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Joe Wilde #1
False Truth
Private Investigator and former MI6 agent Joe Wilde is hired by Sally Devlin to investigate her son's disappearance. Liam Devlin was a rising football star. His car was found abandoned at Lea Bridge in Hackney, a known suicide spot, six weeks prior. With help from friend and retired MI6 Data Technician Mark Thompson, Joe uncovers a huge secret in Liam's life. Putting the pieces together, he starts to suspect that this case is far more complex than he originally envisioned. Falling ever deeper into his own investigations, Joe meets with the detective in charge of the case, D. I. Carl Whatmore, who does not take kindly to Joe getting involved. As Joe and D. I. Whatmore go head-to-head in their own investigations, more lives are put in danger. But who will crack the case? Only time will tell...
187 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2025
About the author
C.D. Steele
3 booksC.D. Steele is the author of the Joe Wilde mystery thriller series. There are three books in the series. False Truth which was published by The Book Guild on the 28/04/21, Dark Truth which was published by The Conrad Press on the 15/11/23 and Hidden Truth which was independently published on the 31/12/25.
He works as an Executive Officer in the Civil Service, has a degree in Recreation Management and lives in County Down, Northern Ireland.
He works as an Executive Officer in the Civil Service, has a degree in Recreation Management and lives in County Down, Northern Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 22, 2022
This is an interesting detective story which begins and ends in London, with some side trips to South America. Private Detective Joe Wilde has been hired to investigate the disappearance of Liam Devlin, an up-and-coming footballer who may have committed suicide. Liam's mother Sally doesn't think so, and Joe begins to agree with her as his investigation progresses and outside forces try to interfere. This is an engaging mystery and the first book in the Joe Wilde series.
This detective story is unusual in its telling, as it sticks very closely to action throughout the story and doesn't begin developing characters right away. Consequently, there is a bit more telling than showing, but it somehow works in this novel. Although there is not a lot of early character development, details about Wilde are leaked slowly throughout the book. I believe this is intentional, and I think we will learn more about the main characters as this series progresses. The supporting cast is also a little mysterious. For example, Wilde's friend Mark is extremely gifted with computer technology and always does him favors when asked. We are only given the slightest hints as to why, but again I feel more will be revealed later in the series. The mystery is layered and well-developed, and the conclusion is not easily predictable. For those who try to avoid politics, the story does get a little political. However, the politics do not take over the book. I found it to be an enjoyable and quick read. Fans of detective fiction and crime stories with a lot of action and intrigue will enjoy this fast-paced novel.
This detective story is unusual in its telling, as it sticks very closely to action throughout the story and doesn't begin developing characters right away. Consequently, there is a bit more telling than showing, but it somehow works in this novel. Although there is not a lot of early character development, details about Wilde are leaked slowly throughout the book. I believe this is intentional, and I think we will learn more about the main characters as this series progresses. The supporting cast is also a little mysterious. For example, Wilde's friend Mark is extremely gifted with computer technology and always does him favors when asked. We are only given the slightest hints as to why, but again I feel more will be revealed later in the series. The mystery is layered and well-developed, and the conclusion is not easily predictable. For those who try to avoid politics, the story does get a little political. However, the politics do not take over the book. I found it to be an enjoyable and quick read. Fans of detective fiction and crime stories with a lot of action and intrigue will enjoy this fast-paced novel.
December 2, 2021
“The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…”
I know that relatively speaking, this book was quite short for a novel by today’s standards; but seriously, they do say that ‘good things come in small packages’ and they aren’t wrong there! I powered my way through this book in less than a day and I simply couldn’t bear put it down. I was just grateful for the neat, compact chapter lengths, which meant that I could fit in a few ‘comfort’ breaks relatively easily!
If the author himself hadn’t told me, I would never have known that he was new to this game and that this was his debut novel. For me, it was pitch-perfect, with both storyline and writing style standing up well alongside the books of some of the much more seasoned authors I have read.
For me personally, I need four things to happen for a story to come together: A beginning which gets right to the heart of the story and this one certainly hits the ground running. A storyline which is well paced and fluid; this one is almost completely seamless, with never a wasted word and plenty of twists and turns. An ending which is conclusive so that the book can be read as a stand alone story; and in False Truth, all those loose little end are very satisfyingly and neatly tied up. Oh! and the main protagonist can’t be dead; which Joe manages, but only by the skin of his teeth, as it is a very close call.
