Tag Archives: Crime Thriller

THE ANGEL FALLS (Ryan Jarrod series Book 1) by Colin Youngman – REVIEW

Leave a reply

Today I’m going to be reviewing THE ANGEL FALLS (Ryan Jarrod series Book 1) by Colin Youngman!

Credit to my wife for this one, she highlighted the author is a local and I’ve been really enjoying tales set In/near my local area lately..Who knew we had such a good author hidden within Ashington!

Here’s the blurb

Six weeks. Just forty-two short days. That’s all it takes to rip the heart out of a city and change the lives of those who live there. Forever. One such life belongs to Ryan Jarrod. In the early hours of a wet winter’s morning on Tyneside, Ryan Jarrod approaches the end of his second shift as a Special Constable when he stumbles across the body of a savagely beaten Teddy McGuffie, a down-at-heel taxi driver. On the same night, an explosion rips through the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne’s student community. Casualties are high; the city brought to a standstill. And the University blast is only the beginning of a bloody reign of terror which threatens the very fabric of the region. With the McGuffie case shelved, Ryan vows to investigate it himself. When he uncovers links between the assault on McGuffie and a series of letters which seem to foretell the terror attacks, members of the force ridicule his theories. Except for one man: DCI Stephen Danskin. Danskin sees a lot of himself in the young Special. He breaks protocol. Invites Jarrod into the case. Together, they dive deeper into the tangled lives of those associated with the letters – and lay a trap to lure the killer to one of the region’s most iconic landmarks: The Angel of the North. What could possibly go wrong?

Review

Ryan Jarrod is a Special Constable who stumbles upon a badly beating man.. there’s real rage behind the attack and although Jarrod is only a Special Constable right now he has dreams to become so much more.. could this be his big break?

The really good thing about Jarrod from the off is that he’s selfless.. he’s just wants to bring bad people to justice… he doesn’t have an ego.

On the same night there’s a terrible explosion… but it’s only the first in a series of attacks that will rock those living in Newcastle and the surrounding area.

A local online news outlet dubs the bomber The Tyneside Tyrant.

While the police focus on the bombing Jarrod can’t move past the savage beating of Teddy McGuffie and it’s while he’s visiting his grandma that he starts to see a pattern to the attacks and a link to the McGuffie beating is found.

This Is where Detective Chief Inspector Danskin comes in.. he’s leading the investigation and sees potential in keeping Ryan Jarrod around. Jarrod sees what others don’t.. he’s young and has a lot to learn but it’s also clear he’s got what it takes.

As usual no spoilers from me but there’s twists and turns, and even when you think the case is solved there’s more headed our way.. wow.

I particularly loved the plot and how this is a perfect introduction to Ryan Jarrod…it’s teasing the future as he’s kind of a bystander at times but wow.. what a introduction.

Being based in my local area I found the tale even more fascinating.. reading scenes set in Newbiggin for example just gave me a real buzz.

There’s a tonne of characters each packed with their own development, everything all flowed well, nothing forced or out of place just a full on intriguing plot.

Great start to a series so I’m looking forward reading more soon!.

5/5 Stars

To find our more head to Amazon or Goodreads

Perfect Little Lies by S.A. Tameez – Review

Leave a reply

Today I’m reviewing Perfect Little Lies by S.A. Tameez.

Here’s the blurb

After a body is discovered in the Thames, DS Nick Bailey & DC Zoe Hall begin the hunt for an elusive killer. The clues point to a notorious serial killer, but their instincts point them in a different direction.

With numerous suspects, each with a motive, the Major Crime’s Unit has its work cut out.

After joining the dots, they soon realise there is someone among them who will do anything not to get caught – even kill again.

Review

DS Bailey and DC Hall have a murder to solve. Is a notorious killer back.. The Sailor… or is this a copy cat?

I really loved the plot with this one, paced well, detailed scenes with character development thrown in to ensure you feel the motivations and emotions of the characters. In the fashion I like for the genre the characters have flaws.. we like to imagine those upholding the law are perfect but they are human themselves and they need to juggle personal and professional issues and the stakes are high.

Perfect Little Lies is the perfect mix of suspense & thriller.. it’s dark and devastating perfect tale.

Format wise I loved the feel, chapter length was spot on.. just long enough to hook a claw in you so much that you always have to go for one more chapter and before you know it you’ve demolished the entire book!

I loved the twists, very unexpected at times and it really makes the plot standout from just being a good book to being a 5* murderous success. Highly recommended!

To find out more head to Amazon or Goodreads. Or any good local bookseller if you can 🙂

BLOG TOUR – Dead Money by Keith Nixon (Jonah Pennance Crime Thrillers Book 2)

1 Reply

Today I help kick off the blog tour for Dead Money by Keith Nixon. Any follower of my blog will know Keith is a firm favourite of mine 😊

Here’s the blurb

With a reputation for solving bizarre murders Detective Inspector Jonah Pennance, recently transferred to the National Crime Agency, is brought in to investigate the mysterious death of celebrity fund manager, Grady Carnegie – choked to death, then his body arranged and ready for a wake.

Then a second corpse turns up under identical circumstances – that of washed-up investigative reporter, Stan Thewlis. But how are the two men connected?

Soon, Pennance’s partner, Sergeant Simone Smithson, comes under suspicion for the deaths – the evidence seems overwhelming. To save her Pennance must determine what role the shadowy organisation Blackthorn plays and who is in the background, pulling all the strings…

Review

Dead Money is the 2nd book in the Jonah Pennance Crime Thrillers series.. and I’m so glad to be back!

Pennance, who is now with the National Crime Agency Is brought in to help investigate a mysterious death. It’s clear he’s going to have his hands full the moment a 2nd body is discovered.. the only link between them at first is the method of their death..but there must be more.

As the investigation starts to gain pace there’s more than one stumbling block for Pennance to navigate.. Sergeant Simone Smithson for one..,Smithson and Pennance have a history and it’s going to make this investigation that much harder.

I’m never one for spoilers but I loved the method of death, it hooks you in straightaway as an unusual murder which you just have to see through to the end.

The characters are brilliant as ever, Keith Nixon knows how to write that’s for sure and gives a lot of depth to Pennance. He’s a flawed character, swayed by emotions at times but he’s fascinating! I love that he enjoys ruffling feathers along the way ha.

What I really loved was how the author developed characters who didn’t even say a word… the victims, especially Stan Thewlis. You can really see a lot of time was given to writing the plot ensuring a backstory full of intriguing titbits.

Nixon keeps getting better and better, if that’s even possible. All I know is every book he puts out there is a real cracking read that any fan of the genre will love!

Dead Money starts slow, setting the scene… then we are thrust into a world of misdirection as the author masterfully takes us on the investigation with Jonah.. weeding out the truth.

Probably the strongest finishing book from Nixon yet leaving me with a insatiable thirst for more!

5/5 Stars.

To find out more or to purchase head to Goodreads or Amazon (Or any local bookstore 😊 )

My thanks go to the author, the publisher and ZooloosBookTours for having me on the tour and for providing me a copy of the book to aid my review! I’ve already bought my own copy too!

Why not follow the tour?

Author Bio

Keith Nixon is the best-selling author of sixteen novels and one million words in print, including the Margate based Solomon Gray series of over 250,000 copies in circulation and reached no.1 on Amazon in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.

Keith lived near the gritty seaside town of Margate, where many of his novels are based, for 17 years before relocating to the edge of the Peak District with his family where he lives today. Keith works in a senior sales role within a high-tech industry and has regularly travelled all over the globe.

His novels are published by Gladius Press and Bastei Lubbe (German)


Follow Keith:


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keithnixonauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keith_nixon/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/knntom

Website: keithnixon.co.uk

BLOG TOUR! Hustle by Owen Mullen

Leave a reply

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Hustle by Owen Mullen, book 3 in The Glass Family series.

Here’s the blurb

If you mess with the Glass family, don’t expect to live to tell the tale…

What was meant to be a straightforward jewellery heist goes horribly wrong, and the thieves are forced to take a hostage to make their escape. But when they discover their prisoner is the infamous Nina Glass – one of the bosses of the most dangerous criminal dynasty in London – they soon realise they have made a terrible mistake.

Greed wins out over good sense and the gang decide to make the best of a bad situation. They send Luke Glass a ransom note. But messing with London’s top crime dynasty is a serious error. Now Luke must track down the gang who abducted his sister before they carry out their brutal threats.

The Glass family have other problems. The crooked cop they have on their payroll – DCI Oliver Stanford – makes an unwelcome discovery. The insider they had all presumed dead, may in fact have survived, and still be feeding information to the police. 

Under attack from all sides, and desperate to save his sister, Luke has the reputation and survival of the crime dynasty in his hands – is this the end of the Glass family?

Three people can keep a secret – if two of them are dead…

Review

First things first, you don’t need to have read the first 2 books in the series to be able to follow this one. What I love about Owen’s work is how he easily slips in key info to remind readers of past events which is just the right amount for a new reader to be able to follow.. but at the same time I do recommend reading the rest of the series…it’s bloody good!

We are back with the Glass family and a new threat is about to hit the family hard.

During what should have been a straightforward robbery a hostage is taken.. that hostage is Nina Glass. The robbers didn’t know that at first but now they do they have a choice…and they decide its time to have a bit of fun with the Glass family..

They must be crazy as Luke Glass isn’t a man to cross but Luke might have his work cut out for him on this one… he doesn’t know who these people are.. or where they are.

Luke uses all his contacts to find Nina, even risking his inside man within the police force but will it be enough.

What I really enjoyed with this one was the development of Nina. She’s a tough cookie but we see deeper into her personality, more than we ever have before. Simply no other word for it than WOW!

With each instalment of the Glass family the tale goes deeper, darker and grittier than previous and it’s seriously too good not to read and love!

I also love how Owen manages to pack so much into his tales. Not only does Luke have to save his sister but there’s some wannabes looking for a piece of the action they feel belongs to them.. Should the family give ground or stand up to these fools.. again.. no one messes with Luke Glass. No one messes with the family.

Another 5* from Owen…I’m not sure how he manages to do it but he clearly knows the recipe for a good gangland thriller.

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon.

My thanks go to Owen Mullen, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this ebook in return for my honest review and Rachel from http://www.rachelsrandomresources.com for having me on the blog tour! I had the book pre-ordered from day one and look forward to having a paperback join my collection soon.

With book 4 in the series on the way I’m a very have man.

Author Bio –

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete. In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written seven books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood, Family was published in January 2021.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenBooks

Twitter https://twitter.com/OwenMullen6

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/OwenMullenNewsletter

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

Blog Tour – The Accused Book 4 in the PI Charlie Cameron series by Owen Mullen

1 Reply

Today is my turn on the blog tour for The Accused, book 4 in the PI Charlie Cameron series by Owen Mullen.

Here’s the blurb :-

When Private Investigator Charlie Cameron agrees to take on a cold case, he is drawn back into Glasgow’s dark underworld…

Glasgow PI Charlie Cameron knows Kim Rafferty is bad news the moment they meet. Desperate people always spell trouble in his experience, and Mrs Rafferty is as desperate as they come. What she is asking for is insane and if he agrees to help the wife of the notorious East-End gangster, the consequences for them both could be fatal.

Twenty-four hours later, another betrayed woman with a hopeless case is pleading for Charlie’s help. The PI is her only chance to keep an innocent man from serving a prison sentence for murders he didn’t commit. 

Dennis Boyd is on the run, and as Charlie fights against the clock to keep him out of jail, he crosses a line that puts him on the wrong side of the law and pits him against his old friend and ally, DS Andrew Geddes.

As the body count grows, and the defence for his client falls apart bit by bit, Charlie refuses to accept the inevitable. But everyone has their limits – even the infamous Charlie Cameron. Will he be forced to admit that this case may be the one to beat him…

Review

We are back with our favourite flawed PI Charlie Cameron. He’s a magnet for trouble and he just can’t seem to say no.. even when he does say no to a case trouble still finds it’s way to his door!

First through the door is Kim Rafferty..things with her gangster husband Sean are unravelling fast and she wants Charlie’s help. Sean is well known to Charlie.. worse still Charlie is well known to Sean.. it’s best if he stays clear of this one.. but can he?.. and if he doesn’t help what will happen. To Kim?

Sean has more troubles than just his wife to be concerned about, his benefactor is visiting. The visit needs to go well.. Sean has a temper and won’t take anything less than perfect on this one. Things never go to plan do they though?

The other potential case is around Dennis Boyd who has served 15 years for a crime he claims not to have committed. He wants to find out who set him up. The case is made more complicated when another body hits the ground related to the original case. This is a tough one to handle as Charlie can’t seek assistance for his long time friend DS Andrew Geddes without blurring the lines of work and friendship.

As always Charlie can rely on his other source of information Patrick Logue, his humour always has me smiling… he’s a loveable rogue and really adds to the story. Charlie would be lost without him.

I’ve come to expect high quality from Owen Mullen, action packed, gritty and full of twists and turns to keep you guessing what will happen next and boy does this one tick all the boxes! The series just keeps getting better and better! How is that even possible? How do you build on perfection?

The storylines are hard hitting and convincing mixed with some wonderful dark humour that just makes this an outstanding 5*

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Many thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books for having me on the tour!

Why not follow the tour and have the look at the blogs mentioned below?

Author Bio –  Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer.

Social Media Links

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenBooks

Twitter https://twitter.com/owenmullen6

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

Newsletter Sign Up Link https://bit.ly/OwenMullenNewsletter

Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

BLOG TOUR – The Price by Kerry Kaya

Leave a reply

Today is the last day and may stop on the blog tour for The Price by Kerry Kaya.

Have you been following the tour? Why not? Check out the blogs below to catch up 😊

Here’s the blurb on the book:

Break the rules…

Harry Fletcher – Fletch to his friends – has spent his life surviving the tough streets of the East End. He knows working for notorious gangster Billy King is dangerous, and sleeping with Billy’s beautiful wife, Susan is deadly…but rules are meant to be broken.

Pay the price.

If Billy discovers the affair, Fletch is a dead man. But the closer he gets to Susan the more reckless Fletch becomes. And soon, Fletch realises that every one – even him – must pay the price for his actions.

But just what is Fletch prepared to lose…and will the cost be too high, even for him?

Review.

Fletch, his brother Spencer and their best mate Stevie are local lads up to no good. They soon get noticed by Billy King. King’s not a man to be messed with and little do the lads know they will soon be joining the ranks of Billy’s gang.

Billy takes a shine to Fletch and it shows, money flows and loose lips talk and the trust grows. This trust is put to the test when Fletch catches the eye of Billy’s wife, the attraction is mutual and given Billy really doesn’t deserve his wife Fletch soon finds himself head over heals.

While Fletch is preoccupied, King’s gang is like a pressure cooker waiting to go off, local rivals are pushing their weight around and Billy has to make a statement.. although he’s smart.. he doesn’t actually want to get caught.. he just wants these guys to know you can’t cross Billy King and live!

The pressure ramps up when King has Spencer take out one of the rival crew. Fletch is very protective of his brother and this further adds to the stress Fletch is under, but why is he so protective? His brother is big enough to look after himself after all.

