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Hard Wired
September 1996.
Newcastle United have just bought Alan Shearer for a record-breaking £15 million from Blackburn Rovers, and across the city regeneration and investment are reshaping the landscape. Charlie works in the local bail hostel where, exhausted and made cynical by the job, she expects the worst of everyone. When her friend's son is found dead in the local park she is dragged into the hunt for the murderer. Darren was no angel, but as she begins to dig into the crime she unwittingly sets in motion a series of threats against the hostel.
Her attempts to uncover the truth find her probing failures in the justice system and searching for the men who have fallen between the cracks. As Charlie gets closer to the murderer she places her own family in danger. Meanwhile, her daughter is keeping her own secrets...
Newcastle United have just bought Alan Shearer for a record-breaking £15 million from Blackburn Rovers, and across the city regeneration and investment are reshaping the landscape. Charlie works in the local bail hostel where, exhausted and made cynical by the job, she expects the worst of everyone. When her friend's son is found dead in the local park she is dragged into the hunt for the murderer. Darren was no angel, but as she begins to dig into the crime she unwittingly sets in motion a series of threats against the hostel.
Her attempts to uncover the truth find her probing failures in the justice system and searching for the men who have fallen between the cracks. As Charlie gets closer to the murderer she places her own family in danger. Meanwhile, her daughter is keeping her own secrets...
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 8, 2016
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 25, 2016
Hard Wired – Nice Idea Poorly Executed
According to the press release and the cover Hard Wired this was the winner of The Northern Crime Competition, if this was the winner I shudder to think what the rest were like. Having read and reviewed in the last year over 100 crime novels this is in the bottom two.
While the idea, the premise behind the book is great, the execution is very poor, even though written by an experienced writer, and creative writing teacher. Kathleen McKay is a more experienced poet and literary writer, but her lack of crime writing shines through like the beam from a lighthouse. To write in the crime genre you need to take the advice of the great author Stephen King, you need to read, read and read some more, this book feels sadly lacking.
If this book had been in the hands of an editor such as Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books, or Katherine Armstrong both good strong editors, chapters would have been edited to a shorter length and kept on track than going off in a silly direction. Some chapters would have been edited out completely, it may have meant a shorter book, but Hard Wired would be better for it.
As I stated the premise for this book is fantastic, Charlie, a single mother to a teenage daughter works at a local probation hostel, which is not the most popular institution in the area. When Charlie’s friend’s son, Darren is murdered she promises that she will find out the truth even when the Police give up.
We watch as relationships are tested, as the hostel and its inhabitants come under suspicion, how the community pull together. We see how Charlie against the odds investigates against all the odds and eventually solves the crime, we follow her personal journey and those around her and that persistence over comes all.
As I state the premise is good the execution is poor, there is a great crime story here waiting to break out in the hands of a better editor.
According to the press release and the cover Hard Wired this was the winner of The Northern Crime Competition, if this was the winner I shudder to think what the rest were like. Having read and reviewed in the last year over 100 crime novels this is in the bottom two.
While the idea, the premise behind the book is great, the execution is very poor, even though written by an experienced writer, and creative writing teacher. Kathleen McKay is a more experienced poet and literary writer, but her lack of crime writing shines through like the beam from a lighthouse. To write in the crime genre you need to take the advice of the great author Stephen King, you need to read, read and read some more, this book feels sadly lacking.
If this book had been in the hands of an editor such as Karen Sullivan at Orenda Books, or Katherine Armstrong both good strong editors, chapters would have been edited to a shorter length and kept on track than going off in a silly direction. Some chapters would have been edited out completely, it may have meant a shorter book, but Hard Wired would be better for it.
As I stated the premise for this book is fantastic, Charlie, a single mother to a teenage daughter works at a local probation hostel, which is not the most popular institution in the area. When Charlie’s friend’s son, Darren is murdered she promises that she will find out the truth even when the Police give up.
