Wrapped in White

PI John Craine #3

by Kevin Brooks

PI John Craine - still struggling to cope with the weight of his past - is forced to finally confront it in his most personal and frightening case yet.

PI John Craine is hired to investigate the brutal murder of a Somali youth called Jamaal Tan. The police are treating the murder as just another gang-related crime, but Tan's aunt believes there's more to it than that, and she claims the police are trying to cover up her nephew's death.

While investigating the case, Craine learns of the sudden death of his friend and mentor Leon Mercer. At first it appears to be a tragic accident, but Craine soon finds himself entangled in two deeply suspicious investigations. And before long he comes face to face with a man he hoped never to see again.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Audiobook

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2013

About the author

Kevin Brooks was born in 1959 and grew up in Exeter, Devon, England. He studied Psychology and Philosophy at Birmingham, Aston University in 1980 and Cultural Studies in London in 1983. Kevin Brooks has been in a variety of jobs including: musician, gasoline station attendant, crematorium handyman, civil service clerk, hot dog vendor at the London Zoo, post office clerk, and railway ticket office clerk.

Kevin Brooks's writing career started with the publication of Martyn Pig in 2002 through The Chicken House which won the Branford Boase Award 2003 and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. He also wrote Lucas (2002) which was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and Booktrust Teenage Prize in 2003 also winning the North East Book Award in 2004.

In 2004 he published Kissing the Rain and Bloodline and I See You, Baby and Candy in 2005. In 2006 he published 3 books including: Johnny Delgado Series - Like Father, Like Son and Private Detective as well as The Road of the Dead; a standalone novel. In February 2008 he published the standalone book Black Rabbit Summer.

As a child, Kevin Brooks enjoyed reading detective novels. He writes most plots of the various books he has written around crime fiction. He likes mystery and suspence and enjoys putting both of those components into each and every story he writes in some shape or form.

Reviews

[The Bursting Bookshelf of a Wallflower · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars!

Difficult to rate this one - I bought it at a flea market to reach the 5 books for xx quote. I was thus not expecting much, but I still decided to give it a go. And it really got my attention, I enjoyed the story, it was fun meeting this strange main character and the story wasn't bad at all. I just felt that the end was breaking the story line a little - it didn't make much sense and I am not sure I could see a real purpose in it apart of writing a violent scene. All in all, an entertaining - better than expected read.

[Lesley Halliday · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took ages to get into this book was really disappointed. Author has left a few loose ends that leaves you thinking eh?? Wouldn't rush out to read another!

[Terri Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third in the series left me with some wondering behind the main characters history, the author touches upon it a little in different parts of the book, but not enough to fully understand.
The main character is like most I have read recently when it comes to some in the criminal half, like a cope or investigator, heavy in to drugs and drink while quite functional still.

I enjoyed reading this book despite a few things not being tied up, loose ends being left unanswered. But the story line held my attention and kept me turning the pages. The flow was easy to follow and most things made sense. It's certainly a series I might invest in completing in the future sometime.

[Ann Whyte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear. I fear this book showed my age more than anything else. I was about halfway through and thinking that the story line would soon be picking up speed when to my old fashioned disappointment, our hero resorted to snorting some substance to help his current depressing situation. I can overlook the alcohol consumption to a point but felt really let down when Hero fell off the pedestal and snorted a line. Was that really necessary? I understood and accepted that he was flawed but I'm too old to have any respect for him now. Guess that says more about me than about the book.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average crime read, told from the alcoholic drug taking private detectives viewpoint...so inevitably depressing...and inevitable...

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that there were a lot of loose ends thrown out there that were never tied up or even really developed - the initial murder fades into the background (the aunt who employed him never even gets another mention), the big boss of the seedy underworld is let off the hook, his woman troubles are left undealt with ... he gets closure on a couple of thorny issues but many more are left hanging, which was unsatisfying as a reader. It's a fast-paced, action-packed read that could hit the spot if you want an exciting thriller to devour by the pool with minimum effort, but one to avoid if you're feeling depressed as it's all very bleak.

Full review on my blog : https://madhousefamilyreviews.blogspo...

[Khalekan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost felt the writer himself had lost interest in this book, as indeed I had, when he set off on those final few chapters to bring the book to a most unsatisfactory close.

This was confirmed in my view by the fact that although there were a gazillion loose ends at the end, no further Craine novel has appeared.since this one was written eleven years ago in 2013.

[Susan Kent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Standard crime novel with a flawed main character. Seen it all before and other authors do it better. Despite this,it was not too bad. I finished it the book, and the ending was sort of what I expected. Only cost me 50p from charity shop so no complaints.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book .... did not want to put it down

[Any Length · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a book if you are after a laugh. The protagonist is a typical "old style" private eye, who drinks way too much because he has plenty of reasons to drink and smokes all the time. In fact he smokes so much that I was wondering if Kevin Brooks was paid by the tobacco industry to raise sales.
In the end he somewhat sacrifices his own life and personal happiness as well as that of his long suffering girl friend to avenge a 15 year old murder as well as a few recent ones. Not wanting to give too much of the plot away, but I wonder if it was all worth it. He is a "#*&%-ed up" character and maybe what happens at the end is the only place people like him can end up.
If I was on anti-depressants, which I am not, I would have had to double my daily does to get through this novel. Best described in shades of grey with out the sex.
Not a happy read.

[Sophie Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

I liked this book, but I felt there were too many loose ends at the end. What happened to Cal, Imogen and Bridget? Why did the solicitor keep bringing up money issues and then it never developed? What happened to the lady John worked with at the firm? And the woman asking about Tan? Half the characters seemed to just disappear? I don’t feel a lot of my questions were answered, which is annoying as a reader.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

a good investigation for John Crane