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Detectives Roy and Roscoe #7
Not My Valentine
The most romantic day of the year turns into a nightmare…
Having returned from a date with her new boyfriend, Lydia is fatally attacked in her home. A burglary gone wrong or a planned assault?
Detectives from Heart of England Police investigate and try to find out more about the victim. She was much loved by family and colleagues. But maybe someone loved her too much.
Attention turns to Lydia’s boyfriend, Roman, when it transpires that he is the son of a local crime boss known to associate with the feared West Side Gang.
DS Sunita Roy believes he is hiding something, but will have to tread carefully – the criminals have connections in the force.
Despite having strong intuition, Roy is struggling. There is something missing from the picture and it could be a secret taken to the grave.
Having returned from a date with her new boyfriend, Lydia is fatally attacked in her home. A burglary gone wrong or a planned assault?
Detectives from Heart of England Police investigate and try to find out more about the victim. She was much loved by family and colleagues. But maybe someone loved her too much.
Attention turns to Lydia’s boyfriend, Roman, when it transpires that he is the son of a local crime boss known to associate with the feared West Side Gang.
DS Sunita Roy believes he is hiding something, but will have to tread carefully – the criminals have connections in the force.
Despite having strong intuition, Roy is struggling. There is something missing from the picture and it could be a secret taken to the grave.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2025
About the author
Tony Bassett
13 books35 followersTONY BASSETT is a former journalist who worked on regional and national newspapers in Britain for more than 40 years. He mainly reported on crime, show business, human interest and consumer topics. Now retired, he writes crime fiction.
Tony is best known for his series of novels set in the West Midlands featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy.
THE LATEST novel (Book 8) begins with a retired nurse escaping to her hotel room looking for peace after a rowdy birthday party in a Warwickshire town. But to her horror, through a window, she witnesses a brutal crime — a young woman being strangled in another part of the building.
Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy — visiting the hotel while attending a wedding — is first on the scene, and quickly realises this isn’t a random attack. The victim, glamorous social media star Candy Goodhope, was living a double life — and everyone close to her has something to hide.
When events take a further sinister turn, she and her boss, DCI Gavin Roscoe, are obliged to look back at past lives to find a motive for murder.
THE FIFTH book in the series, Heir To Murder, was judged first in the Mystery and Suspense (Police Procedurals) category in the American Fiction Awards in June 2024.
The other titles in the collection (all published by The Book Folks) are: Murder On Oxford Lane, The Crossbow Stalker, Murder Of A Doctor, Out for Revenge and It Never Rains.
Tony has in addition written a stand-alone thriller Seat 97, about a man shot dead at a London concert hall, which was published by The Book Folks, while two further works (the crime novel Smile Of The Stowaway and the spy novel The Lazarus Charter) were published by The Conrad Press.
Tony first developed a love of writing at the age of nine when he produced a junior school magazine. A few years later, his local vicar in Tunbridge Wells, Kent staged his play about the Biblical story of Naboth's Vineyard.
At Hull University, Tony was judged Time-Life Magazine student journalist of the year in 1971.
Tony, who has five grown-up children, is a Life Member of the National Union of Journalists. He lives in South-East London with his partner Lin.
*** A great value Kindle boxset collection of the first SEVEN books is now available under the title DETECTIVES ROY & ROSCOE MYSTERIES BOOKS 1 - 7.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FX2HGSQX/
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FX2HGSQX/
Tony is best known for his series of novels set in the West Midlands featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy.
THE LATEST novel (Book 8) begins with a retired nurse escaping to her hotel room looking for peace after a rowdy birthday party in a Warwickshire town. But to her horror, through a window, she witnesses a brutal crime — a young woman being strangled in another part of the building.
Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy — visiting the hotel while attending a wedding — is first on the scene, and quickly realises this isn’t a random attack. The victim, glamorous social media star Candy Goodhope, was living a double life — and everyone close to her has something to hide.
When events take a further sinister turn, she and her boss, DCI Gavin Roscoe, are obliged to look back at past lives to find a motive for murder.
THE FIFTH book in the series, Heir To Murder, was judged first in the Mystery and Suspense (Police Procedurals) category in the American Fiction Awards in June 2024.
The other titles in the collection (all published by The Book Folks) are: Murder On Oxford Lane, The Crossbow Stalker, Murder Of A Doctor, Out for Revenge and It Never Rains.
Tony has in addition written a stand-alone thriller Seat 97, about a man shot dead at a London concert hall, which was published by The Book Folks, while two further works (the crime novel Smile Of The Stowaway and the spy novel The Lazarus Charter) were published by The Conrad Press.
Tony first developed a love of writing at the age of nine when he produced a junior school magazine. A few years later, his local vicar in Tunbridge Wells, Kent staged his play about the Biblical story of Naboth's Vineyard.
At Hull University, Tony was judged Time-Life Magazine student journalist of the year in 1971.
Tony, who has five grown-up children, is a Life Member of the National Union of Journalists. He lives in South-East London with his partner Lin.
*** A great value Kindle boxset collection of the first SEVEN books is now available under the title DETECTIVES ROY & ROSCOE MYSTERIES BOOKS 1 - 7.
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FX2HGSQX/
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FX2HGSQX/
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 25, 2025
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Review for 'Not My Valentine' by Tony Bassett.
