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The Deadly Calling
SOMETIMES LIFE IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE... David left Colorado to pursue his ambitions in the sun-kissed playground of West Hollywood, only for them to become his worst nightmare. As a rising star in L.A.'s movie industry he has it all; fast career, fast cars and fast women. But when David witnesses a brutal murder and becomes the chief person of interest in the police investigation, he quickly realises the city's cult of celebrity is a fragile dream, one that can shatter in the blink of an eye.
The true killer is a disfigured maniac with a body as twisted as his mind. But David’s entanglement with his grisly handiwork is no case of mistaken identity. Someone is trying to frame him and protect the killer. But who? And why?
As the body count rises, this desperate witness realises the only way to prove his innocence is to do the unthinkable - track the killer down himself. The manhunt not only leads David into the darkest recesses of the homicidal mind and the terrible agenda it serves, but to discover some fates are simply inescapable.
839 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2017
About the author
Tim Langford
5 books2 followersTim is the author of 'The Deadly Calling', a psychological suspense thriller that hinges on the unreliable narrator genre. His first book, a science fiction thriller published under a pen name, won a monthly round of the People's Book prize. He studied film, TV and American studies in university and lives in England. When he isn't glued to a laptop screen penning his latest project his interests are reading his favorite authors, geopolitics and exploring alternative and ancient histories.
'Clearly a very talented writer and should be applauded for creating a novel of both character and depth.' -- Editor; SFBook.com
In his own words...
"For me, the best stories are those where ordinary people are thrown into extraordinary situations, primarily because it gives the protagonists the opportunity to discover an inner strength they never knew they possessed, to find purpose even if unaware of its requirement...."
'Clearly a very talented writer and should be applauded for creating a novel of both character and depth.' -- Editor; SFBook.com
In his own words...
"For me, the best stories are those where ordinary people are thrown into extraordinary situations, primarily because it gives the protagonists the opportunity to discover an inner strength they never knew they possessed, to find purpose even if unaware of its requirement...."
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 5, 2021
A book that for me started off slow but then hit me with twists and turns that I didn't see coming. It had me turning the page excited to see what was coming next.
Corruption, secrets and identity crisis.
It is a long read but one with so much to offer. The author builds a spiderweb of information that pulls you along the story to find out what is happening and who is behind it all.
Action packed crime with plenty of Secrets to reveal along the way!
A really Thrilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I cannot wait to see more from this author.
Corruption, secrets and identity crisis.
It is a long read but one with so much to offer. The author builds a spiderweb of information that pulls you along the story to find out what is happening and who is behind it all.
Action packed crime with plenty of Secrets to reveal along the way!
A really Thrilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I cannot wait to see more from this author.
January 10, 2018
Took a chance on this and was glad I did! Good characters, twists, and a tender-hooks conclusion. If you like elements of crime, psychological or suspense thriller you should like this book too. It's a long read but a real page-turner soon as the story / mystery gets its hooks in you, and the themes stuck with me well after I finished reading. Can't wait for more from this author.
June 17, 2023
If you like sexy, glamorous thrillers with a lot of techno jargon then this story might be for you. I’m more of a basic gritty, grimy kinda gal so this book and I did not gel. I would suggest this might appeal to fans of shows such as FBI, the CSI spin-offs etc….
There is no doubt that the author can write but unfortunately he did fall victim to Tolkein syndrome (MANY people love that!) with things getting very descriptive and wordy. As a result the story is quite slow and drawn out. I found there to be too many stereotypes, the women all had long legs, were gorgeous but maybe a little bit crazy and there was also a really horrible reference with regards to autism and OCD that was a 👎 for me.
There is no doubt that the author can write but unfortunately he did fall victim to Tolkein syndrome (MANY people love that!) with things getting very descriptive and wordy. As a result the story is quite slow and drawn out. I found there to be too many stereotypes, the women all had long legs, were gorgeous but maybe a little bit crazy and there was also a really horrible reference with regards to autism and OCD that was a 👎 for me.
September 8, 2021
Synopsis: David “Troy” Cheval has seen some success as an actor since leaving his home state of Colorado behind and moving to West Hollywood. He is working to get his next big break when he is beset by a reoccurring nightmare in which he becomes a “ghoul”. In place of his movie-star good looks is a face disfigured with deep scars. He wakes up disoriented and shaken, feeling like the dreams are a little too real. Then after going home with a woman that he met at a club, he suddenly blacks out. When he comes to, the apartment has been trashed, he has been injured, and the woman is huddled in the corner terrified. She screams at him to leave, promising she won’t tell. Confused, he bolts from her apartment back to his home. This begins a series of events leading to David being blamed for a murder under very unusual circumstances. He realizes the only way to clear his name is to uncover the truth himself.
Thoughts: This book keeps you guessing! Tim Langford is a talented author with an attention to detail that makes you feel like you are part of the story. I’m not going to lie; this is a long read. The beginning is a little slow to pick up but just stick with it because it is a great ride. All the details that go into building the characters at the beginning pay off in the end. If you are a fan of Dean Koontz, you will like this book.
Fun Fact: I really liked the description of Denver International Airport at the beginning as “organized chaos beneath the vast lofty ceiling.” Living in Denver, I can confirm it is, in fact, organized chaos.
Thank you to the author for a copy of his book in exchange for my honest review.
Thoughts: This book keeps you guessing! Tim Langford is a talented author with an attention to detail that makes you feel like you are part of the story. I’m not going to lie; this is a long read. The beginning is a little slow to pick up but just stick with it because it is a great ride. All the details that go into building the characters at the beginning pay off in the end. If you are a fan of Dean Koontz, you will like this book.
Fun Fact: I really liked the description of Denver International Airport at the beginning as “organized chaos beneath the vast lofty ceiling.” Living in Denver, I can confirm it is, in fact, organized chaos.
Thank you to the author for a copy of his book in exchange for my honest review.
May 9, 2021
The Deadly Calling by Tim Langford. Thank you @timlangfordauthor for my gifted copy of The Deadly Calling being a fan of Dean Koontz like yourself together with the amazing amount of 5 star reviews already written I was excited to get started. A slow start for me as getting time to actually read has been difficult of late. David a budding actor pursuing success in the film business in LA becomes a witness to a murder and becomes deeply embroiled after becoming a suspect. With lots of twists and turns this action packed book got me at the beginning when David goes home with a young woman only to come round in her home wounded and with her cowering in a corner and brandishing a lamp in self defence and him with no idea what took place ! Some parts reminded me of Jackie Collins with the glitz of acting and the LA theme. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thank you again @timlangfordauthor
February 26, 2021
“The Deadly Calling”—Tim Langford [4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️] This was my first book I’ve read by this author, and I definitely enjoyed this fast-paced, suspenseful thriller. David left his hometown of Colorado to pursue his dreams in the film industry in LA, where’s he’s been quite successful. His life definitely takes a sharp turn as he witnesses a murder and becomes the lead suspect in the investigation. He soon realizes that his life has changed in the blink of an eye, and that someone is trying to frame him and protect the killer. The body count is continuing to rise, and David realizes the only way to try and prove his innocence is to try and hunt down the killer himself. His manhunt leads to many twists and turns and he will soon discover some fates are inescapable. This was a long read, but the storyline was intriguing and pulls you in, making you wonder what was going to happen next! 👍🏼📚
April 27, 2021
David leaves Colorado and moves to LA to follow his dreams in the film industry.
When he witnesses a murder, he becomes the number one suspect; someone is trying to frame him, and David needs to prove his innocence by catching the real killer.
This was the first book I've read by Tim Langford, and I really enjoyed it. It started a bit slow, but soon picked up the pace and kept me on the edge of my seat. It has several twists that kept me guessing and made the story unpredictable and intriguing.
Although it is quite long (and I find it very intimidating so I actually had it sitting on my kindle for a while!) the story flew by and I read it quite quickly in the end.
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When he witnesses a murder, he becomes the number one suspect; someone is trying to frame him, and David needs to prove his innocence by catching the real killer.
This was the first book I've read by Tim Langford, and I really enjoyed it. It started a bit slow, but soon picked up the pace and kept me on the edge of my seat. It has several twists that kept me guessing and made the story unpredictable and intriguing.
Although it is quite long (and I find it very intimidating so I actually had it sitting on my kindle for a while!) the story flew by and I read it quite quickly in the end.
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2022
This is one of the books that took me FOREVER to get to, and when I did I was kicking myself that I didn't get to it sooner. I'm a big fan of thrillers but horror is my first love. The Deadly Calling satisfied both. I would consider this a thriller, but there are some aspects that made it lean towards horror for me. I kind of went into this thinking of the tv crime dramas, but this was more like a fast paced Hollywood blockbuster.
Overall, I loved the ride. The characters are interesting, but this is definitely plot driven. Tim Langford will keep you turning the pages at a fast rate to see what happens next. I am very excited to read more from this author!
Overall, I loved the ride. The characters are interesting, but this is definitely plot driven. Tim Langford will keep you turning the pages at a fast rate to see what happens next. I am very excited to read more from this author!
April 23, 2021
This book was quite a ride! It started out a bit slow for me, but hang in there because it is worth the read. David leaves Denver for LA to pursue his dreams in film. But things take a turn when he witnesses a murder and soon becomes the prime suspect. The only way for David to clear his name is to find the true killer, which leads to an exciting journey along the way. Thrilling read with lots of twists and turns. This is a long book with a lot of detail, but it made for a great adventure. Thank you to the author for a copy of his book in exchange for my honest review.
July 29, 2023
This is a fast-paced and suspenseful mystery that will keep you engaged until the very end. With a captivating premise and an intriguing protagonist, Langford sets the stage for an exciting story.
The plot of is filled with twists and turns, keeping you guessing until the very end. The story has a sense of urgency and tension, making it difficult to put the book down. I enjoyed the intricate web of clues and the unexpected horror element.
Langford is very descriptive and wordy making it a bit of a drag at times but this was overall a very good read.
The plot of is filled with twists and turns, keeping you guessing until the very end. The story has a sense of urgency and tension, making it difficult to put the book down. I enjoyed the intricate web of clues and the unexpected horror element.
Langford is very descriptive and wordy making it a bit of a drag at times but this was overall a very good read.
May 1, 2023
This book was absolutely amazing! I felt like I was watching a movie with every turn of the page! You can definitely find characters to relate to, and the plot will have you on the edge of your seats! Definitely a five star read!
September 8, 2023
this one started off a bit slow for me, however it was full of twists and turns which I liked. The story itself was action packed and suspenseful, but the writing style wasn’t for me. I found it a bit too wordy, but if you like lots of description then this would definitely be for you.
April 22, 2021
This book kept me on the edge of my seat! The twists kept me guessing and re-evaluating plot and characters! I highly recommend this for fans of this genre!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews