Vanishing Point by Danielle Ramsay

Inspector Jack Brady #2

by Danielle Ramsay

Vanishing Point sees DI Jack Brady investigating the horrific deaths of young women in Whitley Bay -- and uncovering a sadistic and powerful trafficking ring that has its roots in the highest echelons of power! "Moaning, she lifted her aching head up off the cold tiled floor. In the background the razor sharp noise of dripping water echoed again and again. All she knew was that she was hurting. Really hurting. That was when she realised that her tongue was missing!" Early on a Sunday morning in the North East seaside resort of Whitley Bay, a headless female torso washes up on the beach. Two days later, the body's missing head appears a mile down the coast -- and with that, DI Jack Brady is plunged into one of the most harrowing cases of his career. Just when things couldn't get any tougher, news arrives that Brady's former lover DS Simone Henderson is fighting for her life after a horrific attack -- yet unable to identify her assailants as her tongue has been cut out! Brady's investigation uncovers a depraved sex trade run by some of the most powerful men in the North East; men determined that no-one, not even DI Jack Brady, gets in the way of their foul business. But when he realises that the roots of evil may be too close to home, can he uncover the truth without his own world falling apart?

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Fiction

Paperback

First published April 26, 2012

About the author

Danielle Ramsay is a proud Scot living in a small seaside town in the North-East of England. Always a storyteller, it was only after initially following an academic career lecturing in literature that she found her place in life and began to write creatively full-time.

Reviews

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2017 - I'm going to re-read this one as loved her most recent book. I'll go back and see if I missed something with my first read or maybe her writing improved?

I wanted to love this book as set in my home town but just couldn't. The plot has excellent potential but was lost in a swarm of over-description of minor details and too many characters making it difficult to relax into.

Certain scenes are excellent but then followed by long and drawn out dialogues that at times just bored me to be honest. I didn't, but was tempted to skip pages knowing I would not miss much. I read a lot of crime thrillers but this one just wasn't up there with some of the best I have read.

Really disappointed. 3 stars is all I feel I can give this book. It's just missing the thrills, tension and plot a book in this genre needs.

Despite this one not thrilling me, I'm willing to try the next in this series with an open mind to see if another may appeal more.

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[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 Words: Crime, mystery, smuggling, slavery, guilt.

This was very brutal, more so than the first. The story itself picks up about six months after the first book.

Brady is just as bitter in Vanishing Point as he was in Broken Silence but it wasn't too much this time - whereas in the first I found it overbearing, in this second book it was much more in fitting with the story and tone. And I felt that he had more of a reason than ever to be bitter.

These books are a harsh commentary on cuts to police budgets, social conditioning, poverty and "beauty". Brady's bitterness at these issues is so real, so understandable, that you start feeling extra bitter yourself.

I don't feel that you have to have read the first book to fully appreciate this - it can very much be read as a standalone. The recaps in it are enough to get the gist of the previous story across without being an info-dump and if you have read the previous book then they're a good reminder of everything that happened.

[Fiona · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be poorly written, which was a real shame as the plot had potential to be excellent and there were some very strong characters struggling to be heard.

The main issues which distracted me were the excessive use of adverbs - often in the wrong place, which interrupted the flow of the text. Slowly, harshly... and if anyone else sighed heavily it could have blown Whitley Bay into the water.

Secondly was the constant use of short clipped sentences. As a literary device this has its place, indicating pressure or speed, or to deliver a hard-hitting punchline to the reader. However, Ramsay uses these constantly and I found it merely irritating.

Thirdly were some turns of phrases and dialogue which sounded plain unrealistic - ok on paper; never something that anyone would actually say. My favourite was Brady smoking and thinking "he knew he had to kick the habit before the habit kicked him hard; hard enough to land him in the morgue". Urgh.

And lastly was the constant patronising of the reader; we are reminded over and over again that Nick is Brady's brother, that Ronnie Macmillan is a drug dealer, and that he is Mayor Macmillan's brother.

I persevered with the book as I did want to find out what happened to the girls, but I almost wished I hadn't. It is a real shame that the writing is so poor and distracting as, although the idea of a rough-edged detective solving cases by bending rules and living on the edge of the law is hardly original, there is the grain of an excellent plot.

[ghostly_bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

CAWPILE 6.86
3.5 STARS

Borrowed through my local library.
Could only get my hands on #2 but I will return and read #1.
I went into this blind and was pleasantly surprised- it's dark, gritty, it doesn't shy away from some difficult subjects and yet it's written in a way that is very readable, the pacing is speedy and I never felt that we were dragging in any part of the book. Dark and difficult subjects were written about with poise and a respect that I really admire, nothing felt like it was done for sensationalism.
It was novel reading so many place names and streets that are local to me- including the hospital I was born.
Read this in one sitting tonight, pages flew- I am going to try more Danielle Ramsay in the future!

[Anthony Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fast pace action thriller. I have read the author's previous book, although I enjoyed it, however, that book suffered from the author's very tainted view of Whitley Bay. She projected it as a drug riddled and bottle strewn place, with druggists and drunks roaming the area plus corruption everywhere. I also read in the first book 'Broken Silence', the first couple of chapters of her next one, which again painted a poor picture of this area. I should declare an interest, that being I was born and brought up in Whitley Bay and having worked away for a few years I returned. Whitley Bay is no worse than many now run down seaside resorts and much better than some. I was therefore delighted to read a much more balance view of Whitley Bay, those earlier chapters for this book had been totally re-written, and this book certainly did not suffer from her previous vitriol - which had spoilt her first book for me. I am a retired ex- customs officer, so I know the dockside areas on both sides of the river, from the mouth of the Tyne all the way passed Newcastle, including the pubs and dock dives.

In this book, as in the previous, she has made excellent geographic use of the are and local landmarks. All of the hotels exist and even the 'Blue Lagoon ' did exist, though now has a different name. The car chases were all geographically correct, as is the description of St Mary's Lighthouse and the surrounding beach and rocks Even down to the Public Toilet and the small wall where Brady hid. That all said, you certainly do not need to come from here to enjoy the book. A lot happens with many sub-plots leading to dramatic conclusions. Within the plot there are gangster, sex slaves, murder, kidnaps, corrupt high officials, East-European links and a world weary cop who all this falls on. I just wish I had Brady's stamina to go through what he did with such little sleep!

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

there's the basis for a good (in fact a really good) story here but the writing style left a bit to be desired. I felt Ramsay was lazy in her characterization and boring in her general descriptions. she repeated herself within several lines just in case we didn't get the point. I was unable to finish the book, although I did want to know what happened in the end - as I said above, it has the bones of a good plot.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read.
really identify with the main character

[Rebecca Stobart · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's another dark tale for the seaside town of Whitley Bay, not only has one of the forces own turned up in a bad way, but the body of a young woman has washed up on shore metres from where Simone was found half dead in the Blue Lagoon club. Before he can have any hope of learning the woman's identity, Jack first has to find the poor girl's head.

The discovery of the mutilated body shines a unholy light on the goings on in the North East, it's more sinister than a small branch of the police should be dealing with. Sex trafficking has not only made it's way to the North, but right onto Brady's doorstep. If that wasn't complicated enough, old friend and ex copper Jimmy Matthews is threatening Jack from prison and Jack is worried that his little brother, Nick, might be mixed up in all of this unsavoury business. No wonder Jack needs a drink.

He's still got Conrad though. Lovely, patient Harry Conrad.

Danielle Ramsay paints the picture of a police station banding together in light of DC Simone Henderson's attempted murder. Albeit terrified that they might be next, everyone shows their loyalty through an eagerness to solve this case as quickly as possible. Though Jack has a loyalty to his brother too and has to make sure Nick isn't involved first.

Vanishing Point is much darker than Ramsay's first book of the series, Broken Silence, it's a look into just how seedy crime can be. As a big fan of psychological thrillers, the dark edge around Brady's cases intrigues me more than the average police procedure novel. More than just another murder mystery, Vanishing Point is another chapter in Jack Brady's life as again the case seems to link itself to people from Jack's past. I really enjoy the personal link he has to his cases.

Growing up and working from Whitley Bay to Blyth in the North East, theres a good chance you're going to know everyone and their brother, Brady certainly seems to and it really comes across in this book just how tied he is to Whitley Bay. A lot of families stay in the North East all their lives and across generations. These connections and unfolding backstory are what make Jack Brady such a three dimensional character.

[Erunyauve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanishing Point picks up six months after the first book. Brady remains dedicated to the point of obsession and Conrad remains the loyal sidekick who tries to keep his boss from getting himself into too much hot water. We learn about Brady's childhood as his brother, Nick, surfaces. We also learn that Claudia might not be quite the angel of Brady's perception.

The plot is pretty horrifying, centering around human trafficking, but the author, while dealing in some realistic grit, pulls back before it gets too gruesome, allowing the reader to fill in the blanks. Brady is again the strength of the book, a lead character who is, while at times exasperating, easy to like and understand. I'm disappointed that the rest of the series is only in paperback - I like it enough, however, that I might order the paperbacks to read on vacation.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danielle Ramsay writes gritty, Drama-laden crime stories set in the North East of England. The Main character is DI Jack Brady who will stop at nothing to get the job done and the crime solved. The books are very reminiscent of Ian Rankins' Rebus novels albeit with a geographical move. My main criticism is that there is a tendency to repeat the backstory of characters across the novels, which would not be a bad thing if the same words had not been used verbatim time and time again, and this can be a bit tedious.
If you like a low down gritty read - give these a go!

[Plum-crazy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit disappointed in this after so enjoying "Broken Silence". To be honest, I struggled to concentrate on it at times, finding it muddled in parts & very repetitive in others. It very much followed on from the first in the series but it didn't grip me as that one had....will certainly read more in the series if I come across them but won't be tracking them down. 

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd Inspector Jack Brady novel I've read, I haven't quite decided if I like the character yet. He's not very nice to the people he supposedly cares about, and often walks away from them, hangs up on them, or completely ignores them. He seems to just do things his on way !!
All in all, the story was very good, and although the subject area isn't very pleasant, it was a good read.

[Suzanne Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in the Jack Brady series and it’s getting better..good plot and description of the local area..I knew exactly where she meant with each description. The author’s writing style had improved in this book although still a bit waffly and over descriptive where it doesn’t need to be. I’ll read more in the series though, even if just for the local setting.

[Caroline Rossiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I've read by this author and I will definitely be reading more. Good story that kept me wanting to read more. I live in the area it is set in, so being able to visualise where they were made it even better

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

So realistic, it's unnerving!

The horrors exposed in this novel are only a SMALL glimpse into the reality of sex trafficking, yet what is given is so utterly realistic, its unnerving.

[Joanne Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read

I've read a few of Danielle Ramsay's books now, she is a brilliant author.
Jack is an old fashioned cop, going with his gut instincts and is a likable character. I have already purchased the remaining 3 Jack Brady books, and going to start number 3 now.

[Steve Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

We both enjoyed this book as it was pacy, a good story with quite a few red herrings along the way - just to make things more interesting!!

[Beth Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't call this book a mystery. And it isn't a thriller, as advertised. But it's a good read and fast paced.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second book in the series featuring DI Jack Brady and picks up a short time after the events in Broken Silence.
DI Jack Brady and his team investigate the disappearance & deaths of young women in Whitley Bay. The police face a race against time to identify the victims, apprehend the murderer before any more innocent lives are lost. During the course of the investigation DI Brady and his team uncover a people trafficking ring & a prostitution ring but the police face hostility towards their investigations. At the same time there appears to be a turf war between two different gangs who are each trying to drop the other group in it. These cases become personal for Brady for reasons that become obvious when you read the book.
Vanishing Point lets the reader learn about the personal histories of DI Jack Brady, his brother Nick and the local crime boss (but also Jack’s friend) Madley. They all grew up together and came from the local poverty ridden estate. It is true that during their childhoods they each looked out for each other, which is where the strong bonds & friendship come from.
Brady is a workaholic, obsessive, compulsive and impulsive man, who has a crap relationship history and he also has a history of fractured personal relationships. Brady has a problem with kiss arses and authority, which ggets him into trouble on more than one occasion. Brady’s back history goes a long way to explaining why he is the way he is today. In this book Brady has to work closely with his ex-wife Claudia, which goes a long way to repairing some of the damage that Jack caused.
This book was well written and well structured. The chapters are short but they seem to end on a bit of a cliffhanger moment and you just have to read on some more and then some more. I was hooked on this story from the first page. The author’s writing style shows more confidence in her work and this will continue to be the case with each and every book that she writes. The story itself is full of twists, turns and red herrings. I thought I had the perpetrator figured out but was then sent down another road entirely. At times the descriptions of injuries etc can be gruesome but I think that that adds a great sense of realism into the book and the descriptions are not gratuitous.
Vanishing Point is not as negative about Whitley Bay but I still feel that DI Brady feels a lot of resentment towards the town and that is why he is negative about the area, which comes across in the book. I have to say that I am developing a soft spot for DI Brady and his colleague DS Conrad, which I think will continues to be the case as the series continues.
I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading further books in this series.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Expectation: I thought that this would be a standard police procedural as part of the Jack Brady series. Instead it was much more than simple murder/investigation/capture because of the widescale of the crimes and the interweaving of personal and investigative plotlines.

Characters: I liked Brady as a main character because of his faults, in many crime novels the central character is an almost-perfect, better than all of his colleague investigator who can solve a crime by looking at a thread or a room. Brady's personal problems and his need to protect his friends, Madley, and brother, Nick, from his colleagues at the police station meant that he was blemished by their crimes and this added to the depth of his anxious behaiour and need for secrecy.
Beyond Jack I liked the other characters but I found it increasingly difficult to keep track of everyones names. There was Jack's Team, Adamson's team, the hierarchy at the police station, those in Jack's past, his friends, ex-wife and her partner, his own friends and then the criminals names from two investigations. I had to keep skipping back and forth to remind myself of some of the characters who weren't mentioned for a few chapters.

Overall I think that while the plot was set on a widescale it didn't cross the line into the ridiculous or unimaginable. The crossover of the immediate investigations and the shadows of Jack's past linked well and neither was ever given more precidence to the detriment of the other. I would absolutely read any others in the series.

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed the previous book in the series, and I liked some of this one too, but in truth it was a little inferior and a little less enjoyable. Ramsay sets her novel in the North East resort of Whitley Bay, and populates her tale with a whole cast of cops and criminals, politicians and prostitutes, families and.. fuck.. other stuff. The plot was involving and gory, and the pace is kept up all the way through, with plenty of twists and turns taking it beyond the typical police procedural.

Alas it was just a bit too grim for me. The central character was created so flawed and unlikeable that I started to lose interest (and certainly started not to feel he was on 'my side' so to speak) and there were also some aspects I thought a little unrealistic with regards the amount the aforementioned hero was able to do - in terms of seemingly progressing then solving two investigations and personally hunting down and bringing to justice the multiple protagonists. I didn't feel the female writer's male characters were always convincing either.

I'll read more by this author, but my initial impressions that she might write as well as Stuart MacBride have been lessened by this novel.

[Sarah Baines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book from Danielle Ramsay. I'm loving this series!!!!

[Midnite · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book I have read from Danielle Ramsay and I found it a fast paced gritty read with plenty of surprise twists, this sex trafficking story has quite a violent and shocking start which kept me reading this book all the way through in 1 sitting.

It is a compelling read and we watch Brady get completely immersed into this sadistic crime ring with personal issues directly relating to it. I found Brady a believable likeable rough round the edges cop, just my kinda guy and I wanted to know more about him. But I probably need to read book 1 to find out more about the inner man.

I thoroughly enjoyed Danielle's flow which keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through the book and I really hope she writes another in this series as I loved the fast paced writing to this story.
Id definitely recommend this book to those that love a rough edged crime thriller.

[Amethyst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book I have read from Danielle Ramsay and I found it a fast paced gritty read with plenty of surprise twists, this sex trafficking story has quite a violent and shocking start which kept me reading this book all the way through in 1 sitting.

It is a compelling read and we watch Brady get completely immersed into this sadistic crime ring with personal issues directly relating to it. I found Brady a believable likeable rough round the edges cop, just my kinda guy and I wanted to know more about him. But I probably need to read book 1 to find out more about the inner man.

I thoroughly enjoyed Danielle's flow which keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through the book and I really hope she writes another in this series as I loved the fast paced writing to this story.
Id definitely recommend this book to those that love a rough edged crime thriller.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Danielle Ramsay's first book, Broken Silence, I knew I wanted to read more. The characters in the previous book were again included within Vanishing Point as well new ones who you were easily able to learn about and grew to love or hate the good or bad guys.

This was also a page turner but maybe even more than the first. It contained more drama and immediacy to round the case up making it a fast moving plot and keeping you on the edge of your seat.

I'd say it's definitely worth a read. Danielle Ramsay's writing has improved between the two keeping the clues to the case really mysterious even though there is more to the case than first meets the eye. Very well done.

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this author’s first novel, so pre-ordered this (a kindle book), the second in the series, however, although it was a very good read, I didn’t think it lived up to the author’s first book.

There was lots of dark, violence, plus quick moving action. It is just as Jack Brady expresses it himself “That kind of weird, sadistic shit wasn’t what he expected to find happening in Whitley Bay of all places” but I would have liked the story to have a little more personal interest in the Brady character outside of his work.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
This took a little while to get into, but soon hooked me and wouldn't let me go. It is not the most appealing material, with it's focus on sex trafficking and the discovery of a decapitated corpse, but iis still an 'entertaining' read, if a touch gritty in places. I have to admit ebnjoying the books in this series, and seeing how Jack Brady's past keeps impinging on the current. Jack, in my opinion, is lucky to still be a policeman. Hopefully in the future he will learn to move on with his life and involve his partner, Conrad, more in his cases. I certainly recommend this series.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Broken Silence I had to read Vanishing Point the second book in the series. I really enjoyed it and found the characters grew on me leaving me hoping there is going to be a Third book.
If you enjoy police procedure/mystery that's fast paced with lots of twists and unexpected turn then give this a try.
Highly recommend!

[Kunal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stuck with it and the ending was pleasantly surprising. On the whole, however, Ramsay's writing skills leave a lot to be desired. Repetitive, patronizing and amateurish are a few adjectives that come to mind. Did I mention repetitive?

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gruesome murder and a devastating attack on a colleague send DI Jack Brady into action; but is the source of the crime rather too close to home? Pacy thriller.