The Enemy Within: An Inspector Carlyle Novella

Inspector Carlyle #0.5

by James Craig

Yorkshire, June 1984: War is raging between the police and striking mine workers. New recruit John Carlyle is sent up from London to man the picket lines. But when seventy-eight year old rose grower and political activist Beatrice Slater is found dead, the young constable's tour of duty takes a dramatic turn. With the internal security service watching his every move, local police chief Rob Holt is under pressure to make a quick arrest. Carlyle finds himself drawn into a murder investigation that gets more complicated by the day. Was Slater's death a robbery gone wrong? Or was she silenced because of her support for the strike?

Genres: Fiction, Crime

84 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2012

About the author

James Craig has lived in London for more than thirty years, working as a journalist and consultant.

He lives in Bloomsbury with his wife and daughter.

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Enemy Within

My first book by James Craig, I look forward too reading more. I was looking for a quick read and selected this book. The characters are interesting and play well together. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read by a new author. 2014

This novella is from my local library

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

A good story that fills in some of the blanks of calyles early career. Well written and say to read these novella are ideal for a relaxing short read in the evening.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the back story for the Carlyle series, of which I have only read the first book so far

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think the person who wrote the blurb for this book never actually read it. Yes, there was a strike. Yes, an older woman was found dead. I am guessing the blurb writer stopped reading after that. There were no 'growing complications' in the murder investigation. Carlyle certainly was not 'drawn into the investigation' because there was, in fact, essentially no murder investigation at all. There also was no 'dramatic turn' as there was no drama.

The book consisted of largely unlikeable characters who spent a great deal of their time complaining about each other and everything around them. Carlyle fit this category, regularly 'whining' about all and everything around him (and yes, the word 'whine' was used often to describe Carlyle's communications).

I read the book thinking that it often seemed as if Craig had written it as a 'tease' or advertisement for his other books. If that is so, then in my case he failed. After reading this novella I have no interest in pursuing others in the series.

[Laura Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short prequel to the inspector Carlyle series. I really enjoyed this, the opening started in my home town so I had to love it really!!! The back story centres around the miners strikes back in the eighties and we follow a young inspector Carlyle during his duties.

Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella written as background to explain what has happened in the past to shape the character of Inspector John Carlyle. A short but interesting read.

[Eileen Moss · Rating 2 out of 5]

not anything like I was expecting. Probably wont read another book by this author. Sorry!!