the prose. He doesn’t avoid the grubby, seedy, run down parts of the city, they are used to pronounced effect, as are the waterways of canals and working dock areas. Overall, though, the portrayal is that of a modern, vibrant city, one that is changing but steadfastly proud of its heritage and welcoming to the visitor. Buy the book, organise your city break now and check out the landmarks, statues and musical past.

Another fine aspect is that not all the characters are polarised, but rather shown is shades of light and dark. Danny can hardly be regarded as good, but as the reader discovers more of his background he will be seen in a more sympathetic light, and I found myself rooting for him. A common theme throughout is whether characters possess the capacity to change, to escape their past and even break the cycle of brutality. It has been established that the victims of abuse can go on to be an abuser themselves, but it doesn’t have to be so if other opportunities are presented. It can also fester as a desire for revenge.

April and Skeeter are great central characters, determined but also well balanced and they provide counterpoint to the angst of the storyline. It’s not all about them tough as DC Kasum Kapoor DC Tony Price do much of the leg work, as you would expect their rank to. They also inject banter and light-hearted moments. Overall, the chemistry between the team members becomes believable.

The clues are a fantastic way of controlling the pace of the narrative; no matter what resources and urgency the police introduce there is always a feeling that they are a couple of steps behind. Then the tipping point is reached, and everything unwinds a race against time. Nothing about the story is given away cheaply, so the jigsaw pieces only start to fit together in the final chapters, leaving a satisfying finale that demonstrates we all need a plan in life.

Edge of the Land is an thrilling police procedural packed with contrasts and mystery.

Edge of the Land can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Photograph (c) Tony Bithell

You could say that the writing was clearly on the wall for someone born in a library that they might aspire to be an author, but to get to that point Malcolm Hollingdrake has travelled a circuitous route. Malcolm worked in education for many years, including teaching in Cairo for a while. Malcolm has been happily married to Debbie for over forty years. They met in their first weekend at Ripon college through strange and unusual circumstances. Serendipity was certainly cupid on that occasion. Malcolm has written a number of successful short stories, has twelve books now published in the Harrogate Crime Series. He is also working on the third book of the Merseyside Crime Series which Hobeck will be publishing. The books introduce us to DI April Decent and DS Skeeter Warlock. Malcolm has enjoyed many diverse hobbies including flying light aircraft, gliders and paragliders, learning to fly at Liverpool Airport, designing and making leaded windows and collecting works by Northern artists.

Don’t forget to check out all the other great reviews on this blog tour:

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City on Fire #GrahamBartlett #CityOnFire

By Graham Bartlett https://policeadvisor.co.uk/ @gbpoliceadvisor

Published by Allison & Busby https://www.allisonandbusby.com/ @AllisonandBusby

350 pages ISBN 9780749030513 (HB)

Publication date 21 March 2024

City on Fire is the third novel in the Chief Superintendent Jo Howe series. Click on the link to read my review of the second book in the series Force of Hate.

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley.  Thanks to Josie at Allison & Busby for the invitation to join the blog tour and of course the Author.

The cover

A curious but quite striking cover. A picture of the Brighton sea-front but the title font picked out in flames, for reasons which will become clear.

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My review

Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is determined to tackle the scourge of drugs on the streets of Brighton, a city that is turning into the drugs capital of England. Jo is only too aware that drug habits fuel crime, as addicts need easy cash to feed their addiction, and it destroys lives. This she knows from bitter experience as her sister Caroline succumbed to heroin, a life in dirty squats and on the streets, which led ultimately to her death. This death is still raw to Jo, she feels she let Caroline down, that she could have done more to help her. She now cannot atone for this sense of guilt to Caroline, but she is determined to help as many as she can who are in this predicament. She is the driving force behind Operation Eradicate, a two-pronged attack at the problem. Not only is there a concerted effort to reduce supply but also to get users into rehabilitation programs, and a new pharmaceutical heroin substitute being trialled is having a positive result. A somewhat controversial approach that needs time to mature, but not everyone is so positive.

The new drug is made by Respite Pharmaceuticals a company owned by Sir Ben Parsons, a formidable self-made millionaire with a vast web of useful contacts, people in high places. Respite has obviously invested millions is developing and patenting the drug, money that Sir Ben needs to earn back. However, in his eyes Operation Eradicate is proving to be too successful, curing addicts reduces his customer base which is bad for business. He wants complacent addicts hooked for the long term on the substitute. He needs to stop Howe and her scheme, and he thinks he knows how to do it.

