The Associate

Shanna Regan Mystery

by Victoria Goldman

THE BODY COUNT IS RISING ... AND GETTING FAR TOO CLOSE

A missing architect. An interfaith charity project. Vandalism and online threats. Can racist slogans lead to kidnap – or even murder?

BOOK TWO in the Shanna Regan Murder Mystery series. The Associate is the sequel to The Redeemer , which was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards.

'Faye Kellerman, behold your British counterpart!' – Jewish Journal

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When an architect vanishes in East London, her concerned fiancé asks journalist Shanna Regan to find her. The missing woman has been leading an interfaith Jewish-Muslim charity project that’s become the target of malicious damage and racist threats.
After Shanna witnesses a teenage girl fall to her death, she’s convinced the architect’s disappearance is also linked to a local youth outreach project. And then another woman is reported missing.
Amid rising local tensions, danger appears to be lurking around every corner. Even the safest sanctuaries seem to be hiding the darkest secrets. As Shanna uncovers a tangled web of lies, she puts her own life on the line. Will she find the missing architect before it’s too late?

The Associate is the compelling and thought-provoking sequel to The Redeemer.

Books in the Shanna Regan Murder Mystery series have been:
** SHORTLISTED for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards **
** GIVEN AN HONOURABLE MENTION in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019 **

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Praise for Victoria Goldman's books

'Faye Kellerman, behold your British counterpart!' – Jewish Journal

'A tense & twisty crime thriller' – Adam Hamdy, author of The Other Side of Night

'An intriguing, atmospheric page turner ... had me hooked!' – Janice Hallett, author of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

'Astute, important & compelling' – Sarah Hilary, author of Black Thorn

'If you're looking for something different in crime fiction, this is well worth your time' – Susi Holliday, author of The Street

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2023

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year I reviewed Victoria’s debut and the first in the Shanna Regan series – The Redeemer. I was delighted to have the opportunity to read the second book, The Associate and to continue my reading journey with Shanna Regan.

In this second outing, Shanna combines her journalist career with that of a fledgling private investigator when she is asked to find a missing woman, Louisa. The young woman, a promising architect, is heavily involved with a synagogue and a charity project which aims to bring together both Jewish and Muslim communities, including refugees. There is some local opposition to the project and security is needed for everyone’s safety. However even this wasn’t enough to prevent the death toll rising.

Shanna is still undecided about her future but her temporary home belonging to her absent (and sort of) boyfriend provides some refuge. Louisa is not the only missing person she is looking for as she seeks to find out more about her family.

With background themes of gun crime, immigration, racism and anti semitism, the story is both topical and relevant. Attempts are made to engage the local youth community and give them a sense of purpose and Shanna finds herself drawn into this community as part of her attempt to find the missing Louisa.

The Associate is a worthy follow up to The Redeemer and Shanna’s character progression has made the story with all its facets both gripping and intriguing. The interfaith project bringing together Jewish and Muslim faiths was a fascinating addition to the story and I learned a little more about both. The faith aspect of the books is what I particularly enjoy as I feel I’ve been educated but never preached to. The diverse cast was such that I was never quite sure who could be trusted and I did worry for Shanna when her impulsive instincts made her vulnerable to danger. With clever plotting and a touch of misdirection, there were times when I was completely taken by surprise.

Whilst stubborn and brave, Shanna still seems a conflicted and restless soul, wanting to be on the move and unwilling to be tied down to a place or person but there were signs that perhaps her personal life may be about to change. However it would seem that we will have to wait for the next book to find out.

The Associate is a tense thriller with a disturbing undercurrent that kept me reading. Definitely one to recommend.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the series and enjoyed it as Book 1
Shanna is now investigating a missing person ( not in her remit really but she’s game ) who is very much involved in a charity that is run jointly by Jews and Muslims and seeks to help both, including housing a Syrian refugee family in the local synagogue…you imagine the backlash from some folk re this
Once again Shanna is soon embroiled in a fast paced thriller/adventure with many and varied layers to the tale
Much more info on Jewish lives and traditions in this book and the very many different practices of varying Jewish beliefs, all which was again fascinating
I loved Shanna being vegetarian as have been for about 40 years and the various Kosher veggie dishes she enjoys and would also like to try some of the mouthwatering doughnuts mentioned in each book!
Really glad found this author and this series and look forward to Book 3

[Miranda Rijks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having loved The Redeemer by Victoria Goldman, I was excited to read the second Shanna Regan novel, The Associate. Freelance journalist Shanna is tasked with uncovering the disappearance of architect Louisa Phillips. Set in East London in an area where heightened tensions and violence are increasingly the norm, this book spotlights both the Jewish and Muslim communities, racist attacks as well as interfaith projects. Although it’s a work of fiction, the subject matter could not be more relevant and poignant.

Just like the first novel in this series, The Associate is a fast-paced, mystery with extremely strong characters. Shanna in particular is a wonderful protagonist with her own complex and fascinating back-story, a character I found myself rooting for and thinking about long after I finished reading The Associate. This was a beautifully written, quick, twisty and compelling read that I highly recommend. I can’t wait to find out what Shanna Regan will be investigating next.

[Peter Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

The old maxim ‘stick to what you are good at’ is usually sound advice, one that Shanna Regan was going to abide by, but then life gets in the way. Shanna wants to succeed as a freelance journalist. When a strange request is made of her, to find architect Louisa Phillips the fiancé of Jack Harris she becomes conflicted. Louisa has been missing for a week and Jack is becoming concerned.

Investigative journalism involves research and digging for clues, helpful skills but surely searching for a missing person calls for a private investigator or even the police. Jack claims to have reported Louisa missing to the police but Shanna has her doubts, she thinks Jack is being evasive. Against her better judgement she agrees to help him, but only because there could be a bigger story in the background.

Jack and Louisa are heavily involved in an interfaith charity which is based at an old synagogue that is being renovated. Situated in a much deprived area of London, one that is blighted by violent crime, the prospect of Jews and Muslims working together on joint projects is appealing and newsworthy. Community harmony and keeping the youth of the neighbourhood away from knife crime are laudable aims and if Shanna can bring the story to a wider audience, it will benefit everyone. Not everyone takes this view she discovers, there are objections to the flat on the top floor being converted for Ukrainian refuges and there is vandalism and graffiti at the project. Shanna must tread a careful path lest prejudices become inflamed.

The setting of the heart of the story, the old synagogue, is a brilliant one and used to its fullest. There is a connection with smuggling in the past, with secret rooms and cupboards much like the ‘priest holes’ in parts of the building. Add bored youths, a rumour of hidden riches and you have a bit of a treasure hunt in an old and creepy property.

Shanna is a woman at crossroads in life, both professionally and emotionally. Her work colleague says she’s running away from commitments, and this is good observation. She could settle down to a steady job at News Quest’s office, but she hankers for more, the freedom of being a freelance journalist though is unsure if she can make it work. Then there is Mark, the friend whose house she is currently living in whilst he is off travelling. A romantic relationship will surely develop if only their paths align. Very much a conflicted woman but one who is very determined and astute when she can get a clear mind.

The plot is very much one of searching, mainly trying to find out what happened to Louisa, but also Shanna’s quest to uncover more from her family past. One path is logical, one of ordered steps, the other is more leftfield. With a character like Shanna, we know that she will pursue it to the end regardless of the consequences. There is an intensity here that drags the reader along and Shanna has that knack of getting into difficult situations without quite getting into mortal danger.
Faith plays a part in the background of the story. Firstly, there is the interfaith aspect, one that most right-minded people would support, after all they along with Christianity have the same Abrahamic stem. Naturally there are objections from some of the more hardline or devout. More importantly there is an examination of how in a secular country to still have faith but to adapt it to the environment and the modern world. How frictions can arise amongst family and friends when someone becomes more devout or relaxes their religious restrictions, often being a counter reaction to their upbringing.

