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DCI Hanlon #3
A Hard Woman to Kill
Chechnya: an incorruptible security officer is assassinated. Berlin: a small child grieves for his father. In the East : an obese psychopath sets his feet on the first rungs of his criminal career. A frightened Russian woman seeks DCI Hanlon's help in finding her missing husband. Hanlon's not keen on the case, until she hears a name she recognizes only too well. Arkady Belanov, sadistic pimp and owner of an exclusive brothel in Oxford. When DI Enver Demirel, her former partner and friend, disappears, Hanlon is forced into an uneasy alliance with the London underworld to rescue him from the blood-stained hands of the Russian mafia.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2015
167 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Alex Howard
8 books21 followersAlex Howard studied Arabic and Islamic History at Oxford, and has worked in adult education. He lives in London with his wife and two children.
He also writes as Alex Coombs.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
He also writes as Alex Coombs.
Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 3, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
Her brief glance summed him up. He was short, stocky and bald and he had an unpleasant, slightly fat, aggressive face. He was like a sneer in human form.
Everyone in violent crime liked a good funeral; you never knew when yours might be. There was also the added plus that it wasn’t you who was in the box. One day it would be, but not today.
Fredericks had the kind of mouth that held a perpetual sneer, as if there were some kind of specialist curling tongs that he used on his lips on a nightly basis.
His GP had told him to stop smoking, but so far he’d stopped buying cigarettes and just smoked other people’s. He was amazed at the money he was saving.
My Review:
Book three of this absorbing and highly active series found no flagging in quality as it is holding strong in intrigue, complexity, and oddly compelling and curiously peculiar characters. Alex Coombs is a diabolically skilled and agile storyteller with a wicked keen vocabulary and uncommonly adept command of language. His word skills and phrasing pack a deadly punch and kept my curiosity on edge and my brain itching for the next puzzle piece to emerge. I am fatally awestruck and a total devotee of his inimitable, controversial, and indomitable DCI Hanlon.
Her brief glance summed him up. He was short, stocky and bald and he had an unpleasant, slightly fat, aggressive face. He was like a sneer in human form.
Everyone in violent crime liked a good funeral; you never knew when yours might be. There was also the added plus that it wasn’t you who was in the box. One day it would be, but not today.
Fredericks had the kind of mouth that held a perpetual sneer, as if there were some kind of specialist curling tongs that he used on his lips on a nightly basis.
His GP had told him to stop smoking, but so far he’d stopped buying cigarettes and just smoked other people’s. He was amazed at the money he was saving.
My Review:
Book three of this absorbing and highly active series found no flagging in quality as it is holding strong in intrigue, complexity, and oddly compelling and curiously peculiar characters. Alex Coombs is a diabolically skilled and agile storyteller with a wicked keen vocabulary and uncommonly adept command of language. His word skills and phrasing pack a deadly punch and kept my curiosity on edge and my brain itching for the next puzzle piece to emerge. I am fatally awestruck and a total devotee of his inimitable, controversial, and indomitable DCI Hanlon.
August 16, 2023
*Thrilling*
After what went down in the previous book, a decision was made by her boss to place DCI Hanlon in missing persons attached to another force. This was to keep her safe… So when a Russian woman turns up wanting help to find her missing husband who she fears has been killed, Hanlon starts to zone out. Seconds later she hears a name she knows of so, so well….
In the meantime her previous partner DI Demirel has been told to quietly make enquiries about some ruthless Russians it backfires when he walks into a trap. Soon a colleague from a force who is sweet on Demirel reluctantly calls Hanlon, all bets are off when the two women join forces it becomes a race to find him. The trouble is there is more than one corrupt police officer’s in the mix, plus a turf war, drugs, violence for sport, torture with Hanlon charging towards it all.
Hanlon is fearless it was hard to put the book down. This is a high adrenaline & thrilling read, the best one yet
After what went down in the previous book, a decision was made by her boss to place DCI Hanlon in missing persons attached to another force. This was to keep her safe… So when a Russian woman turns up wanting help to find her missing husband who she fears has been killed, Hanlon starts to zone out. Seconds later she hears a name she knows of so, so well….
In the meantime her previous partner DI Demirel has been told to quietly make enquiries about some ruthless Russians it backfires when he walks into a trap. Soon a colleague from a force who is sweet on Demirel reluctantly calls Hanlon, all bets are off when the two women join forces it becomes a race to find him. The trouble is there is more than one corrupt police officer’s in the mix, plus a turf war, drugs, violence for sport, torture with Hanlon charging towards it all.
