Broken Wings: North Yorkshire Crime Thriller Book 1

by Barry N Rainsford

When the body of a young woman is discovered in a remote North Yorkshire barn DI Zara Fisher is called back to duty before she’s ready. Haunted by her own past and exiled to an anger-management group for “difficult” officers, she’s forced to share therapy with three equally broken colleagues. But when their so-called routine cases begin to echo one another, they uncover a web of secrets stretching from the North Yorkshire Dales to darkened corridors of power.
Broken Wings is a darkly humourous, rain-lashed thriller about guilt, obsession, and the dangerous comforts of denial.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 6, 2026

Reviews

[Catherine Skeet-Yaffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken Wings is a cracking start to a new crime series—sharp, gritty, and quietly clever. DI Zara Fisher is a wonderfully flawed lead: damaged, angry, and absolutely compelling. Thrown back into the job via an enforced anger-management group (which is as darkly funny as it sounds), she finds herself investigating a case that’s far messier—and more dangerous—than it first appears.

What I really loved here is the character work. This isn’t just about catching a killer; it’s about the emotional cost of the job, the baggage people carry, and the ways they try (and often fail) to hold it together. The North Yorkshire setting adds real atmosphere—moody, bleak, and beautifully done—and the pacing keeps things moving without sacrificing depth.

Smart, character-driven crime with heart, bite, and just the right amount of humour. A strong series opener, and one I’ll happily continue with.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Powerful and Emotional Read.

Broken Wings kept me engaged from start to finish with its strong characters and moving storyline. Barry Rainsford delivers an excellent book that is both gripping and thought-provoking. And I Highly recommend this book. Thanks to Barry N. Rainsford for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.