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Eve West #1
A Bad, Bad Thing
Eve West, a police officer with a hidden past, is drawn into a dark and complex case when she's asked to investigate a miscarriage of justice.
A highly effective police officer, albeit one who keeps her past carefully hidden, Eve West is suspended from duty after a police operation goes catastrophically wrong. Receiving help from an unexpected quarter - a criminal she put away many years before - Eve feels she has no choice but to agree to his request to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice in return. But why is a hardened criminal like John Duran so keen to help a fellow-inmate convicted of the murder of a stable-girl? And why has he chosen Eve to look into the case?
Teaming up with crusading journalist Dan Cooper, Eve begins to uncover disturbing flaws in the original investigation. But as her past is dragged to the surface, she comes to realize she has been plunged into a case more complex and sinister than she ever imagined.
A highly effective police officer, albeit one who keeps her past carefully hidden, Eve West is suspended from duty after a police operation goes catastrophically wrong. Receiving help from an unexpected quarter - a criminal she put away many years before - Eve feels she has no choice but to agree to his request to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice in return. But why is a hardened criminal like John Duran so keen to help a fellow-inmate convicted of the murder of a stable-girl? And why has he chosen Eve to look into the case?
Teaming up with crusading journalist Dan Cooper, Eve begins to uncover disturbing flaws in the original investigation. But as her past is dragged to the surface, she comes to realize she has been plunged into a case more complex and sinister than she ever imagined.
311 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2018
9 people are currently reading
143 people want to read
About the author
Elena Forbes
14 books54 followersElena Forbes is an English writer of crime fiction.She grew up in London. After completing a degree in French and Italian at Bristol University, she worked in portfolio management for a number of international groups before becoming a full-time writer.
She lives in central London with her husband and two children. The protagonists of her novels so far are Detective Inspector Mark Tartaglia and DS Sam Donovan of the Barnes Murder Squad. Her first novel was shortlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award.
Series:
* Mark Tartaglia Mystery
She lives in central London with her husband and two children. The protagonists of her novels so far are Detective Inspector Mark Tartaglia and DS Sam Donovan of the Barnes Murder Squad. Her first novel was shortlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award.
Series:
* Mark Tartaglia Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
November 24, 2018
Eve West is a police officer with a hidden past. She is drawn into a dark and complex case when she is asked to investigate a miscarriage of justice. Eve was suspended from duty after a police operation goes catastrophically wrong. While suspended, she is contacted by a criminal that she had previously convicted and sent to jail. John Duran now wants her help clearing a fellow inmate, Sean, of his convicted crime. He offers her information that will exonerate her if she joins investigative journalist, Dan Cooper of 4justice, to try and free Sean Farrell, who was wrongly convicted of murdering a stable employee ten years ago.
There were issues I could not fathom out regarding the storyline: like why would a criminal be interested in proving a fellow inmate was innocent (maybe I'm just overthinking it) and how did he have the information about her suspension? I also felt the investigation into Jane McNeil's death was not quite believable. The book took a few chapters before I got into it. There is a lot going on in the storyline, so much so that I found it quite confusing. I was not keen on Eve, there seemed to be too much going on about her character. The ending leads you to believe that there will be further books but i don't think that I will read anymore of this series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Severn House and the author Elena Forbes for my ARC aim exchange for an honest review.
There were issues I could not fathom out regarding the storyline: like why would a criminal be interested in proving a fellow inmate was innocent (maybe I'm just overthinking it) and how did he have the information about her suspension? I also felt the investigation into Jane McNeil's death was not quite believable. The book took a few chapters before I got into it. There is a lot going on in the storyline, so much so that I found it quite confusing. I was not keen on Eve, there seemed to be too much going on about her character. The ending leads you to believe that there will be further books but i don't think that I will read anymore of this series.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Severn House and the author Elena Forbes for my ARC aim exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2018
Eve West is a police officer on suspension following a police operation gone wrong. While suspended, she is contacted by a criminal she once put away, who now wants her help in clearing fellow inmate Sean of his convicted crimes. Eve is skeptical, but decides to look into it because she is promised information that proves she was set up on her police assignment.
This story follows Eve, a suspended police officer, and Dan Cooper, an investigative journalist. Dan works with 4Justice and has been looking into the case of Sean Farrell, a man convicted of a crime who claims his innocence. Sean was convicted of murder, but the case had flaws and Dan believes it was mishandled. Eve joins Dan in looking into the past murder, and trying to find new information that could exonerate Sean. Both Eve and Dan follow leads and piece together the past crime. Eve has a personal stake in the case, since she is wanting to prove her own innocence, and believes she will get the proof she needs if she helps Sean.
An interesting story that had a lot going on. This book does not hold back on graphic and disturbing crimes. While Eve and Dan investigate the old crime, new crimes are committed, including rape, torture, murder, and arson.
This is the first book in a new series about Eve West. I look forward to reading more about Eve. A good read for fans of British crime fiction. Clever, compelling, and complex.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows Eve, a suspended police officer, and Dan Cooper, an investigative journalist. Dan works with 4Justice and has been looking into the case of Sean Farrell, a man convicted of a crime who claims his innocence. Sean was convicted of murder, but the case had flaws and Dan believes it was mishandled. Eve joins Dan in looking into the past murder, and trying to find new information that could exonerate Sean. Both Eve and Dan follow leads and piece together the past crime. Eve has a personal stake in the case, since she is wanting to prove her own innocence, and believes she will get the proof she needs if she helps Sean.
An interesting story that had a lot going on. This book does not hold back on graphic and disturbing crimes. While Eve and Dan investigate the old crime, new crimes are committed, including rape, torture, murder, and arson.
This is the first book in a new series about Eve West. I look forward to reading more about Eve. A good read for fans of British crime fiction. Clever, compelling, and complex.
I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2018
A Bad, Bad Thing, the first novel featuring DCI Eve West of the Metropolitan Police, is a tale of two halves. It is complex in terms of the number of different threads to the plot but is straightforward in terms of the linear timeline and being told primarily from Eve's point-of-view. I enjoyed the mix of complex and straightforward right from the get-go. However, our main protagonist, Eve, is not a particularly likeable individual. She is rather cold, distant and detached but that may be due to her past experiences, and she may become warmer over the upcoming additions to the series. I feel many will find the plot quite exhausting as there was a little too much going on, and it definitely has the potential to become confusing. I look forward to discovering how this new series and characters will evolve.
Many thanks to Severn House Publishing for an ARC.
Many thanks to Severn House Publishing for an ARC.
June 9, 2020
Having read this author before, albeit quite some time ago, I knew in advance that I admired her writing. My memory served me well, because I found this to be a stellar crime fiction read! A book which has the reader questioning just who are the good guys, and who are the bad guys. That there are many shades of grey in a world where nothing is every purely white or black.
The characters were well described and empathically drawn. The settings were easy to visualize and the plot contained several red-herrings. Besides the search for justice, this story delves into the horse racing world with all of its attendant avarice and corruption.
This crime thriller is not really a police procedural, as Eve's career is very much on the back-burner during the course of the story. As of today's date, there is no sequel available, though it is listed on several sites as being the first in the Eve West series. If a second title in the series becomes available I will definitely be adding it to my TBR.
I found the ending to be unusual in that I as the reader was given enough hints via the plot that I knew an elemental fact about Eve's history that the author chose to NOT spell out, and NOT make her protagonist aware of. Very clever.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed "A Bad, Bad, Thing" and would highly recommend it to other crime fiction fans.
The characters were well described and empathically drawn. The settings were easy to visualize and the plot contained several red-herrings. Besides the search for justice, this story delves into the horse racing world with all of its attendant avarice and corruption.
This crime thriller is not really a police procedural, as Eve's career is very much on the back-burner during the course of the story. As of today's date, there is no sequel available, though it is listed on several sites as being the first in the Eve West series. If a second title in the series becomes available I will definitely be adding it to my TBR.
I found the ending to be unusual in that I as the reader was given enough hints via the plot that I knew an elemental fact about Eve's history that the author chose to NOT spell out, and NOT make her protagonist aware of. Very clever.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed "A Bad, Bad, Thing" and would highly recommend it to other crime fiction fans.
September 25, 2018
2.5 stars. While police officer Eve West is awaiting her probationary hearing she stumbles upon a cold case surrounded by the horse racing community. She needs to uncover who really is behind the murder of a young woman for the sake of the man who has been sitting in a prison cell for 10 years. Although I wanted to discovers who really was behind the crime, I found this story to be rather boring and the writing somewhat sophomoric.
September 14, 2023
Great story but needs to have a continuation. Felt unfinished. Hoping one comes soon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2018
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for an advance copy of A Bad, Bad Thing, the first novel to feature DCI Eve West of the Met.
When Eve is suspended after an operation goes badly wrong it looks like she will lose her career until John Duran, a criminal she convicted of murder, offers her information that will exonerate her if she joins investigative journalist, Dan Cooper of 4Justice, in trying to free Sean Farrell, wrongly convicted of murdering stable employee, Jane McNeil, ten years previously.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Bad, Bad Thing which is an engrossing read with several surprising twists and turns and more action than I expected. It is an easy book to read with most of the narrative from Eve's point of view and a linear timeline, my favourite format as it doesn't overly tax my brain trying to keep up, and a limited list of suspects. Having said that, the plot itself is fairly complex with several strands, not all connected, various motives, lots of secrets and the enigmatic John Duran to ponder. It held my attention from start to finish. Ms Forbes has done a great job of weaving it all together into a coherent whole.
The novel is brought to life by the personality of Eve West. She is tough, solitary and to all appearances unemotional but all is not as it seems because she is hiding secrets and her detachment is a coping mechanism. As the novel progresses these secrets start to emerge with Ms Forbes drip feeding the reader tidbits often enough to arouse the curiosity and stop the reader getting fed up with the teasing.
A Bad, Bad Thing is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
When Eve is suspended after an operation goes badly wrong it looks like she will lose her career until John Duran, a criminal she convicted of murder, offers her information that will exonerate her if she joins investigative journalist, Dan Cooper of 4Justice, in trying to free Sean Farrell, wrongly convicted of murdering stable employee, Jane McNeil, ten years previously.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Bad, Bad Thing which is an engrossing read with several surprising twists and turns and more action than I expected. It is an easy book to read with most of the narrative from Eve's point of view and a linear timeline, my favourite format as it doesn't overly tax my brain trying to keep up, and a limited list of suspects. Having said that, the plot itself is fairly complex with several strands, not all connected, various motives, lots of secrets and the enigmatic John Duran to ponder. It held my attention from start to finish. Ms Forbes has done a great job of weaving it all together into a coherent whole.
The novel is brought to life by the personality of Eve West. She is tough, solitary and to all appearances unemotional but all is not as it seems because she is hiding secrets and her detachment is a coping mechanism. As the novel progresses these secrets start to emerge with Ms Forbes drip feeding the reader tidbits often enough to arouse the curiosity and stop the reader getting fed up with the teasing.
A Bad, Bad Thing is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 18, 2020
A fairly strong first-in-series, but I wasn't as engrossed in this novel as I was with her Mark Tartaglia series. I expected the character of Eve West to be a little more broken given all the loss and abuse that she had suffered - as a child, on the job, in her personal life. Instead, she seemed to just plow through each obstacle with little insight into how she was processing her difficulties, emotionally or even just in personal terms. While not a wooden character, the author put more emphasis on her work as a policewoman than on developing her as a protagonist.
The storyline was a little cumbersome, but there was at least one twist that I found surprising and elegantly done. The ending leaves me hopeful for a sequel with, hopefully, more exploration of Eve's background and motivations, and a furtherance of her professional relationship with idealistic investigative journalist Dan Cooper.
The storyline was a little cumbersome, but there was at least one twist that I found surprising and elegantly done. The ending leaves me hopeful for a sequel with, hopefully, more exploration of Eve's background and motivations, and a furtherance of her professional relationship with idealistic investigative journalist Dan Cooper.
April 16, 2021
Quite disappointing as I had quite enjoyed the Mark Tartaglia series.
I cannot get into the book. I don’t like the heroine and find her actions hard to believe for a policewoman. Life is too short... giving up.
I cannot get into the book. I don’t like the heroine and find her actions hard to believe for a policewoman. Life is too short... giving up.
June 3, 2019
Listened to in audio format.
DNF 36%
A Bad, Bad Thing was a big disappointment to me. I was a great fan of the Mark Tartalia series but I found this latest book boring.
DNF 36%
A Bad, Bad Thing was a big disappointment to me. I was a great fan of the Mark Tartalia series but I found this latest book boring.
November 25, 2022
I feel a bad case of false advertising regret with this book - the title, the cover, and the librarian's description of "a scary book" on the wrapping (I picked this up as one of those 'blind date with a book' gimmicks). There was nothing scary about this, at all. The 'bad, bad thing' (of which there are three possibilities) wasn't that bad, at least not if you go on the way Eve reacts to any of them. For me, the cover seems to insinuate that the MC might, at one point in the book, be walking through some spooky woods at night either hunting or being hunted by a monster (man or beast). Nothing like that happened. A Bad, Bad, Thing didn't deliver on any of the promises it made, so I feel a little ripped off. I also guessed who (trigger warning) immediately and working out that kind of thing with such ease always leads to disappointment because I don't think a character should be so transparent in a mystery, because well, then there's not much mystery is there. Probably won't read anymore of this series and maybe nothing else by Forbes.
September 12, 2018
Detective Eve West is suspended from duties after it appears her recklessness has caused her colleague's death. Soon afterward, a killer who she put in prison years ago contacts her with information about her suspension. He claims Eve was set up and he has proof. But before he gives her the information, he wants her to investigate a fellow inmate who claims he is innocent of murdering a stable-girl.
But why is a criminal interested in proving that a fellow inmate is innocent? And why has he chosen Eve to look into the case?
Though both join forces rather reluctantly at first, Eve begins working with a journalist, Dan Cooper of 4Justice, to begin searching for new details regarding the case.
My Thoughts
What Concerned Me:
After a few chapters, the story captured my interest, but it wasn't a book that caught my interest from the start.
I also felt the death and investigation of Jane McNeil didn't feel quite believable. Plus the "secret" that accompanied Eve was a bit unnecessary since it didn't really add to an already complex story.
Though I could sense how it might end (and even hoped for that ending), I wish there would have been a bit more development regarding Eve and the other character. (I don't want to give the story away.)
What I Liked Most:
The main character, Eve, felt believable and strong. The story was well thought out and will appeal to many, plus I like the fact that this is going to develop into a very interesting series. I will be anxious to read the next Eve West novel.
http://www.pickagoodbook.com/2018/09/...
March 22, 2019
London homicide detective Eve West and one of her officers go to meet a confidential informant. The meeting never occurs as her partner/lover is murdered and Eve is suspended for getting them in that situation. She receives texts saying she was set up. The texts come from John Duran, a man Eve helped put in prison. He says he will give her evidence if she will do a favor in return. A fellow inmate is up for review. Duran says the man is innocent. After she meets with him, Eve is not impressed and not sure of his innocence but she agrees to investigate the 10 year old murder case. She teams up with journalist Dan Cooper. When Dan's investigator is tortured before being murdered, the old case takes a turn into current arson and rape.
I had a hard time liking Eve. She obviously had secrets -- insomnia and nightmares for a reason that is not revealed until the end. Her character came across as being unemotional. Readers will find out why but the first half of the book felt flat and I'll blame that on her indifference. Even though she was not conducting an official police inquiry, she questioned the victim's friends and work acquaintances in a methodical manner. Eve is a very good investigator. The book had several twists near the end.
I had a hard time liking Eve. She obviously had secrets -- insomnia and nightmares for a reason that is not revealed until the end. Her character came across as being unemotional. Readers will find out why but the first half of the book felt flat and I'll blame that on her indifference. Even though she was not conducting an official police inquiry, she questioned the victim's friends and work acquaintances in a methodical manner. Eve is a very good investigator. The book had several twists near the end.
December 13, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House Publishers, and Elena Forbes for an ARC ebook copy to review. Sorry about the late book review. I was out of power due to a winter storm for 3 days, so I’m a bit behind on book reviews. As always, an honest review from me.
I ended up DNFing this book. It’s not bad but only okay. I found myself not really getting into the read. Despite all of the action, drama and suspense my interest wasn’t held enough to warrant me continuing to read the book.
I think one of the main reasons I didn’t connect with the book was that I didn’t connect with the main character. That’s one of the most vital elements for me loving a book.
The plot does have promise though. There’s intense drama and lots of police investigations. Also a criminal reaching out to a cop makes for an interesting read.
So if you connect with the story at the beginning, then A Bad, Bad Thing is probably for you. Unfortunately the book wasn’t a good match for me as a reader.
I ended up DNFing this book. It’s not bad but only okay. I found myself not really getting into the read. Despite all of the action, drama and suspense my interest wasn’t held enough to warrant me continuing to read the book.
I think one of the main reasons I didn’t connect with the book was that I didn’t connect with the main character. That’s one of the most vital elements for me loving a book.
The plot does have promise though. There’s intense drama and lots of police investigations. Also a criminal reaching out to a cop makes for an interesting read.
So if you connect with the story at the beginning, then A Bad, Bad Thing is probably for you. Unfortunately the book wasn’t a good match for me as a reader.
January 10, 2022
It took me halfway through to fully get into the storyline of this book. There were too many characters to keep track of. I gave it a 3 because the second half was hard to put down but damn I used a lot of brain power to figure out who all these characters were!!!!
November 29, 2018
The first installment in An Eve West Mystery series, A Bad, Bad Thing by Elena Forbes is an absorbing mystery starring a likable protagonist.
DCI Eve West is a veteran police officer who is suspended after a police operation goes horribly wrong. She is surprised when John Duran, a murderer she helped put behind bars, contacts her with an intriguing proposition. In exchange for providing information that will clear her name, he would like for Eve to look into fellow inmate Sean Farrell's possible wrongful conviction for murder. Eve is suspicious of John's motive for helping her, but she decides to look into the ten year old murder of Jane McNeil.
Working with Dan Cooper, a journalist who co-founded 4Justice, Eve heads to Jane's former employer, Westerby Racing, which is also near where her body was eventually discovered. Upon her arrival, she is shocked to discover her old childhood friend, Gavin Challis, is now married to Melissa Michaels. While Gavin has recently embarked on a political career, Melissa, along with her brother Harry, run the family business. Will Eve uncover the new evidence she needs to exonerate Sean and thereby secure the information she needs to save her career?
Eve is a resilient, independent woman who deliberately eschews personal entanglements. She is a superb detective with keen instincts and she has no idea what she will do if she loses her job. Immediately throwing herself into investigating Jane's death, she quickly learns the Michaels' clan is not overly thrilled with the new interest in the case. Harry reluctantly offers to assist her, but Eve soon realizes he is not as co-operative as he appears. Despite the Michaels' lack of enthusiasm, Eve doggedly persists in locating clients and co-workers who interacted with Jane along with her former roommates.
While Eve concentrates on Westerby Racing, Dan is dealing with shocking discoveries back in the city. With the police focuses their attention on him during their investigation of a murder close to him, he begins to lose hope he will be able to find new evidence that allow Sean's case to go to the Appeals court. Dan is also nursing a broken heart and he is dealing with his misery in a very unhealthy manner. He has been uncertain whether or not he can completely trust Eve so he is reluctant to share information with her. Will Dan believe her assertion he can trust her not betray his confidences? Will his puzzling discovery provide the new evidence they need to exonerate Sean?
Despite a bit of a slow start, A Bad, Bad Thing is a clever mystery with a unique storyline. Eve is a strong woman who, although haunted by her past, refuses to let it define her. She is a brilliant detective who refuses to let anything, even her doubts about John's intentions, interfere with her investigation. Dan is a flawed but likable man who is deeply dedicated to 4Justice. The investigation into Jane's death is quite interesting and Elena Forbes does an absolutely superb job keeping the perpetrator's identity and motive for the crime completely under wraps until the novel's action-packed conclusion. A marvelous beginning to An Eve West Mystery series that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.
DCI Eve West is a veteran police officer who is suspended after a police operation goes horribly wrong. She is surprised when John Duran, a murderer she helped put behind bars, contacts her with an intriguing proposition. In exchange for providing information that will clear her name, he would like for Eve to look into fellow inmate Sean Farrell's possible wrongful conviction for murder. Eve is suspicious of John's motive for helping her, but she decides to look into the ten year old murder of Jane McNeil.
Working with Dan Cooper, a journalist who co-founded 4Justice, Eve heads to Jane's former employer, Westerby Racing, which is also near where her body was eventually discovered. Upon her arrival, she is shocked to discover her old childhood friend, Gavin Challis, is now married to Melissa Michaels. While Gavin has recently embarked on a political career, Melissa, along with her brother Harry, run the family business. Will Eve uncover the new evidence she needs to exonerate Sean and thereby secure the information she needs to save her career?
Eve is a resilient, independent woman who deliberately eschews personal entanglements. She is a superb detective with keen instincts and she has no idea what she will do if she loses her job. Immediately throwing herself into investigating Jane's death, she quickly learns the Michaels' clan is not overly thrilled with the new interest in the case. Harry reluctantly offers to assist her, but Eve soon realizes he is not as co-operative as he appears. Despite the Michaels' lack of enthusiasm, Eve doggedly persists in locating clients and co-workers who interacted with Jane along with her former roommates.
While Eve concentrates on Westerby Racing, Dan is dealing with shocking discoveries back in the city. With the police focuses their attention on him during their investigation of a murder close to him, he begins to lose hope he will be able to find new evidence that allow Sean's case to go to the Appeals court. Dan is also nursing a broken heart and he is dealing with his misery in a very unhealthy manner. He has been uncertain whether or not he can completely trust Eve so he is reluctant to share information with her. Will Dan believe her assertion he can trust her not betray his confidences? Will his puzzling discovery provide the new evidence they need to exonerate Sean?
Despite a bit of a slow start, A Bad, Bad Thing is a clever mystery with a unique storyline. Eve is a strong woman who, although haunted by her past, refuses to let it define her. She is a brilliant detective who refuses to let anything, even her doubts about John's intentions, interfere with her investigation. Dan is a flawed but likable man who is deeply dedicated to 4Justice. The investigation into Jane's death is quite interesting and Elena Forbes does an absolutely superb job keeping the perpetrator's identity and motive for the crime completely under wraps until the novel's action-packed conclusion. A marvelous beginning to An Eve West Mystery series that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre.
October 5, 2018
Following a lead to apprehend a perpetrator she has been tailing for some time, London
homicide detective Eva West stumbles into a covert police operation with devastating
consequences.
Suspended from duty with little hope of any immediate reinstatement Eve receives a text from John Duran, a hardened criminal that Eva put away for murder some year back, who says he wants to talk to her. When a second text includes the words ‘setup’ she decides to see him. His request is somewhat bizarre, as he wants her to help journalist Dan Cooper of 4Justice, who investigates possible miscarriages of justice to help a fellow-inmate convicted of the murder of a stable-girl, Jane McNeil, ten years ago. In return, he says, he can help her clear her name and get her job back. That John Duran want to help someone clear their name and get out of prison strikes Eva as a front for an agenda he is not sharing with her. There has to be a reason why, but what?
Desperate to get her job back, Eva meets with Dan Cooper, but he is suspicious of her and reluctant to give her much assistance. So, Eva starts examining the circumstances in which Jane McNeil died. Her probing takes her into the orbit of Westerby Racing where Jane worked, and she soon begins to suspect that there are flaws in the original investigation.
Intriguing – most definitely. Why would a hardened criminal want to help a fellow inmate? Who did kill Jane McNeil? And most fascinating of all what is in Eva’s past that she is so desperate to keep hidden.
Cleverly plotted, the various strands of the story slowly come together revealing a startling ending. A compelling read and one that is highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
homicide detective Eva West stumbles into a covert police operation with devastating
consequences.
Suspended from duty with little hope of any immediate reinstatement Eve receives a text from John Duran, a hardened criminal that Eva put away for murder some year back, who says he wants to talk to her. When a second text includes the words ‘setup’ she decides to see him. His request is somewhat bizarre, as he wants her to help journalist Dan Cooper of 4Justice, who investigates possible miscarriages of justice to help a fellow-inmate convicted of the murder of a stable-girl, Jane McNeil, ten years ago. In return, he says, he can help her clear her name and get her job back. That John Duran want to help someone clear their name and get out of prison strikes Eva as a front for an agenda he is not sharing with her. There has to be a reason why, but what?
Desperate to get her job back, Eva meets with Dan Cooper, but he is suspicious of her and reluctant to give her much assistance. So, Eva starts examining the circumstances in which Jane McNeil died. Her probing takes her into the orbit of Westerby Racing where Jane worked, and she soon begins to suspect that there are flaws in the original investigation.
Intriguing – most definitely. Why would a hardened criminal want to help a fellow inmate? Who did kill Jane McNeil? And most fascinating of all what is in Eva’s past that she is so desperate to keep hidden.
Cleverly plotted, the various strands of the story slowly come together revealing a startling ending. A compelling read and one that is highly recommended.
------
Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett
May 8, 2021
This is a slow burner that is well worth sticking with as there are twists galore coming.
Eve is complicated and not particularly likeable protagonist. She is distant and cold. She keeps herself to herself and keeps her colleagues at arms length. It took me a while to warm to her, but as more is revealed about her past and you see her in action there is lots to admire about her.
The books begins quite dramatically with a botched investigation that goes horribly wrong. Eve is suspended from her role as DCI in the Metropolitan Police and facing the end of her career.
She receives a request from John Duran , a violent career criminal that she put in behind bars, to help investigate the possible wrongful conviction of a murderer in return for information that could clear her name.
The investigation takes Eve into high stakes world of horse racing as she investigates the murder Jane McNeil, A former employee of Westerby Racing. The case become more and more complex and dangerous as Eve works to uncover the truth.
Eve is partnered by Dan Cooper who runs 4Justice a charity that works to investigate possible miscarriages of justice. He too is a flawed individual who drinks too much and has plenty of his own problems. They’re relationship builds slowly as they both have to learn to trust each other as the different strands of the case come together.
This kept me guessing right until the end – and the twists kept coming. The conclusion, no spoilers from me, is complex and very satisfying. And there is the promise of more from Eve and 4Justice which I sincerely hope is the case (😄).
Stick with Eve and you will not be disappointed. This is a gripping police thriller with lots of twists to keep the reader guessing.
Eve is complicated and not particularly likeable protagonist. She is distant and cold. She keeps herself to herself and keeps her colleagues at arms length. It took me a while to warm to her, but as more is revealed about her past and you see her in action there is lots to admire about her.
The books begins quite dramatically with a botched investigation that goes horribly wrong. Eve is suspended from her role as DCI in the Metropolitan Police and facing the end of her career.
She receives a request from John Duran , a violent career criminal that she put in behind bars, to help investigate the possible wrongful conviction of a murderer in return for information that could clear her name.
The investigation takes Eve into high stakes world of horse racing as she investigates the murder Jane McNeil, A former employee of Westerby Racing. The case become more and more complex and dangerous as Eve works to uncover the truth.
Eve is partnered by Dan Cooper who runs 4Justice a charity that works to investigate possible miscarriages of justice. He too is a flawed individual who drinks too much and has plenty of his own problems. They’re relationship builds slowly as they both have to learn to trust each other as the different strands of the case come together.
This kept me guessing right until the end – and the twists kept coming. The conclusion, no spoilers from me, is complex and very satisfying. And there is the promise of more from Eve and 4Justice which I sincerely hope is the case (😄).
Stick with Eve and you will not be disappointed. This is a gripping police thriller with lots of twists to keep the reader guessing.
July 18, 2021
DCI Eve West leads a police operation that ends with the death of a colleague, who also happens to be her lover. She is suspended while an investigation is carried out and could lose her job.
While on suspension she is contacted by a violent criminal, whom she had caught some years before. That criminal, John Duran, offers her evidence that will clear her name, but it comes with a price tag, he wants her to help a fellow prisoner, who he says is innocent and not guilty of the murder he has been convicted of.
She takes up Sean Farrell’s case and begins to dig around to find out what actually happened and if Farrell really is innocent. Duran also puts her in touch with 4Justice who have been investigating too. As Eve begins to dig deeper going back over the case, she finds some questions from back then have not been answered, like why had the DNA not been tested on the victim. But then Farrell had fallen into the Police’s lap and they stopped asking questions.
As Eve and 4Justice start to dig deeper, their private investigator is murdered, and things start to take a dark turn. When they discover that everything may link up to race fixing things really take a turn for the worse. Eve is kidnapped and threatened with death but manages to escape.
With many twists and turns the truth comes out and at a high cost to the lives of those involved from the beginning of the case. The big question is does Duran get he wanted?
An excellent twisty thriller.
While on suspension she is contacted by a violent criminal, whom she had caught some years before. That criminal, John Duran, offers her evidence that will clear her name, but it comes with a price tag, he wants her to help a fellow prisoner, who he says is innocent and not guilty of the murder he has been convicted of.
She takes up Sean Farrell’s case and begins to dig around to find out what actually happened and if Farrell really is innocent. Duran also puts her in touch with 4Justice who have been investigating too. As Eve begins to dig deeper going back over the case, she finds some questions from back then have not been answered, like why had the DNA not been tested on the victim. But then Farrell had fallen into the Police’s lap and they stopped asking questions.
As Eve and 4Justice start to dig deeper, their private investigator is murdered, and things start to take a dark turn. When they discover that everything may link up to race fixing things really take a turn for the worse. Eve is kidnapped and threatened with death but manages to escape.
With many twists and turns the truth comes out and at a high cost to the lives of those involved from the beginning of the case. The big question is does Duran get he wanted?
An excellent twisty thriller.
September 19, 2018
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for the eARC.
Wow, what a great book, I loved it: an intelligent mystery novel with a great story, a multi-layered protagonist (Eve West) and a peak into the world of horse racing and training.
Eve, a policewoman on suspension, is drawn into a cold case. She is looking into the possibility of a convicted murderer (in prison 10 years), possibly being innocent of the murder of his ex-girlfriend. Reluctantly hired by a stone cold gangster who she helped put away, he wants her to review the case - he believes the man is innocent. In return he will supply her with proof she was set up so she can clear her name. But why would this cold man with no empathy care about another convict - it doesn't make sense.
But she has no choice and dives into the world of horse racing and trading, an addictive, glamorous and dangerous world. Torture, murder and rape are the nightmarish results of her attempt to find the truth.
I love Eve, she's a complex mix of grit and vulnerability. Trying to put her difficult past behind her and surviving on very little sleep due to nightmares, she slowly but surely gets answers, endangering her life in the process. An admirable woman, I was cheering her on all the way.
Highly recommended!
Wow, what a great book, I loved it: an intelligent mystery novel with a great story, a multi-layered protagonist (Eve West) and a peak into the world of horse racing and training.
Eve, a policewoman on suspension, is drawn into a cold case. She is looking into the possibility of a convicted murderer (in prison 10 years), possibly being innocent of the murder of his ex-girlfriend. Reluctantly hired by a stone cold gangster who she helped put away, he wants her to review the case - he believes the man is innocent. In return he will supply her with proof she was set up so she can clear her name. But why would this cold man with no empathy care about another convict - it doesn't make sense.
But she has no choice and dives into the world of horse racing and trading, an addictive, glamorous and dangerous world. Torture, murder and rape are the nightmarish results of her attempt to find the truth.
I love Eve, she's a complex mix of grit and vulnerability. Trying to put her difficult past behind her and surviving on very little sleep due to nightmares, she slowly but surely gets answers, endangering her life in the process. An admirable woman, I was cheering her on all the way.
Highly recommended!
May 10, 2021
This is a wonderful UK Crime novel and perfect for lovers of police dramas. Elena Forbes is obviously very knowledgeable about police procedure and it comes across in this novel. The plot has many layers. Eve obviously has a dark secret in her past. Will we find out what it is? In her present role as a police officer we need to know who betrayed her and why? Then there is the re introduction to her first love which provides a dark but romantic addition to the story. Why did she leave him so abruptly? Will they rekindle their romance? All this running alongside the cold case she is investigating in a bid to try and clear her name. If Sean didn’t kill Jane ten years ago then who did? There is no shortage of suspects. The case builds to a dramatic finale as the bodies pile up and just when things start to become clear, there is a twist at the end to add yet another layer to the plot. I feel this may be the first book in a series about Eve West. I really hope this is the case.
October 1, 2018
This is the first in a new series introducing Eve West a police officer who has been suspended after an operation went catastrophically wrong. Things get complicated when she is asked to visit John Duran whom she helped to convict. He reveals that he is terminally ill but wants her to investigate the conviction of Sean Farrell for the murder of stable girl Jane McNeil ten years earlier. To facilitate this he asks her to work with journalist, Dan Cooper of 4Justice.
Eve is a rather lonely, private person – and she has secrets which passes for detachment. Slowly it becomes clear that her job means everything to her and she is determined to clear her name.
All in all, well-written with a multi-strand plot which works well. I would not rave about this but it is a satisfying read and I must add, I am somewhat intrigued about Eve – and what will happen next.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
Eve is a rather lonely, private person – and she has secrets which passes for detachment. Slowly it becomes clear that her job means everything to her and she is determined to clear her name.
All in all, well-written with a multi-strand plot which works well. I would not rave about this but it is a satisfying read and I must add, I am somewhat intrigued about Eve – and what will happen next.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
December 1, 2018
This was an excellent surprise. Eve is a police officer awaiting a hearing which may well end her career when someone she sent to prison asks her to look into the murder of Jane, a young woman, by one of his fellow inmates. Little does she know that this is going to send her down a path of twists and turns that will tie everything together in the end. Her first love, Gavin, is married into the family which owns the farm where Jane worked. Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? You'll get a little insight into British horse racing. Eve works with Dan, who runs 4Justice, an organization devoted to clearing prisoners wrongly convicted. Both have tough issues in their background but both are nothing if not dogged investigators. There are some nice touches here, such as Hassan. This is nicely written and definitely kept me engaged and guessing. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.
January 20, 2023
3.5 Stars
This book had a lot of great intrigue and mystery but the end felt too disjointed and out there for me to get any sort of satisfaction. There were three separate storylines going on and none of them felt like they were resolved. It's almost as if the author didn't know how to wrap everything up so they just killed some people and made the main character reflect on her job when all she wanted throughout the entire novel is get her job back.
I loved it, right up until the last two chapters.
This book had a lot of great intrigue and mystery but the end felt too disjointed and out there for me to get any sort of satisfaction. There were three separate storylines going on and none of them felt like they were resolved. It's almost as if the author didn't know how to wrap everything up so they just killed some people and made the main character reflect on her job when all she wanted throughout the entire novel is get her job back.
I loved it, right up until the last two chapters.
December 3, 2021
PC Eve West is suspended from duty pending investigation, following the death of a colleague when a police operation goes wrong. Eve has a hidden past which she wants to remain hidden but when she is contacted by a criminal serving time to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice, her past begins to resurface and she is thrown into a world of danger. Can Eve trust anyone or believe anything anyone tells her ?
A good fast moving story with lots of action and many twists and turns.
A good fast moving story with lots of action and many twists and turns.
November 14, 2018
Eve West, a police officer, with her married lover investigate a tipoff. But all goes wrong and while on suspension she gets involved in trying to prove a jailed man innocent of his murder charge.
Although a somewhat enjoyable and interesting read I didn't especially take to the main character which is a big problem for me in any book.
A NetGalley Book
Although a somewhat enjoyable and interesting read I didn't especially take to the main character which is a big problem for me in any book.
A NetGalley Book
November 19, 2020
I almost gave up on this book because the beginning was surprisingly flat. I kept going and the strong line improved but the structure of the story, because the focus is on examining a 10 year old mystery set in the racing business, is rather he did/she did. A perfectly good police-procedural but not the best one for this year.
August 23, 2024
Convoluted crime
This is an entertaining book. It is a convoluted tale of a suspended police detective being hired by a criminal to seek justice for a convicted but possibly innocent murderer.
The heroine goes through a lot and I won’t spoil the story.
Gripping.
This is an entertaining book. It is a convoluted tale of a suspended police detective being hired by a criminal to seek justice for a convicted but possibly innocent murderer.
The heroine goes through a lot and I won’t spoil the story.
Gripping.
May 3, 2019
A bad, bad read. I really wanted to like this book but I didn't like Eve and I did not like the rape scene. I will not be reading the next book in the series.
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