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Not Safe by Danuta Reah
Farah Jafari needs sanctuary, but now she is dead. A man is in custody and soon the case will be closed. DC Tina Barraclough works with refugees like Farah and the man under arrest and she knows there is something wrong with the official version. She is off the case, but needs to find out what really happened. What price is she prepared to pay?Danuta Reah (also publishing as Carla Banks) is the author of nine previous crime books. She is an active member of the Crime Writers Association. She writes for English and Media and lives in Sheffield. Reviews of her previous books “A powerful psychological thriller” – Daily Mail, “Scary Stuff” – Literary Review, and “Splendid - evokes an air of menace” – Daily Mail.
Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
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About the author
Danuta Reah
42 books15 followersDanuta Reah, who also writes under the name Carla Banks, was born in South Yorkshire. She comes from an academic family but opted out of formal education at the age of 16. She worked in a variety of jobs from barmaid to laboratory assistant, in a variety of locations, including a brief spell in Kingston, Jamaica. "I didn't plan my working life that way, but it was probably the best apprenticeship a writer could have."
She always wanted to write. Telling stories was an important part of her childhood. "Every child needs a skill in the playground - it's a survival thing. Mine was telling ghost stories. I got thrown out of the needlework class when I was nine because the needlework teacher couldn't cope with the ghoulish tales I used to entertain the class with."
She went to university as a mature student and then went on to teach adults in Further and Higher Education. She taught linguistics and creative writing, and in the course of this, refined her own writing style. "I didn't find my voice until I started writing crime. My first novel was based on a rather creepy encounter I had on an empty station platform one evening - it's a story I often tell when I do author events, but beware: it needs bright lights and a crowd."
She published her first novel in 1999, Only Darkness, the rights to which have been purchased by Escazal Films. Her novels have been published internationally: USA, Germany, Holland, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Finland, Czech Republic.
Crime - or at least dissent - runs in the family. Her father was a refugee from Stalin's Belarus; one of her ancestors, John Woodcock, was hung, drawn and quartered in 1646 for his religious beliefs.
She is married and lives in South Yorkshire with her artist husband - and occasionally she draws cartoons about the writer's life!
Danuta Reah is past Chair of the Crime Writers' Association. She is a regular speaker at national and international conferences and literary festivals, and has appeared on radio and television. For several years she was a member of the writers group LadyKillers, with Leslie Horton, Priscilla Masters and Zoe Sharp. LadyKillers did talks and readings around the country. The group disbanded when pressure of work made it difficult for them to get together, but they remain good friends and would consider appearing again.
She always wanted to write. Telling stories was an important part of her childhood. "Every child needs a skill in the playground - it's a survival thing. Mine was telling ghost stories. I got thrown out of the needlework class when I was nine because the needlework teacher couldn't cope with the ghoulish tales I used to entertain the class with."
She went to university as a mature student and then went on to teach adults in Further and Higher Education. She taught linguistics and creative writing, and in the course of this, refined her own writing style. "I didn't find my voice until I started writing crime. My first novel was based on a rather creepy encounter I had on an empty station platform one evening - it's a story I often tell when I do author events, but beware: it needs bright lights and a crowd."
She published her first novel in 1999, Only Darkness, the rights to which have been purchased by Escazal Films. Her novels have been published internationally: USA, Germany, Holland, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Finland, Czech Republic.
Crime - or at least dissent - runs in the family. Her father was a refugee from Stalin's Belarus; one of her ancestors, John Woodcock, was hung, drawn and quartered in 1646 for his religious beliefs.
She is married and lives in South Yorkshire with her artist husband - and occasionally she draws cartoons about the writer's life!
Danuta Reah is past Chair of the Crime Writers' Association. She is a regular speaker at national and international conferences and literary festivals, and has appeared on radio and television. For several years she was a member of the writers group LadyKillers, with Leslie Horton, Priscilla Masters and Zoe Sharp. LadyKillers did talks and readings around the country. The group disbanded when pressure of work made it difficult for them to get together, but they remain good friends and would consider appearing again.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 31, 2012
‘Not Safe’ by Danuta Reah
Published by Crime Express, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-907869-09-9
Amir Hamade is homeless, and heading on a bitterly cold night to find shelter at St Barnabas Church, when he encounters a young frightened Somali girl. Unable to elicit any information from her, Amir feels that he cannot leave her - she is not dressed for the biting cold and in compassion he wraps his own coat around her and encourages her to go with him. Although Amir knows that St Barnabas is a male only shelter he is at a loss as to what else he can do, hoping that one of the helpers, Andre Motombo will be able to suggest somewhere for the girl to find shelter. But as they approach St Barnabas the girl becomes even more frightened and runs back the way that they have come.
DC Tina Barraclough of the South Yorkshire police has for the last six months been on secondment from the elite Serious Crimes Unit to work on a project dealing with asylum seekers. Tina is also on a last chance and cannot afford to mess up. When she receives a message that Amir Hamade is in custody accused of murder and wants to see her, she knows that she must step carefully, as clearly Amir is seeking help – can she give it to him without jeopardising her own position.
Not Safe is a dark and harrowing murder mystery that graphically illustrates the plight of the homeless and asylum seekers. The latter terrified of the detention centres which are rife with abuse. Once achieving asylum seeker status while waiting for their case to be they heard have a right to accommodation and a small amount of money, but exist in limbo unable to work.
A thought provoking powerful story. Highly recommended.
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Lizzie Hayes
Published by Crime Express, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-907869-09-9
Amir Hamade is homeless, and heading on a bitterly cold night to find shelter at St Barnabas Church, when he encounters a young frightened Somali girl. Unable to elicit any information from her, Amir feels that he cannot leave her - she is not dressed for the biting cold and in compassion he wraps his own coat around her and encourages her to go with him. Although Amir knows that St Barnabas is a male only shelter he is at a loss as to what else he can do, hoping that one of the helpers, Andre Motombo will be able to suggest somewhere for the girl to find shelter. But as they approach St Barnabas the girl becomes even more frightened and runs back the way that they have come.
DC Tina Barraclough of the South Yorkshire police has for the last six months been on secondment from the elite Serious Crimes Unit to work on a project dealing with asylum seekers. Tina is also on a last chance and cannot afford to mess up. When she receives a message that Amir Hamade is in custody accused of murder and wants to see her, she knows that she must step carefully, as clearly Amir is seeking help – can she give it to him without jeopardising her own position.
Not Safe is a dark and harrowing murder mystery that graphically illustrates the plight of the homeless and asylum seekers. The latter terrified of the detention centres which are rife with abuse. Once achieving asylum seeker status while waiting for their case to be they heard have a right to accommodation and a small amount of money, but exist in limbo unable to work.
A thought provoking powerful story. Highly recommended.
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Lizzie Hayes
June 27, 2014
"...like an early episode of The Bill with a whodunit type climax and resolution of peril at the end. Also like an early Bill there is very little characterisation..."
http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...
http://stevek1889.blogspot.co.uk/2014...
January 27, 2012
Incredible, scary, haunting.
Brrr, I'm not gonna go out after dark for a good while.
Cheers Danuta, keep up the good (if slightly worrying) work!
Brrr, I'm not gonna go out after dark for a good while.
Cheers Danuta, keep up the good (if slightly worrying) work!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews