Sharp Practice: A Relentless British Crime Thriller

by S J Richards

Clean records. Deadly secrets.

In a world built on trust, the most dangerous crimes are hidden in plain sight. And this one is far worse than anyone imagined.

Ex-DCI Luke Sackville and his Ethics Team investigate three cases that appear to be routine and a police officer abusing his position; financial irregularities at a pharmaceutical company; a vehicle manufacturer using substandard components.

What Luke doesn’t expect is a trail of lies and intimidation. He finds records that look too clean, witnesses who suddenly fall silent, and leads that come back to the same powerful names.

As he digs deeper, he begins to join the dots and is shocked and horrified by what he discovers. A crime of unimaginable proportions is being conducted behind a respectable facade.

Luke draws closer to the perpetrators, little realising that they will do anything to protect themselves. He and his team find themselves pitted against a network of powerful people who are prepared to kill to keep their secret hidden.

Sharp Practice is the twelfth book in the series of crime thrillers featuring ex-DCI Luke Sackville and his Ethics Team. It’s perfect for fans of JD Kirk, LJ Ross, Jack Gatland, Alex Smith, TG Reid and JM Dalgliesh.

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What people are saying about the Luke Sackville Crime Thriller

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m really enjoying this series and it gets better with each book. The characters are terrific. Well paced and some laugh out loud moments."

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ So glad I came across SJ Richards, he's definitely rising up there as one of my favourite authors."

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very well written, fast plot and extremely likeable characters. I would 100% recommend this series and author to any fan of the crime fiction genre."

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’d highly recommend this to anyone who loves crime novels. I’m loving this series."

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This is a brilliant crime suspense series and I'm really looking forward to the next instalment."

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I'm absolutely loving this series - the writing is brilliant - the characters a joy and the storylines full of suspense and intrigue."

402 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 1, 2026

About the author

SJ Richards (Steve, to those who know him) grew up in Bath, which probably explains why he can’t stop setting crime fiction there. After a career in business outsourcing, he took early retirement and finally had the excuse he needed to write the series he had always wanted to read: fast-paced, character-driven crime thrillers rooted in the places he knows and loves. He now lives in Somerset with his wife and two cocker spaniels. His daughter is the psychological thriller writer Abby Davies, which is both an inspiration and a challenge.

The Luke Sackville series is now into double figures, with more books on the way. Luke, a former DCI turned corporate ethics professional, navigates a world that feels familiar to Steve, even if the murder rate at his former employer was considerably lower. The series has over 10,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. If you haven’t yet met Luke Sackville, Taken to the Hills is the place to start.