Police thriller fans: Enjoy!
919653
I recently won a copy of "No Place To Die" by James L Thane on First Reads. Incredibly fast paced police thriller with a shocking story taking place. It was very difficult to lay this one down! Highly recommend this to any fan of police procedurals/thrillers. Count me a fan of Mr Thane!
1622400
Well acted, great plot twists with enough gritty suspense and thriller-like aspects to keep you dialed in!  Line of Duty: Series 1 is a wonderful introduction to us on the other side of the pond to this British TV series launched in 2012.  Good cops, bad cops... all the stuff that we like with a hardcore edge that probably wouldn't make it on prime time in the US due to language.

Current US television viewers who like The Following;&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Resurrection/dp/B00HY7YTTA/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Resurrection</a>, or Sons of Anarchy;&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/You-Are-My-Sunshine/dp/B00H3BI3JO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">You Are My Sunshine</a>, or enjoyed FX's&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Rescue-Me-The-Complete-Series/dp/B008H6GHF6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Rescue Me: The Complete Series</a>, will probably enjoy this cop drama for the type of taut emotion it evokes.  Line of Duty is smart, well written and acted, and engages your sensibilities.  Definitely worth checking out, and may be available on Netflix (was awhile ago, but currently unavailable for streaming).

Other British series you may enjoy:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Fall-Series-1/dp/B00DW5IKN4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Fall, Series 1</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/George-Gently-Collection-Series-1-4/dp/B00BEZEDNU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">George Gently Collection: Series 1-4</a>.
208003
"At the end of the day, Foxy, we're not all that different, really. I'm going to enjoy working with you." Detective Alex Fox now had positive proof that The Escape Artist was not only in New York, but monitoring her every move. As a member of the newly formed Special Investigations unit of the NYPD, she's finally in a position to find him, put an end to his villainous crimes and avenge her sister's brutal murder. When the mutilated bodies of three teenage runaways are recovered, and with the abduction of former Commander Patterson, Alex is forced to put her plans on hold, as the unit is called in to investigate these horrendous crimes. With the two cases running side by side, Alex and her team are stretched to the limits in this edge-of-your-seat thriller.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are well rounded (I especially liked Candy and The Escape Artist). I would recommend this book. 4.5*
1271511
I'm so glad I discovered ths author at a garage sale paperbook pile.  Insight re: police work with a smack of realness.  I'm now looking for all of his mysterise. This book has a little for those who like the supernatural, too--but no spoilers here!
714139
There is a certain comfort in reading another good UK police procedural, and Peter Robinson is definitely one of the masters of the genre. This is a mixture of first-class team police investigations mixed in with a maverick investigation by Inspector Banks.

After 22 books in the series the lead character, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks, is getting older and nearing the normal retirement age of 60. His area commander, Catherine Gervaise, suggests that he has the choice of early retirement or, if he toes the line and controls his maverick tendencies, he might get the nod to become Detective Superintendent and can stay on till 65.

In CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks is faced with finding the possible killer of a retired disgraced reclusive academic, Gavin Miller, who is found dead having fallen from a footbridge over a disused railway. There are signs of a struggle pre-mortem, the bridge rails were too high to fall over and Miller has 5,000 in used notes in his pocket. As Miller has been a virtual recluse since his retirement, Banks' team have few initial clues, other than the background to the forced retirement, a small personal drug stash, and his last phone calls to help them with their investigations.

Banks and his team then follow two lines of inquiry, Miller's questionable dismissal 4 years ago from a local academic institution for sexual molestation, and a recent phone call to wealthy and successful author Lady Veronica Chalmers, who says that the call was alumni fundraising and denies any personal knowledge of Miller. There are lies on all sides and Banks soon finds that Lady Veronica's family have very powerful connections and he has to put his career at risk and use his maverick abilities to find out the truth.

As always the story is set in the Yorkshire Dales, a lovely but frequently very wild part of England. Robinson's description of the countryside is especially evocative of the moors, and becks and streams criss-crossing the dales. He gives a marvellous description of a moorland pub with roaring open fire that served "Hot pie in t'oven" which turned out to be "Game Pie" with a warning "Watch out for t'shot" (before a piece of buckshot broke one of his teeth).

This is a very good but not outstanding book by Peter Robinson, a Canadian who was born in Yorkshire. His key character Alan Banks is a real Yorkshire copper who "thrives on circumstance, contradiction, and coincidence" which are the warning signs that he always keeps a lookout for. I will also be on the lookout for the next book in the series because there is still a lot of life left in Inspector Banks.
2526559
A can't wait to turn the page mystery, an example of the non stop work of most of our police personal
1756827
Pleasant pace, frequent surprises
FINDING good authors is always a delight. This, my first novel by Barry Maitland, is an English police procedural, yet never a plod. The frequent page-turning surprises and lots of character clash kept me alert and eager while the mysteries deepened.
Maitland is a Scottish born author from Paisley, educated in England and his early career was in architecture rising to  head a university department, then migrating to Australia. His knowledge of London past and present serves well in his fictional London cops Brock and Kolla. His narrative has a pleasant pace and the plot twists keep coming as the tale develops. Having the story shared equally by a female protagonist and her male boss pleasantly varies the point of view.
I recommend this one and will be seeking more of Barrys creations.
3186623
Cyber Crime becomes the physio in this very modern thriller - however when the police force  refuse to acknowledge
any crime has been committed it falls on Old Fashioned Sleuths to track down a missing person - enter a retired Cop
and a young worried friend of the 'missing'  dare then if you are brave enough! - I will never book online transport again!
A police friend of mine has told me that this book could easily imitate a case ongoing in Scotland - suppose this is the
new Criminal M,O, - well done Mr Brown for tackling a v real subject and threat - read with the lights on!
Can't wait for the TV/Film version!
2146099
I love kick-ass police detectives especially when they're women. This book contains a superior specimen of the breed. In addition, there are a host of wonderful characters in this story supporting and enhancing the primary focus of the lead detectives on a really grisly murder investigation. However, it is a serendipitous meeting of a currently suspended detective and her home improvement contractor that sets the scene for love and terror. I most certainly recommend the satisfying battling of wits between the good guys and the really, really bad dude!

Detective Kay Griffith, who has a notoriously short fuse, on occasion pushes her luck over the brink. Even though she has been a top-notch detective for a number of years, that didn't help her avoid suspension when she crossed the line while on duty. On her home front, Kay, as the recipient of a very wealthy uncle's favorable, allowed her to purchase a sweet home setup in a rather classy neighborhood. She also inherited discretionary monies to cover the costs for some specialized home improvements. While cooling her heels during an eight week suspension, she is delightfully surprised at the woman who shows up to complete the home improvement contract and makes her strong attraction known right from the beginning. Hot stuff!

Brenda Jansen works with her dad at Jansen construction. She has recently ended a fairly long relationship with a woman who works in the forensics lab of the same police department for which Kay works. Uh-Oh! Kay is unaware of this relationship when she puts the moves on Brenda after she arrives to do the work for which Kay had contracted. Brenda is also a drummer with a band that performs fairly regularly really close to the pawn shop owned and operated by Kay and her partner Quinn's number one murder suspect. Major uh-oh!! Additionally, the shifts and twists that surround Kay and Brenda on their relationship front were a hoot and a half to observe. Hotter stuff!

I am a long-standing lover of murder mystery yarns and although this one has a plot weakness that was clearly necessary to move things to a higher tension level, I am still giving this an overall thumbs-up since there were quite a few other exceptional elements that tipped the scales in favor of my recommendation. I will leave you to ascertain the moment of plot thinness, if you are so inclined to search. On balance, I adored both Kay and Brenda and the police activities were simply delightful to me across the board. Good stuff!

By the way, I gathered that the title Desperate Measures probably came from the phrase, Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is referenced within the story. The title certainly fit several instances and most assuredly the exciting conclusion!

NOTE: This book was provided by bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on <a href="[...]">Rainbow Book Reviews</a>.
3460068
I am a detective fiction (and science fiction) junkie who reads one book (and usuallly more) daily, so I am familiar with the work of many authors now writing in the style of  classic British police procedurals, Most have cardboard characters and leave in memory little to distinguish their Inspector or chief inspector heroes from those in other series besides a signature character flaw or two. The best usually feature interactions between a senior and junior officer or among a team of officers, but the not so good get carried away with the personal lives of the officers to the detriment of an engaging plot. I have rarely read a new police centered series that is to a better start, with three characters you really want to root for, a couple that you want to hiss at every time they come on stage,  a Christie-like plot filled with red herrings,and a murderer very different than the usual psychopathological serial killer. I am looking forward with anticipation to the next in the series. My only reason for not giving a 5 star review is that the authority relations at the station seem very murky, e,g., who does Brock report to and when, but that can easily be cleared up in future entries in the series.
3094379
This is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys thrillers and police procedurals. Fast-paced and tense, I didn't see the twist coming. I grew quite fond of Detective Inspector Kate Fletcher by the end of the book, so Im really hoping well be seeing more of her in the future.
1303520
Having discovered the fine mysteries by author Connelly about a year ago, we're catching up on his (lengthening) booklist.  While "Darkness" is another entry in the LAPD Homicide Detective Harry Bosch series, it really features as protagonist ex-FBI agent Terry MaCaleb, leading man from the earlier tale "Blood Work", later turned into the Clint Eastwood movie.  Terry has started life anew as a heart transplant survivor, and is happily retired as a new husband with a new baby girl.  When Det. Jaye Winston consults with him for a quick profile on a murder she's working, Terry not only gets involved, but is soon deeply engrossed in a deed that many signals point to Bosch as the potential killer.  Along the way we're treated to a lengthy exposition on the Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch (our detective's namesake) - indeed his art provides many of the clues pointing to the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, Harry is a key witness in a trial of Hollywood producer Jack Story, who looks to get off for the murder of an unfortunate party girl unless Bosch and the DA's office can prevail.  As McCaleb and Winston continue pursuing their case, suddenly events begin to converge, and in a climactic denouement, we finally discover the genius behind multiple crimes.  In an intriguing prologue of sorts, will McCaleb and Bosch toast success and discuss some realities that never do come to light?

As usual, Connelly has plotted a fine tale.  As if the court case didn't create enough tension, the new murder under investigation, with almost too many clues with which to track various police theories, get us flipping those pages until the final chapter or two.  The surprising twist at the end was the cherry on top of an already sweet sundae - one that entertained throughout.  We can easily see why these stories have found such a faithful following, and highly commend this entry in the Bosch/McCaleb set to your attention!
2040174
Karins Slaughters, TRIPTYCH (Will Trent #1) is a heart-pounding, (not sure mine has slowed down yet) crime suspense, of good versus evil (mostly evil), heroes versus villainswith an array of damaged, and deeply troubled characters, prostitutes, dirty cops, sickos, with brutal crimes, and violence, for a haunting psychological thriller series, ideal for those who love cop action, and not afraid to get down and dirty.

Set in Atlanta, one of the major cities with the worst crime, we meet Will Trent, a flawed character, dyslexic, with a troubled past, fighting all odds, and an agent for the GA Bureau of Investigation. His best friend, Angie is a vice cop with a troubled past of her own (these two met at a childrens home years ago and always wind up connecting).

Michael is a cynical, Atlanta detective, with a troubled marriage and a son, who is mentally challenged. Will Trent is on assignment help investigate a series of brutal crimes killing women and cutting out their tongues.

Suspicions focus on John Shelly, a sex convict (claims he is innocent, and knows he has been set up), has been recently released from prison (20 years for rape and murder), has troubles of his own after convicted of murdering a girl when he was a teenager, and is very badly damaged due to his sexual abuse in prison. Michael thinks these two cases are related; however, Will Trent is not so sure.

Karins writing is razor sharp (no punt intended), and full of wit, making you laugh out loud at her one liners, and was hooked with COP TOWN, CRIMINAL, and a few of other books in the Will Trent series. Was so intrigued with this character, am currently making my way back through the series, between reading my new ARC releases. If you love mystery crime thrillers, no one can deliver better than Karin- read them all! (Love Amanda's strong character and her banter with Will)--Will's boss.

Michael Kramer, narrator for the audiobook was spine chilling, especially the scene with Angie at the end!

As always enjoy the Atlanta landmarks, and especially the Vinings' (an area of Northwest Atlanta) reference, since I lived there for many years.
2561263
Freezer Burn, the third installment in the C.S.U. Investigation series, leaves little doubt that D.H. Dublin (nom de plume of Jon McGoran) has perfected the method of immediately sucking the reader in and making the reader hang on for dear life until the final page is turned.  What a roller-coaster ride!

Madison Cross, rookie crime scene technician, and the Philadelphia P.D. seem to be in the midst of a vicious gang war, with bodies piling up faster than even the efficient Spoons can handle.  As if that isn't enough, Madison finds herself loaned out to another county to process a crime scene far more extensive (and sinister) than anyone imagines.  The discovery of a dead "alien" in a tenement house further complicates things!  The Organized Crime Task Force has the opportunity to flex its muscles, but it's Maddy who really shows off her investigative prowess and manages to ruffle more than a few feathers along the way.  In the end, she's the one who solves the cases, with little help from the actual investigators.

While the ending of Freezer Burn was quite satisfactory, I'll admit that it didn't give me goosebumps like the previous two books - and I was more than a little disappointed that there wasn't an appearance by Maddy's father (perhaps due in part to the fact that I read the book on my own dad's Angel Anniversary).  Even so, Freezer Burn is a 5-star reading experience, and I'll be awaiting anxiously the fourth installment!  If you enjoy hardboiled police procedurals, you'll love the C.S.U. Investigation series!

Carol Ann Hopkins  6/7/2008
1813082
Two derelict canal boats are destroyed by fire in the dark hours of the night. Firefighters find a body on each boat, squatters who had been living there illegally. Detective Inspector Alan Banks uncovers enough suspicious evidence to determine that the arson cases are also murder. The police catch a man fleeing from the scene, who turns out to be the boyfriend of a junkie named Tina who had escaped a horrible home life. She is one of the deceased.
The other boat held a reclusive artist, and as the police dig into his life they find that he may have been involved in some shady dealings. When another fire occurs a few days later, resulting in the death of another man, Banks is sure that the fires and deaths are connected. As he and his fellow officers sift through the clues, they find ties to the art community and the possibility of forgery. Can they find the identity of the arsonist before he kills again?
This is the first Inspector Banks book I have read by Peter Robinson, but now I am anxious to read the other books in this series. Obviously, it would be better to read the others first to get a background on the characters, but I did not feel reading this one first detracted from Playing With Fire at all. The reader gets a sense of the characters, especially Inspector Banks and detective Annie Cabot. Both are dedicated to their jobs and work diligently to find the perpetrator of the crimes before the killer harms others. There is an undercurrent of tension from a failed relationship between the two which makes their conversations intriguing.
I have long been a fan of British police procedurals, and Mr. Robinson compares very favorably to my favorite author Elizabeth George. The characters have long standing relationships, developed from novel to novel, and readers can form their own connection with the characters. The plot moves at a meandering pace, slowly doling out clues at the right intervals so that the reader can discover the identity of the culprit at the same time as the police. It is a definite page-turner, and the reader will be surprised at who the murderer turns out to be.
Mystery lovers will be delighted in this newest offering from Peter Robinson. Playing With Fire has all of the intense and suspenseful elements necessary for a grand scale thriller.
-Melissa Parcel
1787310
F.M. Meredith shows she knows how to keep it fresh for fans of her long-running Rocky Bluff P.D. Series. Several changes have come to the department: a new police chief, some retirements, and a promotion for Felix Zachary to detective. That doesn't mean new fans will feel lost. Not only is there just enough backstory to help newbies feel comfortable, each book is a stand alone, so you truly can pick up any book in the series for a great read that blends the personal and professional lives of the members of the Rocky Bluff P.D.

Murder in the Worst Degree, like the other books in the series, draws its strength from the likable, complex set of characters working within the department. Coupling this cast with an intriguing plot with twists and turns along the way, you'll enjoy getting to know everyone while trying to figure out the suspects and motives.

One of the best aspects of this series, and this book in particular, is that you see plausible situations played out in this fictional police setting, by a group of people who seem almost as real as one of your friends or relatives. You meet new characters within the town as the police department follows the clues and works to keep the residents of Rocky Bluff safe. It's a perfect blend of both worlds.

If you enjoy mysteries that are equally character driven and plot driven, Murder in the Worst Degree is a perfect choice.

I received a free digital copy of this book from the author.
1353283
I'm constantly on the look out for British police procedural novels and while many disappoint, this one held my interest from the beginning and I like the main players.  The only downside to this first novel is its predictability.  I knew who the bad guy was right off the bat, but with the thought that I "could possibly be" mistaken, and the fact I was enjoying the ride, I continued reading on to the end.  I'm now into the third book of this series, having totally enjoyed the second, "Head In The Sand."  Damien Boyd writes a good story driven yarn without burdening the reader with tons of extraneous "stuff."  He gets a big thumbs up from this reader!