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DI Jon Spicer #0.5
Roller Coaster
Discover the dramatic event that spurred Jon Spicer into joining the police.
The distinctive storytelling skills of Simms run through this fast-moving account of one man’s dogged pursuit for justice.
Exclusive to members of Chris Simms’ Readers Club.
The distinctive storytelling skills of Simms run through this fast-moving account of one man’s dogged pursuit for justice.
Exclusive to members of Chris Simms’ Readers Club.
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About the author
Chris Simms
64 books82 followersI was born and brought up in rural Sussex, three miles from the nearest shop. Childhood holidays – which lasted for weeks as my dad was a teacher – were spent in a secluded spot in the heart of Exmoor. Sitting round the campfire at night, the haunting cries of owls floating in from the blackness beyond the flames, he would read me the ghost stories of MR James. The short walk to the safety of my tent was always taken at a sprint.
Books that interested me growing up? Plenty of mysteries – especially the Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators series. I also loved Roahl Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected and read plenty of Pan Horror Stories, too.
Later, it was novels that gave insights into unusual minds: the twisted desires of Frederick in John Fowles’, The Collector; the tormented thoughts of Scobie in Graham Greene’s, Heart of the Matter; the violent urges of Francie in Patrick McCabe’s, Butcher Boy all had a major influence.
After school and university came a series of abysmal jobs punctuated by travelling. Quite a lot of travelling, actually. Then, just after my 30th birthday, the idea for my first novel came to me. I was broken down on the hard shoulder of a motorway in the early hours of the morning, waiting for a rescue vehicle to arrive. It’s about the driver of a van who roams the roads in the dead of night, looking for stranded motorists to murder…
Ideas for subsequent novels have occurred at all sorts of odd moments: glimpsing a derelict church from the window of a moving train; browsing a newspaper report about a walker who claimed he’d been attacked by a panther; half-reading a doctor’s surgery article on how some tinnitus sufferers don’t hear whistles or buzzes – they’re tormented by birdsong; listening to a radio program about a flotilla of yellow ducks that fell from a cargo ship and floated slowly across the Atlantic.
Books that interested me growing up? Plenty of mysteries – especially the Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators series. I also loved Roahl Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected and read plenty of Pan Horror Stories, too.
Later, it was novels that gave insights into unusual minds: the twisted desires of Frederick in John Fowles’, The Collector; the tormented thoughts of Scobie in Graham Greene’s, Heart of the Matter; the violent urges of Francie in Patrick McCabe’s, Butcher Boy all had a major influence.
After school and university came a series of abysmal jobs punctuated by travelling. Quite a lot of travelling, actually. Then, just after my 30th birthday, the idea for my first novel came to me. I was broken down on the hard shoulder of a motorway in the early hours of the morning, waiting for a rescue vehicle to arrive. It’s about the driver of a van who roams the roads in the dead of night, looking for stranded motorists to murder…
Ideas for subsequent novels have occurred at all sorts of odd moments: glimpsing a derelict church from the window of a moving train; browsing a newspaper report about a walker who claimed he’d been attacked by a panther; half-reading a doctor’s surgery article on how some tinnitus sufferers don’t hear whistles or buzzes – they’re tormented by birdsong; listening to a radio program about a flotilla of yellow ducks that fell from a cargo ship and floated slowly across the Atlantic.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 25, 2020
The DI Jon Spicer Series....how it all began. I have not read any of the main series yet, thought I would start with the prequel. Glad I did. It's a very nice little taster of things to come. The prequel has plenty of action and quite fast paced. Seems Spicer is a bit of a tearaway with a good heart deep down and definitely showing signs of leadership. He may need to tone his temper down though. Young and strong with an independant character who knows the difference between right and wrong, good and evil. How he decides to get justice for those that have been wronged could be interesting....a bit like a bull in a china tea shop. Hmmm, tunnel vision comes to mind. Act now think later. Maybe. Could be I'm wrong, but only one way to find out and looking forward the series.
February 23, 2019
In Spicers' pre-police days what could possibly go wrong on a rugby party visit to Blackpool. Unfortunately for some quite a lot. Spicer after the weekend goes bad constantly visits Blackpool to search for the guilty party. Can he actually think he can do a better job then the loca lpolice.
Good enjoyable story
Good enjoyable story
August 12, 2019
This is a prequel to the Spicer series and also a novella. When Spicer goes to Blackpool with his rugby teammates things go wrong. Spicer starts spending his weekends looking for the guilty person.
Plenty of action and tension make this a fast paced book. This was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading more in the Spicer series.
Plenty of action and tension make this a fast paced book. This was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to reading more in the Spicer series.
February 25, 2019
Roller Coaster is a fast paced novella. As usual Simms tells a great story with an excellent ending. I did figure out the ending three paragraphs before the reveal so that was fun. I would encourage anyone who enjoys criminal suspense to take this one for a spin.
August 28, 2020
A good little novella prequel to the DI John Spicer series - our man is only 20 and on rugby tour. No ISBN or ASIN number on this one, downloaded from the author’s website
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews