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Crane and Drake #1
The Divinities: A Crane and Drake Novel
When two bodies are found brutally murdered on a building site in Battersea, Detective Sergeant Calil Drake is first on the scene. He sees an to solve a high-profile case, and to repair his reputation after a botched undercover operation almost ended his promising career in the Violent Crimes Unit. Assigned to work with the enigmatic forensic psychologist Dr Rayhana Crane, and on the hunt for an elusive killer, Drake’s investigations lead down the dark corridors of the past—to their military service in Iraq and the destruction they witnessed there. With a community poised on the brink of violence and their lives on the line, Crane and Drake must work together to stop the killer before vengeance is unleashed.
376 pages, Paperback
First published May 16, 2019
27 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Parker Bilal
19 books105 followersParker Bilal is the pseudonym of Jamal Mahjoub. Mahjoub has published seven critically acclaimed literary novels, which have been widely translated. Born in London, he has lived at various times in the UK, Sudan, Cairo and Denmark. He currently lives in Barcelona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 23, 2023
I’m a bit of a crime fiction addict, but lately I’ve tended to stay clear of tales set in the UK as I find too many of them to be trite and overly focused on procedure. I like the cops to be down at heel, somewhat tortured and gruff; I like the stories to be set in locations that fire my imagination and paint interesting pictures in my mind. Hardboiled/noir stories definitely suit my palate. This story, set in London, claimed to offer something reasonably well aligned to my tastes and so I decided to set aside my predisposition on the setting and give it a go.
We first meet trouble cop Calil Drake when he’s the first police officer to arrive at the scene of two deaths at a central London building site. It’s clear that this is no accident and the brutal way in which the pair appear to have been dispatched pricked my interest instantly. It quickly becomes clear that Drake is a cop whose career had seen better times. A while ago he’d been demoted after a botched undercover operation and this case, should he crack it, might just be his last chance at some sort of redemption. As investigations get underway we’re also introduced to Doctor Rayhana Crane, a psychologist with an equally dusty past. Drake is ordered to make use of Crane’s expertise but he’s sceptical she can be of any real help to him on this case and as he’s already fighting the clock this just feels like one more complication he really doesn’t need. Both Drake and Crane have experience (and unpleasant memories) of working with military services abroad and this has affected them both in different ways, but the impact of these past events are to be brought into sharp focus as this story plays out.
I found this to be a well conceived and original take on what could have been just another routine murder mystery. In Drake and Crane, the author has brought to life characters I found complex and well rounded and I’d be happy to meet up with them again. And there’s intelligence here in the way many significant issues impacting the city are brought to life. This is gritty crime fiction but it’s written in a way that engages current events, concerns and challenges to a significantly greater extent than most fiction in this genre.
My thanks to The Indigo Press for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
We first meet trouble cop Calil Drake when he’s the first police officer to arrive at the scene of two deaths at a central London building site. It’s clear that this is no accident and the brutal way in which the pair appear to have been dispatched pricked my interest instantly. It quickly becomes clear that Drake is a cop whose career had seen better times. A while ago he’d been demoted after a botched undercover operation and this case, should he crack it, might just be his last chance at some sort of redemption. As investigations get underway we’re also introduced to Doctor Rayhana Crane, a psychologist with an equally dusty past. Drake is ordered to make use of Crane’s expertise but he’s sceptical she can be of any real help to him on this case and as he’s already fighting the clock this just feels like one more complication he really doesn’t need. Both Drake and Crane have experience (and unpleasant memories) of working with military services abroad and this has affected them both in different ways, but the impact of these past events are to be brought into sharp focus as this story plays out.
I found this to be a well conceived and original take on what could have been just another routine murder mystery. In Drake and Crane, the author has brought to life characters I found complex and well rounded and I’d be happy to meet up with them again. And there’s intelligence here in the way many significant issues impacting the city are brought to life. This is gritty crime fiction but it’s written in a way that engages current events, concerns and challenges to a significantly greater extent than most fiction in this genre.
My thanks to The Indigo Press for supplying a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2022
THE DIVINITIES is the first book in Parker Bilal’s Drake and Crane series. I would rate it between 4 and 5 stars—a 5-star novel with a couple of missteps. I am surprised that it has not received any reviews from those reviewers whom I follow—those who normally read all the interesting mystery/thrillers before I do.
This is not a “cozy” read, and so I would not expect it to become a bestseller. It describes a London that challenges perceptions; one that is NOT filled with middle-class inhabitants. The middle class may live in the boroughs surrounding the city (Harry Potter land), but Bilal is more interested in the city proper, the historic centre. This is a multicultural area inhabited by legal and illegal migrants, many living in squalor, but not all. And living amongst these migrants are locals who never moved up to the middle class, and now must survive, or not survive, in a polyglot world.
The story begins with a troubled police officer, Calil Drake, who is the first to arrive at the scene of a brutal double murder. He is under time pressure to solve this case before it is handed over to a more senior officer (who is also his nemesis). A forensic psychologist, Dr. Rayhana Crane, is assigned to work with him. This is a complex case, without a straightforward solution, and as it progresses, we learn a lot about Drake’s troubled past. Bilal’s first misstep, I feel, was that we didn’t learn much about Crane until halfway through the book, and never obtained a good perspective about her equally complex backstory. (This comes in the second book in the series, The Heights.)
Parker Bilal is an excellent writer and the twists and turns kept me reading far into the night. The story explored more than a simple investigation of a murderous villain, it explores issues of racism, radicalism, capitalism, and how international criminals profit from this hodgepodge of issues.
I did find the ending slightly over-the-top, more suited to a Die Hard movie than to the thoughtful well-plotted thriller that preceded it. But this was a minor misstep in what is an overall outstanding novel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books in this series:
The Heights (Crane & Drake, #2)
The Trenches (Crane & Drake, #3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is not a “cozy” read, and so I would not expect it to become a bestseller. It describes a London that challenges perceptions; one that is NOT filled with middle-class inhabitants. The middle class may live in the boroughs surrounding the city (Harry Potter land), but Bilal is more interested in the city proper, the historic centre. This is a multicultural area inhabited by legal and illegal migrants, many living in squalor, but not all. And living amongst these migrants are locals who never moved up to the middle class, and now must survive, or not survive, in a polyglot world.
The story begins with a troubled police officer, Calil Drake, who is the first to arrive at the scene of a brutal double murder. He is under time pressure to solve this case before it is handed over to a more senior officer (who is also his nemesis). A forensic psychologist, Dr. Rayhana Crane, is assigned to work with him. This is a complex case, without a straightforward solution, and as it progresses, we learn a lot about Drake’s troubled past. Bilal’s first misstep, I feel, was that we didn’t learn much about Crane until halfway through the book, and never obtained a good perspective about her equally complex backstory. (This comes in the second book in the series, The Heights.)
Parker Bilal is an excellent writer and the twists and turns kept me reading far into the night. The story explored more than a simple investigation of a murderous villain, it explores issues of racism, radicalism, capitalism, and how international criminals profit from this hodgepodge of issues.
I did find the ending slightly over-the-top, more suited to a Die Hard movie than to the thoughtful well-plotted thriller that preceded it. But this was a minor misstep in what is an overall outstanding novel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books in this series:
The Heights (Crane & Drake, #2)
The Trenches (Crane & Drake, #3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 6, 2022
“When we lose someone in an accident, or to an illness, there is a kind of logic that applies. We can understand that this was out of our hands. There was nothing we could do.’ … ‘Suicide leaves us with questions about whether we could have done more. To be more understanding, more supportive, more sensitive to the other person’s pain.”
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
Parker Bilal is a connoisseur at writing an incredible crime mystery. The book perfectly balances the case the detectives and forensic psychologist are researching, with character background building, an private life. I find a lot of books in this genre don’t build an accurate depiction of the character they have as their main detective, because they don’t build the background enough, but this book was brilliant. The plot was brilliant too, and I think I just got sucked into it. There were a couple of moments that I was a bit like, woah hang on “what has this got to do with anything?” Kinda thing… but overall it was thoroughly researched and written.
I loved Cal Drake and his little trio of a team with Milo and Kelly, I definitely would have stood with Drake against PC whatshisname asswipe too! You’ll have to read the book to find out more because you won’t find out any spoilers from me! Crane also grew on me as a person throughout too. Both Drake and Crane as characters, seemed to prefer doing things alone so the last few chapters really were crucial to the duo!
This book also truly captures a lot of issues surround race, poverty, mental health and prejudice. And the murder is pretty gruelling too, so yeah this was pretty awesome!
✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
Parker Bilal is a connoisseur at writing an incredible crime mystery. The book perfectly balances the case the detectives and forensic psychologist are researching, with character background building, an private life. I find a lot of books in this genre don’t build an accurate depiction of the character they have as their main detective, because they don’t build the background enough, but this book was brilliant. The plot was brilliant too, and I think I just got sucked into it. There were a couple of moments that I was a bit like, woah hang on “what has this got to do with anything?” Kinda thing… but overall it was thoroughly researched and written.
I loved Cal Drake and his little trio of a team with Milo and Kelly, I definitely would have stood with Drake against PC whatshisname asswipe too! You’ll have to read the book to find out more because you won’t find out any spoilers from me! Crane also grew on me as a person throughout too. Both Drake and Crane as characters, seemed to prefer doing things alone so the last few chapters really were crucial to the duo!
This book also truly captures a lot of issues surround race, poverty, mental health and prejudice. And the murder is pretty gruelling too, so yeah this was pretty awesome!
August 28, 2021
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3.5 stars
The Divinities: A Crane and Drake Novel is the promising start to the 'Crane ad Drake' series. This events recounted by the narrative take place over the course of a few days which adds a sense of urgency and suspense to the storyline.
We follow two somewhat disgraced figures, the recently demoted Detective Sergeant Calil Drake and forensic psychologist Dr Rayhana Crane. Both have involved with 'scandals' of sorts which made them all the more keen to prove themselves (although they might claim otherwise...). Most of the action takes place in a hectic London which thanks to Bilal's writing buzzes with a barely contained chaotic energy. Be it day or night, we see many of London's faces...
Against this urban and shifting backdrop Drake—and later on Crane—attempt, in a fight against time, to catch the person responsible for a brutal murder. Drake possesses many of the qualities of the usual noir protagonist: poor lifestyle, works too much, drinks too much, not very social. He reminded me a bit of Strike from The Cuckoo's Calling. He is the type who does things his own way regardless of what his superiors or the public might think. I was soon fond of him as we see many of the reasons and causes that have lead him to become the person he is now, navigating a city and a country which keeps reminding him that he will never quite belong. Many of the people he encounters in his investigations will tell him to 'switch' sides, or downright accuse him as a traitor (since for a period of time he was a devoted Muslim). Crane too has acquired a status of outsider given that within her profession she is considered a 'rarity' (as she is a) a woman 2) born in Tehran). So it isn't surprising that the two become allies of sorts..
It was interesting to see differentiating perspective on the same topics, in a way that never demonises or condemns those who hold that view. There were discussion on terrorism, xenophobia, gentrification, class divide, war, PTSD...in many ways this novel taps into many topical issues but it does so in a realistic and matter-of-fact way.
The storyline closely follows Drake's investigation, and we follow each step of the operation. Milo and Kelly provided some welcome diversion and gave Drake the opportunity to showcase some 'warmer' emotions. The investigations sees Drake and his 'team' following different leads, hunches, and testimonies...The ending act was a tad overdone .
Still, I was hooked by the very first page where we are introduced to Drake...who is taking a piss after a drink too many. If you like noir, or gritty crime novels, The Divinities might be the right read for you.
3.5 stars
The Divinities: A Crane and Drake Novel is the promising start to the 'Crane ad Drake' series. This events recounted by the narrative take place over the course of a few days which adds a sense of urgency and suspense to the storyline.
We follow two somewhat disgraced figures, the recently demoted Detective Sergeant Calil Drake and forensic psychologist Dr Rayhana Crane. Both have involved with 'scandals' of sorts which made them all the more keen to prove themselves (although they might claim otherwise...). Most of the action takes place in a hectic London which thanks to Bilal's writing buzzes with a barely contained chaotic energy. Be it day or night, we see many of London's faces...
Against this urban and shifting backdrop Drake—and later on Crane—attempt, in a fight against time, to catch the person responsible for a brutal murder. Drake possesses many of the qualities of the usual noir protagonist: poor lifestyle, works too much, drinks too much, not very social. He reminded me a bit of Strike from The Cuckoo's Calling. He is the type who does things his own way regardless of what his superiors or the public might think. I was soon fond of him as we see many of the reasons and causes that have lead him to become the person he is now, navigating a city and a country which keeps reminding him that he will never quite belong. Many of the people he encounters in his investigations will tell him to 'switch' sides, or downright accuse him as a traitor (since for a period of time he was a devoted Muslim). Crane too has acquired a status of outsider given that within her profession she is considered a 'rarity' (as she is a) a woman 2) born in Tehran). So it isn't surprising that the two become allies of sorts..
It was interesting to see differentiating perspective on the same topics, in a way that never demonises or condemns those who hold that view. There were discussion on terrorism, xenophobia, gentrification, class divide, war, PTSD...in many ways this novel taps into many topical issues but it does so in a realistic and matter-of-fact way.
The storyline closely follows Drake's investigation, and we follow each step of the operation. Milo and Kelly provided some welcome diversion and gave Drake the opportunity to showcase some 'warmer' emotions. The investigations sees Drake and his 'team' following different leads, hunches, and testimonies...The ending act was a tad overdone .
Still, I was hooked by the very first page where we are introduced to Drake...who is taking a piss after a drink too many. If you like noir, or gritty crime novels, The Divinities might be the right read for you.
March 10, 2019
Many thanks to @theindigopress for sending me a copy of The Divinities by Parker Bilal to read and review - this one is out in May and I recommend it to those of you looking for a crime novel with that little extra bite, as it doesn’t shy away from addressing pertinent and modern themes that abound in society today around terrorism.
.
Usually crime fiction is not my favourite genre to read because all the tropes tire me out (white detective, sometimes a sidekick or minor character of colour, detective has alcohol issues), and while admittedly our detective here DOES have a murky past, Bilal offers a fresh voice to the crime fiction scene. Set in London, Bilal depicts London like it is, a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities, and as he is an author of colour, it was devoid of clichéd descriptions and stereotypes.
.
As well as the crime aspect of the novel (which was VERY gruesome, crime aficionados won’t be complaining!) Bilal addresses social and racial issues evident in council housing in London, as well as Muslim communities. As I said, this is a crime fiction novel that goes deeper than just a murder and then finding out whodunnit (although that part is done incredibly well too!) - it explores issues of capitalism and consumerism, radicalisation and racism, while maintaining the compulsive readability of a detective novel.
.
Oh and did I mention the badass Rayhana, a forensic psychologist who rides a motorcycle and is an accomplished martial artist? Tbf at times she does seem like a bit of a idealistic woman, but she is smart, strong and I’m looking forward to seeing where the (working!!) relationship between her and Calil goes in any future books!
.
Usually crime fiction is not my favourite genre to read because all the tropes tire me out (white detective, sometimes a sidekick or minor character of colour, detective has alcohol issues), and while admittedly our detective here DOES have a murky past, Bilal offers a fresh voice to the crime fiction scene. Set in London, Bilal depicts London like it is, a melting pot of different cultures and nationalities, and as he is an author of colour, it was devoid of clichéd descriptions and stereotypes.
.
As well as the crime aspect of the novel (which was VERY gruesome, crime aficionados won’t be complaining!) Bilal addresses social and racial issues evident in council housing in London, as well as Muslim communities. As I said, this is a crime fiction novel that goes deeper than just a murder and then finding out whodunnit (although that part is done incredibly well too!) - it explores issues of capitalism and consumerism, radicalisation and racism, while maintaining the compulsive readability of a detective novel.
.
Oh and did I mention the badass Rayhana, a forensic psychologist who rides a motorcycle and is an accomplished martial artist? Tbf at times she does seem like a bit of a idealistic woman, but she is smart, strong and I’m looking forward to seeing where the (working!!) relationship between her and Calil goes in any future books!
May 27, 2023
A very good true to form crime novel with original characters.
Parker skillfully deals with issues of today’s multicultural London such as cold capitalism disguised as urbanism, racism or radicalism without lecturing the reader. Any good crime novel should include these type of social comments imo.
The characters are interesting. Drake could be your average hothead cop working solo against obtuse hierarchy but his troubled past, his ethnic origins and the simple fact he is a muslim add much to his personality and make him a great complex character.
I’m more reserved about Crane so far. She is quite secondary in this story and her character seems less refined and original than Drake. Since Crane and Drake is a series I suppose she will be developped later.
The rest of the cast is more typical but well used.
The plot is good but not without a few flaws. The way some leads are found by either Drake or Crane are a bit obscure and the ending is a tad too flashy. I knew the culprit the first time he was introduced too (but not the "why", thankfully). Otherwise it’s a reasonably complex and humane story, dealing with today’s fears of the world as we know it.
A good dark crime novel that I highly recommend to aficionados
Parker skillfully deals with issues of today’s multicultural London such as cold capitalism disguised as urbanism, racism or radicalism without lecturing the reader. Any good crime novel should include these type of social comments imo.
The characters are interesting. Drake could be your average hothead cop working solo against obtuse hierarchy but his troubled past, his ethnic origins and the simple fact he is a muslim add much to his personality and make him a great complex character.
I’m more reserved about Crane so far. She is quite secondary in this story and her character seems less refined and original than Drake. Since Crane and Drake is a series I suppose she will be developped later.
The rest of the cast is more typical but well used.
The plot is good but not without a few flaws. The way some leads are found by either Drake or Crane are a bit obscure and the ending is a tad too flashy. I knew the culprit the first time he was introduced too (but not the "why", thankfully). Otherwise it’s a reasonably complex and humane story, dealing with today’s fears of the world as we know it.
A good dark crime novel that I highly recommend to aficionados
January 26, 2020
I am glad I finally caught up with Parker Bilal, as if the rest of his work is as enjoyable as “The Divinities” then good times await.
Messed up cop, (in an imaginative way) is seeking redemption by solving a case of two people who had a ton of rubble poured on them. Enter psychologist, also seeking redemption, to become his yang to the yin. Despite my decrepit summary it’s all good gothic noir fun with a hefty dose of London and imagination thrown in for good measure. I am off to buy at least a couple more books by this author.
Messed up cop, (in an imaginative way) is seeking redemption by solving a case of two people who had a ton of rubble poured on them. Enter psychologist, also seeking redemption, to become his yang to the yin. Despite my decrepit summary it’s all good gothic noir fun with a hefty dose of London and imagination thrown in for good measure. I am off to buy at least a couple more books by this author.
May 19, 2019
A good beginning to a new police procedural series - smart, interesting and a good mystery. Looking forward to the next in the Crane and Drake series.
August 4, 2019
I absolutely loved this opening salvo to a new London set crime thriller series from Parker Bilal, author of the Markana Investigations. Not only capturing the chasm existing between rich and poor in our capital city, and the general feel, spirit and energy of London, Bilal has produced the best police procedural I have read so far this year. The Divinities quickly reveals itself as a multi-faceted thriller, encompassing a gamut of issues and social observation, that gives layers of interest to what could have ostensibly been a straightforward narrative. I was intrigued, shocked and genuinely curious about the issues that Bilal raises, once again demonstrating how so much more of ‘real life’ can be encapsulated and distilled in a crime novel than more traditional forms of fiction. Drake and Crane are two of the most complex and interesting characters, working through and coming to terms with events from their chequered pasts, but adding a vitality and emotional heft to the narrative, sadly lacking from many police procedurals at the moment. What I also liked was the sensitive and compelling handling of the scars both mental and physical left on our protagonists through their prior involvement in warfare, and how difficult it is to make that transition from this life to their civilian careers. Both characters react and act to their own defined moral compass, and Bilal depicts the contrast between them beautifully, as they struggle at first to work together in a complex and testing investigation. This will probably be one of the few crime thrillers that I will re-read in later life (there’s no higher praise than that), but for now I would highly recommend this one, and am anticipating a similarly brilliant book two. No pressure…
June 20, 2019
Not as good as Makwana series but still very good
It seems that this book is more about establishing this new Drake-Crane series, and author will further explore the changing demographics, racial and communal tensions on a smaller canvas of London.
It seems that this book is more about establishing this new Drake-Crane series, and author will further explore the changing demographics, racial and communal tensions on a smaller canvas of London.
June 9, 2019
Excellent start to a new series
Drake is your standard loner cop in tough with superior officers. Stubborn, resourceful and intuitive. Crane is an intriguing woman. Not quite as well developed as Drake, but promising. A compelling whodunit. Contemporary London. Contemporary issues. Good read.
Drake is your standard loner cop in tough with superior officers. Stubborn, resourceful and intuitive. Crane is an intriguing woman. Not quite as well developed as Drake, but promising. A compelling whodunit. Contemporary London. Contemporary issues. Good read.
January 12, 2020
De thema’s zijn interessant: post-traumatische stress, radicalisme. Het verhaal is echter zo onwaarschijnlijk dat het ongeloofwaardig wordt.
October 9, 2022
Two bodies, posed together in a building site. What on earth! And what’s more, one is married to the building site owner!! Is this a crime of passion or something more sinister at play?
Enter DS Cal Drake. I rather liked Drake – he’s a man who’s willing to take the risk of upsetting those above. His methods are different, but always with the good intentions with solving the crime. But then he meets Dr Rayhana Crane. Now this relationship has been foisted on them both but Crane is more willing than Drake. I get the impression Drake is a stubborn soul! But what develops makes for interesting reading and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with this relationship as the series goes on.
The Divinities is a fast paced twisty turny tense police procedural. This opening book of the series is a cracking read and this reader is looking forward to the next instalment! As I peeled back the layers of the investigation, I got led in to a dark world of an international activity causing present day crimes. Maybe it’s true, the past can come and bite you in the proverbial!
Enter DS Cal Drake. I rather liked Drake – he’s a man who’s willing to take the risk of upsetting those above. His methods are different, but always with the good intentions with solving the crime. But then he meets Dr Rayhana Crane. Now this relationship has been foisted on them both but Crane is more willing than Drake. I get the impression Drake is a stubborn soul! But what develops makes for interesting reading and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with this relationship as the series goes on.
The Divinities is a fast paced twisty turny tense police procedural. This opening book of the series is a cracking read and this reader is looking forward to the next instalment! As I peeled back the layers of the investigation, I got led in to a dark world of an international activity causing present day crimes. Maybe it’s true, the past can come and bite you in the proverbial!
November 25, 2021
3.5 stars rounded down.
I picked this one up as I was looking for a new detective series to start and was drawn in by the cover (a beautiful depiction of Battersea station in London) as well as the location – I do enjoy books set in places that I am familiar with. I also liked the backstories of the two protagonists i.e. a former military man who’s now a disgraced policeman and a forensic psychologist. The story started strongly with the opening up of the case at hand, and I was immediately drawn to the whys of the two bodies discovered.
I did like how the case unfolded from here onwards, and I thought the build-up to figuring out what was going on was both well-conceived and logical – while I do enjoy well-written instances of characters (especially those that have hero status in my mind!) going through leaps of logic towards the resolution, I appreciated that there was relatively little of that here. I thought the different social aspects of London life e.g. the heterogeneity of people that can be found in relatively small geographical areas was not only well captured in the mood, but also well incorporated into the story. The latter was quite original, I haven’t read anything quite like it.
Unfortunately, things just didn’t click quite as well as I hoped it might. Objectively, all the boxes seemed to be ticked, but for some reason I just did not relate to either Crane or Drake. Perhaps this is an indication of how well their (very messy!) backstories are, that someone like me who’s not seen anything remotely close to what they have experienced just cannot picture. They were difficult to love even as fictional detectives, though perhaps I am spoiled by the fact that I’ve very recently discovered several fictional detective teams that I absolutely adore. That being said, I have no doubt that they have much more of a backstory to tell, which is likely to emerge in later books, and a part of me is quite curious as to how their relationship will take off given . And, the other thing that ruined it a bit for me was how .
Overall it was an enjoyable read, though not quite the “next favourite series that I will eagerly await the next instalment to” that I was hoping for. I won’t be running out to find other books in the series, but if I happen to come across another, I won’t hesitate to pick it up.
I picked this one up as I was looking for a new detective series to start and was drawn in by the cover (a beautiful depiction of Battersea station in London) as well as the location – I do enjoy books set in places that I am familiar with. I also liked the backstories of the two protagonists i.e. a former military man who’s now a disgraced policeman and a forensic psychologist. The story started strongly with the opening up of the case at hand, and I was immediately drawn to the whys of the two bodies discovered.
I did like how the case unfolded from here onwards, and I thought the build-up to figuring out what was going on was both well-conceived and logical – while I do enjoy well-written instances of characters (especially those that have hero status in my mind!) going through leaps of logic towards the resolution, I appreciated that there was relatively little of that here. I thought the different social aspects of London life e.g. the heterogeneity of people that can be found in relatively small geographical areas was not only well captured in the mood, but also well incorporated into the story. The latter was quite original, I haven’t read anything quite like it.
Unfortunately, things just didn’t click quite as well as I hoped it might. Objectively, all the boxes seemed to be ticked, but for some reason I just did not relate to either Crane or Drake. Perhaps this is an indication of how well their (very messy!) backstories are, that someone like me who’s not seen anything remotely close to what they have experienced just cannot picture. They were difficult to love even as fictional detectives, though perhaps I am spoiled by the fact that I’ve very recently discovered several fictional detective teams that I absolutely adore. That being said, I have no doubt that they have much more of a backstory to tell, which is likely to emerge in later books, and a part of me is quite curious as to how their relationship will take off given . And, the other thing that ruined it a bit for me was how .
Overall it was an enjoyable read, though not quite the “next favourite series that I will eagerly await the next instalment to” that I was hoping for. I won’t be running out to find other books in the series, but if I happen to come across another, I won’t hesitate to pick it up.
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August 6, 2019I cannot rate a book which I haven't been able to finish. So really I shouldn't be able to review this either. I am afraid I couldn't rate this book because 1. there is so much back chat that I can handle 2.fucking hell why is it always about us against them and 3. this is so cliche it goes up its own arse and comes back looking dirtier than before. The plot was dull and just sooo tedious nothing really got going... if at all. the back story sequences were confusing and just put in at odd moments. so all in all no rating from me. I would not recommend this to anyone.
October 6, 2021
I took this book on holiday to read and after an unfortunate “pool” incident it didn’t make it home. Which is a real shame as I really enjoyed The Divinities as it took my crime reading to the dark gritty corners of London and introduced me to two interesting lead characters that I look forward to seeing again.
Cal Drake is the first police officer on the scene at a building site where the night guard has found two very dead bodies. Drake has put himself at the scene of a brutal double murder but his position in the force is not strong following past incidents; which readers will learn more about as the story unfolds. After pleading with his boss for the opportunity to investigate the two deaths he finds himself with a very short period of time to show significant progress in identifying a killer.
As pressure to deliver a result intensifies, Drake also finds himself gaining assistance from Dr Rayhana Crane. Dr Crane is a forensic psychologist keeping her practice running after the death of her former business partner and struggling to get the proper work balance in place now she is running solo. The opportunity to work with the police is definitely arriving at an opportune moment but she will need to convice Drake she can be an asset and she also needs to convince him to let her help.
Though working the same investigation the pair don’t spend too much of their time together, this allows Drake to investigate and chase down leads and Crane to pursue an alternative line of enquiry (which leans into spoiler territory so I can’t elaborate). Suffice to say each has a fascinating story thread to explore and I enjoyed learning more about how each half of the duo operated.
Drake has a chequered past, he changed faith and explored new teachings then through his policework seems to know several of the city gangsters and can gain assistance when needed. Crane has worked in some fascinating areas too and her patients, trauma sufferers, can be more than a handful in more than one sense but Crane is more than capable of looking after herself.
The two threads of the story will start to pull together and the endgame in The Divinities is pure tension.
Cal Drake is the first police officer on the scene at a building site where the night guard has found two very dead bodies. Drake has put himself at the scene of a brutal double murder but his position in the force is not strong following past incidents; which readers will learn more about as the story unfolds. After pleading with his boss for the opportunity to investigate the two deaths he finds himself with a very short period of time to show significant progress in identifying a killer.
As pressure to deliver a result intensifies, Drake also finds himself gaining assistance from Dr Rayhana Crane. Dr Crane is a forensic psychologist keeping her practice running after the death of her former business partner and struggling to get the proper work balance in place now she is running solo. The opportunity to work with the police is definitely arriving at an opportune moment but she will need to convice Drake she can be an asset and she also needs to convince him to let her help.
Though working the same investigation the pair don’t spend too much of their time together, this allows Drake to investigate and chase down leads and Crane to pursue an alternative line of enquiry (which leans into spoiler territory so I can’t elaborate). Suffice to say each has a fascinating story thread to explore and I enjoyed learning more about how each half of the duo operated.
Drake has a chequered past, he changed faith and explored new teachings then through his policework seems to know several of the city gangsters and can gain assistance when needed. Crane has worked in some fascinating areas too and her patients, trauma sufferers, can be more than a handful in more than one sense but Crane is more than capable of looking after herself.
The two threads of the story will start to pull together and the endgame in The Divinities is pure tension.
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February 18, 2022This is book one of a new series featuring Cal Drake and Rayhana Crane. So far so good. If the quality of work persists in future book as found in this one, then it just might turn into must-read crime fiction.
Cal is a former Iraqi war veteran, who has joined the police force in London. All does not go well because he found himself in the bad books, when an undercover operation he was part of, went badly south. Now he is trying to get back in the good graces of the department as he looks into a very ghoulish double murder.
He has been partnered with Rayhana Crane, who is a forensic psychologist. They will definitely need to put their thinking caps on, because the crime definitely defied logic and common sense. Coincidentally both Cal and Rayhana were both part of the Iraqi war, so they have seen the worst of the human condition in the past. Now they are faced with connecting the dots so to speak to make sense of two murders.
The two dead victims are discovered at the bottom of a pit under construction. They are found in a shroud, and massive amounts of huge rocks were piled on top of them, burying them alive. It was a slow and horrific death. One of the victims is Marsha Thwaite, wife of a man developing the area. The other is Tai Hideo a Japanese widower. The question is how are the two connected and why was this method of death chosen?
There are some theories such as the two were having an affair, and the method of death for adultery in some cultures would have been stoning. It is known as sharia law, the stoning of those having affairs.
Cal and Rayhana work well together, with their theories and method of trying to deduce the crimes. But when there is another crime, the torching of a mosque not far from the crime scene, that they believe may be connected to both crimes. With other murders imminent and the killer zeroing in on Cal and Rayhana, they are fighting the clock to save other lives as well as their own.
THE DIVINITIES is divinely intriguing, certainly one book that deserves many more to come.
Cal is a former Iraqi war veteran, who has joined the police force in London. All does not go well because he found himself in the bad books, when an undercover operation he was part of, went badly south. Now he is trying to get back in the good graces of the department as he looks into a very ghoulish double murder.
He has been partnered with Rayhana Crane, who is a forensic psychologist. They will definitely need to put their thinking caps on, because the crime definitely defied logic and common sense. Coincidentally both Cal and Rayhana were both part of the Iraqi war, so they have seen the worst of the human condition in the past. Now they are faced with connecting the dots so to speak to make sense of two murders.
The two dead victims are discovered at the bottom of a pit under construction. They are found in a shroud, and massive amounts of huge rocks were piled on top of them, burying them alive. It was a slow and horrific death. One of the victims is Marsha Thwaite, wife of a man developing the area. The other is Tai Hideo a Japanese widower. The question is how are the two connected and why was this method of death chosen?
There are some theories such as the two were having an affair, and the method of death for adultery in some cultures would have been stoning. It is known as sharia law, the stoning of those having affairs.
Cal and Rayhana work well together, with their theories and method of trying to deduce the crimes. But when there is another crime, the torching of a mosque not far from the crime scene, that they believe may be connected to both crimes. With other murders imminent and the killer zeroing in on Cal and Rayhana, they are fighting the clock to save other lives as well as their own.
THE DIVINITIES is divinely intriguing, certainly one book that deserves many more to come.
December 27, 2023
Paint by numbers start of a new crime series, that I imagine improves as the series progresses but would take a leap of faith for me to pick up book 2.
Dreadful, cliched characterisation - Crane is the maverick loner cop, with a backstory explored in the military and a recent disaster as a Detective. Drake - not sure - appears half way through the book as a criminal psychologist and partners up with Crane.
Crane has two days to prove himself on a case of a couple of bodies apparently "stoned to death" at building site. The gore content is quite high here - with dismemberment and an awful lot of creepy crawlies.
Plods along in totally routine fashion, right down to the two in jeopardy by the criminal, who just has to setup an elaborate death scene, so he has time to do the big scooby doo reveal.
He would have got away with it if it wasnt for those meddlesome kids.
Tired format, dull writing, slow pace.
Dreadful, cliched characterisation - Crane is the maverick loner cop, with a backstory explored in the military and a recent disaster as a Detective. Drake - not sure - appears half way through the book as a criminal psychologist and partners up with Crane.
Crane has two days to prove himself on a case of a couple of bodies apparently "stoned to death" at building site. The gore content is quite high here - with dismemberment and an awful lot of creepy crawlies.
Plods along in totally routine fashion, right down to the two in jeopardy by the criminal, who just has to setup an elaborate death scene, so he has time to do the big scooby doo reveal.
He would have got away with it if it wasnt for those meddlesome kids.
Tired format, dull writing, slow pace.
July 30, 2023
I am an idiot. Really should have read this book a lot sooner than I did. I was completely absorbed by the story from the beginning, caught up in the twists and turns and really drawn to the central characters of Cal Drake and Rayhana Crane. Admittedly, we don't meet Crane in the most auspicious of circumstances, but they do start to give a hint of the man. He was a somewhat unexpected character to say the least, Somewhere between flawed and jaded, but with a real instinct for the job that you just know will see him succeed, although it's fair to say that it is going to be by the skin of his teeth.
The case that we are presented with is a somewhat baffling one, with the two victims seemingly having no connection and the method of execution, as it is very clear that this is what it is - something designed to be a spectacle - is quite brutal but most definitely effective. The killer is clearly sending a message, but the who and what of it all remains hidden, at least in the short term. As the blurb suggests there is a political and, yes, religious, edge to this story, the motives for murder lying as buried as the two victims but certainly in no way forgotten. This was a book packed with tension and a whole heap of mystery and the killer stayed one step ahead of everyone, me included, until the very perfect moment for the reveal. One of those slap your forehead, of course it is kind of moments.
Drake is a great character. There is just something about him, perhaps his cynicism that I found actually drew me to him. His career is in tatters after he was accused of being involved in the death of a key gang figure, potentially being corrupt, but a few moments in his company and you know that this cannot be further from the truth. He is sharp, dedicated and determined and whist he may not play the political game as well as others, he is a character I really liked. As for Crane, she was more of an enigma, harder to get to know. But as I moved further into the story I felt I was getting the measure of her as a character and she was definitely the perfect match for Drake. There is a history there - not shared per se, but one that they both understand and that influences the choices they make, and that links back to Iraq.
It's fair to say that there is a socio-economic and racial element to this story too, making it highly topical and of the time. The sense of desperation and anger that erupts on one of the estates felt all too authentic, and the fact that Drake was called upon to try and diffuse the tension spoke volumes. I like how the author has used this to inform elements of the story whilst hiding the full truth of what is happening in plan sight. There is a real sleight of hand at play here, a sense of truths only being half shared and this means that both tension and intrigue are maintained to the very final, high stakes, fast paced chapters.
This is far from being a straightforward murder case. Covering topics which are as relevant now as they were back when the book was first written, and with an emotional honestly which is carefully explored by the author, the impact of trauma, loss and guilt are all key to understanding what occurs. This book really did capture my attention and I read it far quicker than I might have expected. The characters are authentic, shaped by their history, driven by a compulsion to find the truth, and I am really looking forward to catching up with them both again in the next book.
The case that we are presented with is a somewhat baffling one, with the two victims seemingly having no connection and the method of execution, as it is very clear that this is what it is - something designed to be a spectacle - is quite brutal but most definitely effective. The killer is clearly sending a message, but the who and what of it all remains hidden, at least in the short term. As the blurb suggests there is a political and, yes, religious, edge to this story, the motives for murder lying as buried as the two victims but certainly in no way forgotten. This was a book packed with tension and a whole heap of mystery and the killer stayed one step ahead of everyone, me included, until the very perfect moment for the reveal. One of those slap your forehead, of course it is kind of moments.
Drake is a great character. There is just something about him, perhaps his cynicism that I found actually drew me to him. His career is in tatters after he was accused of being involved in the death of a key gang figure, potentially being corrupt, but a few moments in his company and you know that this cannot be further from the truth. He is sharp, dedicated and determined and whist he may not play the political game as well as others, he is a character I really liked. As for Crane, she was more of an enigma, harder to get to know. But as I moved further into the story I felt I was getting the measure of her as a character and she was definitely the perfect match for Drake. There is a history there - not shared per se, but one that they both understand and that influences the choices they make, and that links back to Iraq.
It's fair to say that there is a socio-economic and racial element to this story too, making it highly topical and of the time. The sense of desperation and anger that erupts on one of the estates felt all too authentic, and the fact that Drake was called upon to try and diffuse the tension spoke volumes. I like how the author has used this to inform elements of the story whilst hiding the full truth of what is happening in plan sight. There is a real sleight of hand at play here, a sense of truths only being half shared and this means that both tension and intrigue are maintained to the very final, high stakes, fast paced chapters.
This is far from being a straightforward murder case. Covering topics which are as relevant now as they were back when the book was first written, and with an emotional honestly which is carefully explored by the author, the impact of trauma, loss and guilt are all key to understanding what occurs. This book really did capture my attention and I read it far quicker than I might have expected. The characters are authentic, shaped by their history, driven by a compulsion to find the truth, and I am really looking forward to catching up with them both again in the next book.
December 12, 2024
The main issue I had with this book was the pacing was off. I found the first portion of this book intriguing in that I thought it was going to go somewhere but then nothing of much seemed to be happening.
Even when things got going in the last few chapters I wasn’t invested enough to care all that much. I so wanted to enjoy this book, and really do believe that someone else would like pick this up and love it. Just unfortunately this was not the book for me.
Even when things got going in the last few chapters I wasn’t invested enough to care all that much. I so wanted to enjoy this book, and really do believe that someone else would like pick this up and love it. Just unfortunately this was not the book for me.
September 13, 2019
Well written and with a more interesting police officer at the centre (at least his back story takes us into some unusual territory for the genre and reflects on some of our current preoccupations). THe setting - London- is evocative, but as is often the case, the murders are theatrical in the extreme.
January 23, 2020
Not bad but not great. Bit of an old-fashioned detective story. He has a troubled past, bit of a lone wolf blah, blah, blah. Same old tiresome tropes but without anything to distinguish it from bucketfuls of similar books. I blame the Rebus books - everyone is trying to write the new Rebus rather than create something new. So, a generous 3 stars.
July 5, 2022
A solid enough crime/murder novel. A bit macho and cliched at times, but generally interesting and a solid bed time read. Quite a lot of disparate characters and threads, so it was a bit of a battle to keep on top of, and I didn't get any real sense of impending threat from the villain. Never the less a solid read.
August 19, 2019
Started out as a clever plot line with interesting characters. Comes to a rapid conclusion at the end which is a bit of a cliché. The two protagonists are obviously being set up for a series of stories in the future. Enjoyed the pace of the story but almost felt like a recipe ending
November 3, 2019
Predictable- yet another maverick cop. Each character was not so much a rounded personality as a cardboard cut-out. I only finished it to find out if the prediction I made 1/3rd of the way through came true (yes).
August 2, 2022
The case itself felt a little predictable, but Parker Bilal’s writing is utterly brilliant and really kept me gripped. Crane and Drake shape up to be a totally fresh take on the detective duo trope, definitely want to get stuck into their next cases!
June 15, 2019
good start - looking forward to the next in the series
September 7, 2019
It’s so boring I couldn’t finish it.
December 31, 2019
Bit slow to start, but characters well developed and good ending.
September 12, 2021
I loved Bilal's Makana series and was apprehensive about a new series, as I was disappointed there wasn't a new Makana! But I needn't have worried. A great read.
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