The storyline moves along at a nice pace, not too hurried, with some nice distractions along the way that avoids any flagging of interest. Anyone who has heard scratching noises from their attic will identify with Shanna discomfort and the secret customer is a clever way to examine the localities within the search.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Associate is book two in the Shanna Regan series, and this time Shanna finds herself caught up in the case of missing architect and charity project worker, Louisa Phillips. Louisa is heavily involved in an interfaith project, Shalom-Salaam, that unites Jewish and Muslim worshippers alike in a bid to highlight the similarities between the two faiths, and to support their local community. With ties to other youth projects that have seen their fair share of tragedy, and based in an area of London which is known for a high proportion of crime and violence, could there be something sinister behind Louisa's disappearance or is she simply a woman who had got cold feet over the relationship with her fiancé? Whilst missing persons is not necessarily Shanna's speciality, as a freelance journalist, she has a little leeway in what stories she pursues, and there is something in Louisa's story that intrigues her. Given her reputation since solving her previous case, Shanna seems a natural fit for this investigation, but it's not long before she finds herself in jeopardy as the case takes a surprisingly dark turn.

I really enjoyed this book. Victoria Goldman has created a really compelling story that not only draws the readers into the mystery, but that also highlights some of the misconceptions surrounding the Muslim and Jewish faiths. That is one of the strengths of the series in that she takes into a world that not many of us will have any real knowledge of, and educates whilst still entertaining. Whilst we may think we know of the tensions between Muslim and Jewish people in Israel, the book seeks to illustrate the ways in which the two faiths actually intersect, and how there is far more that unites than divides them. It also illustrates clearly how both are persecuted and judged, a prejudice which spills over into violence and racism that is often less than subtle.

There is actually a very important element to this case which gives the story a very topical and current feel, that of the plight of immigrants and asylum seekers. The author has captured that sense of outrage at the 'invasion' of immigrants and that feeling of nimbyism from those who are not entirely opposed to offering a safe haven to those seeking a route from violence and persecution, as long as it's not in their back yard. It feeds into the sense of tension and threat that pulses along throughout the book, leaving us questioning whether this has something to do with Shanna's investigation, or whether it is simply a distraction from the truth. The author also takes a look at the all too frequent escalation of violence that we witness in cities across the country, which has seen far too many young lives lost to knife and gun crime. It adds authenticity to the story, whilst also helping to mask some of the many secrets that run throughout the book.

There are some moments of real threat in this case, scenes in which you can feel the tension and the pace escalate and where you wonder just how Shanna will get herself out of trouble this time. She has somewhat of a knack for being in the wrong place and getting into all manner of dangerous situations. Victoria Goldman has created truly believable characters, both likeable and loathsome that, in this case, it is easy to see why the truth remains well hidden until the end. The author makes good use of misdirection, and misinformation to a degree, to leave us with a whole host of potential suspects. In fact, the identity of the antagonist in this case was so unexpected that I was left a little slack jawed at the revelation. I say unexpected, and yet ... maybe not quite so much. It's fair to say that there weren't many people I trusted in the story, so perhaps it's not really that shocking that one or two of them let us all down.

Another very topical, and through provoking novel that really draws readers into the heart of the Jewish community. Often tense, laden with mystery and misdirection, it's heartily recommended.

[Mandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having really enjoyed The Redeemer I was really looking forward to getting started on The Associate, the second book in the Shanna Regan Mystery series by Victoria Goldman, to find out what journalistic story she would get involved with next. Shanna is contacted by the fiancé of architect Louisa Phillips after she goes missing. He wants her to investigate her disappearance and find out what happened. Shanna is not sure that she wants to take on this assignment, after all she is a journalist not a private investigator and she does still have a day job to do, but there is something that makes her change her mind, maybe it’s because of the local projects she is involved with or maybe she senses that the fiancé is hiding something, one thing is certain however, this is not going to be a straightforward job.
Shanna has a lot going on in her life this time around. She is trying to decide if she wants to commit to her current job meaning she will put down roots, join her sort of boyfriend on his travels or take on the investigation that has been put her way. She is also tyrying to connect with her mother’s family and is on the hunt to find her Aunt. As much as she says she is not sure about everything, you can sense a passion in what she does and the more she gets involved in the community projects that Louisa had a hand in the more she wants to know what happened.
There are times her determination gets her into threatening situations, and even she wonders if the story is worth it. When two people are killed practically in front of her, like Shanna you are left wondering if this is just down to local crime or if the deaths are linked to Louisa’s disappearance and the truth behind it all is quite surprising.
I grew to like Shanna in the Redeemer and over both books I have learnt things about the Jewish community and how there are many different ways in which they practice their faith without feeling that I am being preached to or having it detract from the story being told as Victoria Goldman has taken the time to show another side to the lives they lead and how different faiths can work together for a common goal. This book is about so much more than a missing person, it looks at interfaith communities and their projects, racism and the all too real issue of gun crime. This is a great follow up book to the Redeemer, and I hope that we get to meet Shanna again soon and see if she has finally worked out where her life is taking her and what investigation she finds herself in the middle of.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the author’s first book, I was particularly impressed by its freshness and originality, with Shanna’s own story every bit as engaging as the mystery that unfolded. And this one, from its explosive opening scene as she arrives for her appointment at the synagogue in Emberley Green, hooked me in immediately – and it really didn’t lessen its grip until the very end.

As a freelance journalist, she’s surprised to be asked to help find a missing person – Louisa Phillips, an architect working with an interfaith charity project, Shalom-Salaam, seeking to strengthen the bonds between the Jewish and Muslim communities. It might just be relationship issues that have driven Louisa to disappear, but Shanna can’t resist the challenge while pursuing related stories she’s been asked to investigate. There’s a high incidence of general unease and violence within the community – stabbings, shootings, deaths – and the situation only escalates as she follows various leads and her well-honed instincts, often finding herself facing personal threat and danger as events take a distinctly darker turn.

I found the whole context for this story absolutely fascinating – I’d never really considered before the potential for interfaith co-operation, the Middle East tensions becoming something rather different when individuals from both faiths find themselves unwelcome outsiders, facing equal prejudice and racism in the country where they’d hoped to find sanctuary. The escalation in opposition and associated violence is so well explored, the themes of alienation and belonging, and with absolute authenticity – but it also considerably complicates the picture, when the disappearance that initially prompted Shanna’s involvement might not be remotely related.

The whole story really is quite perfectly paced, and so well written – as the reader, I felt right at the heart of the story, sharing Shanna’s journey. There’s some relief to be found in the threads of her day-to-day life – her living arrangements, her friendships, her long-distance relationship, her family complications – as the atmosphere steadily thickens, the tension relentlessly increases, and the confusion increases. There’s misdirection aplenty, so many heart-in-mouth moments – she does have rather a tendency to place herself in the path of danger, but that’s something I really liked – and this was a story where the final outcome was wholly satisfying but totally impossible to predict. And the characterisation is so excellent – as well as Shanna herself, the individuals who cross her path are very real and so well drawn, complex and with layers of secrets to be uncovered, making you feel at times that she’s the only person without a hidden agenda.

There was so much I enjoyed about this book – the insights into the multi-cultural community with all its associated issues, the engaging personal stories along the way, and the intensity and unpredictability of the story that unfolded. Highly original, thought provoking, and compelling – and very highly recommended.

[Jacob Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Victoria Goldman’s debut novel, The Redeemer, so I was excited to hear that journalist, Shanna Regan was going to be returning, and I was eager to start reading as soon as I got my hands on a copy.

Victoria’s new novel is, The Associate, and this time round, Shanna is asked to help investigate the disappearance of an architect, Louisa Phillips, after Shanna is contacted by Louisa’s fiancé, who pleads for her help. Shanna is reluctant to investigate at first, thinking that Louisa’s fiancé will be best served by contacting the police, but she eventually agrees to take the case on.

Victoria Goldman has created a really intriguing mystery in her latest book surrounding Louisa’s disappearance. I wanted to know more about what was going on in Louisa’s life, and you can see how determined Shanna is in getting to the bottom of what has happened to Louisa.

Victoria Goldman provides a fascinating insight into the Jewish and Muslim faiths. It is through Louisa’s work for an interfaith Jewish-Muslim charity, with its focus on asylum seekers, that we see this. What I found particularly fascinating was the interaction between the Jewish and Muslim communities. What Louisa is trying to highlight through her work at the charity is just how similar the two faiths are. This book provides a real insight into these communities that captured my attention. But Victoria Goldman also delves into the darkness as we see horrific racist attacks on the community. Victoria Goldman does a brilliant and important job of highlighting these issues. Some of these scenes do make for some shocking and disturbing reading.

There are some tense scenes as Shanna uncovers the truth about what has happened, and in her strive to get answers, Shanna puts herself in very real danger. There are definitely some unexpected and chilling revelations as Victoria Goldman brilliantly reveals the truth.

The Associate is a gripping crime thriller, and I hope that Victoria Goldman will release another book in this series. Victoria does a great job of writing about topical themes and writing a compelling story. The writing is so addictive. Victoria Goldman is a writer who is fast becoming one of my favourites in the crime fiction genre. I highly recommend this series.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Shanna Regan Murder Mystery Series. Shanna is a freelance journalist currently living in her ‘boyfriend’ Mark’s property whilst he is travelling abroad. She has been asked to find missing architect Louisa Phillips by Louisa’s fiancé Jack and although she isn’t a PI she has agreed to help. Shanna is a great character, strong and with an innate sense of right, she always wants to help others, but often to her own detriment. Told from Shanna’s POV this was a good read that grabbed my interest from the start and held it throughout.

Briefly, Shanna is convinced that the charity Louisa has been volunteering at is somehow connected to her disappearance. Shalom-Salaam Charity is based in an old synagogue and aims to bring Jewish and Muslim communities together by highlighting their similarities and by supporting those in need from both communities. Louisa and Jack have both been helping the charity, in particular with the renovations of a flat for asylum seekers. Not long after starting her search a death convinces Shanna that the death was murder and something at the property is seriously wrong but the police are convinced the deaths was accidental.

I love it when I can’t guess who did it and in this case I didn’t have a clue! And there were clues if you search. But also plenty of red herrings. Oh and in case you want to know for me Pineapple yes. Jam first. A very enjoyable read

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Victoria Goldman and Three Crowns Publishing for my early copy of the book to read and review.

Book 2 Shanna Regan

Shanna Regan is asked by Jack Harris to help look for his fiancee Louisa Phillips, who is an Architect and a member of Shalom-Salaam Charity. The charity has been set up to help Jews and Muslim families in East London. The charity is run at Beth Chaverim synagogue. There are some volunteers from The Power House Cahrity for older teenagers, where they can meet and receive help in their lives. No spoilers but Shanna is a strong person who is wanting to solve the mystery even when she enters dangerous situations. I highly recommend that you read this book.

[Amy McLellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Goldman has done it again. The Associate, the follow up to The Redeemer, finds freelance journalist Shanna Regan embroiled in unpicking another crime, this time involving a missing architect. With racist slogans, further disappearances and danger lurking round every corner, The Associate will keep you guessing right to the very end. Goldman’s writing is assured and confident, and she doesn’t shy away from tackling big themes without ever being heavy-handed. Shanna is a compelling main character – stubborn, insightful and brave with a wickedly wry sense of humour.
Really enjoyed this one. Do read!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the second in the Shanna Regan series. It follows on from The Redeemer, which began Shanna's story.Whilst The Redeemer was an excellent debut, in The Associate, we find the author appearing more self-assured and mature in her writing. She has given us an accomplished novel which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

If you would like to read my full review please visit my blog at:

https://leftontheshelfbookblog.blogsp...

[Jack Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second Shanna Regan is a nicely complex and twisty missing person mystery. Journalist Shanna's writing an article about an interfaith organisation, and is asked to unofficially look into the disappearance of one of the women involved. But has Louisa Phillips actually disappeared, or is she just 'somewhere else' and not answering her phone/messages/emails? There's certainly something going on at the gothic synagogue with its hidden cupboards and complicated architecture. But what?

[David Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Associate sees a new investigation for Shanna Regan, Goldman's restless investigative reporter who she introduced in The Redeemer.

Now Shanna's been asked to look into the disappearance of a young architect, the "Associate" of the title. Short of money and wanting distraction from the awful prospect of a steady job with a news magazine, which she ought to be focussing on, Shanna takes up the offer - and soon find that Louisa's absence isn't the only strange thing going on in East London suburb Emberley Green.

Louisa's work involves a project to convert a Reform synagogue to provide housing for asylum seekers, and some of the locals aren't happy about that. Others are just plain anti-Semitic, and the themes of Goldman's first book - the prejudice that can exist in plain sight, the ignorance of our neighbours' ways of life and concerns - are highlighted here from the start, an angry demonstration opening the book, setting the scene for what follows.

It isn't just bigotry, though, that stalks the streets of Emberley Green. As Shanna gets deeper and deeper into things, a troubling series of apparent gang-related killings - stabbings, shootings and more - begins to spread terror across the streets of Emberley Green. This atmosphere is evoked in one particularly atmospheric scene that emphasises Shanna's own vulnerability on the streets late at night. Several times she is on the point of dropping her investigation, and several times she hesitates - something pulling her back into the case (and leading her to joke with a journalist friend that the two of them ought to set up as PIs... now there's an idea...)

There is, as it turns out, a great deal more going on than one missing woman (and even that aspect has many sides to it). The personal, and societal, problems come together in a rich and credible tapestry that challenges everyone involved - and perhaps the reader, too - to consider where they stand.

I'm really enjoying this series, in which Goldman highlights a (to many of us) fascinating and unknown strand of Jewish life, setting it in its wider context to give a vivid and urgent portrayal of modern London life in all its messy reality.

I would strongly recommend.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one better than The Redeemer. Last 100 pages were compelling and I read them straight through, so obviously, I enjoyed it.

[Karen Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Redeemer, the first book in Victoria Goldman's Shanna Regan series when I read it last year and she impressively builds on that excellent introduction in The Associate. It can easily be enjoyed as a standalone, although I highly recommend The Redeemer, if you haven't already read it.
Shanna is still living in Hillsbury, a fictional small town in Hertfordshire but she has moved on from Hillsbury Living magazine and is now sharing the London editor's role at NewsQuest, alongside her freelance work. The increased scope gives Victoria Goldman a wider canvas to illustrate various aspects of Jewish identity and beliefs while also exploring a number of contemporary topics. There are some hard-hitting issues depicted here, and the opening scenes find Shanna visiting a synagogue which is being targeted by a small but still repugnant crowd of protestors. She notes that she may have travelled the globe tracking down news stories but the worst of human nature can be right on her doorstep too. She has been invited to the Beth Chaverim synagogue in Emberley Green, a multicultural area of East London by Jack Harris who is concerned because his fiancée, Louisa Phillips has been missing for five days.
Louisa is an architect but she's also instrumental in the running of an interfaith charity project, Shalom-Salaam and supports a youth mentoring project. Throughout The Associate there's a thought-provoking juxtaposition between the people who encourage divisiveness and those who are seeking ways to improve relations between the Jewish and Muslim communities. Although the hostilities in Israel and Palestine are touched on here, this is actually an astute, and sometimes hopeful look at the commonalities shared by the two faiths, from their respective belief systems to the prejudice and racism directed towards their cultures and them as individuals. The Shalom-Salaam project has been collecting supplies for Syrian refugees and is planning to welcome a Syrian family to the specially adapted flat above Beth Chaverim. Of course, anybody who watches the news will know what a contentious topic immigration and asylum seeking has become and it's clear that some of the residents are vehemently opposed to the plans. The placards and protests are appalling enough, of course but it's obvious that tensions could easily escalate into violence.
Shanna is rather reluctant to take on a missing person case but she needs the money and perhaps more crucially, she has a journalist's instinct for a story. While she wonders whether Louisa has merely developed cold feet and is taking some time away to decide what she really wants, she realises she can combine the investigation with her research into a piece on the youth mentoring scheme for NewsQuest. As with many UK cities, knife and gun crime is on the rise and young people who have links to the charity have already lost their lives. Victoria Goldman doesn't attempt to suggest glib solutions to this complex situation but she sensitively acknowledges that the answers need to come from ground level as well as higher political circles.
The social commentary and realistic sense of place is superb then but The Associate isn't lacking in intrigue and tension either. The neo-Gothic synagogue makes for a wonderfully atmospheric setting but while this old building may have its secrets, it's the behaviour of the other characters which means both Shanna and the reader will have to question just who she can trust as the compulsive storyline progresses. She is undoubtedly principled and courageous – some might argue foolishly so – and consequently finds herself in a number of dangerous predicaments which had my heart racing. Meanwhile, this fascinating, likeable protagonist has an interesting backstory of her own; she has perhaps reached a time in her life where she can begin to put down roots, both professionally and personally, however, she clearly loves travelling and a more spontaneous existence. With decisions to be made regarding her romantic life too, I'm looking forward to discovering what comes next for her.
The Associate is a sterling example of what modern crime fiction can do best; it gives readers an authentic view of what it means to be Jewish in Britain today and is still a tense, multi-layered murder-mystery that twists and turns until it reaches its thrilling conclusion. If you enjoy intelligent, suspenseful novels which perceptively explore contemporary issues then look no further – highly recommended!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It doesn’t seem anytime at all since I read about Shanna and the danger she faced in Hillsbury whilst trying to find blue plaques. The Redeemer was a book that I enjoyed a lot, I liked Shanna, finding out about her childhood and I definitely liked the inspiration it gave me to take more notice of the blue plaques that are local. This novel is totally different and if anything I enjoyed it even more.

Shanna is trying to rebuild her career and in doing so has managed to find herself involved in trying to locate a missing woman, Louisa,an architect, who is heavily involved in a synagogue. Not something a journalist would usually do but it also opened up other avenues for her, an article about how those of different faiths can work together to make life safer and more rewarding for the younger generation. Those who, for whatever reason have suffered through their own life experiences. This was part of the storyline that I loved, I don’t have a religion as such, but the suspicion and anger from differing beliefs is one that upsets me a lot. It was with some sense of relief that this isn’t just part of the author’s imagination, it is something that is rarely acknowledged by many types of media.

But onto other matters, despite her reluctance Shanna is caught up in trying to find Louisa. With encouragement from Mark, her hopefully new partner, currently in Prague as well as her best friend Nadia, and despite feeling threatened she is too stubborn to give in. Especially when also feeling guilt and worry when that threat affecting others.

I thought this was a great follow up novel, a solid lead character who stands up for what she believes in. An uncertainty over which way her career is going, but still aiming to give her best. Loyal to her Dad but also determined to make contact with another who hasn’t been seen for years and a budding romance which I really hopes develops in to something more. What was more evident in this novel was Shanna’s wry sense of humour. I had a lot of appreciation for her views on social media and some of the very strange people who use it.