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One Eye Open
If the lies don't kill you, the truth will An electrifying, high-octane thrill ride; the new must-read standalone from a Sunday Times bestseller. Dark, gritty and always at the edge of your seat, this unforgettable new outing from master storyteller, Paul Finch, will appeal to fans of Peter James, Mark Billingham and Angela Marsons.**********************************Readers love ONE EYE "Finch does it again! Tightly plotted, well written and pacy as hell" - Netgalley Review"Excellent thriller with great characters." - Netgalley Review"Paul's writing yet again catapults you straight into the book..." - Netgalley Review********************************** YOU CAN RUN A high-speed crash leaves a man and woman clinging to life.Neither of them carries ID. Their car has fake number plates.In their a huge amount of cash.Who are they? What are they hiding?And what were they running from? YOU CAN HIDE DS Lynda Hagen, once a brilliant detective, gave it all up to raise her family.But something about this case reignites a spark in her... BUT YOU'LL ALWAYS SLEEP WITH...What begins as an investigation soon becomes an obsession.And it will lead her to a secret so dangerous that soon there will be nowhere left to hide. ONE EYE OPEN
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2020
82 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Paul Finch
206 books459 followersPaul Finch is a former cop and journalist, now full-time writer. Having originally written for the television series THE BILL plus children's animation and DOCTOR WHO audio dramas, he went on to write horror, but is now best known for his crime / thriller fiction.
He won the British Fantasy Award twice and the International Horror Guild Award, but since then has written two parallel series of hard-hitting crime novels, the Heck and the Lucy Clayburn novels, of which three titles have become best-sellers.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, UK with his wife and children.
He won the British Fantasy Award twice and the International Horror Guild Award, but since then has written two parallel series of hard-hitting crime novels, the Heck and the Lucy Clayburn novels, of which three titles have become best-sellers.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, UK with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
July 8, 2020
3+
A totalled car with cloned plates found in woodland off the A12 near Colchester with two seriously injured passengers and a large amount of cash sparks what leads to a dangerous investigation for DS Lynda Hagen of the Serious Crimes Collision Unit. The crash victims are Jill Brooks and husband ex racing driver Elliot Wade. What events led up to the crash and why are they in an expertly chopped stolen car? The story is told from the perspective of Lynda in the present and backtracks to Elliot about three weeks before the crash.
This is what I’d describe as a visual thriller, in fact, I think it would make a better movie than a book. There’s a lot of car chasing, shootings, gang violence, double dealing and general mayhem and it’s certainly high octane. For me, there is too much going on, there’s barely a pause for breath but it can’t be denied it’s exciting. The gritty plot has plenty of twists and turns which at times makes it hard to keep up with the pace. The backtracking is confusing initially but as the two timelines catch up with each other it becomes easier to follow. I can’t say I especially warmed to Lynda Hagen but she’s certainly dogged and persistent. Some of the dialogue doesn’t ring quite true and made me wince from time to time.
Overall, however, it is a hundred mile an hour thriller with barely a pause between incidents and if that’s how you like your thrillers then this one is for you. The ending is good and is a fitting end to the dramatic events.
With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC
A totalled car with cloned plates found in woodland off the A12 near Colchester with two seriously injured passengers and a large amount of cash sparks what leads to a dangerous investigation for DS Lynda Hagen of the Serious Crimes Collision Unit. The crash victims are Jill Brooks and husband ex racing driver Elliot Wade. What events led up to the crash and why are they in an expertly chopped stolen car? The story is told from the perspective of Lynda in the present and backtracks to Elliot about three weeks before the crash.
This is what I’d describe as a visual thriller, in fact, I think it would make a better movie than a book. There’s a lot of car chasing, shootings, gang violence, double dealing and general mayhem and it’s certainly high octane. For me, there is too much going on, there’s barely a pause for breath but it can’t be denied it’s exciting. The gritty plot has plenty of twists and turns which at times makes it hard to keep up with the pace. The backtracking is confusing initially but as the two timelines catch up with each other it becomes easier to follow. I can’t say I especially warmed to Lynda Hagen but she’s certainly dogged and persistent. Some of the dialogue doesn’t ring quite true and made me wince from time to time.
Overall, however, it is a hundred mile an hour thriller with barely a pause between incidents and if that’s how you like your thrillers then this one is for you. The ending is good and is a fitting end to the dramatic events.
With thanks to NetGalley and Orion for the ARC
August 19, 2020
There has bee a car crash. The two people inside the car have no identification on them, the car had false number plates and there was a lot of cash lying around. DS Lynda Hagen is s Serious Crime Collision Officer. She's been called into investigate the high speed crash. The victims are in a critical condition. Lynda is told to wrap this case up but she wants to get to the bottom of it.
This book is a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, gangland crime and police procedural. I liked DS Lynda Hagen. I'd like to read more books featuring her. She could be little annoying at times but she's also first and determined. The story is told by Lynda and Elliot's point of view. Elliot's story is told from before the crash happened. The pace is fast and the tension builds. There's plenty of twists to keep your attention. The odds were against Lynda from the start but she never have up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, gangland crime and police procedural. I liked DS Lynda Hagen. I'd like to read more books featuring her. She could be little annoying at times but she's also first and determined. The story is told by Lynda and Elliot's point of view. Elliot's story is told from before the crash happened. The pace is fast and the tension builds. There's plenty of twists to keep your attention. The odds were against Lynda from the start but she never have up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2020
There has been a car crash. The two people inside the car have no identification on them, the car had false number plates, and there was a lot of cash lying around. DS Lynda Hagen is a Serious Crime Collision Officer. She's been called into investigate the high speed crash. The victims are in a critical condition. Lynda is told to wrap this case up as soon as possible but she wants to get to the bottom of it.
This book is a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, gangland crime and police procedural. I liked DS Lynda Hagen. I'd like to read more books featuring her. She could be a little annoying at times but she's also feisty and determined. The story is told from Linda and Elliot's point of view. Elliot's story is told from before the crash happened. The pace is fast and the tension builds. There's plenty of twists to keep your attention. The odds were against Lynda from the start but she never have up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing.Group and the author Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, gangland crime and police procedural. I liked DS Lynda Hagen. I'd like to read more books featuring her. She could be a little annoying at times but she's also feisty and determined. The story is told from Linda and Elliot's point of view. Elliot's story is told from before the crash happened. The pace is fast and the tension builds. There's plenty of twists to keep your attention. The odds were against Lynda from the start but she never have up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing.Group and the author Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2021
A dog walker comes across a car wreck in the woods off the A2 highway. Detective Sergeant Lynda Hagen from the Collision Investigation Unit is tasked with the investigation. Juggling family responsibilities with her nine to five policing, Lynda is confronted with a baffling case. Two seriously injured people in the car crash battling for their lives, with no IDs, a cloned car and a bundle of money, makes for a baffling police procedural. With great characters and plenty of surprising reveals, the mystery deepens as the danger and body count mounts. A gripping story with a surprising hero and make it a three-and-a-half-star rating.
July 22, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of One Eye Open, a stand-alone thriller featuring DS Lynda Hagen of the Essex Police.
Lynda is called out to a high speed car crash where the occupants are clinging to life. They have no identification on them, the car has fake number plates and there is a large amount of cash. She isn’t sure what to think but she’s definitely going to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed One Eye Open which is a high octane thriller with plenty of twists and turns. It starts with the crash and Lynda’s investigation then jumps back 23 days to the start of the driver’s story. These two narratives alternate until they come together at the end of the novel. I’m not always a fan of this approach, but after a bit of a slow start and some accustomisation on my part both narratives become compulsive. It’s all go go go in terms of action and developments. In fact there’s so much double crossing going on I found it hard to keep up with all the motives and agendas, not that it’s hard to follow, just complicated. I think the plotting is clever with an exciting storyline, enough twists to keep the reader involved and slightly unsure and a mystery that has a lovely, ironic conclusion. It’s exhilarating entertainment.
I’m sad that this is billed as a stand-alone as I really like DS Lynda Hagen who is a woman for our times. She’s smart and effective but stuck in a 9-5 job in Traffic so that she still has time with her kids. She is continually underrated both by her husband, a former Major Crimes detective and her boss but she showed them here what she can do. You go girl.
One Eye Open is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Lynda is called out to a high speed car crash where the occupants are clinging to life. They have no identification on them, the car has fake number plates and there is a large amount of cash. She isn’t sure what to think but she’s definitely going to investigate.
I thoroughly enjoyed One Eye Open which is a high octane thriller with plenty of twists and turns. It starts with the crash and Lynda’s investigation then jumps back 23 days to the start of the driver’s story. These two narratives alternate until they come together at the end of the novel. I’m not always a fan of this approach, but after a bit of a slow start and some accustomisation on my part both narratives become compulsive. It’s all go go go in terms of action and developments. In fact there’s so much double crossing going on I found it hard to keep up with all the motives and agendas, not that it’s hard to follow, just complicated. I think the plotting is clever with an exciting storyline, enough twists to keep the reader involved and slightly unsure and a mystery that has a lovely, ironic conclusion. It’s exhilarating entertainment.
I’m sad that this is billed as a stand-alone as I really like DS Lynda Hagen who is a woman for our times. She’s smart and effective but stuck in a 9-5 job in Traffic so that she still has time with her kids. She is continually underrated both by her husband, a former Major Crimes detective and her boss but she showed them here what she can do. You go girl.
One Eye Open is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
August 17, 2020
This is a great crime thriller.
The book begins with a horrific car crash that leaves both people in the car fighting for their lives.
Lynda and Clive are called to the incident as part of the traffic Police but with the discovery of wads of money, Lynda knows there’s more to this than just a car crash.
The chapters alternate between Elliot who was the driver of the car and Lynda who is determined to get to the bottom of the incident.
We find out the background from Elliot’s chapters and it all comes together when Elliot and Harriet run from the hospital and a killer is after them.
Just when you think it’s all wrapped up it all kicks off again and Lynda is involved way over her head, but won’t let go.
This is a gripping crime thriller that really had me hooked throughout the book.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The book begins with a horrific car crash that leaves both people in the car fighting for their lives.
Lynda and Clive are called to the incident as part of the traffic Police but with the discovery of wads of money, Lynda knows there’s more to this than just a car crash.
The chapters alternate between Elliot who was the driver of the car and Lynda who is determined to get to the bottom of the incident.
We find out the background from Elliot’s chapters and it all comes together when Elliot and Harriet run from the hospital and a killer is after them.
Just when you think it’s all wrapped up it all kicks off again and Lynda is involved way over her head, but won’t let go.
This is a gripping crime thriller that really had me hooked throughout the book.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
July 21, 2020
a love this authors work and yet again a story done well so recommend this author he always writes a very gripping book
August 23, 2020
Always stay on your guard. That's what I will say after reading One Eye Open.
The book opens with a bang! The wreck of a car, two passengers with no ID, money around the scene. This setting ignited something in me straight away. The blend of a sharp description and the unusual way this 'accident' was discovered hooked me in. When you think car crash, you think about a loud noise, smoke, a road, blood and busy emergency services. At least that is what I have in mind. But here, you get none of this. No idea about how the car ended up there, a quiet and hidden place, and the only smoke is the thick white coat of mystery wrapping the characters.
From here, you reach a crossroad. One path takes you to the events leading to the accident while the second, firmly anchored in the present, follows the police investigation. Usual dual timelines never cross, but those ones are different. Equally gripping, equally poisoned by bad decisions and bad guys, they pulled me in, unable to escape the snare, totally gripped by the unusual storytelling.
I loved DS Lynda Hagen. Married to once-one-of-the-best cops, with two children, a colleague for whom working in the accident investigation unit is enough; it's a straight job and offers 9 to 5 days most of the time. But this case is far from being simple. The victim are still alive, there are no witnesses, and no obvious reasons for the vehicle to land where it did. Lynda feels there is more to it than meets the eye, and even if her decisions to dig are not understood by all, her instinct won't be stopped. Relegated to just being from 'traffic', Lynda meets resistance when she pushes the investigation. This irked me so much! Give the woman some credit! Oh and let's all stop thinking traffic belongs to the little fry of the police force. For quite some time, Lynda tugs at threads that lead nowhere. I could sense one detail would make or break this case, and when it did, I did a mental happy dance.
