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DS Jo Howe #3
City on Fire
After losing her sister to a drug overdose, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is desperate to tackle the world of drugs that consumes the shadowy backstreets of Brighton. Operation Eradicate is her response, deploying undercover tactics to collapse drug circles while also providing treatment services to victims of drug abuse. But not everyone sees this as a positive development .The man behind Respite pharmaceuticals, billionaire Sir Ben Campbell, views Operation Eradicate as a threat to his business. His colossal empire relies on burgeoning numbers of addicts who survive on their substitute drugs. With connections in the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Sir Ben unleashes a brutal counterattack on Jo. The question is, how will she survive this fierce onslaught?
- GenresCrime
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2024
21 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Graham Bartlett
5 books63 followersI am a best-selling author and crime and police procedural advisor to fiction and TV writers.
I was a police officer for thirty years and mainly policed the city of Brighton and Hove, rising to become a Chief Superintendent and its police commander. I started writing when I left the police in 2013 and, almost by accident, became a police procedural and crime advisor, helping scores of authors and TV writers (including Peter James, Mark Billingham, Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Ware, Claire McGowan and Dorothy Koomson) achieve authenticity in their drama.
I run online crime writing workshops and courses with the Professional Writing Academy and deliver inputs to Masters programmes at the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia as well as at the Crime Writing Certificate programme at West Dean College.
I live in Sussex with my wife Julie and, variously, my 24yr old triplets!
My debut crime novel, Bad for Good is now on pre-sale on Amazon. It asks the question:
How far would you go?
"The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton's Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption."
The next chapter in the Jo Howe series is published in 2023
Aside from my new fiction career, I have two non fictions to my name, both co-written with 2015 Crime Writer’s Association Diamond Dagger Award winner, Peter James.
The first, a Sunday Times bestseller, "Death Comes Knocking. Policing Roy Grace's Brighton," is an account of what it is like to police one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities, Brighton and Hove. With real stories, drawn from my 30 year career we link the events, incidents and investigations I describe into the fictional world created by Peter in his Roy Grace novels.
The second, "Babes in the Wood," is described as a gripping police procedural with an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, in what became a thirty-two-year fight for justice.
"On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a local park. This devastating crime rocked the country.
With unique access to the officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the investigation as the net tightens around local man Russell Bishop. The trial that follows is one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing – a shock result sees Bishop walk free.
Three years later, Graham is working in Brighton CID when a seven-year-old girl is abducted and left to die. She survives . . . and Bishop’s name comes up as a suspect. Is history repeating itself? Can the police put him away this time, and will he ever be made to answer for his past horrendous crimes?"
I was a police officer for thirty years and mainly policed the city of Brighton and Hove, rising to become a Chief Superintendent and its police commander. I started writing when I left the police in 2013 and, almost by accident, became a police procedural and crime advisor, helping scores of authors and TV writers (including Peter James, Mark Billingham, Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Ware, Claire McGowan and Dorothy Koomson) achieve authenticity in their drama.
I run online crime writing workshops and courses with the Professional Writing Academy and deliver inputs to Masters programmes at the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia as well as at the Crime Writing Certificate programme at West Dean College.
I live in Sussex with my wife Julie and, variously, my 24yr old triplets!
My debut crime novel, Bad for Good is now on pre-sale on Amazon. It asks the question:
How far would you go?
"The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton's Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption."
The next chapter in the Jo Howe series is published in 2023
Aside from my new fiction career, I have two non fictions to my name, both co-written with 2015 Crime Writer’s Association Diamond Dagger Award winner, Peter James.
The first, a Sunday Times bestseller, "Death Comes Knocking. Policing Roy Grace's Brighton," is an account of what it is like to police one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities, Brighton and Hove. With real stories, drawn from my 30 year career we link the events, incidents and investigations I describe into the fictional world created by Peter in his Roy Grace novels.
The second, "Babes in the Wood," is described as a gripping police procedural with an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, in what became a thirty-two-year fight for justice.
"On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a local park. This devastating crime rocked the country.
With unique access to the officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the investigation as the net tightens around local man Russell Bishop. The trial that follows is one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing – a shock result sees Bishop walk free.
Three years later, Graham is working in Brighton CID when a seven-year-old girl is abducted and left to die. She survives . . . and Bishop’s name comes up as a suspect. Is history repeating itself? Can the police put him away this time, and will he ever be made to answer for his past horrendous crimes?"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 20, 2024
City on fire is book three in the DS Jo Howe series and what a brilliant series this is. This book is the author’s best one yet.
After the death of her sister, Chief Superintendent Jo Howes is heading Operation Eradicate. A scheme to getting rid of drug crime from the streets of Brighton and Hove. But local Businessman Sir Ben Parsons who produces a synthetic drug to help drug addicts is not happy on the idea and uses his powers to target Jo and get the operation stopped.
Like the other books in this series this is a fast paced, heart stopping story and I enjoyed every minute of it. It is well written; you can tell how much experience the author has by the quality of his writing. A story a bribery and police corruption to achieve their own goal. I like the character of the protagonist Jo Howe. What ever is going on in her life, it still won’t stop her to get justice and the criminals off the streets. I highly recommend this. 5 stars .
After the death of her sister, Chief Superintendent Jo Howes is heading Operation Eradicate. A scheme to getting rid of drug crime from the streets of Brighton and Hove. But local Businessman Sir Ben Parsons who produces a synthetic drug to help drug addicts is not happy on the idea and uses his powers to target Jo and get the operation stopped.
Like the other books in this series this is a fast paced, heart stopping story and I enjoyed every minute of it. It is well written; you can tell how much experience the author has by the quality of his writing. A story a bribery and police corruption to achieve their own goal. I like the character of the protagonist Jo Howe. What ever is going on in her life, it still won’t stop her to get justice and the criminals off the streets. I highly recommend this. 5 stars .
April 1, 2024
PHEW, What a read, thank you Graham Bartlett. I absolutely loved book 3 in this series. Fast paced, great characters, my emotions were up and down like a yo-yo and at one part I did cry.
It’s very clear that as an retired member of the police force Graham knows what he is writing about, I found it interesting reading the acknowledgements at the end (not sure how many others read them but I always do) to find that what is the main part of this novel regarding helping drug addicts to get clean and getting the dealers locked away, this was a real strategy used and for a while worked until funds run out and government cuts etc. so if you read this it is something to bear in mind.
So what’s this about? Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is trying hard to tackle the drug problems in Brighton. It means a lot to her because her sister had died of an overdose years earlier. So if she can do something to help addicts off the drugs then she will do it. But, not everyone is in agreement obviously as it means the dealers not just the small ones, are losing money and they don’t like that. Because Jo is the main face of this the big guys want to bring her down to her knees.
The adrenaline in this is fast, you will be hooked as it’s not just Jo who is the target it’s her family, it’s fellow officers, which then means other officers are scared to do the job and have lost confidence in the operation, that in itself has an impact without the big boys pulling some major strings.
If you like a good police procedural thriller then grab this one, you will definitely not be disappointed, obviously not all of the story is factual some is made up. As you read this the tension gradually builds more and more, gripping you tight, the pages flying over as fast as you can read. A completely engrossing, engaging, adrenalin fuelled read from the first lines until the last. A certain ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read. One to go to the top of the TBR pile. This can be read as a stand alone novel, then if you enjoy it you have the first two previous books to read and to get to know more about the characters. Who are all believable, relatable, and likeable except for the greedy baddies of course. But it makes you think as well of the dangers officers put themselves in everyday they put on that uniform or go undercover. I was a special constable many years ago and saw some of the things. Go grab a copy of this now.
It’s very clear that as an retired member of the police force Graham knows what he is writing about, I found it interesting reading the acknowledgements at the end (not sure how many others read them but I always do) to find that what is the main part of this novel regarding helping drug addicts to get clean and getting the dealers locked away, this was a real strategy used and for a while worked until funds run out and government cuts etc. so if you read this it is something to bear in mind.
So what’s this about? Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is trying hard to tackle the drug problems in Brighton. It means a lot to her because her sister had died of an overdose years earlier. So if she can do something to help addicts off the drugs then she will do it. But, not everyone is in agreement obviously as it means the dealers not just the small ones, are losing money and they don’t like that. Because Jo is the main face of this the big guys want to bring her down to her knees.
The adrenaline in this is fast, you will be hooked as it’s not just Jo who is the target it’s her family, it’s fellow officers, which then means other officers are scared to do the job and have lost confidence in the operation, that in itself has an impact without the big boys pulling some major strings.
If you like a good police procedural thriller then grab this one, you will definitely not be disappointed, obviously not all of the story is factual some is made up. As you read this the tension gradually builds more and more, gripping you tight, the pages flying over as fast as you can read. A completely engrossing, engaging, adrenalin fuelled read from the first lines until the last. A certain ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read. One to go to the top of the TBR pile. This can be read as a stand alone novel, then if you enjoy it you have the first two previous books to read and to get to know more about the characters. Who are all believable, relatable, and likeable except for the greedy baddies of course. But it makes you think as well of the dangers officers put themselves in everyday they put on that uniform or go undercover. I was a special constable many years ago and saw some of the things. Go grab a copy of this now.
February 23, 2024
I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This is the third book featuring Jo Howe and once again it was brilliant, the story was great and covered some very hard to read subjects, but as always I finished the book knowing that I had learnt something new. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.
March 22, 2024
It doesn’t get more fast paced, edge of the seat, heart racing than this!
And the quality of the writing!
City on Fire is a gritty thriller which delves into the world of drugs, addicts and a big pharma company boss who needs addicts to keep him rich.
Millionaire pharmaceutical company boss and narcissist Sir Ben Parsons is trying to stop police Chief Superintendent Jo Howe from getting heroin off the streets and helping addicts on the road to recovery - or it will have a knock on effect to his pharma business.
It’s all about the money for him.
It’s all about helping the addicts for her.
Will good win over evil?
Well Jo is a strong determined woman who certainly has her work cut out as her colleagues and her own family are targeted by Sir Ben who has the money, influence and the contacts everywhere to do his bidding. He has the power to bring the whole police force to a standstill. Terrified police are taking time off and support services are cancelled.
We do see a softer side to Sir Ben. He has his mother, who is in the late stages of dementia, living with him. He does not shy away from the gruelling task of caring for her with the utmost of respect and love.
I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. As an ex police officer, Graham has used his personal knowledge and experience to write a cracking and scarily believable novel. the characters feel real and Graham’s writing pulls you in from the first page and takes you on a high octane roller coaster ride full of shocks and surprises at just how low Sir Ben will go to stop Jo.
And the quality of the writing!
City on Fire is a gritty thriller which delves into the world of drugs, addicts and a big pharma company boss who needs addicts to keep him rich.
Millionaire pharmaceutical company boss and narcissist Sir Ben Parsons is trying to stop police Chief Superintendent Jo Howe from getting heroin off the streets and helping addicts on the road to recovery - or it will have a knock on effect to his pharma business.
It’s all about the money for him.
It’s all about helping the addicts for her.
Will good win over evil?
Well Jo is a strong determined woman who certainly has her work cut out as her colleagues and her own family are targeted by Sir Ben who has the money, influence and the contacts everywhere to do his bidding. He has the power to bring the whole police force to a standstill. Terrified police are taking time off and support services are cancelled.
We do see a softer side to Sir Ben. He has his mother, who is in the late stages of dementia, living with him. He does not shy away from the gruelling task of caring for her with the utmost of respect and love.
I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. As an ex police officer, Graham has used his personal knowledge and experience to write a cracking and scarily believable novel. the characters feel real and Graham’s writing pulls you in from the first page and takes you on a high octane roller coaster ride full of shocks and surprises at just how low Sir Ben will go to stop Jo.
November 20, 2024
Another easy to read installment in the Jo Howe series by Graham Bartlett.
I love this series of books and they get better every time. As a local to Brighton, knowing the places described I am able to watch the book and story play out in my mind.
Another 5 star read, Congratulations Graham.
I love this series of books and they get better every time. As a local to Brighton, knowing the places described I am able to watch the book and story play out in my mind.
Another 5 star read, Congratulations Graham.
March 23, 2024
Finally, my reunion with Jo Howe has occurred! 😊. I am a massive fan of the author and this series, so have been early anticipating this release.
As usual we follow Jo and her team whilst they fight the war on drugs, this time her family life is as dramatic as her work life. I loved seeing these sides of Jo and was shocked at the lengths people made when trying to take her down.
The authors writing style really enables you to feel a part of the story and feel that you are with every character as they play their role, even the baddies!
The ending was perfect, even if my heart was in my throat as I completely over thought it! Out now, add it to your TBR!!
As usual we follow Jo and her team whilst they fight the war on drugs, this time her family life is as dramatic as her work life. I loved seeing these sides of Jo and was shocked at the lengths people made when trying to take her down.
The authors writing style really enables you to feel a part of the story and feel that you are with every character as they play their role, even the baddies!
The ending was perfect, even if my heart was in my throat as I completely over thought it! Out now, add it to your TBR!!
April 20, 2024
The best yet in this trilogy and a really gripping story. Graham touches on how corrupt the pharmaceutical industry is and how it has such a hold on the world. The book also demonstrates how crime and the ‘underworld’ operates right under our noses yet most of us are oblivious. Can’t wait for his next book!
February 22, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my early read of the third book in the Chief Superintendent Jo Howe series.
OMG, Graham has certainly written another roller-coaster of a book!! The plot revolves around a police operation called Op Eradicate to rid drugs of the city streets, and the implications of Jo and her team trying to help with removing the supply of drugs on Brighton's streets, and the people are paramount in being saved. The characters are well written and so believable! No spoilers but I found the book to be riveting and very true to life. Graham has used his own experience as a police officer with his knowledge of police procedures. The book is dark, gritty and unputdownable!I love how Brighton and the various towns are used within this book. I can see the City in my mind. I will certainly recommend this book!
OMG, Graham has certainly written another roller-coaster of a book!! The plot revolves around a police operation called Op Eradicate to rid drugs of the city streets, and the implications of Jo and her team trying to help with removing the supply of drugs on Brighton's streets, and the people are paramount in being saved. The characters are well written and so believable! No spoilers but I found the book to be riveting and very true to life. Graham has used his own experience as a police officer with his knowledge of police procedures. The book is dark, gritty and unputdownable!I love how Brighton and the various towns are used within this book. I can see the City in my mind. I will certainly recommend this book!
February 29, 2024
Having read the first two books in this series I was excited to be given the opportunity to read this book. Another great instalment to the series. When you are reading a police procedural thriller book by the ex-chief superintendent of Brighton police, you know that you are going to get realistic, lived experiences.
I must admit, as I was reading this book, I did wonder if some of the scenes were a little far-fetched and just there to provide action scenes, but having read the acknowledgements, it became clear that similar things have happened, and we really are living in a weird and worrying world. Upon reflection on the book, one thing that got to me was the emotion within the book. The end scenes really got to me.
Many authors try to build tension and emotion but this author has lived and breathed it, and his writing style really brings out the emotions of the story and the characters.
It really is a good read with lots of action, intrigue and questions that do get answered through the telling of the book. If you enjoy UK crime and police procedurals, this book is definitely for you.
Many thanks to Allison & Busby, NetGalley, and the author for giving me a free electronic copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The book will be published on the 21st of March and available in various formats. Get those orders in early
I must admit, as I was reading this book, I did wonder if some of the scenes were a little far-fetched and just there to provide action scenes, but having read the acknowledgements, it became clear that similar things have happened, and we really are living in a weird and worrying world. Upon reflection on the book, one thing that got to me was the emotion within the book. The end scenes really got to me.
Many authors try to build tension and emotion but this author has lived and breathed it, and his writing style really brings out the emotions of the story and the characters.
It really is a good read with lots of action, intrigue and questions that do get answered through the telling of the book. If you enjoy UK crime and police procedurals, this book is definitely for you.
Many thanks to Allison & Busby, NetGalley, and the author for giving me a free electronic copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The book will be published on the 21st of March and available in various formats. Get those orders in early
March 22, 2024
Book 3 in the Chief Superintendent Jo Howe series. I loved Graham’s first two books in this series and thought this was every bit as good.
Jo is behind Operation Eradicate an initiative to tackle drug crime & related deaths in Brighton & Hove. However, not everyone is happy with this particularly Sir Ben Parsons. What ensues is Sir Bens attempts to discredit the initiative and bring down Jo and the people she loves most in the process and he will stop at nothing to achieve his aim. As a regular visitor to Brighton I really enjoyed being able to envisage a lot of the places mentioned in the novel. Also crime and police procedural novels are my favourite genre so this fitted the bill perfectly. Looking forward to book 4!
Thanks to NetGalley and Graham Bartlett for an advanced copy of this book.
@allisonandbusby @gbpoliceadvisor
Jo is behind Operation Eradicate an initiative to tackle drug crime & related deaths in Brighton & Hove. However, not everyone is happy with this particularly Sir Ben Parsons. What ensues is Sir Bens attempts to discredit the initiative and bring down Jo and the people she loves most in the process and he will stop at nothing to achieve his aim. As a regular visitor to Brighton I really enjoyed being able to envisage a lot of the places mentioned in the novel. Also crime and police procedural novels are my favourite genre so this fitted the bill perfectly. Looking forward to book 4!
Thanks to NetGalley and Graham Bartlett for an advanced copy of this book.
@allisonandbusby @gbpoliceadvisor
April 5, 2024
In all my 76 years, I have never visited Brighton. Nothing personal, but I have never had a reason to go there. As a locus for crime novels it is certainly up there with its not-so-near northern neighbour, London. It probably all started with the evil doings of Charles ‘Pinky’ Hale in Graham Greene’s classic 1938 novel. In more recent times Peter James, with his Roy Grace series, has dispelled any notion that the resort is a happy and cheerful place of innocent fun, handkerchief hats, deck chairs and donkey rides. In a totally different vein, the Colin Crampton novels written by another Peter – this time Bartram – have hinted at a less malevolent Brighton in the 1960s.
Graham Bartlett’s Brighton is simply foul. Drug addicts from all over the country huddle in their rancid blankets in shop doorways. In summer, the warm breezes from the south still entice Londoners to take the trains from Victoria, and the shingle beaches still remain attractive. Walk just a hundred yards or so from the promenade, however, and you come face to face with the unique dangers generated by shattered human lives colliding with the vicious criminals who provide the drugs on which their victims have become reliant.
When Ged, a Liverpudlian undercover cop briefed to penetrate the Brighton drug scene announces that, after this current job, he is looking forward to a spell of paternity leave to welcome his firstborn, it is an obvious ‘tell’. You don’t need to have a PhD in contemporary crime fiction to know that this means he is not long for this world. He gets on the wrong side of Sir Ben Parsons, a Brighton legend, and a man who has worked his way from the metaphorical barrow boy to be CEO of an international pharmaceutical giant. Parsons’ latest money spinner is Synthopate, a drug that replicates the peaceful oblivion of heroin, but has no need of drug cartels, murderous enforcers, and street trash addicts.
Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has a dog in this fight. Her sister Caroline is not long dead, a victim of her opiate addiction. She is spearheading an initiative to get as many addicts as possible off the street , cleaned up, and into rehab. It is working well, but it is the last thing that Parsons wants, as it will hit the sales of Synthopate. Parsons has powerful friends everywhere – in politics, business, the media – and even the police. Together with Brighton crime boss Tony Evans, he starts to target the police officers themselves, and their families. All of a sudden, officers are calling in sick, becoming unavailable for court cases and showing a marked reluctance to volunteer for extra duties. Howe is furious but then it hits her world, too. Her journalist husband Darren is arrested by the Metropolitan Police for alleged corruption, and he looks to be facing serious jail time.
Things get even worse. Service companies employed by Sussex police – court staff, mortuaries, vehicle maintenance – all suddenly become unavailable – and there is a killer blow. Jo Howe’s two young sons go into convulsions after eating their school packed lunches and are on life support. There is a trope which suggests that there is no more dangerous being in creation than a mother when she realises her children’s lives are threatened. So it is here. Jo Howe becomes a blistering force of nature, and in a literally explosive finale she saves her sons, her own career – and ends the malevolent reign of Ben Parsons and Tony Evans.
One of the trademarks of the great film director Roger Corman (and he is still with us, aged 97) was to end his Hammer films with a fire – mansion, castle, cottage, it didn’t matter. Graham Bartlett makes a nod in his direction at the end of this book. Good prevails in the end, but the author paints a picture of a police force and justice system that is just a few malign keystrokes away from dystopia – and we should all be very worried. City On Fire is published by Allison & Busby and is available now.
Graham Bartlett’s Brighton is simply foul. Drug addicts from all over the country huddle in their rancid blankets in shop doorways. In summer, the warm breezes from the south still entice Londoners to take the trains from Victoria, and the shingle beaches still remain attractive. Walk just a hundred yards or so from the promenade, however, and you come face to face with the unique dangers generated by shattered human lives colliding with the vicious criminals who provide the drugs on which their victims have become reliant.
When Ged, a Liverpudlian undercover cop briefed to penetrate the Brighton drug scene announces that, after this current job, he is looking forward to a spell of paternity leave to welcome his firstborn, it is an obvious ‘tell’. You don’t need to have a PhD in contemporary crime fiction to know that this means he is not long for this world. He gets on the wrong side of Sir Ben Parsons, a Brighton legend, and a man who has worked his way from the metaphorical barrow boy to be CEO of an international pharmaceutical giant. Parsons’ latest money spinner is Synthopate, a drug that replicates the peaceful oblivion of heroin, but has no need of drug cartels, murderous enforcers, and street trash addicts.
Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has a dog in this fight. Her sister Caroline is not long dead, a victim of her opiate addiction. She is spearheading an initiative to get as many addicts as possible off the street , cleaned up, and into rehab. It is working well, but it is the last thing that Parsons wants, as it will hit the sales of Synthopate. Parsons has powerful friends everywhere – in politics, business, the media – and even the police. Together with Brighton crime boss Tony Evans, he starts to target the police officers themselves, and their families. All of a sudden, officers are calling in sick, becoming unavailable for court cases and showing a marked reluctance to volunteer for extra duties. Howe is furious but then it hits her world, too. Her journalist husband Darren is arrested by the Metropolitan Police for alleged corruption, and he looks to be facing serious jail time.
Things get even worse. Service companies employed by Sussex police – court staff, mortuaries, vehicle maintenance – all suddenly become unavailable – and there is a killer blow. Jo Howe’s two young sons go into convulsions after eating their school packed lunches and are on life support. There is a trope which suggests that there is no more dangerous being in creation than a mother when she realises her children’s lives are threatened. So it is here. Jo Howe becomes a blistering force of nature, and in a literally explosive finale she saves her sons, her own career – and ends the malevolent reign of Ben Parsons and Tony Evans.
One of the trademarks of the great film director Roger Corman (and he is still with us, aged 97) was to end his Hammer films with a fire – mansion, castle, cottage, it didn’t matter. Graham Bartlett makes a nod in his direction at the end of this book. Good prevails in the end, but the author paints a picture of a police force and justice system that is just a few malign keystrokes away from dystopia – and we should all be very worried. City On Fire is published by Allison & Busby and is available now.
April 3, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed Graham Bartlett's debut, Bad for Good and thought Force of Hate was even better but City on Fire is the best book yet in his Jo Howe series. As the former chief superintendent and division commander of Brighton, it's not surprising that his writing is so believable – scarily so, at times – but it's his compassion, both for the police officers themselves and for the victims, some of whom are routinely viewed in negative light by the media and wider public, which is particularly impressive. In City on Fire, his empathetic yet honest depiction of drug addicts is evident throughout this tautly plotted police thriller.
Graham Bartlett's extensive knowledge of Brighton means the sense of place in this series is always excellent but his focus isn't on its popular image as a vibrant seaside resort. While clearly fictional, his examination of the underbelly of the city is acutely plausible and as the novel progresses, it's alarming to realise how fragile the infrastructure we take for granted could actually be. At the start of the book, however, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has just cause to believe her radical drugs initiative, Operation Eradicate, is helping the city revive.
Having lost her sister to a drug overdose, she has a deeply personal reason for the policy being a success but as her life falls apart, she is put in an impossible position. Jo is a wonderful character, her unwaveringly steadfast principles are admirable but does there come a point where her stubbornness becomes too much of a risk? Graham Bartlett's insightful exploration of the mental toll inflicted on Jo after all she has endured is superbly expressed and as both her personal and professional life is shattered, her agony is painful to witness. Meanwhile, her colleagues, especially her closet confidantes, Gary and Bob are under huge duress too and their anguish as their relationship with her is sorely tested by the actions they feel forced to make, is obvious.
With the city's police feeling more vulnerable than ever, Sir Ben Parsons and his extensive network of accomplices – the greedy, the guilty and the terrified – seems to hold all the power, and the tension rises inexorably as the unequal fight becomes cruelly aimed against Jo herself. As evidence points to Operation Eradicate beginning to achieve its aims to help the users into treatment and the dealers into prison, Sir Ben is concerned that his lucrative new drug, a substitute for heroin, will run short of addicts. Although he is a ruthless businessman, his primary incentive for needing Synthopate to remain lucrative is closer to home; it's difficult to feel any sympathy for him but Graham Bartlett ensures we understand his motives and he is a multi-dimensional figure throughout. His cold-blooded disregard for the pitiful victims of his remorseless plot is shocking but he is arguably not the most chilling character in City on Fire, with the mercilessly ambitious Tony Evans willing to go to any lengths. Although most of the violence occurs off the page, their callous brutality is never in doubt and the rise in Brighton's mortality rate as a result is often harrowing.
The exciting climax to City on Fire is nerve-rackingly intense and with a diminished yet determined Jo in the thick of the action, the conclusion to this compulsive novel is as moving as it is heart-pounding. City on Fire is a gritty, rivetingly perceptive crime thriller and as Graham Bartlett's writing goes from strength to strength, I can't wait for more. Very highly recommended.
Graham Bartlett's extensive knowledge of Brighton means the sense of place in this series is always excellent but his focus isn't on its popular image as a vibrant seaside resort. While clearly fictional, his examination of the underbelly of the city is acutely plausible and as the novel progresses, it's alarming to realise how fragile the infrastructure we take for granted could actually be. At the start of the book, however, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has just cause to believe her radical drugs initiative, Operation Eradicate, is helping the city revive.
Having lost her sister to a drug overdose, she has a deeply personal reason for the policy being a success but as her life falls apart, she is put in an impossible position. Jo is a wonderful character, her unwaveringly steadfast principles are admirable but does there come a point where her stubbornness becomes too much of a risk? Graham Bartlett's insightful exploration of the mental toll inflicted on Jo after all she has endured is superbly expressed and as both her personal and professional life is shattered, her agony is painful to witness. Meanwhile, her colleagues, especially her closet confidantes, Gary and Bob are under huge duress too and their anguish as their relationship with her is sorely tested by the actions they feel forced to make, is obvious.
With the city's police feeling more vulnerable than ever, Sir Ben Parsons and his extensive network of accomplices – the greedy, the guilty and the terrified – seems to hold all the power, and the tension rises inexorably as the unequal fight becomes cruelly aimed against Jo herself. As evidence points to Operation Eradicate beginning to achieve its aims to help the users into treatment and the dealers into prison, Sir Ben is concerned that his lucrative new drug, a substitute for heroin, will run short of addicts. Although he is a ruthless businessman, his primary incentive for needing Synthopate to remain lucrative is closer to home; it's difficult to feel any sympathy for him but Graham Bartlett ensures we understand his motives and he is a multi-dimensional figure throughout. His cold-blooded disregard for the pitiful victims of his remorseless plot is shocking but he is arguably not the most chilling character in City on Fire, with the mercilessly ambitious Tony Evans willing to go to any lengths. Although most of the violence occurs off the page, their callous brutality is never in doubt and the rise in Brighton's mortality rate as a result is often harrowing.
The exciting climax to City on Fire is nerve-rackingly intense and with a diminished yet determined Jo in the thick of the action, the conclusion to this compulsive novel is as moving as it is heart-pounding. City on Fire is a gritty, rivetingly perceptive crime thriller and as Graham Bartlett's writing goes from strength to strength, I can't wait for more. Very highly recommended.
March 30, 2024
One thing guaranteed from the author is authenticity, the policing, their actions and communications feel right, but without being dragged down by an obsession with procedure. The action is given every chance to develop and flow. Its not just the policing though, where he writes about the inter-agency work, the voluntary sector NGOs and prisons it comes over as though from experience rather than research. What a great asset when a writing a novel such as this.
If you have read the earlier novels in the series, you will know Jo is a strong and determined woman who is respected and admired by her peers. In this story she is really put through the wringer, dropped into heaps of jeopardy both personal and reputational, such that it almost brings brings about her complete mental destruction. A woman who is schemed against but also making poor judgement calls when under extreme pressure, which is both understandable and realistic.
It starts with a betrayal, from her loving and understanding journalist husband of all people. It is a professional one, forced to do it by editor, rather than a relationship betrayal with another woman. Once under the media microscope the pressure starts to mount, and Jo’s professionalism comes into doubt. That is merely the start as officers face threats and personal attacks causing support for Jo to dwindle and an increase of sick leave. When the supply of the synthetic drug dries up (thanks to carefully planning by Sir Ben) the streets boil over.
A fabulous description of a cold and calculating plan being executed step by step. Sir Ben has the contacts, the wealth and he also has the dirt on people and is not averse to a spot of blackmail to get his way. There is a suspicion amongst the public that some within the establishment can orchestrate cover ups, but here we can see such power wielded to destroy an individual. Something truly chilling to read.
It is the motivation of Sir Ben that interested me. Here we have a hugely successful businessman, one who enjoys the trappings of success, who is willing to destroy lives just to earn his drug development costs back. Apparently heartless, but then we learn of his poor mother, suffering from early onset dementia, whom he cares dearly for and lives at his house. There are some very touching scenes where he is comforting her which I am sure some carers will recognise. A real dichotomy of a man. I would have liked the relationship with his mother developed more, as we never discover how the dynamics were forged. Was she domineering, was he repressed, there is no mention of a love life for Sir Ben.
His obsession with finding a cure for his mother leads to a magnificently dramatic confrontation, one that has building up from the start. Action fans you are well catered for too, with bursts of aggression, bloodshed and personal jeopardy as momentum and tension are skilfully built up and released throughout, and at times you have to catch your breath.
At the core of the story is the notion that drugs companies just want to treat patients, to alleviate their symptoms rather than cure them. For them it’s a high stakes gamble to develop a drug, but being corporations, they want to earn profits and not just benefit mankind. What begins as an unlikely concept becomes a chilling possibility the more you think about it.
City on Fire is a convincing police procedural where a chilling businessman is determined to destroy the lives of those who get in his way.
If you have read the earlier novels in the series, you will know Jo is a strong and determined woman who is respected and admired by her peers. In this story she is really put through the wringer, dropped into heaps of jeopardy both personal and reputational, such that it almost brings brings about her complete mental destruction. A woman who is schemed against but also making poor judgement calls when under extreme pressure, which is both understandable and realistic.
It starts with a betrayal, from her loving and understanding journalist husband of all people. It is a professional one, forced to do it by editor, rather than a relationship betrayal with another woman. Once under the media microscope the pressure starts to mount, and Jo’s professionalism comes into doubt. That is merely the start as officers face threats and personal attacks causing support for Jo to dwindle and an increase of sick leave. When the supply of the synthetic drug dries up (thanks to carefully planning by Sir Ben) the streets boil over.
A fabulous description of a cold and calculating plan being executed step by step. Sir Ben has the contacts, the wealth and he also has the dirt on people and is not averse to a spot of blackmail to get his way. There is a suspicion amongst the public that some within the establishment can orchestrate cover ups, but here we can see such power wielded to destroy an individual. Something truly chilling to read.
It is the motivation of Sir Ben that interested me. Here we have a hugely successful businessman, one who enjoys the trappings of success, who is willing to destroy lives just to earn his drug development costs back. Apparently heartless, but then we learn of his poor mother, suffering from early onset dementia, whom he cares dearly for and lives at his house. There are some very touching scenes where he is comforting her which I am sure some carers will recognise. A real dichotomy of a man. I would have liked the relationship with his mother developed more, as we never discover how the dynamics were forged. Was she domineering, was he repressed, there is no mention of a love life for Sir Ben.
His obsession with finding a cure for his mother leads to a magnificently dramatic confrontation, one that has building up from the start. Action fans you are well catered for too, with bursts of aggression, bloodshed and personal jeopardy as momentum and tension are skilfully built up and released throughout, and at times you have to catch your breath.
At the core of the story is the notion that drugs companies just want to treat patients, to alleviate their symptoms rather than cure them. For them it’s a high stakes gamble to develop a drug, but being corporations, they want to earn profits and not just benefit mankind. What begins as an unlikely concept becomes a chilling possibility the more you think about it.
City on Fire is a convincing police procedural where a chilling businessman is determined to destroy the lives of those who get in his way.
January 22, 2024
Social realism or speculative fiction?
(spoiler-free review) Having read the author’s two previous novels in the Jo Howe series, I approached ‘City on Fire’ with expectations from a writer who writes police procedurals from the perspective of someone who spent thirty years in uniform rising to become commander of Brighton’s police force.
These expectations include an authentic sense of policing. In previous work, the author tackles a big social issue. In ‘Force of Hate’ he examined how a police force functions (or is compromised) by the rise of a far-right political party within local government. This is a challenging idea when you propose a situation which currently might not seem feasible but might become a reality in the not-too-distant future.
In this novel, the author looks at how Big Pharma might seek to compromise and undermine a police force’s initiative to tackle drug dealing through rehabilitation. This is interesting, original and educational in helping the general public understand how a strategy of weaning addicts away from street drugs and onto a controlled dispensation of substitute drugs has the effect of making the dealers surplus to the addicts needs.
Within this scenario, we see our protagonist, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe, being forced to stand by her strategy against the machinations of antagonist, Sir Ben Parsons, the epitome of Big Pharma who schemes to undermine her. We see Sir Ben and his henchman, Tony Evans, destabilise the neighbourhood to the extent that most of the police force are cowed into going off sick or simply not turning up for duty. This scenario had the sense of a nightmare fantasy and I wondered if the author had departed from the realism of the police procedural into a speculative dystopian type of fiction. The effect of police and support services being shut down means that the strategy crumbles and allows hard street drugs back onto the streets, thus fuelling addiction and ensuring a big customer base for Sir Ben’s synthetic substitute. There’s also a rather clunky sub-plot in which Jo Howe’s husband is also compromised. The novel builds to a climax in which are events become completely disastrous.
But here's the problem. The author isn’t quite sure what sort of novel he’s writing. Is he writing a piece of social realism? If so, should he then be using the creative non-fiction genre? Or is he writing speculative or even fantasy fiction in which a civic infrastructure is undermined by scheming evil villains. To what extent should the realism give way to melodrama? A final scene between Jo Howe and the evil Sir Ben could have come out of a Victorian penny dreadful. The novel tried to blend realism, speculative fiction and melodrama and they don’t sit well together.
However, although this novel didn’t work well on the page, I can see it making an amazing piece of TV drama. Perhaps I expect a more reasoned and credible plotting on the page whereas with TV, as we’ve seen with shows such as ‘Line of Duty’, it’s easier to accept an outlandish plot.
So perhaps the author’s agent should be promoting this series of novels to the TV production companies. If they get filmed, I’ll certainly be watching.
My thanks go to NetGalley for making available a pre-publication copy so that I may make an honest review.
(spoiler-free review) Having read the author’s two previous novels in the Jo Howe series, I approached ‘City on Fire’ with expectations from a writer who writes police procedurals from the perspective of someone who spent thirty years in uniform rising to become commander of Brighton’s police force.
These expectations include an authentic sense of policing. In previous work, the author tackles a big social issue. In ‘Force of Hate’ he examined how a police force functions (or is compromised) by the rise of a far-right political party within local government. This is a challenging idea when you propose a situation which currently might not seem feasible but might become a reality in the not-too-distant future.
In this novel, the author looks at how Big Pharma might seek to compromise and undermine a police force’s initiative to tackle drug dealing through rehabilitation. This is interesting, original and educational in helping the general public understand how a strategy of weaning addicts away from street drugs and onto a controlled dispensation of substitute drugs has the effect of making the dealers surplus to the addicts needs.
Within this scenario, we see our protagonist, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe, being forced to stand by her strategy against the machinations of antagonist, Sir Ben Parsons, the epitome of Big Pharma who schemes to undermine her. We see Sir Ben and his henchman, Tony Evans, destabilise the neighbourhood to the extent that most of the police force are cowed into going off sick or simply not turning up for duty. This scenario had the sense of a nightmare fantasy and I wondered if the author had departed from the realism of the police procedural into a speculative dystopian type of fiction. The effect of police and support services being shut down means that the strategy crumbles and allows hard street drugs back onto the streets, thus fuelling addiction and ensuring a big customer base for Sir Ben’s synthetic substitute. There’s also a rather clunky sub-plot in which Jo Howe’s husband is also compromised. The novel builds to a climax in which are events become completely disastrous.
But here's the problem. The author isn’t quite sure what sort of novel he’s writing. Is he writing a piece of social realism? If so, should he then be using the creative non-fiction genre? Or is he writing speculative or even fantasy fiction in which a civic infrastructure is undermined by scheming evil villains. To what extent should the realism give way to melodrama? A final scene between Jo Howe and the evil Sir Ben could have come out of a Victorian penny dreadful. The novel tried to blend realism, speculative fiction and melodrama and they don’t sit well together.
However, although this novel didn’t work well on the page, I can see it making an amazing piece of TV drama. Perhaps I expect a more reasoned and credible plotting on the page whereas with TV, as we’ve seen with shows such as ‘Line of Duty’, it’s easier to accept an outlandish plot.
So perhaps the author’s agent should be promoting this series of novels to the TV production companies. If they get filmed, I’ll certainly be watching.
My thanks go to NetGalley for making available a pre-publication copy so that I may make an honest review.
January 2, 2024
All the stars for 'City on Fire'. The third Jo Howe book is every bit as nail-biting and tense as Graham Bartlett's previous two crime thrillers, all set in a Brighton police service that has been cut to the bone time and time again.
In 'City on Fire' DS Jo Howe is spearheading an innovative way of dealing with the drugs epidemic sweeping the city, by working with support agencies to provide treatment for addicts, in a bid to stem the demand for illegal drugs. Jo has her own personal reasons for wanting to achieve this aim, following the sad loss of her sister.
As an aside, I was fascinated to learn that Operation Eradicate mirrored work that Graham Bartlett himself had led when he was in charge of Brighton police.
Not everyone is in support of the aims of Operation Eradicate. There are those who think that all criminals are criminals and should be locked up rather than handed 'cushy treatments', spurred on by certain media sources shouting loudly; and of course businesses who have a vested interest in keeping the drugs market buoyant are not happy to see their market shrinking in front of their eyes.
Local businessman Sir Ben Parsons owns a company that makes synthetic heroin, used to ease addicts off the illegal drugs - but fewer addicts mean less demand for his substitute, and that's not something he is at all happy about.
Sir Ben will do anything to derail the operation, however illegal it might be; his methods are often crude but effective and he has fingers in all of the relevant pies to achieve his aims. His status gives him connections throughout the business and third sector community and he can be very persuasive. He may even be linked to some of those media stories that I mentioned earlier.
Pitted against him (but not knowing who her enemy is) is DS Jo Howe whose passion and belief that she is doing the right thing drives her relentlessly, at the risk of costing her everything. But as the pressure piles up on Jo, her team and the police force, will she be able to keep the operation running and succeeding?
I had no idea how the plot was going to get resolved; as the drama kept ramping up and up, my heart was in my mouth, I was so nervous and tense for Jo and her team. Graham Bartlett is an auto-buy and auto-read (and such a lovely person in real life!). I always know I am going to be blown away by the plots and the scenarios that he conjures up, expertly told every time.
In 'City on Fire' DS Jo Howe is spearheading an innovative way of dealing with the drugs epidemic sweeping the city, by working with support agencies to provide treatment for addicts, in a bid to stem the demand for illegal drugs. Jo has her own personal reasons for wanting to achieve this aim, following the sad loss of her sister.
As an aside, I was fascinated to learn that Operation Eradicate mirrored work that Graham Bartlett himself had led when he was in charge of Brighton police.
Not everyone is in support of the aims of Operation Eradicate. There are those who think that all criminals are criminals and should be locked up rather than handed 'cushy treatments', spurred on by certain media sources shouting loudly; and of course businesses who have a vested interest in keeping the drugs market buoyant are not happy to see their market shrinking in front of their eyes.
Local businessman Sir Ben Parsons owns a company that makes synthetic heroin, used to ease addicts off the illegal drugs - but fewer addicts mean less demand for his substitute, and that's not something he is at all happy about.
Sir Ben will do anything to derail the operation, however illegal it might be; his methods are often crude but effective and he has fingers in all of the relevant pies to achieve his aims. His status gives him connections throughout the business and third sector community and he can be very persuasive. He may even be linked to some of those media stories that I mentioned earlier.
Pitted against him (but not knowing who her enemy is) is DS Jo Howe whose passion and belief that she is doing the right thing drives her relentlessly, at the risk of costing her everything. But as the pressure piles up on Jo, her team and the police force, will she be able to keep the operation running and succeeding?
I had no idea how the plot was going to get resolved; as the drama kept ramping up and up, my heart was in my mouth, I was so nervous and tense for Jo and her team. Graham Bartlett is an auto-buy and auto-read (and such a lovely person in real life!). I always know I am going to be blown away by the plots and the scenarios that he conjures up, expertly told every time.
February 16, 2024
I'd always thought I might like to visit Brighton one day ... Having read book three in Graham Bartlett's Jo Howe series, I don't think I'm going out on a limb to suggest the plots will not be used in any City Council promo literature any time soon.😳 All joking, and potentially poor trip advisor ratings aside, for all he has failed in creating a tourism boom, Mr B has more than made up for it with a gripping, tense, action packed crime novel that I absolutely loved. Afterall, that's the bit I'm really here for.
With City on Fire the author turns his attention to the war on illegal drugs. By his own admission, the idea for Jo Howe's 'Operation Eradicate' is taken from a similar initiative that Graham Bartlett ran when he was the big chief with Brighton & Hove police. It sees Jo and her team focusing on reducing crime in the area by providing support and treatment to drug users in the city, rather than just punitive measures which are more likely to see them reoffend. Needless to say, not everyone is behind this initiative, dealers least of all, but, as it turns out, there are far more people campaigning against Jo than acting in support of her, and those with a vested interest in seeing the programme fail come from all walks of life. Now, readers who have been with the series from the start will know that there have been a few 'issues' with corruption in the past, and it seems the manipulation, misdirection and downright lawlessness are far from over. But it is set to get really personal for Jo and mistakes from the past see her outcast and alone, and set to push her, and her family, to the very edge.
This is a bit of an addictive read, and there is no pun intended there given the subject matter. Fast paced, and laced with threat and subterfuge, it had me hooked from the very beginning. You get that sense from the very start that things are just a little off kilter, but just how far off remains to be seen. We don't to wait long, one of the big shocks happening very early on in the book and driving all of the determination that is shown by Jo and her supporters. There are two areas of focus - making sure that Operation Eradicate succeeds, and trying to pin down those who are trying to undermine it. But as we soon learn, there is a challenge to Jo's legacy from very close to home, a delicate and unfortunate situation that we understand as readers much better than Jo can at first. It's an unexpected conflict but with far reaching consequences.
The author has really but Jo, and the city, through the ringer this time around. I've got to admit there were times, much like for Jo, where I was starting to think that her situation was hopeless. I trusted Mr B though - he's far too nice a person to be that mean ... I hoped. But it did give me that constant sense of threat and pressure and made the it a really pacy book to read. The bad guys were utterly loathsome, their actions contemptible, but sadly all too believable. Exactly the kind of people who put their own fortune ahead of all others, although not without the odd surprising revelation on the home front for them too. But it was seeing Jo pushed to the limit, feeling abandoned by even her closest allies, which really stoke the fires. My reading speed increased the closer I got to the very dramatic conclusion, desperate as I was to understand if there was any way back from the precipice for Jo and wanting to be certain that, once again she was going to get her man. Or men ... after all she endures this time around, she really did deserve it.
There are some really emotional moments in this book. Lump in the throat scenes and heart thumping tension which held my attention. I can of forgive the author for where he took the book as it was in keeping with the book. Just about at least. If you thought things had been tricky before , in terms of the personal toll for Jo, this really does eclipse them both. Definitely the best, and most intense, book yet . But it also leaves me eager to see what the author is going to serve up next because I cannot wait to read it. Most certainly recommended.
With City on Fire the author turns his attention to the war on illegal drugs. By his own admission, the idea for Jo Howe's 'Operation Eradicate' is taken from a similar initiative that Graham Bartlett ran when he was the big chief with Brighton & Hove police. It sees Jo and her team focusing on reducing crime in the area by providing support and treatment to drug users in the city, rather than just punitive measures which are more likely to see them reoffend. Needless to say, not everyone is behind this initiative, dealers least of all, but, as it turns out, there are far more people campaigning against Jo than acting in support of her, and those with a vested interest in seeing the programme fail come from all walks of life. Now, readers who have been with the series from the start will know that there have been a few 'issues' with corruption in the past, and it seems the manipulation, misdirection and downright lawlessness are far from over. But it is set to get really personal for Jo and mistakes from the past see her outcast and alone, and set to push her, and her family, to the very edge.
This is a bit of an addictive read, and there is no pun intended there given the subject matter. Fast paced, and laced with threat and subterfuge, it had me hooked from the very beginning. You get that sense from the very start that things are just a little off kilter, but just how far off remains to be seen. We don't to wait long, one of the big shocks happening very early on in the book and driving all of the determination that is shown by Jo and her supporters. There are two areas of focus - making sure that Operation Eradicate succeeds, and trying to pin down those who are trying to undermine it. But as we soon learn, there is a challenge to Jo's legacy from very close to home, a delicate and unfortunate situation that we understand as readers much better than Jo can at first. It's an unexpected conflict but with far reaching consequences.
The author has really but Jo, and the city, through the ringer this time around. I've got to admit there were times, much like for Jo, where I was starting to think that her situation was hopeless. I trusted Mr B though - he's far too nice a person to be that mean ... I hoped. But it did give me that constant sense of threat and pressure and made the it a really pacy book to read. The bad guys were utterly loathsome, their actions contemptible, but sadly all too believable. Exactly the kind of people who put their own fortune ahead of all others, although not without the odd surprising revelation on the home front for them too. But it was seeing Jo pushed to the limit, feeling abandoned by even her closest allies, which really stoke the fires. My reading speed increased the closer I got to the very dramatic conclusion, desperate as I was to understand if there was any way back from the precipice for Jo and wanting to be certain that, once again she was going to get her man. Or men ... after all she endures this time around, she really did deserve it.
There are some really emotional moments in this book. Lump in the throat scenes and heart thumping tension which held my attention. I can of forgive the author for where he took the book as it was in keeping with the book. Just about at least. If you thought things had been tricky before , in terms of the personal toll for Jo, this really does eclipse them both. Definitely the best, and most intense, book yet . But it also leaves me eager to see what the author is going to serve up next because I cannot wait to read it. Most certainly recommended.
March 9, 2024
Book 3 in the DS Jo Howe series (now Chief Superintendent) set in Brighton and I think this is the best so far. I was hooked from the start and blame the author for me only getting 4 hours sleep last night! This could be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the series in order to follow Jo’s Journey. The main thread of this book is Operation Eradicate - an initiative set up by Jo to reduce the drug deaths and number of addicts on the street in what has become the drugs death capital of the UK. It is becoming increasingly successful but suddenly things are going wrong, drastically wrong. You know when you read one of this authors books it’s going to be authentic, due to his background, and that makes what I read here all the more disturbing.
Briefly, Sir Ben Parsons runs Respite pharmaceuticals and has spent millions on a new substitute drug and Operation Eradicate is a threat to his bottom line. Despite appearances he is cash poor and needs funds to take his mother, who is living with dementia, to America for radical treatment, against the advice of her doctor. Willing to blackmail and threaten he’s not comfortable with the darker side of his operations and ‘employs’ a local crime boss to carry out his plans to destroy Jo’s drug rehabilitation initiative.
This was a fast paced and at times a shocking read. The lengths people were willing to go to to achieve their aims not just murder but targeting innocent children, it is merciless. The pressure on Jo in this book is relentless and my heart went out to her she may be a strong and determined woman but she’s also a mother and a wife and her career seems to be at conflict with her personal life - it must take its toll! Another brilliant police procedural drama series and I’m surprised it hasn’t been snapped up for a television series yet. Or has it? Highly recommended.
Briefly, Sir Ben Parsons runs Respite pharmaceuticals and has spent millions on a new substitute drug and Operation Eradicate is a threat to his bottom line. Despite appearances he is cash poor and needs funds to take his mother, who is living with dementia, to America for radical treatment, against the advice of her doctor. Willing to blackmail and threaten he’s not comfortable with the darker side of his operations and ‘employs’ a local crime boss to carry out his plans to destroy Jo’s drug rehabilitation initiative.
