Horsemen

Detective Jason Smith #7

by Stewart Giles

One draining murder investigation after another has left DS Jason on the brink of losing his sanity and he needs a break. A string of armed robberies at the McDonalds in the city of York are getting in the way. Smith’s DI makes him a deal; if he can get to the bottom of it, he can have two weeks off. Smith figures out who the brains behind the robberies is; the young wife of Jimmy Phoenix, the owner of all the McDonalds franchises in the city.
Smith sets off for the peaceful Yorkshire village of Scarpdale for two weeks of country air, slow walks by the lakes and no mobile phone reception. He wakes up on his first morning to find three policemen outside his room. A young woman has been found dead next to one of the lakes. Smith was seen talking to the woman the night before. The woman is Sophie Phoenix, the youngest daughter of Jimmy Phoenix.
Ill equipped to deal with such a serious crime, the local police, headed by the bungling Sergeant Wilkie make no headway and Smith is begged by Jimmy Phoenix to find out what happened to his daughter. Against his better judgment, Smith agrees and starts to ask questions but the locals are not giving anything away. When Sophie’s boyfriend, Lewis Van Camp is found dead an hour before her funeral, Smith is baffled. Lewis was his odds on favourite for Sophie’s murder. Smith quickly realizes that these rival horse breeders, the Van Camps and the Phoenix’s are involved somehow. Everybody he speaks to talks of something that happened in New York the previous summer; something sinister involving these horsemen but nobody seems to know exactly what went on.
Smith knows the only way to put the pieces together is to go to New York and find out for himself what happened that was so terrible that young people had to die because of it. Accompanied against his will by Sophie’s elder sister, Charlotte, Smith soon sees that the opulent world of these horsemen is much more sinister than he could ever imagine. The secret centres on the sworn enemy of the man who pleaded with Smith to help him in the first place.
Smith returns to Scarpdale armed with the information he needs to apprehend the most unlikely killer he has ever come across.

Genres: Mystery

300 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2016

About the author

After reading English at 3 Universities and graduating from none of them, I set off travelling around the world with my wife, Ann, finally settling in South Africa, where we still live. After Ann dropped a rather large speaker on my head I came up with the idea for a detective series. DS Jason Smith was born. Smith, the first in the series was finished a few months later. 3 years and 8 DS Smith books later, Joffe Books wondered if I would be interested in working with them. As a self-published author, I agreed. However, we decided on a new series - the DC Harriet Taylor Cornwall series. The Beekeeper hit the shelves and hit the number one spot in Australia. The second in the series, The Perfect Murder did just as well. The third in the series, The Backpacker I have self-published and is now available.

Reviews

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

DS Jason Smith is burnt out. He desperately wants some time away from murder and crime, his supervisor, everything. His boss says he can have 2 weeks ... BUT .. he must first solve the problem of the armed robbers who seem to really like the McDonald's restaurants. So far they've hit five stores in the last week.

Smith is a smart detective and finds the mastermind, earning the praise of the police and the owner of the McDonald's franchises .... Jimmy Phoenix.

Smith is finally on his way to a small village a few hours away. He's thinking of long walks, country air, and no phone connections.

However, it's not quite as peaceful as he thought, as police bang on his door and ultimately charge him with murder. The victim was last seen having a few drinks in the bar with Jason. She also happens to be the daughter of Jimmy Phoenix.

This is the first murder in this village, and inept doesn't even cover it ... more like Keystone Kops. The victim's boyfriend is the son of a very wealthy, powerful man who incidentally owns pretty much the entire village .. including the police.

And it only gets worse when Jimmy Phoenix begs Jason to stay and find the person or people responsible for the death of his daughter.

And that's not the last death that Jason will have the unfortunate business of seeing....

This is another exciting adventure for Jason and his colleagues. It's a fast romp through the world of horses and horsemen. It's a brutal cut-throat business where secrets remain hidden and everyone lies. Jason certainly has his hands full this time.

Jason is a terrific series character. He comes with some baggage, and a history of death and violence. As a cop, he's methodical and relies on his gut feelings which haven't let him down yet.

Although 7th in the series, this one does well as a stand alone, but I highly recommend starting at the beginning to pick up all those gems you might miss otherwise.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Promotions / JIll Burkenshaw for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Books 'n' All Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is for the newly updated and reedited version

I love this series. The books just get better and better and this one is no different.

I am pleased to see Smith starting to mature and get it together with Whitton. They make a brilliant team both personally and professionally. I also like the humour Stewart has run through the books especially with Chalmers and Smyth I can actually see that happening in real life.

The story revolves around the people with big money the underlying theme being 'money doesn't buy happiness'

Smith is planning a break away from all the evil and death in his private and professional life but first he needs to solve the McDonalds robberies that are taking place around the city. This brings him face to face with Jimmy Phoenix, a self made millionaire.

The McDonalds case closed Smith sets off for the Yorkshire wilderness but typical of Smith's world a break is not going to happen anytime soon.

Love, love, love this story. There are so many twists and turns as Smith tries to untangle secrets and the intrigue builds right to the end. As is typical the ending is a totally unexpected.

Characters that grow with every book, a unique story with twists, turns and red herrings this is everything a crime thriller should be and more. A must read for lovers of great detective stories.

5 golden stars from me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, LOVED this!!! Action packed, and full of secrets, betrayal, murder, mystery and suspense! This is what you call a page-turner! Jason Smith wants some time off, alone, and I think that he deserves it! He's been granted a couple of weeks off - but only once he has got to the bottom of a spate of thefts which have been taking place at McDonalds food outlets in York. Eventually, Smith goes off on his hols to sunny Scarpdale and as is the norm with him, it doesn't go quite to plan! I was hooked and became more intrigued as the story went on and particularly enjoyed the part of Smith's visit to New York. It was certainly very eventful! I love the humour within the story and the descriptions of people and places; I always feel as if I'm there as I feel as though Mr Giles' writing just brings the story and its characters to life. I was surprised when I found out the antagonist/s - I had no clue at all as to who it could be - and I thought it a great ending, even though I did feel a little tiny bit sad. I have to mention, too, that I love the new addition to the characters! I highly recommend! Thank you x

[Joanna Larum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon the first Jason Smith book by accident and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. After that, I moved on and read them in order, getting more involved with them with every book which came out. Horseman, the 7th Jason Smith book, is yet another great story and, once again, I didn't work out whodunnit before the end!
Smith is investigating some armed robberies in the MacDonalds franchises in York. He is told that if he solves them, then he can have a holiday, so he sets to with a will. Soon solved, Smith travels to the Yorkshire Dales to enjoy a peaceful holiday with no crime and no mobile phones. Unfortunately, a girl is murdered almost immediately and Smith is the prime suspect! Once that is cleared up, Jimmy Phoenix, the man who owns all the MacDonalds in York, asks Smith to find the murderer of his daughter. This leads to a journey to New York before Smith can crack the case.
I love the Jason Smith character and I believe Stewart Giles is getting better and better with every book he writes. Keep going Mr Giles!

[Simon Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 7th book in the DS Smith series, or 8th if you include the prequel, and to get to know how DS Smith's mind works, as well as what Stewart has put him through previously, you need to have read a couple of the previous books before this one.  It does work well as a stand alone though if you haven't had a chance to read them all yet.

This book is slightly different to the previous Smith books in that it doesn't involve the rest of the York Police because Smith is on vacation in the lovely village of Scarpdale, where a murder happens with him being the chief suspect.

The book starts off with Smtih and the gang investigating some armed robberies at various McDonalds in York and then once they have solved the case Smith is allowed to go on vacation.

Once the murdered woman has been found and Smith has cleared his name the father of the murdered girl asks him to investigate properly as the local police are incompetent.  The father is Jimmy Phoenix , who owned the McDonalds franchises which were robbed at the start of the book.

Whilst Smith is investigating the girls murder his chief suspect, her boyfriend, is also found dead in a suspected suicide.  Once it is ruled that he was murdered Smith has to find out who killed them both.

His investigation takes him from Yorkshire all the way to the Hamptons in New York as he finds a link to what happened a year ago with regards to the boy's family.

I really enjoyed this book as it was completely different to Smith's previous investigations as he is on his own without the back -up or authorisation of his team or DI.

The book kept me guessing all the way to the end, and even when Smith was talking to the murderer I still didn't realise until he finally confessed and everything fell into place.

Overall this was a brilliant book and I loved the little snippet and clue at the end (although as I have already read book 8, Unworthy, it wasn't much of a shock to me).

I am now off to re-read/listen to Unworthy in preparation for the highly anticipated book 9 of the DS Smith series, where he is working together with Stewart's other star DC Harriet Taylor in what I imagine is going to be an exciting book.

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Today I have my review of the seventh in the Smith series, the Horsemen which if you haven’t read any in the series, I would highly recommend that you read at the least the book before this one or what I say would be even better to start at the very beginning with Smith.

DS Jason Smith is considering his future with the York police department yet again. He turns to his friend/psychiatrist Jessica Blakemore (who is currently residing in a mental health facility after a nervous breakdown) and she suggests some time off on his own.

The only problem standing between him and his holiday is a spate of armed robberies at the local McDonald’s, the franchises that are owned by millionaire Jimmy Phoenix. Using his usual powers of deduction, Smith solves the case and heads off on holiday on his own, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend DC Whitton. But as usual Smith finds trouble when the body of Sophie Phoenix, none other than Jimmy Phoenix’s daughter!

Smith is asked to investigate the death which leads him to New York and secrets that someone desperately wants to keep buried.

Another fast paced adventure in the Smith series! My heart was in my mouth when Smith gets arrested for a murder he didn’t commit and I genuinely didn’t know if he’d get released or not!

As usual Smith is his own worst enemy, drinking and smoking too much, going on holiday by himself instead of whisking Whitton off for a romantic time...I really want to give him a good shake!

I’m not going to say too much more about the story for fear of spoilers but I enjoyed Smith’s little sojourn to New York which is a place I’ve also wanted to visit, although if it’s anything like the way it is in the book, I’m not sure I want to go any more!

I have to be honest the storyline does rely a little bit on coincidences like Smith taking a holiday where Jimmy Phoenix’s daughter happens to be as well but that is just a minor issue.

Overall Horsemen is an action packed adventure, perfect for crime fiction lovers to lose themselves in for few hours.

[K.M. Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book in the series that follows Jason Smith and the team in a hunt for another murderer. There really isnt much more I can say about this one that's different from the previous reviews. If you like a crime series then this is a series for you.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

This is another great addition to the Detective Jason Smith series!

I love reading the books in this series - they are well written and I find them quite addictive. The characters work so well together. This instalment is focussed away from York and it gives the book a different feel and you are introduced to some very different characters, I guessed part of the plot line but there were a few twists I didn't see coming.

Whilst it is part of the series and has underlying themes and on-going stories through the books, if you only want to read this one, it will work fine as a stand alone too- but honestly if you do get an opportunity I'd start from the first book and work through them.

Five stars from me again for this one, I thought it was excellent - very highly recommended.

[David Ray Siders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

Good story line, if somewhat convoluted at times. It’s a fairly clean read too, no sex and not much in the way for foul language which is greatly appreciated. Looking forward to reading the next book.

[james Winstanley. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read .

Enjoy STEWART GILES as old as any big boys novels I've read.
Would make a good TV series . Or film .

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Stewart’s books since the moment I picked my first one up, called ‘Unworthy’. I have been busy catching up on his other books and I can honestly say that I have loved each and every book of the Smith series that I have had the pleasure of reading. I have just finished reading ‘Horsemen’ and I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Detective Jason Smith? Well, he is an Australian by birth but he was sent over to England to live with his grandmother after his sister disappeared. Smith carries an awful lot of guilt around with him and nobody could blame him more than he blames himself. He and his grandmother shared a very tight bond and it was almost as if she took on the role of ‘Mother’ as well as ‘Grandmother’. Smith’s relationship with his birth parents is somewhat strained. Smith did start off studying for a law degree but he changed his mind and became a policeman instead. He is incredibly clever, he has a keen gut instinct which is uncannily accurate and like a Mountie, he always gets his man. He isn’t averse to bending the rules slightly and to say that he pushes his luck on occasion is a huge understatement. Smith doesn’t seem to have a filter either and often speaks before he thinks, but he doesn’t give two hoots. Smith is popular with most of his colleagues but he does have his enemies too and again he doesn’t give two hoots about what others think of him. In ‘Horsemen’, Smith is fast approaching burn out stage after investigating some pretty intense and difficult cases. Smith is desperate to take a holiday and insists on taking it immediately. His superiors panic and agree that if he can crack the case of the armed robberies then he can have his leave. Smith regains his appetite for his work. This book sees a bit of a happier Smith, as he is in a relationship with a female colleague, although she is not too happy at the fact that he wants to disappear on his own for the fortnight. Smith doesn’t need to find cases as cases have an uncanny habit of finding him. Even on his holidays, he gets roped in to solving crimes.
Oh my goodness gracious me, ‘Horsemen’ is one seriously, stonkingly well written and fantastic book. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and much like a hypnotist, he keeps you under the book’s spell until the moment you close the back cover. I certainly felt as though I was in a trance. The story certainly starts with a bang and it maintains the pace throughout. I became addicted to reading ‘Horsemen’. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I just couldn’t put it down. The more I read, the more I wanted to read, the more I got into the story and the quicker those pages turned. In fact at one point, the pages were turning that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves and I finished the book far quicker than I had intended. I desperately tried to ration how much I read in one go because I wanted to prolong my enjoyment of the book but my intention flew out of the window. Where this book slightly deviates from the others, is the fact that DS Jason Smith is on his own investigating the murder and he doesn’t have the backup of his girlfriend or his team. Reading ‘Horsemen’ was much like riding on a very scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with not much of an idea as to which direction the story will be taking next. There were times when I dreaded having to turn the pages as I feared what was going to happen next but then of course if I wanted to know what happened next then of course I would have to read on.
In short I absolutely ADORED reading ‘Horsemen’, which is right up there on my top ten favourite reads of 2018. Stewart Giles is also up there on my list of favourite and must read authors. The series featuring DS Jason Smith just goes from strength to strength. I would definitely recommend Stewart and his books to other readers. His books are gripping and often chilling and the stories are fast paced. I can’t wait to read what he comes up with next. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Sally Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

I have read all in the series back to back. Not only does the author write a good plot, he also brings the characters to life. Each story has been a page turner - bring on the next!

[Muriel Roach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stewart Giles books

Always thoroughly enjoy DS Smith books. Looking forward to the next in the series. Would recommend them to a friend.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This series is improving book by book although the plot has some issues.

[edward ennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complicated.

Twisted story with interesting turns. Getting more like a serial and quite predictable, hot curry is a big clue. Good.

[Kev · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying the series but becoming fed up with the incorrect spelling of the word 'superintendent'.

[Sarah Legge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast moving action on every page book. Put me off mc donalds for a while incase i was shot!

[Anne Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay

The story was a bit convoluted, and at some points, it made zero sense. Other books in the series are much better.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. I like seeing how characters change and progress.

[Michele Zito · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual , excellent.