The Cradle Will Fall

DI Mike Lockyer #prequel

by Clare Donoghue

The Cradle Will Fall is a short story written by Clare Donoghue, the author of Never Look Back, No Place to Die and Trust No One. It is a prequel to her crime series, featuring Jane Bennett and DI Lockyer.You never forget your first case . . .Police Constable Jane Bennett is back on the beat after a spell away from the force.Working with the Serious Case Team, she's witnessed some of the worst crimes and endured them all. With her eye on promotion, Jane attends each call-out without complaint, determined to show her superiors her dedication. However, nothing could prepare her for this next case.Behind the ordinary façade of someone's home, she discovers a truly chilling scene. While her male colleagues flake beside her, Jane shows she is made of sterner stuff and manages to impress DI Lockyer. It is an incident that will change both of their careers, as an indomitable partnership is formed . . .

Genres: Crime, Short Stories, Fiction, Detective, British Literature, Thriller, Procedural

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2016

About the author

After ten years in London, working for a City law firm, Clare Donoghue moved back to her home town in Somerset to undertake an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University. She was long-listed for the CWA Debut Dagger in 2011. Never Look Back is her first novel.

Reviews

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fast read!

This was easy and exciting reading. The plot builds up perfectly until the shocking reveal that makes this story rock.

I was right there with the well written realistic characters with every word. I would have loved this to be a full length novel! It's the tempting prequel to the first novel in her DI Lockyear series.

I'm now off shopping to find a book by Clare to read as her writing style really gelled with me. In fact I'm eager to read the whole series. Major Crimes Unit that tackles the worst child abuse cases? It's got me hooked.

Five stars for a great short story (prequel) with a darkened twist. Highly recommended!

[Li'l Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent sneak peak into the DI Mike Lockyer series.
If Clare Donoghue's books are anything like this, they will be fantastic!!

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reasonable distraction of a novella in a series I follow but isn’t in my top tier.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like her writing style and look for and to reading the first book in the series

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick short story to see how Lockyer and Bennett first met. Easily read while I heated soup for supper.

[Fictionophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sound introduction to the series explains how the two main protagonists met.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series; as a prequel to reading, Trust No One by Clare Donoghue, I have read this ebook which previews book three of the DS Jane Bennett and DI Mike Lockyer novels.
The Cradle Will Fall predates this working relationship and shows the reader where first their paths crossed. Jane is just back from maternity leave trying to establish a good work/life balance. Mike is recently promoted to DI and waiting to forge his career path, while struggling to meet his domestic commitments.
Not a jolly story to remember and reflect back on at a retirment party, but as a first meeting it was significant and their strength of character is demonstrated. It perhaps is fitting that out of this unfortunate coming together. a strong unit was forged, which marks out their ongoing team work.
If nothing else it makes me want to read the longer novel sitting on my bookshelf - read on..........

[Char (lunarchar_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this. Keen to read the next in the series

[Curlyhair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick easy read. Enjoyable enough, but I did guess what was coming. I did like the characters, so I might read this series.

[Kelly-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would make you want to read this series of detective novels.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cradle Will Fall is a free prequel to Clare Donoghue’s DI Mike Lockyer series. A routine welfare check turns into something else, and PC Jane Bennett meets DI Lockyer for the first time. At only 30 pages or so it was shorter than I was expecting, but that was my own fault for not paying that much attention to the page on Amazon when I downloaded it, but as I mentioned it was free so I can’t complain. I will say that the prequel certainly did it’s job I’m intrigued by Jane and Mike and definitely keen to know more!

Would I Recommend?

Yes, it’s short so there’s not a whole lot to get stuck into but it’s a freebie so nothing to lose! It’s certainly worked it’s magic on me and I’ll be picking up Never Look Back in the new year.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is just a verybshort prequel.It was whatbit was.Very easy, quick read.28 pages, not enough to get emotional about but a raw topic fitted into those 28 pages which some would find particularly harrowing.It just didn't go into it in detail as it wasn't that kind of book.A little taste of what is on offer with the others? Yes, go on then, I'd give tjem a go.

[Jason Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge Clare Donoghue fan! My wife and I love to read her books together. Reading is my love language (not an actual love language). I love when I get to spend time with a good book and having an author that allows me to do that with my best friend is even better. You will truly enjoy the Cradle Will Fall.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometime ago I read and enjoyed Clare Donoghue's Never Look Back and No Place To Do, so backtracked to this short prequel when it became available at my local library. Sad. So sad. Now I definitely have to find the third book in the series, Trust No One.

[Jeanette Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I have found another author to add to my crime thriller authors. One I will be reading a lot more books from

[Barb VanderWel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.

[Sarah Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short

This could be a great story. It is a very basic introduction to the two main characters of her novels.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s good. A 31 page pre-cursor to the first novel

[Megan ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really short but disturbing. I really enjoyed it.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although predictable, it was a nice introduction to the series. It is very difficult to evaluate characters in short stories, but this one shows us a very nervous young woman constable in need of approval from men. Too little information to evaluate DI Lockyer.

Will read the next book of the series but I was hoping for a stronger woman.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a horror then a detective , good book though but predictable main character .

[Lindsey Baird-Waugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the quick read.

[Stevi Bakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short thriller

I loved this short thriller, it helped me reach my reading goal, and the fact that it had a sneak peak of another book...loved this one. There was some spelling errors and some grammar errors but that didn't deter me from this book, I love crime thrillers in general. That's the only reason I gave this book 4 stars was the grammar and spelling errors. Otherwise...this book kept me reading..its 31 pages long, short thriller novella.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Cradle Will Fall’ is a prequel to the crime novels featuring Jane Bennett and DI Lockyer. This short story picks up Bennett’s career in the Serious Case Team after her maternity leave. When she enters the home of a mother and her child, she is not prepared for what she encounters. As everyone around her crumbles, however, Bennett proves her worth, remaining calm and showing the tough exterior that we have come to see in her following cases. We also see the introduction of Lockyer and get to see the circumstances behind their close working relationship.

For anyone who has not yet read any of Clare Donoghue’s books, this is an ideal way to get to know the characters. For those already familiar with Bennett and Lockyer, it was good to see the circumstances behind some already known events.

Review is also at: https://gobuythebook.wordpress.com/20...

[Eleri Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a brief introduction to PC Bennett and DI Lockyer. Given the fact that it is a very short read I think both characters are introduced well and the story of what has happened to the baby is harrowing. After reading this I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in the crime series featuring Bennett and Lockyer.

[Shayney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rate this 3.5 out of 5 stars. A short little prequel sampler to the series to show you the first case that Bennett and Lockyer first worked on together and how they first met. A quick and easy read with a sensitive topic and crime. Definitely enticed me to pick up the rest of the series, but for how short it was, I couldn't really rate it higher than 3.5.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story I just wished it was longer. I didn't realise it was two separate short stories. The first one is almost a full story and the second part is an extract from another book by Clare Donoghue. I gave it 3 stars because iy was good but I just wish the story was longer and had more detail. However I did really like what I read.

[Thomas Bruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense, atmospheric, this short story will encourage readers to read Donoghue's longer works featuring DI Mike Lockyer and DS Jane Bennett, NEVER LOOK BACK and NO PLACE TO DIE.

[Ted Tayler · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Reserved judgement"

This title is only a brief look at the subject and the characters involved; so the review will be short too - the full length version needs to be better to really grab me.

[Luke Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

The book was well written I think in short time enjoyed all the different story's. Plus the ending of some of the was unbearable as I want to know what happens next.