This was a fast paced and at times a shocking read. The lengths people were willing to go to to achieve their aims not just murder but targeting innocent children, it is merciless. The pressure on Jo in this book is relentless and my heart went out to her she may be a strong and determined woman but she’s also a mother and a wife and her career seems to be at conflict with her personal life - it must take its toll! Another brilliant police procedural drama series and I’m surprised it hasn’t been snapped up for a television series yet. Or has it? Highly recommended.
March 26, 2024
Chief Superintendent Jo Howe has a personal interest in eradicating drugs from the streets after the death of her sister to an overdose. She sets up Operation Eradicate – which aimed to help people off the streets, off drugs and into a detox programme. However, Sir Ben Parsons, a wealthy businessman with connections in all the right places doesn’t agree. This will have an adverse effect on his business – he relies on people being hooked on his pharma company’s replacement meds, and Jo’s Operation is having a big impact. Launching a personal vendetta against her and her operation, no one is safe – not her team, or even her loved ones.
Graham firstly, thank you so much for gifting me an early copy of your book in exchange for my honest review!
I loved the Jo Howe series from the beginning, the first and second books were brilliant. BUT this third instalment? I don’t know where to start! The storyline was fantastic, and well thought out. A real page turner, I couldn’t stop reading as I wanted to know (with bitten down nails!) what was going to happen next! Very twisty and plenty of surprises lurking around every corner! As a reader who doesn’t have any police experience you can tell the author has plenty of knowledge in this field which I always find adds depth to a story. As the series continues, we see sides to Jo, such as her loyalty to her team, and her love for her family and job, and how torn she is between the two. It was very raw and real in parts and brought to light the issue around mental health which was very powerful. J is a fantastic character, this book is absolutely fantastic, it was like being there in the middle of it all with Jo and the team, I felt every emotion especially the frustration! (I can’t say too much for fear of giving away the story!) Amazing book, amazing story, and a brilliant series!
Graham firstly, thank you so much for gifting me an early copy of your book in exchange for my honest review!
I loved the Jo Howe series from the beginning, the first and second books were brilliant. BUT this third instalment? I don’t know where to start! The storyline was fantastic, and well thought out. A real page turner, I couldn’t stop reading as I wanted to know (with bitten down nails!) what was going to happen next! Very twisty and plenty of surprises lurking around every corner! As a reader who doesn’t have any police experience you can tell the author has plenty of knowledge in this field which I always find adds depth to a story. As the series continues, we see sides to Jo, such as her loyalty to her team, and her love for her family and job, and how torn she is between the two. It was very raw and real in parts and brought to light the issue around mental health which was very powerful. J is a fantastic character, this book is absolutely fantastic, it was like being there in the middle of it all with Jo and the team, I felt every emotion especially the frustration! (I can’t say too much for fear of giving away the story!) Amazing book, amazing story, and a brilliant series!
November 23, 2023
Thanks to Graham and NetGalley for allowing me to read City on Fire before the publication date.
This is the 3rd book in the Jo Howe series which I have read and it is definitely a page turner. The well structured story has a number of topical and controversial issues which you might find to be thought provoking.
In this book, Graham dives into the murky criminal underworld of the Brighton and Hove community, revealing how many of the criminals hide behind a mask of respectability, able to influence, buy, blackmail or use their connections to achieve their own agenda.
It is a page turner and I will not give away any spoilers.
It begins with the funeral of Phil Cooke, a former Chief Superintendent and later PCC, who was convicted of Misconduct in Public Office and Conspiracy to Murder.
It ends with a funeral… but whose funeral?
Operation Eradicate is a pilot project which takes a multi-agency approach to the drug related problems in Brighton and Hove. Controversial, it has not been universally accepted, not least by the chair of Respite Pharmaceuticals, who sees the operation as a threat to the company profits which rely on a never ending stream of substance abusers being prescribed their medication.
In the space of a few days, several people are killed or injured.
What links the victims is their connection to Eradicate.
Is there no limit to what they will do to shut down the Operation?
This is the 3rd book in the Jo Howe series which I have read and it is definitely a page turner. The well structured story has a number of topical and controversial issues which you might find to be thought provoking.
In this book, Graham dives into the murky criminal underworld of the Brighton and Hove community, revealing how many of the criminals hide behind a mask of respectability, able to influence, buy, blackmail or use their connections to achieve their own agenda.
It is a page turner and I will not give away any spoilers.
It begins with the funeral of Phil Cooke, a former Chief Superintendent and later PCC, who was convicted of Misconduct in Public Office and Conspiracy to Murder.
It ends with a funeral… but whose funeral?
Operation Eradicate is a pilot project which takes a multi-agency approach to the drug related problems in Brighton and Hove. Controversial, it has not been universally accepted, not least by the chair of Respite Pharmaceuticals, who sees the operation as a threat to the company profits which rely on a never ending stream of substance abusers being prescribed their medication.
In the space of a few days, several people are killed or injured.
What links the victims is their connection to Eradicate.
Is there no limit to what they will do to shut down the Operation?
March 27, 2024
This is book three in the DS Jo Howe series and the first one I've read. Ik keem uit om die 21st of March and I received a copy from Allison and Busby via Netgalley.
Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is leading Operation Eradicate, which uses undercover tactics to finish drug circles while also providing treatment services to victims of drug abuse. However, not everyone sees this as a positive development. Sir Ben Parsons, a billionaire, sees this operation as a threat to his business. His empire relies on addicts who survive on substitute drugs. Connected to the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Sir Ben attacks Jo wherever possible. Will she be able to withstand these attacks and get to the bottom of it all?
As this book 3 the story has already developed quite a bit. Unfortunately for me this was the first book I read so I had some difficulty getting into the story as the characters were already made familiar in the previous books. After I got into the book and the characters, it was a great read with a great storyline. It was an intense and interesting story with a decent pace that kept me going. I only wish I had read the first two books before I read this one.
4/5 ⭐
Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is leading Operation Eradicate, which uses undercover tactics to finish drug circles while also providing treatment services to victims of drug abuse. However, not everyone sees this as a positive development. Sir Ben Parsons, a billionaire, sees this operation as a threat to his business. His empire relies on addicts who survive on substitute drugs. Connected to the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Sir Ben attacks Jo wherever possible. Will she be able to withstand these attacks and get to the bottom of it all?
As this book 3 the story has already developed quite a bit. Unfortunately for me this was the first book I read so I had some difficulty getting into the story as the characters were already made familiar in the previous books. After I got into the book and the characters, it was a great read with a great storyline. It was an intense and interesting story with a decent pace that kept me going. I only wish I had read the first two books before I read this one.
4/5 ⭐
March 18, 2024
I have loved this authors writing since I picked up his first book, Bad for Good. The writing for a debut was exceptional.
I wasn't sure he could get better, yet has managed to do exactly that as each book progresses.
We are now at book 3, and this time Jo is trying to manage Operation Eradicate. It's such a brilliant initiative, trying to support drug users and get them off the streets.
Then arrogant ****s come along, with all their money and say no. In the case a man with a mother with dementia, so it sort of humanises him a little, but the way he speaks about her, it doesn't.
He doesn't do the dirty work himself either. Of course! He's the sort of character I wanted to reach into the book and throttle him and his cronies.
Jo is really under pressure this time, whist trying to manage her own life, and consequences of previous cases and the impact on her and her team.
I think Jo is one of the smartest hardest working but most human female detectives.
The authenticity jumps out. You know that this is well researched and as accurate as possible. Another absolute triumph. Blistering pace, heart rending realism.
I wasn't sure he could get better, yet has managed to do exactly that as each book progresses.
We are now at book 3, and this time Jo is trying to manage Operation Eradicate. It's such a brilliant initiative, trying to support drug users and get them off the streets.
Then arrogant ****s come along, with all their money and say no. In the case a man with a mother with dementia, so it sort of humanises him a little, but the way he speaks about her, it doesn't.
He doesn't do the dirty work himself either. Of course! He's the sort of character I wanted to reach into the book and throttle him and his cronies.
Jo is really under pressure this time, whist trying to manage her own life, and consequences of previous cases and the impact on her and her team.
I think Jo is one of the smartest hardest working but most human female detectives.
The authenticity jumps out. You know that this is well researched and as accurate as possible. Another absolute triumph. Blistering pace, heart rending realism.
March 19, 2024
Book 3 in the excellent Chief Superintendent Jo Howe series. And what a book it is! The dark, violent plot had me hooked as the tension built and built to that heart stopping finale. I read way past my bedtime as there was no chance of me stopping until I read every single word. A brilliant book I will happily recommend to everyone. Loved it.
After losing her sister to a drug overdose, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is desperate to tackle the world of drugs that consumes the shadowy backstreets of Brighton. Operation Eradicate is her response, deploying undercover tactics to collapse drug circles while also providing treatment services to victims of drug abuse. But not everyone sees this as a positive development …
The man behind Respite pharmaceuticals, billionaire Sir Ben Parsons, views Operation Eradicate as a threat to his business. His colossal empire relies on burgeoning numbers of addicts who survive on their substitute drugs. With connections in the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Sir Ben unleashes a brutal counterattack on Jo. The question is, how will she survive this fierce onslaught?
After losing her sister to a drug overdose, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is desperate to tackle the world of drugs that consumes the shadowy backstreets of Brighton. Operation Eradicate is her response, deploying undercover tactics to collapse drug circles while also providing treatment services to victims of drug abuse. But not everyone sees this as a positive development …
The man behind Respite pharmaceuticals, billionaire Sir Ben Parsons, views Operation Eradicate as a threat to his business. His colossal empire relies on burgeoning numbers of addicts who survive on their substitute drugs. With connections in the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Sir Ben unleashes a brutal counterattack on Jo. The question is, how will she survive this fierce onslaught?
March 28, 2024
Graham Bartlett has written an excellent series. They sound authentic and always come across as if the characters are genuine people.
I’m not in the least bit surprised to know that this book was based on a genuine operation that he was involved in.
Like the other books I found I was wondering how on earth Chief Superintendent Jo Howe would get out of the predicaments she was put in this time. It felt impossible at times that things would not go totally wrong. I love Jo as a character and have noticed how Graham has fleshed her out more during the series. She always appeared to be realistic but she seems to have become more if that makes sense. She has got stronger and more ballsy as the series has progressed. I’ve loved this book just a smidge more than the others and only because it was higher octane. His writing has consistently been so good throughout and he’s a firm favourite on my reading list.
With thanks to Josie Rushin, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
I’m not in the least bit surprised to know that this book was based on a genuine operation that he was involved in.
Like the other books I found I was wondering how on earth Chief Superintendent Jo Howe would get out of the predicaments she was put in this time. It felt impossible at times that things would not go totally wrong. I love Jo as a character and have noticed how Graham has fleshed her out more during the series. She always appeared to be realistic but she seems to have become more if that makes sense. She has got stronger and more ballsy as the series has progressed. I’ve loved this book just a smidge more than the others and only because it was higher octane. His writing has consistently been so good throughout and he’s a firm favourite on my reading list.
With thanks to Josie Rushin, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
March 21, 2024
I have been wanting to read a Graham Bartlett book for ages and I finally got round to it, it was worth the wait. Although this is the third book in a series I didn’t feel like I had missed out on too much beforehand (although I will definitely be catching up with the previous two). I am also really looking forward to the next one already. I find the main character, Jo Howe, to be really relatable- I love her no mess attitude but she also shows her vulnerability which makes her human. Graham’s knowledge of the Police force and Forensics really shines through and the main story running through this was something original and I found it totally fascinating (and a bit frightening!). All the extra details he adds make it so realistic without ever making it boring.
Jo Howe’s big operation on drugs OP Eradicate is put under scrutiny and threatened to be shut down after several controversies surrounding it, these effect Jo both professionally and personally. During the book she has to fight to save her Operation, her team and her family whilst having the most unusual dilemmas thrown at her, I raced through to find out whether she managed it or not.
Thanks to netgalley and Allison and Busby for the advanced
Jo Howe’s big operation on drugs OP Eradicate is put under scrutiny and threatened to be shut down after several controversies surrounding it, these effect Jo both professionally and personally. During the book she has to fight to save her Operation, her team and her family whilst having the most unusual dilemmas thrown at her, I raced through to find out whether she managed it or not.
Thanks to netgalley and Allison and Busby for the advanced
March 21, 2024
This is the third in the Jo Howe series &, somehow, they just get better & better. This could be read as a standalone but as it’s only book 3, do yourself a favour & start at the beginning.
Jo has launched Operation Eradicate - an initiative to reduce drug deaths & rid the streets of addicts. Initially, Eradicate is very successful but then it spirals in the wrong direction. A local businessman who produces a synthetic drug to aid addicts is very unhappy with Jo’s stance & uses his connections to try & get the operation stopped. No matter the cost.
The author’s police background is more than obvious in the writing & this third instalment is a heart stopping story; it leaves little room to breathe. Jo is a brilliant main character &, despite what she faces personally & professionally, her integrity never wavers. A fabulously gritty read. Again.
Jo has launched Operation Eradicate - an initiative to reduce drug deaths & rid the streets of addicts. Initially, Eradicate is very successful but then it spirals in the wrong direction. A local businessman who produces a synthetic drug to aid addicts is very unhappy with Jo’s stance & uses his connections to try & get the operation stopped. No matter the cost.
The author’s police background is more than obvious in the writing & this third instalment is a heart stopping story; it leaves little room to breathe. Jo is a brilliant main character &, despite what she faces personally & professionally, her integrity never wavers. A fabulously gritty read. Again.
November 29, 2023
I was excited to get the opportunity to read Graham Bartlett’s new book - the third in the Jo Howe police series. Like the first two books, City on Fire gives us goodies and baddies we can love and hate, corruption and infiltration at the heart of the establishment, and a hero to cheer on. It’s also set in Brighton and Hove, which is always a winner for me.
Bartlett’s understanding of the city, Sussex police and the multi-agency context of modern policing is exceptional and adds to the depth of the story.
I have enjoyed all the books, but I think this one has the edge for me. City on Fire can be read as a stand alone novel, but why not read all three while you are at it. You won’t regret it.
Bartlett’s understanding of the city, Sussex police and the multi-agency context of modern policing is exceptional and adds to the depth of the story.
I have enjoyed all the books, but I think this one has the edge for me. City on Fire can be read as a stand alone novel, but why not read all three while you are at it. You won’t regret it.
March 31, 2024
I feel like I'm late to the party when it comes to Graham Bartlett, have had his previous two books on my TBR list for ages, but somehow haven't managed to get around to them yet ~ a situation I intend to rectify as soon as possible.
City on Fire blew me away, the storyline was refreshingly different, the characters well fleshed out and believable. Obviously, the author's knowledge of police procedure and forensics from his long years of service add to the authenticity of the writing, but that only goes so far. What kept me frantically turning the pages was the sheer quality of the writing, Mr Bartlett certainly knows how to spin a tale.
Sincerely hope there's another book to the series, as I feel that Jo Howe has a lot more to give to crime fiction
City on Fire blew me away, the storyline was refreshingly different, the characters well fleshed out and believable. Obviously, the author's knowledge of police procedure and forensics from his long years of service add to the authenticity of the writing, but that only goes so far. What kept me frantically turning the pages was the sheer quality of the writing, Mr Bartlett certainly knows how to spin a tale.
Sincerely hope there's another book to the series, as I feel that Jo Howe has a lot more to give to crime fiction
November 25, 2023
Wow! This is the 3rd book in the series and I absolutely devoured it. I am desperately hoping that the series continues. There is so much going on in the story but it never gets over complicated. The book touches on so many topics from politics to drug use and it all blends together in such a real gritty way. The characters are brilliant and Jo Howe has got to be one of the strongest, smartest main characters I’ve ever read. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. If the author happens to see my review can you please write a 4th book! I highly recommend this book and the series. A massive 5 stars from me.
November 25, 2023
Wow! This is the 3rd book in the series and I absolutely devoured it. I am desperately hoping that the series continues. There is so much going on in the story but it never gets over complicated. The book touches on so many topics from politics to drug use and it all blends together in such a real gritty way. The characters are brilliant and Jo Howe has got to be one of the strongest, smartest main characters I’ve ever read. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. If the author happens to see my review can you please write a 4th book! I highly recommend this book and the series. A massive 5 stars from me.
November 29, 2023
The third in this well-written series featuring Detective Superintendent Jo Howe. This is a gritty and at times scary story. Jo's campaign to deal with drug addicts in Brighton in a compassionate manner is under attack. Police officers are being threatened, attacked and killed. Jo's own family is also being targeted. There is corruption at high levels and it looks like Jo is faced with an impossible situation.
This is a tense thrilling read, a real page-turner. Highly recommended.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
This is a tense thrilling read, a real page-turner. Highly recommended.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
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