Split Second: A gritty, riveting new crime thriller – first in an explosive series!

by R.C. Bridgestock

When a firearms officer kills one suspect and fatally wounds another, a failed body cam and a protected identity should be enough to close ranks. But when Officer X is named – and her link to a victim exposed – Dylan and Mann are drawn into a shocking investigation. A gritty, real-life-inspired new trilogy from Happy Valley advisers R.C. Bridgestock.

'Fast-paced, gripping and packed with tension' Chris McDonald

'Utterly compelling crime fiction, delivered with unparalleled authenticity' Robert Rutherford

'Gritty, authentic and utterly heartrending … R.C. Bridgestock tackle the harshest aspects of policing and create the finest authoritative story with genuine humanity. Masters of their game' Graham Bartlett

_________

What if one moment – one split second – changed everything?

When a firearms officer shoots a suspect dead and wounds another, who later dies in hospital, the official line is that the sun was in her eyes. Her body cam failed. Known only as Officer X, her anonymity is meant to protect her – until a judge releases her name and a media storm erupts.

Detective Superintendent Jack Dylan and DI Charley Mann are called in to determine whether it was a justifiable use of force – or something darker. And when it's revealed that Officer X knew the victim, and her brother died of a drug overdose linked to the same woman, the case becomes charged with personal and political tension.

As pressure mounts, a vulnerable witness dies and a lost phone surfaces with a photograph and a message that could unravel everything – and reveal the truth about what happened that day.

Split Second brings Dylan and Mann together for the first time, in an investigation that will test their instincts, their loyalties and the limits of justice itself, as both detectives must decide how far they'll go – and what they're willing to sacrifice – to uncover the truth.

________

Praise for R.C.

'Compelling … with a procedural authenticity that few authors can match' M.W. Craven

'A cracking story' Sun

'Brims with authenticity' Adam Hamdy

'Riveting' Daily Mail

'A cracking story with an expert's insight' Howard Linskey

'A multi-faceted page-turner' Alison Bruce

'Rings with a sure touch of insider authenticity' Adrian Magson

'Full of red herrings and surprises' Mystery People

'Stands out from other books in the genre' Crime Fiction Lover

'Authenticity in crime fiction is so strong that you can almost smell it' Mervyn Watson, TV producer of Casualty, Coronation Street and Emmerdale

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

'Truly gripping'
'Brilliant!'
'I couldn't put it down'
'Tense and heartfelt'
'A fantastic police procedural'
'I was hooked from page one'
'Brilliant, professional, all-consuming … highly recommended'

**Voted EIGHTH Best Crime Authors of All Time by WHSmith readers**

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 13, 2026

About the author

RC Bridgestock is the name that husband and wife co-authors Robert (Bob) and Carol Bridgestock write under. Between them they have nearly 50 years of police experience, offering an authentic edge to their stories. The writing duo created the character DI Jack Dylan, a down-to- earth detective, written with warmth and humour.

Bob was a highly commended career detective of 30 years, retiring at the rank of Detective Superintendent. As a police civilian supervisor Carol also received a Chief Constable’s commendation for outstanding work.

The couple are the storyline consultants on BAFTA winning BBC One police drama Happy Valley and series 3 of ITV’s Scott & Bailey.

Reviews

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, and i'm now adding her to the favourite narrator list! She was superb.
I listened to this book in one day, and really enjoyed it. I did work out the ending though, so couldn't give it full 5 stars.

[Monika Armet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A female police officer shoots at a gold BMW, killing the driver and wounding the passenger. She claims that the glare from the windscreen prevented her from seeing properly and she believed there was a threat to life.

She is known as Officer X, until a judge decides to release her name – PC Abigail McNally.

A social media and press frenzy erupts, blaming police brutality, despite the fact that the two suspects had potential links to organised crime.

Then, it emerges that McNally knew the person who was driving the car.

Was it an act of revenge, or was she telling the truth?

I devoured this police procedural in two sittings.

This book portrays a gruesome picture of how a split second decision can shape and change your life. McNally believed the suspects would shoot at her fellow officers, so she neutralised the threat.

However, she never expected the long trial and the state of limbo she would be facing. I felt for her and had so much sympathy for her.

I was quite angry at how quickly people on social media had jumped on the bandwagon of police brutality, without even knowing the facts. Unfortunately, it’s a sign of the sad times we live in – a lot of keyboard warriors, hiding behind their words.

The ending left me wanting more. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

[Karen Cole · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

R.C. Bridgestock have many dedicated admirers of both their DI Jack Dylan and DI Charley Mann series and I'm sure they will be thrilled to see both come together in Split Second. Jack is now a DSI and has the difficult task of heading up the Professional Standards investigation into a fatal double shooting by a firearms officer. Meanwhile, as the tactical firearms commander at the scene, it's one of Charley Mann's officers, PC Abi McNally, who now faces being accused of murder. It's such a clever way of bringing the pair together because it feels so believable.
Of course, it's not surprising that Split Second is so authentically written, given the wealth of experience of the authors. Their knowledge of procedure pays dividends here but so too does their insider understanding of the emotional toll of incidents such as this – on the officer directly involved, and on their colleagues, all of whom face increased scrutiny by the media and an easily inflamed public. The shooting itself is shown through the eyes of Freddy, a child witness whose attention to detail is impressive but who, nevertheless, is too far from the scene to know exactly what happened.
It's the truth between the split seconds before and after Abi makes the decision to shoot that lie at the heart of the book. She claims that she couldn't clearly see the occupants of the car but intelligence reports suggested they were armed and dangerous. When it looked as if the driver was raising a gun, she gauged they presented a potentially lethal threat to her and her fellow officers. However, evidence soon comes to light that the victim was previously known to Abi and was implicated in the suicide of her brother, Alfie.
Told from a number of different perspectives, much of the narrative follows the path to the Crown Court and then the trial itself. Readers see the challenge officers face trying to piece together what happened when eyewitness accounts don't agree. Were there two shots or four? Did Officer McNally – now known as Officer X – kick the victim after they were dragged from the car? Meanwhile, Abi's fears that her identity will be revealed, her terror of being found guilty and sent to prison, and her complex emotions regarding the job she was highly trained for but now prevented from doing, are all persuasively explored.
Abi is a likeable character but doubts persist about the veracity of her statement, particularly when she isn't as forthcoming as she should be. She is ably supported, however, by her Federation representative, PC Kat Kelly. Kat is arguably the most interesting character besides Abi and somebody I would welcome seeing more of in the future. Abi is defended by Aisha Sharma KC and her junior, Jude Lucas. Asha is definitely somebody you'd want on your side, there's a brilliant moment where she eviscerates a witness whereas Jude offers more personal succour to Abi. The alleged crime occurs very early on but even so Split Second is a relentlessly tense read. In a trial with high stakes, where the outcome is far from certain, R.C. Bridgestock captures the rollercoaster of emotions experienced by everyone involved. I suspect the ending might prove divisive and if I'm honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about it – but that doesn't detract from how much I enjoyed this novel. Compulsive, nuanced and astutely crafted, it's one I thoroughly recommend.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I try not to live my reading life with regrets, but it can be hard when you find a new author(s) who you know that you really should have read sooner, and will probably spend a lot of time trying to catch up with via their back catalogue of books. That is the position I find myself in with R. C. Bridgestock, as, having read Split Second, I am very certain I've been missing out on some really great stories. This book tapped into everything I love in crime fiction - police based action that really made me stop and think - and as their previous books feature this book's lead Investigators, Jack Dylan and Charly Mann, I think I have a little bit of catch up reading to do. Not that not having read the books hindered my reading of this title at all, so if you are new to both characters as I am, then fear not. But it is clear both have history and I am really interested to see what that is.

But, back to Split Second. This is a very cleaver, very carefully plotted book that had me hooked right from the very start. A police chase/intercept, two potentially armed suspects and a fatal shooting. So much happening in such quick succession that gaining context is something that comes gradually, much as one might expect within a rapidly changing situation, where decisions have to be made in the blink of an eye, and the repercussions of a wrong call are far reaching. I kind of felt both like I was part of the operation, there as the, well, split second decision are made, but also watching as a bystander, one the many voyeurs who will all have their own version of the truth, depending on their perspective in relation to the action. And there are several perspectives in these opening scenes, from which the police, and we readers, need to slowly piece together the truth. Because nothing is quite as it appears, the investigation encounters complications and, when it comes to eyewitnesses, to quote the Palace, 'recollections may vary'.

I really liked what the authors have done here. Crucial video evidence missing but no clear idea whether its loss was deliberate or a quirk of the technology. Conflicting statements. A police officer who has history with one of the two deceased, bringing into question their response to the incident and whether or not their judgement may, or may not, have been impaired. When does the use of lethal force move from a necessary act for the preservation of life in the face of a perceived threat, to being a case of manslaughter, if not murder? It's the kind of case that has hit the headlines far too often of late, albeit more on the other side of the Atlantic, but it is a situation that really does make you think, and the way in which Jack Dylan, as the lead investigator of the shooting has to approach the case often creates more questions than answers. Nothing is cut an dried, and even when the motives of the officer involved are called into question, I found it hard to make a real call on whether there was more to their actions than appeared or not. That ambiguity is the crux of the case, and one that plays out in a very carefully paced way throughout the book.