We watch as relationships are tested, as the hostel and its inhabitants come under suspicion, how the community pull together. We see how Charlie against the odds investigates against all the odds and eventually solves the crime, we follow her personal journey and those around her and that persistence over comes all.
As I state the premise is good the execution is poor, there is a great crime story here waiting to break out in the hands of a better editor.
January 17, 2019
The title phrase 'Hard Wired' implies that certain people are inherently inclined to commit certain offences. The lead character, Charlie, who works in a Newcastle bail hostel, believes this and when Darren, her friend Di's teenage son, is murdered Charlie can't decide who to suspect the most out of all the men in the hostel. To help her friend, she takes on the mantle of private detective and soon finds it just isn't that simple.
A very character driven story, we believe in Charlie, she's convincingly well intentioned and flawed. She's often distracted or exhausted and gets understandably sidetracked by important life events. She is also strong, she has to be. She helps Di who goes to pieces, while herself mourning 15 year old Darren who she's known from infancy. At the same time she holds down a difficult job, often on night shifts, alongside coping alone with her own teenage daughter, following the death of her partner. In other words, Charlie has her hand full before she even takes on the tricky task of investigating Darren's murder when the police appear to lose interest.
Overall, Hard Wired is a good read. It's not the archetypal whodunnit with lots of clues dropped in for readers to try to follow and it's definitely not just engrossed with police procedures, but rather more a study of how grief and loss can affect individuals. And there are a lot if individuals, all drawn with some conviction. The number of realistically drawn people makes the plot line confusing a times, but then murder stories are meant to mislead. I will probably read this one again.
A very character driven story, we believe in Charlie, she's convincingly well intentioned and flawed. She's often distracted or exhausted and gets understandably sidetracked by important life events. She is also strong, she has to be. She helps Di who goes to pieces, while herself mourning 15 year old Darren who she's known from infancy. At the same time she holds down a difficult job, often on night shifts, alongside coping alone with her own teenage daughter, following the death of her partner. In other words, Charlie has her hand full before she even takes on the tricky task of investigating Darren's murder when the police appear to lose interest.
Overall, Hard Wired is a good read. It's not the archetypal whodunnit with lots of clues dropped in for readers to try to follow and it's definitely not just engrossed with police procedures, but rather more a study of how grief and loss can affect individuals. And there are a lot if individuals, all drawn with some conviction. The number of realistically drawn people makes the plot line confusing a times, but then murder stories are meant to mislead. I will probably read this one again.
November 8, 2020
This crime/mystery thriller set in Newcastle 1996, is about the death of fifteen year old Darren a local boy who went missing and was later found dead in a park. His mother Di, asks neighbour and friend, Charlie to investigate as she feels the police might miss something. Charlie herself is a one parent family and works at a local bail hostel for young male offenders. She decides to try to retrace Darrens steps from before he went missing and her naturally inquisitive mind and reasoning power helps her with this.
We see Charlie's home life and investigation become interlocked when she begins to miss signs that her daughter needs her as she is too wrapped up in Di and Darren's issues.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the fact it was set in the U.K and the characters were relatable. Thanks to NetGalley for the book.
We see Charlie's home life and investigation become interlocked when she begins to miss signs that her daughter needs her as she is too wrapped up in Di and Darren's issues.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the fact it was set in the U.K and the characters were relatable. Thanks to NetGalley for the book.
April 10, 2023
Another book I have had forever. Finally gotten around to reading. This year is my catch up with outstanding books year and I have to say I'm really finding some r=great reads.
A new author to me.
This was an intriguing read. A young lad goes missing and the community try to help find him. Its the mothers friend Charlie that heads up trying to find out what the police don't seem to be doing.
Based around a bail hostel this read felt very different. Some interesting characters.
A new author to me.
This was an intriguing read. A young lad goes missing and the community try to help find him. Its the mothers friend Charlie that heads up trying to find out what the police don't seem to be doing.
Based around a bail hostel this read felt very different. Some interesting characters.
December 27, 2018
Loved this! Partly because I know the locations and everyone talks proper like. :D
August 23, 2016
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hard Wired is ostensibly a murder mystery. A teenage boy has been found dead, and an overworked police force seem powerless to find out what happened and who was responsible. Enter Charlie, friend of the murdered boys mom and all round door mat. Everyone in her life takes advantage of her, from her daughter to her friends and workmates, and even the residents at the bail hostel where she works. The murdered boys mother really takes the biscuit though and asks Charlie to look into who did this. And Charlie, been a bit of a door mat does. But then this is when this becomes less of your bog standard whodunnit and becomes more about the blossoming of Charlie as she takes on this frankly huge (and cheeky) request.
So what I liked about this book. It's a good story. It's as much a 90's kitchen sink drama at times than your run of the mill thriller. The character development of Charlie is good, you can feel real empathy for her.
What I didn't like....well this is set in Newcastle and the author seemed set in phonetically spelling everything the Geordies said - so instead of police we got poliss. I know this was to demonstrate the Geordie accent but it really grated. The other thing was our main character seemed to meet a few psychics within this novel - for example who knew an old lady in some tiny town in Ireland would be the one to predict the Irish economic crisis 12 years before it happened/
In any case those niggles aside this is a well written novel, with characters that you can both sympathise with and want to throttle at different stages. This is the first novel that I have read by this author and I look forward to what she does next.
Hard Wired is ostensibly a murder mystery. A teenage boy has been found dead, and an overworked police force seem powerless to find out what happened and who was responsible. Enter Charlie, friend of the murdered boys mom and all round door mat. Everyone in her life takes advantage of her, from her daughter to her friends and workmates, and even the residents at the bail hostel where she works. The murdered boys mother really takes the biscuit though and asks Charlie to look into who did this. And Charlie, been a bit of a door mat does. But then this is when this becomes less of your bog standard whodunnit and becomes more about the blossoming of Charlie as she takes on this frankly huge (and cheeky) request.
So what I liked about this book. It's a good story. It's as much a 90's kitchen sink drama at times than your run of the mill thriller. The character development of Charlie is good, you can feel real empathy for her.
What I didn't like....well this is set in Newcastle and the author seemed set in phonetically spelling everything the Geordies said - so instead of police we got poliss. I know this was to demonstrate the Geordie accent but it really grated. The other thing was our main character seemed to meet a few psychics within this novel - for example who knew an old lady in some tiny town in Ireland would be the one to predict the Irish economic crisis 12 years before it happened/
In any case those niggles aside this is a well written novel, with characters that you can both sympathise with and want to throttle at different stages. This is the first novel that I have read by this author and I look forward to what she does next.
August 29, 2016
I received a free ebook of Hard Wired from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
Charlie is a hard working widow without many qualifications. She gave up on her education, had her child young, and then her husband died. This leads her to a series of working class jobs as she tries to keep a roof over her and her daughter, Casey's head. Her current job is working as a guard/monitor at a bail hostel. This job exposes her to knowledge of criminals and the law. She is conscientious and works hard, often working the graveyard shift.
She comes home to find that a neighbor and friend's son is missing, later to be found dead. Being that the child, Darren, had been in trouble with the law and had a mother who does not really present herself well to the police or media, there is not much hope that the case will be solved. Charlie begins to investigate the crime using a surprisingly keen intelligence and a determination to find justice for Darren. Through this process she discovers or perhaps rediscovers herself. This is all set against a rather grim backdrop of life in a neighborhood where many people don't work, others live paycheck to paycheck barely making it, and many boys find themselves in the criminal justice system.
The mystery focuses on what it means to try to find justice when the victim doesn't generate much sympathy. Outside of the mystery, there are subplots involving Charlie's daughter's education and future. Will she follow in her mother's footsteps? Finally, there is the personal growth of Charlie's character over the course of the book. These three pieces fit together in a tightly woven story line. Highly recommended read.
Charlie is a hard working widow without many qualifications. She gave up on her education, had her child young, and then her husband died. This leads her to a series of working class jobs as she tries to keep a roof over her and her daughter, Casey's head. Her current job is working as a guard/monitor at a bail hostel. This job exposes her to knowledge of criminals and the law. She is conscientious and works hard, often working the graveyard shift.
She comes home to find that a neighbor and friend's son is missing, later to be found dead. Being that the child, Darren, had been in trouble with the law and had a mother who does not really present herself well to the police or media, there is not much hope that the case will be solved. Charlie begins to investigate the crime using a surprisingly keen intelligence and a determination to find justice for Darren. Through this process she discovers or perhaps rediscovers herself. This is all set against a rather grim backdrop of life in a neighborhood where many people don't work, others live paycheck to paycheck barely making it, and many boys find themselves in the criminal justice system.
The mystery focuses on what it means to try to find justice when the victim doesn't generate much sympathy. Outside of the mystery, there are subplots involving Charlie's daughter's education and future. Will she follow in her mother's footsteps? Finally, there is the personal growth of Charlie's character over the course of the book. These three pieces fit together in a tightly woven story line. Highly recommended read.
November 29, 2016
This crime/mystery thriller set in Newcastle 1996, is about the death of fifteen year old Darren a local boy who went missing and was later found dead in a park. His mother Di, asks neighbour and friend, Charlie to investigate as she feels the police might miss something. Charlie is a single mum and widow who works at a local probation and bail hostel for young male offenders. Her suspicious mind and powers of deduction work well for her in trying to figure out what happened to Darren, as she retraces his steps before he went missing.
What made this book interesting was the way Charlie's life intertwined the investigation. Her daughter, Casey a teenager still at school counterbalanced Charlie's altruistic nature to help Di, regardless of her own needs. However, I found it a dichotomy to see Charlie as a good investigator when she was missing so many clues about what was going on in her own home.
Regardless of a few small irritations in the story, I kept on reading and really wanted to know what happened to Darren, so I do recommend this crime thriller.
What made this book interesting was the way Charlie's life intertwined the investigation. Her daughter, Casey a teenager still at school counterbalanced Charlie's altruistic nature to help Di, regardless of her own needs. However, I found it a dichotomy to see Charlie as a good investigator when she was missing so many clues about what was going on in her own home.
Regardless of a few small irritations in the story, I kept on reading and really wanted to know what happened to Darren, so I do recommend this crime thriller.
August 28, 2016
I am grateful to net galley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Charlie works at the local bail hostel where she has to deal with all sorts of different characters from those who she likes and feels sorry for through to those she genuinely does not like and thinks are very creepy. Her friend's son gets killed and she finds herself agreeing to speak at the funeral as well as trying to start her own investigation into why Danny was killed and by whom.
I did enjoy this book to a point but didn't find it gripped me. I liked the characters more than the actual storyline. I found myself at times wanting to have words with Charlie about why she was being such a doormat and tell her to look after her daughter better. The setting of Newcastle in the 1990s worked well I thought.
I did enjoy this book to a point but didn't find it gripped me. I liked the characters more than the actual storyline. I found myself at times wanting to have words with Charlie about why she was being such a doormat and tell her to look after her daughter better. The setting of Newcastle in the 1990s worked well I thought.
September 4, 2016
A hard hitting crime thriller set around Orchard House probation and bail hostel, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1996. The men in the hostel, Dave talking to himself, Donny wanted to turn his life around by studying for a law degree. Eddie had asthma and loved music, he knew a lot about it. Michael was the bastard who had put families through hell, following young girls, charming them and terrorising them. Charlie who works at the hostel has is exhausted. When Charlie's best friend's son is found dead in the local park, she is dragged into the hunt for the murderer.
May 14, 2017
Reading group choice. Good solid crime novel set in Newcastle ( a few miles from where I live). A bit slow to start but picked up.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews