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Wakefield #4
Tainted
A botched attempt to extort money has tragic consequences.
An embarrassing DNA match to an unsolved rape and murder twenty years before means DI Colin Strong has to use his best diplomatic tactics.
Simultaneously, journalist Bob Souter is tasked with writing about that same case to re-focus public attention. Will the newspaper’s actions help or hinder the police?
Meanwhile, Strong’s team has two separate murder enquiries to run.
With their friendship under duress, will Souter and Strong be able to work together?
An embarrassing DNA match to an unsolved rape and murder twenty years before means DI Colin Strong has to use his best diplomatic tactics.
Simultaneously, journalist Bob Souter is tasked with writing about that same case to re-focus public attention. Will the newspaper’s actions help or hinder the police?
Meanwhile, Strong’s team has two separate murder enquiries to run.
With their friendship under duress, will Souter and Strong be able to work together?
- GenresFiction
545 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2019
9 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 11, 2019
This was a solid police procedural which linked and solved two mysteries together, one which had happened nearly 2 decades ago. My first book by David Evans, the writing had a strange rhythmic quality which brought to life the way the cops worked.
Forensics and DNA played a major role, and it helped in solving and connecting a cold case. The entire book gave me a true life visual about how the police work. Strong as the lead detective worked ably with his team. In contrast, there was the journalist friend who worked his own angle in the story and both seemed to meet in the middle.
Then came my niggles, I didn’t know these characters, they all had previous stories in other books. There were references in the entire book. There were too many characters, I was confused initially. Each day of the investigation was narrated in detail, but the scenes lacked the thrill and tension. At 30%, I knew where the story was going, hence the last reveal was good but not thrilling.
This book is strictly recommended for those who like a good police procedural with its nitty gritty details.
On to my next thriller, oh how I miss you, my precious!!
Forensics and DNA played a major role, and it helped in solving and connecting a cold case. The entire book gave me a true life visual about how the police work. Strong as the lead detective worked ably with his team. In contrast, there was the journalist friend who worked his own angle in the story and both seemed to meet in the middle.
Then came my niggles, I didn’t know these characters, they all had previous stories in other books. There were references in the entire book. There were too many characters, I was confused initially. Each day of the investigation was narrated in detail, but the scenes lacked the thrill and tension. At 30%, I knew where the story was going, hence the last reveal was good but not thrilling.
This book is strictly recommended for those who like a good police procedural with its nitty gritty details.
On to my next thriller, oh how I miss you, my precious!!
January 12, 2019
Tainted is the fourth book in the Wakefield Series. Whilst it isn’t essential to have read the others in the series, I would recommend it to get the most out of this book with there being references to previous events.
There is quite a lot going on in this novel with two murder cases on the go. I didn’t envy Strong and his team, or Souter for that matter having to stir things up from the past to increase awareness for a cold case.
The police and press usually don’t have a great relationship so I have to admit to enjoying seeing the great relationship that Strong and Souter have even though it can get strained at times, it really does make for some compelling reading.
Even though there are two cases on the go, the author ensures that the reader doesn’t get lost and finds the story easy to keep up with. Cold cases always fascinate me so it was great to see how the team work together in solving it.
Tainted is a compelling read that kept me on my toes. Strong and Souter are both likeable characters and it’s great to see things from not just the police side of things but from a reporters perspective also. Set in Wakefield and Leeds, with knowing the areas very well, it was so easy to visualise plenty of where the story is set. A good and solid crime read.
My thanks to Caroline Vincent at Bits About Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
There is quite a lot going on in this novel with two murder cases on the go. I didn’t envy Strong and his team, or Souter for that matter having to stir things up from the past to increase awareness for a cold case.
The police and press usually don’t have a great relationship so I have to admit to enjoying seeing the great relationship that Strong and Souter have even though it can get strained at times, it really does make for some compelling reading.
Even though there are two cases on the go, the author ensures that the reader doesn’t get lost and finds the story easy to keep up with. Cold cases always fascinate me so it was great to see how the team work together in solving it.
Tainted is a compelling read that kept me on my toes. Strong and Souter are both likeable characters and it’s great to see things from not just the police side of things but from a reporters perspective also. Set in Wakefield and Leeds, with knowing the areas very well, it was so easy to visualise plenty of where the story is set. A good and solid crime read.
My thanks to Caroline Vincent at Bits About Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
February 8, 2019
This is the fourth book in this super series which is set in Wakefield not long after the turn of the new century. I really connect with these books as I lived in this area at the time that the stories are set. I can easily visualise the streets and town how it use to be, the pubs and shops. Even where it all begins in this story. The murder that goes down in the park in present day, is one that will link to an unsolved murder from 20 years before. A case that is already firmly in the eyes of Journalist Bob Souter as a public interest sort of story and a jog memories article to try to get some justice finally for the 14-year-old victim and her family.
The story does relate back to previous books so it is a good idea to take a look at those too, if you have the time. The last book was very emotional which is why Souter is more than anxious at present day events. He really has been through the mill in his life and had more than his fair share of tragedy.
DI Colin Strong’s mind is quite occupied too with a suggestion that has been put to him, but he had been conned once before, was it worth taking a chance again, it could be his last one if he was ever going to get any higher in his job.
The stories flow well together and although Souter and Strong have crossed paths before, which has been beneficial to them both, they do have a tendency to hold back snippets of information that give them an edge against each other. Susan who works with Souter and was taken under his wing after a case she was involved in, has grown in confidence throughout the books, stepping up in her role to help out preoccupied Souter in this novel. She does give rise to some scary moments though with the chances she takes.
This is a real down to earth and gritty police procedural on the brink of the massive changes that technology differences of today make. Love the detailed descriptions of the areas, the chases and the emotional every day problems that make them who they are. A super addition to this classic series that captures an era.
Thanks to Caroline of Bits About Books and the author for an e-review copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly
The story does relate back to previous books so it is a good idea to take a look at those too, if you have the time. The last book was very emotional which is why Souter is more than anxious at present day events. He really has been through the mill in his life and had more than his fair share of tragedy.
DI Colin Strong’s mind is quite occupied too with a suggestion that has been put to him, but he had been conned once before, was it worth taking a chance again, it could be his last one if he was ever going to get any higher in his job.
The stories flow well together and although Souter and Strong have crossed paths before, which has been beneficial to them both, they do have a tendency to hold back snippets of information that give them an edge against each other. Susan who works with Souter and was taken under his wing after a case she was involved in, has grown in confidence throughout the books, stepping up in her role to help out preoccupied Souter in this novel. She does give rise to some scary moments though with the chances she takes.
This is a real down to earth and gritty police procedural on the brink of the massive changes that technology differences of today make. Love the detailed descriptions of the areas, the chases and the emotional every day problems that make them who they are. A super addition to this classic series that captures an era.
Thanks to Caroline of Bits About Books and the author for an e-review copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly
February 11, 2019
This is the 4th book in the series, but only my first one. I have to admit I sincerely regret not having read the previous parts, because in my opinion the stories are simply brilliant!
I do have to say that it was not simple in the beginning. There are a lot of characters that I had to get to know and the author does not always make it easier by sometimes using the person’s first name and sometimes the last name. And moreover, there were a lot of people involved in the cases, but little by little it all came together.
The author certainly knows how to write. There is so much going on that, at first, you really have not one single clou how this is going to end. Fear not, dear reader, because the author untangles every knot and delivers a wonderful book.
I, without a doubt, was utterly entertained and if you would like to read it too, I would suggest you start with book 1. This book can be read as a stand alone, but it would make all even more worthwhile.
Thank you, David Evans and Bits about Books. I hope I will be able to read the sequel real soon.
Book received courtesy of the publisher/author.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
I do have to say that it was not simple in the beginning. There are a lot of characters that I had to get to know and the author does not always make it easier by sometimes using the person’s first name and sometimes the last name. And moreover, there were a lot of people involved in the cases, but little by little it all came together.
The author certainly knows how to write. There is so much going on that, at first, you really have not one single clou how this is going to end. Fear not, dear reader, because the author untangles every knot and delivers a wonderful book.
I, without a doubt, was utterly entertained and if you would like to read it too, I would suggest you start with book 1. This book can be read as a stand alone, but it would make all even more worthwhile.
Thank you, David Evans and Bits about Books. I hope I will be able to read the sequel real soon.
Book received courtesy of the publisher/author.
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
January 30, 2019
Set in Wakefield and Leeds in 2002, DI Colin Strong , his DS Kelly Stainmore and his team investigates a murder when a Man’s body is found in a public toilet in very suspicious circumstances, whilst also looking into a cold case , going back 20 years, the murder of a 14 yrs old girl, who’s body is found on railway, investigations lead to DNA on the body linked to current young police officer.
There are also some affairs , extortion and kidnap going on along with the murder to keep you interested
Alongside the police investigation, Bob Souter. A journalist with a heavily pregnant wife is also looking into the old murder for a 20th anniversary story ,it’s quite interesting to get another point of view and not just the usual police side of things.
This is an old school police procedural
Which really goes into the ins and outs of police practices
With decent believable characters, this book is well written with almost a mesmerising flow to the authors words
There is lots of talk about previous events from early books which I’ve not read but feel I can read this perfectly well as a stand alone
It’s easy to read with lots of attention to detail especially when describing the police work whilst never becoming confusing
The finale is well done, tense and comes at you quickly , tying up all the loose ends and leaving a bit of a cliffhanger for the next in the series.
It was a quick, easy to pick up book. For me it’s 3.5 stars , I would happily read more of David Evans
It feels reminiscent of watching Frost or Morse on the tv, glowing praise , If you love traditional detective mysteries, this book is a great read and right up your alley.
There are also some affairs , extortion and kidnap going on along with the murder to keep you interested
Alongside the police investigation, Bob Souter. A journalist with a heavily pregnant wife is also looking into the old murder for a 20th anniversary story ,it’s quite interesting to get another point of view and not just the usual police side of things.
This is an old school police procedural
Which really goes into the ins and outs of police practices
With decent believable characters, this book is well written with almost a mesmerising flow to the authors words
There is lots of talk about previous events from early books which I’ve not read but feel I can read this perfectly well as a stand alone
It’s easy to read with lots of attention to detail especially when describing the police work whilst never becoming confusing
The finale is well done, tense and comes at you quickly , tying up all the loose ends and leaving a bit of a cliffhanger for the next in the series.
It was a quick, easy to pick up book. For me it’s 3.5 stars , I would happily read more of David Evans
It feels reminiscent of watching Frost or Morse on the tv, glowing praise , If you love traditional detective mysteries, this book is a great read and right up your alley.
February 15, 2019
Tainted is the fourth book in the Wakefield Series. It can be read as a standalone book. But it does refer to characters of the previous series and some references to their situations.
I love British authors and the way they write. David Evans is no exception. I also get a feel of Britain in the eighties.
This novel has two murder cases. One a cold case and the other is a recent one. But the reader is never confused between the two cases, and the story is easy to follow. The book is unputdownable and I completed it in two sittings. This book is highly recommended.
I love British authors and the way they write. David Evans is no exception. I also get a feel of Britain in the eighties.
This novel has two murder cases. One a cold case and the other is a recent one. But the reader is never confused between the two cases, and the story is easy to follow. The book is unputdownable and I completed it in two sittings. This book is highly recommended.
February 10, 2019
I need book #5.....please!
It's a joy to meet up once again with DI Colin Strong and his friend newspaper journalist Bob Souter. I absolutely love this series, the storylines and believable well crafted characters make intriguing and compulsive reading.
Colin Strong is a personality you can't help being drawn to, he's a leader who's moulded his team to perfection and never steals their limelight. Friendships matter to him, which in turn gels and sometimes crosses over into his case work!
I don't think I need to explain the two storylines running through this book, it's in the blurb and other people's reviews, except to say, the first chapter sets the scene for a compulsion not to put this book down. As I've been waiting (not to patiently, I might add) for this addition to The Wakefield Series, I was determined not to rush it, to sit back take my time, have a few breaks and prolong the story..............didn't work, two sittings and I'd read it. Totally impossible to put down, I devoured every word with relish and every chapter and hungry for the next.
The storyline and plots are cleverly crossed with intriguing consequences, throwing the ball into another court. I thought I'd worked out the culprit or culprits early on, not so. This is a very cleverly put together police procedural, dead ends, false leads by the bucket load and characters who are not what they appear to be.
As is the norm for this author, the characters are all exceptionally well thought out with diverse personalities, some easily related to others pushing your patience to its limits.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, I highly recommend it to all crime novel lovers. Can be read as a stand alone, but would benefit from reading the previous three books if only to get acquainted with the wonderful main characters!
I think one of the most alluring and nice things about this series, is the characters are all so believable and the storylines are all in-depth and feasible, very clever writing, Mr Evans!
It's a joy to meet up once again with DI Colin Strong and his friend newspaper journalist Bob Souter. I absolutely love this series, the storylines and believable well crafted characters make intriguing and compulsive reading.
Colin Strong is a personality you can't help being drawn to, he's a leader who's moulded his team to perfection and never steals their limelight. Friendships matter to him, which in turn gels and sometimes crosses over into his case work!
I don't think I need to explain the two storylines running through this book, it's in the blurb and other people's reviews, except to say, the first chapter sets the scene for a compulsion not to put this book down. As I've been waiting (not to patiently, I might add) for this addition to The Wakefield Series, I was determined not to rush it, to sit back take my time, have a few breaks and prolong the story..............didn't work, two sittings and I'd read it. Totally impossible to put down, I devoured every word with relish and every chapter and hungry for the next.
The storyline and plots are cleverly crossed with intriguing consequences, throwing the ball into another court. I thought I'd worked out the culprit or culprits early on, not so. This is a very cleverly put together police procedural, dead ends, false leads by the bucket load and characters who are not what they appear to be.
As is the norm for this author, the characters are all exceptionally well thought out with diverse personalities, some easily related to others pushing your patience to its limits.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, I highly recommend it to all crime novel lovers. Can be read as a stand alone, but would benefit from reading the previous three books if only to get acquainted with the wonderful main characters!
I think one of the most alluring and nice things about this series, is the characters are all so believable and the storylines are all in-depth and feasible, very clever writing, Mr Evans!
February 7, 2019
Set in Yorkshire, well Leeds and Wakefield in 2002, Detective Inspector Colin Strong, his Detective Sargent Kelly Stainmore and his team investigate a murder after a man’s body is found in a public toilet by a local dog walker.
They are also looking into a cold case, from 20 years previously, which is the murder of a 14 year old girl, Claire Hobson. DNA that had been found on her body has a link to a new PC in the station.
Then a second body is found, and yet another investigation is underway.
Bob Souter, a journalist and friend of DI Strong is also looking into the old murder for a 20th anniversary story. I found it very clever of David Evans to have this parallel investigation, to show a different side to the story and how differently people react to the police or the press.
This really details the way a police investigation works and its way of finding a small detail, which leads to more and more revealing moments. Very cleverly written with great, likeable and believable characters.
The ending is nail bitingly tense and ties up all the loose ends. While this is one of a series, it’s still easy to follow as a stand-alone, but I will be looking out for the next one for sure.
If you like a police procedural then this is a must read and I can recommend it without reservation.
Thank you to Caroline Vincent at Bits About Books for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
They are also looking into a cold case, from 20 years previously, which is the murder of a 14 year old girl, Claire Hobson. DNA that had been found on her body has a link to a new PC in the station.
Then a second body is found, and yet another investigation is underway.
Bob Souter, a journalist and friend of DI Strong is also looking into the old murder for a 20th anniversary story. I found it very clever of David Evans to have this parallel investigation, to show a different side to the story and how differently people react to the police or the press.
This really details the way a police investigation works and its way of finding a small detail, which leads to more and more revealing moments. Very cleverly written with great, likeable and believable characters.
The ending is nail bitingly tense and ties up all the loose ends. While this is one of a series, it’s still easy to follow as a stand-alone, but I will be looking out for the next one for sure.
If you like a police procedural then this is a must read and I can recommend it without reservation.
Thank you to Caroline Vincent at Bits About Books for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
August 17, 2019
This time around, Strong and his team have their hands full with a cold case murder and two current murder investigations. Souter is distracted by the imminent arrival of his child, so much of the journalism falls to Susan with a little help from her flatmate Sammy.
The characters are well rounded and the plotline is good, although once again all the cases under investigation seem to be linked, which is a little hard to swallow.
This could have done with a bit tighter editing. Some of the names were wrong at times and initials swapped around, basic mistakes that should have been caught. Still, I enjoyed this book and read it quickly.
The characters are well rounded and the plotline is good, although once again all the cases under investigation seem to be linked, which is a little hard to swallow.
This could have done with a bit tighter editing. Some of the names were wrong at times and initials swapped around, basic mistakes that should have been caught. Still, I enjoyed this book and read it quickly.
March 3, 2019
Another great read in this fantastic series which is set in and around my home city of Wakefield
. I was holding my breath thinking please don't come down our road, not wanting the property prices to plummet!!! The storyline partly focuses on the historic murder of a young girl but also more up to date cases. It is a great police procedural and I am looking forward to the next in the series
. I was holding my breath thinking please don't come down our road, not wanting the property prices to plummet!!! The storyline partly focuses on the historic murder of a young girl but also more up to date cases. It is a great police procedural and I am looking forward to the next in the series
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews