The Take

DI Joe Faraday #2

by Graham Hurley

DI Joe Faraday’s Management Assistant, Vanessa Parry, is dead. Killed in a head-on car smash. Her funeral is a bitter end to another grim week in the front line of the ongoing war against Portsmouth’s surging crimewave. And now the seemingly untouchable DS Paul Winter, master of the scam, has been hurt in a way he could never have his wife has cancer. It’s inoperable and she has barely three months to live. Paul Winter has only one instinct – to lash out. In its marrying of an intensely strong sense of place with believable and flawed characters for the reader to empathise with, THE TAKE is an exemplar of classic crime fiction. Hurley’s love for his home town and uniquely close links with the local police force make for a crime series that reeks of authenticity. It gets to the core of the society that we have made for ourselves while never losing sight of the need for stories that pack a powerful emotional punch.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Procedural, Fiction, Thriller, Detective, Mystery Thriller

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Graham Hurley was born November, 1946 in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. His seaside childhood was punctuated by football, swimming, afternoons on the dodgems, run-ins with the police, multiple raids on the local library - plus near-total immersion in English post-war movies.

Directed and produced documentaries for ITV through two decades, winning a number of national and international awards. Launched a writing career on the back of a six-part drama commission for ITV: "Rules of Engagement". Left TV and became full time writer in 1991.

Authored nine stand-alone thrillers plus "Airshow", a fly-on-the-wall novel-length piece of reportage, before accepting Orion invitation to become a crime writer. Drew gleefully on home-town Portsmouth (“Pompey”) as the basis for an on-going series featuring D/I Joe Faraday and D/C Paul Winter.

Contributed five years of personal columns to the Portsmouth News, penned a number of plays and dramatic monologues for local production (including the city’s millenium celebration, "Willoughby and Son"), then decamped to Devon for a more considered take on Pompey low-life.

The Faraday series came to an end after 12 books. Healthy sales at home and abroad, plus mega-successful French TV adaptations, tempted Orion to commission a spin-off series, set in the West Country, featuring D/S Jimmy Suttle.

Launch title - "Western Approaches" - published 2012. "Touching Distance" to hit the bookstores next month (21st November).

Has recently self-published a number of titles on Kindle including "Strictly No Flowers" (a dark take on crime fiction), "Estuary" (a deeply personal memoir) and "Backstory" (how and why he came to write the Faraday series).

Married to the delectable Lin. Three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody). Plus corking grandson Dylan.

You're very welcome to contact Graham through his website: www.grahamhurley.co.uk

Or direct on seasidepictures@btinternet.com.


Series:
* D.I. Joe Faraday

Reviews

[Supratim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first introduction to Graham Hurley’s DI Joe Faraday series. I had chanced upon this book in a second hand book shop, and the endorsements by Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben – they called it “a great” and “the best police procedural” respectively, made me buy this book. I am completely satisfied.

This is the second book in the series. Though it can be read as a standalone novel, I felt that starting from the first book would have provided better context. I shall explain this shortly.
The series is set in the English port city of Portsmouth and the author has done a pretty good job of describing the city, its people and the changes taking place.

The story has multiple investigations going on, and different detectives doggedly carry on with their own agenda or hunches, often bending the rules and protocol to achieve their goals.
Our protagonist, Faraday is a good detective, a good father and a bird-watcher. But he is not superhuman as Sherlock Holmes. It only makes him more relatable. He is grief-stricken by the death of a close colleague in a vehicular accident, and keeps meddling into the investigation. His notions of policing are often at odds with his “suits” type superiors who try to curry favour with big business. He is also learning French to better gel with his son’s French fiancée. He is also trying to make sense with the women in his life; his wife had passed away.

Then there is DC Paul Winter. From the blurb I mistook him to be a corrupt cop, but it turns out that he is just a bent cop who disregards the protocols to serve his own brand of justice. He is a survivor, but the author has shown his vulnerable side as well. A personal tragedy turns his life upside down, and he even seeks support from Faraday, even though they were not particularly close. They actually disliked each other, but a shared sense of loss can create a bonding based on empathy.

Anyway, Winter carries out his personal investigation, against official orders, into the disappearance of a disgraced gynecologist who had ruined the lives of many women but amassed a lot of wealth as well.

Also, there is DC Dawn Ellis who is doggedly trying to solve the case of a flasher in a Donald Duck mask.

There are many other characters, but I rather refrain now. I shall only say that the characters are well fleshed out and flawed – humans are not exactly infallible! It’s the truth.
I loved the justice served at the end. Won’t say anymore!

Initially the atmosphere was a bit bleak and melancholy, but it would gradually dissipate. If you like fancy car chases, gunfights and fistfights in your thrillers, then this is not the book for you.
Overall, it is a pretty realistic police procedural with good characterization, story plotting and a satisfying ending. I look forward to other books in the series.

If the story appeals to you, then you give it a try.

[gbi.silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They claimed to have priorities, lots of priorities, but in the end you got to realise there were so many that absolutely nothing got to the top of the heap."

[Ricardo · Rating 2 out of 5]

... Apareceu em má altura, depois de alguns muito bons livros.... Mas... Não deixaria de ser um mau livro... Mal escrito, demasiado confuso e sem sentido (mas sem sentido mesmo sem sentido... Não aquele sem sentido com sentido!!)... Mau demais, leitura na diagonal... Culpa do Zack!!! Boas leituras

[Pınar Sarıkaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graham Hurley daha once okumadigim bir yazar yanilmiyorsam ve temposu stabil eger ceviride bir hata yoksa ki orjinali ile ugrasirmiyim bilmiyorum sanki girisi bulmus,devamini bulamamis dur bakalim cikariz nasilsa bir yerden demis.Bir seferde bir ana hikaye iki yan hikayeyi kaldiramamis gibi geldi ki keske denemeseymis madem.Kitap tasarimi guzel ve surekli bir atraksiyon beklediginiz icin okunabilir bir roman diyebilirim ama sonunda kucaginizda koca bir eeeee??? kaliyor.Sanirim tavsiye edersem basinizi yakarim.

[Karen wadey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another brilliant book by Graham Hurley. I love the combination of Faraday and Winter and their extended lives outside of the police. The mix of police procedure and the location of Portsmouth gives these books an edge which is compared to the likes of McBride,Billingham and McDermid.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book in this English police procedural series and it was quite good. The two lead characters both have some interestingly rough edges and the supporting characters were also well drawn. The various plots were well constructed and I look forward to continuing on with this series.

[Tim Stell · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Take is certainly not a page turner. On several occasions I was on the point of giving up with it. I have read a number of the Graham Hurley detective series based around Portsmouth and I have enjoyed them but this book did not seem to have a central or focused story to keep your interest.

[David Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

My introduction to a new, previously unheard of Author, Graham Hurley (to me at least), thanks to my friends Joyce & Mike. Thank you both for a really great read, and more to come from Mr Hurley. I couldn’t put this book down!

[Geo Forman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hurley has developed a good cast of characters in this British police series. Most of the cops are bent to some degree but all are wanting to put bad guys out of circulation. Faraday, the main character, has his own sympathetic personal story which adds to the flavor of the novels

[The Villan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read but I’m not too sure of some of the investigative techniques used by certain officers would stand up in court
and seemed a bit too unrealistic. Like another reviewer I was also close to giving up on finishing the book towards the middle. Hurley is a great author though.

[Adam Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent crime novel, the second in this series. The plot is unusual and satisfyingly intricate and the characters all realistic and believable.

[Sall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good solid read, easy going and interesting in places

[Alan Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho-hum...

[Aras · Rating 4 out of 5]

the sun aint gonna shine anymore, the moon aint gonna rise in the sky

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to give this a 3.5. There is a lot going on in this book. It is mostly procedural.

[Alex Marriott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

[Tina Fulcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read in this series. Two story lines, keeping you gripped throughout. Winter does his own thing. A great ending. Highly recommended series.

[Bryngel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I shouldn't have. But I did. Shame on me. I will listen to my gut a lot more. That's a promise.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Filipa Batista · Rating 3 out of 5]

OPINIÃO NO BLOG!!

[I love books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Faraday sta affrontando un periodo difficile: dopo aver vissuto con difficoltà la separazione dal figlio JJ, la morte in un incidente stradale della sua assistente Vanessa Parry segna profondamente lo spirito dell’ispettore che, se da una parte sembra ormai aver fatto il callo all’alto tasso di criminalità della zona sotto la sua giurisdizione, dall’altra non riesce ad evitare di provare un senso di sconforto ogni volta che un nuovo caso va ad aggiungersi ai fascicoli che ingombrano la sua scrivania. Ed è proprio con un profondo sconforto che Faraday si mette ad indagare sull’ennesimo caso di aggressioni, caratterizzato però da un particolare: l’aggressore colpisce le sue vittime indossando una maschera di Paperino; ma i suoi superiori premono affinchè un altro caso venga risolto, la misteriosa sparizione di un ginecologo che ha attirato su di sé molto risentimento a causa della sua tragica incapacità nell’operare. Con l’aiuto dei suoi collaboratori Faraday si ritroverà in un vero e proprio ginepraio, riuscirà il detective a cavarsela anche questa volta?

Secondo capitolo della serie che ha per protagonista l’ispettore Joe Faraday, La preda accompagna per mano il lettore attraverso due indagini particolarmente delicate: la prima, chiamata “caso Paperino”, è affidata a Faraday e ai suoi collaboratori Dawn e Rick e deve smascherare il misterioso aggressore che, indossando appunto una maschera, compie atti osceni pubblicamente e arriva ad aggredire alcune donne; la seconda invece, affidata principalmente a Cathy e Winter, parte in sordina per poi esplodere come una bomba quando i detective scavano nel passato del ginecologo scomparso, scoprendo macabri particolari sulla sua attività. Entrambe riescono a catturare l’attenzione del lettore in egual misura e vengono sviluppate con incredibile maestria dall’autore, tanto che molto spesso credi di essere arrivato alla soluzione del caso per poi ritrovarti in un vicolo cieco, ma la cosa che più ho apprezzato di questo nuovo volume è stata la possibilità di approfondire la conoscenza di alcuni dei membri della squadra di Faraday. Ci ritroviamo con più di un protagonista, la storia personale dell’ispettore era stata raccontata nel precedente volume, così questa volta l’autore si è concentrato in particolare su due personaggi, Winter e Dawn; del detective dai modo non convenzionali ci viene mostrato il lato più umano e la sua paura di rimanere solo, di aver sprecato molti momenti preziosi e di aver dato per scontato la presenza della moglie, il suo lavoro è la sua valvola di sfogo ed è per questo motivo che spesso i suoi superiori si ritrovano a dover gestire le conseguenze dei suoi modi particolarmente bruschi. Dawn invece, essendo molto giovane, sente su di sé la pressione di dover dimostrare qualcosa a Faraday, di provare di saper svolgere il suo lavoro, cosa che la spinge a buttarsi in situazioni pericolose pur di risolvere un caso.
Oltre a questi particolari posso dire di aver preferito questo secondo volume anche per una maggior chiarezza nello svolgimento delle indagini, la lettura del precedente romanzo mi era sembrata più complicata, forse più macchinosa, mentre in questo caso i vari pezzi del puzzle sono scivolati ai loro posti in maniera chiara e inequivocabile.
Non mi stupisce che questa serie venga così apprezzata in patria!

Assolutamente consigliato!

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series sets up a juxtaposition of the "bad" cop Paul Winter against the "good" cop Joe Faraday. I guess we are supposed to like Faraday best, but, frankly, I'm not too fond of either of them at this point.

By the end of the first book in the series, "Turnstone" I thought I had begun to understand Faraday a bit and to like him, but he lost ground for me in this entry. He seems a bit of a chauvinist in his treatment of women, for starters. I mean, is it really necessary to call all of them "love"? Is that just a British thing? It seems the equivalent of an American detective calling all the women he meets "honey." Quite unappetizing.

As for Winter, well, we are supposed to feel sorry for him because his wife is dying of cancer and HE can't cope! So he leaves his dying wife alone while he goes out on a crusade against the bad guys. A crusade in which he will be judge, jury, and executioner. There's no argument that the bad guy that he selects for his crusade is a very bad guy indeed and deserves everything that happens to him. But Winter's wife "deserves" nothing of what is happening to her. She gets my sympathy. Winter, not so much.

The women detectives in these stories come somewhat closer to being complete human beings and sympathetic characters, or is that just because I am a woman? Am I being a female chauvinist reader?

The crimes that the unit is investigating this time around are sexual crimes against women. The fact that some of the crimes take place in a surgical theater while the victims are under anesthesia just makes them all the more revolting.

Hurley is a promising writer and I am assured that the NEXT entry in this series is the best so far, and so I will read on, because I really want to like Joe Faraday, but I have to say this one was just a bit disappointing.

[Sorcha · Rating 3 out of 5]

For DI Joe Faraday, the funeral of a young colleague, killed in a head-on car crash, is a bitter end to another grim week. And now the seemingly untouchable Detective Paul Winter, master of the scam, has been hurt in a way he could never have imagined. But there’s no time for grief in a CID squad. A disgraced gynecologist is missing, and his caseload of maimed women is a murder-suspect list from hell. It’s an impossible workload, and if that wasn’t enough, the politicians and the suits are about to make Faraday’s life even harder

Second Faraday book (Turnstone being the first), this is an easy read, although I'm still uncertain about this series. Whilst labelled as a "Faraday" book (and who is becoming an interesting and enjoyable character), the book gives as much attention to Paul Winter, the police man happy, willing and able to go out on his own for days on end with no recourse as to what he's been doing and how he has got the results he has. There are multiple stories going along and some are given so little relevance (Vanessa's absence from the office could have been explained away by her getting married, rather than murdered in an RTA), and sometimes I wonder why he bothered on some plot lines, when focus could have been placed on the bigger stories.

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

The crimes in this book do not make the mad mayhem list - a flasher dressed as Donald Duck, an inept surgeon hacking women's lady parts and leaving them in misery, the disappearance of both a publican and the aforementioned surgeon. I wanted to like the characters, but found this story somewhat tedious to follow, and the characters weren't doing it for me. Faraday comes across as still distant after young colleague Vanessa's death in a car accident, and Paul Winter can't cope with his wife's terminal cancer diagnosis. The female police characters come across as efficient, at least. I will have to look at reviews of the next book to determine if I will continue reading them.

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in the DI Faraday series - an excellent police procedural story. But - the author keeps the main characters at such a distance that it is difficult to get truly involved. It is the kind of book you can read for a bit then put down for an indeterminate amount of time without ever wondering what the next paragraph is about, how the chapter ends, how the book ends - very weird! Fingers crossed that the rest of the books in the DI Faraday series are more like the 1st(in the series) than the 2nd.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The point of view changes pretty constantly - sometimes two or three times in a page turn - which gives the reader a fuller overview of what each police officer is up to but makes it harder to enjoy if you're reading for a long spell (like in bed for the day with the flu).
The characters feel genuine and I'd definitely like to know more about them. Great sense of place too. Overall I'd definitely read more by Graham Hurley.

[Ice Bear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Squeezed into the category of Holiday Read. Having read the self promotion on the first few pages of this book I was looking forward to meeting our detective and his cast. The plot(s) were thin and meandered. The environment pastel, neither dark & mysterious or colourful & lively. I wonder how much the critics received for their misleading comments. Sorry not for me.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several of this series now although not in order - and I continue to like them at lot (although not a 4 star read, perhaps because they don't rise above the detective genre). The characters have become familiar so it is a bit of a soap opera. I don't know Portsmouth at all, but I am beginning to feel as if I do. A lovely sense of place.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

As ever, there are several plotlines: the death of a colleague in a head-on collision, bitter news for the detective who doesn't play by the rules Paul Winter , and testing times for a disgraced gynagologist. Plot and characters are carefully drawn and realised. As ever, a rattling good read, perfect for the wee small hours when sleep seems impossible.

[Spuddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great second effort in this UK cop series. I am, however, going to take some time between reading this one and the next...I sense some patterns to the first two that could begin to be tedious if read too close together.