Her Charming Man #RachelSargeant #HerCharmingMan

By Rachel Sargeant https://www.rachelsargeant.co.uk/welcome/ @RachelSargeant3

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

346 pages ISBN 9781915817464

Publication date 14 May 2024

Her Charming Man is the second novel in the Gloucestershire Crime Series. Click on the link to read Her Deadly Friend 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 the author for the invitation to participate.

The cover

What is a normal picture of (presumably) Gloucester Cathedral is made to look much more dramatic with a stunning colour scheme. Possibly hints at gothic horror but this is an unusual and quirky police procedural.

My review

The Cathedral is there in the opening scene, as a journalist is in the grounds at 5:30 am waiting to meet a contact. There are few people around at that time in the morning, as the somewhat oddball guest house owner Tracey Chiles, who is walking her Scottie dog Hamish, notices although she does cross paths with a smartly dressed man who is in a hurry.

DI Steph Lewis cancels the brain scan that has been arranged for her, her headaches may have reduced but they have not gone away entirely. Is she afraid of any diagnosis? When she arrives at the office DCI Richards dumps a metaphorical headache her way; there has been reports of a murder outside the Cathedral.

Then a brusque woman reports her beloved husband as being missing, but it’s barely been more than a day since she last saw him. Initially this hardly seems anything to worry about, after all he is a grown man. He is quite a distinctive man though, always dapperly dressed and wearing a hat, surely somebody will spot him.

When Tracey Chiles reads about the murder in her paper, her mind goes into overdrive, surely she can’t have come across a second murder victim in only a matter of months. She speaks to the police and what she says indicates there could be a connection with the murder and the missing man, but how reliable witness is she.

What might at first glance, after reading the blurb, appear to be a straightforward story, turns out to be something different thanks to some quirky characters. It develops into a tale of secrets and the facades we build to avoid the truth, which becomes an overriding motivator.

The story has two central strands, a murder investigation and a missing persons search, that appear to be tenuously linked by a chance passing, but of course the reader feels there is more to it than that. Our author has carefully placed a plot voucher for us to pick up on and then forget until much later. If you do not forget but are waiting for the ‘second shoe to fall’ it is a long time coming but when it does you get the satisfying sense of a job well done. So, this is a story where our detectives’ job can be likened to pushing a boulder uphill, slow, careful and deliberate. Unlike Sisyphus though they get to the apex and the boulder runs out of control down the other side as the story unravels. It is certainly worth the wait and the build-up. Then right at the very end we are left with a hook for book three, bravo.

Steph is an agreeable protagonist, albeit one if she were a real-life friend you’d be having stern words with. She worries about her near adult son, but at the same time neglects her own health, something I fear will lead to bad news in future instalment in this series. She is hamstrung by events of the past and the desire for them to remain secret will bind her, at least for now, to the eccentric Tracey Chiles.

She is the unfortunate dog walker, surely it must be just bad luck to come so close to two deaths, making her the character that fascinates me. I cannot work out if she is just stupid or has a mendacious streak to her, as she appears to be rather opaque. Tracey could reveal the events of the past which could bring Steph’s world crashing down, so effectively holding the key to Stephs happiness, but does she realise it. I’m certain there will be more to hear from Tracey in future stories.

They say that opposites attract, and it is certainly true that there will be few married couples who reflect this better than Gerald and Anna Gittens- Gold. He is gregarious, easy going and charming, whereas she is solitary, spiky and abrupt. How they have remained together is as much a surprise as how they can manage to job share a position of counsellor at a holistic health centre. Gerald is a man of mystery though, or at least he would be if wasn’t for his capacity for telling a ripping yarn. Gerald is an expert photographer with the Australian army, often supporting special forces which means he must disappear at the drop of (his) hat. Unable to keep a secret, each time he retells a story it becomes more dangerous and his heroism all the greater, making him a popular guy. Why would he want to stay with such a difficult woman? Gerald is the standout character, yet we come across him almost entirely through the eyes of others, which is a clever piece of writing. It is the wonderfully judged character interactions throughout the story that maintain the interest.

Her Charming Man is a tightly plotted tale of murder and deception.

Her Charming Man can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Rachel Sargeant joins Hobeck with her new Gloucestershire Crime Series. The first book Her Deadly Friend features Steph, a fun-loving detective inspector with secrets to keep and an unpredictable killer to catch. And Steph is back in action in book two, Her Charming Man, published in May 2024. Rachel’s previous titles have been translated into other European languages and include a suspense story, a police whodunit and a Top-Ten Kindle bestselling psychological thriller. Her short stories have appeared in women’s magazines and charity anthologies, and she is a winner of Writing Magazine’s Crime Short Story competition. After many years in Germany, Rachel now lives in Gloucestershire with her family. Her hobbies are reading (of course), visiting country parks and coffee shops, and watching amateur theatre. She recently gained a doctorate from the University of Birmingham.

Source: Publisher’s website

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

Price to Pay #DaveSivers #PriceToPay

By Dave Sivers https://www.davesivers.co.uk/ @DaveSivers

288 pages ISBN 9781999739751 (PB)

Publication date 28 February 2024

Price to Pay is book 7 in the Archer and Baines series.

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 for arranging this.

From the blurb

Too many enemies. Too much to lose.

The cover

Young (?) person in a moonlit suburban street. Could be entirely innocent, but there are hints of malevolence or even menace, after all the strap line is ‘nowhere is safe’. A great cover that delivers the message, though the houses look rather US style to me. Good cover.

My review

Life is going great for DCI Lizzie Archer, career on track, happily married and close friendships formed. She is a woman who deserves it after the events of eleven years earlier. An arrest went wrong, she was attacked with a bottle that left her scarred and which was ultimately to end her relationship.

Alas it is often when life is good that progress seems to be derailed, as it proves inside a week for Lizzie. All senior and arresting officers are subject to threats, it comes with the territory, some being more serious than others. Now Lizzie is on the receiving end of two inside a week, one from a family of low-level housing estate career criminals but another from a much more serious player. If that was not enough on her plate, Rob her former fiancé who left her when she was disfigured has suddenly reappeared, a changed man he says and he his determined to win her back. Lizzie is having none of this nonsense, but doesn’t want it to upset her husband, Dominic.

DS Dan Baines, her right-hand man, has troubles of his own to contend with. Firstly, he has the chance to visit son Jack (now called Peter) in prison. It has taken a long time to get to this stage and he is anxious not to ‘blow it’ and ruin any chance of a relationship in future. Secondly, the serial killer Duncan McNeil, known as the Invisible Man, continues to cast a shadow over his life. McNeil kidnapped Jack aged two and brought him up as his own son, so Dan needs to untangle this influence. Police Scotland want to discuss further cases they believe may be the work of McNeil and there is a suggestion that Peter may have played a role within them.

A murder on their patch causes disarray and an investigation from which they are sidelined as suspicion falls upon them.

A very enjoyable read even though I was starting the series at instalment number seven. Yes, it can be read as a stand-alone, there are plenty of signposts to the past and these events are filled in with sufficient detail without being tiresome. The events of the past are quite momentous though and I found myself wishing I had read some of the earlier novels (which I now intend to do so).

Even with all the recollections of the past, the novel moves along at a brisk pace with the interest never flagging. There is lot packed into the novel, with essentially two investigating teams at work, one officially the other surreptitiously and a cold case review. The switching between the various elements is well judged, managing to keep all the plates spinning and the reader engrossed. It is very much a police procedural story though and the jeopardy is more of the reputational rather than outright danger. I guess we need to read the earlier novels in the series, when McNeil was at liberty, for that. There are bodies and some urban grittiness, but this is Aylesbury not Glasgow, and what there is feels just right. There are also shades of darkness with the events inside prisons.

The plot is clever, beautifully put together and very tricky without pushing too far. There are three plausible suspects, at least to begin with, and there are three separate events that prove to be catalysts, but it’s not a case of matching three to three, that would be far to simple. This is just the central strand that puts Lizzie and Dominic in the firing line. Dan’s strand is a bit more straightforward, but only just and contains a nice twist of its own. What I loved during the final quarter when the pieces start to come together the reader thinks ‘ah but…’ and then the characters pick up on this and another layer of the onion is peeled back, only to be repeated. I did say it was tricky.

The central characters are well formed and likeable enough to sustain a series. Lizzie immediately brings empathy, how can a reader not like a woman who has been physically disfigured and emotionally damaged but still recovers to put her life back on track. She is one of those nice bosses we all want but rarely come across and is also not averse to maverick tendencies when needs arise. Dan is a man who has also recovered his life towards normality only to have it thrown into disarray once again. The sense of partnership between Lizzie and Dan is strong and is the glue that holds it all together. Whether a whole team would go ‘off reservation’ for the sake of their superiors is a good question, at least in this case I think it is reasonable to suggest that they would for these two.

Family life is a theme throughout. What would an individual do for the sake of his loved ones, to protect them or to extract revenge. It also poses the question can a child have anything nearing a normal upbringing with a serial killer. At first it seems preposterous but as Jack (now Peter) says it is what he knows and he still thinks of Duncan as his father, still regarding him with some affection. This is something Dan struggles with until Jack points out that Dan’s own current arrangement is certainly unusual and when he sets it out it does have a ring of the Jeremy Kyle show about it.

Price to Pay is a fabulously twisty and thought-provoking police procedural.

The author

PR use only. No print/electronic book or similar use. Author Dave Sivers at The Beacon Villages Festival of Books and Writing or BeaconLit.

Dave Sivers grew up in West London and has been writing all his life. His books include the popular crime series featuring the Aylesbury Vale detectives, DI Lizzie Archer and DS Dan Baines.

The Scars Beneath the Soul and Dead in Deep Water were both top three bestsellers in the Amazon Kindle Serial Killers chart. In Ice is the second in the DI Nathan Quarrel series.

His other works include the Lowmar Dashiel crime fantasy novels.

Dave also writes plays and other material for the amateur stage and is a founder of the annual BeaconLit festival of books and writing. He lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife, Chris.

To keep up with Dave’s news and upcoming releases, subscribe to his newsletter at http://www.davesivers.co.uk.

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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:

The Midnight Man #JulieAnderson #TheMidnightMan

By Julie Anderson https://julieandersonwriter.com/ @jjulieanderson

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

336 pages ISBN 9781915817365

Publication date 30 April 2024

The Midnight Man is the first novel in the Clapham Trilogy.

I was sent an electronic copy to enable me to take part in this Blog Tour. I would like to thank Zoe at Zooloos Book Tours https://taplink.cc/zooloosbooktours @ZooloosBT for the invitation to participate and of course the Author and Publisher.

The cover

What a fabulous cover! My first impression was that it captured the Film Noir movie posters of the period, but with the wording there are elements of the Pop Art movement. Then there’s the tunnel and hints of a rolling mist, if that doesn’t grab you then what will?

My review

It’s winter 1946 in Clapham and the paths of two young women are about to fatefully cross. Faye Smith is the canteen manager at the South London Hospital for Women and Children, the only hospital of its kind, for women and staffed by almost entirely women. Faye is diligent and hardworking so is likely to do well and get further promotion, which will be useful for her cash strapped family. She is also street smart and misses nothing.

Eleanor Peveril has just returned from Germany, where, as a legal secretary she was assisting at the Nuremberg trials. Now no longer needed, she faces an uncertain future which has already turned bleaker, as she has been conned by a landlady and seen her fiancé Patrick with another woman. With nowhere to go and no cash, she follows some nurses into the hospital canteen to warm up and scrounge any leftovers. She stands out to Faye, who gets people to rally round in support, and there begins an unlikely friendship.

A young nurse goes missing and eventually her body is found in one of the deep tunnels, which were used to shelter in during bombings, behind a locked door. Ellie heard an altercation on the night the nurse disappeared and so feels personally involved and is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. In her new friend Faye, she finds a willing confederate as they face danger and demons in the pursuit of the truth.

The cover suggests period noir, but don’t expect a Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler homage, this is much more with two female central characters and takes a female perspective. The start is a little low key, at least by modern standards, but is constructed to create the meeting and friendship of Ellie and Faye. After this it quickly gets into its stride and moves along briskly like a consultant on his morning rounds before golf.

The setting is an absolute gem, a real place with a fascinating history, but one probably unknown even just a few miles away. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a novel where such a magnificent setting is utilised so well, from the canteen to the staffrooms, from the wards to the boiler room all exploited for atmosphere just like the best film directors would. The author has managed to incorporate snippets of its inspiring creation, history and ethos within the story arc as mere incidentals, but together they show how much the place was loved without derailing the action. The action itself is nicely judged and has the period noir feel about such that one can almost imagine it written at that time.

The use of the deep shelters and underground tunnels are another master stroke, bringing the prospects of mystery, danger, darkness and fear. Again, a real feature incorporated within the storyline that helps to enhance the feeling of time and place. It also brought a sense the film version of The Third Man when Harry Lime tries to escape through the Vienna sewers, and naturally the earworm of Anton Karas’ zither playing.

The period is set in is another excellent choice by the author and one that experienced great change. Its 1946, the war is over soldiers and auxiliaries are returning to a country bombed and battered and still facing rationing and hardship. The country has relied upon women to keep running during the war, working on farms and in armament factories, yet they are expected to make way for the returning men. Ellie and Faye are two women who want to remain in the world of work and not become the wife or ‘property’ of a man. The timing is critical for another reason, the formation of the welfare state and at its core the NHS. With hindsight we see it as one of the country’s greatest achievements, but here the uncertainty around it introduces a degree of angst in some characters, they want it to be better but will it be, but at the same time great optimism in others. The stark cost of illness pre-NHS is laid bare, as suffered within Faye’s family and is something few alive will now remember.

The friendship between Faye and Ellie is the glue that holds the story together. Its one of those odd relationships of opposites in background. Faye is working class and wily whereas Ellie is a vicar’s daughter and naïve, but their core beliefs align; two different women who stand for the same thing and neither want to be constrained by the old social norms. I suspect that men and women will have differing perspectives on their friendship, how quickly they become friends, and the ups and downs may feel unlikely to a male reader, but there are distinct social differences between the sexes.

The character cameos are brilliant, the stern (Paddington) stare of Matron sent a shiver down my spine, and I was just reading about it, the crooks had a menacing edge without being too obvious and Beryl is perfect as the no-nonsense Glaswegian nurse. The dialogue is nicely judged with enough to place it in London without getting all ‘geezer’ or indeed hardboiled. It also eschewed the modernisms we so easily fall into, again giving the right period feel.

I guess with the first book of a prospective trilogy the acid test is, are you ready for book two; I can’t wait!

The Midnight Man is a fabulous piece of historical fiction that melds crime noir with social history and feminist interests.

The Midnight Man can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Julie Anderson is the CWA Dagger listed author of three Whitehall thrillers and a short series of historical adventure stories for young adults. Before becoming a crime fiction writer, she was a senior civil servant, working across a variety of departments and agencies, including the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Unlike her protagonists, however, she doesn’t know where (all) the bodies are buried.

She writes crime fiction reviews for Time and Leisure Magazine and is a co-founder and Trustee of the Clapham Book Festival.

She lives in south London where her latest crime fiction series is set, returning to her first love of writing historical fiction with The Midnight Man, to be published by Hobeck.

Don’t forget to check out the other great reviews 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.

• 

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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Dark Rooms #LyndaLaPlante #DarkRooms

By Lynda Le Plante https://lyndalaplante.com/ @LaPlanteLynda

Narrated by Rachel Atkins

Published by Bonnier Audio, Zaffre (an imprint of Bonnier Books UK) https://www.bonnierbooks.co.uk/imprints/zaffre/ @ZaffreBooks

336 pages (9 hours 52 minutes) ISBN 9781804180334 (PB)

Publication date 18 August 2022

Dark Rooms is the eighth novel the Jane Tennison Thriller Series.

I reviewed an audiobook using the BorrowBox library app https://www.borrowbox.com/ @BorrowBox. I would like to thank Tracy Fenton @Tr4cyF3nt0n from Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to take part in the #TEAMTENNISON review project.

Clink on the links to read my reviews of Tennison, Hidden Killers, Good Friday, Murder Mile, The Dirty Dozen, Blunt Force and Unholy Murder. My review of Taste of Blood the nineth novel in the series will be posted on this blog in the first week in May.

The Cover

A nice atmospheric cover, consistent with the series, featuring (presumably) Jane approaching an imposing property, which is a key setting for the story.

The narration

Another excellent job by Rachel Atkins, who demonstrates a good range of voices, including a fabulous portrayal of family matriarch Beatrice. She is an English woman who has lived in Australia for some years and so has an accent that takes part of both, but also needs to cover a breadth of emotions.

My review

Jane has finally been promoted to Detective Inspector. It was a tough, obstacle strewn, route for her, including the obligatory return to uniform for a year, but now she has made it, her career is set to take off.

As with the previous novel in the series, Unholy Murder, it is the 1980s building boom that throws up a desperate case for Jane to investigate. Builders are busy working on a prestigious property development at a large house that had previously been converted into flats. The property has a substantial but neglected garden and a full-length cellar with a tunnel leading off to an old bomb shelter, all of which the residents were denied access to. When the builders finally make their way into to shelter, they are faced with a grisly sight, a partly decomposed body of a young woman chained to a bed. After her success investigating the convent case and noting the similarities with this one, DCI Wayne Carter passes the job on to Jane. A decision he will come to regret.

When visiting the scene after the CSI officers have left, eagle-eyed Jane spots two concrete blocks strapped together in a dark corner. Her interest duly piqued, she has them removed and when the strap, which is in fact a monogrammed belt, is cut the remains of a baby are found. Forensics determine that the body of the baby was wrapped up whilst it was still alive, and its corpse has been there at least twenty years. This makes no matter to Jane; in her mind everyone deserves justice and the truth must be discovered.

Police progress is hampered because the property’s owner is a wealthy heiress, who is now living in a care home, suffering from dementia and uncommunicative. Her affairs have passed via a power of attorney to her nephew Jason, a brash young man who immediately raises Jane’s hackles.

Dark Rooms is the perfect title for a novel where there are dank basements, the dark rooms associated with photography and a subject matter that is both morbid and disturbing. Family life is central to both the cases, but it is not a case of happy families as Jane pursues the secrets of a painful past.

The modern case is resolved quickly and is a sad case of the desperate actions of somebody at their wits end. It is the older case that takes up the bulk of the story and what bleak story it turns out to be. Some secrets should not be revealed as Jane is to discover. It also proves to be painful to DCI Carter as his budget is blown to pieces by a request from Jane to go to Australia to conduct interviews.

Jane goes about things in her usual manner, upsetting those around her, acting on instinct and taking risks. She does come to realise that when her superiors say she is not enough of a team player, they may have a point, as she puts herself in real danger. That is when the steady, methodical storyline bursts into action. A tough and painful lesson learned, but will she act upon it in future.

Jane gets to work with a young DC called Timothy Taylor (a Pavlovian response from me here is ‘A pint of Landlord please’) which brings a different vibe to the interactions as she teaches him the way to get himself into trouble. At first, he appears to be a naive and ‘wet behind the ears’ lad living at home (think Private Pike) but as the story develops, we can see him grow, showing tenacity and adaptability. Most of all he is a loyal partner and that is exactly what Jane needs at this time.

It’s not all grim for Jane though as she finds a new love interest, one not connected with the force, and builders make a start on renovating her new house for her.

The trip to Australia is a great interlude, from the accommodation (in Kings Cross), the heat (Tim takes a tweed jacket) to the real ‘bonzer’ Aussies. Just one of those occasional fillips a long-running series needs to refresh it and spark new life. Jane certainly uncovers the story of a kind of life that people flee across the world to escape.

The final resolution comes back in the UK and it is not as Jane envisioned. There is a telling, heart pouring out, scene when she realises the pain and suffering that has resurfaced because of her relentless pursuit of the truth. She has a brilliant track record of crime solving but she also needs to develop empathy and accept that even her actions have consequences.

Jane Tennison finds shocking secrets are held within Dark Rooms.

Dark Rooms can be purchased from the Bookshop.org here.

The author

Lynda La Plante (born Lynda Titchmarsh) is a British author, screenwriter, and erstwhile actress (her performances in Rentaghost and other programmes were under her stage name of Lynda Marchal), best known for writing the Prime Suspect television crime series.

Her first TV series as a scriptwriter was the six part robbery series Widows, in 1983, in which the widows of four armed robbers carry out a heist planned by their deceased husbands.

In 1991 ITV released Prime Suspect which has now run to seven series and stars Helen Mirren as DCI Jane Tennison. (In the United States Prime Suspect airs on PBS as part of the anthology program Mystery!) In 1993 La Plante won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for her work on the series. In 1992 she wrote at TV movie called Seekers, starring Brenda Fricker and Josette Simon, produced by Sarah Lawson.

She formed her own television production company, La Plante Productions, in 1994 and as La Plante Productions she wrote and produced the sequel to Widows, the equally gutsy She’s Out (ITV, 1995). The name “La Plante” comes from her marriage to writer Richard La Plante, author of the book Mantis and Hog Fever. La Plante divorced Lynda in the early 1990s.

Her output continued with The Governor (ITV 1995-96), a series focusing on the female governor of a high security prison, and was followed by a string of ratings pulling miniseries: the psycho killer nightmare events of Trial & Retribution (ITV 1997-), the widows’ revenge of the murders of their husbands & children Bella Mafia (1997) (starring Vanessa Redgrave), the undercover police unit operations of Supply and Demand (ITV 1998), videogame/internet murder mystery Killer Net (Channel 4 1998) and the female criminal profiler cases of Mind Games (ITV 2001).

Two additions to the Trial and Retribution miniseries were broadcast during 2006.

Source: Goodreads profile

Her Last Request #MariHannah #HerLastRequest

By Mari Hannah https://www.marihannah.com/ @mariwriter

Narrated by Colleen Prendergast @CMPrendergast_

Published by Orion Books Group https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/ @orionbooks

416 pages (10 hours 48 minutes) ISBN 9781409192442 (HB)

Publication date 30 September 2021

Her Last Request is the eighth book in the Kate Daniels @DCIKateDaniels Mysteries series. Click on the links to read my reviews of the first seven books in the series, The Murder Wall, Settled Blood, Deadly Deceit, Monument to Murder, Killing for Keeps, Gallows Drop and Without a Trace.

My review is based upon the audiobook version purchased from Audible. I would like to thank Tracy @Tr4cyF3nt0n from Compulsive Readers #CompulsiveReaders for the opportunity to take part in the #TEAMDANIELS review project. My review of The Longest Goodbye the nineth novel in the series will be posted on this blog in April.

The Cover

A caravan park by the sea, on a blustery day, a scarf attached to the fence. Perfectly encompasses the novel. Good cover.

The narrator

Another excellent job by Colleen Prendergast.

My review

A woman is found murdered in a caravan at a small coastal holiday park. It is the way that she is murdered that is most disturbing to DCI Kate Daniels. Her throat has been cut, but she has been attacked with great savagery and has suffered defensive wounds, as she attempted to fight off her attacker. Truly a bad, visceral death.

The intensive forensic search of the site throws up an unexpected piece of evidence, a hidden note. This death note is a cry for help, her last request to those who find it, to find her son. Kate is deeply affected; she feels it almost on a personal level. As her partner the profiler Jo Soulsby points out, the scene is as if it were meant for Kate, the note could have been written just for her.

A haunted Kate is about to be consumed by this case. Not only must she find the killer but also find Aaron, the son, before the killer does. This is a vendetta and as the story progresses it become apparent that both the victim and killer are both communicating directly with Kate. One from beyond the grave, they other taunting like the most narcissistic of fictional serial killers.

A great set up for a two-strand storyline, effectively a dual man hunt encompassing a race against time. The pacing is wonderfully judged and is given a great sense of urgency when the search for Aaron is on.

The plotting is cleverly done, initially there is so little to go on, but bits of information and further clues are drip fed into the storyline as it progresses. In one very clever scene, the victim manages to connect with Kate from beyond the grave, thanks to keen observation and some lateral thinking. This is by no means the only clue, but certainly the most memorable. It’s not all Holmes and Watson though as there is plenty of incident, moments of breathtaking suspense and some excellent action with real jeopardy introduced as well.

Being a Daniels and Gormley story it would be amiss if they didn’t fall foul of the brass hats and this time it appears to be serious. Kate managed to use up much of DCS Bright’s goodwill during her search for Jo and this time she feels powerless. In a fabulously simple but effective piece of writing cross pollination, this allows her to introduce the reader to Stone and Oliver, the lead characters in her other Newcastle based detective series. I picked up a couple of their books up when the author came to speak at Hull Noir so once #TeamDaniels is finished I will be moving on to that series! Most authors who write more than one series set them far apart, but as they are in the same proximity it makes perfect sense that they cross over at some point.

Character development adds so much to a long running series and following the dramatic events of Without a Trace there is a sense that time has moved on. Kate and Jo’s reconciliation appears to be working, albeit with the odd factious moment and the sudden reappearance of one of Jo’s sons. The fall out from the death of DI Robson is only now being felt and there was a more subdued feel to the incident room. This provides an opportunity for DS Carmichael to move up and for some a self-confident character she is less sure footed but proves her worth in an interview late in the story. She’s proving to be a bit of a chip off the old block. The reader also gets a nice little look behind the scenes of Hank’s home life.

The killer is particularly nasty, but also demonstrates a teeth gnashing arrogance that is almost as bad, one villain who deserves his comeuppance. The central theme is one of coercive control, of a man trying to control a woman to the point where she must go on the run to escape his clutches. A painful situation that is captured convincingly but also with a sensitive touch. This becomes an extreme example of an only too common situation, where women become trapped through no fault of their own.

Reading Without a Trace I felt that changes were to come; Her Last Request brings fresh impetus to and invigorates this fantastic long running series.

Her Last Request can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

Mari Hannah is a multi-award-winning author, whose authentic voice is no happy accident. A former probation officer, she lives in rural Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. Mari turned to script-writing when her career was cut short following an assault on duty. Her debut, The Murder Wall, (adapted from a script she developed with the BBC) won her the Polari First Book Prize. Its follow-up, Settled Blood, picked up a Northern Writers’ Award. Mari’s body of work won her the CWA Dagger in the Library 2017, an incredible honour to receive so early in her career. In 2019, she was voted DIVA Wordsmith of the Year. In 2020, she won Capital Crime International Crime Writing Festival’s Crime Book of the Year for Without a Trace. Her Kate Daniels series is in development with Stephen Fry’s production company, Sprout Pictures.

Source: Publisher’s website

Crow Moon #SuzyAspley #CrowMoon

By Suzy Aspley https://www.suzyaspleywriter.com/ @writer_suzy

Published by Orenda Books https://orendabooks.co.uk/ @OrendaBook

272 pages ISBN 9781914585500

Publication date 14 March 2024

I was sent an electronic copy to enable me to take part in the Blog Tour. I would like to thank Anne at Random Things Tours @RandomTTours for the invitation to participate and of course the Author and the Publisher.

The Cover

I love the hourglass sand turning to crows after it passes through the pinch point. To me it says a battle against time and something creepy ahead. This is one book that I didn’t need to read the blurb, I knew from the cover I wanted to read it.

My review

A teenager goes missing from the sleepy village of Strathbran…

Martha Strangeway’s life was turned upside down when her young twin boys were killed in a house fire. Martha is wracked with guilt because she feels she let them down. The night of the fire she was called out to attend a press conference and so was not there to protect them, as she feels a mother should. She ends her career as an investigative journalist and drifts apart from her partner, the father of the twins. All she has left now is her teenage son, Dougie and haunting memories. Her’s is more of an existence, self-tortured by guilt and grief, rather than a life.

Whilst out jogging Martha is struck, falls and ends up tumbling down a slope. When she regains her senses, she can see she has fallen next to the body of the missing boy. Next, she wakes in the hospital, she has been rescued, the body has been recovered but none of it seems to be real to her. It is though and she has something tangible, a small bottle that she picked up shortly before she fell. It appears to contain ink.

Martha’s journalistic instincts kick in and she takes an interest in the case, pestering DI Summers for information, well she did find the body. He reluctantly divulges that the teenager had a stanza from an ancient poem inked upon his back. When a second teenager goes missing there is a sense of panic in the community. For Matha this is heightened because both teenagers were good friends of Dougie, up to a year ago they were inseparable. Martha decides to investigate herself and manages to persuade Summers that the pooling of their knowledge will benefit them both. Realising she is at the epicentre of the crime, which is in a remote location, he gives a tacit agreement. Neither one of them is prepared for what they uncover.

As a reader who appreciates true gothic and not the camp stuff that is passed off as it in these modern times, this book didn’t disappoint. It takes many of the expected elements and skilfully weaves them within a modern crime thriller.

Crows like the rest of the corvids are intertwined in ancient folklore, often portrayed as a harbinger of death, they are a key element with this story. This had me rereading Edger Allan Poe’s most famous poem The Raven.

The plot follows the consequences of the teenagers performing an ancient rite, with the hope to alleviate the mental anguish of Dougie. The timing and location prove to be unfortunate and inopportune, which leads to a strand of ancient mysticism and witchcraft. Here there is some fabulous imagery, noises, sudden drafts and flapping of wings or fabrics, introduced with impeccable timing. Much easier to produce visually but here the timing is spot on such as the reader gets a ripple of fear or surprise. At times its dark and creepy, with an ominous foreboding feeling about the prose, one where tragedy is a wingbeat away.

The build up to the finale is both frantic and surprising, real edge of the seat stuff. It’s cleverly constructed and there’s a perfect natural symmetry to it as well as the ideal location. A bonus comes by way of one small scene which may be a homage to Poe, I won’t spell it out, but the great man did it more than once.

Martha is convincingly drawn, as a woman consumed by grief who the reader will empathise with. Even down to the matchbox she carries, which contains all she has left of the twins, as a slightly macabre memento mori. We feel Jamie’s pain too, literally as a man scarred with burns form trying to save the twins.

A nice complication is added by Martha’s friend Orla becoming involved with one of the prime suspects. She brings a slightly outrageous spark to proceedings much in the way Samantha did in Sex in the City. The police officer DI Summers is surprisingly taciturn but comes up trumps eventually. (By now I was over thinking things, making connections that were probably not intended, in the classic The Wicker Man the evil protagonist was of course Lord Summerisle…)

Grief and its effects are the core of the story. Be it Martha, Jamie and Dougie over the twins, or Father Peter’s apparent rejection by his once loving mother, all the key characters must deal with their loss but not be subsumed by it. In The Raven the writer laments for his lost love Lenore, considers whether he will get over the loss, but finds his soul covered by the shadow of the bird who says ‘nevermore’.  Can their souls escape the shadows, can put their grieving to rest and manage to move on?

Crow Moon is a simply stunning amalgam of gothic imagery and folklore within a crime story.  An amazing debut novel.

Crow Moon can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The For Women Scotland website has some interesting information on the various memorials to the victims of witchcraft trials and The Witchcraft Act 1563.

Without a Trace #MariHannah #WithoutATrace

By Mari Hannah https://www.marihannah.com/ @mariwriter

Narrated by Colleen Prendergast @CMPrendergast_

Published by Orion Books Group https://www.orionbooks.co.uk/ @orionbooks

390 pages (11 hours 4 minutes) ISBN 9781409192367 (HB)

Publication date 19 March 2020

Without a Trace is the seventh book in the Kate Daniels @DCIKateDaniels Mysteries series. Click on the links to read my reviews of the first six books in the series, The Murder Wall, Settled Blood, Deadly Deceit, Monument to Murder, Killing for Keeps and Gallows Drop.

My review is based upon the audiobook version purchased from Audible. I would like to thank Tracy @Tr4cyF3nt0n from Compulsive Readers #CompulsiveReaders for the opportunity to take part in the #TEAMDANIELS review project. My review of Her Last Request the eighth novel in the series will be posted on this blog later in March.

The Cover

The audiobook cover differs from the book, though they both show airport scenes. Of the two I prefer the audiobook version; it captures the sense that something is wrong and is quite poignant. Most readers will have seen the lone bag circling on the conveyor belt and thought what happened here (last time for me meant somebody had taken my case my mistake…)

The narrator

The third audiobook of the series I’ve listened to, and Colleen Prendergast is now the voice I expect to hear. She manages to capture a sense of the North-East without becoming excessively Geordie, a great job all round.

My review

Although not essential it is helpful if readers have a little background to the series before tackling this novel. In Gallows Drop Kate and Jo were going to have one last shot at burying their differences and trying to make a go of their on-off relationship, as noted previously in the series they are really rubbish at being lesbians. A much-needed holiday for Kate and some quality time together was just what the doctor ordered. This is Kate Daniels though, a murder case handover is a disaster as she clashes with a bullying officer from her past, who then reveals Kate’s big secret. Then her father has a near fatal heart attack. Jo ends up picking up the pieces, until she finally has had enough and breaks it off with Kate, heading for New York. Then Kate gets the shocking news, the flight is reported missing…

It is here that Without a Trace picks up the story.

Wracked with guilt and self-recrimination Kate becomes suddenly incredibly selfish. Even though the investigation is nothing to do with her and well out of her jurisdiction, she heads off to London, with Hank in tow. Hank has now become her personal Jiminy Cricket, albeit it one who loves his beer and grub, if not exactly her conscience, then at least one trying to save her from herself. They are a team not to be broken up, but Kate’s recklessness puts both their careers in jeopardy. She abuses DCS Bright’s trust but does manage to insert herself into the case, one that also involves US Homeland Security.

Back in Newcastle a criminal boss is murdered in a gangland hit, but Kate has left the team without an SIO. Hank is reluctant to return without Kate, who simply refuses to, knowing she will do something stupid in his absence. DS Robson is eager to show his worth and eventually it is agreed that he will be acting DI and SIO on this case, Kate and Hank are only a phone call away, what could go wrong.

This story is something of an outlier in this cracking series, it has a distinctly different feel and is also probably the most emotionally charged one too. Kate is being torn apart by not knowing if Jo was on the plane. She needs certainty, the faint hope that Jo wasn’t aboard is destroying her, hence embarking on the mission that is potentially career suicide. In a rare look into Kate and Jo’s past, the reader finally discovers how they met and then initially became inseparable. It seems the risk of losing Jo forever finally hits home, Kate realises her life would be empty without her. About time to you might think, but there is a real intensity to how these feelings are written. There is no respite back in Newcastle for the reader either, as nerves are jangled and heart strings tugged in dramatic developments.

Parts of the plot are a little implausible, even though Jo is her profiler, Kate would surely be sent packing when she tries to get involved. That she isn’t allows for some interesting changes to the regular police investigation, such as how the accident bureau work, getting a sense of the terrible task ahead of them. It also gives one of our ‘dynamic duo’ the opportunity to work undercover for US Homeland Security. Some aspects of this are quite fascinating and this moves the story away from being a run of the mill police procedural. As usual it is left to Hank to provide the occasional chortle as he becomes more exasperated than usual. Having to bunk at a Station House is almost the final straw for the North East’s most patient detective.

A character from the past reappears and Kate is put into the position of needing to trust him against all her better judgement. Poor Kate puts herself through the wringer, finally deciding upon new priorities in life. The more cynical reader will wonder how long this will last, which is a great way of ensuring that we look out for Her Last Request the next instalment. Even though two cases are being worked upon the bulk of the story concentrates upon Kate and Hank at Heathrow. It is their relationship which is the key to the success of the series, with each new story exploring a different aspect. Here he is pushed to breaking point but still remains loyal.

For once feelings, surpass action within the story resulting a slower paced read. The pace picks up a little in Newcastle but here I felt the story needed a little more substance to it. It does leave the series refreshed though, with changes made and new impetus in some directions, which is just what the reader wants.

Without a Trace is an excellent police procedural, given a distinctive new twist, that sets up this fine series with a different dynamic for future instalments.

Without a Trace can be purchased via the publisher’s website here

The author

Mari Hannah is a multi-award-winning author, whose authentic voice is no happy accident. A former probation officer, she lives in rural Northumberland with her partner, an ex-murder detective. Mari turned to script-writing when her career was cut short following an assault on duty. Her debut, The Murder Wall, (adapted from a script she developed with the BBC) won her the Polari First Book Prize. Its follow-up, Settled Blood, picked up a Northern Writers’ Award. Mari’s body of work won her the CWA Dagger in the Library 2017, an incredible honour to receive so early in her career. In 2019, she was voted DIVA Wordsmith of the Year. In 2020, she won Capital Crime International Crime Writing Festival’s Crime Book of the Year for Without a Trace. Her Kate Daniels series is in development with Stephen Fry’s production company, Sprout Pictures.

Source: Publisher’s website

Crow Moon #SuzyAspley #CrowMoon #Extract

By Suzy Aspley https://www.suzyaspleywriter.com/ @writer_suzy

Published by Orenda Books https://orendabooks.co.uk/ @OrendaBooks

272 pages ISBN 9781914585500

Publication date 14 March 2024

I was sent an electronic copy and selected extract to enable me to take part in this Blog Tour. I would like to thank Anne at Random Things Tours @RandomTTours for the invitation to participate and of course the Author and the Publisher.

An extract from Crow Moon

CHAPTER THREE

The man had to be flexible with the plan. He’d watched Fraser running the trail for a few days and had done all he could to prepare. He knew the forest well, or at least this part of it. He’d been brought here as a child, had become used to the silence. No one to hear you scream but the ghosts. The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park stretched from the Trossachs hills and majestic Loch Lomond, all the way to the village of Crianlarich further to the north-west. Visitors flocked to the area. Studded with clear lochs and towering mountains, it was the Highlands within reach of Scotland’s biggest cities. Friday was the start of the weekend here.

The nearby village of Aberfoyle was steeped in folklore, and the famous Fairy Hill on the other side of the broad glen drew families from far away. Sometimes, if the wind blew in the right direction, he heard bells chiming. Not church bells, but offerings to the pagan forest spirits from folk who should know better. But there were also lonely areas of dense woodland where you could easily lose yourself; and where he knew he would never be disturbed.

People believed there was magic in these woods, and local tourist guides still told tales of witches. They knew nothing, he thought. But the stories meant they didn’t want to be here after dark, which was just as well.

He didn’t think the teenager remembered him. It was a while since they’d crossed paths, but he could take no risks. He wore his heavy coat and dark glasses, just in case. Fraser was a strong young man, almost an adult; easily capable of getting away if he suspected anything, so the man had found a way of putting the teenager on the back foot. A rope slung low across the track had done that; Fraser hadn’t seen it and had rolled to the ground. Then a friendly helping hand to get him onto the trailer. The boy looked relieved. Someone had come to save him. He was too trusting though. No sense of danger. At that time in the morning, no one else was about, but it was important to get him out of the way, off the main path, leaving as little trace as possible. He’d checked the forecast in advance. There’d been a run of dry days, so the quad wouldn’t leave tracks through mud. It had all come nicely together.

The Risperdal was prescribed for him, but he hadn’t been taking it. He’d just kept stocking up the supplies, sure they’d be useful for something. It was a stroke of luck finding the other drug stashed in the old railway buildings. He’d felt as if someone was helping him, knowing he needed to knock Fraser out for a while. But in the end he’d been forced to use a more brutal method – the stick still had the teenager’s blood on it. He’d get rid of that later.

Do it. Hit him. Make sure he stays still.

• 

The Blurb

When the crow moon rises, the darkness is unleashed…

Martha Strangeways is struggling to find purpose in her life, after giving up her career as an investigative reporter when her young twins died in a house fire.

Overwhelmed by guilt and grief, her life changes when she stumbles across the body of a missing teenager – a tragedy that turns even more sinister when a poem about crows is discovered inked onto his back…

When another teenager goes missing in the remote landscape, Martha is drawn into the investigation, teaming up with DI Derek Summers, as malevolent rumours begin to spread and paranoia grows.

As darkness descends on the village of Strathbran, it soon becomes clear that no one is safe, including Martha…

My review

My review will appear later in March.

Crow Moon can be purchased direct from the publisher here

The author

Originally from the north-east of England, former journalist Suzy Aspley has lived in
Scotland for almost thirty years. She writes crime and short stories, often inspired by the
strange things she sees in the landscape around her. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch
Perfect in 2019 with the original idea for her debut novel and was shortlisted for the Capital Crime New Voices Award. In 2020, she was mentored by Jo Dickinson as part of
the Hachette future bookshelf initiative. Crow Moon was also longlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award. She’s currently working on the second book in the series, and when she’s not writing, she’s either got her nose buried in a book, or is outside with her dogs dreaming up more dark stories. She lives in Stirlingshire with her family.

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