Dark days ahead for Jo in a city about to explode.

One thing guaranteed from the author is authenticity, the policing, their actions and communications feel right, but without being dragged down by an obsession with procedure. The action is given every chance to develop and flow. Its not just the policing though, where he writes about the inter-agency work, the voluntary sector NGOs and prisons it comes over as though from experience rather than research. What a great asset when a writing a novel such as this.

If you have read the earlier novels in the series, you will know Jo is a strong and determined woman who is respected and admired by her peers. In this story she is really put through the wringer, dropped into heaps of jeopardy both personal and reputational, such that it almost brings about her complete mental destruction. A woman who is schemed against but also making poor judgement calls when under extreme pressure, which is both understandable and realistic. Stress effects people in different ways but we can all get to the point that Jo does where every step, every choice makes the situation worse.

It starts with a betrayal, from her loving and understanding journalist husband of all people. It is a professional one, forced to do it by editor, rather than a relationship betrayal with another woman. Once under the media microscope the pressure starts to mount, and Jo’s professionalism comes into doubt. That is merely the start as officers face threats and personal attacks causing support for Jo to dwindle and an increase of sick leave. When the supply of the synthetic drug dries up (thanks to carefully planning by Sir Ben) the streets boil over.

A fabulous description of a cold and calculating plan being executed step by step. Sir Ben has the contacts, the wealth and he also has the dirt on people and is not averse to a spot of blackmail to get his way. There is a suspicion amongst the public that some within the establishment can orchestrate cover ups, but here we can see such power wielded to destroy an individual. Something truly chilling to read.

It is the motivation of Sir Ben that interested me. Here we have a hugely successful businessman, one who enjoys the trappings of success, who is willing to destroy lives just to earn his drug development costs back. Apparently heartless, but then we learn of his poor mother, suffering from early onset dementia, whom he cares dearly for and lives at his house. There are some very touching scenes where he is comforting her which I am sure some carers will recognise. A real dichotomy of a man. I would have liked the relationship with his mother developed more, as we never discover how the dynamics were forged. Was she domineering, was he repressed, there is no mention of a love life for Sir Ben.

His obsession with finding a cure for his mother leads to a magnificently dramatic confrontation, one that has building up from the start. Action fans you are well catered for too, with bursts of aggression, bloodshed and personal jeopardy as momentum and tension are skilfully built up and released throughout, and at times you have to catch your breath.

At the core of the story is the notion that drugs companies just want to treat patients, to alleviate their symptoms rather than cure them. For them it’s a high stakes gamble to develop a drug, but being corporations, they want to earn profits and not just benefit mankind. What begins as an unlikely concept becomes a chilling possibility the more you think about it. There is a huge health and charity sector dedicated to developing and curing a vast array of diseases form cancer to Alzheimer’s, yet any success is a threat to their existence. A moral conundrum which we can only hope is addressed in an ethical way.

City on Fire is a convincing police procedural where a chilling businessman is determined to destroy the lives of those who get in his way.

City on Fire can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

Graham Bartlett rose to become chief superintendent and the divisional commander of Brighton and Hove police. His first non-fiction book Death Comes Knocking was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, which he then followed with Babes in the Wood. He co-wrote these books with bestselling author, Peter James, and has since published Bad for Good and Force of Hate starring Chief Superintendent Jo Howe. Bartlett is also a police procedural and crime advisor helping scores of authors and TV writers inject authenticity into their work.

Source: Publisher’s website

Don’t forget to check out the other great reviews on this blog tour:

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The Devil Stone

By Caro Ramsay https://www.caroramsay.com/ @CaroRamsayBooks

Published by Canongate Books https://canongate.co.uk/ @canongatebooks

256 pages ISBN 9781838858889

Publication date 31 August 2023

The Devil Stone is the first novel in the DCI Christine Caplan series.

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley https://www.netgalley.com/ @NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. I would like to thank Anne @RandomTTours at Random Things Tours for the invitation to participate in the Blog Tour and of course the Author and Publisher.

The Cover

Quite atmospheric and gives a good sense of the location of the story, the Highlands of Scotland.

From the blurb

In the village of Cronchie, a wealthy family are found brutally murdered. The Devil Stone, an heirloom rumoured to bring death if removed from their home, is the only thing stolen. The key suspects are known satanists. But when the investigating officer disappears, DCI Christine Caplan is pulled in to investigate.

Caplan knows she is being punished for a minor misdemeanour when she is seconded to the Highlands, but she’s confident she can quickly solve the murders and return home to her fractious family. But as she closes in on the truth, it is suddenly her life, not her career, that is in danger.

My thoughts

An attention-grabbing start to the story to get the reader fully engaged, as a man goes ‘flying’ from a monument on top of a hill, did he jump or was he pushed? That is only the prologue to whet our appetite.

The story starts properly nine days earlier as two neds break into ‘The Big Hoose’ Otterburn House which is owned by local land-owning gentry the McGregor family. The family is supposed to be on holiday, but their security appears lax as not even the alarm is switched on. The young men ‘Bainsy’ and ‘Scotto’ are searching for the famous Devil Stone, which was once on Antiques Roadshow, rumoured to possess great powers and to bleed when taken from the property. The lads are tempted by the dark side and practice black magic with a group of wannabe satanists, so obtaining the Devil Stone will bring great kudos. Inside the house though they come across much more than they bargained for, the stone has gone and the whole family have been slaughtered. They are startled so much they raise the alarm with local residents who call the police.

DCI Christine Caplan has had rather a bad day and hoped that a night at the ballet with Emma, her daughter, will cheer her up. Christine put her heart and soul into being a ballet dancer, but grew too tall, so Scottish Ballet’s loss became Police Scotland’s gain. It was a bad day because Christine had a disciplinary interview, a piece of evidence had been lost and so she must take responsibility and face the prospect of dropping a rank. It only gets worse as after the performance she tries to intervene with a bag snatcher on a bicycle who collapses and dies in front of her, prompting another internal investigation.

Three disparate events that are about to become intertwined. Following the disappearance of the local SIO, Christine is shunted up to the Highlands to cover the Otterburn House killings, which proves to be a demanding investigation.

The novel title The Devil Stone is certainly arresting and early references to Dennis Wheatley’s The Devil Rides Out and Aleister Crowley had me casting my mind back 40+ years. There was a shelf load of Wheatley’s books in my library, which proved popular and I remember reading 2 or 3, though now they are nowhere to be seen. It seems the modern devil worshipper is more interested in getting drunk and high then stripping off and dancing naked in the woods than summoning Satan, which explains why the lads were keen to get the stone.

Christine is interesting as a character as she battles to do the right thing against a wave of people trying to prevent her. Officers on high are undermining her and she starts to mistrust all those around her, though this is not paranoia, as there is a conspiracy against her. This means even if just for self-protection she must keep her cards close to her chest and of course not follow the rules; cops who go rogue for the right reason are so compelling. Here the author has done a wonderful job of capturing the gamut of emotions that Christine goes through, so getting the reader fully on board with the character. The choice of ballet for the backstory is canny, strip away the surface veneer of glamour and dancers are tough, physically resilient, almost battle hardened in their pursuit of excellence. Just the qualities Christine needs in her struggle against hidden forces.

Being the first in a series there is naturally some boundary setting and this is nicely handled. Her friendship with Lizzie and their connection with ‘the bastard’ John Ferguson adds complexity and texture to the storyline as does the lives of her family. Her husband Aklan was successful but is now a burnt-out shell of a man, depressed and permanently exhausted. He is like the albatross around her neck, but she still loves him dearly. Son Kenny looks like he is heading down the wrong road of self-isolation and video games like the Hikikomori in Japan, but luckily as Robert Plant sang ‘there’s still time to change the road you’re on.’ Daughter Emma is the shining light, thoughtful and caring, and a budding eco-warrior. So, a family life ripe for development in subsequent novels.

Of the police colleagues in the Highlands, Craigo and Mackie are the standout ones simply due to them being oddballs but also inscrutable with it. They provide a breath of fresh air to the procedural side and bring much amusement. The prose and dialogue are sprinkled with such typical words and phrases, this could only be a novel set in Scotland, but without becoming too extreme with the vernacular or dialect. If like me you love Scotland, this will be ideal for you. The humour throughout is perfectly pitched to balance some of the darkness.

It is giving nothing away in saying police corruption plays a part in the storyline, it is vogue in current crime novels but that is only mirroring real life. Here it is skilfully handled, having the reader guessing to the end, at times edging towards the outrageous but at the same time perfectly plausible.

After the brisk start the pace steadies but remains relentless. Even in the quiet spots Christine is picking her battles with others and at times herself. The tension and paranoia build right up to a breathtaking action set piece, one that will have thriller lovers purring with satisfaction, but even then, not all is revealed.

