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Lucy Clayburn #1
Strangers
A stranger is just a killer you haven’t met yet…
The SUNDAY TIMES bestseller returns with the next big thing to hit the shelves. If you haven’t discovered Paul Finch yet, this book will have you hooked.
Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life: as PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.
But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option and these murders are as brutal as they come. Lucy must step into the line of fire a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.
And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it
Dark, gritty and ALWAYS edge-of-your-seat: Paul Finch will leave fans of Rachel Abbott and MJ Arlidge gasping for more.
The SUNDAY TIMES bestseller returns with the next big thing to hit the shelves. If you haven’t discovered Paul Finch yet, this book will have you hooked.
Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life: as PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.
But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option and these murders are as brutal as they come. Lucy must step into the line of fire a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.
And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it
Dark, gritty and ALWAYS edge-of-your-seat: Paul Finch will leave fans of Rachel Abbott and MJ Arlidge gasping for more.
405 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2016
252 people are currently reading
1062 people want to read
About the author
Paul Finch
206 books461 followersPaul Finch is a former cop and journalist, now full-time writer. Having originally written for the television series THE BILL plus children's animation and DOCTOR WHO audio dramas, he went on to write horror, but is now best known for his crime / thriller fiction.
He won the British Fantasy Award twice and the International Horror Guild Award, but since then has written two parallel series of hard-hitting crime novels, the Heck and the Lucy Clayburn novels, of which three titles have become best-sellers.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, UK with his wife and children.
He won the British Fantasy Award twice and the International Horror Guild Award, but since then has written two parallel series of hard-hitting crime novels, the Heck and the Lucy Clayburn novels, of which three titles have become best-sellers.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, UK with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
November 8, 2016
Some real nasty characters grace the pages of Strangers by author Paul Finch. PC Lucy Clayburn goes undercover to try and find the serial killer responsible for killing men and mutilating them. Many times she goes off on her own wanting to prove that she can handle tough situations and ends up in a whole lot of trouble. To some degree the story line was predictable and far-fetched. Many readers have enjoyed this book and have given it a much higher rating.
** Thank you to Publisher Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
** Thank you to Publisher Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **
September 25, 2016
Strangers is an action packed British police procedural, packed with surprising twists and turns--led by a likeable, flawed heroine.
PC Lucy Clayburn made a mistake early on in her career, which prevented her from advancing on as a detective. 10 years later, still haunted by this mistake, she throws herself into the “Jill the Ripper” investigation, hoping to be rewarded with the opportunity to be promoted. Little does Lucy know that by going undercover as a prostitute, she will unearth secrets about her family that will rock her to the core. While the main mystery of Strangers seems to be about the Jill the Ripper murders, another mystery emerges that directly involves Lucy and the people closest to her.
I absolutely loved this book. The narrative is filled with many layers that threw me for a loop. I hope that Lucy shows up again in another Finch book, as she would be a great character to build a series around. Strangers is the first Paul Finch novel I have read, and I have to say that I am obsessed! I look forward to reading more by Finch.
I received copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
PC Lucy Clayburn made a mistake early on in her career, which prevented her from advancing on as a detective. 10 years later, still haunted by this mistake, she throws herself into the “Jill the Ripper” investigation, hoping to be rewarded with the opportunity to be promoted. Little does Lucy know that by going undercover as a prostitute, she will unearth secrets about her family that will rock her to the core. While the main mystery of Strangers seems to be about the Jill the Ripper murders, another mystery emerges that directly involves Lucy and the people closest to her.
I absolutely loved this book. The narrative is filled with many layers that threw me for a loop. I hope that Lucy shows up again in another Finch book, as she would be a great character to build a series around. Strangers is the first Paul Finch novel I have read, and I have to say that I am obsessed! I look forward to reading more by Finch.
I received copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 28, 2025
4 stars
Original English title: Strangers
short review for busy readers:
First book in a police procedural series. Set in Manchester, UK, and starring an impulsive, self-righteous, but fairly decent police constable, who desperately wants join the CID. Too bad there are forces out there bigger and badder than she is stopping her.
in detail:
Lucy Clayburn is a bit difficult to like. She's super impulsive, which means she has a difficult time following orders like "don't attract attention" and is constantly zooming off on her own, putting herself (and others) in a lot of danger if she suddenly get's an idea. She's also has trouble seeing grey zones, which will eventually cost her her head.
But at least she's not one of those po-faced, hardass police women we see depicted in novels so much. So a point in her favour there.
The case is an interesting one -- a female serial killer dubbed "Jill the Ripper" is posing as a prostitute and luring men to remote locations to slaughter them. While the police believe the killer is an independent bad actor, she's causing major disruption to the regional organised crime syndicate's business. They want her stopped just as much as the police do.
The one drawback to this novel is that Finch "writes the parts most readers skip." That is, he can take up 5-6 pages with description of Lucy approaching an abandoned-looking shed she believes a suspect might be hiding in...and then it turns out the place is empty.
Yes, that's real life for a cop -- and Finch is a former cop -- but it makes for some irritating fiction. Regardless of how well done that description is. And it is! Finch is very good at vividly portraying buildings, streets and people.
As for characters, Lucy's superiors and partners are decent, normal humans, not macho "yer nicked, Sunshine" coppers or the barely concealed bigots you see in other cop novels. Also big on the plus side, is that both the cops and the criminals are multi-ethnic, which again is a much more realistic take on English society than you often see.
At the end of the day, "Strangers" is a pretty good police novel with a focus character you want to shake some sense into. But you aren't alone -- so does her mum and her superiors down the police station!
Original English title: Strangers
short review for busy readers:
First book in a police procedural series. Set in Manchester, UK, and starring an impulsive, self-righteous, but fairly decent police constable, who desperately wants join the CID. Too bad there are forces out there bigger and badder than she is stopping her.
in detail:
Lucy Clayburn is a bit difficult to like. She's super impulsive, which means she has a difficult time following orders like "don't attract attention" and is constantly zooming off on her own, putting herself (and others) in a lot of danger if she suddenly get's an idea. She's also has trouble seeing grey zones, which will eventually cost her her head.
But at least she's not one of those po-faced, hardass police women we see depicted in novels so much. So a point in her favour there.
The case is an interesting one -- a female serial killer dubbed "Jill the Ripper" is posing as a prostitute and luring men to remote locations to slaughter them. While the police believe the killer is an independent bad actor, she's causing major disruption to the regional organised crime syndicate's business. They want her stopped just as much as the police do.
The one drawback to this novel is that Finch "writes the parts most readers skip." That is, he can take up 5-6 pages with description of Lucy approaching an abandoned-looking shed she believes a suspect might be hiding in...and then it turns out the place is empty.
Yes, that's real life for a cop -- and Finch is a former cop -- but it makes for some irritating fiction. Regardless of how well done that description is. And it is! Finch is very good at vividly portraying buildings, streets and people.
As for characters, Lucy's superiors and partners are decent, normal humans, not macho "yer nicked, Sunshine" coppers or the barely concealed bigots you see in other cop novels. Also big on the plus side, is that both the cops and the criminals are multi-ethnic, which again is a much more realistic take on English society than you often see.
At the end of the day, "Strangers" is a pretty good police novel with a focus character you want to shake some sense into. But you aren't alone -- so does her mum and her superiors down the police station!
September 21, 2016
Yesterday I was moaning in a review of another British crime story that I was perhaps reading too many of these and getting a bit bored with the same old characters. Along came this edgy, nail-biting thriller and restored my enthusiasm! This is how you create memorable characters. This was addictively brilliant!
The protagonist, PC Lucy Clayburn, desperately wants to be a detective. She is such a likable character, you just want her to succeed, although sometimes her decision-making process and her almost reckless actions made me want to shake some sense into her. Lucy is asked to join an investigation looking for a female serial killer. Working undercover, she learns a lot about organized crime and the sex trade in the Manchester area.
I was totally hooked from page one. This started with a bang, then ebbed a bit to provide sufficient background into characters and settings before turning into a rollercoaster of actions and emotions. Although pretty dark and gritty at times, the author nevertheless managed to insert some nice, dry humor and witty dialogue. This was my first book by Paul Finch who apparently has quite a following due to his DS Heckenburg series, which I moved right up my TBR after I had finished this one. I'm not sure whether Strangers is intended to be a standalone or the start of another series. Personally, I would love to read more about Lucy, her family, and her colleagues. To me, this was British crime fiction at its best.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, Avon for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley.
The protagonist, PC Lucy Clayburn, desperately wants to be a detective. She is such a likable character, you just want her to succeed, although sometimes her decision-making process and her almost reckless actions made me want to shake some sense into her. Lucy is asked to join an investigation looking for a female serial killer. Working undercover, she learns a lot about organized crime and the sex trade in the Manchester area.
I was totally hooked from page one. This started with a bang, then ebbed a bit to provide sufficient background into characters and settings before turning into a rollercoaster of actions and emotions. Although pretty dark and gritty at times, the author nevertheless managed to insert some nice, dry humor and witty dialogue. This was my first book by Paul Finch who apparently has quite a following due to his DS Heckenburg series, which I moved right up my TBR after I had finished this one. I'm not sure whether Strangers is intended to be a standalone or the start of another series. Personally, I would love to read more about Lucy, her family, and her colleagues. To me, this was British crime fiction at its best.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK, Avon for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley.
July 29, 2024
EXCERPT: A blue murky was spreading amid the gnarled stanchions of the trunks. Here and there, ground level bushes hung heavy with dew. There was a reek of woodland decay, of fungus and leaf-mulch. All was deathly still.
It looked as if he was about to start retreating. But then he stopped short.
Ten yards to his right, he'd spotted the pair of knickers suspended from their twig.
Hurriedly, he lumbered over there, fingers twitching, apparently eager to fondle that soft, pliable material.
Yeah. . . . so much for the avuncular uncle.
He yanked the garment down and spread it out in two hands, to check its authenticity no doubt. Then he folded it into a small, neat square and inserted it into his left hip pocket before ambling back to the path and proceeding along it towards her, penetrating deeper into the ever-gloomier trees but now with a big lewd grin on his mug.
She'd have laughed aloud if it wouldn't have given her away.
The poor stupid sod really thought he was going to get some.
ABOUT 'STRANGERS': A stranger is just a killer you haven’t met yet…
The SUNDAY TIMES bestseller returns with the next big thing to hit the shelves. If you haven’t discovered Paul Finch yet, this book will have you hooked.
Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life: as PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.
But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option and these murders are as brutal as they come. Lucy must step into the line of fire a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.
And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it.
MY THOUGHTS: Strangers is a rather gritty and gruesome book featuring PC Lucy Clayburn who aspires to become a detective, but for whom things inevitably go wrong.
She blew her first chance, big time. Now, years later, she is offered a second chance, but her determination to redeem herself leads to increasingly reckless behaviour putting not only herself but others in danger.
This is not my first novel by Paul Finch, but it is the first time I have felt ambivalent about the main character. Lucy is twenty-nine years old but, at times, behaves like a recalcitrant teenager. Yet, despite Lucy, and despite organised crime being one of my least favourite tropes, I quite enjoyed the entertainment value of the storyline.
There were a few things which didn't make sense to me, like using valuable police resources to pose as prostitutes when the person they are looking for is a woman. Are the women expected to gather for a cosy chat over a cup of cocoa at the end of their night to talk about the murders? I think not.
There's a lot of action in Strangers - shootings, stabbings and assaults - some of it a bit too OTT for my taste. I was amazed at the ease with which Lucy managed to convince a more experienced police officer to take unnecessary risks and place himself and Lucy in danger. Lucy learns the truth about her family background when her mother springs an unwelcome surprise on her, and this side-story felt just a bit unwieldy and too much.
Strangers isn't Paul Finch's best book, but at no point did I consider abandoning the read.
⭐⭐⭐.4
#StrangersPaulFinch #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Paul Finch is a former cop and journalist, now full-time writer. Having originally written for the television series THE BILL plus children's animation and DOCTOR WHO audio dramas, he went on to write horror, but is now best known for his crime / thriller fiction.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, UK with his wife and children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Avon, via #NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Strangers by Paul Finch for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Strangers by Paul Finch were published 22 September 2016.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
It looked as if he was about to start retreating. But then he stopped short.
Ten yards to his right, he'd spotted the pair of knickers suspended from their twig.
Hurriedly, he lumbered over there, fingers twitching, apparently eager to fondle that soft, pliable material.
Yeah. . . . so much for the avuncular uncle.
He yanked the garment down and spread it out in two hands, to check its authenticity no doubt. Then he folded it into a small, neat square and inserted it into his left hip pocket before ambling back to the path and proceeding along it towards her, penetrating deeper into the ever-gloomier trees but now with a big lewd grin on his mug.
She'd have laughed aloud if it wouldn't have given her away.
The poor stupid sod really thought he was going to get some.
ABOUT 'STRANGERS': A stranger is just a killer you haven’t met yet…
The SUNDAY TIMES bestseller returns with the next big thing to hit the shelves. If you haven’t discovered Paul Finch yet, this book will have you hooked.
Unknown, alone, and fearing for your life: as PC Lucy Clayburn is about to find out, going undercover is the most dangerous work there is.
But, on the trail of a prolific female serial killer, there's no other option and these murders are as brutal as they come. Lucy must step into the line of fire a stranger in a criminal underworld that butchers anyone who crosses the line.
And, unknown to Lucy, she's already treading it.
MY THOUGHTS: Strangers is a rather gritty and gruesome book featuring PC Lucy Clayburn who aspires to become a detective, but for whom things inevitably go wrong.
She blew her first chance, big time. Now, years later, she is offered a second chance, but her determination to redeem herself leads to increasingly reckless behaviour putting not only herself but others in danger.
This is not my first novel by Paul Finch, but it is the first time I have felt ambivalent about the main character. Lucy is twenty-nine years old but, at times, behaves like a recalcitrant teenager. Yet, despite Lucy, and despite organised crime being one of my least favourite tropes, I quite enjoyed the entertainment value of the storyline.
There were a few things which didn't make sense to me, like using valuable police resources to pose as prostitutes when the person they are looking for is a woman. Are the women expected to gather for a cosy chat over a cup of cocoa at the end of their night to talk about the murders? I think not.
There's a lot of action in Strangers - shootings, stabbings and assaults - some of it a bit too OTT for my taste. I was amazed at the ease with which Lucy managed to convince a more experienced police officer to take unnecessary risks and place himself and Lucy in danger. Lucy learns the truth about her family background when her mother springs an unwelcome surprise on her, and this side-story felt just a bit unwieldy and too much.
Strangers isn't Paul Finch's best book, but at no point did I consider abandoning the read.
⭐⭐⭐.4
#StrangersPaulFinch #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Paul Finch is a former cop and journalist, now full-time writer. Having originally written for the television series THE BILL plus children's animation and DOCTOR WHO audio dramas, he went on to write horror, but is now best known for his crime / thriller fiction.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, UK with his wife and children.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK, Avon, via #NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Strangers by Paul Finch for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Strangers by Paul Finch were published 22 September 2016.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 5, 2016
I have to admit that this is my first novel by Paul Finch but I can assure you it won’t be my last. A serial killer whose M.O is killing men is on the loose in North West England and PC Lucy Clayburn is part of the undercover team to try and find the killer.
There are so many things I loved about Strangers that are refreshingly different from your standard crime novel. Firstly, the fact that the main character is a female and is not a detective. Lucy is a plucky, tenacious copper desperate to prove herself after a serious blunder cut short her career as a detective. She is not afraid to take risks, often to her and her colleagues detriment in order to bring criminals to justice. I really liked Lucy and hope that this is going to be the first in a series of novels featuring her. Secondly the serial killer is a female, which makes a real change and thirdly it follows the PC as she goes undercover. I have always been interested in police undercover work - how they go about it, how it effects them, the dangers involved - so I really enjoyed that this was the angle Strangers took.
It is gritty, dark and full of vile characters - everything you want from a crime novel. Really well written and constructed, Paul takes you straight into the heart of the North West’s underworld with his rich descriptions and I couldn’t help but get totally drawn into the book.
The twists and turns made me dizzy and kept me reading when I knew I should have been getting on with other stuff. The pace is fast and the momentum never stops with lots of shocks along the way. If your in the mood for a crime thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and also offers something a bit different, check Strangers out.
A huge thank you to Paul Finch and Helena Sheffield at Avon books for the ARC in exchange for my review and for the invite to take place on the Strangers blog tour.
Published 22 September 2016 by Avon.
There are so many things I loved about Strangers that are refreshingly different from your standard crime novel. Firstly, the fact that the main character is a female and is not a detective. Lucy is a plucky, tenacious copper desperate to prove herself after a serious blunder cut short her career as a detective. She is not afraid to take risks, often to her and her colleagues detriment in order to bring criminals to justice. I really liked Lucy and hope that this is going to be the first in a series of novels featuring her. Secondly the serial killer is a female, which makes a real change and thirdly it follows the PC as she goes undercover. I have always been interested in police undercover work - how they go about it, how it effects them, the dangers involved - so I really enjoyed that this was the angle Strangers took.
It is gritty, dark and full of vile characters - everything you want from a crime novel. Really well written and constructed, Paul takes you straight into the heart of the North West’s underworld with his rich descriptions and I couldn’t help but get totally drawn into the book.
The twists and turns made me dizzy and kept me reading when I knew I should have been getting on with other stuff. The pace is fast and the momentum never stops with lots of shocks along the way. If your in the mood for a crime thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and also offers something a bit different, check Strangers out.
A huge thank you to Paul Finch and Helena Sheffield at Avon books for the ARC in exchange for my review and for the invite to take place on the Strangers blog tour.
Published 22 September 2016 by Avon.
September 18, 2016
So, a new main protagonist for Paul Finch then and I was really? But I want Heck. Now I’m all “GIVE ME MORE LUCY” because this book was excellent.
Its a most addictive story, peppered with memorable characters and with some truly edge of the seat action moments during which I caught myself actively clutching my hair. If I go bald we’ll know who to blame. Also an interesting and fascinating premise – the female serial killer – is only one part of a multi-layered and endlessly intriguing plot line.
Sat at the centre is Lucy Clayburn, she REALLY wants to be a detective. I mean really. She tends to end up in hot water though but hey that won’t stop her so when she is offered the chance to redeem her somewhat tarnished reputation and get back on her chosen career track she jumps at it. Cue many shenanigans which I’m not going to tell you anything about. I COULD tell you but then I’d have to kill you. Just go with the flow. You won’t regret it.
The writing as ever is darkly intuitive – this is what makes me a Paul Finch fan – its got a kind of underlying humerous edgy feel to it which sends you deep into the story and glues you to the page. Characters are always key and this author knows how to create the ones that stick in your head, occasionally irrationally irritate you (in the best reading way) and who you bond with completely practically from page one. And I’m not only talking the good guys…
Overall Strangers is just damned good crime fiction. DAMNED good. Peter James calls Paul Finch a “born storyteller”. That Peter James has a good eye…
Don’t be a stranger to Strangers – you’ll be missing out on a banging good read and really, we can’t have that.
Its a most addictive story, peppered with memorable characters and with some truly edge of the seat action moments during which I caught myself actively clutching my hair. If I go bald we’ll know who to blame. Also an interesting and fascinating premise – the female serial killer – is only one part of a multi-layered and endlessly intriguing plot line.
Sat at the centre is Lucy Clayburn, she REALLY wants to be a detective. I mean really. She tends to end up in hot water though but hey that won’t stop her so when she is offered the chance to redeem her somewhat tarnished reputation and get back on her chosen career track she jumps at it. Cue many shenanigans which I’m not going to tell you anything about. I COULD tell you but then I’d have to kill you. Just go with the flow. You won’t regret it.
The writing as ever is darkly intuitive – this is what makes me a Paul Finch fan – its got a kind of underlying humerous edgy feel to it which sends you deep into the story and glues you to the page. Characters are always key and this author knows how to create the ones that stick in your head, occasionally irrationally irritate you (in the best reading way) and who you bond with completely practically from page one. And I’m not only talking the good guys…
Overall Strangers is just damned good crime fiction. DAMNED good. Peter James calls Paul Finch a “born storyteller”. That Peter James has a good eye…
Don’t be a stranger to Strangers – you’ll be missing out on a banging good read and really, we can’t have that.
September 4, 2016
I have no idea if Strangers is a stand alone or the first novel in a new crime series following PC Lucy Clayburn, personally I’m hoping for the series as Lucy is just too good a character to stop at one book.
Lucy is probably a woman who a lot of females aspire to be like. She is young, strong, independent, eager to climb the ladder, she has it all really, her only down side is that in her determination to rise in ranks in the force, she puts herself as well as some of her colleagues at risk. She is a really likeable character though and I think readers will be able to see some of them selves in her.
I’ve actually read a couple of books by this author now and without a doubt this guy knows how to tell a story. He creates believable characters that draw the readers in with a story line that will have even the most hardened crime fans on the edge of their seat.
The story line in Strangers is quite unique as you don’t hear of many female serial killers and it heightened my interest straight away. In her bid to try and find out who the killer is, Lucy finds herself going undercover and working in a disturbing and dark world. Through her work she becomes ‘friends’ with Tammy. Even though Lucy uses Tammy to find out info you can see her developing a soft spot for her. Through Tammy and her background, it makes the story that bit more emotional.
Strangers is without a doubt a gripping and intense read. It starts strong and just went from strength to strength for me. Even though mainly steady in pace, the nearer to the end you get, it gets so intense and fast paced that never mind having me on the edge of the seat, I felt like I had fallen off the damn chair and was hurtling towards the ground. A definite must read.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy is probably a woman who a lot of females aspire to be like. She is young, strong, independent, eager to climb the ladder, she has it all really, her only down side is that in her determination to rise in ranks in the force, she puts herself as well as some of her colleagues at risk. She is a really likeable character though and I think readers will be able to see some of them selves in her.
I’ve actually read a couple of books by this author now and without a doubt this guy knows how to tell a story. He creates believable characters that draw the readers in with a story line that will have even the most hardened crime fans on the edge of their seat.
The story line in Strangers is quite unique as you don’t hear of many female serial killers and it heightened my interest straight away. In her bid to try and find out who the killer is, Lucy finds herself going undercover and working in a disturbing and dark world. Through her work she becomes ‘friends’ with Tammy. Even though Lucy uses Tammy to find out info you can see her developing a soft spot for her. Through Tammy and her background, it makes the story that bit more emotional.
Strangers is without a doubt a gripping and intense read. It starts strong and just went from strength to strength for me. Even though mainly steady in pace, the nearer to the end you get, it gets so intense and fast paced that never mind having me on the edge of the seat, I felt like I had fallen off the damn chair and was hurtling towards the ground. A definite must read.
My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2016
Strangers – Gripping New Thriller
Paul Finch is one of the best crime writers of the moment with his Detective Mark Heckenburg series which is one of the bestselling series in the country. He is now introducing us to PC Lucy Clayburn a ten-year veteran in the Greater Manchester Police working around the Crowley division. All she wants to be is a detective but she blotted her copybook when she was a member of CID for a week and her Inspector was shot.
Lucy Clayburn has worked the Crowley division and is even a training officer, but after ten years she tends to have a jaundiced eye, a coppers eye on things that happen. She knows her patch well, and certainly knows her regular ‘customers’ and not afraid to crack heads together when need be, even if it is just to save on the paperwork at the end of a shift.
At the end of one shift Detective Superintendent Priya Newal, as to have a chat with her, and wonders if she would like to work on a high profile murder case. She would not be on as a detective, but as a decoy, she would be working the streets to gain the trust of all the working girls and gather intelligence. The Police are sure that their killer is a woman who is picking up men and then murdering them, while also removing their crown jewels.
Clayburn has been given a patch on the East Lancs a busy A road that takes you from Manchester to Liverpool and she befriends a young prostitute, Tammy who seems to spend most of her time drunk. It is through Tammy that she starts to make connections and gains useable intelligence if not necessarily for the case she is on.
Clayburn does not realise how much she is putting herself in danger, maybe, because every day of her working life in uniform she is used to the dangers. She does not realise how much she is putting herself in to danger when she starts to mix with some very dangerous Manchester criminals and one seems to recognise her from somewhere.
As Lucy Clayburn works herself in to the ground, she is taken off the case, which still means the female killer is out there somewhere. Like any maverick with a hunch, Clayburn just has to have one last look at the case.
Paul Finch has once again written a winner of a thriller with plenty of twists and turns you really do not know where he is taking you. Finch had created a character in Lucy Clayburn you just want to will to succeed, but like any central character things are not as easy as they should be.
Finch’s prose at times brutal, but clear and paints picture of the north side of Manchester and the Crowley division, after the mining has gone, and industrialisation has moved somewhere else. This is a bleak hard division somewhere between Salford, Bolton and Wigan, where even the Rottweilers go around in pairs for their own safety.
This is a wonderfully dark crime thriller, that will really draw you in, Paul Finch is a master storyteller, who knows how to keep the reader on tenterhooks from beginning to end. Paul Finch has created a truly gripping, gruesome thriller, whose female serial killer is prolific and well hidden, but his heroine has her dark secrets and is not afraid to walk in the valley of death. A new hero from a great author.
Paul Finch is one of the best crime writers of the moment with his Detective Mark Heckenburg series which is one of the bestselling series in the country. He is now introducing us to PC Lucy Clayburn a ten-year veteran in the Greater Manchester Police working around the Crowley division. All she wants to be is a detective but she blotted her copybook when she was a member of CID for a week and her Inspector was shot.
Lucy Clayburn has worked the Crowley division and is even a training officer, but after ten years she tends to have a jaundiced eye, a coppers eye on things that happen. She knows her patch well, and certainly knows her regular ‘customers’ and not afraid to crack heads together when need be, even if it is just to save on the paperwork at the end of a shift.
At the end of one shift Detective Superintendent Priya Newal, as to have a chat with her, and wonders if she would like to work on a high profile murder case. She would not be on as a detective, but as a decoy, she would be working the streets to gain the trust of all the working girls and gather intelligence. The Police are sure that their killer is a woman who is picking up men and then murdering them, while also removing their crown jewels.
Clayburn has been given a patch on the East Lancs a busy A road that takes you from Manchester to Liverpool and she befriends a young prostitute, Tammy who seems to spend most of her time drunk. It is through Tammy that she starts to make connections and gains useable intelligence if not necessarily for the case she is on.
Clayburn does not realise how much she is putting herself in danger, maybe, because every day of her working life in uniform she is used to the dangers. She does not realise how much she is putting herself in to danger when she starts to mix with some very dangerous Manchester criminals and one seems to recognise her from somewhere.
As Lucy Clayburn works herself in to the ground, she is taken off the case, which still means the female killer is out there somewhere. Like any maverick with a hunch, Clayburn just has to have one last look at the case.
Paul Finch has once again written a winner of a thriller with plenty of twists and turns you really do not know where he is taking you. Finch had created a character in Lucy Clayburn you just want to will to succeed, but like any central character things are not as easy as they should be.
Finch’s prose at times brutal, but clear and paints picture of the north side of Manchester and the Crowley division, after the mining has gone, and industrialisation has moved somewhere else. This is a bleak hard division somewhere between Salford, Bolton and Wigan, where even the Rottweilers go around in pairs for their own safety.
This is a wonderfully dark crime thriller, that will really draw you in, Paul Finch is a master storyteller, who knows how to keep the reader on tenterhooks from beginning to end. Paul Finch has created a truly gripping, gruesome thriller, whose female serial killer is prolific and well hidden, but his heroine has her dark secrets and is not afraid to walk in the valley of death. A new hero from a great author.
October 27, 2016
I haven't read anything by Paul Finch before but have heard plenty about him and his excellent books.
"Strangers" is Paul's latest offering and is a gritty, gruesome and compelling novel involving PC Lucy Clayburn's undercover experience in the dangerous environment of the criminal underworld while at the same trying to solve the grotesque murders of the serial killer 'Jill the Ripper'. An excellent, clever storyline that combines Lucy's private life with her career in the force and her determined ambition to be a detective at all costs. If you love British crime fiction at its best, you'll adore this and I hope to read more about Lucy's police work in the future.
"Strangers" is Paul's latest offering and is a gritty, gruesome and compelling novel involving PC Lucy Clayburn's undercover experience in the dangerous environment of the criminal underworld while at the same trying to solve the grotesque murders of the serial killer 'Jill the Ripper'. An excellent, clever storyline that combines Lucy's private life with her career in the force and her determined ambition to be a detective at all costs. If you love British crime fiction at its best, you'll adore this and I hope to read more about Lucy's police work in the future.
December 8, 2018
One mistake changed everything for PC Lucy Clayburn and her dreams of working for CID is suddenly less likely. However, this new case, working undercover trying to catch a female serial killer could set her record straight and help her career. That is of course that the hunt doesn't kill her...
Lucy Clayburn is not a woman who is afraid to take some risks, especially after the setback a few years before when her career stalled. However, going undercover as a prostitute looking for leads to find a female serial killer is not an everyday job. And, now Lucy will meet some of the nastiest bad people as she searches for clues to find a serial killer. And, one personal discovery will change her life forever.
I seriously hope that this is the first book in a series because Lucy Clayburn is one hell of a woman, and I really want to read more book about her. What I like about Lucy is that she is a normal woman, no big secrets from the past or psychological problem. She was raised by a single mom, never knowing her father and she loves being a cop. However, this book will bring some changes in her life as she goes deep undercover. Seriously, this is one hell of a book, dark and gritty, and I found myself quite caught up with it. I must admit that I saw one of the twist coming, the one concerning her own life, and I waited to see how it would turn out when Lucy learned the truth and let me tell you she really has a hell of a temper. But, I guess we all would have been shocked by what she found out if we were in her position.
Strangers is an excellent book, perfect for crime fans!
I want to thank Avon for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
Lucy Clayburn is not a woman who is afraid to take some risks, especially after the setback a few years before when her career stalled. However, going undercover as a prostitute looking for leads to find a female serial killer is not an everyday job. And, now Lucy will meet some of the nastiest bad people as she searches for clues to find a serial killer. And, one personal discovery will change her life forever.
I seriously hope that this is the first book in a series because Lucy Clayburn is one hell of a woman, and I really want to read more book about her. What I like about Lucy is that she is a normal woman, no big secrets from the past or psychological problem. She was raised by a single mom, never knowing her father and she loves being a cop. However, this book will bring some changes in her life as she goes deep undercover. Seriously, this is one hell of a book, dark and gritty, and I found myself quite caught up with it. I must admit that I saw one of the twist coming, the one concerning her own life, and I waited to see how it would turn out when Lucy learned the truth and let me tell you she really has a hell of a temper. But, I guess we all would have been shocked by what she found out if we were in her position.
Strangers is an excellent book, perfect for crime fans!
I want to thank Avon for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
October 18, 2016
This was the first book I had read by this author and was thrilled to receive a copy after hearing so much about it.
The story features PC Lucy Clayburn who has a point to prove having made an error in her career that has continuously held her back. She is given the opportunity to join Operation Clearway which was set up to try and catch a serial killer who is targeting men a nd mutilating them. Lucy sees this as an ideal opportunity to put things right and proving herself to get her career back on track.
Lucy joins a team of PC's who are asked to work under cover as prostitutes to learn what they can from the girls working the streets.
Although I found the book fairly entertaining there seemed to be too many holes in the plot and I really couldn't understand why such a big team would work under cover as prostitutes etc when the suspect was a woman.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Harper Collins UK, Avon for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
The story features PC Lucy Clayburn who has a point to prove having made an error in her career that has continuously held her back. She is given the opportunity to join Operation Clearway which was set up to try and catch a serial killer who is targeting men a nd mutilating them. Lucy sees this as an ideal opportunity to put things right and proving herself to get her career back on track.
Lucy joins a team of PC's who are asked to work under cover as prostitutes to learn what they can from the girls working the streets.
Although I found the book fairly entertaining there seemed to be too many holes in the plot and I really couldn't understand why such a big team would work under cover as prostitutes etc when the suspect was a woman.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Harper Collins UK, Avon for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest review.
November 21, 2016
This one reeled me in with its premise and unique storyline. The great narration of the audio helped keep me invested, too. However, I will say that this one did not fully envelop me and seemed longer than necessary IMO.
I do think Paul Finch is a talented author and this book was quite tastefully done!
I do think Paul Finch is a talented author and this book was quite tastefully done!
September 26, 2016
PC Lucy Clayburn fumbled a criminal transport and has not been able to get out from under that mistake from her past ever since. She would like to become a detective but now may be her chance. She and a group of other female officers are asked to go undercover to help find a serial killer that has been targeting men and she stumbles onto details that may help her recover her good name and just might earn her a chance at detective. But then the case takes a turn and Lucy once again may have made the wrong decision. Great read. Page turner. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
September 18, 2016
PC Lucy Clayburn works in the Crowley division. Her desire is to be a detective. She has had a chance in CID but it did not last long as her inspector was shot. She knows her beat and regular "clients" and she's not afraid to bang heads together to avoid the paperwork an arrest would involve. She is about to go undercover as a street worker as a brutal female serial killer is at large.
This is a gripping, gruesome and quite a brutal read. With an engrossing plot and characters. This novel just gets better and better. Will hopefully be reading more about Lucy Clayburn in the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, Avon and the other Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a gripping, gruesome and quite a brutal read. With an engrossing plot and characters. This novel just gets better and better. Will hopefully be reading more about Lucy Clayburn in the future.
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, Avon and the other Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2016
Strangers has a massively satisfying plot which catches light from the first page, and I can genuinely say it made my eyes burn as I was still reading at 2am, and on a work night too (oh, the shame). Any nagging loose ends are cleverly tucked in on route, and it has the right balance of action and snappy dialogue exchange that would make it TV script-worthy. Yep, it’s an exceptional read.
Cocking up on duty was the beginning of the end of PC Lucy Clayburn. After committing career suicide, and still stinking from the whiff of stepping into a nasty situation, she accepts she’ll be plodding along as Constable for the foreseeable. Although her sights remain firmly on becoming a detective, she is content to uphold the law in her uniquely effective manner and reminisce on what might have been.
When the possibility arises for her to turn temporary detective again what follows is a relentless quest to do whatever is required, as she volunteers to go undercover to catch a killer who’s going round mutilating their victim’s bits without a hint of compassion or compromising their identity.
Nick-named “The Ripper Chicks”, Lucy and other female officers mingle on the dimly lit streets hoping to catch the butcher before they strike again.
An outbreak of the plague wouldn’t deter Lucy from this opportunity. But her determination only encourages her borderline recklessness. She’ll sink deeper into a world of vice, surrounding herself with alarmingly untouchable people who keep especially grim company and have to think on her feet to save her skin. Her involvement in this case could make or break her future, yet there’s every chance it’ll have the same effect on her physically.
Clayburn is the perfectly tenacious, Ducati motorcycle riding police officer, with her eye firmly on the prize. And no. She doesn’t want fame she, wants to find the hives of criminals. While she stamps on their nests whenever she can, her single parent mother does her laundry and cooks her tea – such a refreshing change from the stereotypical aging / brooding / recently separated Inspectors normally chosen for the starring role.
There’s also a terrific assortment of fellow cast members, including the unusually supportive ball-breaking Inspectors, and a multitude of shady employers from brutal brothel keepers to obsessively organised crime lords, where the hired muscle takes pride in reprimanding staff and tailoring on-the-job-training accordingly.
With its engrossing, adrenalin-fuelled plot, withholding the perfect pinch of vital information to leave you craving more, Strangers is in another league entirely. I’ve previously read two of Paul Finch’s books in the ‘DS Heckenburg’ series and loved them both, but this one featuring PC Lucy Clayburn is outstanding.
(I received a paperback copy of this title from the Publishers in exchange for an unbiased review, with my huge thanks for a great read.)
Cocking up on duty was the beginning of the end of PC Lucy Clayburn. After committing career suicide, and still stinking from the whiff of stepping into a nasty situation, she accepts she’ll be plodding along as Constable for the foreseeable. Although her sights remain firmly on becoming a detective, she is content to uphold the law in her uniquely effective manner and reminisce on what might have been.
When the possibility arises for her to turn temporary detective again what follows is a relentless quest to do whatever is required, as she volunteers to go undercover to catch a killer who’s going round mutilating their victim’s bits without a hint of compassion or compromising their identity.
Nick-named “The Ripper Chicks”, Lucy and other female officers mingle on the dimly lit streets hoping to catch the butcher before they strike again.
An outbreak of the plague wouldn’t deter Lucy from this opportunity. But her determination only encourages her borderline recklessness. She’ll sink deeper into a world of vice, surrounding herself with alarmingly untouchable people who keep especially grim company and have to think on her feet to save her skin. Her involvement in this case could make or break her future, yet there’s every chance it’ll have the same effect on her physically.
Clayburn is the perfectly tenacious, Ducati motorcycle riding police officer, with her eye firmly on the prize. And no. She doesn’t want fame she, wants to find the hives of criminals. While she stamps on their nests whenever she can, her single parent mother does her laundry and cooks her tea – such a refreshing change from the stereotypical aging / brooding / recently separated Inspectors normally chosen for the starring role.
There’s also a terrific assortment of fellow cast members, including the unusually supportive ball-breaking Inspectors, and a multitude of shady employers from brutal brothel keepers to obsessively organised crime lords, where the hired muscle takes pride in reprimanding staff and tailoring on-the-job-training accordingly.
With its engrossing, adrenalin-fuelled plot, withholding the perfect pinch of vital information to leave you craving more, Strangers is in another league entirely. I’ve previously read two of Paul Finch’s books in the ‘DS Heckenburg’ series and loved them both, but this one featuring PC Lucy Clayburn is outstanding.
(I received a paperback copy of this title from the Publishers in exchange for an unbiased review, with my huge thanks for a great read.)
January 8, 2018
Paul Finch never fails to deliver a good book. I loved his Heck character in previous novels, but this time he has a new protagonist in PC Lucy Clayburn. As an ex-policeman himself, Paul’s books have real authenticity, and it’s a story that will grip you to the end.
January 3, 2018
Paul Finch never disappoints and Strangers is a corker!
September 27, 2017
Newly promoted to the CID Lucy Clayburn is on her first operation when she is put in charge of the suspect whilst the other police look for evidence in a wooden area. BUT he gets away and she is relegated back to being a constable.
Then a series of gruesome murders takes place involving prostitutes and their clients. It is actually the clients who are being murdered.
Lucy is given a reprieve and is put to work as an undercover prossy trying to glean information from the other prostitutes on the street. With the help of one of the girls she gets a job as a hat check girl in a notorious gentleman's club- owned by the Twisted Sisters- hoping to spy on one of the high-class hookers who the police have suspicions may be the killer.
The story is actually much more convoluted and we (and Lucy) are left with a shocking revelation at the end.
Can't wait for Book 2
Then a series of gruesome murders takes place involving prostitutes and their clients. It is actually the clients who are being murdered.
Lucy is given a reprieve and is put to work as an undercover prossy trying to glean information from the other prostitutes on the street. With the help of one of the girls she gets a job as a hat check girl in a notorious gentleman's club- owned by the Twisted Sisters- hoping to spy on one of the high-class hookers who the police have suspicions may be the killer.
The story is actually much more convoluted and we (and Lucy) are left with a shocking revelation at the end.
Can't wait for Book 2
November 2, 2018
Wasn’t for me. Plot didn’t hold my interest, it was rather dull, lacking in the thrills this genre usually delivers, and I wasn’t a fan of the main character, Lucy, so I won’t be continuing the series.
Narration was excellent though, and the reason I made it to the end of the book, will look out to see what else Chloe Massey has narrated.
Narration was excellent though, and the reason I made it to the end of the book, will look out to see what else Chloe Massey has narrated.
November 10, 2016
This is an easy to read police procedural with your standard serial killer and a damaged goods female police constable. Asked to play an undercover hooker along with half the other women on the police force, our hero Lucy is the only copper to stumble on and keep stumbling on clues to not only our serial killer but just about every other criminal operation in the city. Clearly Lucy should be quickly promoted from uniform to at least Police Chief, maybe mayor.
September 18, 2016
Strangers is the perfect crime thriller. Wth a strong lead female character this book had me hooked from page 1.
This book is gripping and fast paced and will make you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Avon for the chance to review.
This book is gripping and fast paced and will make you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Avon for the chance to review.
September 24, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Lots of twists and turns to keep you interested. I hope there are more Lucy Clayburn stories as this would make a new favourite series for me.
January 31, 2018
This is my first Finch and certainly won’t be my last. I listened to Strangers on Audible and thoroughly enjoyed every word of it.
Strangers features a brilliant, feisty female, PC Lucy Clayburn who is one of the most determined, obstinate and driven police officers I’ve read about. It’s dark, twisted and has some really gruesome murders so if you are squeamish you have been warned. I was totally gripped throughout the book and Paul Finch’s experience as a cop is evident throughout the story-line.
If you enjoy your police procedurals with fascinating characters (loved Tammy and Lucy), a sicko twisted female serial killer (don’t mention meat and two veg), a great back story between Lucy and her mother, an in depth look into the murky world of prostitution and gangsters then you will LOVE Strangers. The good news is that the 2nd book in this series is out now and available to download
Strangers features a brilliant, feisty female, PC Lucy Clayburn who is one of the most determined, obstinate and driven police officers I’ve read about. It’s dark, twisted and has some really gruesome murders so if you are squeamish you have been warned. I was totally gripped throughout the book and Paul Finch’s experience as a cop is evident throughout the story-line.
If you enjoy your police procedurals with fascinating characters (loved Tammy and Lucy), a sicko twisted female serial killer (don’t mention meat and two veg), a great back story between Lucy and her mother, an in depth look into the murky world of prostitution and gangsters then you will LOVE Strangers. The good news is that the 2nd book in this series is out now and available to download
March 29, 2018
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 This was the first book I’ve read by this author. I liked his writing style and was hooked into finding out how it ended. I struggled with how reckless the main character was, especially when it put others in danger. I found it far fetched but a good read overall.
February 6, 2022
Ugh. I quite liked it for a while, but then things got repetitive. And the ending annoyed me.
February 13, 2018
Great start to a new police procedural series.
Both written and narrated well, so happy to have found it on Audible!
Both written and narrated well, so happy to have found it on Audible!
September 24, 2016
A massive *THANKS* to Paul Finch, HarperCollins UK and Avon for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I have to hold my hands up and say that this is the first book I have ever read by Paul Finch – don’t hurt me peeps – I promise, it will not be the last! OMFG what a cracker of a story!
This book is set in the darker side of Manchester where we see prostitution, gangs, the want for second chances, crime, pushing the boundaries, danger and justice adorn the pages as the story unfolds.
The story is told from the third person POV and drifts into various interesting and intriguing strands. It is fast paced, gritty, dark and disturbing at times, but OMFG there is a #KillerHook which will leave you wanting for more! I absolutely devoured this book in a matter of hours and I dare anyone not to LOVE it! And that tagline! #AStrangerIsJustAKillerYouHaventMetYet – EEEEEK! It is fabulous!
Now for my favourite part! Let’s talk characters! PC Lucy Clayburn – at first I found her to be a bit woe is me – yeah, she screwed up…but guess what, she pulled up her big girl pants and got on with it! Lucy developed into a strong and likeable female lead. She has her demons and strays from the norm by breaking the boundaries in the hopes of getting back into CID. If there is a sniff of trouble in the air – Lucy will find it, demolish it and come out winning, but not without a few bruises along the way!
I really enjoyed that the killer was a female…and a serial killer nonetheless – a true rarity…female serial killers are not what we read about in the papers. Jill The Ripper is on the hunt and it is up to Lucy to catch her and mete out justice.
I also adored Tammy. A vulnerable yet feisty prostitute, that Lucy befriends while undercover. I really wanted and willed Tammy to get her act together and realise the danger she had placed herself in through her vices. In fact, there were times I just wanted to shake her, scream snap out of it and get her ass to safety!!
There are many other characters, men even (ha ha) who add the intensity and darkness that pulls the reader in. I just didn’t want to blab on about their greatness – it is better to read it and feel it for yourself!
I think Paul Finch did a superb job at riling the readers emotions – pulling us right to the brink and then watching us fall. A puppet-master of words! Would I recommed this book? WTAF, are you serious? HELL YEAH I would! I have even bought a few other books from this author, it was THAT good! Head over to amazon and grab a copy – you’ll see what I mean!
I have to hold my hands up and say that this is the first book I have ever read by Paul Finch – don’t hurt me peeps – I promise, it will not be the last! OMFG what a cracker of a story!
This book is set in the darker side of Manchester where we see prostitution, gangs, the want for second chances, crime, pushing the boundaries, danger and justice adorn the pages as the story unfolds.
The story is told from the third person POV and drifts into various interesting and intriguing strands. It is fast paced, gritty, dark and disturbing at times, but OMFG there is a #KillerHook which will leave you wanting for more! I absolutely devoured this book in a matter of hours and I dare anyone not to LOVE it! And that tagline! #AStrangerIsJustAKillerYouHaventMetYet – EEEEEK! It is fabulous!
Now for my favourite part! Let’s talk characters! PC Lucy Clayburn – at first I found her to be a bit woe is me – yeah, she screwed up…but guess what, she pulled up her big girl pants and got on with it! Lucy developed into a strong and likeable female lead. She has her demons and strays from the norm by breaking the boundaries in the hopes of getting back into CID. If there is a sniff of trouble in the air – Lucy will find it, demolish it and come out winning, but not without a few bruises along the way!
I really enjoyed that the killer was a female…and a serial killer nonetheless – a true rarity…female serial killers are not what we read about in the papers. Jill The Ripper is on the hunt and it is up to Lucy to catch her and mete out justice.
I also adored Tammy. A vulnerable yet feisty prostitute, that Lucy befriends while undercover. I really wanted and willed Tammy to get her act together and realise the danger she had placed herself in through her vices. In fact, there were times I just wanted to shake her, scream snap out of it and get her ass to safety!!
There are many other characters, men even (ha ha) who add the intensity and darkness that pulls the reader in. I just didn’t want to blab on about their greatness – it is better to read it and feel it for yourself!
I think Paul Finch did a superb job at riling the readers emotions – pulling us right to the brink and then watching us fall. A puppet-master of words! Would I recommed this book? WTAF, are you serious? HELL YEAH I would! I have even bought a few other books from this author, it was THAT good! Head over to amazon and grab a copy – you’ll see what I mean!
September 25, 2016
It seems like ages since we last had a book from Paul Finch and so I have eagerly been counting down the days until I could get my hands on Strangers (which doesn't feature the brilliant DS Heckenburg but a new character in PC Lucy Clayburn) especially after some creepy marketing material arrived shortly before my finished copy of the book. I am always nervous when one of my favourite authors moves away from their regular character but in this case it has worked brilliantly for Paul and Lucy is a character I want to meet again in the future.
I initially thought that a book featuring a PC rather than a detective might be a bit of a slower read or not be as interesting but how wrong was I after just a couple of pages. Lucy has the impulsiveness and tenacity to be a great detective, and this is something she sees herself being in the future. However that impulsiveness, and at times naivety, will (and does) work against her as she finds out not all that far into the story. Lucy is a brilliant character and I was actually reminded of when I read Lynda La Plante's Tennison last year which featured a younger Jane Tennison. Lucy is very much her own character but with the potential to be a really great one like Tennison. I love reading about strong female characters and this is probably thanks to Jackie Collins and her Lucky Santangelo series. Some of my favourite crime fiction in recent years has a female character at the lead and I think it's because your typical male detective has just been overdone.
The Heck novels are especially dark reads with humour laced throughout and I love my crime fiction as dark as possible and I hoped this would continue with this new series. Lucy finds herself sent undercover on the hunt of a prolific female serial killer. It's hard to say anything more than that except I particularly liked the fact that we had a female serial killer. I've only ever read crime fiction books set in the US which feature a female serial killer and so this was a new dynamic to me and helped set the book apart from others in the genre. Having studied psychology at A Level and university I am always eager to get into the minds of such characters and to find out what could possibly drive them to kill. It's certainly fair to say (although it shouldn't be) that a female killer is a lot more shocking than reading about male killers which is sadly an everyday occurrence. Paul's writing is descriptive and immersive and incredibly detailed and this has always been something I have enjoyed most about his books. You feel and live each moment you are reading, and it's a powerful read when you start caring about the fictional characters you are reading about and they suddenly find themselves in danger.
A standout feature of Paul's books is setting. This time around it's gritty, scary and incredibly believable and, in part at least, takes place along a stretch of road I know all too well. It's easy to picture everything you are reading quite vividly which is a little unsettling. I'm not too sure what else I can say without stepping into spoiler territory but this is a book that every crime fan needs to read. Paul Finch is an author I am constantly recommending as I know I can tell someone to read his books with great certainty that they will enjoy them if they do. He is in an incredible writer with a real talent and his books are some of the best out there. I just hope that the wait for more (whether featuring Heck, Lucy, or both?!) isn't too far away as I am already impatient for more. If Amazon is correct then the next book from Paul will be another Heck novel on my birthday in 2017!
I initially thought that a book featuring a PC rather than a detective might be a bit of a slower read or not be as interesting but how wrong was I after just a couple of pages. Lucy has the impulsiveness and tenacity to be a great detective, and this is something she sees herself being in the future. However that impulsiveness, and at times naivety, will (and does) work against her as she finds out not all that far into the story. Lucy is a brilliant character and I was actually reminded of when I read Lynda La Plante's Tennison last year which featured a younger Jane Tennison. Lucy is very much her own character but with the potential to be a really great one like Tennison. I love reading about strong female characters and this is probably thanks to Jackie Collins and her Lucky Santangelo series. Some of my favourite crime fiction in recent years has a female character at the lead and I think it's because your typical male detective has just been overdone.
The Heck novels are especially dark reads with humour laced throughout and I love my crime fiction as dark as possible and I hoped this would continue with this new series. Lucy finds herself sent undercover on the hunt of a prolific female serial killer. It's hard to say anything more than that except I particularly liked the fact that we had a female serial killer. I've only ever read crime fiction books set in the US which feature a female serial killer and so this was a new dynamic to me and helped set the book apart from others in the genre. Having studied psychology at A Level and university I am always eager to get into the minds of such characters and to find out what could possibly drive them to kill. It's certainly fair to say (although it shouldn't be) that a female killer is a lot more shocking than reading about male killers which is sadly an everyday occurrence. Paul's writing is descriptive and immersive and incredibly detailed and this has always been something I have enjoyed most about his books. You feel and live each moment you are reading, and it's a powerful read when you start caring about the fictional characters you are reading about and they suddenly find themselves in danger.
A standout feature of Paul's books is setting. This time around it's gritty, scary and incredibly believable and, in part at least, takes place along a stretch of road I know all too well. It's easy to picture everything you are reading quite vividly which is a little unsettling. I'm not too sure what else I can say without stepping into spoiler territory but this is a book that every crime fan needs to read. Paul Finch is an author I am constantly recommending as I know I can tell someone to read his books with great certainty that they will enjoy them if they do. He is in an incredible writer with a real talent and his books are some of the best out there. I just hope that the wait for more (whether featuring Heck, Lucy, or both?!) isn't too far away as I am already impatient for more. If Amazon is correct then the next book from Paul will be another Heck novel on my birthday in 2017!
September 27, 2016
PC Lucy Clayburn has to live with the skeletons in her closet. Four years ago, a convicted murderer escaped while handcuffed to her. She almost got killed then and the entire operation failed. But Lucy loves being a copper and since then she desperately tries to prove to herself and others that she is a good cop.
And the opportunity arrives....
A man has been killed. Alone, in the woods, mutilated. The police connect the case with some previous cases where other men were killed and also mutilated. Everything points to a serial killer.
But what if the serial killer is a woman?
Lucy becomes part of an undercover operation. The team is called The Ripper Chicks. Several policewomen go undercover among prostitutes and the English underworld in order to find the person responsible for the killings. The victims are all men, so the police assume that the killer might be a woman, possibly a prostitute who offers her services to men.
Lucy Clayburn goes undercover. But nothing prepares her for the things that she is going to find among the people from the underworld.
Lucy is one hell of a character. She loves her job, loves solving the crimes and putting the bad guys behind bars. She makes mistakes, but she is brave enough to start all over again. She is a kind person, she would never ever leave someone behind or let someone be killed in order to save herself. She has some rules in her life, and she sticks to them, what makes her an amazing person.
When I started reading Strangers, I didn't know what to expect. A serial killer, a detective, but this is more than that. The story throws you in the underworld where mafia rules, where people are killed for nothing, where there are no rules. Every page is adrenaline filled, there is a twist around every corner. Full packed with action and tension , this read won't let you sleep at night. At least until you finish reading it.
And the opportunity arrives....
A man has been killed. Alone, in the woods, mutilated. The police connect the case with some previous cases where other men were killed and also mutilated. Everything points to a serial killer.
But what if the serial killer is a woman?
Lucy becomes part of an undercover operation. The team is called The Ripper Chicks. Several policewomen go undercover among prostitutes and the English underworld in order to find the person responsible for the killings. The victims are all men, so the police assume that the killer might be a woman, possibly a prostitute who offers her services to men.
Lucy Clayburn goes undercover. But nothing prepares her for the things that she is going to find among the people from the underworld.
Lucy is one hell of a character. She loves her job, loves solving the crimes and putting the bad guys behind bars. She makes mistakes, but she is brave enough to start all over again. She is a kind person, she would never ever leave someone behind or let someone be killed in order to save herself. She has some rules in her life, and she sticks to them, what makes her an amazing person.
When I started reading Strangers, I didn't know what to expect. A serial killer, a detective, but this is more than that. The story throws you in the underworld where mafia rules, where people are killed for nothing, where there are no rules. Every page is adrenaline filled, there is a twist around every corner. Full packed with action and tension , this read won't let you sleep at night. At least until you finish reading it.
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