Paul Finch – Grab This Book

Ten To Try

Regular visitors will know that I love crime novels and action thrillers. You may also have realised that I particularly enjoy when authors write an ongoing series with recurring characters. As it has been a while since I wrote a blog post that didn’t just focus on a single title, I thought it would be fun to bring together a list of ten series which I particularly enjoy/enjoyed and maybe help introduce some great new stories to your TBR piles!

Sarah Hilary

Marnie Rome is one of my favourite recurring characters. She is a London based DI, normally partnered with DS Noah Jake and Sarah Hilary seems quite happy to put both her lead characters through some significant traumas.

The latest book in the series, Come and Find Me, has just released in paperback and is my favourite of the series so far.

Sarah’s Amazon Page https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sarah-Hilary/e/B009X3U5BE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1538845664&sr=8-1

Michael Wood

DCI Matilda Darke is a Sheffield based cop. We first meet her in For Reasons Unknown and learn that she is trying to rebuild her life and her career after personal tragedy impacted on the case she was working on. Michael Wood has created a great character in Darke but the supporting characters in her team make these stories even more enjoyable.

Michael’s Amazon page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Wood/e/B015CWYVFA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1538845727&sr=1-1

John Sandford

I have been reading Lucas Davenport “Prey” thrillers by John Sandford since the early 1990’s. Each new book is eagerly anticipated and there are now over 25 titles in the series. Sandford has also created a spin-off series which focuses on one of Davenport’s colleagues, Virgil Flowers, which frequently has cameo appearances for characters from the Prey novels.

Simon and Schuster are soon to bring the first book in the series Rules of Prey back into print in the UK for the first time in a number of years. Seek it out! https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Sandford/e/B000AQ8P4W/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Douglas Skelton

I couldn’t have a list of books without a Scottish author. I could easily mention Ian Rankin, Val McDermid or Stuart MacBride but I am going to recommend Douglas Skelton’s Davie McColl series. As much of my list will focus on police procedurals I love that Skelton’s recurring character, McColl, is not one of the good guys but a Glasgow gangster.

These are great stories on the darker side of crime fiction and how refreshing to have a recurring anti-hero.

Douglas’s Amazon page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Douglas-Skelton/e/B001K7TR10/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1538846474&sr=1-1

J D Robb

Futuristic thrillers from JD Robb sees Detective Eve Dallas tracking down killers in New York City. There are over 50 books in the “In Death” series and I am hooked. The supporting cast are brilliantly defined and the crimes are wonderfully varied from book to book. I could read each of these books multiple times.

The JD Robb Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/J.-D.-Robb/e/B000APT7Y0/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1538846055&sr=1-2-ent

Marnie Riches

To surprise that Marnie Riches makes this list. Her George Mackenzie thrillers have consistently received 5* reviews from me. These are dark and engaging stories with a strong, no-nonsense lead character. Previously only available a digital releases the books are all now available in paperback and have just received a US release too.

Marnie’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marnie-Riches/e/B00WBJZ364/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Paul Finch

The Mark Heckenburg series is a particular favourite of mine. Paul Finch pulls no punches and his stories are as far from “cozy” as you could expect to find. If you were to look up “page-turner” in the dictionary I am quite sure there would simply be a picture of a Paul Finch book. If you like your crime fiction on the darker side then these are for you.

Paul’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Finch/e/B0034PPAH6/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1538846181&sr=1-1

Terry Pratchett

If you think Terry Pratchett has no place on a list of crime story recommendations then you have clearly never heard of the Ankh Morpork City Watch. Samuel Vimes is the ultimate “copper” and his officers include a 6 foot tall dwarf, a werewolf, a troll and a Nobby Nobbs (who has a note to confirm he his human). The Watch are first introduced in Guards! Guards! – just because there are dragons does not mean these are not crime stories!

Terry’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terry-Pratchett/e/B000AQ0NN8/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Angela Marsons

How do you know an author is doing something right? Watch the reaction in the book blogging community when their new book is announced. When an Angela Marsons book is announced the buzz in incredible, TBR lists are abandoned to get the new Kim Stone thriller read as quickly as possible. It is hard to disagree with an army of readers who place these books at the top of their wishlists!

Angela’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Angela-Marsons/e/B00J6D3914/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1538846309&sr=1-1

Helen Fields

The “Perfect” series by Helen Fields is very well named. These Edinburgh based police thrillers see Luc Callanach leaving Interpol to come and work for Police Scotland. The timing of his arrival in Perfect Remains seems fortuitous as there are some very nasty things happening in Edinburgh. Another series which favours a darker tons as Helen Fields seems to have a particularly vivid imagination and devises some gruesome crime scenes for her characters to investigate.

Helen’s Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Helen-Fields/e/B006M3SPSS/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1538846357&sr=1-1

By no means an exhaustive list but I limited myself to ten authors and everyone included has written books that have brought me hours of entertainment and reading escapism.

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August 10

Kiss of Death – Paul Finch

Don’t let them catch you…

A Deadly Hunt
DS ‘Heck’ Heckenburg has been tasked with retrieving one of the UK’s most wanted men. But the trail runs cold when Heck discovers a video tape showing the fugitive in a fight for his life. A fight he has no chance of winning.

A Dangerous Game
Heck realises that there’s another player in this game of cat and mouse, and this time, they’ve not just caught the prize: they’ve made sure no one else ever does.

A Man Who Plays With Fire
How far will Heck and his team go to protect some of the UK’s most brutal killers? And what price is he willing to pay?

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy which I received through Netgalley

The seventh Mark “Heck” Heckenburg thriller from Paul Finch. Having read all the books which precede Kiss of Death I was more than a little excited at the prospect of reuniting with Heck – I love these stories and Paul Finch always delivers on thrills.

Suffice to say that I was not disappointed.

Kiss of Death is another corker and, if anything, the action is bigger, louder and more shocking than ever before. Heck is still working under Gemma Piper his current boss but his former lover. Although the pair work well together there is always an undercurrent of tension between the two and it is clear that Heck would love the chance to rekindle the relationship the pair shared at the start of their careers. Unfortunately for Heck his cavalier attitude clashes with Gemma’s “by the book” approach and she has kept him at arms length. Making things worse is the addition to their team of a new blue-eyed-boy who Gemma seems to favour and who is very much a “by the rules” player.

Trying to ignore the frustrations of seeing Gemma’s head being turned by another cop Heck throws himself into the latest investigation. There is a push to track down missing criminals but some shocking evidence will come to the police which throws their investigation into a new direction. Heck is not adverse to cutting corners to get a result but such is his desire to succeed that he will find himself exposed and taking too many risks. It makes for terrific reading.

Paul Finch always makes excellent use of shock tactics to keep me gripped when reading his books and Kiss of Death was no exception. The story builds and builds and the stakes creep ever higher. By the time the endgame had been reached I was lost to the outside world – the book was my sole focus and I was oblivious to everything else. Just when I thought it was done…a sucker punch. Oh my days what a finale – no spoilers but WOW.

If you have not had the thrill of reading a Paul Finch “Heck” novel you have missed a treat (well 7 treats now). These books are brilliant examples of top class crime fiction and I urge you to hunt them down. Kiss of Death nets Paul Finch and Heck another five star review from me – I cannot get enough of these books.

Kiss of Death is published by Avon and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Death-Detective-Mark-Heckenburg-ebook/dp/B0796W5MPQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533848174&sr=8-1&keywords=kiss+of+death+paul+finch

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November 4

Shadows – Paul Finch

As a female cop walking the mean streets of Manchester, life can be tough for PC Lucy Clayburn. But when one of the North West’s toughest gangsters is your father, things can be particularly difficult.

When Lucy’s patch is gripped by a spate of murder-robberies, the police are quick to action. Yet when it transpires that the targets are Manchester’s criminal underworld, attitudes change.

Lucy is soon faced with one of the toughest cases of her life – and one which will prove once and for all whether blood really is thicker than water…

My thanks to Sabah at Avon for my review copy and the chance to join the tour

A new Paul Finch book is always met with much excitement at Grab This Book so when Shadows hit my Kindle I could not wait to start reading.

Lucy Clayburn returns for a second outing following her debut in Strangers. Having read Strangers will help you better understand a couple of the conversations in Shadows, however, Shadows can definitely be read as a stand alone novel. Both are great reads so you are not going to be unhappy whichever reading option you opt for!

Lucy had a terrible start to her police career and has been working hard to restore her credibility and prove her value to the department. Events in Strangers has significantly helped and her stock is rising but now an old acquaintance is looking for help as one of his friends has been caught in possession of narcotics – if Lucy can have a lesser charge pursued he can provide information on a violent armed robber.

The possibility of catching a serial offender gives Lucy the opportunity to join the high profile team that work on capturing armed robbers. She embraces the opportunity and tries to ensure she shines through careful planning and preparation. It is great to see Lucy getting the chance to step-up and her enthusiasm and determination make her an engaging a likeable character.

Away from Lucy’s case the reader gets to see what the “bad guys” are up to. Established (and high profile) criminals are being attacked in places they believe to be safe. It looks like there are new players in town and they are intent on disrupting the old guard and taking out the competition. Their mission is deadly and the story takes a dark turn when they met out their unpleasant lessons and establish their authority. It makes for gripping story telling and I got completely caught up in events.

I have yet to read a Paul Finch book that I have not enjoyed – Shadows is another great read and I highly recommend it.

Shadows is published by Avon and can be ordered in paperback or digital format here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadows-gripping-thriller-bestseller-Clayburn/dp/0007551339/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1509788309&sr=1-1&keywords=paul+finch

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April 17

Ashes to Ashes – Paul Finch

John Sagan is a forgettable man. You could pass him in the street and not realise he’s there. But then, that’s why he’s so dangerous.

A torturer for hire, Sagan has terrorised – and mutilated – countless victims. And now he’s on the move. DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg must chase the trail, even when it leads him to his hometown of Bradburn – a place he never thought he’d set foot in again.

But Sagan isn’t the only problem. Bradburn is being terrorised by a lone killer who burns his victims to death. And with the victims chosen at random, no-one knows who will be next. Least of all Heck…

My thanks to Helena at Avon for my review copy and the opportunity to join the blog tour.

Mark “Heck” Heckenburg is back and I couldn’t be happier. Each book in this series has been a 5 star read for me and Ashes to Ashes keeps that streak going. I think that we have to conclude that Paul Finch writes the books that I want to read.

Ashes to Ashes opens with a fairly gruesome attack, two men are torched to death by a mystery figure wielding a flamethrower. If you have read Finch’s previous books you will know that there is no sugar-coating to be found, Ashes to Ashes will contain scenes which are shocking and potentially disturbing but it makes for gripping reading too.

Heck is in London on the trail of a torturer, however, his chief suspect will flee the city and it is not long before Heck will find himself back in the North West in his hometown of Bradburn. Returning to his childhood haunts will bring Heck back into contact with old friends and family and we get to see in more detail how Heck’s past very much shaped the man he would become.

In Bradburn Heck and his colleagues find themselves stretched between hunting for their torturer (Sagan) and the flamethrower killer (dubbed The Incinerator). To get any clue on their suspects Heck will need to engage and confront the local gangs and this means putting himself in the firing line. Ashes to Ashes keeps the action coming thick and fast, The Incinerator is a chilling character and their pursuit of the potential victims lead to some wonderful moments of suspense.

Ashes to Ashes was an absolute joy to read. If you like a police thriller with a deliciously dark edge then look no further.

Ashes to Ashes is published by Avon and is available in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashes-bestseller-gripping-Detective-Heckenburg/dp/0007551290/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1492421085&sr=1-1&keywords=ashes+to+ashes+paul+finch

Follow the tour

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September 21

Strangers – Paul Finch

Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life.

As PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.

But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there’s no other option – and these murders are as brutal as they come.

Lucy must step into the line of fire – a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.

And, unknown to Lucy, she’s already treading it…

My thanks to Helena at Avon Books for my review copy and the opportunity to be the first leg on the Strangers blog tour

I suspect that one observation shall crop up quite frequently when Strangers is reviewed…No Heck. But what is it that makes Heck so good? Well it’s Paul Finch of course! So when I heard that Lucy Clayburn would be the lead character in Strangers I was actually really pleased. New characters means new opportunities, new adventures and a blank canvas for an author to take a very different approach – one that would not work for the characters we may already associate with that author.

As it turns out that is exactly what we get as Lucy Clayburn is going undercover on the streets to pose as a working girl. No matter how good Heck may be I just cannot see him pulling off that role!

The good news (not that it comes as a surprise) is that PC Lucy Clayburn is a fabulous character. There are so many spoilers to avoid but I can say she has a dubious reputation in her role which has put a blight on her career to date. Lucy has a wonderfully “punky” attitude which I immediately warmed to and when she is driven to do the best in her role and prove her worth to her colleagues she is a force to be reckoned with.

As we have come to expect from Paul Finch’s books the streets are full of some really nasty bad guys and in Strangers I am delighted that this theme continued. A female serial killer is murdering and mutilating men and the police have very little to work on. Lucy is recruited to join a team of undercover officers who will pose as prostitutes in a bid to win the confidence of other street girls who may give some clues towards the possible identity of the killer.

But for Lucy a different opportunity arises when she is given some information which could bring the police closer to closing down the activities of some of the worst members of the North West’s criminal underworld. Lucy is desperate to redeem herself in the eyes of her bosses and agrees to put herself right into the heart of the gangster operations.

What she finds, and the consequences of her actions, make for a 5 star thrill-fest. One of those stories which you just do not want to end and one where you feel that no characters are absolutely guaranteed to still be alive come the last page. The best kind of story!

Paul Finch writes books I want to read. If you like crime fiction of the highest calibre then look no further.

Strangers is published by Avon and is available now in paperback and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strangers-Paul-Finch/dp/0007551312/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474496962&sr=1-1&keywords=strangers+paul+finch

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June 12

Hunted – Paul Finch

Heck needs to watch his back. Because someone’s watching him…

Across the south of England, a series of bizarre but fatal accidents are taking place. So when a local businessman survives a near-drowning but is found burnt alive in his car just weeks later, DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg is brought in to investigate.

Soon it appears that other recent deaths might be linked: two thieves that were bitten to death by poisonous spiders, and a driver impaled through the chest with scaffolding.

Accidents do happen but as the body count rises it’s clear that something far more sinister is at play, and it’s coming for Heck too…

Thanks to Avon for my review copy which I received through Netgalley

If you follow me on Twitter (@grabthisbook) then you may have noticed me counting down the days to the release of the latest Paul Finch novel Hunted, the fifth book in the fantastic Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg series. There are lots of books I am looking forward to reading, there are few I will countdown to release. The Heckenburg novels are standout reads for me and each new release is highly anticipated – Paul Finch never fails to deliver the excitement and enjoyment I seek.

In Hunted we see Heck return to fold of the Serial Crimes Unit after his brief posting to the North (as depicted in his last full outing Dead Man Walking). A series of rather bizarre deaths across the south of England has captured Heck’s attention. The roving remit of the SCU gives him scope to relocate into a new environment to investigate further. The presence of an outsider does not sit well with the investigating officers and soon Heck finds that he is having to gain the trust of his temporary colleagues while also needing to rely upon their support to progress his investigations.

Heck tries to convince his cynical colleagues there are dark forces at work and that the seemingly unfortunate deaths he is investigating are more than just odd accidents. Meanwhile the reader is fully aware that Heck’s suspicions are right. We have had the opportunity to view the deaths from the viewpoint of the victims and we know that there are two killers at large, working as a team, and that their methods are somewhat unorthodox.

My ‘No Spoilers’ rule is fully in force here. Suffice to say that Paul Finch continues to deliver some of the most gruesome and inventive death scenes in British crime fiction. I love the warped ideas he comes up with and shudder to think what may follow.

I cannot say enough good things about Hunted. I waited patiently on it being released and I devoured it as soon as I possibly could – then immediately started to pine for the next book. If you have missed out on the Mark Heckenburg novels you have missed a real treat. Hunted is creepy, thrilling fun and I score it 5/5. This is what I read books for.

Hunted is available now in paperback and digital formats.

Paul Finch is on Twitter as: @paulfinchauthor
He also has a busy corner of the internet at : http://www.paulfinch-writer.blogspot.co.uk/

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April 1

A Wanted Man – Paul Finch

It’s 1997 and PC Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg is patrolling the rain-lashed streets of Manchester. In the quiet hours of the early morning, nothing stirs.

Until the crackle of Heck’s police radio signals that all isn’t well out there in the darkness…

‘The Spider’ – a housebreaker notorious for his violent, vicious assaults – has come out to play. And it looks like Heck’s about to become his prey…

This was an essential purchase for me as I am fully signed up member of the Paul Finch ‘Heckenburg’ Fan Club. A Wanted Man is a short story and when you download your digital copy you also get a sneak peak at the forthcoming Hunted (due in May).

It is worth highlighting that the split between A Wanted Man and Hunted is 50/50; which is to say that half of the book you purchase is a trailer for the next Heck novel. It meant I finished A Wanted Man slightly earlier than I had anticipated (as I believed I still had quite a bit of reading still to go). But when I pay less than £1 for a book that I really want to read I am not going to quibble too much about the length of the story. Especially when I thoroughly enjoy the story I bought.

A Wanted Man is set in the early days of Heck’s Police career and pits him against wanted felon ‘The Spider’. We get a nice glimpse into the mind of a young Heck and learn of his frustration over a run in with a senior officer. His frustration has taken him out of the Police Station and places him in prime position to uncover a suspicious incident taking place. Naturally Heck has to investigate and that is where the fun begins.

No more clues, hints or spoilers. A Wanted Man is great fun and if you enjoy Paul Finch’s books you will enjoy this one too.

I cannot comment on the Hunted teaser. There is over a month until Hunted is released and I don’t want to put myself through the torment of starting one of my most anticipated books of the year only to have to take a 5 week break to see how the story develops. I will wait for Hunted in its entirety (and probably spend the next few weeks stalking the publishers for a review copy).

Paul Finch is on Twitter: @paulfinchauthor

And can be found at: http://www.paulfinch-writer.blogspot.co.uk/

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December 23

2014 – My Magnificent Seven

Although I have only been actively blogging for six months it is time for my end of year round up. A quick check of my blog finds that I have reviewed around 50 books in the last 6 months of the year. To select a top 10 from 50 seemed too many so I was going to do a top five. Until I started my list and I discovered that I wanted to include one or two more: Grab This Book’s Magnificent Seven was born.

So in no particular order I present the seven books that I enjoyed reading most (and the reasons why) during 2014.

Stalkers – Paul Finch

I was late to the party on Paul Finch’s brilliant Mark Heckenburg novels. The good thing about this was: by the time I read Stalkers there were two sequels and two more on the way.

Stalkers is a compelling thriller which pulls no punches and delivers shocks and twists in equal measure. I have probably recommended Paul Finch’s books to more of my friends than any other author this year – thus far I have had nothing but positive feedback from those that took my advice.

Stalkers Review

Doctor Who: Engines of War – George Mann

Cast your eye over my blog and you will find that Doctor Who books crop up fairly frequently. I make no apology for this, I have been a fan of the show for 35 years and I have been reading Doctor Who novels since the 1980’s. Not counting the books I read more than once, or the many audio plays, I think I have read around 350 different Who novels (although it is probably more).

For me, George Mann’s Engines of War stands out as one of the best that I have read. Ever. It features the Daleks, a new companion (Scarlet) and even better – The War Doctor. The Doctor has been fighting in the Time War, the Daleks fear him and the Timelords still cannot control him. His weariness of the War is telling and this is not a Doctor that can solve all the problems and just disappear in his TARDIS waiting for the next adventure. Mann catches the fatigue and frustration of the Doctor brilliantly.

If you enjoy Doctor Who and have seen John Hurt’s War Doctor in action then this is a must read. If you like an exciting good guy/bad guy story this is also for you, there is a great adventure to share. If you hate all things Doctor Who, this may not be the book for you. But I loved it!

Engines of War Review

Vendetta – Dreda Say Mitchell

Some books are in my list for personal reasons and some are here as they are stand out reads. Vendetta falls into the latter category. It was (without any doubt) one of the most entertaining books that I have read in recent years.

I cannot say enough good things about Vendetta and was thrilled to be able to participate in the Blog Tour when it was published. Dreda Say Mitchell penned a fantastic article Heroes to Die For which featured on my site. The combination of hosting the tour, having an exclusive article to feature and the book being one of my favourite reads of the year made this a memorable title for me.

Vendetta Review

Digital Circumstances – Brian Stewart

Summer 2014 was an amazing time to be in Scotland. We had the Edinburgh Festival (as we always do), the Book Festival (as we always do) but we also had Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games and the small matter of the Indy Ref – the world was watching.

Three out of the four events were spectacular successes – the fourth is subject to ongoing debate but 55% of the people were happy at the time!

During the height of all things Scottish I started reading Digital Circumstances, written and self-published by Brian Stewart. The story is (mainly) set in Glasgow and had a great mix of cybercrime and gangsters. As Glasgow is a city I know well and was very much in the public eye as I was reading Digital Circumstances – it just seemed a perfect read at the time.

A fun read and worth seeking out.

Digital Circumstances Review

Someone Else’s Skin – Sarah Hilary

A debut novel and the introduction of a principle character (Marnie Rome) which the author is planning on developing into an ongoing series. I have included this book in my top picks of the year mainly because it was a brilliant story which I got totally drawn into as I read.

However, Someone Else’s Skin holds the honour of being the book in 2014 with the best plot twist. It totally floored me and had me re-evaluating everything I had read up to that point in the story.

I read well over 100 novels this year, it would be very remiss of me to exclude the year’s ‘Jaw Drop’ moment from the list of my top books.

Someone Else’s Skin Review

An Evil Mind – Chris Carter

A fellow blogger contacted me asking if I could help him by reading a Chris Carter book (a task I felt reasonably comfortable accepting). He had been set a mission by the publishers: to find readers who had not read Chris Carter’s work and see if he could turn them into fans. I agreed to help and duly received a copy of An Evil Mind.

Click through to check my review for a more comprehensive summary, however, the addition of four new Chris Carter novels to my bookcase in the last few weeks should give a fairly big clue as to how much I enjoyed An Evil Mind. When drawing up a shortlist of possible titles to include in my Magnificent Seven, nothing came close to dislodging An Evil Mind from the list.

My thanks to Shaun on this one – take some time to visit his blog at: www.bookaddictshaun.co.uk

An Evil Mind Review

Red Rising – Pierce Brown

The book that broke my rules. Don’t get drawn back into Fantasy novels. Don’t start a series of books if the last books are not published yet. Don’t lend out your copies of your favourite books to friends as you know they will love it. Three copies of Red Rising later I currently only have my digital copy left – I MAY get some of my paperbacks back (eventually)!

This book made me want to read Fantasy novels again – this is after an 8 year hiatus where I have only really read crime and thrillers. A must read novel and worthy for inclusion in ANY list of recommended reads.

Red Rising Review

So there we have it – my best reading memories from 2014 and a brief explanation as to why these books stood out for me.

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December 1

Christmas Shopping Ideas 2014

The faint sound of sleigh bells is getting louder and it is around now that ‘present panic’ starts to set in. What to get a loved one at Christmas? Stuck for an idea for the office Secret Santa? As a book lover I always encourage people to give a book as a gift and I have a few suggestions which may help simplify your shopping.

I will start by recommending two thrillers, both of which I have seen on supermarket shelves in the last week. Vendetta by Dreda Say Mitchell is a brilliant, fast paced story which had me hooked all the way through. The story focuses on an undercover cop in London – in the opening chapter he wakes in a strange hotel room, he has been shot and there is a dead body in the bathroom beside him yet he has no recollection of how he got there. Fans of James Paterson will enjoy the writing style which uses short chapters and constant action points.

Second recommendation is Dead Man Walking by Paul Finch. Another policeman, however, this time the action takes place in the Lake District – it is winter and heavy fog has shrouded a Cumbrian village. Hidden in the fog is a murderer who likes to stalk his victims before he pounces – the only way they know he is nearby is that he whistles ‘Strangers in the Night’ as he closes in. With the villagers trapped and isolated- they are easy prey.

For those looking for something a bit more seasonal and don’t want half the cast killed off during the story then I suggest A Christmas To Remember by Jenny Hale. This story has been receiving fantastic praise since its release and is hitting the perfect balance of romance, humour and lashings of Christmas cheer. On a similar theme Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake by Sue Watson is equally charming Christmas fare.

If fiction is not your thing then I can highly recommend Our Zoo by June Mottershead. If you remember the BBC drama of the same name then you will likely recongise June’s name – she has lived and grown up around Chester Zoo, which was originally opened by her father. Our Zoo is June’s biography and gives her unique perspective of life with the animals.

For football fans there is one stand out stocking filler: Football Clichés by Adam Hurrey. If you have ever watched a football match on television this is for you…101 ways to describe a goal? Sorted. Diagrams of a player complete with Monkey on his Back and Wise Head on his Shoulders? Hurrey has it covered. Cleverly written and laugh out loud funny.

Finally for the craft lovers I have to give special mention to WTF Knits by Gabrielle Grillo and Lucy Sweet. A fun wee book full of the weirdest knitting and crochet efforts from around the world. Another stocking filler as this is a collection of photographs. Yet who knew that so many people would want to knit alien autopsies, a variety of poo shapes or the Bee Gees (complete with knitted chest hair)?

All books listed above are easily found online and the only one you MAY struggle to find in your local shops is the knitting one (which is a shame as it is such fun).

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November 14

Dead Man Walking – Paul Finch

His worst nightmare is back…

As a brutal winter takes hold of the Lake District, a prolific serial killer stalks the fells. ‘The Stranger’ has returned and for DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg, the signs are all too familiar.

Last seen on Dartmoor ten years earlier, The Stranger murdered his victims in vicious, cold-blooded attacks – and when two young women go missing, Heck fears the worst.

As The Stranger lays siege to a remote community, Heck watches helplessly as the killer plays his cruel game, picking off his victims one by one. And with no way to get word out of the valley, Heck must play ball…

I think that my blog may be in danger of becoming a sub branch of the Paul Finch Fan Club. Just after I started blogging I read the first of Paul’s Mark Heckenburg novels, Stalkers. I loved it and reviewed it. I quickly read the second book in the series (loved it and reviewed it). Then I found Paul had written a Doctor Who short story within an anthology I was reading (which also got a review).

Enforced break time…there were only three Heck novels and I didn’t want to rush the last one (The Killing Club).

Some months later my resolve crumbled (mainly due to the imminent release of the 4^th Heck novel). I read, and loved, The Killing Club and now sit with the brand new – as yet unpublished – Heckenburg book Dead Man Walking.

Skip forward 48 hours and I am done. Dead Man Walking has been and gone…and I loved it (I rather thought I would).

Dead Man Walking opens some 10 years in the past and we learn of a murderer, dubbed The Stranger, who is attacking then butchering his victims. The police are on the case and a trap is laid and sprung.

Jump to the present and Heck is working in Cumbria – he has fallen out with his boss (Gemma Piper) and been transferred to a small police station where he will be out of everyone’s way. Summer has gone and the Lakes are eerily quiet, particularly when the fog descends.

Two girls get lost in the hills and Heck leads the search. Battling against the fog and the bleak weather he finds one of the girls and, despite the trauma she has experienced, she tells of an attack which sounds remarkably like the work of The Stranger – has he returned?

Heck calls in Gemma. In this fourth outing Piper takes a much more proactive role in the investigation than in previous stories. I love the Heck/Piper pairing. Given the history the pair share there is great friction between the two and this is heightened by their recent falling out and Heck’s subsequent relocation to the Lake District. For extra spice we have ‘The Other Woman’. Heck has been spending time with the local publican (Hazel), when Gemma and Hazel get together they do not exactly click! There are some great scenes between Gemma and Hazel adding a little light relief to the tale.

Light relief is very welcome as Dead Man Walking is a tense story. The dark foggy nights over a damp, isolated village makes a superb setting – a killer is picking off the villagers one by one and there is a real sense of claustrophobia as Heck, Gemma and Hazel struggle to keep one step ahead of the murderer.

Dead Man Walking was a terrific read, there was a constant feeling of peril hanging over the key characters. Finch introduced a sinister murderer with an almost supernatural ability to hunt down his victims and you couldn’t see how Heck would outfox him. Finally, the author’s use of the weather conditions and the remote locations heightened the tension and make the plight of the characters more vivid. An atmospheric thriller which kept me engrossed right to the last page – full 5/5 awarded to Paul Finch for Dead Man Walking.

Dead Man Walking is published by Avon and is available from 20 November.

Category: 5* Reviews, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off