Impending Justice

Lorne Simpkins #2

by M.A. Comley

Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins comes up against her long-time nemesis, The Unicorn. After leading Simpkins and her partner into a trap, in which Pete is killed, Lorne comes to the conclusion the criminal is obtaining insider information, enabling him to stay one step ahead of them.

Can Lorne uncover who the mole is before The Unicorn harms her daughter?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks

Unknown Binding

First published October 27, 2010

About the author

New York Times, USA Today, Amazon Top 20 bestselling author, iBooks top 5 bestselling and #2 bestselling author on Barnes and Noble. Over one million copies sold world wide. I am a British author who moved to France in 2002, and that's when I turned my hobby into a career.

When I'm not writing crime novels I'm either reading them or going on long walks with my rescue Labrador, Dex.

I hope you enjoy reading my books, especially the Justice series, Cruel Justice, Impeding Justice, Final Justice, Foul Justice, Guaranteed Justice, Ultimate Justice, Virtual Justice, Hostile Justice, Tortured Justice, Rough Justice, Dubious Justice, Calculated Justice, Twisted Justice, Prime Justice. There are several novellas and short stories in the series too.

My other successful series are: The DI Sally Parker thriller series, which includes WRONG PLACE, NO HIDING PLACE and COLD CASE

The Hero series, TORN APART, END RESULT, IN PLAIN SIGHT and DOUBLE JEOPARDY(published by Bloodhound Books)

I have three books in the Intention series, Sole Intention, Grave Intention and Devious Intention.

I've also written a couple of standalone novels - EVIL IN DISGUISE and FOREVER WATCHING YOU.

As well as co-authoring The Caller with Tara Lyons.

And Clever Deception, Tragic Deception and Sinful Deception co-authored by fellow NY Times bestselling author Linda S Prather.

If you'd like to keep up to date with new releases you can find me on Facebook by following this link http://smarturl.it/sps7jh or sign up for my newsletter http://www.hyperurl.co/su1xnt

If you fancy a lighter read, why not try one of my romances: A Time to Heal, and A Time for Change--Based on a TRUE story. I also have a selection of short stories and novelettes available which I know you'll enjoy.

You can find out more about me at the following blogs.

http://melcomley.blogspot.com

http://melcomleyromances.blogspot.com

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fast paced emotional roller coaster of a book. Lorne had so much thrown at her in 48 hours I know I wouldn’t still be standing. But she is strong and stubborn and just keeps on going. Very entertaining! The bad guy is oh so evil!

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

This is the second book in the Justice series and I am absolutely loving it!  I thought that the first book was great and it would be hard for it to be topped, but this one exceeds it - it is very hard hitting, gritty and deals with some really tough subjects, but they are dealt with really well and are 100% needed for the story!

This book starts off with an incident that is quite shocking and I was genuinely sad - I feel that I have become emotionally involved with the characters in the series and really felt for them with what happened - no spoilers from me, you'll need to read the book to find out what happens!
The book is fast paced, has loads of twists and turns and surprises and just when you think the book is over The Unicorn has another shock up his sleeve!! 

A complete rollercoaster of a ride that hooked me completely - definitely a book that you don't want to put down!  I have given the book 5 stars and looking forward to reading the third book in the series - very highly recommended! 

[Nick 2E0NAQ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book I found that the words floed off the page and kept me hooked to find out what was going to happen next. I felt that the style of the story and the plot are as good as James Patterson’s Alex Cross series, which are a great series to read. So is Lorne Simpkins going to be the English version to Alex Cross? Let’s hope so.

I have the next book Final Justice on my kindle waiting for me to start reading.

I would like to say a big! Thank you to Mel Comely for writing a gripping story and I can not wait to start the next book. I hope my review has given the book the justice it deserves.
xx :)

[Alan Cotterell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another perfect book

Don't know how she does it. The first book was perfect, but this is somehow better! Neither book has a single word that is not needed. Such a fast paced story. Bring on the 3rd book.