This well structured, multi-layered and intensely textured thriller, is rich in atmosphere and totally immersive, as the many various and complex strands of the case send Joe off at a complete tangent, before he begins to weave them all together in his mind and works out exactly what is going on, in a game where he discovers to his cost, that he can trust no one and the person he had thought to be so firmly against him, in fact turns out to be, his only one true friend and ally.
The anarchy of right wing politics, illegal gambling debts, homosexuality, drug dealing, and the duplicity and corruption of two security services which guard a nation both at home and overseas, all come under the spotlight in this gripping and disturbing complex plot, which drags Joe half way around the world, where he unintentionally places an innocent life at risk, which doesn’t sit well with him. My armchair travels took me to countries I haven’t visited before on my reading journey, and whilst for any well travelled fellow readers, there might not have been sufficient background depth to their visit, for me there was just the right amount of visual depth to the descriptive narrative to offer a sense of time and place and whet my appetite for any future forays to the locations.
Christopher has created a well drawn, multi-faceted cast of developed characters, who whether they are on the side of good or bad, are authentically realistic, genuinely believable in the individual roles which have been created for them, and who with a strong voice, totally owned this story from beginning to end. Joe definitely doesn’t suffer fools or turncoats gladly. If you are friend he will defend you to the end and lay down his life for you – But cross him and you will feel the full force of his wrath. His retribution is swift, non-negotiable and final. Carl was probably the least developed of the characters, and although that was very much the role which had been assigned to him in this case, I hope that his voice will grow stronger and his personality and strengths evolve, over the course of the series – Oops! did I say series?
I really hope that PI Joe Wilde and DI Carl Whatmore are destined to return with a new case to solve very soon The partnership certainly has the potential to develop and go places, under Christopher’s watchful eye!
To read the full review post, including author info. and extracts from the story, visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/new-aut...
I know that relatively speaking, this book was quite short for a novel by today’s standards; but seriously, they do say that ‘good things come in small packages’ and they aren’t wrong there! I powered my way through this book in less than a day and I simply couldn’t bear put it down. I was just grateful for the neat, compact chapter lengths, which meant that I could fit in a few ‘comfort’ breaks relatively easily!
If the author himself hadn’t told me, I would never have known that he was new to this game and that this was his debut novel. For me, it was pitch-perfect, with both storyline and writing style standing up well alongside the books of some of the much more seasoned authors I have read.
For me personally, I need four things to happen for a story to come together: A beginning which gets right to the heart of the story and this one certainly hits the ground running. A storyline which is well paced and fluid; this one is almost completely seamless, with never a wasted word and plenty of twists and turns. An ending which is conclusive so that the book can be read as a stand alone story; and in False Truth, all those loose little end are very satisfyingly and neatly tied up. Oh! and the main protagonist can’t be dead; which Joe manages, but only by the skin of his teeth, as it is a very close call.
This well structured, multi-layered and intensely textured thriller, is rich in atmosphere and totally immersive, as the many various and complex strands of the case send Joe off at a complete tangent, before he begins to weave them all together in his mind and works out exactly what is going on, in a game where he discovers to his cost, that he can trust no one and the person he had thought to be so firmly against him, in fact turns out to be, his only one true friend and ally.
The anarchy of right wing politics, illegal gambling debts, homosexuality, drug dealing, and the duplicity and corruption of two security services which guard a nation both at home and overseas, all come under the spotlight in this gripping and disturbing complex plot, which drags Joe half way around the world, where he unintentionally places an innocent life at risk, which doesn’t sit well with him. My armchair travels took me to countries I haven’t visited before on my reading journey, and whilst for any well travelled fellow readers, there might not have been sufficient background depth to their visit, for me there was just the right amount of visual depth to the descriptive narrative to offer a sense of time and place and whet my appetite for any future forays to the locations.
Christopher has created a well drawn, multi-faceted cast of developed characters, who whether they are on the side of good or bad, are authentically realistic, genuinely believable in the individual roles which have been created for them, and who with a strong voice, totally owned this story from beginning to end. Joe definitely doesn’t suffer fools or turncoats gladly. If you are friend he will defend you to the end and lay down his life for you – But cross him and you will feel the full force of his wrath. His retribution is swift, non-negotiable and final. Carl was probably the least developed of the characters, and although that was very much the role which had been assigned to him in this case, I hope that his voice will grow stronger and his personality and strengths evolve, over the course of the series – Oops! did I say series?
I really hope that PI Joe Wilde and DI Carl Whatmore are destined to return with a new case to solve very soon The partnership certainly has the potential to develop and go places, under Christopher’s watchful eye!
To read the full review post, including author info. and extracts from the story, visit...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/new-aut...
October 26, 2021
A decent plot with poor execution, I quickly grew frustrated with Steele’s writing style. I wanted to engage with the narrative more than I did and I was held back by my dislike of how the writer told me every minute detail. ‘Show not tell’ is so important in delivering a successful story and I think Steele was way off the mark here.
Sentence structure was hit and miss: semi-colons littered paragraphs, as if the typewriter had been sick all over the page. In contrast, sentences were either long and clumsy, or unvaried, making the narrative read more like a series of bullet points and lacking flow. Furthermore, there were several occasions where the writer slips into present tense and it made the reading of the story even more awkward. Trying not to approach this from a linguistic perspective was very difficult because it felt like I was looking at a narrative that had not been through the editing process. So often I found myself re-writing sentences in my head so they were far less repetitive, rambling or swamped in punctuation. It just didn’t work for me.
Steele does not seem to have got the balance in how to progress a narrative. Too much finite detail is referred to that I think could have been easily omitted. Furthermore, every time a new character would enter the scene, Steele would immediately go into detail about character appearance and a judgement on their personality. I was happy for this to come later on, but it felt as if the writer needed to establish these foundations before the character had even spoken. This was disappointing, especially as it happened throughout the story; it felt like I was reading an amateur narrative, rather than a published piece of work.
It was these two elements that really put me off this narrative. However, in terms of plot, I did enjoy watching Joe Wilde, Private Investigator, as he is hired to look into the disappearance of a young footballer. Although the crime scene points to suicide, Wilde and the victim’s mother are convinced there is more than meets the eye. Wilde therefore takes on the role of PI-come-Detective, playing a far more active role than any apparent police investigation. I was surprised there was not more references to what the police were doing and found that Wilde was more behaving like a detective than a PI. Furthermore, the amount of trust people seemed to give him was a bit beyond the realms of what is realistic. There did not appear to be any filters for people and they would happily give Joe the information he wanted.
I was surprised when the narrative moved to South America; this is definitely not what I had expected. This part was very fast-paced and full of scenes you would expect when a PI gets involved in a man’s disappearance. I liked the exotic, unknown location and I think this added to the tension of the overall story. When Joe returns to England, I think this is when the pace of the story cranks up even more, especially as it would seem that Joe is not safe.
The final reveal was all too convenient for my liking. Unfortunately, the narrative’s style meant I thought it was too obvious who the perpetrators were in the story. I had guessed this within the first few chapters and I think this is what encouraged me to complete the book: I wanted to see if my predictions were correct. The revelations came all at once: with lengthy paragraphs and convenient confessions, it reminded me of a black and white gangster film.
This is clearly the start of a series and I would be keen to see what escapades Joe finds himself on next. However, it would take a lot to entice me back to this writer because I think a lot of work is needed on technique and delivery.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sentence structure was hit and miss: semi-colons littered paragraphs, as if the typewriter had been sick all over the page. In contrast, sentences were either long and clumsy, or unvaried, making the narrative read more like a series of bullet points and lacking flow. Furthermore, there were several occasions where the writer slips into present tense and it made the reading of the story even more awkward. Trying not to approach this from a linguistic perspective was very difficult because it felt like I was looking at a narrative that had not been through the editing process. So often I found myself re-writing sentences in my head so they were far less repetitive, rambling or swamped in punctuation. It just didn’t work for me.
Steele does not seem to have got the balance in how to progress a narrative. Too much finite detail is referred to that I think could have been easily omitted. Furthermore, every time a new character would enter the scene, Steele would immediately go into detail about character appearance and a judgement on their personality. I was happy for this to come later on, but it felt as if the writer needed to establish these foundations before the character had even spoken. This was disappointing, especially as it happened throughout the story; it felt like I was reading an amateur narrative, rather than a published piece of work.
It was these two elements that really put me off this narrative. However, in terms of plot, I did enjoy watching Joe Wilde, Private Investigator, as he is hired to look into the disappearance of a young footballer. Although the crime scene points to suicide, Wilde and the victim’s mother are convinced there is more than meets the eye. Wilde therefore takes on the role of PI-come-Detective, playing a far more active role than any apparent police investigation. I was surprised there was not more references to what the police were doing and found that Wilde was more behaving like a detective than a PI. Furthermore, the amount of trust people seemed to give him was a bit beyond the realms of what is realistic. There did not appear to be any filters for people and they would happily give Joe the information he wanted.
I was surprised when the narrative moved to South America; this is definitely not what I had expected. This part was very fast-paced and full of scenes you would expect when a PI gets involved in a man’s disappearance. I liked the exotic, unknown location and I think this added to the tension of the overall story. When Joe returns to England, I think this is when the pace of the story cranks up even more, especially as it would seem that Joe is not safe.
The final reveal was all too convenient for my liking. Unfortunately, the narrative’s style meant I thought it was too obvious who the perpetrators were in the story. I had guessed this within the first few chapters and I think this is what encouraged me to complete the book: I wanted to see if my predictions were correct. The revelations came all at once: with lengthy paragraphs and convenient confessions, it reminded me of a black and white gangster film.
This is clearly the start of a series and I would be keen to see what escapades Joe finds himself on next. However, it would take a lot to entice me back to this writer because I think a lot of work is needed on technique and delivery.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2024
False Truth by C.D. Steele is the 1st in a trilogy starring PI Joe Wilde.
First, let me thank the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Information:
Joe Wilde is a former MI6 agent, now a Private Investigator. His secretary is Jackie.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Business has been slow lately, but that changes when Sally Devlin hires Joe to find her missing son. Although no body was found, everyone but Sally thinks he committed suicide.
Sally has never given up. Liam was a football star, and although he was currently suspended for gambling, his career was still promising.
Joe looks into Liam's gambling debt, and his secret love life, but something is still not adding up. He meets DI Carl Whatmore, who was in charge of the case, but it doesn't look like much time was spent trying to find out what happened to Liam. Joe has help from his friend Mark Thompson along the way. Mark is a retired Data Technician, and he worked for MI6. He also uses his friend Phil Harkes as a sounding board. Phil still works for MI5 in Counter-terrorism.
In search of answers, Joe follows a lead to South America, where things get even more complicated.
My Opinions:
I was a little worried about this book at first. The first part was about sports, and the second was part was about terrorism. Neither of these appealed to me. Thankfully the sports aspect soon fizzled out, but I still wasn't fond of the political angles to the book.
However, the story did progress quickly and held my interest. It was a rather short, fast read. The plot was very good, and everything was tied up in a neat little bow in case you missed anything -- perhaps with a little too much explanation.
For a debut novel, this was good, but I believe the author may still be developing his writing style, which is a little too detailed in some areas, and a little lacking in Joe's background...but perhaps that will come in the next book.
Anyway, overall, I have added the next book to my pile!
First, let me thank the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Information:
Joe Wilde is a former MI6 agent, now a Private Investigator. His secretary is Jackie.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Business has been slow lately, but that changes when Sally Devlin hires Joe to find her missing son. Although no body was found, everyone but Sally thinks he committed suicide.
Sally has never given up. Liam was a football star, and although he was currently suspended for gambling, his career was still promising.
Joe looks into Liam's gambling debt, and his secret love life, but something is still not adding up. He meets DI Carl Whatmore, who was in charge of the case, but it doesn't look like much time was spent trying to find out what happened to Liam. Joe has help from his friend Mark Thompson along the way. Mark is a retired Data Technician, and he worked for MI6. He also uses his friend Phil Harkes as a sounding board. Phil still works for MI5 in Counter-terrorism.
In search of answers, Joe follows a lead to South America, where things get even more complicated.
My Opinions:
I was a little worried about this book at first. The first part was about sports, and the second was part was about terrorism. Neither of these appealed to me. Thankfully the sports aspect soon fizzled out, but I still wasn't fond of the political angles to the book.
However, the story did progress quickly and held my interest. It was a rather short, fast read. The plot was very good, and everything was tied up in a neat little bow in case you missed anything -- perhaps with a little too much explanation.
For a debut novel, this was good, but I believe the author may still be developing his writing style, which is a little too detailed in some areas, and a little lacking in Joe's background...but perhaps that will come in the next book.
Anyway, overall, I have added the next book to my pile!
September 28, 2021
This book took the reader on a journey. We followed the story of a private investigator, Joe, looking into the case of Liam Devlin. Joe was sent all over looking for clues and evidence of Liam. It was such a fun and exciting journey to be on.
I loved the characters in this book, Sally was the determined mother who would do anything to get her son back. Joe was the willing detective to go chasing down Liam, he risks a lot by travelling so much. I liked the relationships between the characters, I thought they were described well and were developed. Being a shorter book, there were a lot of descriptions and scene setting as well as story setting.
The plot of this book was something I’ve never read before. It was very unique and the ending was shocking to say the least. So much happened in the book, and it made the book go by so quickly. I enjoyed how fast paced the book got at the end, I couldn’t put it down. The beginning of the book focuses on world building and introducing the reader to the story.
I thought the writing style of this book was very easy to read and understand. Everything was described perfectly and I liked how the author kept back elements of the mystery until the very end.
I loved the characters in this book, Sally was the determined mother who would do anything to get her son back. Joe was the willing detective to go chasing down Liam, he risks a lot by travelling so much. I liked the relationships between the characters, I thought they were described well and were developed. Being a shorter book, there were a lot of descriptions and scene setting as well as story setting.
The plot of this book was something I’ve never read before. It was very unique and the ending was shocking to say the least. So much happened in the book, and it made the book go by so quickly. I enjoyed how fast paced the book got at the end, I couldn’t put it down. The beginning of the book focuses on world building and introducing the reader to the story.
I thought the writing style of this book was very easy to read and understand. Everything was described perfectly and I liked how the author kept back elements of the mystery until the very end.
September 12, 2021
False Truth is the first in a series following a former MI6 agent and current Private Investigator called Joe Wilde. It is quite a short book at around 200 pages long, but it is a book that kicks off with a lot of action straight away, so you can easily read it in a couple of sittings.
I could not put it down! It was an exciting, twisty, puzzling and pulse racing read that will keep you guessing right until the end. There is a dark, menacing atmosphere that is created throughout the story that makes you feel tense reading it as you know something bad is going to happen!
Joe Wilde, as the main protagonist is an interesting character, but I felt like I wanted to know a bit depth to him and know more about his history. Especially as a former MI6 agent. He must have some stories to tell! Though I particularly loved the action scenes he is involved in, and the style of writing will keep your eyes glued to the pages.
As a debut novel, it has made me keen to want to read more from the author in the future. I love a crime thriller that engages you from the start and is fast paced like this one. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
Thanks again to the author for sending me a copy of the book. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend this for readers who love a crime mystery to solve.
I could not put it down! It was an exciting, twisty, puzzling and pulse racing read that will keep you guessing right until the end. There is a dark, menacing atmosphere that is created throughout the story that makes you feel tense reading it as you know something bad is going to happen!
Joe Wilde, as the main protagonist is an interesting character, but I felt like I wanted to know a bit depth to him and know more about his history. Especially as a former MI6 agent. He must have some stories to tell! Though I particularly loved the action scenes he is involved in, and the style of writing will keep your eyes glued to the pages.
As a debut novel, it has made me keen to want to read more from the author in the future. I love a crime thriller that engages you from the start and is fast paced like this one. I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
Thanks again to the author for sending me a copy of the book. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend this for readers who love a crime mystery to solve.
August 16, 2021
False Truth is a gripping read. At just under 200 pages I was able to read it quickly, in two sittings. The first half of the book is slower-paced, building the background, introducing us to the characters and the initial mystery of the disappearance of Liam Devlin, a young footballer who (it would seem) has committed suicide. This all leads up to what turns into an action-packed and faster-paced second half with many more secrets and mysteries to uncover.
As C.D. Steele’s debut novel, this is an excellent read. The plot is a good one with twists and turns, secrets, and characters that are not all they seem, it is great to try and piece it all together as you read.
The conclusion is satisfying, with enough to keep you intrigued as to what may happen in the next book of the series.
As the series continues I would hope to find out a little more about Joe Wilde’s past experiences and maybe a little more about his private life, I think a romantic interest may have been alluded to towards the end of the book, interested to see where this may or may not lead in the next!
If you are looking for a snappy, intriguing thriller, with plenty of twists to uncover, then I highly recommend giving False Truth a go!
As C.D. Steele’s debut novel, this is an excellent read. The plot is a good one with twists and turns, secrets, and characters that are not all they seem, it is great to try and piece it all together as you read.
The conclusion is satisfying, with enough to keep you intrigued as to what may happen in the next book of the series.
As the series continues I would hope to find out a little more about Joe Wilde’s past experiences and maybe a little more about his private life, I think a romantic interest may have been alluded to towards the end of the book, interested to see where this may or may not lead in the next!
If you are looking for a snappy, intriguing thriller, with plenty of twists to uncover, then I highly recommend giving False Truth a go!
October 17, 2021
Well! What an interesting character Joe Wilde turned out to be; Ex special services {trained in a martial art in which you first strike the weak points of the body you know, the throat, the testicles ... ouch! before going for the 'vitals'} come PI who is only too pleased when a 'proper' case {IE one that isn’t spent trying to find out whether a lover is cheating on their partner or not} comes in in what turns out to be a case that, with twists and turns aplenty, becomes increasingly intriguing.
Whilst a reader for whom the characters are of such importance, for me personally, when it comes down to thrillers/crime fiction, it can feel that the author becomes so invested in the private life {one that for some reason is all too often is filled with tragedy/angst} of their lead detective/PI that it can detract from the case. Not so with Steele's Joe Wilde's private life for whom, rather refreshingly, we only got a relatively brief if rather tantalising glimpse ... though, the author's debut novel, I dare say we'll get to know more in future books.
A shorter read of 134 pages {or, for those who prefer to read their books digitally, that's a Kindle file size of 3550 KB} but oh my giddy aunt!, footballer Liam Devlin's 'suicide' only the beginning; the deeper Wilde digs the more the dangerous the case became {even to my delight introducing an element of conspiracy theory}, Steele's False Truth packed some punch.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... Received For Review from the author, no financial compensation was asked for nor given
Whilst a reader for whom the characters are of such importance, for me personally, when it comes down to thrillers/crime fiction, it can feel that the author becomes so invested in the private life {one that for some reason is all too often is filled with tragedy/angst} of their lead detective/PI that it can detract from the case. Not so with Steele's Joe Wilde's private life for whom, rather refreshingly, we only got a relatively brief if rather tantalising glimpse ... though, the author's debut novel, I dare say we'll get to know more in future books.
A shorter read of 134 pages {or, for those who prefer to read their books digitally, that's a Kindle file size of 3550 KB} but oh my giddy aunt!, footballer Liam Devlin's 'suicide' only the beginning; the deeper Wilde digs the more the dangerous the case became {even to my delight introducing an element of conspiracy theory}, Steele's False Truth packed some punch.
Copyright ... Felicity Grace Terry @ Pen and Paper
Disclaimer ... Received For Review from the author, no financial compensation was asked for nor given
November 16, 2021
I was a given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Here it is…
False Truth is a quick read and a fun story. It’s action-packed and full of twists so it kept me interested all the way through.
My only tip for the author would have been to let the story unfold on its own (through the story) rather than having the characters end up telling us what happened. They put the pieces of the puzzle together for us, which is fine, but it would have added some suspense by having the story unravel itself instead.
Overall, though, it was a good book!
False Truth is a quick read and a fun story. It’s action-packed and full of twists so it kept me interested all the way through.
My only tip for the author would have been to let the story unfold on its own (through the story) rather than having the characters end up telling us what happened. They put the pieces of the puzzle together for us, which is fine, but it would have added some suspense by having the story unravel itself instead.
Overall, though, it was a good book!
December 23, 2023
Joe Wilde is a Private Investigator who is a former MI6 agent, which makes him intriguing from the outset. He has other friends from MI6 who help him in cases. This time, a meaty case turns up, one that isn't trying to find out whether a lover is cheating on their partner or not. Sally Devlin hires him because her son, Liam, considered a rising star in football has disappeared, all they've got is his car that turns up at Lea Bridge.
There's also a political element to the book as Joe's friend Phil Harkes works for MI5 in counter-terrorism, after much time in MI6 and had been working on a case where an MP was murdered.
Working relationships are often interesting to read about and there are certainly differences between Joe Wilde and Detective Inspector Carl Whatmore, who's path he has to cross as he wonders what he wants with the Liam case.
Readers really get a sense of walking in the shoes of a P.I. as he knocks door to door (readers certainly won't forget Joe Wilde's name with the number of times he has to introduce himself. At first I thought this was exessive, until I thought about it and it actually gives a real sense of realism), to try and find people who knew something and to piece bits of info together. It's worth staying with...
The case gets more intriguing the more the leads build and even takes Joe to Paraguay, where the mystery to his disappearance continues and the intrigue notches up as there appears there may be more than meets the eye. Then the mystery racks a further notch and the twists and turns that come, become tight and the pace quickens.
There's also a political element to the book as Joe's friend Phil Harkes works for MI5 in counter-terrorism, after much time in MI6 and had been working on a case where an MP was murdered.
Working relationships are often interesting to read about and there are certainly differences between Joe Wilde and Detective Inspector Carl Whatmore, who's path he has to cross as he wonders what he wants with the Liam case.
Readers really get a sense of walking in the shoes of a P.I. as he knocks door to door (readers certainly won't forget Joe Wilde's name with the number of times he has to introduce himself. At first I thought this was exessive, until I thought about it and it actually gives a real sense of realism), to try and find people who knew something and to piece bits of info together. It's worth staying with...
The case gets more intriguing the more the leads build and even takes Joe to Paraguay, where the mystery to his disappearance continues and the intrigue notches up as there appears there may be more than meets the eye. Then the mystery racks a further notch and the twists and turns that come, become tight and the pace quickens.
January 21, 2022
False Truth is a short book with quite an adventure packed between the pages. Joe Wilde is a PI now, although he used to work for MI6. As such, he's an excellent private investigator. Sally Devlin asks him to look into the sudden disappearance (perhaps suicide) of her son, Liam, a footballer with a bright future ahead of him. Joe's investigations become complicated and dangerous, a lot more so than his usual fare of tailing errant husbands.
This is quite the ride, an easy to read and exciting story. I liked the fact it wasn't overlong and I can imagine more of these similar escapades for Joe. His MI6 past means he's very savvy, and knows how to handle himself and what to look for which I think gives him quite an edge. He's also a likeable protagonist and I think he could have quite an interesting back story.
I did feel the dialogue was a bit stilted at times but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this fast-paced read. There are some unexpected events and a clever ending which kept up the intrigue and kept my interest in the story. I suspect this could be the first in a Joe Wilde series and False Truth is certainly a very good start.
This is quite the ride, an easy to read and exciting story. I liked the fact it wasn't overlong and I can imagine more of these similar escapades for Joe. His MI6 past means he's very savvy, and knows how to handle himself and what to look for which I think gives him quite an edge. He's also a likeable protagonist and I think he could have quite an interesting back story.
I did feel the dialogue was a bit stilted at times but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this fast-paced read. There are some unexpected events and a clever ending which kept up the intrigue and kept my interest in the story. I suspect this could be the first in a Joe Wilde series and False Truth is certainly a very good start.
November 2, 2021
I had high hopes for False Truth, the first in a brand new series by a new talent from Northern Ireland. It certainly had an intriguing storyline with a PI who was willing to go to any lengths to discover the truth about the missing footballer. My favourite part of the book was the section where it took place in South America. The chase and fight scenes were so well described without slowing down the pace. These dramatic scenes were quite exciting with lots of suspense and tension.
A couple of things that dimmed my enjoyment of the story was the very formal, robotic dialogue.
Also, I didn't feel like I got to know Joe at all. There wasn't much back story or inner dialogue to show what he was thinking or feeling.
I'd like to see more action and less of the confession dumping at the end just to bring it to a close. It's quite anticlimactic to have everything conveniently explained at the end. But, these are things that can be ironed out for Joe's next investigation. It will be interesting to see how this series progresses.
A couple of things that dimmed my enjoyment of the story was the very formal, robotic dialogue.
Also, I didn't feel like I got to know Joe at all. There wasn't much back story or inner dialogue to show what he was thinking or feeling.
I'd like to see more action and less of the confession dumping at the end just to bring it to a close. It's quite anticlimactic to have everything conveniently explained at the end. But, these are things that can be ironed out for Joe's next investigation. It will be interesting to see how this series progresses.
February 1, 2022
False Truth is a gripping thriller with secret agents, a chase halfway around the world and plenty of mystery. Joe Wilde is a private investigator, but he's also an ex MI5 agent. When she starts to look into the apparent suicide of a promising young footballer, it's soon clear that there's much more going on than first meets the eye.
This is a relatively short read, but I don't think that it really lacked for that. The book progresses at quite the pace and there's plenty going on. There were quite a few twists and turns here and I have to admit that I didn't really see them coming.
This book reads like the first in a series and I for one, hope that we might get to visit Joe Wilde again in the near future. I really enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it.
This is a relatively short read, but I don't think that it really lacked for that. The book progresses at quite the pace and there's plenty going on. There were quite a few twists and turns here and I have to admit that I didn't really see them coming.
This book reads like the first in a series and I for one, hope that we might get to visit Joe Wilde again in the near future. I really enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it.
May 24, 2026
Not bad.
I think this was good in parts and bad in others ,the story was good. The characters are well written. Joe makes a good PI . The dialogue needs a bit of work. It's a bit stiff ! I did enjoy reading it and will be read more from Mr Steele .
I think this was good in parts and bad in others ,the story was good. The characters are well written. Joe makes a good PI . The dialogue needs a bit of work. It's a bit stiff ! I did enjoy reading it and will be read more from Mr Steele .
April 21, 2026
Good book, lots of twists wasn't getting into it to start but ended up not putting it down
April 27, 2026
good readable story but found the writing style annoying , The writer needs to write the way people speak and use words like won't can't didn't etc. instead of the two word version
March 16, 2026
My Thoughts: I was very quickly reminded of how fast paced C.D. Steele’s writing is, there’s no pussy footing around or flowery back story for any of our characters and it’s straight into the action, I know this won’t be for everyone but for me this works really well.
It leaves me wrapped up in the story & constantly wanting to turn the pages, I was almost surprised I didn’t get friction burn on my fingers I was turning the pages on my kindle so fast 😂
This is the first book in the Joe Wilde series, he’s a PI and had been hired by a distraught mother of a footballer who has gone missing, presumed dead, but she is almost 100% convinced he’s still alive, although Joe isn’t sure he should be taking the job he knew the money would help.
He doesn’t hold back and throws himself in with both barrels, very quickly he finds a thread that might prove Liams mum right but little did he know that pulling that thread would unravel and lead to a story that had so many layers and lead him in so many different directions until he gets to the truth.
For such a short book this one packs one hell of a punch, I thoroughly enjoyed it & was hooked from start to finish.
It leaves me wrapped up in the story & constantly wanting to turn the pages, I was almost surprised I didn’t get friction burn on my fingers I was turning the pages on my kindle so fast 😂
This is the first book in the Joe Wilde series, he’s a PI and had been hired by a distraught mother of a footballer who has gone missing, presumed dead, but she is almost 100% convinced he’s still alive, although Joe isn’t sure he should be taking the job he knew the money would help.
He doesn’t hold back and throws himself in with both barrels, very quickly he finds a thread that might prove Liams mum right but little did he know that pulling that thread would unravel and lead to a story that had so many layers and lead him in so many different directions until he gets to the truth.
For such a short book this one packs one hell of a punch, I thoroughly enjoyed it & was hooked from start to finish.
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