The experience of the authors really does shine through in this book. Not in a way that intrudes upon the story, or slows down the action with too much detail, although this is perhaps the most informed police based story I have read in a while. I got the real sense of the investigation, the clarity of the kinds of questions that need to be asked and the challenge of investigating a police officer given the impact that this has on the force as a whole. The sense that the public are quick to raise grievance and protest against the Police without thinking about what has led to the situation in the first place, and also that knowledge that, should it be proven that the shooting was deliberate and there was a possible other solution, the repercussions for the wider team, and Officers forced into making that call, would be quite profound. It came across in a really authentic way, not trying to preach to the reader, but making me think about what I would do in similar circumstances, whether I was programmed to come down on the side of the police knowing the victim was a 'wrong 'un' or would I ever be able to make the kind of call that resulted in loss of life? I think if you can read this without having those thoughts running through your head, you probably aren't paying close attention.

There is the human side to the story as well, and the authors have captured all the tension, emotion and grief that you might expect to find in any story of this kind. There are the families of the victims, that of the officer charged with their killing, all of whom inform the sense of loss and tragedy that underpins the story. And then we have Jack Dylan and Charly Mann. If I had read the previous books, I might know their personalities a little better, but I saw enough to know that they were characters who would play it straight, not rush to judgement, and who would seek justice irrespective, but mindful, of the consequences.I liked them both, and also found myself drawn to 'Officer X', the person who took the fatal shots. I'm not sure if I ever quite made up my mind about their innocence or guilt, but I felt for their position and for their back story, which has significant bearing on what comes to pass.

Perfectly paced, and thought provoking, the ending may prove divisive, and if you are looking for the perfect conclusion here, well you may not get it, but it was the kind of read that drew me in, compelled me to read onwards, and has left me quite excited about what is yet to come. Definitely recommended.

[Kaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4 stars, A split Second is so well written and thought provoking, it’s emotional at times, with a hard hitting theme , it follows the case of Officer X, who having had to make that split decision, which resulted with the loss of lives, now finds herself being investigated for her actions, and having to answer some very difficult questions, eventually facing a long trial. The storyline has obviously been so well researched. and with the added personal experience from the Author’s this makes for a realistic portrayal of characters and witnesses, various versions of events, the interaction between the investigators, and accused Officer, as they methodically follow all leads while not being swayed by outside influences is gripping, the eventual trial is so compelling and detailed, explained perfectly, it captures the underlying tension and emotions throughout the trial, the ending?, well worth the read to find out. Looking forward to the next instalment.

[Zelda FeatzReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Anne Carter from Random Things Tours for the invitation to participate in this blog tour. The blurb for this one instantly intrigued me, and I was eager to see what the story had in store.
Split Second felt remarkably realistic and, at times, barely felt like fiction at all. Much of the story reads almost like fact, with very little fictional embellishment, which made the events feel all the more believable and immediate.
I am new to RC Bridgestock’s writing, but I really enjoyed this book. The pacing was excellent and I found myself racing through it, finishing it in a single sitting.
The story focuses on an officer-involved shooting and the investigation that follows. But this isn't simply a police procedural about finding out what happened. The author delves into the emotional and psychological impact of the shooting on everyone involved, particularly the officer who pulled the trigger.
She is forced to deal with the reality of having taken a life, along with the self-doubt, guilt and uncertainty that follow. She also has to face the judgement and opinions of her colleagues while repeatedly justifying the decisions she made in a split second.
I particularly enjoyed the way the author explores what happens after the shooting. Every action—and every inaction—is scrutinised, and everyone involved is forced to account for what they did, what they saw and what they failed to do.
One of the things I found most interesting was how difficult it was for everyone to remember exactly what happened. We all see events differently, especially when something happens in a matter of seconds, and the various recollections don't always match. Watching the investigation piece together these different versions of events added another layer of tension to the story.
The book also raises interesting questions about perception, responsibility and whether there can ever be one definitive version of the truth when several people witness the same event.
Overall, Split Second was an intriguing and thought-provoking read that kept me entertained from beginning to end. The realistic portrayal of the investigation and the emotional consequences of an officer-involved shooting made this stand out for me.
A compelling read and a great introduction to RC Bridgestock’s writing.
https://featzreviews.com/split-second/

[CJ Wright · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

A riveting read. I wasn't sure if i was going to like this but it is a compelling read. At from the view point of the police, I've never read or thought about a killing from their view point before. The characters are so well written you are drawn in to the story and the procedure. It's a different perspective and very well done. Not wishing to spoil anything I was frustrated by the ultimate ending which I wasn't expecting. Good opening for another book in the series, which i guess I'm just going to have to read now!

[gabriellereadss · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you so much to the author, randomthingstours and the publisher for an early copy to review. I will be posting my full review on my dedicated blog tour date, which is 26th August :)!