The bombshell twist hits home hard and Fletch has to do everything he can to stop his brother learning the truth.. he’s also got to work hard to keep his relationship a secret still if he doesn’t want his boss to kill him.

Inevitably for a gangster Fletch’s  world comes crashing down and his life is spiralling out of control. Can he keep his family safe?

The Price is a super fast paced and easy flowing gangland tale focusing on family and hidden secrets. The twists came just when you needed them to keep you sucked in. A fun enjoyable read.

4/5 Stars

My thanks go to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the blog tour and for the ARC to allow me time to have my review ready for the blog tour, another I’ll be adding to my kindle purchased listed very soon. 😊

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

Author Bio –  

Kerry Kaya is the hugely popular author of Essex-based gritty gangland thrillers with strong family dynamics. She grew up on one of the largest council estates in the UK, where she sets her novels. She also works full-time in a busy maternity department for the NHS. She has signed a nine-book deal with Boldwood for both new and backlist titles. Her first book The Price will be published in July 2021.

Social Media Links –  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KerryKayaAuthor

Twitter https://twitter.com/KerryKayaWriter on Twitter

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kerry_kaya_writer/ on Instagram

BLOG TOUR – Insider by Owen Mullen (The Glass Family Book 2)

Leave a reply

Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Insider by Owen Mullen, an author who is a firm favourite here on David’s Book Blurg! It just so happens to be release day so without further ado…

Here’s the blurb

Someone’s playing both sides and now they have a score to settle…

When the family business is crime, you can never be sure who to trust. And when three of their businesses are hit in one night, the notorious Glass family close ranks. Either someone is sending them a message or a war is coming…

With trouble coming from all sides, the heads of the Glass family have more than enough to deal with, but all bets are off when a stranger from the past enters the game, causing division and mistrust.

Crooked cops, rival gangs and old enemies are bad enough, but when the trouble comes from the inside, loyalties are tested, with deadly consequences.

Review

We are back with the Glass family for book 2 in this gritty gangland series. Luke is now head of the family after events in the previous installment, he never wanted this life..he was ready to walk away.. but once it’s got hold of you, you’re not getting out.

Jazzer and his friends are hired to hit some of Luke’s investments little do they know the world of trouble this will bring them. George Ritchie the gangster is back and working for Luke and you just know when he gets the scent there’s nowhere safe to hide . No one might have been hurt but George is old school… payback will be swift.

What happens next rocks the Glass family.. firstly the club is hit and this time there’s a body count..then someone from the past shows up.. a stranger.. but someone who wants a piece of the family action.

Soon it becomes very clear the hits were not carried out by the same crew.. and the Glass family are systematically under attack..and with little to no clues to go on Luke turns to Mark Douglas. Douglass is an ex cop who helped stop the hit at the club becoming worse than it was.. this guys good and he brings his own crew in the sort the family mess out.

Nina, Luke’s sister is still in the family business but she’s a loose canon.. can Luke, George and Mark tame her… no chance.. but can they calm her down enough to stop her getting in serious trouble.. or worse..

Things heat up a lot and the bodies start to pile up. Luke’s more shady customers start to become concerned, especially when they end up potential targets themselves.

Now Luke has his own connections,  he’s got a policeman on the payroll but Oliver Standford has his own issues when he becomes a target too. He wants out of the life but he’s stuck..if he goes down so does the Glass family. The main issue is there is no chatter on who is after the family, but why? Surely someone knows?

Things come to a dramatic EXPLOSIVE conclusion in what has to be one of the best new series I’ve read in a long time. I never thought gangland thrillers would be my kind of story.. I’m a historical fiction guy through and through but Mullen knows how to suck the readers in, knows just how to write to get you invested and In customary fashion the author leaves you desperate for more.

The thing I enjoyed the most about this offering was the character development..we already know some of the main players and their motivations and this left the author time to bring in some fresh blood, even though it’s unlikely they will make it through this one alive.. the fresh blood helped keep things lively and exciting..and bloody fun to read.

5/5 Stars

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

My thanks go to the author, the publisher and Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the blog tour! I received an ARC of the book as part of the tour but I’ve had the book pre-ordered since February so you’ll see that verified tag on Amazon 🙂

Why not follow the tour?

About the author

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written seven books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood, Family was published in January 2021.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OwenMullen6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

Newsletter Sign Up Link: https://bit.ly/OwenMullenNewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

The Wronged by Owen Mullen (PI Charlie Cameron #2) – Review

Leave a reply

Today is release day for The Wronged, book 2 in the PI Charlie Cameron series by Owen Mullen.

You may be familiar with the book already as it was previously published under the title “Old Friends New Enemies”.

Why the new name you may ask? Well I can’t say I know all the details but fortunately for us readers Owen Mullen’s work has been picked up by a new publisher, Boldwood Books and has undergone a revamp. The best news for us as readers is that it means there’s a new book in the series on the way wooooo!

So to celebrate the release today I thought it best I reacquaint myself with the series and get a fresh review out there 😊

Here’s the blurb –

Genre – Crime Thriller

A complex case of missing persons draws Scottish PI Charlie Cameron into Glasgow’s deadly underworld.

Private Investigator Charlie Cameron is searching for a man who disappeared after his son’s suicide. When an unidentified body turns up at the morgue, Cameron is sure it’s another case closed.

But the body laid out on the slab isn’t the man he’s looking for. And it isn’t a stranger. Suddenly, a routine investigation becomes a desperate fight for survival.

As Charlie is dragged deeper into Glasgow’s criminal underbelly, he gets dangerously close to a notorious gangster named Jimmy Rafferty. Now Rafferty wants Cameron to hunt for something that may be impossible to find. And disappointing Jimmy Rafferty is not an option…

Review.

We are back with cheeky chappy Charlie Cameron, PI by trade, much to his families dismay.

Things start well enough, a missing person’s case hits Charlie’s desk. A father has disappeared after his son’s death. First point of call is the morgue to check on any John Doe’s..now it gets interesting.. the man on the slab is not who he was expecting.. but it’s no stranger.

The blast from the past hits Charlie hard and the missing person’s case just doesn’t seem important any longer. Someone he knows got themselves mixed up in something they shouldn’t..and it’s only going to lead to trouble for Charlie… but why?

Theres tonnes of character development as we explore Charlie’s past but we also get some lovely moments in the present between his friends, DS Andrew Geddes and loveable rouge Pat Logue. I just loved Pat.. he’s a real character, you can’t help but like him.

Geddes and Logue try their best to help their friend with not only his personal issues but also the missing person’s case.. Cecelia McNeil needs to know what has happened to her husband. Charlie really does want to help but he’s just not in the best place at the time.. his thoughts are on his own troubles which we can all appreciate.

The story flows superbly as the two plot lines converge, competing for Charlie’s attention. This gave depth to Charlie as you can see his internal struggles.

What I really like about Owen’s writing is that it’s dark and gritty. It’s not going to be an easy ride for Charlie and the events will stay with him forever… and you will remember them to.

Every character feels real and each have their own space to develop. How the author managed to give each individual the page time without getting the plot muddled is beyond me.. he’s a wizard! This is why I’ll stick to reviews and let the experts like Owen write the masterpieces.

I really don’t want to give the end away so let’s just say it finishes with a bang.

A gripping, dark and intensely stratifying read. What more could you want?

5/5 Stars!

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon

Blog Tour – Games People Play by Owen Mullen

Leave a reply

Today I’m taking part in the blog tour for Games People Play by Owen Mullen! Followers of the blog should know the name well 😊

I didn’t need an arc of this one, I had the book per-ordered as soon as it hit Amazon!

Let’s ger started!

Here is the blurb –

Genre – Crime Thriller

When a baby is stolen from a Scottish beach, private investigator Charlie Cameron reluctantly agrees to take the case.

While her parents are just yards away, thirteen-month-old Lily Hamilton is abducted from Ayr beach in Scotland. Three days later, her distraught father turns up at private investigator Charlie Cameron’s office. Mark Hamilton believes he knows who has taken his daughter. And why.

Against his better judgment, Charlie takes the case—and when bodies are discovered, he suspects this may not be an isolated crime. Is there a serial killer whose work has gone undetected for decades? Is baby Lily his latest victim? Charlie won’t be able to give up on this case. Memories and guilt from his childhood won’t let him…

Review

When a child goes missing after a day at the beach with her parents, the case ends up with PI Charlie Cameron. The dad is convinced he knows who took her and against his better judgement, knowing this will coincide with a ongoing police investigation Charlie decides to take on the case.

Charlie has is own issues to work through at the same time as we find out more about the PI’s past and his motivations which give him depth and made him very likable, he’s flawed, you want him to succeed but you know it’s not going to come easy for Charlie.. he’s just not that lucky!

The story shifts focus between the investigation and Charlie’s life, this balance was perfect, it kept it fresh and encouraged me to keep reading as I just had to find out what happened next. While the main story line is very serious the chapters around Charlie’s life and his interactions with those he knows allowed for some dark humour which was a joy to read.

I loved Charlie’s style, one clue leading to another, the characters, the setting, everything fit the image that I have in my head of an old school, down on his luck PI out to solve a case.. and you just can’t help but root for the guy.

The story was well written and planed out. I must admit I did not see the ending coming until the author put the pieces together for me.. it really had a wow finish..the hand over mouth moment when you finally see what Charlie has figured out.

Suspense is the word that best describes this book.. it’s all about the build-up and Owen Mullen did this superbly. Some books make suspense plain boring but not this book!

For me this is one of the best Crime Fiction novels I’ve read, the development of the characters natural, the flow of the plot perfect. Owen Mullen is a master at his craft, I could not help but be hooked in.

Owen Mullen has a lot to offer the reader, so grab a copy now. With a cover like that I’m sure some of you already have 😊

5/5 Stars!

To find out more head to Goodreads or  Amazon!

Why not follow the rest of the tour?

Author Bio:

Owen Mullen is a highly regarded crime author who splits his time between Scotland and the island of Crete.  In his earlier life he lived in London and worked as a musician and session singer. He has now written seven books and his first gangland thriller for Boldwood, Family  will be published in January 2021.

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OwenMullenAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OwenMullen6

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/owenmullen6/

Newsletter Sign Up Link: https://mailchi.mp/boldwoodbooks/owenmullennnewsletter

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/owen-mullen

BLOG TOUR – Double Identity by Alison Morton

2 Replies

Today is my turn on the blog tour for Double Identity by Alison Morton.

Let’s ger started!

Here is the blurb –

Genre – Thriller

Deeply in love, a chic Parisian lifestyle before her. Now she’s facing prison for murder.

It’s three days since Mel des Pittones threw in her job as an intelligence analyst with the French special forces to marry financial trader Gérard Rohlbert. But her dream turns to nightmare when she wakes to find him dead in bed beside her.

Her horror deepens when she’s accused of his murder. Met Police detective Jeff McCracken wants to pin Gérard’s death on her. Mel must track down the real killer, even if that means being forced to work with the obnoxious McCracken.

But as she unpicks her fiancé’s past, she discovers his shocking secret life. To get to the truth, she has to go undercover and finds almost everybody around her is hiding a second self.

Mel can trust nobody. Can she uncover the real killer before they stop her?

Review

Double Identify follows Mel in the aftermath of her fiancé’s death.  What at first seems a tragedy suddenly becomes a nightmare as foul play is detected.

Mel is considered suspect number one so sets about discovering the truth and in turn clear her name.

It soon becomes very clear Mel had no part in this and subsequently her skills and expertise as former military are soon noted and she drafted in to put an end to this case once and for all but doing so puts her in serious danger.

In a shocking twist an emotional event nearly pushes Mel over the edge, and she has to use all her strength to keep it together.

Something I’ve always enjoyed about the authors work is the use of strong female leads and boy does Mel pack a punch! There’s more than one bruised male ego in this tale..

Characters wise I really enjoyed the ensemble, each played their part and were all very likable.. even the bad guys!

I bang on about flow a lot in my reviews and Alison Morton knows how I like my books. Clear easy flowing chapters enabled me to devour this one.

For me it just worked, just the right amount of twists to keep you engaged, just the right amount of characters to not overwhelm you and detailed enough to allow you to fall in love the characters and their development.

Another cracking read from Alison Morton!

Even though the author has moved away from her previous Roma Nova series with this one you have that same feel for the characters and I instantly felt at home.

5/5 Stars

To find out more head to Goodreads or Amazon!

My thanks go the author, publisher and Emma @ damppebbles blog tours for helping arrange the blog tour.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review but will certainly be adding this to my collection 🙂 .

About Alison Morton:

Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers series featuring tough, but compassionate heroines. She blends her deep love of France with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical, adventure and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.

“Grips like a vice – a writer to watch out for” says crime thriller writer Adrian Magson about Roma Nova series starter INCEPTIO. All six full-length Roma Nova thrillers have won the BRAG Medallion, the prestigious award for indie fiction. SUCCESSIO, AURELIA and INSURRECTIO were selected as Historical Novel Society’s Indie Editor’s Choices.  AURELIA was a finalist in the 2016 HNS Indie Award. The Bookseller selected SUCCESSIO as Editor’s Choice in its inaugural indie review.

Now Alison continues to write thrillers and drink wine in France with her husband.

Other works

The Carina strand
INCEPTIO where New Yorker Karen Brown is thrown into a new life in mysterious Roma Nova and fights to stay alive with a killer hunting her
CARINA, a novella, Carina’s first mission abroad. What could go wrong?
PERFIDITAS, six years on, where betrayal and rebellion are in the air, threatening to topple Roma Nova and ruin Carina’s life.
SUCCESSIO, where a mistake from the past threatens to destroy the next generation.

The Aurelia strand
AURELIA, in late 1960s Roma Nova, Aurelia Mitela battles her life-long nemesis, silver smuggling and is forced to choose between her love, her child and her country
NEXUS Mid 1970s, London, where a simple favour for a friend becomes a chilling pursuit across Europe
INSURRECTIO, where Aurelia Mitela struggles against a manipulative tyrant grabbing power. But it may already be too late to save Roma Nova…
RETALIO, a classic tale of resistance and retribution – the endgame between Aurelia and Caius

Extras
ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories from AD 370 to the present

Contributions
‘A Roman Intervenes‘ in 1066 Turned Upside Down
How Galla Mitela, Roma Novan imperial councillor, attempts to stop the Norman invasion of England. One of a series of possible alternative outcomes of 1066.

‘The Mystery of Victory’ in Rubicon (HWA/Sharpe Books)
What did happen to the Altar of Victory in the dusk of the Roman Empire?

‘The Idealist’ in Betrayal (Historical Fictioneers, 2020)

Non Fiction
Military or civilians? The curious anomaly of the German Women’s Auxiliary Services during the Second World War.

The 500 Word Writing Buddy: 35 Inner Secrets for the New Writer

Social Media:

Connect with Alison on her Roma Nova site: https://alison-morton.com

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alison_morton @alison_morton

Alison’s writing blog: https://alisonmortonauthor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonmortonauthor/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5783095.Alison_Morton
Alison’s Amazon page: http://Author.to/AlisonMortonAmazon

Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/ckNeFL