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Carrigan and Miller #1
A Dark Redemption
In the first of a new series, DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller investigate the brutal rape and murder of a young Ugandan student. Plunged into an underworld of illegal immigrant communities, they discover that the murdered girl's studies at a London College may have threatened to reveal things that some people will go to any lengths to keep secret.
‘A Dark Redemption’ explores a sinister case that will force DI Carrigan to face up to his past and DS Miller to confront what path she wants her future to follow.
‘A Dark Redemption’ explores a sinister case that will force DI Carrigan to face up to his past and DS Miller to confront what path she wants her future to follow.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
47 people are currently reading
960 people want to read
About the author
Stav Sherez
25 books76 followersBorn in 1970, Sherez grew up in London and attended Latymer Upper School and the University of Leeds.
Stav Sherez is a British novelist whose first novel The Devil's Playground was published in 2004 by Penguin Books and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger.
Sherez's second novel, The Black Monastery, is published by Faber & Faber in April 2009.
From 1999 to 2004 he was a main contributor to the music magazine Comes with a Smile.
From December 2006 he has been literary editor of the Catholic Herald.
Stav Sherez is a British novelist whose first novel The Devil's Playground was published in 2004 by Penguin Books and was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger.
Sherez's second novel, The Black Monastery, is published by Faber & Faber in April 2009.
From 1999 to 2004 he was a main contributor to the music magazine Comes with a Smile.
From December 2006 he has been literary editor of the Catholic Herald.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
November 22, 2020
The photos made sure they wouldn't forget. They weren't here to make statistics. They weren't here to make a living. They were here to avenge the dead.
It's always exciting to find a good new procedural series - it's not a genre where it's hard to find books, but good books is a different story. When you compare it to other books published in 2012, it's doing even better; and the story takes through a narrative that could have gone so, so wrong if mishandled, so I was extra impressed.
Kicking off with the murder of a college student in her flat, and a pair of detectives thrown together by the powers that be, it sounds like familiar ground. But right from the start there's a delicacy to the handling of sensitive subjects that put me at ease, and there's no characters that don't feel authentic; even the side characters came across as actual people, even if we just brushed tangentially across their lives. The murders are pretty gruesome, but without feeling salacious - issues of racial tensions and immigration are presented in a much more evenhanded way than I'm used to seeing (it's not that 2012 was the dark ages, but I'm still sometimes surprised by what made it into books even then).
This was satisfyingly twisty and definitely stands out of the pack - a series I'll absolutely be continuing.
It's always exciting to find a good new procedural series - it's not a genre where it's hard to find books, but good books is a different story. When you compare it to other books published in 2012, it's doing even better; and the story takes through a narrative that could have gone so, so wrong if mishandled, so I was extra impressed.
Kicking off with the murder of a college student in her flat, and a pair of detectives thrown together by the powers that be, it sounds like familiar ground. But right from the start there's a delicacy to the handling of sensitive subjects that put me at ease, and there's no characters that don't feel authentic; even the side characters came across as actual people, even if we just brushed tangentially across their lives. The murders are pretty gruesome, but without feeling salacious - issues of racial tensions and immigration are presented in a much more evenhanded way than I'm used to seeing (it's not that 2012 was the dark ages, but I'm still sometimes surprised by what made it into books even then).
This was satisfyingly twisty and definitely stands out of the pack - a series I'll absolutely be continuing.
January 8, 2018
This was an interesting book. Part of the story is set 20 years ago in Uganda during wartime when young children were abducted and turned into soldiers (read killers). The majority of the story takes place in London when Grace Okella, a young Ugandan college student, is murdered. DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller are investigating. Jack has personal history in Uganda when he and his two friends, Ben and David, took a trip there after their college graduation.
I enjoyed the story and liked the characters, especially Geneva. The story was well written with steady pacing. The atrocities of the war in Uganda and the lives of asylum seekers in London felt realistic. There are two more books featuring Carrigan and Miller, and I will read the second one soon.
I enjoyed the story and liked the characters, especially Geneva. The story was well written with steady pacing. The atrocities of the war in Uganda and the lives of asylum seekers in London felt realistic. There are two more books featuring Carrigan and Miller, and I will read the second one soon.
August 29, 2016
Wow, what a twisty book. This was a chilling tale of violence, dark choices and echoes from the past.
A very brutal murder intrigues DI Jack Carrigan and his new sidekick, DS Geneva Miller. It appears to be a vicious sex crime but the victim was a Ugandan student (Gloria). Jack himself had been to Uganda twenty or so years ago with his two best friends after they all graduated - a bonding trip before they all started their professional lives. It turned out to be the trip from hell and Jack has dark memories of the place. The books also provides a glimpse of the dark nature of the violence that has gripped parts of Africa for so long and how it can have ripple effects around the world.
Miller, though, is convinced the murder has something to do with the Gloria's dissertation which is about East African politics, specifically the many revolutions and uprisings. Regardless, the police pull Gloria's life apart and the questions and suspects keep piling up.The killer seems to be covering his track by killing again.
