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One of the highlights of this years' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, was attending the launch of Alex Hawley's first book: Two Writers, One Story. My Life Through Crime, co-written with Rob Parker.
Full disclosure. I have known Alex for several years and consider him a friend. We've socialised at Harrogate for years, he has reviewed all of the audio versions of my DCI Warren Jones novels, and he has interviewed me several times, both alone and alongside my audiobook narrator, Malk Williams.
However, like all the books featured on this page, it has earned its place through merit.
This book is unique. In many ways a memoir of Alex's remarkable life, it is so much more. The book is divided into several sections, each tackling a different theme. Each section has an author interview, followed by an interview of Alex by his co-writer Rob Parker, and is then concluded by some of Alex's original short fiction.
First the author interviews. Alex has interviewed literally hundreds of writers, from some of the biggest in the business to relative unknowns. A prolific reviewer of audiobooks (see his website), his video interviews with the UK Crime Book Club Facebook group have given him access to countless writers. Most of the interviews in this book were done via Zoom (many during the first UK Covid lockdown) and transcribed by Rob Parker, himself a writer and cohost of the Blood Brothers podcast. They are presented pretty much 'raw' with minor bloopers included and even redactions for information that is embargoed or potentially libellous! Being familiar with both Alex and many of his interviewees, I could 'hear' the conversations in my head.
For this book he has chosen interviews that touch upon the themes that he and Rob talk about in the chapter immediately after. Authors featured include Elly Griffiths, Jeffrey Deaver, Sarah Hilary, Mari Hannah, Martin Edwards, Lisa Hall, Steve Cavanagh and more.
Alex is an engaging and insightful interviewer (something I have experienced first-hand) and his questions are probing and original. The conversations are open and free-flowing.
Now the interviews between Rob and Alex. For me, this was the most interesting part. Although I've spent plenty of time chatting with Alex over the years, I was keen to get to know more about him as a person. Like most people, I'm too polite to ask what may be seen as impertinent or rude questions about people's private lives and this section is frank about the challenges and experiences that have shaped Alex and which he faces day-to-day.
For those unfamiliar with Alex, he lives with Cerebral Palsy and uses a powered wheelchair to get around. He has problems with fine motor control and requires the help of carers for day-to-day tasks (one of his former carers still comes to Harrogate with him each year, and my wife and I always look forward to meeting her again). He also has, I recently discovered, dyslexia. For this reason, his preferred format is audiobook and this gives him a different perspective when reviewing books.
In these interviews, again conversations via Zoom transcribed by Rob, the topics are wide-ranging. We learn about Alex's degree in Criminology and the challenges he has faced to use it professionally. We hear about his voluntary work supporting vulnerable witnesses through the court process, and again how his efforts are stymied by poor access and outdated attitudes.
Alex is frank about his relationships, demonstrating remarkably honest introspection. He also provides an insight into how society - in particular the benefits system - seems designed to discourage ambition or success or even the formation of long-term intimate relationships. Any hint that he might be successful brings the very real threat of having his benefits withdrawn, with no guarantee that they will be properly reinstated in future. Relationships with another disabled person incur the risk that they will both have their benefits cut, or will lose their independence by having one of their vehicles taken away. Relationships with an able-bodied person can mean that the state decides that the new partner should take over caring duties, with the allowance cut accordingly.
Parts of these sections had me swearing out loud.
Parts also had me laughing out loud. Despite the frustrations and indignities that Alex and people like him have to put up with, he will often find the humour in the situation, something I have witnessed firsthand.
Finally, each section is rounded off by a piece of Alex's own fiction.
These vary enormously. Some are little more than vignettes - short scenes that perhaps could lead to a bigger story. Others are longer and tell a complete tale. Crime is a predominant theme, but other genres are touched upon also.
All-in-all, this was an absorbing, fascinating, insightful, frustrating and humorous read. Alex has more books planned (one of which I might be in 🫢) and I look forward to reading them. Definitely a #RecommendedRead.

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For today's #RecommendedRead, we return to the streets of Bradford and the world of Liz Mistry's brilliant Nikki Parekh.
I previously visited DS (now DI) Parekh when I reviewed Dark Memories, the third in the series. This is book six, and much has happened in the meantime. But that doesn't matter; as usual Mistry has slipped in the necessary backstory efficiently, with just enough detail to remind fans of the series how we've got here, whilst sowing tantalising details that will make new readers want to go back and fill in the gaps for themselves.

The premise is a really clever, good old-fashioned mystery, woven in with modern, contemporary subject matter. The wealthy Salinger family are found brutally slain over a game of Monopoly. All four family members are present: mum, dad, daughter and son. But Nikki immediately notices that there is a fifth place at the board …
Interspersed with DI Nikki Parekh's investigation into this heinous crime, is the first-person narrative of a young kidnap victim. We the reader know that these two stories must be linked, but how?
The investigation is expertly crafted, with carefully timed reveals and unforeseen twists and turns, leading to a very satisfying resolution. It's a cracking mystery.

Over the course of the series, Mistry has crafted a compelling world of politics and intrigue. Parekh and her team have fought against racism and prejudice throughout their careers and made powerful enemies. In this book, we see her blatantly set up for a fall; viewed as an expendable pawn to be sacrificed to vultures in the press to cover the failings of others. These experiences have shaped the flawed but tenacious Parekh especially, and over the years, we have seen her deal with tragedy and its emotional fallout - including mental health issues. The author, Liz Mistry, has been married to an Indian man for many years, and as such is uniquely qualified to write about the experiences and obstacles her characters face, and does so with compassion and authority.

Despite the darkness, I've always felt the overriding theme running through this series is one of love and family (in all senses of the word) and readers will find themselves invested in the fate of every one of her characters. Parekh is no saint, she certainly has her flaws, but she is likeable and the reader will find themselves cheering her on, even when she is at her lowest.
Likening Mistry's Yorkshire-based books to the magnificent Yorkshire-based Happy Valley TV series, might seem a lazy comparison. At first glance there seems to be little in common. But for many viewers, the emotional core of Happy Valley is Catherine Cawood and her loved ones. Flawed and often irascible, both Cawood and Parekh are intensely loyal and absolutely determined to do the right thing, no matter the cost, and will do anything to protect their family.

I heartily recommend this book to all fans of police procedurals.

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Neil Lancaster's Max Craigie series is fast becoming a regular treat. I've previously reviewed the first three books in the series, so there was no question that it went straight to the top of my To-Be-Read pile as soon as it dropped through the letter box.

Blood Runs Cold features the well-established team of DS Max Craigie, DC Janie Calder, the wonderfully foul-mouthed and irascible DI Ross Fraser, the ever-competent Norma and of course Barney, their tame ex-spook (with the obligatory cameos by Nutmeg the cockerpoo). Four books in and Lancaster is now really comfortable writing these old-friends, but I'm pleased to say that he has continued to grow and develop the characters. As ever, the dialogue and interactions between them are natural and realistic, and often laugh-out-loud funny.

​For those unfamiliar with Neil Lancaster, he has worked as a detective in London's Metropolitan Police, and before that was a Military Police Officer. He now lives in Scotland, and so his books are set there, with his investigative team part of Police Scotland. Consequently, his police procedure is spot-on, but he balances that authentic detail with a fast-paced story.
The theme this time is one that Lancaster cares deeply about, dealing with the trafficking of young victims for prostitution and county-lines drug running, and it shows in both the authenticity of the writing and the compassion he shows towards those involved.


Max Craigie's initial involvement in the case is personal; a fifteen-year-old former trafficking victim that his wife is working with disappears after going for a run. Max agrees to take a look into it and soon discovers that there are other disturbingly similar cases. With it becoming increasingly apparent that there is a leak somewhere within law enforcement, the case soon falls within the remit of Craigie's specialist anti-corruption team and they start to investigate.


Lancaster has chosen not only to follow Craigie and his team, but also tell the story from the perspectives of the trafficking victim, Affi, as well the bad guys. This really fleshes out the story and helps ratchet up the tension, giving a delicious sense of foreboding as we the reader sometimes know more about what is coming than the heroes. Spending time inside the head of young Affi not only evokes sympathy, it also ensures that we are really invested in her and genuinely fear for her safety. Similarly, we gain an insight into the bad guys, and whilst we may not sympathise with them, we can see why they do what they do and their motivations.


I've said in previous reviews that this is a series that gets better every time, and I still believe that. Neil Lancaster is not only a terrific writer, but also a brilliant story teller. I'll be elbowing my way to the front of the queue for the next one!

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This isn't the sort of book I tend to read these days. I used to be a big fan of science fiction, but in recent years, have largely moved away from it (except Star Trek, obviously!). But I won an advanced copy at Harrogate Crime Festival. The premise was certainly intriguing enough; pair a human detective with an advanced AI-powered hologram. It's a concept that has been explored many different ways over the years. The problem is that usually, the author has the idea, but not always the technical understanding and the books tend to become rather fantastical. Which is fine, and not a criticism, but ST aside, I tend to have a low tolerance for 'made up science'.

I'm delighted to say that the author, Jo Callaghan has NOT stretched the bounds of credibility.

AIDE Locke - the name given to the artificial officer - is based on technology that is entirely plausible for a book set two or three years from now. Even better, the book is a damned-good police procedural. The central character, DCS Kat Frank, is well-crafted and sympathetic, and she has been surrounded by a fully fleshed out supporting cast. According to the acknowledgments, this is the first in a series, and it makes for a very strong start. I'll certainly be following it.
The investigation surrounds missing people. Frank grudgingly agrees to take part in a pilot project, working alongside Locke, looking at older missing persons cases. The theory is that the AI's ability to process massive amounts of data millions of times faster than human officers, would be ideal in an investigation. Locke is very much a work in process, and the interactions between it and Frank, and others, is at times amusing, at other times cringe-worthy. Of course, Kat learns as much from him as he learns from her.
The book is set in Warwickshire, an area I am familiar with, and it is pleasing to see an area that doesn't often feature in crime novels.
The motivation for the disappearances is coldly plausible. I'm not going to say anymore, to avoid spoilers, suffice to say that I have some background in the area, and was impressed. The author has relevant contacts, and has used them to good effect. Again, the acknowledgments reveal that the writer has personal experience of the emotional themes running through the novel, and therefore it feels authentic.
All in all, definitely a recommended read. 

Linwood Barclay is a fantastic writer. He's known for his tremendous characters, intricate plotting and brilliant twists. He's earned the respect of readers, reviewers and other authors, and several of his books have been optioned for TV and film.
This book was clearly a project close to his heart. He grew up surrounded by car imagery courtesy of his late father, a skilled artist from the days when adverts featured drawings of vehicles, rather than photographs. He makes no secret of his love of cars and his sadness that transport of the future may be more soulless.
In the foreword to this book, he warns the reader that the premise of Look Both Ways is something of a departure for him, perhaps a little different to the thrillers that he usually writes.
Well, I for one didn't care. Because all the essential Barclay ingredients are present.


The book is set primarily on a small island off the coast of the US. The residents have agreed to take part in an experiment designed to showcase the future of transport; fully autonomous electric vehicles. All traditional fossil fuel cars have been removed from the island for one month and replaced with a fleet of self-driving electric vehicles called Arrivals. The cars communicate with one another, thus ensuring that accidents should be a thing of the past.
The story is largely told through the eyes of single mother Sandra Montrose and her two children. Her husband died after falling asleep at the wheel, and so she has more reason than most to push for a driverless future. Therefore, her small, local PR firm is delighted to land the contract for the press launch of the project.
The eyes of the world are on the island, but not everything is going to plan. A member of the press vanishes, and then there are the rumours of industrial sabotage...
Pretty soon the vehicles stop taking orders, and start to organise. The residents of the island are soon in their sights.


This is another perfectly-crafted Barclay novel. By focusing primarily on Sandra and her family, the reader is given some skin in the game, as carnage ensues. We also know very early on who the mastermind of the dastardly plot is and spend time with that character. But of course Barclay is a master of the plot twist, so there are red herrings and switchbacks and more mysteries come to the fore as the story unfolds.
The result is an exciting and thought-provoking novel. And whilst Barclay is a lover of traditional petrol cars, it isn't some middle-aged rant against a changing world. I can see it transferring very successfully to the screen.

​Definitely a recommended read.

What a cracking read! I picked this up as a freebie a few months ago, but it sat on my TBR pile for longer than it should. Simon Toyne is an author and TV producer - if you can find his series "Written In Blood" where he interviews crime fiction authors about real-life cases that have inspired his writing, I heartily recommend it.

In brief, a woman - one half of a 'perfect' couple - is brutally murdered in her own home, in a wealthy London suburb. Her body is found by the couple's cleaner, posed with a number of objects, including a copy of How To Process A Murder, by troubled criminologist, Laughton Rees. Her husband is missing.
DCI Tannahill Khan is assigned the case. What unfolds is an excellently crafted police procedural, with plenty of twists, turns and misdirections. Khan is a well-formed and sympathetic character, but arguably the principal character is Laughton Rees. She has a complex and tragic background, which led her to becoming an expert in the field of criminology, but which has left her reluctant to leave the theoretical comfort of academia and teaching to examine live cases. Unfortunately, the presence of her book at the scene means that she has little choice but to become involved.

What I like about this book, is that in addition to it being an excellent detective novel, is the well-layered and complex characters. They have a rich background that makes them compelling to read. Laughton's own tragic past, which has coloured her relationship with her daughter, brings emotional depth to the character. We also see glimpses through the killer's eyes. This not only adds depth to the narrative, but also ratchets up the tension, as we see him watching those who are trying to bring him to justice. It makes the characters feel more vulnerable.

The relationship between Khan and Rees grows and matures throughout the book, and by the end of the story I found myself hoping that the author chooses to visit them again in future.

Another highly recommended read. 

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If there's one thing more exciting than getting a parcel, it's getting an unexpected parcel. So I was thrilled a few weeks ago when I opened a mysterious package to find a proof copy of the latest DS Max Craigie novel, The Night Watch, sent to me by Neil Lancaster's publicist.
Now first of all, I want to remind you of the rules for this blog. I only recommend books that I've enjoyed, it doesn't matter if the author is a mate. The first two in the series have been top notch - and I'm delighted to tell you that this series just keeps on getting better.

This outing is a real whodunnit. The book kicks off with two murders; a recently released convict and a prominent defence solicitor. Pretty soon, Craigie's team are called in to oversee the investigation, since there are links to past events that might indicate corruption.
I'm not going to outline the plot here - read it for yourself and enjoy the ride. But as ever the central mystery is satisfying complex, there are some terrific action scenes and it packs an emotional punch.

Best of all, Craigie, his ever reliable sidekick Janey Calder, and gloriously foul-mouthed boss, Ross Fraser (and Nutmeg the cockapoo), are all back, on sparkling form, along with Barney their slightly dodgy covert surveillance technician and Norma their IT whizz.
This is the third go around the block for these characters, and it really shows. Lancaster writes them like old friends. The dialogue is pacy and confident, and laugh-out-loud funny at times. Lancaster is an ex-detective, and so the detail is spot on, whilst never being too onerous. Fans of the series will be delighted to find that all of the characters get their chance to shine, with genuine growth and development, but newcomers to the books are given everything they need to join in the fun.

Max, Ross and Janie are fast becoming one of my favourite crime teams.  The book isn't out until September, but I am already waiting impatiently for book 4.
Highly recommended!

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What a treat! Today's #RecommendedRead is The Botanist, M.W. Craven's latest Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw masterpiece. I've reviewed others in the series (The Curator and Dead Ground), but this time I was fortunate enough to get an early copy.
Yes I am being hyperbolic, but I don't care. I devoured it in 3 days and it is absolutely fantastic.
Washington Poe, former soldier, and now a detective working for the National Crime Agency, specialises in serial killers and the most fiendish of crimes, and in this book he is given a doozy. The Botanist is targeting high-profile victims, and they just can't figure out how the killer is getting to the targets. At the same time, Poe's friend, series-regular, pathologist Professor Estelle Doyle, is arrested for the murder of her father. ALL the evidence points towards her, but Poe and Tilly know that she can't possibly be guilty.
Poe hates locked room mysteries - but here he has two, and the stakes couldn't be higher, both personally and professionally.
Mike Craven has crafted an enviable series that ticks all the boxes. Central to the books is the wonderful pairing of Poe, and gifted analyst, Tilly Bradshaw. The chemistry of this mismatched duo is what sets them apart. Poe is taciturn, rude and technically inept, but he is a brilliant and tenacious detective who's never met a meat dish he doesn't love. Tilly is a technical genius, whose early cloistered upbringing amongst other intellectual giants, has left her with few social skills, and a wide-eyed naivete and forthright manner that is refreshing, toe-curlingly cringeworthy and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Much to Poe's disgust, she's also a vegetarian.
What's great is the way the author's own dry wit comes across in the narrative, and the book is full of quotable lines.
The fact is, that Craven could have given these two any investigation, and the books would have been popular and fun reads. But he hasn't. The investigations here are fiendishly clever, locked room mysteries. And the answers when they come are brilliant, but obvious when you look back and ignore the expertly placed misdirection.
What's especially impressive is the pacing. Despite two complex and detailed investigations, and the need for the series' trademark Tilly and Poe diversions off topic, the book gallops along. You get a huge amount for your money, yet the book feels neither rushed or overly long.
And on a personal note, as the title of the book suggests, the books rely on a degree of scientific expertise. Through the need for Tilly to explain everything to Poe, the readers are also kept in the loop, and it doesn't become burdensome. The science is a little out of my own area of biology, but as best I can tell is accurate and plausible. Craven has wisely taken advice from advisors such as fellow writer Brian Price, who he has credited in the acknowledgments.
All in all, the book is an excellently crafted novel, from a writer at the top of his (and anyone's) game.
If he wasn't such a nice bloke, and I didn't enjoy these books so much, I'd hate him!
The Botanist is out on June 2nd and is sure to be showered with accolades.
Have you had a chance to read The Botanist yet? Is it on your TBR pile? Feel free to comment here, or on social media.
Happy reading!
Paul

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Today's #RecommendedRead is the latest deliciously dark psychological thriller from Victoria Selman.
The copy I have was a freebee from CrimeFest, (it's not due out until July) and the moment I saw its beautifully designed, black cover, with its sealed, folding flap, I knew it would be my next read. 

Told in two time frames, it's narrated by a twelve-year-old girl, Sophie who moves, with her single mother, from Massachusetts to North London at the beginning of the 1980s. There they meet Matty Melgren, a charismatic Irishman who starts dating Sophie's mother. With no father figure, Sophie finds in Matty someone to fill that void in her life and soon she feels her family is complete.
But there is a serial killer stalking the streets of London, killing young women in a ritualistic manner, and so we see the investigation unfold during the book, and it gets steadily darker and darker.

The second time frame, interleaved with the first, is set twenty years later. Matty is now serving life without parole for the murders - crimes that he swears he is not guilty of. Sophie is wracked with guilt for not seeing him for what he was, yet is still plagued with doubts. What if the man she loved like a father is innocent after all? And then she receives a letter from him. He's dying and he asks to see her in prison...

This book is a masterclass in the slow reveal. The two threads are woven together seamlessly, each retaining their own separate feel and identity. 1980s London is interspersed with life twenty-odd years later. Matty's case remains an obsession to many, with numerous true crime documentaries and websites rehashing events; some believe he's guilty, others are convinced of his innocence.

Usually such books are divided into sections, with each timeline clearly labelled. But Selman hasn't done that here. The short chapters weave between the two times, but she maintains a distinctiveness between each period that means the reader is never in any doubt when the chapter is set. As the book unfolds, the reader is not quite sure if Matty is guilty. The evidence was enough to convict him in 1983, yet there is enough reasonable doubt that you can't be completely certain. 

The skill here is in the writing; the novel is an acutely observed study of uncertainty. We follow Sophie's story as she negotiates her early teenage years; then we see her as a grown woman, haunted by the events of two decades ago. Period details and references to current affairs keep the sections in the 1980s firmly grounded in that time period, whilst the contemporary sections supply a commentary on our modern obsession with serial killers from the past, and 'citizen detectives'.

The book builds to its climax slowly, yet never feels laboured, and you are immersed in the story. By keeping the book firmly in the first person throughout, you are only ever privy to what Sophie knows. But because it's set in two time periods, you find yourself scrutinising the earlier parts of the story with the benefit of hindsight. Fundamentally, the question you find yourself trying to answer, is whether Sophie was hoodwinked or not?

This was a fantastic read, and I highly recommend it.
As always, feel free to comment here or on social media.
Best wishes,
Paul

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Today's #RecommendedRead is from Louise Mangos. The Beaten Track is a compulsive tale of obsession, and how your past life can continue to follow you, even as you move forward.
It follows the tale of Sandrine, a young woman returning from a backpacking holiday around the world. The trip was a dream for her, yet it turned dark when she picked up a stalker, who eventually killed himself.
Things go from bad to worse when she is jilted by her holiday lover, before finding out she is pregnant. Eventually, she is forced to return home to Switzerland, penniless, pregnant and heartbroken.
Things finally seem to be going her way when she meets Scott. Handsome, wealthy and willing to take care of her and her baby, he seems like a dream come true. But her nightmare is only starting.

It's an old cliche, but writers are often advised to 'write what they know', and this is a case study in when that advice really works. Mangos travelled extensively when she was younger, and is currently living in Switzerland. This lends the book a descriptive authenticity that really lifts it.
Cleverly, Mangos sets the book in the late 1980s. Not only does this allow her to confidently use her own experiences and memories, it frees her from some of the constraints of telling a story set in today's connected world. With near universal mobile phone coverage in even the remotest parts of the world, and modern forensics available to the smallest of police forces, it would be difficult to keep the suspense if the book were set in the 21st century. In the hands of another author, this might feel contrived, but because Mangos is writing in part about her own, vividly remembered, experiences it works really well, and it feels natural and authentic.
A story such as this is crafted to keep the reader guessing. It's cleverly ambiguous in parts without ever feeling that the writer is being evasive. I made numerous predictions, some of which were right, others which were way off the mark. Because of that, I was eager to reach the end and be rewarded with the complete explanation.

I heartily recommend this book.