This is the fourth book I have read by this author. It is also the seventh book in Tony's 'Detectives Roy and Roscoe' series but can be read as a standalone. I have also read the standalone 'Seat 97', 'Heir To Murder' (book 5 in this series) and 'It Never Rains' (book 6 in this series) by Tony. I would highly recommend each and every one of them. Each book in Tony's 'Detectives Roy And Roscoe' series can be read as a standalone.
Another gripping and addictive book in this fantastic action packed series by Tony Bassett. I am not usually a fan of reading books out of order but if you have never read any of Tony's books before there is nothing to fear!! You can start with this one and the silver lining of reading books out of order is that after you have finished this book (and got addicted which I can guarantee you will!) you can go back to read the previous six books in the series while you are impatiently waiting for the next book to be released!!! The book is fast paced with one thing happening after another and I absolutely devoured it in one sitting. Every time I told myself just one more chapter it ended in a way that I just had to read one more and before I knew it I had devoured the whole book around in one sitting. I was walking around with my book glued to my hand as I just could not put it down! This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions and the perfect atmosphere for the storyline. The synopsis and cover work perfectly with the book cover. It is is an intriguing and thrilling crime mystery and a great addition to this series. In this book Tony transports his readers to the Midlands where we meet Lydia Squires and her partner Roman Makepeace who are enjoying a romantic meal on the "Valentine's Express" steam train to celebrate Valentine's Day. We also meet Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy and her boyfriend Detective Inspector Tom Vickers who are also aboard and enjoying an early Valentine's Day meal. The two couples get chatting but a few days later Sunita is called to a crime scene where the victim has been murdered and she discovers that the victim is Lydia. Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe and Sunita are determined to get justice for Lydia but is struggling to get hold of Lydia's elusive sister Allison Pagett, is struggling to get any answers from Allison's husband Aiden, cannot find Lydia's Mum who was meant to have moved in with her, discovers Lydia had a stalker in work and also find's out that Roman's Dad runs the West Side Gang . Sunita's work is definitely cut out for her with a massive list of suspects. While this is going on Tom is also looking into a cold case of missing Debbie Portman. Will Sunita and Gavin be able to discover who killed Lydia? Will Tom be able to give the Portman family closure? Well, grab your copy of this action packed crime thriller today to find out for yourself and I promise you will not regret it! You may even discover your new favourite book, series and/or author while you are there!! With a gripping storyline ram packed with crime, romance, murder, mystery, suspense, tension, red herrings and so much more what are you waiting for? This is a book that will keep you turning the pages needing to know exactly what will happen next and I just could not put it down! I ended up devouring it in one sitting of several hours! I love the fact that there are several leads and different storylines going on and Tony weaves them all together perfectly. Tony takes us on a mysterious and dangerous adventure from the absolutely fantastic first chapter to the very end. It is quite a unique storyline and I enjoyed trying to work out the answers along with Sunita, Tom and the rest of the fantastic team. Tony drip feeds the reader just the right amount of information to give them enough to try and work it out but not too much to make it too easy and ends the book with a great twist that I was not expecting. It is filled with mystery, crime, twists, suspense, action and will keep you turning the pages to find out the answers.
Although this is the seventh book in the series I would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
The characters are all well developed, strong and realistic. I really enjoyed getting to know more about Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy, Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe and Detective Tom Vickers who all had different thoughts of the case. I loved Sunita's determination to get the right suspect, intelligence, refusal to concentrate on one subject and the fact that she thinks outside of the box. Gavin on the other hand tends to have a one track mind and relies a lot on Sunita. Although they have completely different personalities I warmed to them all really quickly and I am looking forward to meeting them all again in previous and future books. There were several other characters that I enjoyed meeting and that thanks to Tony's fantastic evocative descriptions all leapt out of the pages in front of my eyes. Some of these include DC Khalid, Chief Superintendent Norris, DC Hopkirk and DC Dawson, to name a few, and I am hoping to meet them all again. There were plenty of other characters and I love the fact that they were all realistic and well developed but also that things were not always "black and white" I think the best way to put it would be without giving too much away. The fact that Tony has done his research on the police and police procedures completely shine through the book. It is a pet hate of mine when authors fail to put any research into the topics they are writing about as it easily spoils what could be an excellent storyline. There were several characters that I could not stand but I don't want to go into them as I would rather you read the characters for yourselves and make up your own minds about them. I already know what each have done so it would be too easy to give anything away with my thoughts and feelings on them. Regardless of how I felt about them each character had a part to play and they played it perfectly. I am definitely looking forward to meeting many of them again in the next books in this fantastic series.
Overall a fast paced, crime filled page turner that will keep you hooked from beginning to end!
#NotMyValentine #DetectivesRoyAndRoscoe #TonyBassett #TheBookFolks #RachelsRandomResources #rararesources
@TonyBassett @RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @TheBookFolks
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Review for 'Not My Valentine' by Tony Bassett.
This is the fourth book I have read by this author. It is also the seventh book in Tony's 'Detectives Roy and Roscoe' series but can be read as a standalone. I have also read the standalone 'Seat 97', 'Heir To Murder' (book 5 in this series) and 'It Never Rains' (book 6 in this series) by Tony. I would highly recommend each and every one of them. Each book in Tony's 'Detectives Roy And Roscoe' series can be read as a standalone.
Another gripping and addictive book in this fantastic action packed series by Tony Bassett. I am not usually a fan of reading books out of order but if you have never read any of Tony's books before there is nothing to fear!! You can start with this one and the silver lining of reading books out of order is that after you have finished this book (and got addicted which I can guarantee you will!) you can go back to read the previous six books in the series while you are impatiently waiting for the next book to be released!!! The book is fast paced with one thing happening after another and I absolutely devoured it in one sitting. Every time I told myself just one more chapter it ended in a way that I just had to read one more and before I knew it I had devoured the whole book around in one sitting. I was walking around with my book glued to my hand as I just could not put it down! This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions and the perfect atmosphere for the storyline. The synopsis and cover work perfectly with the book cover. It is is an intriguing and thrilling crime mystery and a great addition to this series. In this book Tony transports his readers to the Midlands where we meet Lydia Squires and her partner Roman Makepeace who are enjoying a romantic meal on the "Valentine's Express" steam train to celebrate Valentine's Day. We also meet Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy and her boyfriend Detective Inspector Tom Vickers who are also aboard and enjoying an early Valentine's Day meal. The two couples get chatting but a few days later Sunita is called to a crime scene where the victim has been murdered and she discovers that the victim is Lydia. Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe and Sunita are determined to get justice for Lydia but is struggling to get hold of Lydia's elusive sister Allison Pagett, is struggling to get any answers from Allison's husband Aiden, cannot find Lydia's Mum who was meant to have moved in with her, discovers Lydia had a stalker in work and also find's out that Roman's Dad runs the West Side Gang . Sunita's work is definitely cut out for her with a massive list of suspects. While this is going on Tom is also looking into a cold case of missing Debbie Portman. Will Sunita and Gavin be able to discover who killed Lydia? Will Tom be able to give the Portman family closure? Well, grab your copy of this action packed crime thriller today to find out for yourself and I promise you will not regret it! You may even discover your new favourite book, series and/or author while you are there!! With a gripping storyline ram packed with crime, romance, murder, mystery, suspense, tension, red herrings and so much more what are you waiting for? This is a book that will keep you turning the pages needing to know exactly what will happen next and I just could not put it down! I ended up devouring it in one sitting of several hours! I love the fact that there are several leads and different storylines going on and Tony weaves them all together perfectly. Tony takes us on a mysterious and dangerous adventure from the absolutely fantastic first chapter to the very end. It is quite a unique storyline and I enjoyed trying to work out the answers along with Sunita, Tom and the rest of the fantastic team. Tony drip feeds the reader just the right amount of information to give them enough to try and work it out but not too much to make it too easy and ends the book with a great twist that I was not expecting. It is filled with mystery, crime, twists, suspense, action and will keep you turning the pages to find out the answers.
Although this is the seventh book in the series I would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
The characters are all well developed, strong and realistic. I really enjoyed getting to know more about Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy, Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe and Detective Tom Vickers who all had different thoughts of the case. I loved Sunita's determination to get the right suspect, intelligence, refusal to concentrate on one subject and the fact that she thinks outside of the box. Gavin on the other hand tends to have a one track mind and relies a lot on Sunita. Although they have completely different personalities I warmed to them all really quickly and I am looking forward to meeting them all again in previous and future books. There were several other characters that I enjoyed meeting and that thanks to Tony's fantastic evocative descriptions all leapt out of the pages in front of my eyes. Some of these include DC Khalid, Chief Superintendent Norris, DC Hopkirk and DC Dawson, to name a few, and I am hoping to meet them all again. There were plenty of other characters and I love the fact that they were all realistic and well developed but also that things were not always "black and white" I think the best way to put it would be without giving too much away. The fact that Tony has done his research on the police and police procedures completely shine through the book. It is a pet hate of mine when authors fail to put any research into the topics they are writing about as it easily spoils what could be an excellent storyline. There were several characters that I could not stand but I don't want to go into them as I would rather you read the characters for yourselves and make up your own minds about them. I already know what each have done so it would be too easy to give anything away with my thoughts and feelings on them. Regardless of how I felt about them each character had a part to play and they played it perfectly. I am definitely looking forward to meeting many of them again in the next books in this fantastic series.
Overall a fast paced, crime filled page turner that will keep you hooked from beginning to end!
#NotMyValentine #DetectivesRoyAndRoscoe #TonyBassett #TheBookFolks #RachelsRandomResources #rararesources
@TonyBassett @RachelsRandomResources @rararesources @TheBookFolks
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May 17, 2025
Prepare yourself for a heart-pounding journey through the twists and turns of love, betrayal, and the underbelly of crime in "Not My Valentine" - a gripping thriller that takes the innocence of romance and ruptures it with a pulse-pounding mystery!
On a day celebrated as the pinnacle of romance, Lydia's life takes a shocking turn from bliss to brutality. Coming home from a seemingly perfect date with her new boyfriend, she is suddenly plunged into a harrowing nightmare as she becomes the victim of a brutal attack. Was it a random burglary gone wrong, or is there a darker secret lurking in the shadows?