Finally they have him - or do they? The past and present collide in a shocking denouement at the end that you just don't expect. I thought this was very well written and plotted and it certainly kept me turning the pages until the wee hours of the night. A rare 5 stars from me.
A very brutal murder intrigues DI Jack Carrigan and his new sidekick, DS Geneva Miller. It appears to be a vicious sex crime but the victim was a Ugandan student (Gloria). Jack himself had been to Uganda twenty or so years ago with his two best friends after they all graduated - a bonding trip before they all started their professional lives. It turned out to be the trip from hell and Jack has dark memories of the place. The books also provides a glimpse of the dark nature of the violence that has gripped parts of Africa for so long and how it can have ripple effects around the world.
Miller, though, is convinced the murder has something to do with the Gloria's dissertation which is about East African politics, specifically the many revolutions and uprisings. Regardless, the police pull Gloria's life apart and the questions and suspects keep piling up.The killer seems to be covering his track by killing again.
Finally they have him - or do they? The past and present collide in a shocking denouement at the end that you just don't expect. I thought this was very well written and plotted and it certainly kept me turning the pages until the wee hours of the night. A rare 5 stars from me.
June 27, 2016
This is the first in what hopefully will be a series featuring DI Jack Carrigan who works for the London Met. Carrigan is investigating the brutal murder of a young Ugandan woman, a PhD student. He soon notices he is being followed and observed, and wonders who doesn't want this murder solved? Carrigan himself has a connection to Uganda. Twenty years earlier after he graduated from university, he and 2 friends decided to travel there. It is a cautionary tale as these hapless and clueless young men, armed with nothing but an inaccurate guidebook drive into dangerous territory. What happens haunts Carrigan up to the current day. His partner, DS Geneva Miller, notices Carrigan flinches each time Uganda is mentioned. Carrigan and his superiors begin investigating the murder as a sex crime. Miller, however, believes it is related to the victim's research on East African warlords. The Ugandan Embassy and higher ups in the police appear to want to quash this investigation which spurs Miller on even more.
This is a taut thriller that is hard to put down. Carrigan is another detective whose refusal to bend to superiors' orders puts him in constant threat of being suspended or fired. We have clues to the reasons behind his behavior. Not all are fully explained in this novel, such as how he lost his wife, but readers sense he is a deeply intelligent and passionate detective. His partner Miller is equally complex, being the daughter of a Czech dissonant poet who fled for her life to London during the time of the upheavals in the 1960's. My favorite line is the book is a quote from her mother who said "the only poems that count are the ones that can get you killed".
A book for lovers of noir, as well as anyone who likes a good story. I cannot wait to read the next in this series.
This is a taut thriller that is hard to put down. Carrigan is another detective whose refusal to bend to superiors' orders puts him in constant threat of being suspended or fired. We have clues to the reasons behind his behavior. Not all are fully explained in this novel, such as how he lost his wife, but readers sense he is a deeply intelligent and passionate detective. His partner Miller is equally complex, being the daughter of a Czech dissonant poet who fled for her life to London during the time of the upheavals in the 1960's. My favorite line is the book is a quote from her mother who said "the only poems that count are the ones that can get you killed".
A book for lovers of noir, as well as anyone who likes a good story. I cannot wait to read the next in this series.
February 17, 2012
Stav Sherez’s first book, The Devil’s Playground, was a fascinating glimpse of the Amsterdam underworld and a tale of far-right violence spanning from the Jewish holocaust to the modern-day. In his latest book, A Dark Redemption, billed as the ‘first installment’ in a new series he tackles the world of East African partisan violence which spills into London with the murder of a Ugandan student.
The book opens with three male graduates deciding to forsake the delights of a trip to India and to venture to the lesser known Uganda. One evening, travelling in the sparse African countryside they are confronted with a fork in the road and take the turning which leads them into the clutches of a rebel army.
The narrative then shifts to 2011. Grace Okello, a student at the School of African and Oriental Studies is researching revolutionary rebel groups and becomes fascinated by the insurgencies of Uganda. When she is found tortured and killed in her bedsit, DI Jack Carrigan, first on the scene starts to unpick her life in his search for her contacts and explanation for her savage murder. But Carrigan is considered a maverick by the uniformed police hierarchy and his boss appoints DS Geneva Miller to assist on the investigation, while reporting back to him on Carrigan’s methods. Carrigan is a detective with a number of myths attached to him, his behaviour in the London 7/7 bombings, his reputed early recording contract and, most worryingly for Miller, his apparent link with Uganda.
The book was an excellent read. The flashbacks to Uganda were concentrated into three main sections which I thought worked well and gave the book a strong structure. They were quite difficult passages to read as you could feel the total disorientation of the young men in a strange country and it was clear that once they came into contact with the rebel army, it wouldn’t end well. The descriptions of the modern-day murder were equally chilling but I thought not gratuitously so. The rape and murder of a young black woman is a difficult subject to read about but it was well handled. Another strength of the book was that it didn’t labour too much the links between Corrigan’s past and the present case. It is nice when a reader is treated as intelligent enough to work out any connections for themselves.
The book is full of facts about London, much of which I didn’t know and provided an insight into the lives of African immigrants and their dire living conditions. Both Corrigan and Miller were interesting characters. It is difficult to create a ‘maverick’ detective these days without falling into cliché but I though Sherez managed it with understated ease.
There is a nice twist to the ending, again subtly done and I’m pleased that it is part of a new series as principal characters deserve a second airing.
The book opens with three male graduates deciding to forsake the delights of a trip to India and to venture to the lesser known Uganda. One evening, travelling in the sparse African countryside they are confronted with a fork in the road and take the turning which leads them into the clutches of a rebel army.
The narrative then shifts to 2011. Grace Okello, a student at the School of African and Oriental Studies is researching revolutionary rebel groups and becomes fascinated by the insurgencies of Uganda. When she is found tortured and killed in her bedsit, DI Jack Carrigan, first on the scene starts to unpick her life in his search for her contacts and explanation for her savage murder. But Carrigan is considered a maverick by the uniformed police hierarchy and his boss appoints DS Geneva Miller to assist on the investigation, while reporting back to him on Carrigan’s methods. Carrigan is a detective with a number of myths attached to him, his behaviour in the London 7/7 bombings, his reputed early recording contract and, most worryingly for Miller, his apparent link with Uganda.
The book was an excellent read. The flashbacks to Uganda were concentrated into three main sections which I thought worked well and gave the book a strong structure. They were quite difficult passages to read as you could feel the total disorientation of the young men in a strange country and it was clear that once they came into contact with the rebel army, it wouldn’t end well. The descriptions of the modern-day murder were equally chilling but I thought not gratuitously so. The rape and murder of a young black woman is a difficult subject to read about but it was well handled. Another strength of the book was that it didn’t labour too much the links between Corrigan’s past and the present case. It is nice when a reader is treated as intelligent enough to work out any connections for themselves.
The book is full of facts about London, much of which I didn’t know and provided an insight into the lives of African immigrants and their dire living conditions. Both Corrigan and Miller were interesting characters. It is difficult to create a ‘maverick’ detective these days without falling into cliché but I though Sherez managed it with understated ease.
There is a nice twist to the ending, again subtly done and I’m pleased that it is part of a new series as principal characters deserve a second airing.
May 28, 2013
The first book of this author's that I've read, and was pleasantly surprised.
In a nutshell this book is about about a Detective Inspector Carrigan, his new Sergeant, and the murder of a young Ugandan student. We got to explore the uprisings in Africa and the migration of students from there to the UK, and the difficulty in integration at times. It was well written and left no doubt the subjects tackled here were well researched, and for me greatly appreciated. I certainly learned a thing or two!
The characters were described well, as was the relationship between the two leads and the settings were written in wonderful, vivid detail. You got a real sense of being there. The pacing for me was a little slow to start with, but around half way through I really couldn't put it down, and didn't till I finished!
To sum up a great book, great subject matter and will be reading more from this author.
In a nutshell this book is about about a Detective Inspector Carrigan, his new Sergeant, and the murder of a young Ugandan student. We got to explore the uprisings in Africa and the migration of students from there to the UK, and the difficulty in integration at times. It was well written and left no doubt the subjects tackled here were well researched, and for me greatly appreciated. I certainly learned a thing or two!
The characters were described well, as was the relationship between the two leads and the settings were written in wonderful, vivid detail. You got a real sense of being there. The pacing for me was a little slow to start with, but around half way through I really couldn't put it down, and didn't till I finished!
To sum up a great book, great subject matter and will be reading more from this author.
March 11, 2019
After a bad patch reading awful books,it' s a relief to find an excellent one.
Good plot,very good writing,great characters.
Good plot,very good writing,great characters.
November 7, 2020
It took me a few times to settle into this novel but once I got going, I enjoyed it. Three young men go to Nigeria after graduating as a celebration (rather than India, like all their friends were doing). We are not surprised when bad things happened to them then, and twenty years later, issues from that time begin to resurrect themselves. There is a permeating sadness that cloaks this novel.
July 10, 2014
Equal parts compelling and annoying. Some plot points and clues were so obvious I groaned when characters finally started to figure out what was happening. Some odd word choices here and there were also quite jarring: "quieten" "inchoate" and others. Yes, they're real words but somehow they felt placed like ugly green pebbles on white sand.
The book made for compulsive reading, even with these flaws, but the ending felt tacked on. It had that "Oh crap! I've got to wrap this story up in twenty pages!" vibe to it.
I'm not even sure I would call this noir. I associate that with dark, villainous anti-heros. The hero here is a hero. A cop, no less, who gets yelled at by his boss in the most cliche police chief mad at an underling who doesn't know when to let a case go style.
There's also a coroner with a dark sense of humour, jaded to human suffering. Ever seen that one before?
Despite itself, the book has some great qualities, but a lot of cliches. A good read almost in spite of itself. Well written but feels oddly like someone unfamiliar with noir fiction and the stereotype landmines you need to avoid.
Come for the African details, groan at the mystery novel cliches, be baffled by the ending, wonder why you stuck with the book all the way through.
The book made for compulsive reading, even with these flaws, but the ending felt tacked on. It had that "Oh crap! I've got to wrap this story up in twenty pages!" vibe to it.
I'm not even sure I would call this noir. I associate that with dark, villainous anti-heros. The hero here is a hero. A cop, no less, who gets yelled at by his boss in the most cliche police chief mad at an underling who doesn't know when to let a case go style.
There's also a coroner with a dark sense of humour, jaded to human suffering. Ever seen that one before?
Despite itself, the book has some great qualities, but a lot of cliches. A good read almost in spite of itself. Well written but feels oddly like someone unfamiliar with noir fiction and the stereotype landmines you need to avoid.
Come for the African details, groan at the mystery novel cliches, be baffled by the ending, wonder why you stuck with the book all the way through.
May 6, 2018
I've had some luck in the past picking up the first in a new series by an author I've never read. Not this time, sadly. This was weak and overwritten with poor characterization, a plot that simply spirals out of control and very little to recommend it. Shame. Next!
June 1, 2013
The characters, DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller are realistically drawn and their relationship a work of art as it progresses from initial meeting and uncertainty, to- well I’ll let you see what it progresses to. But it flows naturally rather than forced. And the Ugandan element was woven beautifully throughout. And when I say beautifully, I mean sometimes brutal, but seamless. The change of pace or location at times does not spoil, but rather enhances what is happening. The imagery is strong and fresh.
What I really liked about this book was the single sentences that caught me as I read them and then resonated within. Single sentences that Sherez had crafted with a mind that is obviously alive and knowledgeable of the human condition. For example, a sentence about how greedy we are, and I’m not talking about food. His perception of people shines bright in a dark book. His knowledge and understanding of human nature and what we are capable of in certain conditions isn’t fantasy, it’s all too realistically drawn on fact we like to pretend isn’t there. A fantastic well woven story with a sharp edge to make you think.
If that sounds like your kind of crime fiction, you will absolutely love this. I can’t wait to read his latest release, Eleven Days, and meet up with Carrigan and Miller again!
One word of warning though, a couple of scenes may not be for the faint hearted, but they do not drag on or get prolonged for entertainment value. They just are.
What I really liked about this book was the single sentences that caught me as I read them and then resonated within. Single sentences that Sherez had crafted with a mind that is obviously alive and knowledgeable of the human condition. For example, a sentence about how greedy we are, and I’m not talking about food. His perception of people shines bright in a dark book. His knowledge and understanding of human nature and what we are capable of in certain conditions isn’t fantasy, it’s all too realistically drawn on fact we like to pretend isn’t there. A fantastic well woven story with a sharp edge to make you think.
If that sounds like your kind of crime fiction, you will absolutely love this. I can’t wait to read his latest release, Eleven Days, and meet up with Carrigan and Miller again!
One word of warning though, a couple of scenes may not be for the faint hearted, but they do not drag on or get prolonged for entertainment value. They just are.
May 24, 2019
A Dark Redemption is book one in the Carrigan and Miller series by Stav Sherez. DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller caught a case of murder and rape of a young Ugandan woman. At first, both DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller thought it was a simple case of rape and murder. However, that was not the case. More they dug into the investigation more dangerous it got for both DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller. The readers of A Dark Redemption will follow the twists and turns in DI Jack Carrigan and DS Geneva Miller investigation to see what happens to Jack and Geneva.
A Dark Redemption is a brilliant start to a new series by Stav Sherez. I love that Stav Sherez portrayed the two main characters with faults that allow them to feel more real to me. A Dark Redemption is well written and researched by Stav Sherez. I like the way Stav Sherez describes his settings and the plot of A Dark Redemption that will ensure I continue to read books in this series.
The readers of A Dark Redemption will learn the consequences of keeping secrets. Also, the readers A Dark Redemption will learn about illegal immigrant communities.
I recommend this book.
A Dark Redemption is a brilliant start to a new series by Stav Sherez. I love that Stav Sherez portrayed the two main characters with faults that allow them to feel more real to me. A Dark Redemption is well written and researched by Stav Sherez. I like the way Stav Sherez describes his settings and the plot of A Dark Redemption that will ensure I continue to read books in this series.
The readers of A Dark Redemption will learn the consequences of keeping secrets. Also, the readers A Dark Redemption will learn about illegal immigrant communities.
I recommend this book.
May 7, 2016
I don't usually read a lot of crime fiction. This was quite good: a nice mix of gritty crime/thriller, a good detective duo, & some nice twists involving international politics/rebel groups in Africa. Really well done & I'd definitely recommend it if you like crime fiction. This is the first in a series & I'd definitely read another. I don't say that lightly as I'm not usually a fan of series books. This is promising, though. (Looks like Eleven Days is the next one.)
April 6, 2017
A Dark Redemption
5 stars
This was the first novel I have read from the author and found it a really gripping story with strong lead and supporting characters. It had an unpredictable ending and I was genuinely shocked. The story was crime drama with strong political standpoints in Uganda.
An excellent read.
5 stars
This was the first novel I have read from the author and found it a really gripping story with strong lead and supporting characters. It had an unpredictable ending and I was genuinely shocked. The story was crime drama with strong political standpoints in Uganda.
An excellent read.
July 19, 2020
A scholar from Africa is found dead in her London apartment. Her heart has been cut out, symbolic of retribution by a certain African rebel leader. Carrigan and Geneva pursue African immigrant communities for leads that send them in the wrong direction. Many twists and turns and a very surprise ending. This is the first of three novels in a series featuring the detectives Carrigan and Geneva. Books two and three are even better.
January 19, 2021
Very well written police detective novel. The author has a fantastic way with words. Use of time jumps felt different and interesting. Like the combo of the two leads. Was quite dark. And there were some elements that were a tad unbelievable. But that is most detective novels. Interesting to see where it leads.
April 7, 2020
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July 30, 2018
This one ticks some of the boxes on the Crime/Suspense Novel Cliché Checklist:
The main character is a detective named Carrigan who is The Man With The Secret Sorrow. Except in this case, the guy has at least Three Secret Sorrows (his dead wife, his dead friend, and his still-burning love for his best friend’s wife who was once his lover).
Carrigan doesn’t play by the rules, which means (of course) He Gets Results, damn it. His boss would love to see him gone and virtually no one in his department can stand him. Well, no one except:
His new partner, Miller. But then, she’s got her own Secret Sorrow or two (a failed marriage, a failed career), and you know how Game Recognizes Game. This Unlikely Pair will surely develop an inexplicable chemistry, won’t they? (Spoiler alert: Why yes, of course they will. The author has written a couple more books featuring this pair, because they’re irresistible to readers and damn it, They Get Results!)
You get the picture.
On the upside, the story itself was interesting enough to keep me turning pages. The gradual filling in of the background of the main character and his friend was skillfully handled and helped build suspense. At the midpoint of the book I mentally calculated how many hours it would take me to finish it and I decided it was worth continuing to the end to find out how the story resolved itself.
On the downside, there’s a lot that’s annoying and aggravating about the book, starting with the main character. He’s a morose, mopey slob virtually devoid of any character traits that might have given me a reason to care what happens to him through the course of the book. He has a history of poor decision making and seems to succeed in solving crimes more out of dogged persistence than any special insight. What the author no doubt thought would make Carrigan “quirky” and “unique” (other than Carrigan’s Secret Sorrows) became irritating after a while: We hear about every cup of coffee the guy drank, we read repeatedly about the various bits of food stuck in his beard, etc. Carrigan - and the book, for that matter - is completely devoid of humor. He - and the book - felt more tedious than anything else. I honestly have no idea why anyone should look forward to more about the guy in future books.
There were enough typos throughout the book to make me wonder if publishers try to reduce costs by skimping on editing and proofreading. There were narrative inconsistencies that reminded me of continuity errors in movies.
There was no elegance or individual style to the writing. If this had been the author’s first book, I might have been more forgiving. I might have thought that perhaps I should check out his later work to see how he’s developed. But this wasn’t the first book this guy has had published. There was nothing about the book that suggested to me anything other than he’s a guy who writes for a market that’s easily pleased and, other than constructing a unique plot, he puts little effort into making the product memorable.
The main character is a detective named Carrigan who is The Man With The Secret Sorrow. Except in this case, the guy has at least Three Secret Sorrows (his dead wife, his dead friend, and his still-burning love for his best friend’s wife who was once his lover).
Carrigan doesn’t play by the rules, which means (of course) He Gets Results, damn it. His boss would love to see him gone and virtually no one in his department can stand him. Well, no one except:
His new partner, Miller. But then, she’s got her own Secret Sorrow or two (a failed marriage, a failed career), and you know how Game Recognizes Game. This Unlikely Pair will surely develop an inexplicable chemistry, won’t they? (Spoiler alert: Why yes, of course they will. The author has written a couple more books featuring this pair, because they’re irresistible to readers and damn it, They Get Results!)
You get the picture.
On the upside, the story itself was interesting enough to keep me turning pages. The gradual filling in of the background of the main character and his friend was skillfully handled and helped build suspense. At the midpoint of the book I mentally calculated how many hours it would take me to finish it and I decided it was worth continuing to the end to find out how the story resolved itself.
On the downside, there’s a lot that’s annoying and aggravating about the book, starting with the main character. He’s a morose, mopey slob virtually devoid of any character traits that might have given me a reason to care what happens to him through the course of the book. He has a history of poor decision making and seems to succeed in solving crimes more out of dogged persistence than any special insight. What the author no doubt thought would make Carrigan “quirky” and “unique” (other than Carrigan’s Secret Sorrows) became irritating after a while: We hear about every cup of coffee the guy drank, we read repeatedly about the various bits of food stuck in his beard, etc. Carrigan - and the book, for that matter - is completely devoid of humor. He - and the book - felt more tedious than anything else. I honestly have no idea why anyone should look forward to more about the guy in future books.
There were enough typos throughout the book to make me wonder if publishers try to reduce costs by skimping on editing and proofreading. There were narrative inconsistencies that reminded me of continuity errors in movies.
There was no elegance or individual style to the writing. If this had been the author’s first book, I might have been more forgiving. I might have thought that perhaps I should check out his later work to see how he’s developed. But this wasn’t the first book this guy has had published. There was nothing about the book that suggested to me anything other than he’s a guy who writes for a market that’s easily pleased and, other than constructing a unique plot, he puts little effort into making the product memorable.
December 16, 2014
Having not read anything else by Sherez I was looking forward to starting the first in the Carrigan and Miller series. Also knowing that there has only been one follow up to date (Eleven Days published in 2103) I know I’m not too far behind. The pairing of the unlikely two lead characters works extremely well given their backgrounds and personal history. It took me quite a few chapters to really get under the skin of Jack Carrigan but I really liked this weirdly private and quirky bloke. Except as the story progresses you realise that quirkiness is just his defence mechanism to not allow people to delve too close. On the opposite side, Geneva Miller is clawing her way back after a demotion and is finding it hard trying to keep both sides of the fence happy. I warmed to Geneva more than Jack but by the end of the book I couldn’t imagine either of them working with anybody else.
Characters aside the story was quite something. Taking us through war ravaged countries and then being dragged to the present murder that has taken place in London of a young female Ugandan Student. Sherez clearly has the knowledge and maybe experience in managing to write about this subject with such conviction. There were parts that had my stomach turning; but in the back of my mind the brutal reminder that although this is a work of fiction, the history of some of these countries is shockingly real. There are plenty of twists in this complex book and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. This is most certainly a series which I will be continuing and would definitely put it on the recommended list.
Characters aside the story was quite something. Taking us through war ravaged countries and then being dragged to the present murder that has taken place in London of a young female Ugandan Student. Sherez clearly has the knowledge and maybe experience in managing to write about this subject with such conviction. There were parts that had my stomach turning; but in the back of my mind the brutal reminder that although this is a work of fiction, the history of some of these countries is shockingly real. There are plenty of twists in this complex book and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. This is most certainly a series which I will be continuing and would definitely put it on the recommended list.
April 5, 2015
A Dark Redemption is a police procedural with a strong political inflection concerning rebel child armies in Northern Uganda. The strength of the story is its nice prose and cadence, the contextualisation and the handling of the subject matter, and a nice sense of place with respect to the seedier parts of London. Carrigan and Miller are both troubled cops who are struggling in their personal lives and at work. In A Dark Redemption, Sherez focuses in particular on the back story of Carrigan and his approach to the death of a Ugandan student, though Miller has more substance than a one-dimensional side kick. Similarly other characters are nicely penned, such as a London-based political activist. The plot was interesting and compelling, though some elements didn’t quite ring true, and there is a reliance of plot devices at times. There is though a nice twist towards the end that I didn’t see coming. Overall, an engaging police procedural that tackles a weighty political issue head on.
October 8, 2014
I found it hard to make friends with the narrator of the audio book version of this book. Thus my enjoyment of the book was probably somewhat diminished.
I do not have a passion for books that deal with African conflicts so it wasn't my scene. But I thought it was written well enough to give the author another chance and I am going to read the second one in the "Carrigan and Miller" series.
I do not have a passion for books that deal with African conflicts so it wasn't my scene. But I thought it was written well enough to give the author another chance and I am going to read the second one in the "Carrigan and Miller" series.
October 23, 2020
I skipped ahead and read the third book in this series 'The Intrusions' first, and enjoyed it so much I believed it was worth starting the series from the beginning. While I did not enjoy 'A Dark Redemption' as much as 'The Intrusions' it filled in character details that I knew I had missed by starting with the third book. Frankly, I don't think it is fair to rate 'A Dark Redemption' much lower than 'The Intrusions' for the simple reason that the third book wouldn't exist without this one.
My enjoyment of 'A Dark Redemption' being lower than the third book is simply a personal preference of finding the subject matter in the third book more interesting, in combination with some character clichés becoming more apparent in this book. Without spoiling the crime in this story explored some ideas I didn't know too much about which I appreciated, and while I was not able to guess many of the twists this time around it still kept me engaged until the end. The characters part of the investigation are not overly sympathetic and I did not find myself intrigued by any of them except for the victim and one other individual that got questioned. The descriptions were decent and dialogue well done.
Who would have thought that the characters in a series would become more sympathetic if you start with book 1 instead of book 3? Cliché details aside, this was the high point of the book - in reading book 3 first I found Carrigan arrogant and Miller did not have much to her. 'A Dark Redemption' did not try to deny Carrigan's arrogance but instead helped make the character more well rounded - where his stubbornness and arrogance is a flaw - though this is something he is willing to own up to when it turns out he has made a mistake. The personal circumstances that Genevra had with her divorce in process and her relationship to her mother was also sympathetic. The subplot about Genevra and Carrigan's work relationship was my favourite part. They encounter a number of work conflicts (at times out of their control) which they work together to resolve.
I would recommend this book if you like crime, though keep in mind that there are some clichés in the character details (not so much the execution of the story). It is worth getting the character background before jumping into book 3 - or even book 2 which I have started.
My enjoyment of 'A Dark Redemption' being lower than the third book is simply a personal preference of finding the subject matter in the third book more interesting, in combination with some character clichés becoming more apparent in this book. Without spoiling the crime in this story explored some ideas I didn't know too much about which I appreciated, and while I was not able to guess many of the twists this time around it still kept me engaged until the end. The characters part of the investigation are not overly sympathetic and I did not find myself intrigued by any of them except for the victim and one other individual that got questioned. The descriptions were decent and dialogue well done.
Who would have thought that the characters in a series would become more sympathetic if you start with book 1 instead of book 3? Cliché details aside, this was the high point of the book - in reading book 3 first I found Carrigan arrogant and Miller did not have much to her. 'A Dark Redemption' did not try to deny Carrigan's arrogance but instead helped make the character more well rounded - where his stubbornness and arrogance is a flaw - though this is something he is willing to own up to when it turns out he has made a mistake. The personal circumstances that Genevra had with her divorce in process and her relationship to her mother was also sympathetic. The subplot about Genevra and Carrigan's work relationship was my favourite part. They encounter a number of work conflicts (at times out of their control) which they work together to resolve.
I would recommend this book if you like crime, though keep in mind that there are some clichés in the character details (not so much the execution of the story). It is worth getting the character background before jumping into book 3 - or even book 2 which I have started.
March 17, 2019
I wasn't too thrilled with the subject of the book. Mostly, I liked how the book was written, there was a couple of sentences that didn't quite flow for me, but there were quite a few times where I didn't want to put the book down. The main reason I disliked the book was because a lot of the first half has racism, immigrants plights, corrupt and misguided governments and countries (in this case, the English and African/Ugandans), evil and violent dictators, it's all more than I care to read about. I personally just don't like reading about these subjects and A Dark Redemption told it in a very realistic way. However, if it was all fantasies, I wouldn't have been as bothered but some of the events that happened in the book were either close or do and has happened in reality, so I disliked reading about those issues.
The only other thing I disliked about this book is that the author has Americanised himself. The book came off as written by a British writer but I kept seeing American English pop in. I googled the author and found out that he is British, which I thought as much. It's just a pet peeve of mine with the inconsistency. It would have been nicer to read if he picked either UK or US and stuck to one.
I did grow fond of the two main characters - Jack and Geneva, even their short-tempered, bad mouthed boss made me chuckle a couple of times, so I'm glad I connected with them. I also wasn't expecting who the real bad guy was and who seemed to be the bad guy, wasn't. So that was fun to uncover.
It's not a terrible read, it would be good for someone who likes or doesn't mind reading about politics and politicians, war and all the corruption that comes with it. That's just not my cup of tea.
The only other thing I disliked about this book is that the author has Americanised himself. The book came off as written by a British writer but I kept seeing American English pop in. I googled the author and found out that he is British, which I thought as much. It's just a pet peeve of mine with the inconsistency. It would have been nicer to read if he picked either UK or US and stuck to one.
I did grow fond of the two main characters - Jack and Geneva, even their short-tempered, bad mouthed boss made me chuckle a couple of times, so I'm glad I connected with them. I also wasn't expecting who the real bad guy was and who seemed to be the bad guy, wasn't. So that was fun to uncover.
It's not a terrible read, it would be good for someone who likes or doesn't mind reading about politics and politicians, war and all the corruption that comes with it. That's just not my cup of tea.
August 6, 2018
* I enjoyed this book and plan to read the second in the series, in spite of a slightly mixed first impression of the author’s work.
* The plot, locations and characters are all interesting, managing to keep me engaged and wanting to read more. My only real issues with the book were with a small but distracting proportion of the language and with the author’s apparent lack of understanding of technology and the modern world. These were only really a problem as they jarred and brought me out of the story - perhaps a backhanded compliment to the author.
* I felt that I had to keep checking when the book was set to help me to understand the fact that iPods, mimeograph printing and pagers were all in use by relatively young people and that the police were using faxes to send finger print information. I am not sure that a fax would ever have been good enough for fingerprint checks, but the fact that I think that the modern part of the book was set in 2012 makes this seem even more unlikely.
* Strange use of language included for example the idea of “a gravel of truth” - this type of wording encouraged me to look up the word in question to check whether my understanding was correct, nearly always to find that the use was at least unusual and more often inappropriate.
* I am afraid that this focus on the negative gives the wrong impression of my view of the book - I am looking forward to reading another in the series in the hope that these issues may have reduced to enable me to enjoy the book even more than A Dark Redemption.
* The plot, locations and characters are all interesting, managing to keep me engaged and wanting to read more. My only real issues with the book were with a small but distracting proportion of the language and with the author’s apparent lack of understanding of technology and the modern world. These were only really a problem as they jarred and brought me out of the story - perhaps a backhanded compliment to the author.
* I felt that I had to keep checking when the book was set to help me to understand the fact that iPods, mimeograph printing and pagers were all in use by relatively young people and that the police were using faxes to send finger print information. I am not sure that a fax would ever have been good enough for fingerprint checks, but the fact that I think that the modern part of the book was set in 2012 makes this seem even more unlikely.
* Strange use of language included for example the idea of “a gravel of truth” - this type of wording encouraged me to look up the word in question to check whether my understanding was correct, nearly always to find that the use was at least unusual and more often inappropriate.
* I am afraid that this focus on the negative gives the wrong impression of my view of the book - I am looking forward to reading another in the series in the hope that these issues may have reduced to enable me to enjoy the book even more than A Dark Redemption.
August 25, 2018
The plot is complex but not difficult to follow. It begins with a chilling incident that takes place in Uganda, just after the main character, Jack Carrigan, and two friends have graduated from university. The story then moves to present-day London and the murder of a young Ugandan woman. Carrigan, now a DI in the police, investigates the case. He's assigned a young detective sergeant, Geneva Miller, who'll be working with him. What I found so compelling about the story was that the author relates the backstory of Carrigan's early trip to Africa piecemeal, so it's not dropped on the reader all at once. Backstory is so often an infodump--but definitely not in this case.
The fateful, post-graduation trip to Uganda and the current murder are inextricably linked. We figure this out gradually--and the author really keeps us guessing as to exactly what the missing link is.
Both Carrigan and Miller are flawed but engaging characters, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
The fateful, post-graduation trip to Uganda and the current murder are inextricably linked. We figure this out gradually--and the author really keeps us guessing as to exactly what the missing link is.
Both Carrigan and Miller are flawed but engaging characters, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
November 4, 2018
Carrigan and Miller - a brilliant detective series by Stav Sherez:
Detective fiction doesn't come any better than in the Carrigan and Miller Series by Stav Sherez. There are three novels to date and each is equally gripping. A recommendation in The Mail on Sunday started me reading them and I wasn't to be disappointed. Whilst the three novels can be read independently, I would recommend that you read the books in published order. They are a treat to read and each will have you guessing to the very end. The third novel in the series, "The Intrusions" lives up to its title and features the potentially sinister power of malware on PCs and laptops. Very scary. Especially when you realise that the software actually exists. It makes the plot ever so realistic. And will ensure you switch off your PCs and laptops after every internet browsing session.
All three novels make for a great read with intelligent plots, realistic characters and twists and turns. This is a must read series for those readers who are fans of detective fiction. Read and enjoy.
Detective fiction doesn't come any better than in the Carrigan and Miller Series by Stav Sherez. There are three novels to date and each is equally gripping. A recommendation in The Mail on Sunday started me reading them and I wasn't to be disappointed. Whilst the three novels can be read independently, I would recommend that you read the books in published order. They are a treat to read and each will have you guessing to the very end. The third novel in the series, "The Intrusions" lives up to its title and features the potentially sinister power of malware on PCs and laptops. Very scary. Especially when you realise that the software actually exists. It makes the plot ever so realistic. And will ensure you switch off your PCs and laptops after every internet browsing session.
All three novels make for a great read with intelligent plots, realistic characters and twists and turns. This is a must read series for those readers who are fans of detective fiction. Read and enjoy.
February 27, 2019
A Dark Redemption, while set in London, has connections to Africa and the atrocities committed there under various uprisings and coups. Jack Carrigan has his own history with Africa, which he’d rather forget, and now that he has to take charge of a case with an African victim it is bringing it all back for him. The novel gives you glimpses in to the horror from Jack’s trip with his friends to Africa as a young man, interspersed with the current investigation. Finally, connections and the killer are revealed. A good first in a new series, I enjoyed this London based mystery with international connections.
September 28, 2019
This would have been a fantastic story, really, but I took away stars for the simple fact that it came across as the epitome of a white savior complex through the main characters and the entire time crapping on Africa in such a discreet manner that it’s either unintentional or brilliantly masked. The ending was great, the plot was great, the characterization was great; however, utilizing a country’s violent history to further perpetuate a Western superiority complex against not just that country, but also an entire continent was something that I will always associate with this book. I don’t think other reviews have pointed this out so maybe it really is just me.
December 15, 2016
I'd not heard of this writer until I heard him mentioned on a podcast but I'm really chuffed to have now discovered him particularly as its book 1 in a crime procedural series.
I engaged with the lead detectives as they hunt for the perpetrator of a horrible murder. A really interesting thread explores recent Ugandan history and added to a well plotted crime novel. As with good crime writing the character flaws of the two police officers had me hooked and the pace rattles along.
A writer I'm glad to have found and looking forward to enjoying in the future.
I engaged with the lead detectives as they hunt for the perpetrator of a horrible murder. A really interesting thread explores recent Ugandan history and added to a well plotted crime novel. As with good crime writing the character flaws of the two police officers had me hooked and the pace rattles along.
A writer I'm glad to have found and looking forward to enjoying in the future.
July 4, 2018
After reading the praise this novel has garnered I expected something more. The background to the plot is novel but the sequence of events leading to the denouement is very familiar. I am tired of police procedurals in which cops enter dangerous situations without backup and end up with one used as a hostage. The characters are interesting, though just once I'd like a detective who keeps themself clean and eats well. The writing is tight and the narrative moves along effectively and I will certainly seek out the next book in this series.
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