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DI Zigic and DS Ferreira #1
Lång väg hem
En man bränns till döds i ett trädgårdsskjul i en förort.
Kriminalkommissarie Zigic och kriminalpolis Ferreira kallas in från Peterboroughs hatbrottsenhet för att utreda mordet. Offret identifieras snabbt som illegal arbetsinvandrare, och en man som flera människor mycket väl kan ha velat se död.
En dömd mordbrännare – som också är medlem i en högerextrem rörelse – har nyligen släppts ut ur fängelset. Samtidigt påstår sig vittnen ha sett den döde i slagsmål med en av stadens mest ökända slumhyresvärdar.
Zigic och Ferreira vet av erfarenhet hur svårt det kan vara att samarbeta med människor som har starkare skäl än de flesta att misstro polisen. Men när ännu en arbetsinvandrare attackeras börjar spänningarna snabbt att stiga…
EVA DOLAN är en brittisk kriminalförfattare. Redan som tonåring nominerades hon till en CWA Dagger för outgivna författare. Lång väg hem [Long Way Home] är hennes debutroman, första delen i en av de mest uppmärksammade nya brittiska kriminalserierna på senare år.
Kriminalkommissarie Zigic och kriminalpolis Ferreira kallas in från Peterboroughs hatbrottsenhet för att utreda mordet. Offret identifieras snabbt som illegal arbetsinvandrare, och en man som flera människor mycket väl kan ha velat se död.
En dömd mordbrännare – som också är medlem i en högerextrem rörelse – har nyligen släppts ut ur fängelset. Samtidigt påstår sig vittnen ha sett den döde i slagsmål med en av stadens mest ökända slumhyresvärdar.
Zigic och Ferreira vet av erfarenhet hur svårt det kan vara att samarbeta med människor som har starkare skäl än de flesta att misstro polisen. Men när ännu en arbetsinvandrare attackeras börjar spänningarna snabbt att stiga…
EVA DOLAN är en brittisk kriminalförfattare. Redan som tonåring nominerades hon till en CWA Dagger för outgivna författare. Lång väg hem [Long Way Home] är hennes debutroman, första delen i en av de mest uppmärksammade nya brittiska kriminalserierna på senare år.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
108 people are currently reading
1905 people want to read
About the author
Eva Dolan
8 books355 followersEva Dolan was shortlisted for the CWA Dagger for unpublished authors when only a teenager. The four novels in her Zigic and Ferreira series have been published to widespread critical acclaim: Tell No Tales and After You Die were shortlisted for the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year Award and After You Die was also longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. She lives in Cambridge.
@eva_dolan
@eva_dolan
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
November 22, 2025
4⭐️= Good.
Hardback.
3.5* or 4*, that was my dilemma. A believable storyline with colourful characters- but maybe too many characters. I had to re-read quite a few pages, as lost track at times.
This book was based around a Hate Crimes Unit in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. It was the place I grew up in, until I started my nursing training , and yes, it has definitely changed over the years, and not all for the better, but in this story it was definitely portrayed as just a gloomy, crime ridden city.
I wish the nicer side had also been shown. There is a beautiful cathedral there, for a start.
For the last forty- ish years, I’ve lived in a village near Stamford and this is always portrayed beautifully in books… beautiful buildings here!
It was a good start to the series though and I look forward to the next one.
Hardback.
3.5* or 4*, that was my dilemma. A believable storyline with colourful characters- but maybe too many characters. I had to re-read quite a few pages, as lost track at times.
This book was based around a Hate Crimes Unit in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. It was the place I grew up in, until I started my nursing training , and yes, it has definitely changed over the years, and not all for the better, but in this story it was definitely portrayed as just a gloomy, crime ridden city.
I wish the nicer side had also been shown. There is a beautiful cathedral there, for a start.
For the last forty- ish years, I’ve lived in a village near Stamford and this is always portrayed beautifully in books… beautiful buildings here!
It was a good start to the series though and I look forward to the next one.
April 5, 2015
Loved the first few chapters of this book. Unfortunately the tag line says it all - "Silence hides the worst crimes" - the investigation goes nowhere for most of the book, as no one is talking. The mid-point of the novel drags. I had to force myself to keep reading.
Far too many descriptions of dilapidated neighbourhoods, the dreary landscape, and bad bad food and/or lack of food for the detectives, gets old. The locals do not have a shred of decency when it comes to migrants. They are even intolerant of the detectives' immigrant heritage.
Even though the immigrants are shown in a better light, other than the main detectives, there are no likeable characters in this book.
The author has a tendency to paint the locals as "all bad" & the migrants as the "poor misfortunates". At times, it felt as if she were lecturing the reader rather than writing a crime/mystery.
Surprisingly the reviews have been good for this book. As a result, I had high expectations and sad to say, that I did not like this book enough to recommend it. Too little happened and the story as a whole moved far too slowly for me. It could have used a good editor.
Hence, I cannot recommend this book, nor will I read any further books in this series.
Far too many descriptions of dilapidated neighbourhoods, the dreary landscape, and bad bad food and/or lack of food for the detectives, gets old. The locals do not have a shred of decency when it comes to migrants. They are even intolerant of the detectives' immigrant heritage.
Even though the immigrants are shown in a better light, other than the main detectives, there are no likeable characters in this book.
The author has a tendency to paint the locals as "all bad" & the migrants as the "poor misfortunates". At times, it felt as if she were lecturing the reader rather than writing a crime/mystery.
Surprisingly the reviews have been good for this book. As a result, I had high expectations and sad to say, that I did not like this book enough to recommend it. Too little happened and the story as a whole moved far too slowly for me. It could have used a good editor.
Hence, I cannot recommend this book, nor will I read any further books in this series.
September 8, 2021
Thrillers fint seem to be my thing at the moment. Don't get as invested and find them as page turnery as I used to. Don't know if I'm in a thriller slump or if I'm just not picking the right ones for me
November 3, 2014
Coming January 2014 from Harvill Secker.
Thank you so much to Eva Dolan and Alison Hennessey for the copy of this book to review.
Peterborough is changing. Migrant workers, both legal and illegal, are working in the fields, the factories and the pubs of the town. When a man is burnt alive in a suburban garden shed, it brings an unwelcome spotlight on to that world, and two detectives are faced with investigating a murder in a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police.