Hanlon is fearless it was hard to put the book down. This is a high adrenaline & thrilling read, the best one yet
March 13, 2021
AC Corrigan is worried about the increase of Russian mobsters in London. He has an inside informer who briefs him that there will be a meeting to decide on a supreme leader. This Vor will have a Watcher who coordinates the day to day running of the business. That man is rumoured to be Arkady Belanov, an old adversary of Hanlon and Demirel. When this mole goes missing, the AC asks Enver Demirel to look discretely into this case. Hanlon has been banished to Slough in Thames Valley on the missing persons department. She’s visited by Oksana Taverner. Her husband is missing and most likely dead because he reported to Corrigan about the Russian mob. She’s unwilling to take this case but the woman insists and tells her that she suspects Belanov to be behind the murder. Unaware of it, Hanlon and Enver work the same case again from different angles.
This is the third book in this series and builds further on the events from the previous books. I advise reading those first. If you choose to, you can read this on its own but you’ll miss out on the background story.
Hanlon is still riddled with guilt about the coma of her friend and colleague Mark. The family wants to pull the plug but she wants him to undergo an expensive and not NHS funded risky operation that might reverse this coma. But she lacks those funds as well. We also discover her sexual orientation at long last, not that it matters but I was curious.
Enver has reached a dead point in his relationship with Melinda Huss because neither one dares to confess their true feelings and needs. They’re both in love but fear rejection because they’ve both got a bad self-image. That’s something that I appreciate a lot. The protagonists in this series are not the usual poster-boys and supermodels that we encounter so often in similar series, be it on tv or in books.
Unknown to DCI Hanlon and DI Demirel, Arkady Belanov and his enforcer Dimitri haven’t got over their humiliation by them and are totally obsessed with revenge.
Hanlon enlists a number of unlikely allies in this book. There’s a very diverse cast this time, a ‘Chinaman’ hitman, an FSB officer, the Anderson crime family, Russian mobsters and also corrupt policemen
As in the other books, the author voices a number of legitimate concerns about a number of issues. He asks us why the committees on prostitution are full of so-called academic specialists instead of working girls from the shop floor?
A lot of people die in horrible ways and there’s a lot of violence. It all seems to be excusable in the circumstances but I doubt if the public would be happy with a similar way of policing in reality. To be honest, the bosses in the book aren’t happy with her neither.
I had a continuity problem about the time that Melinda is waiting in Hanlon’s flat but she doesn’t seem to return and later on they’re both going along with their usual work. It just doesn’t feel right.
The story is interesting and suspenseful with (gun)fights and chases that would make a very good action thriller on the big screen.
I thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
This is the third book in this series and builds further on the events from the previous books. I advise reading those first. If you choose to, you can read this on its own but you’ll miss out on the background story.
Hanlon is still riddled with guilt about the coma of her friend and colleague Mark. The family wants to pull the plug but she wants him to undergo an expensive and not NHS funded risky operation that might reverse this coma. But she lacks those funds as well. We also discover her sexual orientation at long last, not that it matters but I was curious.
Enver has reached a dead point in his relationship with Melinda Huss because neither one dares to confess their true feelings and needs. They’re both in love but fear rejection because they’ve both got a bad self-image. That’s something that I appreciate a lot. The protagonists in this series are not the usual poster-boys and supermodels that we encounter so often in similar series, be it on tv or in books.
Unknown to DCI Hanlon and DI Demirel, Arkady Belanov and his enforcer Dimitri haven’t got over their humiliation by them and are totally obsessed with revenge.
Hanlon enlists a number of unlikely allies in this book. There’s a very diverse cast this time, a ‘Chinaman’ hitman, an FSB officer, the Anderson crime family, Russian mobsters and also corrupt policemen
As in the other books, the author voices a number of legitimate concerns about a number of issues. He asks us why the committees on prostitution are full of so-called academic specialists instead of working girls from the shop floor?
A lot of people die in horrible ways and there’s a lot of violence. It all seems to be excusable in the circumstances but I doubt if the public would be happy with a similar way of policing in reality. To be honest, the bosses in the book aren’t happy with her neither.
I had a continuity problem about the time that Melinda is waiting in Hanlon’s flat but she doesn’t seem to return and later on they’re both going along with their usual work. It just doesn’t feel right.
The story is interesting and suspenseful with (gun)fights and chases that would make a very good action thriller on the big screen.
I thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the free ARC they provided and this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
July 12, 2021
This book was previously published as A Hard Woman To Kill by Alex Howard.
It's another intriguing case for DCI Hanlon. A woman says her husband is missing and she wants Hanlon to help find him. Hanlon isn't too worried .. men go missing all the time, usually it's because they just want to get away from the responsibilities of wife and children.
However, it looks like this man might be mixed up with the Russian mafia. When her former partner and friend, DCI Enver Demirel goes missing, Hanlon is going to have to work with the London underworld to find him ... and the missing husband.
Another fast-faced thriller, there are twists and turns that keep the eyes glued to the pages. The suspense is high and maintains its level throughout. The characters are again solidly drawn, warts and all. Although 3rd in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. And as always, I recommend starting at the beginning and reading in order. Makes a great marathon read.
Many thanks to the author / Boldwood Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
It's another intriguing case for DCI Hanlon. A woman says her husband is missing and she wants Hanlon to help find him. Hanlon isn't too worried .. men go missing all the time, usually it's because they just want to get away from the responsibilities of wife and children.
However, it looks like this man might be mixed up with the Russian mafia. When her former partner and friend, DCI Enver Demirel goes missing, Hanlon is going to have to work with the London underworld to find him ... and the missing husband.
Another fast-faced thriller, there are twists and turns that keep the eyes glued to the pages. The suspense is high and maintains its level throughout. The characters are again solidly drawn, warts and all. Although 3rd in the series, it is easily read as a stand alone. And as always, I recommend starting at the beginning and reading in order. Makes a great marathon read.
Many thanks to the author / Boldwood Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
November 7, 2015
A hard hitting, high octane thriller that I did not want to stop reading the minute I had begun. I had read the other two in the series, so I had a good idea what to expect and I was not disappointed. Many characters from the preceding books turn up here.
DCI Hanlon, now based in Slough, unofficially decides to go after two Russian charmers she had come across before, after they are implicated in a killing. ACC Corrigan asks DI Enver Demirel to unofficially investigate and scare the self same Russians running a brothel in Oxford. Only Enver is taken by the Russians with a view to torturing and killing him. Anderson, a London crime boss, is under pressure by the same Russians who want to take over his empire and they mean business. With help from Anderson and DI Huss, a thrilling finale takes place on a Oxfordshire farm. A corrupt police officer is uncovered and Hanlon lives to fight another day. At least, I hope she does because she wants to leave the police.
I found this a gripping read. You will too.
DCI Hanlon, now based in Slough, unofficially decides to go after two Russian charmers she had come across before, after they are implicated in a killing. ACC Corrigan asks DI Enver Demirel to unofficially investigate and scare the self same Russians running a brothel in Oxford. Only Enver is taken by the Russians with a view to torturing and killing him. Anderson, a London crime boss, is under pressure by the same Russians who want to take over his empire and they mean business. With help from Anderson and DI Huss, a thrilling finale takes place on a Oxfordshire farm. A corrupt police officer is uncovered and Hanlon lives to fight another day. At least, I hope she does because she wants to leave the police.
I found this a gripping read. You will too.
January 26, 2021
4 Stars from me
This series, and in particular DCI Hanlon, is fast getting under my skin. I can picture her, I can see how she walks and I would love for this series to be televised.
Personally, I think this is a series that doesn't work as standalones. I think it does need to be read as a series in order to fully appreciate Hanlon, how she ticks, who she cares about and why - you can read them in isolation but you'd miss so many layers.
Following on from The Innocent Girl, in The Missing Husband she has been reassigned and is working on missing persons - a punishment or protection? Needless to say a less than run of the mill case comes her way and Hanlon in yet again embroiled in high stakes - high danger - this time involving the Russian Mafia. There are plenty of characters from the previous books in this one to draw you in and remind you of Hanlon's previous exploits.
It was good to see another old favourite, DCI Enver Demirel in this book too albeit as a missing person - a case that Hanlon will put everything on the line in order to solve.
I love Hanlon's energy and think if she finally crosses too many lines (as if she hasn't already), within the force she could certainly give Joe Wicks a run for his money by becoming the nations next motivational home school PE teacher. Although, Joe might just have the edge in terms of friendliness!
This series, and in particular DCI Hanlon, is fast getting under my skin. I can picture her, I can see how she walks and I would love for this series to be televised.
Personally, I think this is a series that doesn't work as standalones. I think it does need to be read as a series in order to fully appreciate Hanlon, how she ticks, who she cares about and why - you can read them in isolation but you'd miss so many layers.
Following on from The Innocent Girl, in The Missing Husband she has been reassigned and is working on missing persons - a punishment or protection? Needless to say a less than run of the mill case comes her way and Hanlon in yet again embroiled in high stakes - high danger - this time involving the Russian Mafia. There are plenty of characters from the previous books in this one to draw you in and remind you of Hanlon's previous exploits.
It was good to see another old favourite, DCI Enver Demirel in this book too albeit as a missing person - a case that Hanlon will put everything on the line in order to solve.
I love Hanlon's energy and think if she finally crosses too many lines (as if she hasn't already), within the force she could certainly give Joe Wicks a run for his money by becoming the nations next motivational home school PE teacher. Although, Joe might just have the edge in terms of friendliness!
July 24, 2022
3,8 Hanley enn og aftur.Fannst þessi aðeins þunglamaleg á köflum en lét það ekkert pirra mig.
September 16, 2015
Tough Female Cop Versus Russian Mafia, 10 Sept. 2015
This review is from: A Hard Woman to Kill (The DCI Hanlon Series) (Kindle Edition)
Serg was just a small boy in the nineties. As his Russian father, Colonel Serikov, was in battle against the Chechens, Serg was drawing in a school in Berlin. His teacher asked if the angel he drew was to protect his father. Serg answered, “Or to avenge him.” As if his words were foretelling, Colonel Serikov was killed; not by the Chechens but by another Russian.
In present day, Berkshire, England, DCI Hanlon is only half listening to Oksana as she reveals her husband is missing. Then, she says her husband, Charlie Taverner, was to have presented evidence to a commission chaired by Assistant Commissioner Corrigan -- evidence regarding the head of the Russian mafia and human trafficking. They knew Arkady Belanov was the ‘watcher’ for the ‘vor’ (Russian Godfather, so to speak), and they knew Demitri, Arkady’s ‘minder’, but they didn’t know who the ‘vor’ was. Corrigan is Hanlon’s boss. She agrees to find Charlie, even though she’s sure he has already expired. At the same time, the Commissioner is also sending DI Demirel to London to find what happened to Charlie and to uncover the identity of an officer that the mafia have in their pocket.
DCI Hanlon has made herself tough – inside as well as outside. So, she’s hard to ‘like’ as a character. We're not even given her first name. Even still, the reader will grow to admire her. She’s pretty, but you wouldn’t know it; she scowls more than she smiles. Her strength, which she continues to work on, is amazing. But then, she finds herself in a situation that she could never have imagined. And, while there is sometimes a fine line between legal and illegal … at other times, it is a wide gap. Does she cross that barrier? This is a good story, but didn’t really pick up for me until a little over half way in. The latter half was brisk and most satisfying.
My biggest issue was the point of view. It was narrated in Third Person Omniscient in which the narrator is aware of thoughts and feelings of the protagonist as well as the supporting character. This felt confusing as we were taken from one character’s thoughts to another within the same scene. – Diane Coto aka FictionZeal
Rating: Three Stars.
bestsellingcrimethrillers.com was provided with an advanced copy for review.
This review is from: A Hard Woman to Kill (The DCI Hanlon Series) (Kindle Edition)
Serg was just a small boy in the nineties. As his Russian father, Colonel Serikov, was in battle against the Chechens, Serg was drawing in a school in Berlin. His teacher asked if the angel he drew was to protect his father. Serg answered, “Or to avenge him.” As if his words were foretelling, Colonel Serikov was killed; not by the Chechens but by another Russian.
In present day, Berkshire, England, DCI Hanlon is only half listening to Oksana as she reveals her husband is missing. Then, she says her husband, Charlie Taverner, was to have presented evidence to a commission chaired by Assistant Commissioner Corrigan -- evidence regarding the head of the Russian mafia and human trafficking. They knew Arkady Belanov was the ‘watcher’ for the ‘vor’ (Russian Godfather, so to speak), and they knew Demitri, Arkady’s ‘minder’, but they didn’t know who the ‘vor’ was. Corrigan is Hanlon’s boss. She agrees to find Charlie, even though she’s sure he has already expired. At the same time, the Commissioner is also sending DI Demirel to London to find what happened to Charlie and to uncover the identity of an officer that the mafia have in their pocket.
DCI Hanlon has made herself tough – inside as well as outside. So, she’s hard to ‘like’ as a character. We're not even given her first name. Even still, the reader will grow to admire her. She’s pretty, but you wouldn’t know it; she scowls more than she smiles. Her strength, which she continues to work on, is amazing. But then, she finds herself in a situation that she could never have imagined. And, while there is sometimes a fine line between legal and illegal … at other times, it is a wide gap. Does she cross that barrier? This is a good story, but didn’t really pick up for me until a little over half way in. The latter half was brisk and most satisfying.
My biggest issue was the point of view. It was narrated in Third Person Omniscient in which the narrator is aware of thoughts and feelings of the protagonist as well as the supporting character. This felt confusing as we were taken from one character’s thoughts to another within the same scene. – Diane Coto aka FictionZeal
Rating: Three Stars.
bestsellingcrimethrillers.com was provided with an advanced copy for review.
January 27, 2021
This book was previously published as A Hard Woman To Kill by Alex Howard.
The DCI Hanlon series covers the years Jane Hanlon spent as a policewoman in London’s Metropolitan police. As I found Hanlon through reading Silenced for Good and Missing For Good, the Jane Hanlon PI stories, it was interesting to see her previous adventures.
The Missing Husband is the third book in the series, and it is one of those books that never has a dull moment! At this time, Hanlon has been moved laterally to the Missing Persons division in the sleepy precinct in Slough; a move by her boss Corrigan to keep her safe (and hopefully out of trouble). This hope is futile though, when the lovely Oksana Taverner comes to report her husband missing. Charlie Taverner was to present information on the Russian Mafia in England to a Home Office Commission. Hanlon has had previous run-ins with the Russian mafia, and especially Arkady Belanov.
The Missing Husband starts with Charlie Taverner’s disappearance, but grows to encompass the turf war between the Russians and the local gangsters headed by the Anderson Family, DCI Hanlon’s investigation, DI Enver Demirel’s separate investigation, and the involvement of both the Russian FSB and a mysterious hit-man known as the Chinaman.
Alex Coombs’s writing style is full of rich descriptions of both people and places, mostly told through Hanlon’s perspective. My only point of dislike is the author’s near constant reiteration that Hanlon is attractive, despite being incredibly athletic and “hard-faced”. As a female reader, I care more about Hanlon’s ability to solve crime and kick ass, although the flirtation between her and Serg, the FSB operative is refreshing.
Like most of my favorite books, The Missing Husband has moments of incredible sweetness between characters as well as swift and terrible brutality. The fight scenes play like a movie in front of my eyes, the budding romance between Demirel and Huss with its awkwardness and dogged persistence is painfully real, and the eventual reveal for the Chinaman’s identity is utterly amazing. There are times where the complexity of juggling multiple characters and disparate actions is almost dizzily confusing, but Alex Coombs manages to pull everything together in to a beautifully choreographed conclusion.
The DCI Hanlon series covers the years Jane Hanlon spent as a policewoman in London’s Metropolitan police. As I found Hanlon through reading Silenced for Good and Missing For Good, the Jane Hanlon PI stories, it was interesting to see her previous adventures.
The Missing Husband is the third book in the series, and it is one of those books that never has a dull moment! At this time, Hanlon has been moved laterally to the Missing Persons division in the sleepy precinct in Slough; a move by her boss Corrigan to keep her safe (and hopefully out of trouble). This hope is futile though, when the lovely Oksana Taverner comes to report her husband missing. Charlie Taverner was to present information on the Russian Mafia in England to a Home Office Commission. Hanlon has had previous run-ins with the Russian mafia, and especially Arkady Belanov.
The Missing Husband starts with Charlie Taverner’s disappearance, but grows to encompass the turf war between the Russians and the local gangsters headed by the Anderson Family, DCI Hanlon’s investigation, DI Enver Demirel’s separate investigation, and the involvement of both the Russian FSB and a mysterious hit-man known as the Chinaman.
Alex Coombs’s writing style is full of rich descriptions of both people and places, mostly told through Hanlon’s perspective. My only point of dislike is the author’s near constant reiteration that Hanlon is attractive, despite being incredibly athletic and “hard-faced”. As a female reader, I care more about Hanlon’s ability to solve crime and kick ass, although the flirtation between her and Serg, the FSB operative is refreshing.
Like most of my favorite books, The Missing Husband has moments of incredible sweetness between characters as well as swift and terrible brutality. The fight scenes play like a movie in front of my eyes, the budding romance between Demirel and Huss with its awkwardness and dogged persistence is painfully real, and the eventual reveal for the Chinaman’s identity is utterly amazing. There are times where the complexity of juggling multiple characters and disparate actions is almost dizzily confusing, but Alex Coombs manages to pull everything together in to a beautifully choreographed conclusion.
April 11, 2021
Reading Stuff 'n' Things
I have read the first 2 books in the series featuring the unorthodox, tough and uncompromising DCI Hanlon and having thoroughly enjoyed them, didn't hesitate to choose the third and I wasn't disappointed although I have to admit that I struggled a little to get into this one and I think it's because there are quite a lot of characters and it was quite difficult to keep up however, that soon passed and I was, once again, totally immersed.
I do think that you need to have at least read the first book, The Stolen Child, otherwise you just won't get the full appreciation of the main characters particularly Hanlon and Demirel; having said that, if you haven't, don't let this pass you by as it still works okay as a standalone but you just won't get the whys and wherefores which, I think, makes this series so compelling.
What we have in this book is a plot that starts off seemingly innocuous - a woman comes in to report her missing husband - however, it soon becomes something much more intricate as the book develops. The pace is almost relentless, there are a few points in the book that lets you take a breath from the action which is a welcome relief. There are some pretty unsavoury characters doing equally unsavoury things and therefore, there is quite a bit of violence but nothing you wouldn't expect given the blurb and the subject matter.
As I said, the action is non-stop culminating in a heart-stopping finale in a remote farmhouse when some people definitely get what they deserve whereas others definitely do not and I look forward to finding out what happens next in the fourth instalment.
I would definitely recommend this book and the series to those who love a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred thriller.
Thank you once again to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
Now for number 4!
I have read the first 2 books in the series featuring the unorthodox, tough and uncompromising DCI Hanlon and having thoroughly enjoyed them, didn't hesitate to choose the third and I wasn't disappointed although I have to admit that I struggled a little to get into this one and I think it's because there are quite a lot of characters and it was quite difficult to keep up however, that soon passed and I was, once again, totally immersed.
I do think that you need to have at least read the first book, The Stolen Child, otherwise you just won't get the full appreciation of the main characters particularly Hanlon and Demirel; having said that, if you haven't, don't let this pass you by as it still works okay as a standalone but you just won't get the whys and wherefores which, I think, makes this series so compelling.
What we have in this book is a plot that starts off seemingly innocuous - a woman comes in to report her missing husband - however, it soon becomes something much more intricate as the book develops. The pace is almost relentless, there are a few points in the book that lets you take a breath from the action which is a welcome relief. There are some pretty unsavoury characters doing equally unsavoury things and therefore, there is quite a bit of violence but nothing you wouldn't expect given the blurb and the subject matter.
As I said, the action is non-stop culminating in a heart-stopping finale in a remote farmhouse when some people definitely get what they deserve whereas others definitely do not and I look forward to finding out what happens next in the fourth instalment.
I would definitely recommend this book and the series to those who love a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred thriller.
Thank you once again to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.
Now for number 4!
January 23, 2021
*This series was previously published under another title and the author name Alex Howard*
This is book three in the DCI Hanson Series although it can be read as a standalone, although this book does have more ties to the previous installment.
DCI Hanlon has been reassigned to missing persons. Partially for her own safety and partially because she embarrassed some very important people and was deemed “unsuitable for frontline police work”. When the wife of a missing businessman comes to see her, Hanlon tries to blow her off stating that it would be a matter better for MI6 since the man was a speaker presenting evidence on the Russian Mafia. When the wife mentions the name Belnov, Hanlon thinks maybe she will help. This was another good entry into the series although its been the slowest so far for me. Hanlon just seemed out of her element and it didn’t have the pace of the other two novels although I still recommend this book and give it 3.75 of 5 stars.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and author Alex Coombs for the review copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is book three in the DCI Hanson Series although it can be read as a standalone, although this book does have more ties to the previous installment.
DCI Hanlon has been reassigned to missing persons. Partially for her own safety and partially because she embarrassed some very important people and was deemed “unsuitable for frontline police work”. When the wife of a missing businessman comes to see her, Hanlon tries to blow her off stating that it would be a matter better for MI6 since the man was a speaker presenting evidence on the Russian Mafia. When the wife mentions the name Belnov, Hanlon thinks maybe she will help. This was another good entry into the series although its been the slowest so far for me. Hanlon just seemed out of her element and it didn’t have the pace of the other two novels although I still recommend this book and give it 3.75 of 5 stars.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and author Alex Coombs for the review copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 29, 2018
This series is really growing on me as the characters become more familiar. The main character isn't always likeable. She can be brash and a little cold. But as the series progresses, I'm starting to love that about her. Deep down, she is actually honorable and even caring though few know that about her. I really like the background thread revolving around her old partner and her effort to help him. It will be interesting to see how that plays out and what the consequences of her decisions will be. The character of Enver is loveable but downright annoying at times with his constant obsession over his weight. However, I loved that Huss and Hanlon teamed up for his sake. I also very much liked the character of Serg and hope he makes a return in later books as even Hanlon deserves some pleasant human interaction. The end was a surprise for me which was thrilling as I hate when I have everything figured out. All in all, this is probably my favourite of the series so far.
January 14, 2021
Now everyone that knows me, knows I love a good binge read ... sooooo ... binge read is exactly what I did. I was so captured by this series and the characters that I barely paused to eat.
Hanlon doesn't make things easy for herself in this one as she takes on a dangerous criminal from a previous book in her efforts to help a woman whose husband is missing. Sidelined from the Met, Hanlon is bored and desperate for action - of course that means explosive scenes, thrilling action and tense edge of your seat moments. Hanlon's loyalty and vulnerability make her such an intriguing character, that no matter how often she breaks the law, you are on her side.
Hanlon doesn't make things easy for herself in this one as she takes on a dangerous criminal from a previous book in her efforts to help a woman whose husband is missing. Sidelined from the Met, Hanlon is bored and desperate for action - of course that means explosive scenes, thrilling action and tense edge of your seat moments. Hanlon's loyalty and vulnerability make her such an intriguing character, that no matter how often she breaks the law, you are on her side.
January 28, 2021
This is an edgy and exciting series. Hanlon sidelined from the vibrant Metropolitan police arena, still attracts danger and responds with gritty determination. Best read chronologically this is a memorable series.
Working in a missing persons' unit Hanlon conflicts violently with the Russian mafia. Whilst not having the team dynamic of the first two books, it retains its contemporary focus, strong characters and suspense.
Hanlon edges closer to self destruct yet manages to be an effective investigator. I am looking forward to the final book in this series.
I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
June 30, 2020
This is an audio book usually listen to in the car. This is a fast moving thriller. Good thing I wasn’t driving the last three CDs I was on the edge of my seat! How was DI Hanlon going to get out of the final encounter with the Russians Mafia, corrupt police and London criminal world. This is the third novel in the series must put the other two on my to read list. Reader Ashoka Andoh was brilliant although some of the Russian accents were sometimes hard to follow might just be me.
January 1, 2017
Not enough subtlety for me. Maverick female cop with a good heart. Someone who's a size 12 continually described as fat. Psychopathic Russian killers. Psychopathic English killers. Good cops. Bad cops. In the end, do I care about any of them - no. Not even the nice English-Turkish ex-boxer cop with a waist line problem.
April 29, 2022
With the two previous books I found myself often irritated by the author, but this was partly because I actually liked parts of the books and was frustrated that they could have been so much better. Unfortunately with this book I didn’t really like anything. I kept going, but by the end I just didn’t care anymore.
May 16, 2021
Complete disappointment
What the heck! Again with the cliff hanger. Why, oh why does anyone think it is a good way to capture and keep readers.
What the heck! Again with the cliff hanger. Why, oh why does anyone think it is a good way to capture and keep readers.
January 18, 2024
2024 is the year I decide not to force myself to complete a book if I can’t get into it. Despite the great reviews, this was really not for me. Filing this under books that I am unable to finish.
October 14, 2023
Whatever next would be Coombs’s perversion to explore? I had asked in a previous review. White slavery is what, a part carryover from The Innocent Girl, and political treason. Hanlon again in impossible form, having been told to quieten down in Slough by her boss Corrigan, but of course Belanov and Dimitri reappear (from The Innocent Girl), plus their boss from Moscow, who are out to get their revenge on Hanlon for humiliating them. So she's off again, unofficially because murder is in her mind (which is where it stays). She is still invincible – I found I was liking her colleague the curvaceous and human Melinda Huss rather more. It’s confusing at first, too many foreign names too soon, but you soon get into the swing of things, Coombs style: lots and lots of violence and nastiness happening fast, with surprise endings. But who is the missing husband, and why? All we find out is his name and that he's dead. His extremely, unearthly beautiful, worried wife Oksana makes a very brief appearance. What’s all that about? A tenuous connection to the main story, yet it’s the title. Sergei another madly sexy Russian steps in, who stops women in their tracks soon as look at him. *** is for tension and fast reading. Otherwise it’s a bit of an overwritten mess.