As the detectives of Heart of England Police delve deeper into Lydia’s life, readers are invited on an electrifying chase for the truth. Lydia was cherished by her family and colleagues, but it soon becomes apparent that beneath the surface of affection lies a tangled web of obsession and jealousy. And then the stakes are raised even higher - enter Roman, Lydia’s enigmatic boyfriend, whose connections to a local crime boss hint at a dangerous world swirling just beneath the idyllic façade.
Tony Bassett masterfully crafts a narrative that is not only a gripping mystery but also a poignant exploration of love’s darker side. The characters are richly developed, each adding depth and complexity to the story, making you question their motives at every turn.
This little beauty of a book is a heart-racing rollercoaster that will leave you breathless, with a plot that twists and turns in ways you never saw coming. As truths are unveiled, secrets simmer to the surface, and danger lurks in every corner, you’ll be kept on the edge of your seat, eagerly flipping pages long into the night.
On a day celebrated as the pinnacle of romance, Lydia's life takes a shocking turn from bliss to brutality. Coming home from a seemingly perfect date with her new boyfriend, she is suddenly plunged into a harrowing nightmare as she becomes the victim of a brutal attack. Was it a random burglary gone wrong, or is there a darker secret lurking in the shadows?
As the detectives of Heart of England Police delve deeper into Lydia’s life, readers are invited on an electrifying chase for the truth. Lydia was cherished by her family and colleagues, but it soon becomes apparent that beneath the surface of affection lies a tangled web of obsession and jealousy. And then the stakes are raised even higher - enter Roman, Lydia’s enigmatic boyfriend, whose connections to a local crime boss hint at a dangerous world swirling just beneath the idyllic façade.
Tony Bassett masterfully crafts a narrative that is not only a gripping mystery but also a poignant exploration of love’s darker side. The characters are richly developed, each adding depth and complexity to the story, making you question their motives at every turn.
This little beauty of a book is a heart-racing rollercoaster that will leave you breathless, with a plot that twists and turns in ways you never saw coming. As truths are unveiled, secrets simmer to the surface, and danger lurks in every corner, you’ll be kept on the edge of your seat, eagerly flipping pages long into the night.
May 21, 2025
On a Valentine’s trip on a steam train, DS Sunita Roy and her boyfriend DI Tom Vickers get chatting to another loved up young couple, Lydia and Roman. Attending Heart of England CID’s latest crime scene a few days later, Roy is shocked to discover that the victim, brutally stabbed to death in her kitchen, is the same woman, Lydia Squires. After having a lovely meal out with Roman, the confident bubbly woman had kissed him goodnight, gone inside and was never seen alive again. Had she disturbed a burglar, was it her obsessed stalker from work, a jilted ex-lover or could it be something to do with her new beau’s father Axel, the head of the notorious West Side OCG? Was the seemingly pleasant Roman more embedded in the family business than it appeared? All questions for DCI Gavin Roscoe’s team of Roy and DCs Omar Khalid, Wendy Hopkirk and Brett Dawson as they dig deeper into Lydia’s friends, family and colleagues and make some startling discoveries in their quest to catch a killer.
Set in and around Birmingham and Worcester, this is an area I’ve grown up in and know very well and I could easily picture all the locations. It’s another well written story in a great series featuring some warm and very likeable detectives and with a little humour too in places. It’s nice to see Roy happy again with Tom, whilst he has his hands full getting stuck into solving a cold case of murder. The pace is well maintained with plenty of twists and some great suspects to keep the reader engrossed from start to finish.
Set in and around Birmingham and Worcester, this is an area I’ve grown up in and know very well and I could easily picture all the locations. It’s another well written story in a great series featuring some warm and very likeable detectives and with a little humour too in places. It’s nice to see Roy happy again with Tom, whilst he has his hands full getting stuck into solving a cold case of murder. The pace is well maintained with plenty of twists and some great suspects to keep the reader engrossed from start to finish.
May 24, 2025
The most romantic day of the year turns into a nightmare...
Not My Valentine by Tony Bassett is a pulse pounding and twisty crime thriller where you will think you know what happened, but you will be wrong! This is the 7th book in the Roy and Roscoe crime fiction series, but I read it as a standalone and it worked really well on it's own!
What was supposed to be the most romantic night for lovers turns into a brutal and savage nightmare when after returning home from a date, Lydia is attacked and killed. As Detectives from Heart of England Police dig into Lydia's life, they learn that while well liked among friends, Lydia seemed to attract the wrong kind of attention from someone. Add in her new boyfriends father who is at the top of the food chain with the West Side gang, and Detectives definitely have their work cut out for them.
This was a rollercoaster ride of a story!! I hadn't read any of the other books in the series so I was concerned that I would be lost or wouldn't connect with the characters, but this was not the case! I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything too relevant to this story. There are two storylines that are introduced, the Valentine's murder with DS Roy and then DI Roscoe is working on a cold case. Plenty of twists and suspense that kept me hooked and I flew through this in a day! Definitely recommend this for fans of crime fiction thrillers that are fast paced and suspenseful!!
Not My Valentine by Tony Bassett is a pulse pounding and twisty crime thriller where you will think you know what happened, but you will be wrong! This is the 7th book in the Roy and Roscoe crime fiction series, but I read it as a standalone and it worked really well on it's own!
What was supposed to be the most romantic night for lovers turns into a brutal and savage nightmare when after returning home from a date, Lydia is attacked and killed. As Detectives from Heart of England Police dig into Lydia's life, they learn that while well liked among friends, Lydia seemed to attract the wrong kind of attention from someone. Add in her new boyfriends father who is at the top of the food chain with the West Side gang, and Detectives definitely have their work cut out for them.
This was a rollercoaster ride of a story!! I hadn't read any of the other books in the series so I was concerned that I would be lost or wouldn't connect with the characters, but this was not the case! I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything too relevant to this story. There are two storylines that are introduced, the Valentine's murder with DS Roy and then DI Roscoe is working on a cold case. Plenty of twists and suspense that kept me hooked and I flew through this in a day! Definitely recommend this for fans of crime fiction thrillers that are fast paced and suspenseful!!
May 25, 2025
Lydia Squires is murdered after a date with her love Roman Makepeace on the romantic Valentine’s Express steam train from Snow Hill station to Stratford-upon-Avon. DS Sunita Roy is on the case.
There is another case, a cold one—eight years earlier a councillor had disappeared without trace after a violent incident at her home.
The plot is complex, and the solution to the crime is not obvious. As usual, Sunita’s little grey cells come into play.
Bassett’s crime novels feature realistic police procedures—interviews, checking alibis, cell tower analysis, DNA, fingerprints, CCTV, car registrations, speaking to family and exes, following the money—and they have realistic, believable dialogue. Not everything is done by our heroine; as in real life, there are multiple officers involved. This might have been confusing if it weren’t that we know some of these characters from previous novels in the series. But the plot is standalone. It’s a great read whether you’ve read Books 1-6 or not.
The multiple agents also provide opportunity for naturalistic recaps, as the officers fill each other in on the progress of their enquiries. Bassett is skilled at weaving necessary backstory into the dialogue, so we don’t experience any info-dump.
We get all the clues the detectives do, making it fun to try to guess who dunnit (though I never do).
7th in the Roy and Roscoe series. The writing is perfect.
There is another case, a cold one—eight years earlier a councillor had disappeared without trace after a violent incident at her home.
The plot is complex, and the solution to the crime is not obvious. As usual, Sunita’s little grey cells come into play.
Bassett’s crime novels feature realistic police procedures—interviews, checking alibis, cell tower analysis, DNA, fingerprints, CCTV, car registrations, speaking to family and exes, following the money—and they have realistic, believable dialogue. Not everything is done by our heroine; as in real life, there are multiple officers involved. This might have been confusing if it weren’t that we know some of these characters from previous novels in the series. But the plot is standalone. It’s a great read whether you’ve read Books 1-6 or not.
The multiple agents also provide opportunity for naturalistic recaps, as the officers fill each other in on the progress of their enquiries. Bassett is skilled at weaving necessary backstory into the dialogue, so we don’t experience any info-dump.
We get all the clues the detectives do, making it fun to try to guess who dunnit (though I never do).
7th in the Roy and Roscoe series. The writing is perfect.
May 31, 2025
This is the first book I have read by Tony Bassett and although it is the seventh book in the Roy and Roscoe crime series it is definitely written as a standalone book.
As a huge fan of Detective stories I found this one more on the “easy reading “ end of the spectrum and read it in one sitting due to it being only 236 pages in length making it an ideal read on a wet , rainy afternoon when you don’t want anything too strenuous to get your teeth into.
For me it is missing the depth of plot and substance that I like and at times I feel that it skims the surface rather than taking us deeper into the characters . However , there are a wide variety of characters that appear and, in some cases, disappear as the story unfurls to keep the interest and the momentum moving at a fair pace throughout the book in order to keep the reader engaged from the beginning to the end.
I personally would have liked more time to have been spent on how DS Roy actually came up with her theory as to what had happened at the end of the book in order to build up suspense and intrigue before proving her case.
Overall my feelings are that this is a perfectly enjoyable read for those readers who prefer an easy detective story that will not take too long to read and is not too taxing.
As a huge fan of Detective stories I found this one more on the “easy reading “ end of the spectrum and read it in one sitting due to it being only 236 pages in length making it an ideal read on a wet , rainy afternoon when you don’t want anything too strenuous to get your teeth into.
For me it is missing the depth of plot and substance that I like and at times I feel that it skims the surface rather than taking us deeper into the characters . However , there are a wide variety of characters that appear and, in some cases, disappear as the story unfurls to keep the interest and the momentum moving at a fair pace throughout the book in order to keep the reader engaged from the beginning to the end.
I personally would have liked more time to have been spent on how DS Roy actually came up with her theory as to what had happened at the end of the book in order to build up suspense and intrigue before proving her case.
Overall my feelings are that this is a perfectly enjoyable read for those readers who prefer an easy detective story that will not take too long to read and is not too taxing.
April 5, 2025
‘Someone’s been acting suspiciously outside your house’ – One fine thriller!
UK author Tony Bassett, a former journalist reporting on crime, show business, and human interest topics, is now retired and focuses his attention on writing novels that reflective his acumen as a journalist. He continues his popular series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy. In this 7th episode he distills the plot as follows: ‘A glamorous blonde managing director’s secretary, Lydia Squires, is planning to settle down with Roman, the man of her dreams, after a whirlwind romance. Tragically, her life is cut short on Valentine’s night by a brutal killer. Detectives Gavin Roscoe and Sunita Roy discover Lydia – also a part-time singer - was being stalked by an obsessed work colleague. Could this man have slaughtered Lydia in a jealous rage or were other, more ruthless forces at work?’ Brilliantly conceived, this mystery is rich in suspense while delineating an excellent, credible cast of characters. Absolutely first class novel!
UK author Tony Bassett, a former journalist reporting on crime, show business, and human interest topics, is now retired and focuses his attention on writing novels that reflective his acumen as a journalist. He continues his popular series featuring Detective Chief Inspector Gavin Roscoe, an experienced detective and family man, and his sergeant, law graduate and resourceful problem-solver Sunita Roy. In this 7th episode he distills the plot as follows: ‘A glamorous blonde managing director’s secretary, Lydia Squires, is planning to settle down with Roman, the man of her dreams, after a whirlwind romance. Tragically, her life is cut short on Valentine’s night by a brutal killer. Detectives Gavin Roscoe and Sunita Roy discover Lydia – also a part-time singer - was being stalked by an obsessed work colleague. Could this man have slaughtered Lydia in a jealous rage or were other, more ruthless forces at work?’ Brilliantly conceived, this mystery is rich in suspense while delineating an excellent, credible cast of characters. Absolutely first class novel!
April 30, 2025
Not My Valentine by Tony Bassett is a fabulous contemporary crime suspense that I just could not put down. It is the seventh book in the Detectives Roy & Roscoe series but can be read as a stand-alone.
I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces. Easy banter flowed between the regular police officers. We see the tenacity of the law to solve the case as we drop in on the detectives.
Present day murder is investigated alongside a cold case. The law enforcement officers are relentless in their pursuit of justice and the reader applauds their commitment.
The action is set in the Midlands with a murder in Worcester, and chasing criminals around Birmingham and the Black Country. As a Black Country wench living in Worcestershire, the locations were incredibly familiar to me. This helped me to really bed down into the book.
Tony Bassett always writes novels that entertain and consume me. I don’t just read his books. I live his books.
Not My Valentine is another superb offering in this fabulous series.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces. Easy banter flowed between the regular police officers. We see the tenacity of the law to solve the case as we drop in on the detectives.
Present day murder is investigated alongside a cold case. The law enforcement officers are relentless in their pursuit of justice and the reader applauds their commitment.
The action is set in the Midlands with a murder in Worcester, and chasing criminals around Birmingham and the Black Country. As a Black Country wench living in Worcestershire, the locations were incredibly familiar to me. This helped me to really bed down into the book.
Tony Bassett always writes novels that entertain and consume me. I don’t just read his books. I live his books.
Not My Valentine is another superb offering in this fabulous series.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
May 23, 2025
On the most romantic night of the year, after a lovely meal with her new boyfriend, Lydia doesn’t last the night. Stabbed to death by an intruder leaves DS Sunita Roy with a headache with- plenty of suspects but no opportunity!!
Meanwhile, her boyfriend DI Tom Vickers is on the hunt for a missing councillor as he’s assigned a cold case to review. Can he track down this missing woman?!
I rather liked meeting Sunita and Tom though the story was more focussed on Sunita’s case than Tom’s. Sunita is one of those tenacious detectives who in my little world is trying to prove herself (very successfully might I add) in a man’s world. Her relationship with Tim is just as I imagine a police couple’s relationship to be – brief meet ups after long days, one leaving the other at home but then the bouncing cases off each other.
I found Not My Valentine a very fast paced read with the focus of the story switching between the two investigations. There were plenty of twists to keep this little grey cells working. I’d read more from Bassett for sure!
Meanwhile, her boyfriend DI Tom Vickers is on the hunt for a missing councillor as he’s assigned a cold case to review. Can he track down this missing woman?!
I rather liked meeting Sunita and Tom though the story was more focussed on Sunita’s case than Tom’s. Sunita is one of those tenacious detectives who in my little world is trying to prove herself (very successfully might I add) in a man’s world. Her relationship with Tim is just as I imagine a police couple’s relationship to be – brief meet ups after long days, one leaving the other at home but then the bouncing cases off each other.
I found Not My Valentine a very fast paced read with the focus of the story switching between the two investigations. There were plenty of twists to keep this little grey cells working. I’d read more from Bassett for sure!
May 24, 2025
Not My Valentine by Tony Bassett is the 7th in the Detective Roy and Roscoe series. Each of these books can be read as a standalone as well. I love this author's writing style and the series so I wanted to read another book in the series! Not My Valentine starts with meeting a woman named Lydia and her boyfriend named Roman. Then something happens and Lydia is killed, but the scene and what happened is not adding up for Detective Sunita Roy and her boss DCI Gavin Roscoe.
The writing is superb in this book, as y'all know I love a good British mystery/murder! I like the characters of Sunita and Gavin as they are great detectives and have a great boss relationship and I love the English Jargon, that the author writes into his books! The mystery is interesting as we try to figure out who killed Lydia and why! And why the scene was the way it was when they found Lydia. The ending was unexpected but wrapped up tightly with a bow. I would absolutely read another book by the author in this series!
The writing is superb in this book, as y'all know I love a good British mystery/murder! I like the characters of Sunita and Gavin as they are great detectives and have a great boss relationship and I love the English Jargon, that the author writes into his books! The mystery is interesting as we try to figure out who killed Lydia and why! And why the scene was the way it was when they found Lydia. The ending was unexpected but wrapped up tightly with a bow. I would absolutely read another book by the author in this series!
June 18, 2025
Sunita Roy and her boyfriend meet another couple on a train journey and are shocked when the woman is found dead soon after. But the more DS Roy and her colleagues dig into the victim’s past, and that of the boyfriend, they uncover more and more mysteries…
Not My Valentine is the 7th book in the Roy and Roscoe series of police procedurals set in the Midlands.
I really like this series of books and this one is my favourite yet! The police characters are great, while the plot races along with fab twists.
DCI Gavin Roscoe takes a bit of a back seat in this story but Sunita Roy carries the plot well. The team are dedicated and follow the clues even when they take them in unexpected directions. The detail of the investigation is throrough but also the character development which underpins the plot. The style of writing is easy to read and the pace is fast.
Not My Valentine is a highly enjoyable police thriller.
Not My Valentine is the 7th book in the Roy and Roscoe series of police procedurals set in the Midlands.
I really like this series of books and this one is my favourite yet! The police characters are great, while the plot races along with fab twists.
DCI Gavin Roscoe takes a bit of a back seat in this story but Sunita Roy carries the plot well. The team are dedicated and follow the clues even when they take them in unexpected directions. The detail of the investigation is throrough but also the character development which underpins the plot. The style of writing is easy to read and the pace is fast.
Not My Valentine is a highly enjoyable police thriller.
March 20, 2025
DS Sunita Roy takes the lead in investigating the Murder on Valentine's Night and, at the same time helps on a case led by her boyfriend, DI Tom Vickers, that is several years old and where the trail has gone cold. A woman is murdered after a romantic dinner with her boyfriend and suspicion points to him. By coincidence, DS Roy and DI Tom Vickers had met the couple a few days earlier on a social outing, so she had a personal interest in solving the case.
Investigations lead to a long list of suspects, all of whom had plausible reasons for murder and DS Roy painstakingly looked at all options. This involved travelling throughout the midlands, being fed a few “Red Herrings” and digging up a lot of surprises.
This results in a fast-paced thriller with DS Roy using all of her brainpower to solve it.
Investigations lead to a long list of suspects, all of whom had plausible reasons for murder and DS Roy painstakingly looked at all options. This involved travelling throughout the midlands, being fed a few “Red Herrings” and digging up a lot of surprises.
This results in a fast-paced thriller with DS Roy using all of her brainpower to solve it.
May 23, 2025
Thank you to @RachelsRandomResources + @tonybassettauthor for the gifted copy.
This book is part of a series, and from my understanding, this is book 7. This would be the first book that I am reading from this series, and so I wouldn't be able to tell you anything from any of the previous books. However, from what I've read, this was pretty catchy! I like suspense and thrillers, but I'm not a huge fan of the whole CSI style type of stories, unless the style is more like Dexter. This book was fast-paced, and there was a good amount of tension building. I liked that it wasn't easily predictable. What you thought was going to happen was definitely not it. I feel like this gave a mix of Bones and Castle, but with a more suspenseful theme to it. Overall, if you like a thriller that is fast-paced, suspenseful, plot-filled, and a murder mystery, then this is the book for you!
This book is part of a series, and from my understanding, this is book 7. This would be the first book that I am reading from this series, and so I wouldn't be able to tell you anything from any of the previous books. However, from what I've read, this was pretty catchy! I like suspense and thrillers, but I'm not a huge fan of the whole CSI style type of stories, unless the style is more like Dexter. This book was fast-paced, and there was a good amount of tension building. I liked that it wasn't easily predictable. What you thought was going to happen was definitely not it. I feel like this gave a mix of Bones and Castle, but with a more suspenseful theme to it. Overall, if you like a thriller that is fast-paced, suspenseful, plot-filled, and a murder mystery, then this is the book for you!
April 2, 2025
From the moment I started reading this book, I was completely immersed in a thriller full of intrigue and tension. It's definitely one of those books that grabs you from beginning to end; you don't want to stop reading to find out what will happen next. With this seventh book, Tony Bassett has once again managed to create a unique mystery on every page, one that makes the reader not want to put the book down! One of the things I loved most about the book are the unexpected plot twists, the suspense on every page, and the characterization of Sunita Roy is undoubtedly incredible. Her intuition and determination make her a fascinating character in this story. Highly recommended for those of us who enjoy crime novels full of tension and intrigue.
April 4, 2025
What a fascinating series! In his stories, Tony Bassett consistently goes above and above, and "Not My Valentine" was no exception. I was engrossed in this seventh volume of the series from the very beginning to the very end.
The characters, as always, are very well developed. I think Sunita Roy, in particular, is brilliant. Her intuition, her strength, and the way she deals with obstacles made me admire her, and I found Roman's character extremely intriguing. And what can I say about the ending? It left me speechless and wanting more!
Unquestionably, a powerful, engrossing installment that well fits the tone of this exceptional series. If you haven't started yet, I don't know what you're waiting for.
The characters, as always, are very well developed. I think Sunita Roy, in particular, is brilliant. Her intuition, her strength, and the way she deals with obstacles made me admire her, and I found Roman's character extremely intriguing. And what can I say about the ending? It left me speechless and wanting more!
Unquestionably, a powerful, engrossing installment that well fits the tone of this exceptional series. If you haven't started yet, I don't know what you're waiting for.
April 4, 2025
This book is definitely worth reading.
I really like this book. It's full of incredible and well-developed characters, with multiple evolutions as ways of perceiving the environment or even deeper thoughts throughout the book. The story is undoubtedly very well developed and constructed to keep us entertained from beginning to end, to which we also add the author's ability to include unexpected twists in the plot that generate an invaluable reading experience. For me, not a single moment of the plot was predictable; truly, each change was incredibly well developed and unexpected. In conclusion, it's a book well worth reading if you want to spend a pleasant time with a story that begins romantically and ends full of mystery. This book is definitely worth reading.
I really like this book. It's full of incredible and well-developed characters, with multiple evolutions as ways of perceiving the environment or even deeper thoughts throughout the book. The story is undoubtedly very well developed and constructed to keep us entertained from beginning to end, to which we also add the author's ability to include unexpected twists in the plot that generate an invaluable reading experience. For me, not a single moment of the plot was predictable; truly, each change was incredibly well developed and unexpected. In conclusion, it's a book well worth reading if you want to spend a pleasant time with a story that begins romantically and ends full of mystery. This book is definitely worth reading.
May 19, 2025
A police procedural that keeps you guessing.
We don't get to know Lydia long before she's murdered which is a shame as she's fascinating. However, you quickly get engrossed in the investigation that shows us the complexity of Sunita's quest to find the murderer.
This evening paced murder mystery unpicks a criminal enterprise that initially seems to be the reasoning behind Lydia's death. It's not that simple though and there's much more to the story as we learn more about the key players.
I liked that the culprit was t that obvious and the motive simple but effective. Thriller lovers will have seen it before but it doesn't get old!! A good read that keeps you invested throughout.
We don't get to know Lydia long before she's murdered which is a shame as she's fascinating. However, you quickly get engrossed in the investigation that shows us the complexity of Sunita's quest to find the murderer.
This evening paced murder mystery unpicks a criminal enterprise that initially seems to be the reasoning behind Lydia's death. It's not that simple though and there's much more to the story as we learn more about the key players.
I liked that the culprit was t that obvious and the motive simple but effective. Thriller lovers will have seen it before but it doesn't get old!! A good read that keeps you invested throughout.
April 4, 2025
This one is a book that caught my attention right away; the start is a very interesting, romantic night turning into a murder mystery.
I really like Sunita Roy’s character and how many layers you can get from her throughout the book. And with all the twists and turns it is a very good combo for flipping pages non stop; even when the plot twist felt a bit predictable, it was a fun ride.
Overall, the author did a good job building the tension and the writing really captivates the reader. For everyone into detective thrillers with a fast paced, this is a good option to pick!
I really like Sunita Roy’s character and how many layers you can get from her throughout the book. And with all the twists and turns it is a very good combo for flipping pages non stop; even when the plot twist felt a bit predictable, it was a fun ride.
Overall, the author did a good job building the tension and the writing really captivates the reader. For everyone into detective thrillers with a fast paced, this is a good option to pick!
March 30, 2025
Another fast paced novel from this established crime writer. The plot was intricate and gripping in equal measure, with some of the twists every good crime novel should deliver. Thoroughly recommended.
March 30, 2026
terrible ending
June 5, 2025
BOOK 24/52 READ FOR THE 52 BOOK CHALLENGE 2025.
PROMPT 4: TITLE STARTS WITH AN 'N'
Having read books 1 and 5 {Murder On Oxford Lane and Heir To Murder}, a series I have dipped in and out of. Whilst there will of course always be those readers who prefer to read a series in order from the beginning, personally speaking, the fact that I haven't done so hasn't had any detrimental effect on my enjoyment of the books.
Faster paced than the previous books, the concept of a romantic meal on the most romantic night of the year turning into something of a murder mystery something that intrigued me.
DS Sunita Roy, a character who has come into her own throughout the books, never fails to impress, her intuition, tenacity and sheer determination making for exactly the strong, feisty female characters that I really enjoy.
Overall I thought Not My Valentine a strong addition to the series. The fact that between the main case there is also a cold case to be solved, well executed.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour/Book Birthday Blitz of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.
PROMPT 4: TITLE STARTS WITH AN 'N'
Having read books 1 and 5 {Murder On Oxford Lane and Heir To Murder}, a series I have dipped in and out of. Whilst there will of course always be those readers who prefer to read a series in order from the beginning, personally speaking, the fact that I haven't done so hasn't had any detrimental effect on my enjoyment of the books.
Faster paced than the previous books, the concept of a romantic meal on the most romantic night of the year turning into something of a murder mystery something that intrigued me.
DS Sunita Roy, a character who has come into her own throughout the books, never fails to impress, her intuition, tenacity and sheer determination making for exactly the strong, feisty female characters that I really enjoy.
Overall I thought Not My Valentine a strong addition to the series. The fact that between the main case there is also a cold case to be solved, well executed.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour/Book Birthday Blitz of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.
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