The Devil Stone is a masterful Scottish crime thriller, with the action peppered by deceit and rambunctious confrontations.

The Devil Stone can be purchased from the Bookshop.org here

The author

Caro Ramsay is the Glaswegian author of the critically acclaimed Anderson and Costello series, the first of which, Absolution, was shortlisted for the CWA’s New Blood Dagger for best debut of the year. The ninth book in the series, The Suffering of Strangers, was longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2018.

Don’t forget to check out the other reviews on this Blog Tour:

The Devil Takes You Home

By Gabino Iglesias @Gabino_Iglesias

Published by Wildfire (an imprint of Headline Publishing Group) https://www.headline.co.uk/ @Wildfirebks

305 pages ISBN 9781472291059

Publication date 2 August 2022

I was sent a Hardback copy of the novel in exchange for a fair review. I would like to thank Caitlin at Headline for arranging this and of course the Author and Publisher for this kind gesture.

From the blurb

It was never just a job. Becoming a hitman was the only way Mario could cover his young daughter’s medical expenses. But before long his family is left in pieces, and he’s barely even put a dent in the stack of bills.

Then he’s presented with an offer: one last score that will either pull him out of poverty forever or put a bullet in the back of his skull. A man named Juanca needs help stealing $2 million dollars from a drug cartel.

Together, they begin a journey to an underworld where unspeakable horrors happen every day. He’s a man with nothing to lose, but the Devil is waiting for him.

Wrestling with demons of our world and beyond, this blistering thriller charts the unforgettable quest of a husband and father in search of his lost soul.

My thoughts

This novel has sat on my shelf for a while and my intention was I’ll read it next, only for something else to crop up. A few days ago, I decided I must read it and so I took it down and within a few pages I was mesmerised in the way that you see something awful but are transfixed, unable to look away. Once you are captured there’s 300 pages of it to get through and though I finished it yesterday it’s taken a little while to process it all. The Devil Takes You Home is an intense, brutal, and violent novel but also one that is prophetic and at times incredibly touching.

This is certainly not a book for the faint hearted, there’s plenty of violence which at times is visceral (in the true meaning of the word), there is also some vivid and disturbing imagery invoked, which some might find terrifying, and inherent racism is portrayed. As ever with such things context is everything. The plot is set against the drug cartels of Mexico where life almost has no value, they are exporting poison for vast wealth and anyone who gets in their way or crosses them will simply be eliminated. Showing disrespect leads to an early grave and if you strike against them it’s not a case of an eye for an eye, it’s both eyes and a headful of teeth. If a ‘solider’ is stabbed ten times it is repaid by stabbing one of theirs twenty times in an ever escalating orgy of brutality. As the reader discovers this attitude becomes significant.

The plot centres on Mario a man whose mother was American, and father was Puerto Rican, mixed race but essentially seen as not white. His life is far from perfect but whilst he has his wife Melisa and the daughter he dotes upon, Anita he can get by. Things start to unravel when Anita gets leukemia. Hospitalisation and treatment puts Mario and Anita’s relation under great strain as does its financial cost. When Mario’s attendance effects his job at the insurance company they show little compassion, and he is sacked. After Anita dies, in emotional distress he lashes out and hurts Melisa who leaves him. Friend Brian introduces Mario to meth (which he doesn’t take to) and a way of making easy money as a low-level hit man (which he takes to like a duck to water) thus beginning his slow descent to his own personal hell. This becomes a downward spiral for a normal man wracked with grief and remorse which the only way out and salvation comes in the form of the big job.

The storyline is told in first person (Mario) and we see how his experiences cause him suffering and mould his perspective and the desensitising effect of the progressive violence. All the while though it is clear he retains some decency at heart, but will it be enough to see him through?

Mario is the nucleus of the story but there is some great characterisation throughout, with Brian the junky and Juanca the tattooed Mexican ex-gang member his partners just for starters. Expect compromised religious figures (both conventional and not), casual racists, laughing killers, a bar woman with a big surprise and an unforgiving nature, along with some crocodiles (because Pablo Escobar’s hippopotamuses were too boring.) A colourful cast set against dusty small towns, tunnels under the border and secure compounds.

The story progresses rapidly and is very focused and linear being unencumbered by side issues or flashbacks. This works perfectly as it builds to the main set piece crescendo with aggression, shocking events and otherworldly imagery along the way. They may be ruthless murderers, but they are also very superstitious men, perhaps not believing in God but certainly believing in the Devil albeit one of their making. The precise meaning of the ‘protection’ given to Mario, Brian and Juanca will make your jaw drop, believe me.

Strip all of this away and at the heart we have elements of a buddy road trip and a noir tale of a heist complete with surprises and double crossing. Its masterful storytelling. The writing is stylish and at times stunning, this is not horror pulp but top-quality prose which can be as snappy as Don Vazquez’s crocodiles and yet at other times as an almost lyrical quality to it. Amongst this there are acute observations about the human condition and our worth as a species.

The Devil Takes You Home just might be the most incredible book I read this year; it left me speechless at the end. Not a novel to appeal to everyone, but it will be brilliant to those it does.

The Devil Takes You Home can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

abino is a writer, journalist, professor, and literary critic living in Austin, TX. He is also the author of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning novels Zero Saints and Coyote Songs, which racked up nominations for the Bram Stoker Award, the Locus Award and the Wonderland Book Award (the latter of which Gabino won for Coyote Songs). As well as writing Gabino is a reviewer, author of non-fiction, and has been a juror for the Shirley Jackson Awards twice and the Millions Tournament of Books.

Source: Headline Publishing website

Fatal Hate

By Brian Price

Published by Hobeck Books https://www.hobeck.net/?msclkid=153f0efbbc9711ecb2a3265c587ae7e9

382 pages ISBN 9781913793623

Publication date 12 April 2022

Fatal Hate is the second novel in the Mel Cotton series.

I was sent an electronic copy to enable me to take part in this Blog Tour. I would like to thank Rebecca at Hobeck Books and the author for the invitation to participate.

From the blurb

DC Mel Cotton is back with a brand-new case, the murder of Duncan Bennett. But who would want an unassuming warehouse worker dead?

Synopsis

Duncan Bennett an employee of a confectionary distributor is discovered dead in a side street near his work. He has been hit over the head with a lump of concrete so its murder. When his flat is searched the police uncover right wing and Nazi memorabilia. Further digging into his background and IT establish links to very dangerous and unpleasant people. However, appearances can be deceptive…

Duncan appeared to be onto some anomaly at work just before his murder. The police place an undercover officer into the business and what she discovers blows open a conspiracy of drugs, terrorism, and paedophilia.

The local MP is an obnoxious man, the brother of the Home Secretary, who has right wing leanings and seems to be stoking the hatred rather than quelling it. This leaves Mel and her colleagues exposed, battling against a rising tide of racism and violence to protect the public and keep themselves safe.

My thoughts

Fans of police procedurals will know that there is the difficult compromise between realism and entertainment. List too many forms and outline too many internal procedures and it becomes boring. Here Mr Price has judged it well giving an authentic feel that due process is being followed without ever getting bogged down. Another criticism is too few characters, where a DCI a side kick and a couple of plods solve a massive case. This is not true in Fatal Hate, any more officers and I would have been drawing myself an organisation chart! Mel is our eponymous heroine but doesn’t but certainly doesn’t hog the story line. Some of the key moments are saved for Mel but the whole team play a role and it feels much better for it.

The writing style is breezy, and the plot moves along at a quick pace which is just as well because its full of incident and action packed. The chapters are short and encourage the reader to read just one more. If you read it in one sitting, you may well end up exhausted and a little dizzy. The action set pieces are nicely judged, these are ordinary police officers not superheroes or martial arts experts. This is a book you can quickly get engrossed in.

As the plot is incident driven and there are so many characters, there isn’t a great deal of space for detailed characterisation, but none are obviously two dimensional and Mel is particularly well drawn. We can see that she is a doughty and determined woman in a tough environment, but she is also impulsive and fortunate. Jack tells Mel she is using up her nine lives, which she is, though I can see her entertaining us with her scrapes for a few more novels yet. As the series progresses and develops no doubt Mel and Tom will too.

The pick of the other characters was Robbie the ‘Paedo Hunter’ and Jeannie McLeod who’s sister was the catalyst for the story. The reader feels he understands Jeannie’s motives throughout the novel but there is a lovely twist in the ending which explains her determination.

The central themes are dark, paedophilia, terrorism, racial hate, and class A drugs, a real explosive mixture. These are confidently handled. There are a couple of sensitive scenes which are delicately covered, leaving more to the imagination than is included on the page. The idea of the ‘false flag’ terrorist attacks was a good one, so good one wonders if it has been tried but thwarted by the security services. There are some light, funny moments, and bits of banter within the dialogue though. Indeed, I had a good chuckle when the most inappropriate vehicle for a ‘getaway car’ but I won’t spoil the fun by detailing it here. These stopped the novel from getting too dark and kept it entertaining.