August 17, 2019
This was a nice read. I didn't know when I purchased the book that it was a series however it can be read as a standalone, there is enough information to kind off fill in the gaps. The characters were not necessarily interested as I think a reader will learn about the main characters as the series continues. I would read more books in the series, Hanlon nights be a bad ass policewoman
January 10, 2022
I loved the first two in this series and this one didn't disappoint. Hanson is a terrific character and Demeril, Huss and all the baddies are back too. A fast-paced read I didn't want to put down. You do need to read them in order though.
March 4, 2025
Decent police procedural set in London, Slough and Oxford, involving brutal Russian mafia trying to usurp a London crime gang
October 16, 2016
Another great crime story featuring 'maverick' D.I. Hanlon. This time our 'heroine' finds herself sidelined to Missing Persons but still manages to get herself deeply involved in a gang war between a London gangster family and the Russians who are trying to muscle in and have a score to settle with Hanlon. 9/10.
January 17, 2021
This book has it all - death, torture, the Russian Mafia, and of course, Hanlon.
Hanlon plays by her own rules and woe be those that they to get in her way.
I adore the fact that Hanlon always trusts herself - she knows that she can defend herself, that she can outrun anyone chasing her. Not going to lie, she inspired me to get off my quarantine couch.
A missing husband and a specific request for Hanlon's help starts her on a case that involves sex, murder, music, and the Mafia. Although I will admit, with this one, while all the elements of suspense were there, I found that I was surprised at elements, I was not with the ending, not in the same way I was with the others in the series.
A decent read, very well written, and of course Hanlon make it worth your time, if only to lay the foundation for the next in the series.
Hanlon plays by her own rules and woe be those that they to get in her way.
I adore the fact that Hanlon always trusts herself - she knows that she can defend herself, that she can outrun anyone chasing her. Not going to lie, she inspired me to get off my quarantine couch.
A missing husband and a specific request for Hanlon's help starts her on a case that involves sex, murder, music, and the Mafia. Although I will admit, with this one, while all the elements of suspense were there, I found that I was surprised at elements, I was not with the ending, not in the same way I was with the others in the series.
A decent read, very well written, and of course Hanlon make it worth your time, if only to lay the foundation for the next in the series.
January 20, 2021
DCI Hanlon has been moved aside, perhaps for her own safety, to Missing Persons, based in Langley, near Slough. But trouble soon comes looking for her and she finds herself once again in the clutches of the Russian mafia.
Alex Coombs has written a gritty, taut thriller using a small cast of regular characters to great effect. The stakes are high and the violence graphic. The novel takes us to the dark underbelly of crime swamping a supposedly ever more gentrified London and Oxford.
Alex Coombs has written a gritty, taut thriller using a small cast of regular characters to great effect. The stakes are high and the violence graphic. The novel takes us to the dark underbelly of crime swamping a supposedly ever more gentrified London and Oxford.
March 26, 2017
looking forward to the next book in the series
May 29, 2021
I personally quite admired Hanlon's character. The raw nature of some characters and personalities like Serg and Joad was a good addition. I felt that things like body description and "cheap aftershave" were exaggerated and overused. I liked the writing style except for the parts where way too many words are used to describe what could be clear in a few. Emotions when described with subtle detail are nice but the appearance and minor details explaining in about a whole page just take away interest. Few parts felt a little unrealistic but I suppose we can have that with fiction. A quick fun read.
December 2, 2016
A very gritty thriller. Unfortunately I read Books 2 and 3 in this DI Hanlon series out of order, so read #3 first. (I reserved them both at the local library and that's the order they came in.
DI Hanlon is a must-read for lovers of tough female cops. She's a rela antidote to all the male scumbag cops you read about.
DI Hanlon is a must-read for lovers of tough female cops. She's a rela antidote to all the male scumbag cops you read about.
February 11, 2021
It is interesting what happened to him. But the books are too short. I am waiting for the price to go down to .99 cents to buy the next two books. I read so many books that I won't pay any more than that for each book. I think she is going to fall in love with the detective. We will see what happens in the next two books.
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