Crossing The Line

The Craig Crime Series #20

by Catriona King

** The Craig Crime Novels can be read out of sequence or as standalone novels.Location briefs and character biographies are included at the back of each book. **About the bookWhen a prisoner at a high security prison dies inexplicably, the Belfast Murder Squad is called in to make sense of the death. But none of the detectives could possibly have anticipated where their investigation would lead.Smuggling, gang warfare and new drugs results in more killings, a ship being raided and a siege, before a final showdown that sees Craig and his team risking everything to save innocent men.CROSSING THE Is never a good idea.The Craig Crime A Limited JusticeThe Grass TattooThe VisitorThe Waiting RoomThe Broken ShoreThe Slowest CutThe Coercion KeyThe Careless WordThe History SuiteThe Sixth EstateThe SectThe KeeperThe Talion CodeThe TribesThe PactThe CabalThe Killing YearThe Running of the DeerThe PropertyCrossing The LineThe DepthsThe Good WomanLegacyThe DarkThe Farm

393 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2019

About the author

Catriona King is a doctor and NHS Manager. She was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland and moved to central London to live and work as a Doctor, where she trained as a police Forensic Medical examiner. She worked closely with the Metropolitan Police on many occasions, and encountered many fascinating people and situations, in both Belfast and London. In recent years, she has lived and worked in Belfast, basing her D.C.I. Craig crime novels in the streets of modern Belfast and Northern Ireland, and locating the fictitious crime headquarters of 'Docklands Coordinated Crime Unit' in one of Belfast's most colourful and oldest districts, Sailortown. Catriona has written since childhood, fiction, fact and reporting. 'A Limited Justice' is her first novel, released on Kindle on 24th August 2012 and in paperback on the 26th October to Five Star Reviews. It follows Detective Chief Inspector Marc Craig and his team, in the hunt for the killer of three people.
There are four further novels in the D.C.I. Craig series: 'The Grass Tattoo', 'The Visitor', 'The Waiting Room' and the fifth book in the Craig Series 'The Broken Shore' released in December 2013. All are available in paperback and e-book. Catriona's sixth novel, 'The Carbon Trail' a standalone espionage thriller set in New York City, will be released in April 2014. Books six and seven in the Craig series called 'The Slowest Cut' and 'The Coercion Key' respectively are currently in edits for release in 2014.
Catriona is active on both Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CatrionaKing... and Twitter https://twitter.com/CatrionaKing1 where she engages about her books. Her website is www.catrionakingbooks.com
Books can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other sites http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

Reviews

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author, Catriona King, and her team for a review copy of Crossing the Line, the twentieth novel to feature Belfast based DCS Marc Craig.

Marc and the team are called in to Mahon prison for a suspicious death. Derek Smyth is found dead on his bunk and it looks like murder. The ramifications of his death are many and widespread, giving the team one of their most challenging cases.

I thoroughly enjoyed Crossing the Line which is a long, sprawling novel mostly set in the world of drug supply in Northern Ireland. It is informative and quite detailed on the subject but this is just background as the team are hunting a murderer and this takes precedence. It is an exciting read with ingenious ways of getting drugs into prison, a clever murder weapon, various unlikely conspiracies unique to Northern Ireland, a great action piece near the end and a total shocker of an ending (can’t now wait for the next instalment). As I said it is quite a long novel with a complicated labyrinth of connections but it is easy to follow and with developments on almost every page it never flags or fails to hold the attention.

After dipping in and out of the series over the past few years the regular characters have become old friends and it is good to spend time with them. Marc Craig is a tough, unforgiving detective but his obsessive need for privacy has upset more than a few of his close associates so he has some explaining to do. I don’t understand this aspect of his personality which plays a big part in the novel so it’s nice to see him get a bit of comeuppance. I enjoy the squabbles and personality clashes in the team as Ms King makes it all seem very realistic and normal, in sharp contrast to the work they do. No review of this series would be complete without mention of the larger than life DCI Liam Cullen who provides the laughs, both intentionally and unintentionally. He’s a sharp operator and my favourite character.

Crossing the Line is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Ruth Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent plot, full of twists and turns

This, the 20th book in the Craig Crime series, begins with a death in a high security prison, and Marc Craig and the Belfast Murder Squad are called in to investigate. As this is the 20th book, Catriona has further developed her existing characters, who by now feel like old friends of mine, and introduces some new ones. The plot is detailed and intricate, and one of the things I love about her books is how the reader is drawn in to feel that they are part of the investigation. I feel I am sitting in on the briefings and meetings! This book could be read as a stand alone, but I think it is best to start with the first book in the series, “A Limited Justice”, and enjoy it first, then all the others too

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again getting pulled into the investigations of Marc Craig's Murder Squad in Belfast for a ride with twists and turns, keeping me reading all night. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I certainly enjoyed having the background from reading all of Ms. King's previous Craig Crime Series (all 19 of them), cheering (below my breath) to find out about the relationship between Marc and Katy, watching the relationships between the team members and seeing how the newer members are 'gelling'. Another great read!

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!

This was terrific --- as good as all the others in this series!! Murder in prison is the main focus but develops many tentacles in the solution of the murders! This is an excellent police procedural with great characters. Their interactions provide the interest and basis of the crime solving. They are like a group of old friends in this 20 th book in this series!!

[Anne Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blah, blah, blah

Way to much minutiae, my goodness, explanation after explanation, over and over. Davy and Ash must never sleep given the million things they do, give us a break. The characters need to grow up. And what is with AAR, something, teenage girls would come up with, not grown, professionals. I was disappointed in this book.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book is fine although I miss the interaction with Craig's family.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read in this series.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Craig Crime Series

Once again Catriona King has brought Belfast and the Murder Squad to life. Fast paced and full of twists and unexpected turns, Crossing the Line kept me hooked until the very end.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series

Lots of action, good dialogue and back stories that get better fleshed out with every book. Can't wait for the next.