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Pearson & Russell #1
Burned and Broken
An enigmatic policeman - currently the subject of an internal investigation - is found burned to death in his car on the Southend sea front.
A vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.
As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery that surrounds their colleague's death, they're under intense pressure to crack the case without damaging the force's reputation.
When a dramatic turn of events casts a whole new light on both cases, the way forward is far from clear. Were the victims connected in some way? And just how much should Pearson and Russell reveal to their bosses as they begin to unearth some dark secrets that the force would rather keep buried?
Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.
A vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.
As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery that surrounds their colleague's death, they're under intense pressure to crack the case without damaging the force's reputation.
When a dramatic turn of events casts a whole new light on both cases, the way forward is far from clear. Were the victims connected in some way? And just how much should Pearson and Russell reveal to their bosses as they begin to unearth some dark secrets that the force would rather keep buried?
Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.
- GenresMystery
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 23, 2016
29 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
June 13, 2016
This is a bleak, gritty and atmospheric crime story set in Southend on Sea. It depicts a declining seaside town in all its tawdry and seedy entity. The novel is split into three parts. Part one charts the discovery of a burned out car, with a cop, DI Sean Carragher, dead inside it. We go back a few days to meet events and characters prior to this incident. Part two gives us the picture of the investigation led by Frank Pearson and Catherine Russell. Part three takes us to the reveal of what happened. A technique reminescent of that used in crime dramas like True Detective means you find yourself at the same scenarios later in the book, to uncover another layer to the story. There is another mystery to resolve, the death of Alicia Goode which Donna is convinced was a murder and has been ruled an accident.
Cat Russell is being interviewed by Professional Standards DI Ferguson about her boss, DI Sean Carragher who is not turning up for work. She finds herself being loyal to Sean and being less than truthful about him. It appears he is corrupt, with problems in expenses, intimidates and assaults suspects and others. Despite numerous attempts to contact Sean, Cat cannot get hold of him. Frank Pearson is experiencing ill health and living under the possibility that he has cancer. Donna, has recently left the care system is disturbed, and having conversations with the late Alicia, who was her best friend. She has acquired an obsessive friend, Malcolm. The case is closely observed.by the police hierarchy to ensure that it does not bring the force into disrepute and the attendant bad publicity.
Cat and Frank investigate and make unsavoury discoveries of a cop who it seems is corrupt and takes drugs. The trail takes in the apparent suicide of the former head of a local care home for young people, and the fortunes of a grubby club with a history of burning down and surviving by pandering to underage drinkers and employs lap dancers. There is Sean's neighbour who views him in a positive light. There are twists that emerge as the story continues. Nothing is as it seems and the truth is slowly revealed.
There is a damning indictment of the care system, and those who abuse the young people. Mark Hardie paints a vivid description of the inhabitants of a sector of a dying seaside town and the nature of a police investigation into one of their own. The characters feel intensely real and capture your interest. I found it a compelling and claustrophobic story which felt authentic. Recommended Read. Thanks to Little, Brown books for an ARC.
Cat Russell is being interviewed by Professional Standards DI Ferguson about her boss, DI Sean Carragher who is not turning up for work. She finds herself being loyal to Sean and being less than truthful about him. It appears he is corrupt, with problems in expenses, intimidates and assaults suspects and others. Despite numerous attempts to contact Sean, Cat cannot get hold of him. Frank Pearson is experiencing ill health and living under the possibility that he has cancer. Donna, has recently left the care system is disturbed, and having conversations with the late Alicia, who was her best friend. She has acquired an obsessive friend, Malcolm. The case is closely observed.by the police hierarchy to ensure that it does not bring the force into disrepute and the attendant bad publicity.
Cat and Frank investigate and make unsavoury discoveries of a cop who it seems is corrupt and takes drugs. The trail takes in the apparent suicide of the former head of a local care home for young people, and the fortunes of a grubby club with a history of burning down and surviving by pandering to underage drinkers and employs lap dancers. There is Sean's neighbour who views him in a positive light. There are twists that emerge as the story continues. Nothing is as it seems and the truth is slowly revealed.
There is a damning indictment of the care system, and those who abuse the young people. Mark Hardie paints a vivid description of the inhabitants of a sector of a dying seaside town and the nature of a police investigation into one of their own. The characters feel intensely real and capture your interest. I found it a compelling and claustrophobic story which felt authentic. Recommended Read. Thanks to Little, Brown books for an ARC.
February 6, 2017
Burned and Broken is a detective/thriller novel, set in Southend, Essex. It is written in three parts.
Part one opens with a badly burned body found in a car, that has just been identified as Detective Inspector Sean Carragher. We are then taken back four days, leading up to his death.
During these four days, we are introduced to Donna, who has just come out of the care system. Donna’s friend Abigail has recently been found dead. The police don’t believe that it was murder, but Donna doesn’t agree and sets out on a mission to discover the truth, with the help of her little friend, Malc.
It is also during these four days that it is revealed that DI Carragher was under investigation for corruption. DS Cat Russell, his partner, has also found herself under investigation, as the leading officer on the case doesn’t believe she didn’t know what her colleague was up to.
In part two we are taken back to the present day, where DI Frank Pearson and DS Cat Russell, are investigating the death of DI Carragher. It is during this time, that the two cases may just find themselves entangled, but how?
The book is an interesting thriller that held me captivated. It is a complicated story, with lots of twists, and how the two cases were joined really did surprise me. The characters had depth to them, and were likeable, and I often found myself sympathising with some of them.
Its by no means a fast-paced thriller, though it’s a thriller that delves deep into the plot, and not race along. It will keep you guessing until the very end, and then shock you with the verdict.
This is a sure-fire debut, and I can’t wait to see where Mark will go with a sequel.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Part one opens with a badly burned body found in a car, that has just been identified as Detective Inspector Sean Carragher. We are then taken back four days, leading up to his death.
During these four days, we are introduced to Donna, who has just come out of the care system. Donna’s friend Abigail has recently been found dead. The police don’t believe that it was murder, but Donna doesn’t agree and sets out on a mission to discover the truth, with the help of her little friend, Malc.
It is also during these four days that it is revealed that DI Carragher was under investigation for corruption. DS Cat Russell, his partner, has also found herself under investigation, as the leading officer on the case doesn’t believe she didn’t know what her colleague was up to.
In part two we are taken back to the present day, where DI Frank Pearson and DS Cat Russell, are investigating the death of DI Carragher. It is during this time, that the two cases may just find themselves entangled, but how?
The book is an interesting thriller that held me captivated. It is a complicated story, with lots of twists, and how the two cases were joined really did surprise me. The characters had depth to them, and were likeable, and I often found myself sympathising with some of them.
Its by no means a fast-paced thriller, though it’s a thriller that delves deep into the plot, and not race along. It will keep you guessing until the very end, and then shock you with the verdict.
This is a sure-fire debut, and I can’t wait to see where Mark will go with a sequel.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
January 20, 2017
A dead girl. A murdered policeman . A crime worth killing for? The charred body of a policeman is found in the burnt-out car. A vulnerable young woman fresh out of the care system is trying to find out the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend. Will she be able to get the truth that she is looking for? It all happens in this gripping novel. I loved the sticker on the front of this cover which says Love this or your money back. I certainly loved reading Burned And Broken by Mark Hardie. I think a lot of readers are going to love this book too. I can’t honestly see anyone wanting their money back. What’s even more special about this author Mark Hardie is that he began writing full time after losing his eyesight in 2002. He has even completed a creative writing course and an advanced creative writing course at the Open University, both with distinction.
September 5, 2017
As a crime fan did this book look very promising. A policeman that is found in a burnt-out car and a young woman that's trying to solve the death of a friend of hers. Intriguing. There are several POV, we have for instance Donna, the young girl that's trying to find someone to help her solve her friend Alicia's death. We also get to follow DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine "Cat" Russell, as they try to solve the murdered policeman's death.
The book starts off first with a prologue where a man is awakening in a car before it goes up in flame and then it's a time jump and we get to follow Frank Pearson arriving at the burnt-out car and is notified that it's Sean Carragher's car and that's probably him in the car. Then, we go back in time, four days earlier and get to follow the main characters as the story progress towards the unavoidable death in the car and what happens after that.
I found the book both interesting, but also a bit hard to take in. My main problem was that neither Frank Pearson nor Cat Russell made a big impression on me. Donna, however, was the one that I felt most for at the same time was I curious about her mental state. She did seem to be a bit troubled and could she have anything to do with Sean Carragher's death? In the beginning was it hard to figure out where all the different storylines had to do with each other. Why is Sean Carragher under investigations? Does Cat know more than she lets on? Was Alicia murdered? And, what's up with Frank Pearson brother-in-law? And, how is it all connected? Is it all connected?
Burned and Broken was an interesting book. I really liked that I did not see the ending coming. I would have liked to have connected more with the Frank and Cat, but I felt that they just didn't resonate with me, but thankfully the story made up for that.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
The book starts off first with a prologue where a man is awakening in a car before it goes up in flame and then it's a time jump and we get to follow Frank Pearson arriving at the burnt-out car and is notified that it's Sean Carragher's car and that's probably him in the car. Then, we go back in time, four days earlier and get to follow the main characters as the story progress towards the unavoidable death in the car and what happens after that.
I found the book both interesting, but also a bit hard to take in. My main problem was that neither Frank Pearson nor Cat Russell made a big impression on me. Donna, however, was the one that I felt most for at the same time was I curious about her mental state. She did seem to be a bit troubled and could she have anything to do with Sean Carragher's death? In the beginning was it hard to figure out where all the different storylines had to do with each other. Why is Sean Carragher under investigations? Does Cat know more than she lets on? Was Alicia murdered? And, what's up with Frank Pearson brother-in-law? And, how is it all connected? Is it all connected?
Burned and Broken was an interesting book. I really liked that I did not see the ending coming. I would have liked to have connected more with the Frank and Cat, but I felt that they just didn't resonate with me, but thankfully the story made up for that.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
January 23, 2017
I’m a huge Peter James fan so was very keen to read this new author who is being recommended if you enjoy those styles of crime thrillers. The story is set in Southend on Sea but to be honest it could have been anywhere as I didn’t get a sense of place as I do when I read about Brighton in the Roy Grace novels. Saying that, I think this series has got off to a good start and it will be interesting to see if the setting develops further now that the characters have been introduced to the reader.