Another device used was inserting ‘Easter Eggs’ into the text. The author has included within the novel over thirty quotes and cultural references and these comprise an Easter Competition which is set out at the beginning of the book. If you are the competitive type, then read with a notebook nearby and don’t hang about as entries have to be in before midnight on 30 June 2022. The prize is some special chocolates and a signed copy of Brian’s next book.

Fatal Hate is a fast paced, action-packed police procedural with an authentic feel about it. Great entertainment for a Bank Holiday weekend.

The author

Brian Price is a writer living in the South West of England. A scientist by training, he worked for the Environment Agency for twelve years and has also worked as an environmental consultant, a pharmacy technician and, for 26 years, as an Open University tutor.

As well as the Mel Cotton series he is the author of Crime Writing: How to write the science, a guide for authors on the scientific aspects of crime. He has a website on this topic (www.crimewriterscience.co.uk) and advises crime writers on how to avoid scientific mistakes in their books.

Brian reads a wide range of crime fiction himself and also enjoys Terry Pratchett, Genevieve Cogman and Philip Pullman. He may sometimes be found listening to rock, folk and 1960s psychedelic music. He is married and has four grown-up children.

Fatal Hate can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The Blood Tide

By Neil Lancaster https://neillancastercrime.co.uk/

Published by HarperCollins Publishers https://harpercollins.co.uk/

384 pages ISBN 9780008518462 Publication date 23 February 2022

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley.  Thanks to the author and publisher for organising this.

From the blurb/synopsis

You get away with murder.
In a remote sea loch on the west coast of Scotland, a fisherman vanishes without trace. His remains are never found.
 
You make people disappear.
A young man jumps from a bridge in Glasgow and falls to his death in the water below. DS Max Craigie uncovers evidence that links both victims. But if he can’t find out what cost them their lives, it won’t be long before more bodies turn up at the morgue…
 
You come back for revenge.
Soon cracks start to appear in the investigation, and Max’s past hurtles back to haunt him. When his loved ones are threatened, he faces a terrifying choice: let the only man he ever feared walk free, or watch his closest friend die…

My thoughts

This is the second novel to include Ross, Max and Janie of the Policing Standards Reassurance Team based in Scotland. The PSR is a small team with a wide remit and freedom to investigate. This is a police procedural, but one step removed from everyday policing that becomes two steps as they eventually investigate PIRC (Police Investigations Review Commissioner) who investigate the operations of the police. The success of Line of Duty has whetted the viewer/reader appetite for these stories and this one certainly has the ring of authenticity to it albeit it a bit beefed up. We all like an engaging or larger than life criminal and if it’s a rogue cop then all the better. What the reader certainly gets a feel for is the bureaucracy, the career minded operators, the interagency cooperation, or lack of, and the paranoia that top level infiltration engenders. The author manages this without it ever being boring or too political.

The plot centres on the importation of class A drugs and the operation of what has become known as County Lines operations. An Edinburgh drugs baron has been jailed and his patch has been infiltrated by Liverpudlians and some members of law enforcement are seeking involvement as a contact is setting up a massive deal.

This is an incident packed story, there is room for characterisation but there is an awful lot going on within the investigation and it seems likely they will be fleshed out further in following novels. The principal characters are engaging and the introduction of the analyst Norma adds to the mix and brings a certain balance, one would expect these teams to be small but three is perhaps a little too small. We also have the intrigue of Mrs Fraser as a kind of ‘her indoors’ to keep Ross on his toes and she must surely to play a bigger role in the future.

Despite all this action the plotting is tight and any excess has been trimmed off. The pacing is not so much rapid as relentless. Chapters are short (some just a page or two) the narrative constantly switches. There is action a plenty, even a moral choice involving life and death race. Its breathless stuff, read this in one or two sittings and you are going to feel worn out.

The violence at times is brutal and inevitably occasionally graphic, but after all drug trafficking is a vicious violent business that destroys life. There’s a pub scene which is unpleasant, I’ve been in some rough pubs but nothing like this one though. I have no doubt that they do exist just don’t expect to find them the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. These are genuinely menacing drug dealers, the sort of people you hope never to come across in real life.

An exhilarating and exhausting read that grabs you from the first chapter and drags you along, just remember to breathe. I have already purchased Dead Man’s Grave the first book in the series ready to read later in the year after I’ve had a long lie down.