Dead or Alive

Sep Black #1

by Ken McCoy

Introducing Detective Inspector Sep Black in the first of a brand-new series of hard-hitting police procedurals, set in Leeds."
Two children have been abducted on their way home from school. After several weeks, they are still missing and no one knows whether they are alive or dead. The police are certain that ruthless local gangster Vince Formosa is behind the kidnapping, but without proof their hands are tied.
Forced to resign following an accidental death in police custody, former Detective Inspector Sep Black knows he s been set up. But how can he prove it and stay alive in the process? Convinced that Formosa has a mole within the police, Black sets out to expose the traitor, clear his name and wreak revenge on the man who brought him down. In order to do so, he must go undercover and find the missing children. But even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry . . .

Genres: Crime

249 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2016

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard hitting and violent crime thriller located in Leeds. DI Septimus Black is based at the Allerton Police Station. A paedophile MP dies after a epileptic fit whilst being held by Sep, this leads to a media furore and implications that Sep was responsible for his death. Sep casts aspersions on the character of a recently transferred Met cop, DI Coles, who takes it upon himself to undermine Sep amongst the police. To Sep's horror, his wife, Rachel lies to the police and accuses him of beating her up which his daughter, Phoebe, believes. This set of events leads to Sep having to leave the police, despite none being true. DI Cole now has a relationship with Rachel and resides at Sep's home. After a catastrophic fall from grace, Sep finds himself under psychiatric care. Upon release, he finds himself with only one friend who believes in him, Winnie.

Sep changes his appearance and takes on the identity of a Scot he knew called Lennon and goes undercover to expose the corruption of DI Cole. He also wants to locate two abducted children, James and Millie, in danger of being killed and whose father, Strathmore, is being targeted by a formidable and powerful crime figure, Vincent Formosa, responsible for a number of murders. Sep wants his job back and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure this happens. He is aided by Winnie in his investigations and covertly by Fiona, a DS. Sep finds himself on a rocky and dangerous path. Will he stay alive long enough to achieve his aims? This is certainly a wild and thrilling ride.

There are points where the plot stretches credulity and the story is on occasion uneven. Up until half way through, this was a 3 star read, but after that, I got so intensely engaged with the tale that I pushed it up to 4 stars. Sep Black is a larger than life character that you root for. He certainly has the capacity to be the star for a series. I just hope the author irons out the bumps for the next book. Thanks to Severn House for an ARC.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Book Blurb: Introducing Detective Inspector Sep Black in the first of a brand-new series of hard-hitting police procedurals, set in Leeds.

DI Seb Black is a man with a lot of problems. He was forced to resign after a man in custody dies. His ex-wife is in the hospital stating that her ex-husband beat her. He is mandated to see a therapist as an in-patient for 3 months or else be jailed.

Seb knows that he was set up and he knows who did it .... the man who is currently sleeping with his ex-wife. But how does he prove it to clear his name?

Meanwhile, two children have been kidnapped by a local gangster for blackmailing purposes. It's been several weeks and the children are still missing. Believing that the man who framed him is also working for this gangster, Seb sets out to expose the traitor by going undercover.

But not everything turns out the way he expected ...........

There is a touch of realism to this book that caught and kept my attention. The language would not be considered politically correct in today's real world, but fits the book perfectly. There's a grittiness and darkness that permeates throughout. All of the characters .. from the therapist to the prostitute who helps Black and everyone in between ... are very realistic. It's a well written book with a good story to tell.

Many thanks to the author / Severn House Publishers / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Severn House Publishing.

This is the first novel in a new series by Ken McCoy and I have to admit to being kept off balance by it for most of the time. The relationship Detective Inspector Septimus Black has with his commanding officer made me wonder whether these two men were being sarcastic with each other or simply being foolish or was I just not picking up on the atmosphere the author had tried to create. Whatever the relationship was, it carried on throughout the book and I never quite solved it. Black can definitely be described as a lone wolf type of policeman; maybe renegade would describe him as well since he had no hesitancy in telling whoppers of lies if it would get him the information he needed to use against the villains of the story. Plus, Sep seems to think rules are made to be broken, but if they apply to anyone, it isn't him. I'm sorry, though, I just didn't buy Sep being completely blindsided by the way his wife began to act. Nope, that was a marriage with huge serious problems which he seems to have been more or less oblivious to. Perhaps this too was a clue to his self absorption.

This story is set in West Yorkshire, Leeds to be specific, and involves a criminal boss who sticks his hand into every evil crime he can find. Directing a ruthless bunch of thugs, Vincent Formosa eventually resorts to kidnapping two children which brings him into direct contact with Sep Black in his role as a private investigator. Sep didn't fare well with the investigation of a VIP who died while in his custody so he's not working as a policeman any longer. Revenge would be oh so sweet if he could just solve all of his problems with this one case.

If you are looking for a police procedural turned private investigation, this book will surely be of interest to you. I just felt a little off kilter the whole time I was reading and don't honestly know if some of the conversations were completely serious or tongue-in-cheek. I'm sure Sep Black will be back with another thrilling adventure.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead or alive by Ken McCoy is a mystery and thriller and general fiction (adult) read. Two children have been abducted on their way home from school. After several weeks, they are still missing – and no one knows whether they are alive or dead. The police are certain that ruthless local gangster Vince Formosa is behind the kidnapping, but without proof their hands are tied. Forced to resign following an accidental death in police custody, former Detective Inspector Sep Black knows he’s been set up. But how can he prove it – and stay alive in the process? Convinced that Formosa has a mole within the police, Black sets out to expose the traitor, clear his name and wreak revenge on the man who brought him down. In order to do so, he must go undercover and find the missing children. But even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry . . . I loved this book. A very captivating and gripping read. I was guessing all the way through. With lots of twists and plots. Highly recommended. 5*. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an odd one. it was as if McCoy channeled Elmore Leonard. Lots of action and violence but it moved so quickly and Sep Black approached everything and everyone as if he were conning​ them so it was difficult to take the violence seriously. I've begun to like it better since I finished it and had time to absorb it. I'll definitely keep my eye open for a second one.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead or Alive is the first book featuring the character Detective Inspector Septimus ‘Sep’ Black. When he is first introduced a suspect has died while in custody, and the finger of blame is pointing firmly at Sep. Needless to say, appearances aren’t always what they seem, and there is far more going on than first appears. The good inspector could probably be best described as old school. He is well aware of the rules surrounding his job but isn’t averse to skirting very close to the edge of breaking them. If it will get the job done and bring a criminal to justice, he’ll do what it takes.

Of course all this professional ability comes at a cost. Sep’s personal life is a complete and utter car crash. He has separated from his wife, and she is more than happy to get involved in a scheme to discredit Sep with his colleagues. This family conflict adds nice depth to the main narrative, and helps to round out Sep as a character. He isn’t perfect, he has made mistakes, he’s human.

I warmed to the inspector immediately. He has an innate code of honour and a tenacity that feels palpable. Even when he finds himself out of a job, he refuses to give up. Just because he is no longer a member of the Police Force doesn’t mean he can’t still be a detective. If I found myself a victim of crime this is exactly that sort of person I’d want to help me out.

Vincent Formosa is a suitably formidable adversary. He manages to always be one step ahead of the authorities and uses any means necessary to stay on top. A violent sociopath like Vincent is the ideal nemesis for Black. Cruel, with an inbred sense of cunning, he can’t be brought to justice by traditional means. The Police are at a loss; they don’t even know where Vincent Formosa lives. It is up to the ex-detective inspector to play this villain at his own game. The big question is which of these two men is clever enough to come out on top?

It is nice to see a modern crime novel that is set firmly outside of London. The capital is mentioned a couple of times, but the vast majority of the action takes place in Leeds. The plot proves conclusively that any urban area is going to have inherent problems with organised crime.

Ken McCoy does a good job of introducing us to the decidedly seedy world of Sep Black. I’ll certainly look forward to the next novel featuring this character. Dead or Alive has a gritty, distinctly adult theme that is bound to satisfy regular readers of the crime genre. I can only hope that there will be more to follow.

[Carol Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

DI Sep Black is based in Leeds and is dealing with the kidnapping of 2 children when his world turns upside down. A high profile prisoner dies while in Sep's custody and even though he did not cause the death a newly transferred Met cop turns everyone against him. Sep realises when his estranged wife who is now living with this Met copper reports him for assault that he has nowhere to go and he is out of the police force. He gets himself together and vows to clear his name and without the constraints of the police force he can bypass some of the rules. The action pulls you along and the gritty way Sep works is very unorthodox but compelling. I loved the descriptions of Leeds and the areas and it proved to me that Mr McCoy must have done a lot of research into the area.
As this is the first of a new series of books I look forward to reading the next instalment as I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Martha Brindley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The setting is Yorkshire and the main character is DCI Sep Black. The first in a new series by the author and I struggled to take the characters seriously at times. I liked the character of Sep and there is plenty capacity for his development. Much of the book was set in various cellars with people digging themselves out and trying to escape but overall, a good read. Many thanks to Net Galley for my copy.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, twisty suspense with an interesting protagonist.

I probably would have rated it higher, but although I read my fair share of fairly violent crime novels, there was a scene here that was truly obscene and repulsive that detracted from a better than average thriller.

Also repetitive scenes of characters quite remarkably digging their way out of cellars.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book which was set in Leeds so quite familiar to me, I loved Sep Black and his dogeared determination to clear his name after he was falsely blamed for a death in custody. He is drawn into a world of drugs kidnap and violence and help comes from the unlikely source of an ex prostitute. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who likes gritty northern crime books.