This book actually starts with one of the best openers I’ve seen this year so far. In a short tension filled prologue, we meet a police officer who has just had a car crash and his growing horror as he realises the car is about to catch fire. We then skip back 4 days to meet DS Frank Pearson who is trying to work through health problems but these will eventually need to be out aside as he investigates the death of his colleague, joined by DC Cat Russell. There was another thread running throughout the plot where a young girl just released from care is looking into the death of her friend Alicia and gradually these stories are set on a collision course for a shocking finale.
I thought that although the start and finish of this book were brilliantly gripping and involving, it lost its way slightly in the middle. There is absolutely no doubt that Mark Hardie can write an intelligent and articulate crime thriller and I found that I really enjoyed the conversational prose but wish there had been more of a balance between that and the descriptive writing in the middle. It hasn’t put me off trying the next book by this author though as I definitely felt a connection to Frank Pearson and would be interested in seeing how his character develops in the series.
This book actually starts with one of the best openers I’ve seen this year so far. In a short tension filled prologue, we meet a police officer who has just had a car crash and his growing horror as he realises the car is about to catch fire. We then skip back 4 days to meet DS Frank Pearson who is trying to work through health problems but these will eventually need to be out aside as he investigates the death of his colleague, joined by DC Cat Russell. There was another thread running throughout the plot where a young girl just released from care is looking into the death of her friend Alicia and gradually these stories are set on a collision course for a shocking finale.
I thought that although the start and finish of this book were brilliantly gripping and involving, it lost its way slightly in the middle. There is absolutely no doubt that Mark Hardie can write an intelligent and articulate crime thriller and I found that I really enjoyed the conversational prose but wish there had been more of a balance between that and the descriptive writing in the middle. It hasn’t put me off trying the next book by this author though as I definitely felt a connection to Frank Pearson and would be interested in seeing how his character develops in the series.
January 24, 2017
Burned and Broken is the authors debut novel and as debut’s go it shows a lot of potential from the author.
The story gets off to a good start with a man being burned alive in his car. You certainly don’t come across starts like that every day. It certainly grabbed my attention straight away.
The story flicks between Donna who is looking for revenge for the death of her friend Alice and the police who are investigating one of their owns death.
I have to admit that the parts with Donna in just didn’t grab me for some reason. I’m not sure if it was because she could see her dead friend or that I just didn’t find her very likeable, either way I did kind of drift off and struggled to stay focused. The parts with the police investigation were a lot more interesting and enjoyable and when it all comes together towards the end, the story really picked up again for me.
I can’t say I loved Burned and Broken, which to be fair it’s not that often that the first book in a series blows me away anyway, I did enjoy most of it though. It certainly starts off strong and finished strong, it was was just the in between that didn’t quite grab me as much as I would have liked for this genre. Saying that though I think for a debut and the first in a new series, it’s one that will more than likely go from strength to strength and would certainly read more by the author.
My thanks to Clara and Little Brown Book Group for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The story gets off to a good start with a man being burned alive in his car. You certainly don’t come across starts like that every day. It certainly grabbed my attention straight away.
The story flicks between Donna who is looking for revenge for the death of her friend Alice and the police who are investigating one of their owns death.
I have to admit that the parts with Donna in just didn’t grab me for some reason. I’m not sure if it was because she could see her dead friend or that I just didn’t find her very likeable, either way I did kind of drift off and struggled to stay focused. The parts with the police investigation were a lot more interesting and enjoyable and when it all comes together towards the end, the story really picked up again for me.
I can’t say I loved Burned and Broken, which to be fair it’s not that often that the first book in a series blows me away anyway, I did enjoy most of it though. It certainly starts off strong and finished strong, it was was just the in between that didn’t quite grab me as much as I would have liked for this genre. Saying that though I think for a debut and the first in a new series, it’s one that will more than likely go from strength to strength and would certainly read more by the author.
My thanks to Clara and Little Brown Book Group for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
May 9, 2017
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The cover on my copy of this novel states that it will be perfect for fans of Peter James. As a huge Peter James fan, I was instantly intrigued, wondering if this would be true…
It definitely is!
Burned and Broken is a well-written novel with its fair share of grit and mystery, which follows Southend’s police force as they investigate an array of recent crimes, seemingly separate but perhaps linked in some way – and one of these involves the murder of Detective Inspector Carragher. When it’s one of their own, the stakes are always higher.
Burned and Broken had various elements I love ina well-written crime novel: excellent characters, interesting crimes and suspects with plenty to hide. There are police who aren’t as squeaky clean as they should be, investigations that perhaps weren’t carried out as thoroughly as they should have been, and opinions by some of the force that aren’t so politically correct. It makes you realise that not everything in the police (and indeed the outside world, too) is quite as it seems, and I loved the twists and turns the novel presented.
The story jumps back and forth in time a little, and I love narratives that do this. We know at the beginning of the novel that D.I Sean Carragher has been killed, but as we go four days back in time we start to unravel what exactly he – and the other characters – were hiding, working back up to the present day. It’s told from the perspective of various different people, too, giving a great overview of events (instead of just from the police’s point of view as is the case with many other crime novels). I found the narrative from the point of view of Donna, a girl just out of the social care system, really interesting – in fact, the whole plot continued to completely absorb me throughout, well-paced and intriguing as it was.
The story is easy to follow without being too simple, and the novel really manages to evoke a sense of atmosphere and reality within its pages. I didn’t find myself becoming distracted whilst reading at all, and raced through it in hours. I will certainly be reading any future novels, particularly in this series which I wholeheartedly enjoyed.
Definitely recommended for fans of well-written crime, or in fact anyone who fancies reading an excellent debut!
Many thanks to Sphere for providing a copy of this novel.
The cover on my copy of this novel states that it will be perfect for fans of Peter James. As a huge Peter James fan, I was instantly intrigued, wondering if this would be true…
It definitely is!
Burned and Broken is a well-written novel with its fair share of grit and mystery, which follows Southend’s police force as they investigate an array of recent crimes, seemingly separate but perhaps linked in some way – and one of these involves the murder of Detective Inspector Carragher. When it’s one of their own, the stakes are always higher.
Burned and Broken had various elements I love ina well-written crime novel: excellent characters, interesting crimes and suspects with plenty to hide. There are police who aren’t as squeaky clean as they should be, investigations that perhaps weren’t carried out as thoroughly as they should have been, and opinions by some of the force that aren’t so politically correct. It makes you realise that not everything in the police (and indeed the outside world, too) is quite as it seems, and I loved the twists and turns the novel presented.
The story jumps back and forth in time a little, and I love narratives that do this. We know at the beginning of the novel that D.I Sean Carragher has been killed, but as we go four days back in time we start to unravel what exactly he – and the other characters – were hiding, working back up to the present day. It’s told from the perspective of various different people, too, giving a great overview of events (instead of just from the police’s point of view as is the case with many other crime novels). I found the narrative from the point of view of Donna, a girl just out of the social care system, really interesting – in fact, the whole plot continued to completely absorb me throughout, well-paced and intriguing as it was.
The story is easy to follow without being too simple, and the novel really manages to evoke a sense of atmosphere and reality within its pages. I didn’t find myself becoming distracted whilst reading at all, and raced through it in hours. I will certainly be reading any future novels, particularly in this series which I wholeheartedly enjoyed.
Definitely recommended for fans of well-written crime, or in fact anyone who fancies reading an excellent debut!
Many thanks to Sphere for providing a copy of this novel.
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November 14, 2021My review was first posted on Northern Plunder, you can read more of my reviews there too.
I recieved a copy of this book for review from the publisher to take part in the book tour, which I'm super thankful for but this has no way influenced my opinions on this book.
It has been forever since I've read any books in the crime genre and I think I've finally accepted that science-fiction and fantasy are my favourite genres. However, the synopsis of Burned and Broken really appealed to me so I gave it a shot.
Burned and Broken starts with a prologue which features Sean waking up and burning alive in his car. Its definitely a way to catch your attention and make you wonder whats going on and how did he get there? It really hooked me.
Part One
This section of the book takes place a few days before Sean passed away. This allow the author to set the scene with the events that lead up to that point - but not the actual moment of his death. It sets the story. Introduces the different characters.
And most importantly, has different points of view for the story. For me this really helped the story as if I wasn't fond of a particular narrator it wasn't too bad as I knew they weren't the p.o.v for the whole story. I didn't dislike reading any of the p.o.v just it was clear that Donna and Cat were my favourites.
I enjoyed reading Donna's story because she's a troubled teen and this left me questioning why everything was such a blur for her, why she was hallucinating her dead friend, and what else went on in her life prior to loosing Alicia.
Cat's part of the story was interesting as her partner Sean is currently under investigation by a different branch of the police department for something she's not sure of and she choosing to give a little lie here and there because she's not sure if he was ever violent, she's not sure if he was doing things he shouldn't as she had no hard evidence. He was also her superior and if everything went badly, how would what she says about him change her life on the police force? I think the dilemma she faces is a very real one and I was intrigued to see what the outcome of her decisions were, as well as if her doubts about Sean's character were correct.
But overall I found this section to be the slowest paced part for me and I lost a bit of interst here and there as I just wanted to get some answers.
Part Two
The story started moving at a much quicker pace during this section, or at least thats how it felt for me. I preferred this part because all the set up had been done. It was now time to join all the dots, to start finding the out most of the answers.
So basically all the characters stories start to entwine during this part. It starts with Sean's death and the fallout from this. The arrival on scene, the identifying of the burnt body, the noticing of the skull fracture. It was all very intersting.
I really enjoyed how it became clear Donna wasn't just some little extra side story. That Sean had been the one investigating her friends death, that he'd been the one investigating other characters that had appeared throughout.
But this also is when the book started talking about things I didn't like. The first was that when Cat was presented with the knowledge that Sean had sexually assault women in the past but charges were dropped she was so confused why these allegations had ever happened as Sean had confided in her that he was gay. No one believes Cat, or had any indication that this may be the case. But it was their reactions to finding out a fellow police man may have been gay which made me feel a bit sick. It was full blown homophobia, it was that "oh but how would the public handle this knowledge if they found out" the whole "its not me, its them" that would have the issue. It really didn't sit well with me, not to mention that if he was gay then he was the only clear gay character and he was burned alive.
Its also at this point we find out that Sean had problems with gambling, drug taking, and an all round bit of a knob. Too harsh with words in interviews, too forcefull with surveillance, too many headbutts and fisticufts here and there. So y'know not only is our (possibly) gay male killed, he's also Not Great.
I mentioned that Sean was the only character who was possibly gay, the other that falls into this category is Donna. Its not clear what Donna's sexuality is, she mostly only interacted with men or made comment on men, however it seems her relationship with Alicia before her death was intense so I'm very certain Donna was queer on some level. So hooray some maybe (queerbaiting?) inclusion in a book. Donna is also pretty unstable too so eh its not like that was a glowing portrayal either.
Part Three
This is the smallest section of the book and also the fastest paced in my opinion. A lot happened in the last 100 (?) pages and this made up for the slowness of part one. At this point I had started connecting some dots before the narrative made them clear which I think indicates a well told story that laid out all the facts and clues for you to piece it together. There were still a few elements that were carefully hidden so you didn't guess it all so there was still some surprises.
But this part also had some other portrayals I wasn't happy with. Two people with mental health issues ending up being villainised by the tabloids. I dunno, I'm just kind of fed up of mental health being this taboo thing where the only outcome is for them to be seen as a villain rather than someone who needs help. But this is why I liked Cat, she provided a balance to this ugliness we face because she's the one who pointed out what the likely mental illness' were they had and said they needed to see a phsychiatrist. She didn't point blame.
There is still a bigger bad guy imo in the book and he manages to get away at the end. However, this is addressed and leaves it open as if there will be a sequal in which Cat and Frank will probably team up again to capture him and bring down his gross af business.
So overall, I mostly enjoyed this book. It wasn't an all time favourite. It was a mostly quick crime read. I've already passed my copy along to my dad who is way more into crime than I am as of late and who isn't as caring about how queer people are portrayed so I think it'll be intersting to hear his view on it - which I'll happily share whenever he does read it.
I recieved a copy of this book for review from the publisher to take part in the book tour, which I'm super thankful for but this has no way influenced my opinions on this book.
It has been forever since I've read any books in the crime genre and I think I've finally accepted that science-fiction and fantasy are my favourite genres. However, the synopsis of Burned and Broken really appealed to me so I gave it a shot.
Burned and Broken starts with a prologue which features Sean waking up and burning alive in his car. Its definitely a way to catch your attention and make you wonder whats going on and how did he get there? It really hooked me.
Part One
This section of the book takes place a few days before Sean passed away. This allow the author to set the scene with the events that lead up to that point - but not the actual moment of his death. It sets the story. Introduces the different characters.
And most importantly, has different points of view for the story. For me this really helped the story as if I wasn't fond of a particular narrator it wasn't too bad as I knew they weren't the p.o.v for the whole story. I didn't dislike reading any of the p.o.v just it was clear that Donna and Cat were my favourites.
I enjoyed reading Donna's story because she's a troubled teen and this left me questioning why everything was such a blur for her, why she was hallucinating her dead friend, and what else went on in her life prior to loosing Alicia.
Cat's part of the story was interesting as her partner Sean is currently under investigation by a different branch of the police department for something she's not sure of and she choosing to give a little lie here and there because she's not sure if he was ever violent, she's not sure if he was doing things he shouldn't as she had no hard evidence. He was also her superior and if everything went badly, how would what she says about him change her life on the police force? I think the dilemma she faces is a very real one and I was intrigued to see what the outcome of her decisions were, as well as if her doubts about Sean's character were correct.
But overall I found this section to be the slowest paced part for me and I lost a bit of interst here and there as I just wanted to get some answers.
Part Two
The story started moving at a much quicker pace during this section, or at least thats how it felt for me. I preferred this part because all the set up had been done. It was now time to join all the dots, to start finding the out most of the answers.
So basically all the characters stories start to entwine during this part. It starts with Sean's death and the fallout from this. The arrival on scene, the identifying of the burnt body, the noticing of the skull fracture. It was all very intersting.
I really enjoyed how it became clear Donna wasn't just some little extra side story. That Sean had been the one investigating her friends death, that he'd been the one investigating other characters that had appeared throughout.
But this also is when the book started talking about things I didn't like. The first was that when Cat was presented with the knowledge that Sean had sexually assault women in the past but charges were dropped she was so confused why these allegations had ever happened as Sean had confided in her that he was gay. No one believes Cat, or had any indication that this may be the case. But it was their reactions to finding out a fellow police man may have been gay which made me feel a bit sick. It was full blown homophobia, it was that "oh but how would the public handle this knowledge if they found out" the whole "its not me, its them" that would have the issue. It really didn't sit well with me, not to mention that if he was gay then he was the only clear gay character and he was burned alive.
Its also at this point we find out that Sean had problems with gambling, drug taking, and an all round bit of a knob. Too harsh with words in interviews, too forcefull with surveillance, too many headbutts and fisticufts here and there. So y'know not only is our (possibly) gay male killed, he's also Not Great.
I mentioned that Sean was the only character who was possibly gay, the other that falls into this category is Donna. Its not clear what Donna's sexuality is, she mostly only interacted with men or made comment on men, however it seems her relationship with Alicia before her death was intense so I'm very certain Donna was queer on some level. So hooray some maybe (queerbaiting?) inclusion in a book. Donna is also pretty unstable too so eh its not like that was a glowing portrayal either.
Part Three
This is the smallest section of the book and also the fastest paced in my opinion. A lot happened in the last 100 (?) pages and this made up for the slowness of part one. At this point I had started connecting some dots before the narrative made them clear which I think indicates a well told story that laid out all the facts and clues for you to piece it together. There were still a few elements that were carefully hidden so you didn't guess it all so there was still some surprises.
But this part also had some other portrayals I wasn't happy with. Two people with mental health issues ending up being villainised by the tabloids. I dunno, I'm just kind of fed up of mental health being this taboo thing where the only outcome is for them to be seen as a villain rather than someone who needs help. But this is why I liked Cat, she provided a balance to this ugliness we face because she's the one who pointed out what the likely mental illness' were they had and said they needed to see a phsychiatrist. She didn't point blame.
There is still a bigger bad guy imo in the book and he manages to get away at the end. However, this is addressed and leaves it open as if there will be a sequal in which Cat and Frank will probably team up again to capture him and bring down his gross af business.
So overall, I mostly enjoyed this book. It wasn't an all time favourite. It was a mostly quick crime read. I've already passed my copy along to my dad who is way more into crime than I am as of late and who isn't as caring about how queer people are portrayed so I think it'll be intersting to hear his view on it - which I'll happily share whenever he does read it.
March 19, 2017
Time taken to read - 2 days
Publisher - Sphere
Pages - 368
Blurb from Goodreads
An enigmatic policeman - currently the subject of an internal investigation - is found burned to death in his car on the Southend sea front.
A vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.
As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery that surrounds their colleague's death, they're under intense pressure to crack the case without damaging the force's reputation.
When a dramatic turn of events casts a whole new light on both cases, the way forward is far from clear. Were the victims connected in some way? And just how much should Pearson and Russell reveal to their bosses as they begin to unearth some dark secrets that the force would rather keep buried?
Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.
My Review
The opening chapter pulls you in as we find a man, coming to in a car just before he is burned to death. Rewind to four days previous and we find ourselves becoming acquainted with Donna Freeman, desperately trying to get to the bottom of her friend Alicia's death. No one is taking her seriously but she knows Alicia was murdered and won't rest until justice is done. The police are investigating the body in a burned out car, which turns out to be one of their own. Whilst the cases appear to be completely unrelated as the reader is drawn in we find both are linked, secrets will be uncovered and just how much impact a death can have on an individual.
So for me the book kicks off great, immediately captures your attention and you delve into a death. Then we focus heavily on Donna, she is in the heart of the story, so desperate to uncover the truth she finds herself in dangerous situations and perverts everywhere. The book also takes a stab at mental health, the reader sees how much impact the loss of Alicia has on Donna, she sees Alicia's ghost and has general decline as her obsession grows.
The police investigation itself I thought was certainly more engaging whilst the Donna parts, whilst interesting, were slower and had less pace. For a debut novel I think it is a great start and I look forward to more in the series, 3.5 stars for me this time. Thanks to the publisher for introducing me to a new author, all views are my own.
Publisher - Sphere
Pages - 368
Blurb from Goodreads
An enigmatic policeman - currently the subject of an internal investigation - is found burned to death in his car on the Southend sea front.
A vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.
As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery that surrounds their colleague's death, they're under intense pressure to crack the case without damaging the force's reputation.
When a dramatic turn of events casts a whole new light on both cases, the way forward is far from clear. Were the victims connected in some way? And just how much should Pearson and Russell reveal to their bosses as they begin to unearth some dark secrets that the force would rather keep buried?
Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.
My Review
The opening chapter pulls you in as we find a man, coming to in a car just before he is burned to death. Rewind to four days previous and we find ourselves becoming acquainted with Donna Freeman, desperately trying to get to the bottom of her friend Alicia's death. No one is taking her seriously but she knows Alicia was murdered and won't rest until justice is done. The police are investigating the body in a burned out car, which turns out to be one of their own. Whilst the cases appear to be completely unrelated as the reader is drawn in we find both are linked, secrets will be uncovered and just how much impact a death can have on an individual.
So for me the book kicks off great, immediately captures your attention and you delve into a death. Then we focus heavily on Donna, she is in the heart of the story, so desperate to uncover the truth she finds herself in dangerous situations and perverts everywhere. The book also takes a stab at mental health, the reader sees how much impact the loss of Alicia has on Donna, she sees Alicia's ghost and has general decline as her obsession grows.
The police investigation itself I thought was certainly more engaging whilst the Donna parts, whilst interesting, were slower and had less pace. For a debut novel I think it is a great start and I look forward to more in the series, 3.5 stars for me this time. Thanks to the publisher for introducing me to a new author, all views are my own.
June 3, 2017
This was a weird one. It's multiple point of view by two police involved that includes a lot of stuff about several other police as well as chapters voiced by a young, obviously troubled girl. It all gets a bit messy
The female policewoman is easy to see as is the young girl but there's nothing to distinguish all the men so it wasn't until about 60% into the book when 4 of them were in a room together I could work out who was who. And that makes it hard to care for them. The victim is a fellow police officer described as a potential villain with seemingly no redeeming qualities, on the take and potentially violent. So why should I care someone had enough and offed him?
The plot itself isn't too bad. I liked how it actually took until about half way through for things to start making sense. It's a little old fashioned really as there's very little forensic work. It's all about talking to people and worming out nuggets of information until the lightbulb moment. In fact there isn't a lightbulb as the murderer (sort of) is caught by doing something stupid in a public place. Something foreshadowed a but early on in the story.
It's a decent read, doesn't tax the brain too much, I would just have liked a reason to care about the characters just that little bit more.
Free netgalley ARC
The female policewoman is easy to see as is the young girl but there's nothing to distinguish all the men so it wasn't until about 60% into the book when 4 of them were in a room together I could work out who was who. And that makes it hard to care for them. The victim is a fellow police officer described as a potential villain with seemingly no redeeming qualities, on the take and potentially violent. So why should I care someone had enough and offed him?
The plot itself isn't too bad. I liked how it actually took until about half way through for things to start making sense. It's a little old fashioned really as there's very little forensic work. It's all about talking to people and worming out nuggets of information until the lightbulb moment. In fact there isn't a lightbulb as the murderer (sort of) is caught by doing something stupid in a public place. Something foreshadowed a but early on in the story.
It's a decent read, doesn't tax the brain too much, I would just have liked a reason to care about the characters just that little bit more.
Free netgalley ARC
February 2, 2017
Really enjoyed the way these two police officers work together and what seemed to me to be a realistic portrayal of police procedure. Just one small point irritated me at the start and that was switching between first names on one page eg Catherine and on the next using her surname so she would be called Russell. For a while I thought there was a character called Russell who I'd missed and kept flipping back to check. That aside, I enjoyed the story and especially how all the elements came together at the end. The references to the Minotaur left me wondering too but eventually it all made sense. Different from the usual run of the mill crime stories.
August 22, 2021
I’m struggling to start this book if I’m honest...I can see it’s gonna take me a while to get into it. Going through this trauma in my life and PTSD it’s really made me not be able to focus enough to read. I hate this life Im having at the moment. It’s just so hard. 😞
October 10, 2019
A good but at times rather bleak crime novel with two stories running alongside, the death of a police officer & the murder of a young woman. DS Frank Pearson & DC Cat Russell are the police investigating the death of their colleague. I found these two main characters are quite likeable & I daresay as the series continues they would become more & more so. At this stage (#1 in the series), I don't feel I've got to know them well enough to really judge their personalities.
The dead police officer was being pressured by another young woman, Donna, to investigate the murder of her friend. Donna is a vulnerable character with problems of her (what was with the white make-up? Did I miss or misunderstand something there?) Her story had a slightly different tone to it, reminiscent of Martina Cole's to my mind & of whom I'm not fond. Still it was in keeping with the girl's temperament.
The story is quite twisty although there's nothing that will come as a surprise (not to a seasoned crime thriller addict anyway!) & it all links up nicely to a satisfying conclusion.
Not a bad read at all overall. I'll read more if I happen upon them but at this point it's not a series I'll be actively following.
The dead police officer was being pressured by another young woman, Donna, to investigate the murder of her friend. Donna is a vulnerable character with problems of her (what was with the white make-up? Did I miss or misunderstand something there?) Her story had a slightly different tone to it, reminiscent of Martina Cole's to my mind & of whom I'm not fond. Still it was in keeping with the girl's temperament.
The story is quite twisty although there's nothing that will come as a surprise (not to a seasoned crime thriller addict anyway!) & it all links up nicely to a satisfying conclusion.
Not a bad read at all overall. I'll read more if I happen upon them but at this point it's not a series I'll be actively following.
February 21, 2017
A burnt out car containing the body of DI Sean Carragher is found on the Southend seafront. His burns are so bad his colleagues can’t even recognise him. What’s more, DI Carragher was the subject of an ongoing internal affairs investigation, which leads the team to many more questions than it answers. DS Pearson and DI Carragher’s ex-partner, DC Catherine (Cat) Russell are tasked with leading the investigation. But the more they dig, the more they realise that they didn’t really know their colleague at all. And what about young Donna? In a care home until it was forced to close, now living in her on flat and spending her days obsessing over the death of her friend. Donna knows who killed Alicia, now all she has to do is prove it to the right people. She knows it wasn’t an accident, no matter what the police reports said. It’s down to DS Pearson and DC Russell to discover who murdered their colleague before the body count rises…
I loved DC Cat Russell. I felt incredibly sorry for her as the realisation dawned that she didn’t really know Sean Carragher at all. This person who she felt was a friend (and someone to look up to) had let her down repeatedly. Her regular interviews with internal affairs and DS Pearson’s discovery that Sean and Cat couldn’t have been together when Cat claimed they were, made for uncomfortable reading. I wanted to love Frank Pearson but there was something….missing for me. He’s the type of character that I normally, immediately like but it just didn’t happen this time. Donna made me feel incredibly sad. This is obviously a character with deep psychological issues and I really wanted to warm to her but I’m afraid all I could feel was sadness. I wanted someone to spot that she was on the edge of a precipice and help the poor girl.
I struggled with the author’s style, having to re-read many sentences several times over to try and understand what was going on. As I neared the conclusion I found myself enjoying the story more than I had previously. So much so that when I came to one of those ‘read on for a sneak peek at the author’s next book’ sections that I did actually read on. Mainly to check that the next book also featured DC Cat Russell (and DS Pearson).
Would I recommend this book? This is a difficult one. I did enjoy it and I know that others will absolutely love this book and see things which I have missed. But on the whole, I’m not sure. It’s a good police procedural but there are so many GREAT police procedurals out there that it’s a hard one to call.
Three stars out of five.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Burned and Broken. Many thanks to Clara Diaz at Little, Brown for providing me with a copy. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
I loved DC Cat Russell. I felt incredibly sorry for her as the realisation dawned that she didn’t really know Sean Carragher at all. This person who she felt was a friend (and someone to look up to) had let her down repeatedly. Her regular interviews with internal affairs and DS Pearson’s discovery that Sean and Cat couldn’t have been together when Cat claimed they were, made for uncomfortable reading. I wanted to love Frank Pearson but there was something….missing for me. He’s the type of character that I normally, immediately like but it just didn’t happen this time. Donna made me feel incredibly sad. This is obviously a character with deep psychological issues and I really wanted to warm to her but I’m afraid all I could feel was sadness. I wanted someone to spot that she was on the edge of a precipice and help the poor girl.
I struggled with the author’s style, having to re-read many sentences several times over to try and understand what was going on. As I neared the conclusion I found myself enjoying the story more than I had previously. So much so that when I came to one of those ‘read on for a sneak peek at the author’s next book’ sections that I did actually read on. Mainly to check that the next book also featured DC Cat Russell (and DS Pearson).
Would I recommend this book? This is a difficult one. I did enjoy it and I know that others will absolutely love this book and see things which I have missed. But on the whole, I’m not sure. It’s a good police procedural but there are so many GREAT police procedurals out there that it’s a hard one to call.
Three stars out of five.
I chose to read and review an ARC of Burned and Broken. Many thanks to Clara Diaz at Little, Brown for providing me with a copy. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 10, 2017
All of my reviews can be found at https://josbookblog.co.uk/
The charred body of an enigmatic policeman – currently the subject of an internal investigation – is found in the burnt-out shell of his car on the Southend sea front.
Meanwhile, a vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.
As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery of their colleague's death, dark, dangerous secrets begin to surface. Can they solve both cases, before it's too late?
Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.
I thought that the structure of Burned and Broken worked really well. The novel opens with a short prologue which focuses on the death of DI Sean Carragher – currently the subject of an internal investigation. From there, the novel jumps back in time by four days, and then leads up to and beyond this opening scene. For me, this structure worked brilliantly – I liked knowing part of the outcome, yet still being able to enjoy the journey as I found out what happened to Sean and how he ends up as he does.
Intertwined with this plot line is a second mystery in which a young woman, Donna, is desperately seeking information as to what happened to her friend. Alicia’s death was ruled an accident, but Donna is convinced that it was murder, and becomes frustrated when the police won’t take her seriously. Having run out of alternative options, she takes matters into her own hands. Whilst I found Donna’s story a little more difficult to get into, I did feel extremely sympathetic towards her character. She is quite a troubled young woman and extremely vulnerable, although there is strength and courage in her.
Burned and Broken is told from multiple points of view, and I did initially find it a little difficult to keep track of who’s perspective the story was being told from and what their role was, particularly when the perspective changed mid-chapter (although this doesn’t happen often). It soon became much clearer, however, as I got into the story, and I found this to be a riveting read.
Dark and gritty, Burned and Broken is a great addition to the genre, and I’m looking forward to reading the next instalment in the Pearson and Russell series, Truly Evil, which is due for publication later in 2017.
Many thanks to Clara Diaz and the publisher, Sphere, for providing a copy for review.
The charred body of an enigmatic policeman – currently the subject of an internal investigation – is found in the burnt-out shell of his car on the Southend sea front.
Meanwhile, a vulnerable young woman, fresh out of the care system, is trying to discover the truth behind the sudden death of her best friend.
As DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell from the Essex Police Major Investigation Team are brought in to solve the mystery of their colleague's death, dark, dangerous secrets begin to surface. Can they solve both cases, before it's too late?
Mark Hardie's stylish and gripping debut introduces a brilliant new detective duo to the world of crime fiction, weaving together two suspenseful stories that end in a breath-taking finale.
I thought that the structure of Burned and Broken worked really well. The novel opens with a short prologue which focuses on the death of DI Sean Carragher – currently the subject of an internal investigation. From there, the novel jumps back in time by four days, and then leads up to and beyond this opening scene. For me, this structure worked brilliantly – I liked knowing part of the outcome, yet still being able to enjoy the journey as I found out what happened to Sean and how he ends up as he does.
Intertwined with this plot line is a second mystery in which a young woman, Donna, is desperately seeking information as to what happened to her friend. Alicia’s death was ruled an accident, but Donna is convinced that it was murder, and becomes frustrated when the police won’t take her seriously. Having run out of alternative options, she takes matters into her own hands. Whilst I found Donna’s story a little more difficult to get into, I did feel extremely sympathetic towards her character. She is quite a troubled young woman and extremely vulnerable, although there is strength and courage in her.
Burned and Broken is told from multiple points of view, and I did initially find it a little difficult to keep track of who’s perspective the story was being told from and what their role was, particularly when the perspective changed mid-chapter (although this doesn’t happen often). It soon became much clearer, however, as I got into the story, and I found this to be a riveting read.
Dark and gritty, Burned and Broken is a great addition to the genre, and I’m looking forward to reading the next instalment in the Pearson and Russell series, Truly Evil, which is due for publication later in 2017.
Many thanks to Clara Diaz and the publisher, Sphere, for providing a copy for review.
February 2, 2017
The story starts with a rather brutal prologue which sets the scene for this dark and gritty crime novel which investigates the murder of a serving police officer and the unexplained the death of a vulnerable young woman who has recently left the care system. On the surface these two deaths should be unrelated but as the Essex Police Major Investigation Team find out, nothing is ever as it should be when dealing with the complexities of major crime incidents. Set in the seaside town of Southend-on -Sea, there is a definite air of faded gentility to a town that is going downhill fast, and for police investigators DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell the more they delve into the events leading up to both these deaths, the more deadly secrets they start to unravel.
As with any new police procedural crime series there is a certain amount of getting to know the major characters and both Frank Pearson and Catherine Russell are written with more than enough going on in their private lives to be able to make an emotional connection to them. However, I thought that some of the other characters lagged behind in the personality stakes a little, but that's no bad thing, as sometimes, inevitably, you will like one character above another, that's the way life goes. The police procedural element to the story is well written with more than enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader guessing until the end, and I must say that I enjoyed trying to second guess the investigation.
Burned and Broken is this author's debut novel and I am sure that as the series progresses we will see the writing go from strength to strength.
As with any new police procedural crime series there is a certain amount of getting to know the major characters and both Frank Pearson and Catherine Russell are written with more than enough going on in their private lives to be able to make an emotional connection to them. However, I thought that some of the other characters lagged behind in the personality stakes a little, but that's no bad thing, as sometimes, inevitably, you will like one character above another, that's the way life goes. The police procedural element to the story is well written with more than enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the reader guessing until the end, and I must say that I enjoyed trying to second guess the investigation.
Burned and Broken is this author's debut novel and I am sure that as the series progresses we will see the writing go from strength to strength.
February 6, 2017
With a gripping prologue, we are launched straight into Burned and Broken with the suspicious death of DI Sean Carragher. DI Carragher is under investigation and when he doesn't turn up for work, it is his partner, DC Cat Russell, who is put under the spotlight, being asked questions about Carragher. When Carragher's body is found in his burned out car, DS Frank Pearson heads up the investigation into the death of one of their own.
The story is two-fold, with a young girl, Donna, trying to get somebody to listen to her about her friend's death. Alicia and Donna met in a children's care home and due to their troubled past, Alicia's death was not seen as suspicious. Donna is haunted by Alicia's death and together with her new strange friend, Malcolm, they try to piece together what happened.
Both stories appear completely unrelated but they come together superbly at the end, and I certainly didn't see it coming. I think perhaps that sometimes there was too much going on to throw the reader off the scent, as I occasionally felt that the story was a bit disjointed and didn't flow as well as it should have. On the other hand, I loved the dynamic of Pearson and Russell and the sneaky peaks into Pearson's private life showing that he is well and truly married to the job.
Burned and Broken is a good introduction to Pearson and Russell, however, it only manages to scratch the surface of these characters. Although perhaps not quite in the same league as Peter James, it's a good start to a series and I'd be keen to read more books starring this duo to see where the story takes them.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
The story is two-fold, with a young girl, Donna, trying to get somebody to listen to her about her friend's death. Alicia and Donna met in a children's care home and due to their troubled past, Alicia's death was not seen as suspicious. Donna is haunted by Alicia's death and together with her new strange friend, Malcolm, they try to piece together what happened.
Both stories appear completely unrelated but they come together superbly at the end, and I certainly didn't see it coming. I think perhaps that sometimes there was too much going on to throw the reader off the scent, as I occasionally felt that the story was a bit disjointed and didn't flow as well as it should have. On the other hand, I loved the dynamic of Pearson and Russell and the sneaky peaks into Pearson's private life showing that he is well and truly married to the job.
Burned and Broken is a good introduction to Pearson and Russell, however, it only manages to scratch the surface of these characters. Although perhaps not quite in the same league as Peter James, it's a good start to a series and I'd be keen to read more books starring this duo to see where the story takes them.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
October 19, 2017
Debutto sulla lunga distanza per l'inglese Mark Hardie, pubblicato in Italia dall'arrembante neonata casa editrice SEM.
Siamo nei territori dell'hard boiled - police procedural, con tutti gli schemi e gli stereotipi della branca del genere, a partire da protagonisti problematici e sfigati e le tematiche trattate (abuso su minori)
Mi preme dire immediatamente che non tutto è da buttare, seppure i limiti superino i punti di forza.
A partire da un ritmo fiacco, scostante e lento a carburare, reso ancora più ostico da uno sviluppo dell'intreccio farraginoso e, a tratti, confuso.
Mark Hardie ha iniziato a scrivere dopo avere perso la vista e ora si dedica a questa professione a tempo pieno (in Inghilterra è già stato pubblicato il secondo romanzo di questa serie che vede protagonista Frank Pearson). Per paradosso il più grande difetto di questo romanzo sta proprio nel tentativo di colmare la mancanza, in questo caso la cecità, con una ridondanza eccessiva di dettagli sensoriali e descrittivi, che appesantiscono ulteriormente la fruizione per il lettore.
La scrittura non è male così come il lavoro di traduzione.
Per il resto, nulla di nuovo all'orizzonte. Tralasciabile.
Siamo nei territori dell'hard boiled - police procedural, con tutti gli schemi e gli stereotipi della branca del genere, a partire da protagonisti problematici e sfigati e le tematiche trattate (abuso su minori)
Mi preme dire immediatamente che non tutto è da buttare, seppure i limiti superino i punti di forza.
A partire da un ritmo fiacco, scostante e lento a carburare, reso ancora più ostico da uno sviluppo dell'intreccio farraginoso e, a tratti, confuso.
Mark Hardie ha iniziato a scrivere dopo avere perso la vista e ora si dedica a questa professione a tempo pieno (in Inghilterra è già stato pubblicato il secondo romanzo di questa serie che vede protagonista Frank Pearson). Per paradosso il più grande difetto di questo romanzo sta proprio nel tentativo di colmare la mancanza, in questo caso la cecità, con una ridondanza eccessiva di dettagli sensoriali e descrittivi, che appesantiscono ulteriormente la fruizione per il lettore.
La scrittura non è male così come il lavoro di traduzione.
Per il resto, nulla di nuovo all'orizzonte. Tralasciabile.
January 9, 2020
Il sergente Frank Pearson e l'agente Cat Russell devono indagare sulla morte dell'ispettore di polizia investigativa Sean Carragher, costui era il partner di lavoro di Cat e da qualche tempo era sotto controllo da parte degli affari interni per ipotizzate irregolarità nelle indagini dei suoi casi. Quando però stanno per presentargli il conto delle presunte malefatte, Carragher viene ritrovato cadavere nella sua auto, reso irriconoscibile dal fuoco che lo ha ucciso. Un'indagine personale e parallela è quella di Donna Freeman, una ragazza che ha vissuto ai margini della società in un centro di accoglienza dei servizi sociali insieme ad Alicia Goode. Quest ultima è morta, l'indagine è stata chiusa come incidente o suicidio, ma Donna sa chi è stato e vuole dimostrarlo per rendere giustizia alla sua amica Alicia. Le due storie hanno qualcosa in comune che gli agenti incaricati riusciranno a trovare.
Un esordio questo libro di Hardie che non mi ha coinvolto. Aleggia un po' di confusione per tutto il tempo. I personaggi sono strani e poco credibili. Dentro i problemi di ognuno c'è qualcosa che non convince.
23/08/2017
Un esordio questo libro di Hardie che non mi ha coinvolto. Aleggia un po' di confusione per tutto il tempo. I personaggi sono strani e poco credibili. Dentro i problemi di ognuno c'è qualcosa che non convince.
23/08/2017
July 21, 2016
Hm, there could have been a good story here but it needs a strict editor and more work to bring it into focus. At the moment this is a laborious and tedious read: an unnecessarily fractured timeline with no signposting, too many switches in point of view, tangents and details that detract from the story at hand and an anticlimactic ending. Even with all of these issues fixed, this would be no more than a standard police procedural with nothing to make it stand out in an overcrowded genre. At the moment this screams debut novel...
June 14, 2019
I found this remaindered at a discount book store...it didn’t deserve that! It’s a cracking little story with totally believable characters. Will be looking out for more by this author.
May 21, 2017
This is the debut novel by Mark Hardie and the opening to what will surely be a bestselling series featuring DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell. The promotional material states that this is a perfect book for those fans of writers such as Peter Robinson, Ian Rankin and Denise Mina, which is a bold statement to make. All I can say is that this book more than holds its own and I would now say that Mark Hardie is on a par with them. In fact, he is now one of my favourite authors.
The plot is apparently straight forward enough as there are two apparently unconnected cases on the books. A young girl, who has just left the care system, investigates the death of her friend, and tries to get to the truth. The second case involves the sudden and brutal death of a police officer, who has been found in his burnt out car on the Southend seafront. The said police officer was the subject of an internal investigation for alleged misconduct at the time of his death. As the investigation continues the two cases become a whole lot more complicated with more strands to them than you could possibly imagine. The plot travels along at a gentile pace but gathers speed before ending in a tense and dramatic conclusion.
I loved most of the characters in this book. DS Frank Pearson is a man of a certain age, who has seen a lot of tragedy in both his career and his personal life. He is currently separated from his wife and they split after they faced the most tragic thing that a couple ever has to go through. I am not saying any more on that score as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Pearson’s mother is in hospital but to be honest I don’t think that they share the closest of relationships and I got the feeling that Pearson’s mother thinks of him as a disappointment. By the end of one visit he makes to her, I wanted to jump inside the pages and give her what for. (If you haven’t already guessed I get far too involved in the story of a book). Pearson is a dedicated policeman in that he is determined to solve a case and to seek justice for the victims of crime. He also tends to bend the rules a bit. I got the impression that when Pearson investigates a case, he leaves no stone unturned and uncovers the truth no matter how ugly it might seem. DC Catherine ‘Cat’ Russell is a bit more enigmatic and I didn’t immediately warm to her. She seemed very defensive and doesn’t seem to trust anybody. She has been interviewed several times by DI Neil Ferguson, who has been investigating the dead policeman, as Cat apparently seems to have shared a (very) close relationship with the deceased. However, appearances can be very deceptive as you will find out. DI Neil Ferguson got my back up right from the start and I had a gut instinct that he was not to be trusted for reasons which will become apparent as the book continues. There were certain characters who really made me angry and I would have been quite happy if they dropped off the planet as they are guilty of the most appalling crimes. I am not going to detail the exact character names as that would be giving too much away.
I found this book to be very well written and I could not believe that it was the writer’s first book as the writing style is so very confident and polished. It’s true that a lot of detail is given regarding the outcome of the post mortem and the police investigation but I found that it was really interesting (I come from a family of nurses so I am used to such detail being talked about and I have a strong stomach). What I particularly liked was the fact that a certain injury would be given it’s technical name but then the author explained it so that non- medical people (like me) could understand it. The chapters are relatively short but written in such a way that there are ‘duff duff’ (think EastEnders) moments at the end of each chapter and you just simply have to read on. Indeed reading this book became seriously addictive and ‘Burned & Broken’ is a real ‘CPID’ (Can’t put it down) book. I read this book in just over 24 hours, which is fast for me and shows just how much I enjoyed the book. Reading this book was like riding on a rollercoaster in that there are lots of twists, turns and stomach churning moments. There were some definite turns that I was so not expecting and which sent the story down another path entirely.
In short then, I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book and I would recommend it to anybody. I can’t wait to read more investigations led by DS Frank Pearson and DC Cat Russell. This writer is sure to go far. I award this book 5* out of 5* and I would have awarded it more stars if I could have.
The plot is apparently straight forward enough as there are two apparently unconnected cases on the books. A young girl, who has just left the care system, investigates the death of her friend, and tries to get to the truth. The second case involves the sudden and brutal death of a police officer, who has been found in his burnt out car on the Southend seafront. The said police officer was the subject of an internal investigation for alleged misconduct at the time of his death. As the investigation continues the two cases become a whole lot more complicated with more strands to them than you could possibly imagine. The plot travels along at a gentile pace but gathers speed before ending in a tense and dramatic conclusion.
I loved most of the characters in this book. DS Frank Pearson is a man of a certain age, who has seen a lot of tragedy in both his career and his personal life. He is currently separated from his wife and they split after they faced the most tragic thing that a couple ever has to go through. I am not saying any more on that score as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Pearson’s mother is in hospital but to be honest I don’t think that they share the closest of relationships and I got the feeling that Pearson’s mother thinks of him as a disappointment. By the end of one visit he makes to her, I wanted to jump inside the pages and give her what for. (If you haven’t already guessed I get far too involved in the story of a book). Pearson is a dedicated policeman in that he is determined to solve a case and to seek justice for the victims of crime. He also tends to bend the rules a bit. I got the impression that when Pearson investigates a case, he leaves no stone unturned and uncovers the truth no matter how ugly it might seem. DC Catherine ‘Cat’ Russell is a bit more enigmatic and I didn’t immediately warm to her. She seemed very defensive and doesn’t seem to trust anybody. She has been interviewed several times by DI Neil Ferguson, who has been investigating the dead policeman, as Cat apparently seems to have shared a (very) close relationship with the deceased. However, appearances can be very deceptive as you will find out. DI Neil Ferguson got my back up right from the start and I had a gut instinct that he was not to be trusted for reasons which will become apparent as the book continues. There were certain characters who really made me angry and I would have been quite happy if they dropped off the planet as they are guilty of the most appalling crimes. I am not going to detail the exact character names as that would be giving too much away.
I found this book to be very well written and I could not believe that it was the writer’s first book as the writing style is so very confident and polished. It’s true that a lot of detail is given regarding the outcome of the post mortem and the police investigation but I found that it was really interesting (I come from a family of nurses so I am used to such detail being talked about and I have a strong stomach). What I particularly liked was the fact that a certain injury would be given it’s technical name but then the author explained it so that non- medical people (like me) could understand it. The chapters are relatively short but written in such a way that there are ‘duff duff’ (think EastEnders) moments at the end of each chapter and you just simply have to read on. Indeed reading this book became seriously addictive and ‘Burned & Broken’ is a real ‘CPID’ (Can’t put it down) book. I read this book in just over 24 hours, which is fast for me and shows just how much I enjoyed the book. Reading this book was like riding on a rollercoaster in that there are lots of twists, turns and stomach churning moments. There were some definite turns that I was so not expecting and which sent the story down another path entirely.
In short then, I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book and I would recommend it to anybody. I can’t wait to read more investigations led by DS Frank Pearson and DC Cat Russell. This writer is sure to go far. I award this book 5* out of 5* and I would have awarded it more stars if I could have.
May 17, 2017
Mark Hardie’s debut crime novel Burned and Broken marks the promising start to a new contemporary crime series covering issues with a good dose of realism in its seaside setting of Southend.
There’s an immediacy to Mark Hardie’s writing which quickly pulled me in and before I knew it, I was immersed. His world isn’t the Southend I know from day trips out of London with ice cream and amusements on the front: the treats in Burned and Broken are far less innocuous and the amusements are hidden away behind painted facades, while the seafront feels an altogether bleaker and more lonely place to be for the residents of the town. That’s because Burned and Broken focuses on the world in which the police live and work: it’s a world where alongside the routine work and investigation, regulations, checks and procedures, personal worries and concerns, there is neglect and abuse, broken relationships and homes, and damaged people, complaints and attacks, corruption and dysfunction, drugs and death, mental health issues and neglect, and violence easily triggered. There’s an intricate balance of sorts and when the cracks begin to show as the cases are investigated, I wondered if ultimately it would topple, and what would be the fallout.
Burned and Broken works (for me) because the characters are fleshed out and all too human – they have their work personas and their private lives and concerns, their strengths and flaws; Mike Hardie takes us into their heads and helps us understand the issues they’re grappling with in their lives. There are duty visits to the hospital and others made out of necessity and fear, for example. I particularly felt for Cat as she grapples with issues of trust and loyalty, and feelings of isolation and vulnerability. I also rooted for Donna, as she tries to find someone who cares about her dead friend and what happened to her when they were both falling through the cracks in society, and while dealing with the mental strain of losing such a close, if not her only, friend.
I also really liked the way in which Mark Hardie’s structured his novel and that helps make it such a gripping read. The timeline’s tight, the police are up against the pressure of an internal investigation and the need to hold press conferences, besides wanting answers themselves. You get a real sense of these people moving around in their world: there are glimpses of characters which might strike others as odd but not out of place enough to investigate, and which could further the investigation but Mike Hardie knows not to bring them in too soon, or to make it that easy for the team of Pearson and Russell. He’s also pretty adept at seeding doubt in the mind of this reader and I enjoyed working out what to consider as relevant and what to ignore as a false lead. And I really appreciated that while some lines of investigation are completed, other cases are closed without there being the hoped-for resolution. All of which gives Burned and Broken a more realistic, contemporary feel than a story where all the loose ends are tied up.
Burned and Broken is a cracking introduction to the new detective duo of Pearson and Russell. Going by their first outing, you’re going to hearing a lot more from them and creator Mark Hardie in future.
There’s an immediacy to Mark Hardie’s writing which quickly pulled me in and before I knew it, I was immersed. His world isn’t the Southend I know from day trips out of London with ice cream and amusements on the front: the treats in Burned and Broken are far less innocuous and the amusements are hidden away behind painted facades, while the seafront feels an altogether bleaker and more lonely place to be for the residents of the town. That’s because Burned and Broken focuses on the world in which the police live and work: it’s a world where alongside the routine work and investigation, regulations, checks and procedures, personal worries and concerns, there is neglect and abuse, broken relationships and homes, and damaged people, complaints and attacks, corruption and dysfunction, drugs and death, mental health issues and neglect, and violence easily triggered. There’s an intricate balance of sorts and when the cracks begin to show as the cases are investigated, I wondered if ultimately it would topple, and what would be the fallout.
Burned and Broken works (for me) because the characters are fleshed out and all too human – they have their work personas and their private lives and concerns, their strengths and flaws; Mike Hardie takes us into their heads and helps us understand the issues they’re grappling with in their lives. There are duty visits to the hospital and others made out of necessity and fear, for example. I particularly felt for Cat as she grapples with issues of trust and loyalty, and feelings of isolation and vulnerability. I also rooted for Donna, as she tries to find someone who cares about her dead friend and what happened to her when they were both falling through the cracks in society, and while dealing with the mental strain of losing such a close, if not her only, friend.
I also really liked the way in which Mark Hardie’s structured his novel and that helps make it such a gripping read. The timeline’s tight, the police are up against the pressure of an internal investigation and the need to hold press conferences, besides wanting answers themselves. You get a real sense of these people moving around in their world: there are glimpses of characters which might strike others as odd but not out of place enough to investigate, and which could further the investigation but Mike Hardie knows not to bring them in too soon, or to make it that easy for the team of Pearson and Russell. He’s also pretty adept at seeding doubt in the mind of this reader and I enjoyed working out what to consider as relevant and what to ignore as a false lead. And I really appreciated that while some lines of investigation are completed, other cases are closed without there being the hoped-for resolution. All of which gives Burned and Broken a more realistic, contemporary feel than a story where all the loose ends are tied up.
Burned and Broken is a cracking introduction to the new detective duo of Pearson and Russell. Going by their first outing, you’re going to hearing a lot more from them and creator Mark Hardie in future.
July 14, 2017
Burned and Broken is an intriguing book right from the start with a prologue that captured my attention and imagination. As D.I. Sean Carragher burns in his car, I had plenty of questions on my mind such as who did it and why. When the author does deliver the answers to those questions, I found them satisfying. One thing that stood out in this book for me was the gritty themes it covers which appeared something different than many other crime novels out there. Not only is there a policeman in flames to lure the reader in, Burned and Broken touches on mental health, sexuality and the care system, all aspects that made the book refreshingly different in comparison to many others in the same genre.
The book is split into three parts. Despite the gripping prologue, I found the story a bit of a slow-burner. Whilst the pacing itself generally came across as quite fast, for me this was more down to the short chapters which kept on luring me in and willing me to read “just one more…”. Whilst I complied, I found it took me a while to settle into the book. There was something about the author’s writing that left me a little confused. It appeared simple enough, with a good level of detail, but there were a few moments, especially early on, where I didn’t really understand what was going on. For the first half of the book, I was probably more drawn in by the quick chapters rather than the plot itself, although it became a far more engrossing read later on. I really enjoyed the short chapters as they make you want to read on and I found Burned and Broken a very difficult book to put down.
The novel takes us from the force investigating the death of Carragher to Donna and Malc. They were both interesting characters. I was particularly interested in Donna’s story as she struggles to let go of her friend Alicia who died without anyone really getting to the bottom of it. I didn’t really connect with Donna but I found her story fascinating and I suppose I did sympathise with her at times as she struggles to cope. Malc was a character I expected nothing from but I was surprised by how interesting I found his character to be. His viewpoints at times made me uncomfortable but as a character, that’s what I liked about him.
There are so many crime series out there that it is always nice to start one from the beginning, where we can meet the force for the first time and follow them knowing there could be many more books to come. DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell look like they have a lot more to give in future books. I thought this was a decent introduction for them. We get quite a good feel for them both through Cat’s links to Carragher and a build-up of Pearson’s character later on. I really liked Cat’s character and personally so far I prefer her. Even though I wasn’t fully enamoured by the duo, I will be looking forward to reading the next book in the series as they have great potential.
Overall Burned and Broken drew me in and the further into the book I was, the more compelling and the more satisfying I found it. When I considered all the elements of the book once I’d finished, I thought how it would make a great movie. There are some very filmic aspects to the story which I think would work really well on the big screen.
The book is split into three parts. Despite the gripping prologue, I found the story a bit of a slow-burner. Whilst the pacing itself generally came across as quite fast, for me this was more down to the short chapters which kept on luring me in and willing me to read “just one more…”. Whilst I complied, I found it took me a while to settle into the book. There was something about the author’s writing that left me a little confused. It appeared simple enough, with a good level of detail, but there were a few moments, especially early on, where I didn’t really understand what was going on. For the first half of the book, I was probably more drawn in by the quick chapters rather than the plot itself, although it became a far more engrossing read later on. I really enjoyed the short chapters as they make you want to read on and I found Burned and Broken a very difficult book to put down.
The novel takes us from the force investigating the death of Carragher to Donna and Malc. They were both interesting characters. I was particularly interested in Donna’s story as she struggles to let go of her friend Alicia who died without anyone really getting to the bottom of it. I didn’t really connect with Donna but I found her story fascinating and I suppose I did sympathise with her at times as she struggles to cope. Malc was a character I expected nothing from but I was surprised by how interesting I found his character to be. His viewpoints at times made me uncomfortable but as a character, that’s what I liked about him.
There are so many crime series out there that it is always nice to start one from the beginning, where we can meet the force for the first time and follow them knowing there could be many more books to come. DS Frank Pearson and DC Catherine Russell look like they have a lot more to give in future books. I thought this was a decent introduction for them. We get quite a good feel for them both through Cat’s links to Carragher and a build-up of Pearson’s character later on. I really liked Cat’s character and personally so far I prefer her. Even though I wasn’t fully enamoured by the duo, I will be looking forward to reading the next book in the series as they have great potential.
Overall Burned and Broken drew me in and the further into the book I was, the more compelling and the more satisfying I found it. When I considered all the elements of the book once I’d finished, I thought how it would make a great movie. There are some very filmic aspects to the story which I think would work really well on the big screen.
May 11, 2017
We start this book with a death. A burnt out car has been found with a body in it. The body turns out to be DI Sean Carragher. We then rewind a few days and follow Donna as she tries to get to the bottom of what happened to her friend. Deemed accident by the police, she believes there was foul play. We also find out that DI Carragher is being investigated for amongst other things, corruption. His colleagues are being interviewed as he has gone a bit AWOL. Back in the present day, DI Frank Pearson and DS Cat Russell are investigating DI Carragher's death. And then it all gets a bit complicated. Are the two cases intertwined? Why was Carragher killed? and what really happened to Donna's friend?
Blooming heck, this was so interconnected that Dirk Gently himself would have been very impressed. That said, despite its complicated nature, I did find it relatively easy to read. I managed to follow all the threads as they twisted, turned, converged, diverged and just meandered along. Pacing was good. After the shocking start, it settled down nicely and went along at a nice steady pace increasing as more information was divulged, taking the investigations up a notch and slowing down as the investigations stalled a while. Kinda reflected real life a bit in that respect. It also went quite deeply into some pretty heavy and important topics. Definitely character driven.
Characterisation was excellent. The majority were well described and easy to connect to / emote with in some way. Crucial for a good read. I wasn't overly keen on some of the police to be honest. but I did really feel for Donna. I think that DI Pearson and DS Russell will grow on me in time which I guess is a good thing being as this is actually their series opener. They are a bit chalk and cheese but I think they complement each other well.
I also liked the way that the books was presented in three parts. Part one being the backstory, part two the investigation and part three the reveal and explanation. We also heard from several of the characters, often the same scene from more than one pov. I found that this fitted the storyline very well. I wonder if this structure will continue in subsequent books.
The story, once unravelled, left me reeling. There really was a little bit of everything in this book. So much so that it could have been overwhelming but the author managed to keep all of his juggling balls in the air quite nicely. As I got towards the end of the book, as the truth was starting to emerge, it became so much more than just who killed Carragher and what happened to Donna's friend. It almost became more about the stuff on the periphery; what was going on around the edges rather than just about solving the crimes.
All in all, a good solid series opener. I would be very interested to see how the author follows this pretty good debut.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Blooming heck, this was so interconnected that Dirk Gently himself would have been very impressed. That said, despite its complicated nature, I did find it relatively easy to read. I managed to follow all the threads as they twisted, turned, converged, diverged and just meandered along. Pacing was good. After the shocking start, it settled down nicely and went along at a nice steady pace increasing as more information was divulged, taking the investigations up a notch and slowing down as the investigations stalled a while. Kinda reflected real life a bit in that respect. It also went quite deeply into some pretty heavy and important topics. Definitely character driven.
Characterisation was excellent. The majority were well described and easy to connect to / emote with in some way. Crucial for a good read. I wasn't overly keen on some of the police to be honest. but I did really feel for Donna. I think that DI Pearson and DS Russell will grow on me in time which I guess is a good thing being as this is actually their series opener. They are a bit chalk and cheese but I think they complement each other well.
I also liked the way that the books was presented in three parts. Part one being the backstory, part two the investigation and part three the reveal and explanation. We also heard from several of the characters, often the same scene from more than one pov. I found that this fitted the storyline very well. I wonder if this structure will continue in subsequent books.
The story, once unravelled, left me reeling. There really was a little bit of everything in this book. So much so that it could have been overwhelming but the author managed to keep all of his juggling balls in the air quite nicely. As I got towards the end of the book, as the truth was starting to emerge, it became so much more than just who killed Carragher and what happened to Donna's friend. It almost became more about the stuff on the periphery; what was going on around the edges rather than just about solving the crimes.
All in all, a good solid series opener. I would be very interested to see how the author follows this pretty good debut.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
February 5, 2017
Burned and Broken is the debut crime novel from Mark Hardie. DC Sean Carragher’s body has been found burned in a car park but what exactly was he involved in that lead to his murder? And more importantly, who did it? Alicia, a vulnerable sixteen year old girl also recently died, but was her death as accidental as it seemed?
This was different to other crime novels that I have read (granted that I have not read as many as a lot of other people). This book had two stories working alongside one another. One half of the story introduced us to the police investigation surrounding Sean’s murder. Here, we had the inside scoop on the investigation and we got to know his colleagues: Cat Russell and Frank Pearson. The second half of the story is where we come to know Donna, the vulnerable friend of the dead Alicia, who is convinced her friend’s death was not accidental and finds herself in a dark world of prostitution and mental health issues.
I have to admit that this story did not particularly excite me. I liked it, but I didn’t feel much tension building and that is essential for me in a crime novel. I think this was partly because of the two sides of the story being woven together. As much as this worked well, it also took away a little of the tension I wanted as I found myself patiently waiting to discover how the two sides would meet. I had also guessed pretty early on who the murderer would turn out to be and I wasn’t wrong. This was a quick and easy read, despite some paragraphs in this book being almost a whole page long, causing me to skim a little here and there.
I really liked Cat Russell as a character. I cannot leave this review without saying that. I thought she was fantastic and I particularly liked how Hardie touched upon her status in the ‘Job’ as a female. I had a soft spot for Donna and really just wanted to take her in and look after her.
Overall, a good book that I liked and found easy to read. I think if you liked crime books then this one is worth trying and I believe is the first in a series. Mark Hardie certainly has a nice writing style and I would be interested in checking out the next book in the series to see how these characters develop.
Thank you to Clara from Little Brown Book Group for my copy as part of the blog tour.
This was different to other crime novels that I have read (granted that I have not read as many as a lot of other people). This book had two stories working alongside one another. One half of the story introduced us to the police investigation surrounding Sean’s murder. Here, we had the inside scoop on the investigation and we got to know his colleagues: Cat Russell and Frank Pearson. The second half of the story is where we come to know Donna, the vulnerable friend of the dead Alicia, who is convinced her friend’s death was not accidental and finds herself in a dark world of prostitution and mental health issues.
I have to admit that this story did not particularly excite me. I liked it, but I didn’t feel much tension building and that is essential for me in a crime novel. I think this was partly because of the two sides of the story being woven together. As much as this worked well, it also took away a little of the tension I wanted as I found myself patiently waiting to discover how the two sides would meet. I had also guessed pretty early on who the murderer would turn out to be and I wasn’t wrong. This was a quick and easy read, despite some paragraphs in this book being almost a whole page long, causing me to skim a little here and there.
I really liked Cat Russell as a character. I cannot leave this review without saying that. I thought she was fantastic and I particularly liked how Hardie touched upon her status in the ‘Job’ as a female. I had a soft spot for Donna and really just wanted to take her in and look after her.
Overall, a good book that I liked and found easy to read. I think if you liked crime books then this one is worth trying and I believe is the first in a series. Mark Hardie certainly has a nice writing style and I would be interested in checking out the next book in the series to see how these characters develop.
Thank you to Clara from Little Brown Book Group for my copy as part of the blog tour.
February 4, 2017
It is always exciting to get the chance to discover a new crime series from the earliest days of publication. A quick look at Amazon and I spot that Mark Hardie’s new book Burned and Broken also features the names Pearson and Russell in the title space – a good indicator that the characters are destined to return.
Their return would not be unwelcome as I rather enjoyed Burned and Broken when I got into it. A grim opening sequence sees the last few seconds of a man’s life as the car he is sitting in goes up in flames. From there the police arrive and we find that the man in the car may have been one of their colleagues.
Narrative skips back a few days and we begin to follow Cat Russell as she faces an interrogation from a member of the Police Standards team. They are investigating the behaviour of Cat’s sometime partner Sean Carragher who appears to have abused a police issue credit card and may also be facing charges of using excessive force. Readers know that in a few days Carragher it looks most likely that Carragher will be burned to death in his car, as Cat sits in a small interview room she is giving nothing away about her friend’s behaviour.
Elsewhere we meet a teenage girl, Donna, recently out of the care system and struggling to make ends meet. Donna is torn up over the recent death of her friend and is determined to seek justice. But Donna’s friend (despite being dead) seems to be with her in spirit and Donna is chatting with her friend trying to assure her that she will put things right for her.
I had a shift in focus through Burned and Broken, initially I was more interested in Donna and her quest for justice than I was with the police investigation. However, as the story unfolded I became more caught up in Cat’s story and less keen on Donna’s role (as she seemed to be drifting in random directions).
Happily all the loose ends start to entwine as the end of the story approached and Donna’s whimsical idea for revenge started to take on much more significance.
A promising debut from Mark Hardie – one for the fans of police procedurals.
Their return would not be unwelcome as I rather enjoyed Burned and Broken when I got into it. A grim opening sequence sees the last few seconds of a man’s life as the car he is sitting in goes up in flames. From there the police arrive and we find that the man in the car may have been one of their colleagues.
Narrative skips back a few days and we begin to follow Cat Russell as she faces an interrogation from a member of the Police Standards team. They are investigating the behaviour of Cat’s sometime partner Sean Carragher who appears to have abused a police issue credit card and may also be facing charges of using excessive force. Readers know that in a few days Carragher it looks most likely that Carragher will be burned to death in his car, as Cat sits in a small interview room she is giving nothing away about her friend’s behaviour.
Elsewhere we meet a teenage girl, Donna, recently out of the care system and struggling to make ends meet. Donna is torn up over the recent death of her friend and is determined to seek justice. But Donna’s friend (despite being dead) seems to be with her in spirit and Donna is chatting with her friend trying to assure her that she will put things right for her.
I had a shift in focus through Burned and Broken, initially I was more interested in Donna and her quest for justice than I was with the police investigation. However, as the story unfolded I became more caught up in Cat’s story and less keen on Donna’s role (as she seemed to be drifting in random directions).
Happily all the loose ends start to entwine as the end of the story approached and Donna’s whimsical idea for revenge started to take on much more significance.
A promising debut from Mark Hardie – one for the fans of police procedurals.
February 19, 2017
If this were a TV show, it'd be a gritty police drama shown after the watershed with plenty of swearing and moody shots. Set in Essex, the Major Investigation Team are presented with a burned out car containing one of their colleagues, needless to say he was very dead. In a seemingly unrelated narrative we learn about Donna, a teenager fresh out of a care home who is trying to find out what happened to her friend, who was murdered last year. The two story lines meander and finally merge in a gripping ending.
This was a slow-burner for me, it starts inconspicuously enough, there are a lot of characters to get your head around and the story is quite complicated. There are also time jumps from before the current murder to it's investigation. But it was the characters that hooked me. They are very realistic, not stereotyped police men and women. I thought I'd got the measure of them and then another twist is thrown in, very clever. Overall they are shown as very hard-working and from very normal backgrounds, truly representing the community they serve. The ending was brilliant, very edge-of-the-seat stuff and I couldn't put it down.
This is Mark Hardie's debut novel and is out now in hardback (paperback in May). The writing is wonderful, I loved the way Mark played with scenes, telling them from different characters perspectives, overlapping the narratives. Starting a scene with one character, switching and continuing with a different character. I also really enjoyed the story of mental illness in the community, how it affects teenagers and isolates them.
If you like police dramas, I'd highly recommend this one. I'm looking forwards to Mark's next novel with the same detective characters Truly Evil out in August.
This was a slow-burner for me, it starts inconspicuously enough, there are a lot of characters to get your head around and the story is quite complicated. There are also time jumps from before the current murder to it's investigation. But it was the characters that hooked me. They are very realistic, not stereotyped police men and women. I thought I'd got the measure of them and then another twist is thrown in, very clever. Overall they are shown as very hard-working and from very normal backgrounds, truly representing the community they serve. The ending was brilliant, very edge-of-the-seat stuff and I couldn't put it down.
This is Mark Hardie's debut novel and is out now in hardback (paperback in May). The writing is wonderful, I loved the way Mark played with scenes, telling them from different characters perspectives, overlapping the narratives. Starting a scene with one character, switching and continuing with a different character. I also really enjoyed the story of mental illness in the community, how it affects teenagers and isolates them.
If you like police dramas, I'd highly recommend this one. I'm looking forwards to Mark's next novel with the same detective characters Truly Evil out in August.
January 28, 2017
Burned and Broken is a fast paced police procedural crime thriller. It has many features lovers of crime fiction will recognise and adore. Sadly it wasn’t entirely for me, as at times I found it slightly old-fashioned and a little bit cliched, with corrupt police and DIs in stained and crumpled suits. I also felt as if the author had researched so thoroughly that he wanted to ensure the reader had even the smallest detail so that sometimes description got in the way of the events. There seemed to be an unremitting pessimism from the local settings to the language and characterisation that made me feel quite depressed as I read.
That said, the plotting is extremely well constructed, although I felt there are perhaps too many strands so that the tension didn’t come through as fully as it might. However, I didn’t work out what had happened until the denouement so I have to give Mark Hardie great credit for that. I also liked the structure with the Prologue and then the chapters leading back to the present day.
I didn’t engage with any of the characters very fully but did feel that Donna’s fragile mental state was very well depicted. Indeed, there are some interesting themes touched upon in Burned and Broken, with mental health, relationships, the care system and society’s ills all coming through strongly.
Whilst I felt a little underwhelmed by Burned and Broken, it may be that it came after a couple of books I have absolutely adored in completely different genres. I did enjoy the story and felt the quality of writing was good. I think I’d like to read the next in the series to see how Mark Hardie’s style develops.
That said, the plotting is extremely well constructed, although I felt there are perhaps too many strands so that the tension didn’t come through as fully as it might. However, I didn’t work out what had happened until the denouement so I have to give Mark Hardie great credit for that. I also liked the structure with the Prologue and then the chapters leading back to the present day.
I didn’t engage with any of the characters very fully but did feel that Donna’s fragile mental state was very well depicted. Indeed, there are some interesting themes touched upon in Burned and Broken, with mental health, relationships, the care system and society’s ills all coming through strongly.
Whilst I felt a little underwhelmed by Burned and Broken, it may be that it came after a couple of books I have absolutely adored in completely different genres. I did enjoy the story and felt the quality of writing was good. I think I’d like to read the next in the series to see how Mark Hardie’s style develops.
February 5, 2017
I do like a good crime novel, you know the kind, one you can lose yourself in for hours whilst the story weaves in and out, keeping you guessing and when I was offered the chance to read Burned and Broken I jumped at it as it features a few things that I love in a gritty crime novel.
Those things are......the British setting, I love reading books set in an area I can relate to and the long British arm of the law, our boys (and girls) in blue always seem to be rougher round the edges than their North American counterparts! The other thing?, well of course it is full of secrets and lies, the ingredients of all good crime novels.
Set in the south of England in Essex, the story is told from various POV's including the two main police officers Pearson and Russell who have a murder on their hands, and a young woman, Donna who has been in the care system who is trying to get to the bottom of her friend, Alicia's death.
Full of twists and turns this is an engaging read but the one thing I really enjoyed about it was the sheer level of detail that this book has, I can imagine that this would be brilliant as an audio book as is so well described.
An enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to Mark Hardie's next release.
Those things are......the British setting, I love reading books set in an area I can relate to and the long British arm of the law, our boys (and girls) in blue always seem to be rougher round the edges than their North American counterparts! The other thing?, well of course it is full of secrets and lies, the ingredients of all good crime novels.
Set in the south of England in Essex, the story is told from various POV's including the two main police officers Pearson and Russell who have a murder on their hands, and a young woman, Donna who has been in the care system who is trying to get to the bottom of her friend, Alicia's death.
Full of twists and turns this is an engaging read but the one thing I really enjoyed about it was the sheer level of detail that this book has, I can imagine that this would be brilliant as an audio book as is so well described.
An enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to Mark Hardie's next release.
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