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Sins of the Father
The past returns to haunt Nick Randall when a celebrity biographer claims to have evidence of his late father's involvement in a terrible crime. If it comes out, the tabloids will have a field day: Eddie Randall was a popular comedy actor in the 1960s. Nick goes in search of the truth and unexpectedly finds it impacts on a major insurance scam he is investigating. Then his estranged wife is found dead - and Nick realises that an unknown enemy is stalking him...
"Occasionally brutal, but very readable... this writer seems to me to have real potential. I look forward to his next book." Martin Edwards, TANGLED WEB
"Sins of the Father is a wonderful, exciting read full of twists and turns... This is a sterling effort from a new face on the crime scene."
Chris Simmons, CRIMESQUAD
"Sins of the Father is a rattling good read... a writer to watch for sure."
Sharon Wheeler, REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE
Praise for David Harrison (writing under the name TOM BALE):
"What truly sells SKIN AND BONES is Bale's almost cinematic storytelling style, along the lines of what Lee Child does with his Jack Reacher series."
Jim Winter, JANUARY MAGAZINE
"Occasionally brutal, but very readable... this writer seems to me to have real potential. I look forward to his next book." Martin Edwards, TANGLED WEB
"Sins of the Father is a wonderful, exciting read full of twists and turns... This is a sterling effort from a new face on the crime scene."
Chris Simmons, CRIMESQUAD
"Sins of the Father is a rattling good read... a writer to watch for sure."
Sharon Wheeler, REVIEWING THE EVIDENCE
Praise for David Harrison (writing under the name TOM BALE):
"What truly sells SKIN AND BONES is Bale's almost cinematic storytelling style, along the lines of what Lee Child does with his Jack Reacher series."
Jim Winter, JANUARY MAGAZINE
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 6, 2006
70 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 6, 2016
It is always a joy to find a great author then be offered the chance to read their very first offering.
Sins of the Father is a very good character based and plot driven read.
The blurb says everything there is to know about the theme of the novel, but what it doesn't tell the reader is what a treat they are in for.
As with most debut novels, this one is short on description, and sometimes this made the tale rather slow to get into, but, with it's violence, action and 'mafia' gangster type criminals it was truly gripping and brilliantly engaging. Along with the torture and blackmail I was completely hooked.
I loved Sarah and Alex. They have a friendship and like most of us girls go to each other to tell of their problems, which is what Sarah does when she finds that her marriage to Nick is in serious trouble. I was quite set on getting to know these two women and see how they panned out. BUT.. well I won't say what happens, but O.M.G.
Twisty and full of suspense, this novel gives a taste of why David Harrison is so popular as T0m Bale. He really is good at what he does and in my opinion has just got better. I am and always will be an avid fan. ( Don't be scared T0m, I don't mean Misery style)
Really good.
Sins of the Father is a very good character based and plot driven read.
The blurb says everything there is to know about the theme of the novel, but what it doesn't tell the reader is what a treat they are in for.
As with most debut novels, this one is short on description, and sometimes this made the tale rather slow to get into, but, with it's violence, action and 'mafia' gangster type criminals it was truly gripping and brilliantly engaging. Along with the torture and blackmail I was completely hooked.
I loved Sarah and Alex. They have a friendship and like most of us girls go to each other to tell of their problems, which is what Sarah does when she finds that her marriage to Nick is in serious trouble. I was quite set on getting to know these two women and see how they panned out. BUT.. well I won't say what happens, but O.M.G.
Twisty and full of suspense, this novel gives a taste of why David Harrison is so popular as T0m Bale. He really is good at what he does and in my opinion has just got better. I am and always will be an avid fan. ( Don't be scared T0m, I don't mean Misery style)
Really good.
February 19, 2018
Slow to start
I found this book quite slow to start and having read other books by Tom Bale, I found it totally different but at the same time intriguing and, once it got going, very exciting.
There is plenty going on with lots of different characters and stories to tell which all eventually meet up and join together neatly to give the reader the whole picture. The ending is fast and furious with an almost nail biting section which had the effect of making me read faster and faster! Eventually though I am pleased to say it reaches a happy conclusion and the ending is both satisfying and totally worth the read.
Having read the note by the author at the end explaining how the book nearly never got published and his career almost didn’t get off the ground, I am so pleased that a publisher took a chance on Mr Harrison (aka Tom Bale) as he is an extremely good author.
I found this book quite slow to start and having read other books by Tom Bale, I found it totally different but at the same time intriguing and, once it got going, very exciting.
There is plenty going on with lots of different characters and stories to tell which all eventually meet up and join together neatly to give the reader the whole picture. The ending is fast and furious with an almost nail biting section which had the effect of making me read faster and faster! Eventually though I am pleased to say it reaches a happy conclusion and the ending is both satisfying and totally worth the read.
Having read the note by the author at the end explaining how the book nearly never got published and his career almost didn’t get off the ground, I am so pleased that a publisher took a chance on Mr Harrison (aka Tom Bale) as he is an extremely good author.
February 21, 2022
Multiple viewpoints is disconcerting at first, but once the action gets going, it is a real page turner. The action is fast paced, and the author really involves the reader in the scene he is describing. I would recommend that American readers have a map of England at hand in order to orient themselves to the geography, as much of the plot involves distances.
I normally rate the average "good" book as three stars. This one was well deserving of the extra star. Loved it.
I normally rate the average "good" book as three stars. This one was well deserving of the extra star. Loved it.
September 11, 2020
I enjoyed this book. Characters were well rounded and the plot lines were expertly woven. It starts off begin about a failing marriage and a car insurance fraud but soon spirals into completely different more complex and brutal territory set in and around Brighton.
December 9, 2025
A page turner.
A malevolent woman is out for revenge on the family of a celebrity. He is alleged to have organised the death of her father and to have had a secret shady past.
A fast paced and well written story.
A malevolent woman is out for revenge on the family of a celebrity. He is alleged to have organised the death of her father and to have had a secret shady past.
A fast paced and well written story.
November 30, 2018
A fast paced thriller that I found had too many characters at the beginning but once I knew more about them I could not put the book down. Great stuff!
April 26, 2020
Tough topic
Failed to hold my attention. Hard to follow. Took me days to read. Not really sure what happened as I try to trace the plot back.
Failed to hold my attention. Hard to follow. Took me days to read. Not really sure what happened as I try to trace the plot back.
September 28, 2020
Audio version of this book 📚 -DNF just couldn’t get into this one at all , really slow and the narrator was dreadful which probably didn’t help !
July 27, 2013
This story takes a long while to get going. The characters are confusing and seem to make no sense to the story for a large part of the book. Actions taken by the "villain" seem rather obscure, targeting those close to the intended targets rather than the targets themselves.
For the second half of the book it certainly picks up, although the detail isn't always there. There are no real "jumpy" moments. The last few chapters come into their own and save this book from being a 2* book.
The protagonist in the book isn't very likeable and so it's hard to empathise with him. Good attempt at a thriller but it lacks a lot of thrill!
For the second half of the book it certainly picks up, although the detail isn't always there. There are no real "jumpy" moments. The last few chapters come into their own and save this book from being a 2* book.
The protagonist in the book isn't very likeable and so it's hard to empathise with him. Good attempt at a thriller but it lacks a lot of thrill!
September 27, 2013
An outstanding début novel by the author Tom Bale, re-released under his own name. This is an intricately woven tale, filled with tension and action and enough twists to keep the reader guessing. It is a formula he has stuck with and perfected in his following books, but this first outing was bang on the mark. It is also strangely prophetic, revolving around the misdeeds of a (fictional) former well-loved celebrity.
November 14, 2015
This is a really enjoyable book about the revenge of a criminal's daughter on the people she thinks are responsible for the death of her father years before. An established actor was involved in the murder of a 15 year old girl after a sex party and a man who tried to blackmail the actor was killed.His daughter spent time organising the perfect revenge although she had been told by her mother on her death bed that the man who she thought was her father, actually wasn't.
July 25, 2013
Slow to start with confusing characters. This soon becomes apparent and the story evolves to be a good thriller. Excellent concept although it gets spoiled by the predictability of the love interest. Dramatic ending, good twists and turns throughout
June 15, 2013
Brilliant esp as was your first book Mr Bale
June 20, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed this crime / suspense thriller - lots of twists and turns to keep you interested.
July 2, 2013
Kindle Freebie from Amazon - easy read and good story line and characters.
December 20, 2018
Wow!
I actually read All Fall Down first, but then found other books by Tom Hale, this being his debut but under his real name. Despite that this was a very cleverly constructed story that grabs you from the start and slowly you get reeled in, at which point it is impossible to put down! In this you have Nick Randall a claims investigator who is looking into a car insurance scam which has links to his father 's past in which a hideous crime took place. Add a touch of vengeance and journalist after a story makes for a great read. Very fast paced and you really can see it unfurling in front of you! I would definitely recommend it and look forward to reading more by this author.
I actually read All Fall Down first, but then found other books by Tom Hale, this being his debut but under his real name. Despite that this was a very cleverly constructed story that grabs you from the start and slowly you get reeled in, at which point it is impossible to put down! In this you have Nick Randall a claims investigator who is looking into a car insurance scam which has links to his father 's past in which a hideous crime took place. Add a touch of vengeance and journalist after a story makes for a great read. Very fast paced and you really can see it unfurling in front of you! I would definitely recommend it and look forward to reading more by this author.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews