A calculated killer. A life hanging in the balance. A decision that changes everything…
For the first time in her life, DCI Emma Gardner finds herself unable to concentrate on the job she loves. Her thoughts are now always with her old colleague Paul Riddick, who lies desperately ill in hospital – a tortured man in life, now facing death.
When a young woman dies from seemingly natural causes, Emma can’t help feeling that something isn’t quite right with the case, but she needs her team to pick up the slack whilst she focuses on Paul.
The case proves more complex than anyone imagined and will test the team like never before. But unbeknownst to everyone, there is another threat lurking even closer to home – Emma’s unpredictable brother Jack. And with Emma distracted, he has free rein to put right the dark and twisted grievances from his own past.
But his actions, when they come, will be devastating. And will destroy everything Emma loves…
Wes Markin lives in Harrogate and is the bestselling author of the DCI Yorke crime novels set in Salisbury. He is also the author of the Jake Pettman series set in New England.
“An explosive and visceral debut with the most terrifying of killers. Wes Markin is a new name to watch out for in crime fiction.” – Bestselling Crime Author Stephen Booth
Perfect for fans of Chris Carter, James Patterson, Chris Brookmyre, and Stuart Macbride.
Facebook: @WesMarkinAuthor
Instagram: @WesMarkinAuthor
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My thoughts: I really enjoyed the previous books in this series and a lot of the long running plots come to a head here as Emma tries to deal with her brother leaving prison, her former colleague Paul being in a coma, critically ill, and her relationship with Lucy, while also juggling a rather complex case.
Her brother’s return is troubling, he’s a sociopath who murdered a man in front of her and shot Lucy. Now he’s out and she’s worried about his plans and how his presence will affect his daughter, who Emma adopted. Then there’s the presence of the somewhat sinister Neville, who has engineered Jack’s release for his own ends.
The case itself is a puzzle, what young woman with no history of heart trouble just drops dead of a heart attack? Emma is convinced there’s something else going on, especially as the victim’s husband seems somewhat unaffected and is a bit of a mystery himself. The team dig into the case as Emma sits by Paul’s bed, waiting for him to either wake up or possibly die, as a dangerous infection has set in. In his coma Paul is plagued by a mix of memories and dreams, puzzling and troubling.
Can the team solve the case and catch a killer? Will Paul wake up? And what consequences are there following Jack’s release? Well, you’ll have to read the book. There’s plenty of twists and a really shocking ending to keep you hooked. Great stuff.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 