So, a debut novel and the start of a new detective series, you may ask, well, do we need anymore? My answer would be a resounding YES especially if they are going to be of this quality and standard. You always know you are onto a good thing when you pick up a book during a spare ten minutes then look up dazed an hour or so later and realise you missed your bus….
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are the very definition of a perfect yin and yang working detective team – well drawn, intriguing personalities, well rounded backgrounds and sitting well in their surroundings, the reader has two perfect, yet often contradictory, sets of eyes with which to follow the action..
Tightly plotted and intelligently written, with a definite eye towards current affairs, I was intrigued and fascinated by this world of which I know little. There is a high degree of authenticity and an extremely realistic feeling to the whole story. Cleverly done indeed.
In the world of crime and mystery fiction this series is going to be one to watch…certainly when the next one becomes available I shall be knocking hapless book shop goers out of the way in my resolve to obtain a copy…
Happy Reading Folks!
Thank you so much to Eva Dolan and Alison Hennessey for the copy of this book to review.
Peterborough is changing. Migrant workers, both legal and illegal, are working in the fields, the factories and the pubs of the town. When a man is burnt alive in a suburban garden shed, it brings an unwelcome spotlight on to that world, and two detectives are faced with investigating a murder in a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police.
So, a debut novel and the start of a new detective series, you may ask, well, do we need anymore? My answer would be a resounding YES especially if they are going to be of this quality and standard. You always know you are onto a good thing when you pick up a book during a spare ten minutes then look up dazed an hour or so later and realise you missed your bus….
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are the very definition of a perfect yin and yang working detective team – well drawn, intriguing personalities, well rounded backgrounds and sitting well in their surroundings, the reader has two perfect, yet often contradictory, sets of eyes with which to follow the action..
Tightly plotted and intelligently written, with a definite eye towards current affairs, I was intrigued and fascinated by this world of which I know little. There is a high degree of authenticity and an extremely realistic feeling to the whole story. Cleverly done indeed.
In the world of crime and mystery fiction this series is going to be one to watch…certainly when the next one becomes available I shall be knocking hapless book shop goers out of the way in my resolve to obtain a copy…
Happy Reading Folks!
September 19, 2017
Always nice to find a new series to read. This one, the first of the series, has a lot going for it. The story is complex, with several murders that are somehow related, but it's not apparent how. Add to this the complications added by the fact that the participants and victims are mostly poor, undocumented foreign workers who don't trust the police and can't speak English well, if at all, not to mention victims who don't always remain dead, and you've got a story that will grab your interest to find out what is going on.
It's a good look at a part of society most of us don't usually see much of. The main protagonists, Zigic and Ferreira, are an interesting pair also. They are both police, working in the hate-crimes division, one male and one female. They are pretty different in their methods, so they make a good team, in a way.
If you want to read something a bit different, you might enjoy this one. However, I personally wouldn't recommend this audiobook, as I found it a little hard to understand at times. But that might just be me.
It's a good look at a part of society most of us don't usually see much of. The main protagonists, Zigic and Ferreira, are an interesting pair also. They are both police, working in the hate-crimes division, one male and one female. They are pretty different in their methods, so they make a good team, in a way.
If you want to read something a bit different, you might enjoy this one. However, I personally wouldn't recommend this audiobook, as I found it a little hard to understand at times. But that might just be me.
July 26, 2016
I purchased this book almost 12 months ago and after reading it, I am kicking myself for waiting so long! The cover is stunning, the story is captivating and the characters are ...well....pretty damn awesome! If that isn't the recipe for a perfect read, I don't know what is!
Set in Peterborough, the themes of racism, immigration, politics, loss, love and betrayal can be found - although they are not all that we find in the pages of this story.
For me, the pace was set perfectly! Thrusting you full throttle into the story with a great build up and then evening out until you are again grabbed by the throat with a fantastic reveal. I found myself questioning everything, thinking #DIHolten has solved the case before the book even ended - boy was I wrong!! That is what I loved about this book ~ all is not what it seems!
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira (how great are those names!!) are the two main characters from the Hate Crimes Unit. What a pair these two are! I freakin' LOVED the way they bounced off each other! I also enjoyed the fact that the author shares some insight to what this pair are like outside "the job" ~ leaving us guessing and wanting more!
This is a no holds barred, straight-talking story about immigrants coming to the UK and what they have to face in Peterborough. I felt all the characters had depth and a realism that is often hard to find when talking about such a fiery, divisive topic.
For a debut novel, this was a corker! I am somewhat glad that I still have two more to read and cannot wait to get stuck in. If you want a gritty, gripping page-turner to get stuck into, I highly recommend you check out Eva Dolan as this book kicks ass! Head over to amazon and grab yourself a copy! What the hell are you waiting for!?
Set in Peterborough, the themes of racism, immigration, politics, loss, love and betrayal can be found - although they are not all that we find in the pages of this story.
For me, the pace was set perfectly! Thrusting you full throttle into the story with a great build up and then evening out until you are again grabbed by the throat with a fantastic reveal. I found myself questioning everything, thinking #DIHolten has solved the case before the book even ended - boy was I wrong!! That is what I loved about this book ~ all is not what it seems!
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira (how great are those names!!) are the two main characters from the Hate Crimes Unit. What a pair these two are! I freakin' LOVED the way they bounced off each other! I also enjoyed the fact that the author shares some insight to what this pair are like outside "the job" ~ leaving us guessing and wanting more!
This is a no holds barred, straight-talking story about immigrants coming to the UK and what they have to face in Peterborough. I felt all the characters had depth and a realism that is often hard to find when talking about such a fiery, divisive topic.
For a debut novel, this was a corker! I am somewhat glad that I still have two more to read and cannot wait to get stuck in. If you want a gritty, gripping page-turner to get stuck into, I highly recommend you check out Eva Dolan as this book kicks ass! Head over to amazon and grab yourself a copy! What the hell are you waiting for!?
September 28, 2013
Coming January 2014 from Harvill Secker.
Thank you so much to Eva Dolan and Alison Hennessey for the copy of this book to review.
Peterborough is changing. Migrant workers, both legal and illegal, are working in the fields, the factories and the pubs of the town. When a man is burnt alive in a suburban garden shed, it brings an unwelcome spotlight on to that world, and two detectives are faced with investigating a murder in a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police.
So, a debut novel and the start of a new detective series, you may ask, well, do we need anymore? My answer would be a resounding YES especially if they are going to be of this quality and standard. You always know you are onto a good thing when you pick up a book during a spare ten minutes then look up dazed an hour or so later and realise you missed your bus….
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are the very definition of a perfect yin and yang working detective team – well drawn, intriguing personalities, well rounded backgrounds and sitting well in their surroundings, the reader has two perfect, yet often contradictory, sets of eyes with which to follow the action..
Tightly plotted and intelligently written, with a definite eye towards current affairs, I was intrigued and fascinated by this world of which I know little. There is a high degree of authenticity and an extremely realistic feeling to the whole story. Cleverly done indeed.
In the world of crime and mystery fiction this series is going to be one to watch…certainly when the next one becomes available I shall be knocking hapless book shop goers out of the way in my resolve to obtain a copy…
Happy Reading Folks!
Thank you so much to Eva Dolan and Alison Hennessey for the copy of this book to review.
Peterborough is changing. Migrant workers, both legal and illegal, are working in the fields, the factories and the pubs of the town. When a man is burnt alive in a suburban garden shed, it brings an unwelcome spotlight on to that world, and two detectives are faced with investigating a murder in a community that has more reason than most not to trust the police.
So, a debut novel and the start of a new detective series, you may ask, well, do we need anymore? My answer would be a resounding YES especially if they are going to be of this quality and standard. You always know you are onto a good thing when you pick up a book during a spare ten minutes then look up dazed an hour or so later and realise you missed your bus….
DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are the very definition of a perfect yin and yang working detective team – well drawn, intriguing personalities, well rounded backgrounds and sitting well in their surroundings, the reader has two perfect, yet often contradictory, sets of eyes with which to follow the action..
Tightly plotted and intelligently written, with a definite eye towards current affairs, I was intrigued and fascinated by this world of which I know little. There is a high degree of authenticity and an extremely realistic feeling to the whole story. Cleverly done indeed.
In the world of crime and mystery fiction this series is going to be one to watch…certainly when the next one becomes available I shall be knocking hapless book shop goers out of the way in my resolve to obtain a copy…
Happy Reading Folks!
December 23, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. Eva Dolan is accomplished author yet this a debut novel.
It is a fast paced police procedural which never loses its way even when little progress is made in the investigation.
The two lead detectives are part of the Hate Crimes unit that is feeling the pinch during a time of cuts; who cares about the fate of a few immigrants and casual foreign workers, illegals in the UK. Indeed it is a brave decision to set her story in this transient group who have no real identity and no-one looking for them if they disappear. It makes the task of clearing up crime that much more difficult, especially when the victims fear the police as much as the gang masters who exploit them.
An excellent plot and an involved series of criminal characters in various illegal ventures. The writting is crisp, fresh and beautifully balanced. The care in setting up the scenes fully absorb the readers in this murky world.
I also liked the fact that it challenges you own prejudices and makes heroes of men with nothing when fear has reduced them to silent victims but can find a spark of humanity to speak out whatever the consequences. Hopefully better informed Dolan's readers will feel more vocal and less likely to believe and follow right wing rhetoric.
I urge anyone who loves crime fiction to read this amazing debut novel and add Eva Dolan to their list of authors who can be trusted with your reading time.
It is a fast paced police procedural which never loses its way even when little progress is made in the investigation.
The two lead detectives are part of the Hate Crimes unit that is feeling the pinch during a time of cuts; who cares about the fate of a few immigrants and casual foreign workers, illegals in the UK. Indeed it is a brave decision to set her story in this transient group who have no real identity and no-one looking for them if they disappear. It makes the task of clearing up crime that much more difficult, especially when the victims fear the police as much as the gang masters who exploit them.
An excellent plot and an involved series of criminal characters in various illegal ventures. The writting is crisp, fresh and beautifully balanced. The care in setting up the scenes fully absorb the readers in this murky world.
I also liked the fact that it challenges you own prejudices and makes heroes of men with nothing when fear has reduced them to silent victims but can find a spark of humanity to speak out whatever the consequences. Hopefully better informed Dolan's readers will feel more vocal and less likely to believe and follow right wing rhetoric.
I urge anyone who loves crime fiction to read this amazing debut novel and add Eva Dolan to their list of authors who can be trusted with your reading time.
March 8, 2019
An extra star because the wrapping up wasn't so bad.One star for the rest: slow,boring,too much description.
March 23, 2015
LONG WAY HOME was released in 2014 and quickly garnered a lot of very positive comments. At which point it was placed on my reading list and then never quite nudged it's way to the top. Nothing to do with it at all, rather a propensity to be useless at prioritising books and the sudden explosion in splendid reading opportunities.
But the second book in the series, TELL NO TALES was provided as a review opportunity and it seemed a pity not to sneak in the first as a lead in. Oh what a good decision that turned out to be. Aside from the pressure to read the second one getting so extreme I might have to pull a hamstring or invent something that makes me take to the couch to read non-stop for a week.
If we take it as a given that crime fiction, at its best, looks at the society in which it is written and plucks out things that need looking at, then LONG WAY HOME is a stellar example of that. The question of immigration and integration is one that is taxing a number of communities these days (here no less than others), and the idea of the requirement for a Hate Crimes Unit makes sense, as does the wide-ranging remit they are presented with. Members of that unit being multi-racial and multi-lingual as well also makes sense, as does the odd feeling that investigating acts against members of your own community, or people with a similar background that must ensue.
All of this messaging though is built into a solid plot within a believable and very strong police procedural. The main characters are stand-out, even the victim is given life and vitality as his background is combed over. The writing is crisp, clear, deft and beautifully executed. The dialogue is spot on, the descriptions of place, people, feelings and circumstances assured and very readable. To the point where this reader should be excused for a bit of late night googling as flagging this as a debut novel felt like a typo.
Leaning towards hard-boiled in stylings and subject matter, Dolan has created a team of investigator's and a scenario for them to work in that really feels like it's got legs. Certainly hope so. Now can well understand the very positive comments about this book. The second book in this series is now calling very loudly.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
But the second book in the series, TELL NO TALES was provided as a review opportunity and it seemed a pity not to sneak in the first as a lead in. Oh what a good decision that turned out to be. Aside from the pressure to read the second one getting so extreme I might have to pull a hamstring or invent something that makes me take to the couch to read non-stop for a week.
If we take it as a given that crime fiction, at its best, looks at the society in which it is written and plucks out things that need looking at, then LONG WAY HOME is a stellar example of that. The question of immigration and integration is one that is taxing a number of communities these days (here no less than others), and the idea of the requirement for a Hate Crimes Unit makes sense, as does the wide-ranging remit they are presented with. Members of that unit being multi-racial and multi-lingual as well also makes sense, as does the odd feeling that investigating acts against members of your own community, or people with a similar background that must ensue.
All of this messaging though is built into a solid plot within a believable and very strong police procedural. The main characters are stand-out, even the victim is given life and vitality as his background is combed over. The writing is crisp, clear, deft and beautifully executed. The dialogue is spot on, the descriptions of place, people, feelings and circumstances assured and very readable. To the point where this reader should be excused for a bit of late night googling as flagging this as a debut novel felt like a typo.
Leaning towards hard-boiled in stylings and subject matter, Dolan has created a team of investigator's and a scenario for them to work in that really feels like it's got legs. Certainly hope so. Now can well understand the very positive comments about this book. The second book in this series is now calling very loudly.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
October 11, 2017
Set in Peterborough, and among the Eastern European population attracted there to the agricultural jobs, which are sheer back-breaking hard work. This book explores that culture. It is populated with prostitutes, slave gangs, murderers and the and the generally down trodden, abused men and women etc. all being ‘protected and investigated’ by a very weary police force who are themselves of mixed race. All in all, thoroughly dispiriting. The plot centres on a burned body in a shed which has an interestingly complicated back story using the oldest motives for murder, jealousy and love.
It is interesting to realise just what an effect the immigration form Eastern Europe has had on this area. Its grip is deep and seems to have a law of its own. Its unremitting seediness and low life characters are not entertaining to read about. All is cold and grey and nobody seems to be getting any pleasure out of life. The casual attitude to the trafficking of men as slaves and young girls as prostitutes is disheartening to say the least.
The end is satisfying because it ties up all the loose ends that have been created by a chaos factor that no one could have foreseen and is thus, very clever.
It is interesting to realise just what an effect the immigration form Eastern Europe has had on this area. Its grip is deep and seems to have a law of its own. Its unremitting seediness and low life characters are not entertaining to read about. All is cold and grey and nobody seems to be getting any pleasure out of life. The casual attitude to the trafficking of men as slaves and young girls as prostitutes is disheartening to say the least.
The end is satisfying because it ties up all the loose ends that have been created by a chaos factor that no one could have foreseen and is thus, very clever.
December 10, 2014
"Long Way Home" by Eva Dolan is a debut book introducing the Hate Crimes Unit in Peterborough with DI Zigic and DS Ferreira. A man's body is discovered in a burnt shed with a padlock on the door to keep him inside. The Hate Crimes Unit is called when the man is identified as a migrant worker from Eastern Europe.
An investigation begins and the author explores the issues of immigrants coming into the UK and being exploited by gang members who take advantage of the migrants helpless situation to earn money and return home. A good starting point for a new series.
So, why only 3 stars? I have the hardback edition that is 391 pages and should only be a 325 page book. Too slow developing and too many details on drinking coffee or tea, too much bad food, too many traffic problems and on it goes. Also, the ending was more of a whimper than a bang. I will not present any spoilers but I think something more could have been made at the end. The book seemed to need some more editing to be a great police procedural.
An investigation begins and the author explores the issues of immigrants coming into the UK and being exploited by gang members who take advantage of the migrants helpless situation to earn money and return home. A good starting point for a new series.
So, why only 3 stars? I have the hardback edition that is 391 pages and should only be a 325 page book. Too slow developing and too many details on drinking coffee or tea, too much bad food, too many traffic problems and on it goes. Also, the ending was more of a whimper than a bang. I will not present any spoilers but I think something more could have been made at the end. The book seemed to need some more editing to be a great police procedural.
August 14, 2019
Long Way Home is the first in a new-to-me series. I am not so certain I like DS Ferreira, she seems to walk around with a chip on her shoulder, but I do like the lead DI Zigic. These two work in a special hate crimes unit, so whenever a victim appears to be a target due to their background, their unit is involved. In the opening case a migrant worker is burnt to death where he was squatting, which happened to be a young white couple’s garden shed. Zigic and Ferreira investigate and discover the case might not be what it appears to be. Has a “ripped from the headlines” feel due to the recent exposed cases of the exploitation of migrant laborers. 4 stars
May 12, 2014
The start of a good book punches you in the teeth . . . Eva Dolan’s debut novel ‘A Long Way Home’ sticks a meat hook in your guts, twists it 90 degrees then gives it a good yank.
Set in the fenish town of Peterborough, Long Way Home steps straight into the sinister world of modern day slavery and murder. Away from the gritty, hard-ass London crime scene and far removed from the light whimsy of middle class murder of Midsommer, Dolan sets the scene in a unique surrounding, supporting it with a unique angle on a human trafficking plot.
Protagonists DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are not characters which bring big egos. Balanced (as much as anyone is!) and individual they deliver their own voice, hang ups and opinions without overshadowing or dominating the crime in hand. A welcome change from the convention of crime novels to focus too heavily on the IO’s ‘issues’. Do I care if a character drinks too much? Whores too much? Or has trouble sleeping? Hell no, I bought the book because crime’s afoot and while character richness is key in keeping pace, I not a fan of having it dominate while we’re all there in the first place.
Points to Dolan on that one.
Through elegant narrative and a well crafted supporting cast of characters, individuality in voices and the Bonios of information they deliver as part of our reader’s journey in deciding ‘whodunnit’ come through with a sense of normality. A normality and everydayness which amplifies the sinister nature of its subject because it doesn’t shout ‘Look how awful this is!’
Of course when dealing with a subject such as migrant labour, prejudice becomes a feature. Always a hot and topical, the matter is tackled from different angles, but ultimately highlights that inherent fact of life – whether positive or negative . . . everyone has prejudices. This delivers yet another unique angle to the novel, after all . . . who’s voice can you take for gospel when there are ulterior motives sat behind it?
A rich, authentic and original dish from an author shortlisted for the Debut Dagger Award in her teens – I’d happily stick 20 quid on Eva Dolan being one to watch in the future for more offerings of a tantalising nature. Long Way Home is an awesome start to what promises to be an enthralling and edge of your seat crime series.
Set in the fenish town of Peterborough, Long Way Home steps straight into the sinister world of modern day slavery and murder. Away from the gritty, hard-ass London crime scene and far removed from the light whimsy of middle class murder of Midsommer, Dolan sets the scene in a unique surrounding, supporting it with a unique angle on a human trafficking plot.
Protagonists DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are not characters which bring big egos. Balanced (as much as anyone is!) and individual they deliver their own voice, hang ups and opinions without overshadowing or dominating the crime in hand. A welcome change from the convention of crime novels to focus too heavily on the IO’s ‘issues’. Do I care if a character drinks too much? Whores too much? Or has trouble sleeping? Hell no, I bought the book because crime’s afoot and while character richness is key in keeping pace, I not a fan of having it dominate while we’re all there in the first place.
Points to Dolan on that one.
Through elegant narrative and a well crafted supporting cast of characters, individuality in voices and the Bonios of information they deliver as part of our reader’s journey in deciding ‘whodunnit’ come through with a sense of normality. A normality and everydayness which amplifies the sinister nature of its subject because it doesn’t shout ‘Look how awful this is!’
Of course when dealing with a subject such as migrant labour, prejudice becomes a feature. Always a hot and topical, the matter is tackled from different angles, but ultimately highlights that inherent fact of life – whether positive or negative . . . everyone has prejudices. This delivers yet another unique angle to the novel, after all . . . who’s voice can you take for gospel when there are ulterior motives sat behind it?
A rich, authentic and original dish from an author shortlisted for the Debut Dagger Award in her teens – I’d happily stick 20 quid on Eva Dolan being one to watch in the future for more offerings of a tantalising nature. Long Way Home is an awesome start to what promises to be an enthralling and edge of your seat crime series.
March 22, 2015
Time take to read - 3 days
Publisher - Vintage
Pages - 400
Blurb from Goodreads
A man is burnt alive in a shed.
No witnesses, no fingerprints - only a positive ID of the victim as an immigrant with a long list of enemies.
Detectives Zigic and Ferreira are called in from the Hate Crimes Unit to track the killer, and are met with silence in a Fenland community ruled by slum racketeers, people-trafficking gangs and fear.
Tensions rise.
The clock is ticking.
But nobody wants to talk.
My Review
Detective Zigic is our main character, along with Detective Ferreira, both work in the Hate Crimes Unit and have a killer to catch. The victim has been set on fire, there are no witnesses and no finger prints. Once they identify the victim as an immigrant, they find people are reluctant to talk and the more digging the detectives do the more corruption they uncover.
I really found this book hard to get into, although the prologue gives a gripping start to the story, an unnamed individual is being hunted by men with guns and then we go to four days before the incident at the beginning of the book. A body is found, locked in a shed and burned to death, Zigic and Ferreira investigate and soon the book uncovers human trafficking, abuse, racism, slum racketeers and danger for the detectives as this kind of business is big bucks and the law won't get in the way.
Despite having a good start and drawing you in, I felt it focused on far too many mundane things, certain police procedures and a lot of it was drawn on and at parts boring. However, other parts are really engaging and even brutal in how little disregard there is for human life. The end came around quite suddenly and was ok but for me, it was just a bit too little too late. That said, I am in the minority, it seems most people who read this loved it, I just didn't warm to any of the characters, well none of the main ones anyway. 2/5 for me this time, thanks to Dead Good books for sending me a copy, I would maybe try this author again but on another series, this just wasn't for me.
Publisher - Vintage
Pages - 400
Blurb from Goodreads
A man is burnt alive in a shed.
No witnesses, no fingerprints - only a positive ID of the victim as an immigrant with a long list of enemies.
Detectives Zigic and Ferreira are called in from the Hate Crimes Unit to track the killer, and are met with silence in a Fenland community ruled by slum racketeers, people-trafficking gangs and fear.
Tensions rise.
The clock is ticking.
But nobody wants to talk.
My Review
Detective Zigic is our main character, along with Detective Ferreira, both work in the Hate Crimes Unit and have a killer to catch. The victim has been set on fire, there are no witnesses and no finger prints. Once they identify the victim as an immigrant, they find people are reluctant to talk and the more digging the detectives do the more corruption they uncover.
I really found this book hard to get into, although the prologue gives a gripping start to the story, an unnamed individual is being hunted by men with guns and then we go to four days before the incident at the beginning of the book. A body is found, locked in a shed and burned to death, Zigic and Ferreira investigate and soon the book uncovers human trafficking, abuse, racism, slum racketeers and danger for the detectives as this kind of business is big bucks and the law won't get in the way.
Despite having a good start and drawing you in, I felt it focused on far too many mundane things, certain police procedures and a lot of it was drawn on and at parts boring. However, other parts are really engaging and even brutal in how little disregard there is for human life. The end came around quite suddenly and was ok but for me, it was just a bit too little too late. That said, I am in the minority, it seems most people who read this loved it, I just didn't warm to any of the characters, well none of the main ones anyway. 2/5 for me this time, thanks to Dead Good books for sending me a copy, I would maybe try this author again but on another series, this just wasn't for me.
December 22, 2016
Full review on https://havebookswillread.com/2016/12...
This is the first book in a new series featuring DI Zigic and DS Ferreira who work together on the Hate Crimes Unit in Peterborough.
Peterborough has seen an influx of immigration and Dolan has tackled this issue and its impact on both the immigrants and the local people head on. It is an interesting and topical subject which is handled sensitively and realistically, highlighting the prejudice against immigrants and also the terrible conditions they work and live in. Long Way Home is a great combination of a emotive subject and a gripping detective thriller, Zigic and Ferreira are a wonderful combination - they are like chalk and cheese that completely works!
This is a brilliant debut, Zigic and Ferreira are well-rounded and developed characters, having both a relevant back story to explain their commitment to the Hate Crimes Unit and those members of the public they serve, they have empathy with the victims from shared experiences. Also, Long Way Home is well plotted out, building tension through the narrative and the fractious relationship between the locals and the immigrants. It keeps the reader guessing through to the end of the book and I look forward to reading Tell No Tales.
This is the first book in a new series featuring DI Zigic and DS Ferreira who work together on the Hate Crimes Unit in Peterborough.
Peterborough has seen an influx of immigration and Dolan has tackled this issue and its impact on both the immigrants and the local people head on. It is an interesting and topical subject which is handled sensitively and realistically, highlighting the prejudice against immigrants and also the terrible conditions they work and live in. Long Way Home is a great combination of a emotive subject and a gripping detective thriller, Zigic and Ferreira are a wonderful combination - they are like chalk and cheese that completely works!
This is a brilliant debut, Zigic and Ferreira are well-rounded and developed characters, having both a relevant back story to explain their commitment to the Hate Crimes Unit and those members of the public they serve, they have empathy with the victims from shared experiences. Also, Long Way Home is well plotted out, building tension through the narrative and the fractious relationship between the locals and the immigrants. It keeps the reader guessing through to the end of the book and I look forward to reading Tell No Tales.
March 7, 2020
I figured out at least part of the case before the detectives, but that didn’t detract from the gripping story that describes so many of the social ills of England: class resentment, human trafficking for menial labor, and racism and fear of immigrants, among others. The author does a good job of playing out these issues, not just in the criminal cases that Detectives Zigic and Ferreira are investigating, but also in their own personal and family lives. I really appreciate the sense of humanity and social justice that permeates her work. A good start to a police procedural series.
March 16, 2015
A fantastically assured and accomplished police procedural debut novel and a great start for the Peterborough Hate Crimes Unit in DI Zigic and DS Ferreira. From the off this pacy and taut read is brimming with tension and atmosphere. Authentic, sharp and with a compelling new team in DI Zigic and his chippy and bristling sidekick, DS Mel Ferreira.
Peterborough is crackling with animosity between the native community and the migrant influx. Realistically portrayal the heightened tension and emotion of a region on the edge, Zigic and Ferreira are pitched slap bang into the middle of this simmering melting pot of activity. Packing a real emotional punch we learn of the developments and changes in this community in recent years. Kicking off with the suspected firebombing of a migrant worker in a garden shed, and unfolding into a thrilling ride which manages to cover the battles faced by migrant workers trying to establish themselves in a new country, right from prostitution through to enforced slavery and captivity, I was completely thrown off the scent multiple times and with twenty pages left I was still surprised by the developments!
Neither Zigic or Ferreira are immune to their own personal experiences of being marked out as different. DI Dushan Zigic is third generation Polish and the foreign name needed to head up the Hate Crimes Unit. Whilst more measured than his sidekick, he has been on the receiving end - never being good enough, or rather never being English enough, to live up to his father-in-laws expectations. His more spiky and abrasive sidekick, DS Mel Ferreira is of Portugese stock, having arrived in England at the age of seven. Bullied at school she is overly sensitive to any perceived slight and on the look out for any sign of racism and prejudice. Together with the more composed DI Zigic, these two make for a great new team. With a backdrop of other well developed personalities from the forensic pathologist to the other coppers at the station, I loved the insights we got into the team and personalities of our detectives.
A compelling and emotive read, DI Zigic and DS Ferreira will undoubtedly make for a dynamic new crime avenging duo to follow! Get it on Eva Dolan's new series from the very start! I'm in it for the long haul and I couldn't be more smug about that if I tried! A truly sparkling debut novel.
Peterborough is crackling with animosity between the native community and the migrant influx. Realistically portrayal the heightened tension and emotion of a region on the edge, Zigic and Ferreira are pitched slap bang into the middle of this simmering melting pot of activity. Packing a real emotional punch we learn of the developments and changes in this community in recent years. Kicking off with the suspected firebombing of a migrant worker in a garden shed, and unfolding into a thrilling ride which manages to cover the battles faced by migrant workers trying to establish themselves in a new country, right from prostitution through to enforced slavery and captivity, I was completely thrown off the scent multiple times and with twenty pages left I was still surprised by the developments!
Neither Zigic or Ferreira are immune to their own personal experiences of being marked out as different. DI Dushan Zigic is third generation Polish and the foreign name needed to head up the Hate Crimes Unit. Whilst more measured than his sidekick, he has been on the receiving end - never being good enough, or rather never being English enough, to live up to his father-in-laws expectations. His more spiky and abrasive sidekick, DS Mel Ferreira is of Portugese stock, having arrived in England at the age of seven. Bullied at school she is overly sensitive to any perceived slight and on the look out for any sign of racism and prejudice. Together with the more composed DI Zigic, these two make for a great new team. With a backdrop of other well developed personalities from the forensic pathologist to the other coppers at the station, I loved the insights we got into the team and personalities of our detectives.
A compelling and emotive read, DI Zigic and DS Ferreira will undoubtedly make for a dynamic new crime avenging duo to follow! Get it on Eva Dolan's new series from the very start! I'm in it for the long haul and I couldn't be more smug about that if I tried! A truly sparkling debut novel.
March 17, 2015
Having read and enjoyed Tell No Tales by Eva Dolan, I was thrilled to receive Long Way Home as part of the Goodreads book club from Dead Good Books. Tell No Tales is probably one of the best crime fiction books I have read so far this year, so I was very excited to read the first in the Zigic and Ferreira series and see how it all began.
A man is found burnt alive in a suburban garden shed. DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are called in from the Hate Crimes Unit to investigate the murder. The victim is quickly identified as a migrant worker, and a man that several people might have wanted to see dead. Zigic and Ferreira are no strangers to discrimination themselves, and when another migrant worker is attacked, tensions rapidly begin to rise as they search for the killer. The story gets going very quickly, but it took me a while to properly get into the story.
Eva Dolan does write what the reader takes to be a realistic and believable story, one that is all too easy to imagine as it's something we could wake up and see on the news or in the newspaper. It's a controversial read, and always thought-provoking until the final page is turned, and Eva doesn't hold back in her writing or with the strong opinions of some of her characters. The only thing I didn't like about Long Way Home was being right about certain characters and their roles in the story. I have to be ambiguous for fear of giving away spoilers but I was very rarely surprised or shocked reading this, and as I neared the final pages I was disappointed to see that there wasn't some big fantastic twist being kept from the reader until the very last minute.
All that said, Eva Dolan is definitely one of the most unique and exciting new voices in crime fiction, and the future certainly looks bright for this author. I do wonder though just what book three will bring to deliver something that is different to Long Way Home and Tell No Tales, but I can't wait to find out.
A man is found burnt alive in a suburban garden shed. DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are called in from the Hate Crimes Unit to investigate the murder. The victim is quickly identified as a migrant worker, and a man that several people might have wanted to see dead. Zigic and Ferreira are no strangers to discrimination themselves, and when another migrant worker is attacked, tensions rapidly begin to rise as they search for the killer. The story gets going very quickly, but it took me a while to properly get into the story.