[Linda Prather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a difficult book for me to review. I’ll start it by saying that Mel Comley and I have become friends on Facebook and other social medias. She did not ask me to read or review her book. I did so because I wanted to, and I’m glad I did. I will say, though, I do not write bad reviews, however, I write honest reviews that are my opinion. Some may agree with me, and some may not. I don’t write bad reviews simply because if I don’t like a book, I normally don’t finish reading it, and I won’t write a review on a book I haven’t read completely. I actually read Impeding Justice some time ago, but have been pondering for weeks how to write a review from an American standpoint. I’ve finally decided to just go with it.

When I first started reading this I found myself looking at words and thinking “Oh, my God, there’s typos here.” I’m a little slow sometimes so it actually took me a chapter or two before I realized “Oh, Mel Comley is a British author!” These aren’t typos, nor are they errors in punctuation. I have since found that some of the rules of writing, punctuation and spelling change in other countries.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I would like to say that by the third chapter spelling and punctuation no longer mattered to me. I was totally captivated by the story. I found myself in empathy with Lorne Simpkins, a strong-willed female in a mostly male dominated profession. It was easy to see that Lorne would have to work harder, longer and go beyond the normal one hundred percent to even get noticed. Add to that trying to be a good wife in a not so great marriage, a good mother to a rebellious teenager, and still somewhere deep down inside wanting to be a desirable woman, and you have a well-developed character that you want to see succeed in all those areas.

Having worked with and for both law enforcement agencies and the judicial system in the US I was amazed to learn the differences in the American and British systems, and appalled that British officers could not carry firearms.

This is not a cozy mystery, and not for everyone. The subject material deals with a sick criminal, and material some may find offensive. However, if you like an action-packed thriller that is hard-boiled in every sense of the word, you’ll love it. I realized after reading Impeding Justice that I had started the series in the middle. I just purchased Cruel Justice and look forward to starting at the beginning.

Thank you, Mel, for an entertaining evening (yes, I read this book in one evening, because I couldn’t put it down and had to find out what happened next).

[Patty U. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good. I liked it better than the first one in the series. Lorne goes thru hell in this book. Her partner is killed, her daughter is kidnapped, her dad is kidnapped and someone else close to her dies. They catch the Unicorn, or do they? This story gets down and dirty and gritty. Hang on. You will be on the edge of your seat waiting for what will happen next.

[Cheryl Landmark · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an emotionally exhausting, non-stop thriller, jam-packed with fast-paced action, tension and violence!

The main character Lorne Simpkins was a tough, stubborn, strong-willed woman struggling to balance her male-dominated career with her personal life. Her failing marriage, a rebellious teenage daughter, a disturbing attraction to another man, and a sadistic psychopath certainly made that task a huge challenge. Most of the time I liked and sympathized with her, but there were other moments when she annoyed me a bit.

Speaking of the villain, he was a totally depraved, sick, perverted, cruel, evil monster—so much so that he was almost a cartoon character whose violent tendencies seemed too over-the-top and exaggerated at times. But, aside from that, the plot was gritty, gripping, dark and edge-of-the-seat and kept me turning the pages until the end. It was hard to believe that so much happened in only 48 hours!

The ending was a bit unsatisfactory to me and I’m not a huge fan of abrupt cliffhangers, but this one definitely guaranteed that I will be reading the next book in the series.

[J.E. Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel Comley spins a good tale here - although I wouldn't classify Lorne Simpkins as a female Jack Bauer - not even in the same league, however, the story was very interesting and held my attention. Ms. Comley hit on some very touchy subjects with the attack of Lorne's thirteen year old daughter but she did so with a brush of sensitivity and style. I applaude her for taking that risk. There were also some issues I'm on the fence about as far as her main character is concerned and that is one of the reasons this didn't garnish a five star rating from me. However, with all this said, I do recommend this book to those that like a good crime thriller.

[Patricia Vandenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book on Authonomy and I have read over 600 books and this one stuck with me like glue. The Author draws you in holds you tight and sends you on an unforgettable ride. I love The MC'S and this is a can't put it down book, so I suggest you start it when you have no other plans...I HIGHLY recommend it, great for a gift too... Patricia aka Columbia
Layers of the Heart

[Carl Ashmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quite remarkable thriller. Eminently entertaining, with a fast pace and fantastic characters. I Highly recommended to everyone.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio book
Excellent
As MA Comley does....starts off with a bang then leads the reader along hooked! Then you get to the crunch and whoosh.
Great storyline it had me listening hard to get every bit. Narrator was good. She took the story along at a good pace.
Really enjoyable & well worth getting

[Mrs A. J. Turbfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot thickens beautifully enough for the reader

to crave more of this addictive series. Can't
wait to carry on with this extremely enjoyable
Saga. What a wonderful way to spend my days.

[Mark Stratton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Psychotic killer being tracked by a cop. More twists and turns than a mountain road.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely several notches up from Book 1 and I really enjoyed it, but I had a couple of issues with it.

Firstly, Pete. No!!!!!! Why??? (boo hoo!)

I also thought that the villain 'The Unicorn' came across like a TV comic animation, the kind of character that you might find in an episode of Batman. I almost expected him to come out with dialogue akin to "Mwah ha ha. One day everything will be mine and I will rule the world!"

That said, it was a real page turner with plenty of shockers, twists and turns and some great characters and I've just bought book 3!

[Susan Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, I have to say I can never think of a unicorn as a magical creature ever again. This was a gruesome and shocking read which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole of the book. I have only recently finished the first in the series and had to dive straight into this one. Lorne Simpkins is on the trail of The Unicorn, and has been for the past 8 years, one of the cruellest and sadistic villains I have ever come across. This action packed read never lets up as victim after victim from Lornes' personal life are targeted by The Unicorn. I now need to read the next in this brilliant series.

[Tamara Rose Blodgett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to grab this TERRIFIC read when it was available for free on Amazon. Like Konrath with his "Trapped" novel, Comley writes in such a way that it is a main entree and not an "appetizer" read. It's a "slow burn" thriller where you truly don't know what you're in store for. Comley spoon feeds info in the beginning to introduce a foundation of knowledge so the reader isn't lost. I very much felt like I had landed in the middle of a tale that had a rich history of relationships and emotions before me. I felt "anchored" in immediately and didn't have to grapple with a feeling of motion sickness...which can happen when an exciting/violent/intense scene is present in the first few pages.

Comley is absolutely brilliant at the terrible spiral of storytelling that she drags the reader through; wow! It didn't matter if I wanted to read it or not...with each chapter the story became more compelling than the last. I wanted so badly to know what would happen I am now stuck buying the next installment! Price? Huh...doesn't matter. What is going to happen with The Unicorn? The wretched excuse of a "man." Comley showcases humanity in the harshest light possible and does it perfectly. Too perfectly. If you squirm over extremely mature and violent themes such as the following: child rape/flesh trade/dismemberment, etc. you may have to pass. For me, the themes were contextually appropriate within the story and not gratuitous; no harm, no foul. But I mention for sensitive readers.

Love the UK angle as the author is English. What a refreshing change of diction and culture. Fun!

What I didn't like was how Lorne (MC) was so driven and obsessed in her role as inspector that her family was neglected. Even when her daughter is in grave danger...the job superseded all. I found that to be slightly unrealistic. As a mother myself, there wouldn't be another job that could turn my head when situations such as those presented in this novel occurred. Nothing would distract me from the role of protective and later, nurturing comforter. Lorne's dealings in relational situations of importance are also left unresolved and "dangling." But just because I didn't like that doesn't mean that it isn't true of that character(the latter).

Like in some past reviews, I really wish there were half star ratings. I'm giving this novel 4.5 stars.

[Ciclochick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second of the novels featuring DI Lorne Simpkins. Cruel Justice was the excellent start of the series and Impeding Justice is even more thrilling and gripping. I absolutely loved it.

Lorne is still the feisty, stubborn, no-nonsense detective hunting down sadistic killers, still with a rocky marriage (being married to her husband and her job just isn’t easy) and still with a teenager who is being, well, a teenager. To make matters worse, a tragedy hits her close-knit work team and her eight-year-long chase of her nemesis, The Unicorn, steps up a pace. He has started to make it personal—very, very personal.

Mel is an excellent thriller writer. She packs action and tension into a package with strong characters along with heinous villains. Lorne’s domestic life and problems therein remind us that she isn’t superwoman, but a keen and brave working wife and mother, with the police force in her blood, doing her best to make the streets a safer place.

This isn’t a book you can put down easily and Mel manages to leave you emotionally exhausted: appalled by man’s ability to be utterly depraved and violent, touched by the resistance and strength of innocent youth, totally wrung-out by the pain a mother feels for the suffering of her child. Not only that, Mel deftly leaves you hungering for more with an almighty cliffhanger.

On to the next (Final Justice), Cathy, quick as you can…

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was one of my kindle bargains, as I write it is available as the bargain price of 49p, and it is proof that cheap does not necessarily equate to poor quality.

DI Lorne Simpkins has been on the tail of The Unicorn for 8 years but her attempts to capture him have been thwarted. The chase becomes really personal when he kills her partner and then kidnaps her teenaged daughter. The book spans a period of few days and starts with action and mantains that, and a large degree of tension, right through the book. In some places the violence, although not always explicitly spelt out, might be uncomfortable for some readers.

It is a good pacey thriller but unlike some books in the genre Lorne's character is well developed. She's a tough woman who may not have been getting her work/life balance quite right, and we see her grappling with how to be a good wife and mum while still doing the job she is clearly devoted to.

As a slight negative there were a few issues with formatting, with words running together and similar, but I understand since I purchased the e-book there has been an update. I'll be requesting the free update from Amazon and hopefully those issues will have been ironed out.

This was a really good read and I'll be looking out for the sequel which I believe is due soon.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impeding Justice has everything a good thriller should have: a tough heroine, who keeps getting obstacles hurled at her, a ruthless villain who constantly seems to be one step ahead, some secondary characters who add to the twists and turns, and tight, fast-paced plot.

This thriller had some other good elements, and a few bad ones as well. The main character, Lorne Simpkins is well-rounded and three dimensional. She managed to annoy me one scene, then win me over the next with some grudging admiration. When an author can pull that off, it shows some strong writing. Matters regarding the raising of her daughter, her problematic relationship with her husband, and a willing admirer on the job makes for plenty of intrigue, and give Lorne added depth.

On the other hand, the villain, had some cruel traits which were quite outlandish and bordering on caricature, at least to me. His sadistic cruelty was put to use in a very smart way, and there were some scenes were I had a hard time to keep reading and control my horror, even though the author, Mel Comley, often cut away just before the gruesome bits. And still it was hard to read. Kudos to Comley on that.

What kept this from five stars was an ending which didn't completely satisfy me. But that is really no excuse for not reading this thriller, especially considering the price. I'll definitely read the sequel.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was another winner from M. Comley. The action starts from the first page and lasts until the very last page. The author is not afraid to do what it takes, even risking ticking off the reader, to take the story in a different direction. And it works really well for her. This is not for the faint of heart for sure! This second book deals with a nasty mass murderer, drug and teen prostitution trafficking ring leader, the horrible Unicorn, who has it in for DI Lorne Simpkins. He seems to always be one step ahead of everything they do and this book takes us all over the place, tracking down leads, chasing his captives and evetually to an ending that still makes me shudder. The Unicorn has to be one of the top villians I have ever read about. Comley has quite the imagination to come up with these storylines and characters, and to make them believable to the reader takes a lot of skill. She is one of the best writers in regard to character development I have ever read--and I have read a ton of thrillers! You will enjoy the edge of your seat, crazy ride all through the book that this nasty murderer leads you and at the end you will be left breathless. Do yourself a favor and get the third book right away--you won't be able to sleep until you know what happens after this book finishes up!

[Claudine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A psychopath on the loose...the cop who chases him....fast paced and full of action.

While I enjoyed the thriller aspect of Impeding Justice, it started falling flat towards the end.

Inspector Lorne Simpkins spends much of the book chasing after her nemesis, The Unicorn, over a 48 hour period. For the last 8 years, they have been playing a cat and mouse game, which is about to end. But....there is a mole in the police department, one who has been feeding The Unicorn sensitive information about the investigation, allowing him to get away time and again.

While brutal at times (the kidnapping and subsequent rape and beatings of Inspector Simpkin's 13 year old daughter Charlie is highly shocking), it is fast paced enough (with minor irritating grammar errors) to keep one's attention. The piece that fell flat for me was Charlie's reaction in the hospital when she sees her mother for the first time after everything that has happend to her. Someone who has been brutalised, raped, beaten and drugged with hardcore drugs like heroin I highly doubt would react so sunny and breezy. It just felt false and fell very flat. Which was a pity as the final twist in the last chapters just didn't deserve that. Overall it is an ok start to a detective series.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being impressed with cruel justice I downloaded this one and it does not disappoint at all. The book opens with Pete, Lorne's partner, being shot and from there on it is a battle against the clock and against the "Unicorn" a criminal Lorne has been hunting down for 8 years. He is a master of escape and has no end of people that he is controlling. Lorne is desperate to catch him particularly after he starts targetting members of her family.

Tensions still exist between Lorne and husband Tom about the amount of time she is spending at work but these tensions don't seem to be as severe as in the first book. It will be interesting to see whether they have further improved by the time the third book is read.

My only criticism was the ending...guess I'll just have to download the next book though!!!

[Lia Fairchild · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Impeding Justice, Mel Comley pulls together the key ingredients for a captivating police thriller; a strong-willed female heroine, a relentlessly cruel villain, and plenty of action-packed scenes. Inspector Lorne Simpkins is hunting down the “The Unicorn,” who always seems to be one step ahead of her. I really enjoyed her gritty, unique character and liked that the author still showed a vulnerable side once and a while. Lorne is also accompanied by an interesting cast of supporting characters that were distinctive and memorable. The ending of the book was like a blockbuster movie that left me ready for the sequel. So, I guess my next read will be Final Justice, by Mel Comley.

[Marilou George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impeding Justice by Mel Comley is a fast paced action packed book that I really enjoyed and was totally engrossed in. With Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins as the heroine and the Unicorn as her evil nemesis, the action is non-stop. The other characters were a great supporting cast and played an integral part in the story. When the Detective Inspectors daughter gets pulled into this force of evil you will be on the edge of your seat! This book has all the twists and turns you would expect from a really great story. I would recommend this book to everyone, it was great!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

London’s Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins has been chasing The Unicorn, for 8 yrs. This is one sick customer, and he’s made it his goal in life, to beat Lorne.

This is Red John meets Criminal Minds kind of action. If you have a weak stomach, this is not for you, but it’s a page turner, in the best tradition. I haven’t read Book 1, Cruel Justice, or Book 3, Final Justice, but for sure I’ll have to get book 3, as book 2 is definitely a “to be continued”.

I can’t believe that London’s law enforcement agencies are unarmed!

[Lorraine Versini · Rating 5 out of 5]

!!!!??? (sorry couldn't explain what I'm feeling other than by using words that might not be very appropriate for a public website) :)

Not only could I just not put down the book, but I was totally exhausted from all the actions and emotions ! There isn't a single boring page, and the mix of fright, worry, sadness (I am SO missing Pete), horror and the frantic pace of the story really made reading this book an awesome experience.
One thing is sure, I never ever want to be in Lorne's shoes lol !

A recommended read. I liked Cruel Justice. This one is definitely as good.

[Teresa Nikolic · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was lovely to get back to The Justice Series by the very talented Mel Comley and to reacquaint myself with the lovely Lorne Simpkins who is still hot on the heels of The Unicorn after eight years of him evading her. This book begins with tragedy and continues along that thread when those people closest to Lorne come under threat and she even begins to question her future as a member of the force. I really enjoyed the second book in the series and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series that are sitting patiently on my kindle. Highly recommend this one!

[Sibel Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot going on here to grab your attention. It's a roller-coaster ride of murder, rape, terrorism, and kidnap. Just when you think things can't get any worse...they do! This is a thriller in the same style as Prime Suspect. A dizzy plot and page-turning read will keep you satisfied until the end.

[~ Cariad ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's no Jack Bauer and doesn't need to be!

If you enjoy a gritty detective/crime story look no further.
Great story and characters, I'll definitely read Final Justice.
...I just need a quick historical fiction or chick-lit to get me past the more vile bits of this one!

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a riveting story with a new, engaging female Brit Cop. It's well worth a look and will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.