Eva Dolan does write what the reader takes to be a realistic and believable story, one that is all too easy to imagine as it's something we could wake up and see on the news or in the newspaper. It's a controversial read, and always thought-provoking until the final page is turned, and Eva doesn't hold back in her writing or with the strong opinions of some of her characters. The only thing I didn't like about Long Way Home was being right about certain characters and their roles in the story. I have to be ambiguous for fear of giving away spoilers but I was very rarely surprised or shocked reading this, and as I neared the final pages I was disappointed to see that there wasn't some big fantastic twist being kept from the reader until the very last minute.
All that said, Eva Dolan is definitely one of the most unique and exciting new voices in crime fiction, and the future certainly looks bright for this author. I do wonder though just what book three will bring to deliver something that is different to Long Way Home and Tell No Tales, but I can't wait to find out.
March 29, 2015
I loved this book which was one of the Dead Good book clubs pick's.
Detectives Zigic and Ferreira are part of the hate crimes departmnent and when a call comes in regarding a man found in a burnt out garden shed they are called on to track the killer. From that moment the one crime snowballs and it seems there are so many clandestine goings on in the srea they seem to pick up something else every time they interview anyone The area is riddled with migrant workers being ruled with fear and living in such bad conditions that more dubious deaths are inevitable.I loved the way the author wrote the book it feels so down to earth and I became so wrapped up in the story that when I had to put the book down I felt I had to get back to it as soon as possible.Yes it did have some gruesome parts in it but so necessary to the plot and the twist threw me a bit.
I would recommend everyone to read it.
Detectives Zigic and Ferreira are part of the hate crimes departmnent and when a call comes in regarding a man found in a burnt out garden shed they are called on to track the killer. From that moment the one crime snowballs and it seems there are so many clandestine goings on in the srea they seem to pick up something else every time they interview anyone The area is riddled with migrant workers being ruled with fear and living in such bad conditions that more dubious deaths are inevitable.I loved the way the author wrote the book it feels so down to earth and I became so wrapped up in the story that when I had to put the book down I felt I had to get back to it as soon as possible.Yes it did have some gruesome parts in it but so necessary to the plot and the twist threw me a bit.
I would recommend everyone to read it.
January 3, 2016
Strongly recommended by several sources, and because Eva Dolan will be at Bloody Scotland's Crime Writers Festival, I thought this worth a punt.
And am very glad I did, despite what I presume is the terrifyingly authentic picture of the migrant's life in Britain today. Man's inhumanity to man has no ending it would seem.
But what a gripping tale and how much more I want to get to know Zigic and Ferreira.
Just a small pity that the evocation of the bleak black-earthed Fens was not echoed in the cover picture.
And am very glad I did, despite what I presume is the terrifyingly authentic picture of the migrant's life in Britain today. Man's inhumanity to man has no ending it would seem.
But what a gripping tale and how much more I want to get to know Zigic and Ferreira.
Just a small pity that the evocation of the bleak black-earthed Fens was not echoed in the cover picture.
May 10, 2015
A refreshingly intelligent crime novel that doesn’t baulk at tackling some controversial topics, making it particularly relevant for our current political climate. But don’t be put off if you prefer a lighter read – there’s plenty here to keep you turning the pages. Dolan knows how to create truly compelling characters, and a meaty, satisfying plot. Best of all her style is a delight, taut and precise.
Long Way Home has all the makings of a crime classic, and her next, Tell No Tales, is going straight to the top of my reading list.
Long Way Home has all the makings of a crime classic, and her next, Tell No Tales, is going straight to the top of my reading list.
November 17, 2019
DNF just couldn’t get into this one, extremely slow and not much of a storyline and wasn’t warming to the main characters
June 18, 2020
This story is set in the Fenlands city of Peterborough where migrant workers have flooded into jobs in the town, in the factories, the building industry, the factories, and the pubs.
The newly created Hate Crimes Unit is called when a body is found to have been burnt in a garden shed doubling as accommodation. DI Zigic has a Serbian background, and DS Ferreira has Portuguese background.
Then the body is identified and is found to be related to another body discovered near some railway tracks, cut into pieces by a suburban train.
The investigative net gets wider and branches out into the migrant community where workers, some legal, some illegal, are being treated like slaves, and at the mercy racketeers, among simmering racial tension.
There are several authentic voices in the narration: the police, the owners of the shed, building site workers, and local petty criminals.
The final truth comes as a surprise.
This is the first title in a series that now has 5 titles:
1. Long Way Home (2014)
2. Tell No Tales (2015)
3. After You Die (2016)
4. Watch Her Disappear (2017)
5. Between Two Evils (2020)
The newly created Hate Crimes Unit is called when a body is found to have been burnt in a garden shed doubling as accommodation. DI Zigic has a Serbian background, and DS Ferreira has Portuguese background.
Then the body is identified and is found to be related to another body discovered near some railway tracks, cut into pieces by a suburban train.
The investigative net gets wider and branches out into the migrant community where workers, some legal, some illegal, are being treated like slaves, and at the mercy racketeers, among simmering racial tension.
There are several authentic voices in the narration: the police, the owners of the shed, building site workers, and local petty criminals.
The final truth comes as a surprise.
This is the first title in a series that now has 5 titles:
1. Long Way Home (2014)
2. Tell No Tales (2015)
3. After You Die (2016)
4. Watch Her Disappear (2017)
5. Between Two Evils (2020)
January 24, 2021
An impressive debut novel.
Set in Peterborough and the surrounding fenland. The Hate Crimes Unit, led by DI Zijic and his sergeant, Ferreira is investigating the murder of a migrant worker, whilst at the same time the CID is handling another murder. The two crimes are linked, but it isn't clear how.
The description of the treatment the migrant workers suffer at the hands of the gang masters is quite shocking, and their reluctance to speak out against their bosses makes it difficult for the police to move forward with the case.
I thought the writing was very good, particularly the depiction of Peterborough and how changing economic circumstances have affected the city, and the tension arising from the influx of migrant workers.
I'll definitely be reading more by Eva Dolan
Set in Peterborough and the surrounding fenland. The Hate Crimes Unit, led by DI Zijic and his sergeant, Ferreira is investigating the murder of a migrant worker, whilst at the same time the CID is handling another murder. The two crimes are linked, but it isn't clear how.
The description of the treatment the migrant workers suffer at the hands of the gang masters is quite shocking, and their reluctance to speak out against their bosses makes it difficult for the police to move forward with the case.
I thought the writing was very good, particularly the depiction of Peterborough and how changing economic circumstances have affected the city, and the tension arising from the influx of migrant workers.
I'll definitely be reading more by Eva Dolan
May 14, 2019
3a+, inget som direkt sticker ut eller fängslar mig extra, speciellt, boken är bra, helt ok.
414 sidor 1a boken i fristående serie av Dolan.
Pluset = En modern berättelse dvs I tiden, så som många lever, det är mångas verklighet i dagens samhälle hon skriver om och beskriver, vilket känns väldigt bra när jag läser. Beskrivet rakt av utan förskönande omskrivningar. Samt att hon skriver som "vi" pratar & skriver, mer än annars i litteraturen, som "briefa" (s.269) vi pratar så idag och skriver så.!!
Jag kan tänka mig fortsätta läsa om Zigic & Ferreira i del 2 döda talar inte.
414 sidor 1a boken i fristående serie av Dolan.
Pluset = En modern berättelse dvs I tiden, så som många lever, det är mångas verklighet i dagens samhälle hon skriver om och beskriver, vilket känns väldigt bra när jag läser. Beskrivet rakt av utan förskönande omskrivningar. Samt att hon skriver som "vi" pratar & skriver, mer än annars i litteraturen, som "briefa" (s.269) vi pratar så idag och skriver så.!!
Jag kan tänka mig fortsätta läsa om Zigic & Ferreira i del 2 döda talar inte.
June 13, 2025
3.5 round up to 4 stars. Solid police procedural with detectives from the hate crimes unit, in a city new to me - although not much sense of it contrary to genre tradition - with solid characters for a new series. Had already read a later one in the series and would read some more. Makes you sad about the exploitation of migrant workers and people trafficking.
February 20, 2021
Nice tight writing, well-drawn characters, and a good story with lots of good twists and turns in the plot.
July 15, 2017
This book stunned me. I was expecting a good but ‘run of the mill’ crime/detective novel and a relatively light read but it was anything but. The plot was good and sufficiently complex to keep one alert trying to follow all the inter-connections and I thought the characters were mostly well captured though felt both Zigic and Ferreira were a bit wooden and not especially empathetic – a pity since they are two of the key players.
What horrified me was the plight of the illegal immigrants, treated abominably and inhumanely, with a total disregard for human life – as evidenced by the death of Xin Gao.
Illegal immigration, human trafficking and slavery has certainly been reported in the press, even in the north east where it is less prevalent, as far as we know, than in other parts of the country. What has not been reported as widely are the appalling conditions and attitudes with which these unfortunate victims have to live – there tends to be more emphasis on the impact of immigration on local communities.
I can understand the immigrants’ fear and avoidance of the police and authorities, given their experience in their homelands – but it puzzles me that more is not done by the authorities to combat trafficking – certainly in the book it seems to be well known locally that there are immigrant camps and work sites so surely the authorities are aware of them and their locations. I would concede that that might not be an accurate portrayal of the situation – the author does not indicate what kind or extent of research she did in preparation so it’s difficult to know.
I glanced at the Amazon one star reviews, as I wondered what people didn’t like about the book – one of the main gripes, apart from some factual errors, seems to be that the book is verging on the Anglophobic and portrays the English as ‘fat, lazy, stupid racists in tracksuits’. Perhaps it does tend to be rather black and white in approach, but there are, unhappily, quite a lot of English who would match that description!
Nevertheless it does raise and highlight the issue of racism in a ‘multi-cultural’ England.
This is the first book of Dolan’s crime series and I will definitely read more.
Interestingly, at one of the book groups I go to, scores out of 10 ranged from 0 to 8!
What horrified me was the plight of the illegal immigrants, treated abominably and inhumanely, with a total disregard for human life – as evidenced by the death of Xin Gao.
Illegal immigration, human trafficking and slavery has certainly been reported in the press, even in the north east where it is less prevalent, as far as we know, than in other parts of the country. What has not been reported as widely are the appalling conditions and attitudes with which these unfortunate victims have to live – there tends to be more emphasis on the impact of immigration on local communities.
I can understand the immigrants’ fear and avoidance of the police and authorities, given their experience in their homelands – but it puzzles me that more is not done by the authorities to combat trafficking – certainly in the book it seems to be well known locally that there are immigrant camps and work sites so surely the authorities are aware of them and their locations. I would concede that that might not be an accurate portrayal of the situation – the author does not indicate what kind or extent of research she did in preparation so it’s difficult to know.
I glanced at the Amazon one star reviews, as I wondered what people didn’t like about the book – one of the main gripes, apart from some factual errors, seems to be that the book is verging on the Anglophobic and portrays the English as ‘fat, lazy, stupid racists in tracksuits’. Perhaps it does tend to be rather black and white in approach, but there are, unhappily, quite a lot of English who would match that description!
Nevertheless it does raise and highlight the issue of racism in a ‘multi-cultural’ England.
This is the first book of Dolan’s crime series and I will definitely read more.
Interestingly, at one of the book groups I go to, scores out of 10 ranged from 0 to 8!
July 13, 2014
Long Way Home is the antithesis of the classic English cozy. Rather than the amateur detective solving a dastardly crime in some middle/upper-class idyll, Dolan presents the rotten underbelly of modern Britain -- everyday racism, anti-social behaviour, poverty, and exploitation -- investigated by a police force under resource constraints and media pressure, who are mistrusted and little respected. The story is set in Peterborough, a place where there is an uneasy relationship between locals and new immigrants, many of whom are indentured to gang bosses, are poorly treated, and are kept in line with the threat of violence. The tale itself focuses on the investigation into the torching of a shed in which an immigrant slept by Detectives Zigic and Ferreira. The former is a second generation immigrant who worries he’s not spending enough time with his wife and two boys, the latter a feisty, headstrong young woman with a chip on her shoulder, who moved to Britain when she was seven. The real strength of the book is the plot, which is a cleverly worked police procedural with a couple of nice twists and turns, and the contextualisation and gritty social realism with respect to working class neighbourhoods and the treatment of some immigrants to Britain. There’s are fine lines between hectoring, moralising tale and searing, gritty social realism, and between lived lives and criminal/immigrant stereotypes and caricatures. Dolan understands the difference, managing to find the right balances and letting the injustice and morals of the tale speak for themselves. Overall, a gritty, thoughtful read with a compelling plot.
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