Until my brain grasped the magnitude of what was ahead.
Paul Finch really knows how to reel you in with a police procedural that is so much more and defies the lines of good and bad. Police procedural novels usually are quite straight on this; the cops are the good guys, the others are baddies. Paul Finch adds nuance to the equation, tainting the bad with good and the good with bad. Because let's face it, there is no real black and white in the world.
How do you fight the evil when the evil knows you are restrained by the rules of good behavior and a clear conscience? The game is flawed, the world is flawed, and this book shows just how the balance of the world sometimes needs a mix of colors, a grey in-between, for everything not to collapse, for the bad guys to pay, for the good guys to win.
There is a strong vibe of danger in the pages of One Eye Open, and it doesn't leave you until you read the final line. It kept me on my toes and forced me to think twice about the choices made by the characters. I enjoyed being put in front of all kinds of events and people you can't judge from one thing defining them.
One Eye Open is different, mysterious and dipped in muddy waters. Gangsters are big, cops are pushed to their limits, and the reader is immersed in a side of the world they are not often privy to!
August 21, 2020
I have been a fan of Paul's work for a little while now but I have a little confession to make. Although I have all of Paul's books on my ever increasing 'to be read' mountain I haven't actually got around to reading them all just yet. I read each new book that he releases whilst at the same time I try to read one of his earlier books when I have the chance. Paul's latest release is called 'One Eye Open' and it was released on 20th August 2020. I had a sneaky peek at a review copy and blimey oh riley, it was certainly one seriously good book, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
I thought that Detective Sergeant Lynda Hagen was an interesting character. She works on the collision investigation team with Essex Police. Lynda is a wife and mother as well as having a full time job. It's not surprising that she feels pulled in all directions. Her husband used to be a Detective Inspector with the same force but for one reason and another he was retired on medical grounds. He hasn't got a job yet but he is trying to be an author although nobody wants to seem to take his book on. His determination to become a published author sees him neglect his domestic duties and neglect the kids and his wife. I found myself becoming increasingly irritated by his selfishness. Lynda often has to leave work early to pick the kids up as her husband 'forgets' that it was his turn to pick them up. Lynda is a dedicated detective, who is very thorough and tenacious with a bit of a stubborn streak to her. Lynda works well as part of a team but equally she works perfectly well on her own.
As soon as I started to read, I just knew that I was going to be in for one hell of a fast paced and thrilling read. I must be psychic (or psychopathic) because that is exactly what this book was. To say that reading 'One Eye Open' became addictive seems like a huge understatement. I picked the book up only intending to dip my toe in the water so to speak and to get a feel for the characters and the storylines. I became that absorbed into the story that I was still sat there reading over two hours later and several chapters later. 'One Eye Open' was simply unputdownable. Not the book wasn't glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to put the book down for a single second just in case I missed something.
'One Eye Open' is superbly written but then I find that to be true of Paul's books in general. He has one of those writing styles that immediately grab your attention and draws you into the story without you realising it. Paul writes so vividly and uses such realistic descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. This was one of those books that gripped me from start to finish, kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. Just when I thought that I had worked out who had done what and why, Paul would introduce a twist that would send me down another path entirely.
In short, 'One Eye Open' is a cracking and thrilling read. I would definitely recommend this author to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Paul's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well done 5* out of 5*.
I thought that Detective Sergeant Lynda Hagen was an interesting character. She works on the collision investigation team with Essex Police. Lynda is a wife and mother as well as having a full time job. It's not surprising that she feels pulled in all directions. Her husband used to be a Detective Inspector with the same force but for one reason and another he was retired on medical grounds. He hasn't got a job yet but he is trying to be an author although nobody wants to seem to take his book on. His determination to become a published author sees him neglect his domestic duties and neglect the kids and his wife. I found myself becoming increasingly irritated by his selfishness. Lynda often has to leave work early to pick the kids up as her husband 'forgets' that it was his turn to pick them up. Lynda is a dedicated detective, who is very thorough and tenacious with a bit of a stubborn streak to her. Lynda works well as part of a team but equally she works perfectly well on her own.
As soon as I started to read, I just knew that I was going to be in for one hell of a fast paced and thrilling read. I must be psychic (or psychopathic) because that is exactly what this book was. To say that reading 'One Eye Open' became addictive seems like a huge understatement. I picked the book up only intending to dip my toe in the water so to speak and to get a feel for the characters and the storylines. I became that absorbed into the story that I was still sat there reading over two hours later and several chapters later. 'One Eye Open' was simply unputdownable. Not the book wasn't glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I couldn't bear to put the book down for a single second just in case I missed something.
'One Eye Open' is superbly written but then I find that to be true of Paul's books in general. He has one of those writing styles that immediately grab your attention and draws you into the story without you realising it. Paul writes so vividly and uses such realistic descriptions that I felt as though I was part of the story myself. This was one of those books that gripped me from start to finish, kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. Just when I thought that I had worked out who had done what and why, Paul would introduce a twist that would send me down another path entirely.
In short, 'One Eye Open' is a cracking and thrilling read. I would definitely recommend this author to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Paul's work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well done 5* out of 5*.
August 20, 2020
You can tell a writer is at the top of their game when they are able to create a character that is quite unlikable and unsympathetic, yet still makes you come round to her by the end of the novel and that's what I felt about DS Lynda Hagen. I feel that Paul Finch is the master of nuance. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read any of his novels before and am glad I kicked off my Finch reading experience with One Eye Open, which is a standalone.
Written from the point of view of both DS Hagen and Elliott Wade, the villain ex formula one racing driver, One Eye Open is as adrenalin packed and fast paced as a Grand Prix.
The things I loved about this is the way Finch builds up the character layers bit by bit, letting us get to know them in all facets of their life. Having access to Hagen's domestic and professional life softens her rough corners a little, although, she is also quite frustrating as a character - but I'm not going to say too much more about that - you should read it to find out more.
I loved the very different positioning of the main investigator. It was a delightful change to have a highway collisions officer rather than the tired old detective calling the shots.
I loved the way, Finch builds up the characters of the victims bit by bit. interspersing their story with both Elliot's and Hagen's.
If you like fast paced, intelligent and thought provoking thrillers, then One Eye Open is definitely one for you.
Written from the point of view of both DS Hagen and Elliott Wade, the villain ex formula one racing driver, One Eye Open is as adrenalin packed and fast paced as a Grand Prix.
The things I loved about this is the way Finch builds up the character layers bit by bit, letting us get to know them in all facets of their life. Having access to Hagen's domestic and professional life softens her rough corners a little, although, she is also quite frustrating as a character - but I'm not going to say too much more about that - you should read it to find out more.
I loved the very different positioning of the main investigator. It was a delightful change to have a highway collisions officer rather than the tired old detective calling the shots.
I loved the way, Finch builds up the characters of the victims bit by bit. interspersing their story with both Elliot's and Hagen's.
If you like fast paced, intelligent and thought provoking thrillers, then One Eye Open is definitely one for you.
May 25, 2025
Complicated schemes require complicated individuals. Elliott can easily be considered complicated. He also enjoys the need for speed, being out of control and not always playing by the rules. A one-time racecar driver, he still longs for the excitement of outrunning whatever is behind him. A robbery gone wrong, a one-time collaboration with people you would usually avoid and a streak of bad luck, finds Elliott on the wrong side of the law.
This was a cat and mouse chase story that you left wondering who you could trust, who you could count on and who do you talk to about turning back time. When you’ve wronged the “wrong” person, there is always a price to pay. Your only option is to be smarter and faster than your opponent but to do so, you will have to learn to sleep with “one eye open”.
It took me WAY too long to finish this book but NOT because of the story line or writing style. A retina problem greatly slowed my reading process, but the lag wasn’t because the story lacked adventure – in that category, it was jam-packed,
This was a cat and mouse chase story that you left wondering who you could trust, who you could count on and who do you talk to about turning back time. When you’ve wronged the “wrong” person, there is always a price to pay. Your only option is to be smarter and faster than your opponent but to do so, you will have to learn to sleep with “one eye open”.
It took me WAY too long to finish this book but NOT because of the story line or writing style. A retina problem greatly slowed my reading process, but the lag wasn’t because the story lacked adventure – in that category, it was jam-packed,
July 7, 2020
This is my first book by Paul Finch and what a fabulous read it was a fast paced, well crafted read I thoroughly enjoyed. The character of DS Lynda Hagen was excellent as she was both totally annoying and likeable at the same time which really gave this book an edge. We start with the discovery of a wrecked car with two passengers barely alive found by a dog walker, the occupants have no ID, the car has false number plates and a large amount of cash is also found and this starts a thrill a minute ride with gangsters, connections to the underworld it’s all going on and its a page turner of a read to discover what has happened.
The story is told from two different points of view and timelines and this really adds to the excitement of the story, it’s a well thought out plot that has some good twists, a book that kept me reading as I was keen to know the outcome.
A read I can recommend as I found it different with a very good ending and I shall read more from Paul Finch in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story is told from two different points of view and timelines and this really adds to the excitement of the story, it’s a well thought out plot that has some good twists, a book that kept me reading as I was keen to know the outcome.
A read I can recommend as I found it different with a very good ending and I shall read more from Paul Finch in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 5, 2020
I am a bit of a fan of this author and his series books. This is either a stand alone (which it is billed as) or the start of a new series (fingers crossed), either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
We meet the strange animal that is DS Lynda Hagen. She's an accident investigation officer and is called to the scene of a crash. A car containing two barely alive occupants, fake plates, and a bunch of cash. We then slide back in time to a couple of weeks before the crash and witness the events that led up to that fateful day, all the time switching back to the investigation in the present. This happens seamlessly and the dual timelines complement each other perfectly. It seems that there is much much more to what happened than just a crash as Lynda finds out as she investigates further. Her pleas however do fall a bit on deaf ears so she takes a lot upon herself to progress things.
I took to Lynda right from the off, which really helps me connect with the book in general. She's mostly happily married to a former serious crimes cop and has a family. She made the switch to traffic, and the 9-5 it mostly affords her, for the sake of said family but she still hankers for a juicy case. Which I guess is why sometimes her musings fall on deaf ears. But this time... well, let's just say you're in for a wild ride!
The story is great. Lots to get into, twists and turns aplenty and very action packed. It really does get on with itself with little superfluous waffle or padding. Enough to set scenes and flesh out characters but nothing to distract. It weaves around and about itself, and time, ramping up towards the end to deliver a shocking and fitting ending which left me wholly satisfied.
I wonder if this will remain a stand alone. I feel that Lynda has more to give. Hopefully a follow up might be in the offing or maybe she could crossover into one of the other series... Either way...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
We meet the strange animal that is DS Lynda Hagen. She's an accident investigation officer and is called to the scene of a crash. A car containing two barely alive occupants, fake plates, and a bunch of cash. We then slide back in time to a couple of weeks before the crash and witness the events that led up to that fateful day, all the time switching back to the investigation in the present. This happens seamlessly and the dual timelines complement each other perfectly. It seems that there is much much more to what happened than just a crash as Lynda finds out as she investigates further. Her pleas however do fall a bit on deaf ears so she takes a lot upon herself to progress things.
I took to Lynda right from the off, which really helps me connect with the book in general. She's mostly happily married to a former serious crimes cop and has a family. She made the switch to traffic, and the 9-5 it mostly affords her, for the sake of said family but she still hankers for a juicy case. Which I guess is why sometimes her musings fall on deaf ears. But this time... well, let's just say you're in for a wild ride!
The story is great. Lots to get into, twists and turns aplenty and very action packed. It really does get on with itself with little superfluous waffle or padding. Enough to set scenes and flesh out characters but nothing to distract. It weaves around and about itself, and time, ramping up towards the end to deliver a shocking and fitting ending which left me wholly satisfied.
I wonder if this will remain a stand alone. I feel that Lynda has more to give. Hopefully a follow up might be in the offing or maybe she could crossover into one of the other series... Either way...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
July 7, 2020
This was my first time reading a book by Paul Finch and I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable read, full of fast paced action.
I admit though that for the first half of the book, I wasn't too keen on the heroine in this story, who goes by the name DS Lynda Hagen. Her personality seemed a bit drab to me, but it tells you what I know when, by the end, I'd changed my mind!
I loved the way you heard the story unfold from both the Detective's point of view and from Elliot's perspective too and how the two were bought together at the end!
Thank you to NetGalley, Paul Finch and Orion for the chance to read this book.
I admit though that for the first half of the book, I wasn't too keen on the heroine in this story, who goes by the name DS Lynda Hagen. Her personality seemed a bit drab to me, but it tells you what I know when, by the end, I'd changed my mind!
I loved the way you heard the story unfold from both the Detective's point of view and from Elliot's perspective too and how the two were bought together at the end!
Thank you to NetGalley, Paul Finch and Orion for the chance to read this book.
September 18, 2020
Wow ! What a roller coaster of a read! It kept me gripped from the first page to the last ! I love this author as every book he writes has you wanting to read ‘one more chapter’ ! Told in the past and the present which comes together in one great finale !
Highly recommend this book 📚
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
Highly recommend this book 📚
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
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September 18, 2020Wow ! What a roller coaster of a read! It kept me gripped from the first page to the last ! I love this author as every book he writes has you wanting to read ‘one more chapter’ ! Told in the past and the present which comes together in one great finale !
Highly recommend this book 📚
Highly recommend this book 📚
July 31, 2025
A tense, fast-paced thriller that hooks you from the first chapter! Paul Finch delivers a gripping mix of suspense, action, and uneasy twists that keep the pages turning. Dark, atmospheric, and genuinely hard to put down—perfect for anyone who loves a good adrenaline-fueled read.
August 24, 2020
Well what a fantastic book. I have never read one of Paul Finch's books before and this is definitely not my last novel of his.
Very fast paced and easy to read. Good police procedural
Very fast paced and easy to read. Good police procedural
August 25, 2020
An excellent thriller, gripping and fast paced. I loved the plot full of twists and turns, the well thought and interesting characters, and the solid plot that kept me hooked.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
July 10, 2020
Having read all Paul’s crime books over the years, this I have to say is exceptional. It is everything a crime novel should be, gripping, nail biting and scary. Once again, you really don’t know who to trust.
When Lynda is called out to an RTA nothing is as it appears, two passengers, injured, with no names and no ID, no registration details for the car, it’s as if the people and the car don’t exist.
What follows is one of the exciting thrillers I’ve ever read.
I’m not sure if I was that keen on Lynda and her husband, but I quite liked Elliot and Harri and you could see they weren’t really rotten crims, but fate had dealt them a tough blow. They’d got mixed up in the underworld if heinous criminals and there seemed to be no escape.
Lynda was like a dog with a bone, I had to admire her tenacity, she never gave up, despite the odds being against her. She was like a one man band, oblivious to rank or seniority, she kept going until she got to the truth. Her husband was a little too self absorbed for me, he should have pulled his finger out and got on with his life.
I was reading this until the early hours, I just had to find out the ending, and as always there was a nice twist. It is fast paced and heart thumping thriller, and yes, if I was Elliot and Harri I would keep on eye open, I’d be sleeping in shifts. You never know who’s watching!
My thanks to Paul, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
When Lynda is called out to an RTA nothing is as it appears, two passengers, injured, with no names and no ID, no registration details for the car, it’s as if the people and the car don’t exist.
What follows is one of the exciting thrillers I’ve ever read.
I’m not sure if I was that keen on Lynda and her husband, but I quite liked Elliot and Harri and you could see they weren’t really rotten crims, but fate had dealt them a tough blow. They’d got mixed up in the underworld if heinous criminals and there seemed to be no escape.
Lynda was like a dog with a bone, I had to admire her tenacity, she never gave up, despite the odds being against her. She was like a one man band, oblivious to rank or seniority, she kept going until she got to the truth. Her husband was a little too self absorbed for me, he should have pulled his finger out and got on with his life.
I was reading this until the early hours, I just had to find out the ending, and as always there was a nice twist. It is fast paced and heart thumping thriller, and yes, if I was Elliot and Harri I would keep on eye open, I’d be sleeping in shifts. You never know who’s watching!
My thanks to Paul, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.
August 30, 2021
YOU CAN RUN, YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU'LL ALWAYS SLEEP WITH...ONE EYE OPEN
This story opens with a young man walking his dog, when the dog disappears and then reappears carrying a bundle of cash in his mouth, he wonders where he got it from, and after delving into the undergrowth, where the dog came from, he stumbles upon a smashed up car with a man and woman hanging out of it, barely alive. The police are called and DS Lynda Hagen and Clive Atkins from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit arrive to determine the cause of the accident. When they discover that the coup!e have no ID, the car has fake number plates and they have a huge amount of cash in the car, Lynda is certain this was no normal accident, this couple were running from someone and Lynda is determined to find out who and why. The events that follow uncover a lot more than Lynda expected and she is determined to crack the case.
This is the first Paul Finch I've read, my husband loves his 'Heck' series so I thought I'd give this one a go. The plot is well crafted, it's fast paced and full of action which kept me turning the pages to see where it was taking me next. The story switches between the perspectives of Lynda and Elliott and alternates back and forth to events leading up to and after the crash. If you like a dark and dangerous action packed crime thriller, then is is for you.
I'd like to thank Orion and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
This story opens with a young man walking his dog, when the dog disappears and then reappears carrying a bundle of cash in his mouth, he wonders where he got it from, and after delving into the undergrowth, where the dog came from, he stumbles upon a smashed up car with a man and woman hanging out of it, barely alive. The police are called and DS Lynda Hagen and Clive Atkins from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit arrive to determine the cause of the accident. When they discover that the coup!e have no ID, the car has fake number plates and they have a huge amount of cash in the car, Lynda is certain this was no normal accident, this couple were running from someone and Lynda is determined to find out who and why. The events that follow uncover a lot more than Lynda expected and she is determined to crack the case.
This is the first Paul Finch I've read, my husband loves his 'Heck' series so I thought I'd give this one a go. The plot is well crafted, it's fast paced and full of action which kept me turning the pages to see where it was taking me next. The story switches between the perspectives of Lynda and Elliott and alternates back and forth to events leading up to and after the crash. If you like a dark and dangerous action packed crime thriller, then is is for you.
I'd like to thank Orion and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.
June 22, 2020
Paul Finch has done brilliantly with this excellent thriller with great characters,i can highly recommend this book well worth 5*
December 13, 2020
One eye open is a crime thriller that is centred around Linda, Elliot and Harriet. Linda is a traffic cop and when she arrives at the scene of a RTA she feels there's more to the story than a car thats lost control. With both Elliot and Harriet unconscious in the car, Linda isn't willing to write this one off. However the more she investigates the more danger she finds herself in.
The book goes over a period of a few weeks but the main investigation is over 5 days. We go back to learn about how Elliot and Harriet end up in the car and why their lives are infact in danger. Harriet doesn't have much depth to her as a character I often forgot who she was. Elliot was my favourite character and I almost wanted to know alot more about his past as a race car driver. The idea these two end up in this major crime organisation id ridiculous to say the least and I couldn't get to grips with it.
Linda is a police officer who appears to be constantly breaking protocol. In reality her actions would hinder any chance of prosecution. I didn’t like her character her motive for putting herself in danger seemed to be to get back at her husband it was just silly. She is our leading lady but to be honest I just couldn't get to grips with her.
I love crime thrillers it's my favourite genre but I found this book to be very slow to get to the excitement. Even with the first few chapters around the RTA I just wasn't hooked. It's such a shame because this book has such great potential I just feel like alot of information is thrown at you and alot of names and not all are relevant and adds confusion. I know fiction often isn't realistic but this book just stepped to far away from reality in terms of acceptable police work that I just couldn't commit. Further there are things that happen which we get no explanation for and just have to accept.
But I must say the last quarter of the book was fantastic. High in drama and suspense it had me on the edge of my seat as by this point I truly had no idea what was going on so it was great to see it all play out. The last part of the book really makes up for the rest of it. I wish that there wasn't as much build up and more of this action packed drama. There were several twist that came to play and I only managed to predict one of them the rest blew my mind.
This is why I rate this book 2 stars because it got much better nearer the end and really brought everything together I just wished there was more of that from the start. Quite an easy read for those new to the genre although some blood and guts described throughout so if screamish may not be for you. This book is enjoyable I would just say don't get caught up in all the names. I look forward to following Lindas career if there are anymore books follow her journey
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest review.
The book goes over a period of a few weeks but the main investigation is over 5 days. We go back to learn about how Elliot and Harriet end up in the car and why their lives are infact in danger. Harriet doesn't have much depth to her as a character I often forgot who she was. Elliot was my favourite character and I almost wanted to know alot more about his past as a race car driver. The idea these two end up in this major crime organisation id ridiculous to say the least and I couldn't get to grips with it.
Linda is a police officer who appears to be constantly breaking protocol. In reality her actions would hinder any chance of prosecution. I didn’t like her character her motive for putting herself in danger seemed to be to get back at her husband it was just silly. She is our leading lady but to be honest I just couldn't get to grips with her.
I love crime thrillers it's my favourite genre but I found this book to be very slow to get to the excitement. Even with the first few chapters around the RTA I just wasn't hooked. It's such a shame because this book has such great potential I just feel like alot of information is thrown at you and alot of names and not all are relevant and adds confusion. I know fiction often isn't realistic but this book just stepped to far away from reality in terms of acceptable police work that I just couldn't commit. Further there are things that happen which we get no explanation for and just have to accept.
But I must say the last quarter of the book was fantastic. High in drama and suspense it had me on the edge of my seat as by this point I truly had no idea what was going on so it was great to see it all play out. The last part of the book really makes up for the rest of it. I wish that there wasn't as much build up and more of this action packed drama. There were several twist that came to play and I only managed to predict one of them the rest blew my mind.
This is why I rate this book 2 stars because it got much better nearer the end and really brought everything together I just wished there was more of that from the start. Quite an easy read for those new to the genre although some blood and guts described throughout so if screamish may not be for you. This book is enjoyable I would just say don't get caught up in all the names. I look forward to following Lindas career if there are anymore books follow her journey
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my fair and honest review.
August 27, 2020
With a By-line of “If The Lies Don’t Kill You. The Truth Will”. It already is attention grabbing.
One Eye Open is vivid and bold from the first word in this stand-alone book. No hanging around, the action begins within the first 4 sentences. It’s a fast-paced, immersive and gritty read. It shows that the lines can be blurred and nothing is as black and white as it may first seem.
It begins on Monday, 6th January. It is as far removed from any Monday I know. It isn’t a Monday anyone would wish to have at all. Blood isn’t what Alan anticipated when he started his day. All he wanted to do was set off with the dog he didn’t see too much. The opening chapter would get any reader sitting up and taking notice.
Lynda, is a police officer with Essex Police in CID, isn’t having the best Monday morning either, but better and more normal than Alan’s. Her children don’t want to start school again (let’s face it, staff don’t always want to either), for the spring term. It also isn’t good news on the traffic reports, which then gets her involved in a case with Detective Constable Clive Atkins, as Chief Superintendent Templeton looks on and applies the pressure to get traffic and the case moving alone from the mysterious incident, which leads onto a bigger crime scene than was anticipated and readers are plunged into a very gritty and gripping plot.
The book goes between January, with the case and December where readers meet Elliot Wade and the atmosphere feels darker as he is introduced to Ray Lonegon and some pretty fancy, expensive cars, which Elliot test drives. If you fancy burning some rubber in fast cars, these parts would definitely interest you. It isn’t all about posh cars though, there is the crime that and the family side in what unfolds to be very slick writing indeed, that takes readers also into quite the underworld. It is well-written, going between what the police are doing and the criminals. The tone also changes accordingly as everything builds up to create the bigger picture as it is a case of quite some magnitude that needs to be solved, which excites and intrigues as it takes you in deeper into this criminal world, which is masterfully written from beginning to end.
The domestic and work life are all intertwined to some extent, which works so well. It gives a deeper understanding of the characters. Don and Lynda have a stormy time in their marriage, over the effects of that work/life balance, something I am sure many people can understand. As the book unfolds, there is a realism to it all that does make it relatable. The way domestic and professional lives connect is done expertly, making it such a full dimensional story.
I highly recommend this book. It’s an incredibly good and impressively captivating and vivid stand-alone book.
One Eye Open is vivid and bold from the first word in this stand-alone book. No hanging around, the action begins within the first 4 sentences. It’s a fast-paced, immersive and gritty read. It shows that the lines can be blurred and nothing is as black and white as it may first seem.
It begins on Monday, 6th January. It is as far removed from any Monday I know. It isn’t a Monday anyone would wish to have at all. Blood isn’t what Alan anticipated when he started his day. All he wanted to do was set off with the dog he didn’t see too much. The opening chapter would get any reader sitting up and taking notice.
Lynda, is a police officer with Essex Police in CID, isn’t having the best Monday morning either, but better and more normal than Alan’s. Her children don’t want to start school again (let’s face it, staff don’t always want to either), for the spring term. It also isn’t good news on the traffic reports, which then gets her involved in a case with Detective Constable Clive Atkins, as Chief Superintendent Templeton looks on and applies the pressure to get traffic and the case moving alone from the mysterious incident, which leads onto a bigger crime scene than was anticipated and readers are plunged into a very gritty and gripping plot.
The book goes between January, with the case and December where readers meet Elliot Wade and the atmosphere feels darker as he is introduced to Ray Lonegon and some pretty fancy, expensive cars, which Elliot test drives. If you fancy burning some rubber in fast cars, these parts would definitely interest you. It isn’t all about posh cars though, there is the crime that and the family side in what unfolds to be very slick writing indeed, that takes readers also into quite the underworld. It is well-written, going between what the police are doing and the criminals. The tone also changes accordingly as everything builds up to create the bigger picture as it is a case of quite some magnitude that needs to be solved, which excites and intrigues as it takes you in deeper into this criminal world, which is masterfully written from beginning to end.
The domestic and work life are all intertwined to some extent, which works so well. It gives a deeper understanding of the characters. Don and Lynda have a stormy time in their marriage, over the effects of that work/life balance, something I am sure many people can understand. As the book unfolds, there is a realism to it all that does make it relatable. The way domestic and professional lives connect is done expertly, making it such a full dimensional story.
I highly recommend this book. It’s an incredibly good and impressively captivating and vivid stand-alone book.
August 20, 2020
6th January (Monday)
Alan walked Angus, his springer spaniel dog, over the meadow. He was near the trees when he realised Angus wasn’t around. He shouted, ‘Angus.’ He didn’t come. Alan walked into the trees. There were no paths to follow so the undergrowth was up to his knees but at least it was dry. He shouted, ‘Angus’, as he went. The dog suddenly appeared with ‘treasure’ in his mouth and this time it definitely was! Alan tried to locate where Angus found his ‘treasure’, he moved some holly apart then found a mangled car with two bodies inside!
DS Linda Hagen and DC Clive Atkins got the smash on A12 as they worked for the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) of Essex Roads Policing Division. Clive informed Linda that it seemed there was no obvious collision on the road itself. The car was a Beige Ford Mondeo 2.0 Litre. It went off the dual carriageway at extraordinary high speed so it seems. The side barrier on the East side was flattened like cardboard, then the car went down the slope into the trees. He couldn’t find any trace of another car being involved. There was a male and a female casualty, no ID’s, both had severe head injuries and were taken to Colchester General Hospital.
23 days earlier
Elliot followed the instructions that he wrote down and if he was unsure, Jim had told him to look out for the old silage tower and to keep bearing South. He got to a tall iron gate, flashed his lights and the gate was opened. Two guys met him and checked him out before leading him through a series of passages before meeting Jim Naboth by the cars. He then got introduced to Ray Lonnegan. Jim showed Elliot a car with four paving slabs in the boot, each slab weighed fifty kilogrammes. Elliot thought he could handle the car with the extra weight. The doors were opened for a test drive there and then. He promised to get the car up to one hundred mph. He hadn’t reckoned on the obstacles he had to negotiate but he managed it, it seemed to stun Jim and Ray as they were in the car too! It was good enough to get Elliot a driving job but he didn’t realise what he was letting himself in for….
What were the couple running from? What happened to them on that road? DS Hagen smells something funny about this crash, she wants to stay involved even when Organised Crime takes over. Things really do take a turn for the worst and even DS Hagen couldn’t foresee how the case would progress or the crimes would be more than just traffic related!
An absolutely brilliant read, I loved it. It was a very dark and gritty thriller that turned into a wild roller coaster ride through Essex and Suffolk countryside with great descriptive detail. This was an intriguing thriller as the tale unfolded!
Alan walked Angus, his springer spaniel dog, over the meadow. He was near the trees when he realised Angus wasn’t around. He shouted, ‘Angus.’ He didn’t come. Alan walked into the trees. There were no paths to follow so the undergrowth was up to his knees but at least it was dry. He shouted, ‘Angus’, as he went. The dog suddenly appeared with ‘treasure’ in his mouth and this time it definitely was! Alan tried to locate where Angus found his ‘treasure’, he moved some holly apart then found a mangled car with two bodies inside!
DS Linda Hagen and DC Clive Atkins got the smash on A12 as they worked for the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) of Essex Roads Policing Division. Clive informed Linda that it seemed there was no obvious collision on the road itself. The car was a Beige Ford Mondeo 2.0 Litre. It went off the dual carriageway at extraordinary high speed so it seems. The side barrier on the East side was flattened like cardboard, then the car went down the slope into the trees. He couldn’t find any trace of another car being involved. There was a male and a female casualty, no ID’s, both had severe head injuries and were taken to Colchester General Hospital.
23 days earlier
Elliot followed the instructions that he wrote down and if he was unsure, Jim had told him to look out for the old silage tower and to keep bearing South. He got to a tall iron gate, flashed his lights and the gate was opened. Two guys met him and checked him out before leading him through a series of passages before meeting Jim Naboth by the cars. He then got introduced to Ray Lonnegan. Jim showed Elliot a car with four paving slabs in the boot, each slab weighed fifty kilogrammes. Elliot thought he could handle the car with the extra weight. The doors were opened for a test drive there and then. He promised to get the car up to one hundred mph. He hadn’t reckoned on the obstacles he had to negotiate but he managed it, it seemed to stun Jim and Ray as they were in the car too! It was good enough to get Elliot a driving job but he didn’t realise what he was letting himself in for….
What were the couple running from? What happened to them on that road? DS Hagen smells something funny about this crash, she wants to stay involved even when Organised Crime takes over. Things really do take a turn for the worst and even DS Hagen couldn’t foresee how the case would progress or the crimes would be more than just traffic related!
An absolutely brilliant read, I loved it. It was a very dark and gritty thriller that turned into a wild roller coaster ride through Essex and Suffolk countryside with great descriptive detail. This was an intriguing thriller as the tale unfolded!
August 1, 2020
I was really intrigued when I noticed that Paul Finch had a standalone novel coming out. I’m a huge fan of his DS Mark Heckenburg and DC Lucy Clayburn series, so I jumped at the chance to read One Eye Open. The thing which sparked my interest for me very early on in this book is that it is set fairly local to me. I travel down the A12 near enough every day. It came as a surprise to me when this became the setting of the crime scene. The star of Paul Finch’s new series, DS Lynda Hagen, responds to a horrific accident that has taken place on this road. The people involved in the accident are close to death but are rushed to hospital. As the investigation into what happened to them heats up, it becomes clear to Lynda and her team that this is part of something far more complex.
Paul Finch takes a different approach with this book. As the investigation begins, Paul Finch takes us back in time as he explores the lead up to the devastating crash. We begin to understand who the victims are and why they ended up in this state. This is what made this book really intriguing for me. We can begin to see the motives that are at play here.
I really liked DS Lynda Hagen. To me, she seemed like a breath of fresh air. She gave up working in the police force many years ago to raise a family, and when she met her husband, also a police officer, they both transferred to different forces. Lynda is now working with the traffic team. But as it becomes clear that there is something far darker at play here, she begins to reminisce about the old days, and she pushes herself further than is needed. This doesn’t go down too well with her bosses, especially when Scotland Yard is called in to help deal with the case.
Paul Finch also explored Lynda’s relationship with her husband really well. Like Lynda, he was also a police officer, but his career is now over, and he is trying to make it as a true-crime writer. Although frustrations are boiling over for him when it seems that there is little interest from editors in the book he has written.
There are some tense action scenes throughout the book, which is something I’ve come to expect from a novel by Paul Finch. It’s what always makes his book really exciting for me and he keeps me utterly gripped. He never gives his characters an easy ride.
I’d highly recommend One Eye Open. If I could, I would easily give it more than five stars; I’m sure it’ll be in my top ten reads at the end of the year. I hope that Paul Finch returns to Lynda Hagen in the future. If you’re a fan of this author, then you definitely need to check this book out!
Paul Finch takes a different approach with this book. As the investigation begins, Paul Finch takes us back in time as he explores the lead up to the devastating crash. We begin to understand who the victims are and why they ended up in this state. This is what made this book really intriguing for me. We can begin to see the motives that are at play here.
I really liked DS Lynda Hagen. To me, she seemed like a breath of fresh air. She gave up working in the police force many years ago to raise a family, and when she met her husband, also a police officer, they both transferred to different forces. Lynda is now working with the traffic team. But as it becomes clear that there is something far darker at play here, she begins to reminisce about the old days, and she pushes herself further than is needed. This doesn’t go down too well with her bosses, especially when Scotland Yard is called in to help deal with the case.
Paul Finch also explored Lynda’s relationship with her husband really well. Like Lynda, he was also a police officer, but his career is now over, and he is trying to make it as a true-crime writer. Although frustrations are boiling over for him when it seems that there is little interest from editors in the book he has written.
There are some tense action scenes throughout the book, which is something I’ve come to expect from a novel by Paul Finch. It’s what always makes his book really exciting for me and he keeps me utterly gripped. He never gives his characters an easy ride.
I’d highly recommend One Eye Open. If I could, I would easily give it more than five stars; I’m sure it’ll be in my top ten reads at the end of the year. I hope that Paul Finch returns to Lynda Hagen in the future. If you’re a fan of this author, then you definitely need to check this book out!
October 18, 2020
I have tried to avoid any spoilers in this review, which is my first on NetGalley. Apologies if this is not up to the standard of more experienced reviewers on this platform.
This is not the first of Paul Finch's books that I have read, and it definitely won't be the last.
I have to confess I was expecting an addition to either the Heck or Lucy Clayburn range, but One Eye Open introduces a new lead character in DS Lynda Hagen following her marriage to a fellow police officer (now no longer in the job). Lynda's career has not perhaps been as stellar as she might have liked, and her husband could be more supportive.
An armed robbery and its aftermath offer Lynda an unexpected opportunity to get her teeth into a much meatier case than her role in the Traffic division normally allows her when a car leaves the road in suspicious circumstances.
Elliott Wade is a former Formula One driver whose life has taken a difficult path over the past few years, during which he has made some poor life choices, however he very much loves his wife.
I enjoyed this book - the author's writing seems to improve with each new publication. There is some violence which would not be unexpected to Paul Finch's readers, but within the context of the plot it all makes sense - if you're reading this type of book, you will presumably be expecting it anyway.
On the negative side, there are one or two minor plot holes and loose ends which could do with tying up, but nothing that is likely to spoil the reader's enjoyment.
The book is either a stand-alone novel or, I hope, the first of a new series. As such, it would be a great introduction to Paul Finch if you've not read anything by him previously, but also equally enjoyable for his existing readers.
Personally, I would like to read more about Lynda Hagen and her husband - and find out what, if anything, happens with regard to his new career - albeit not at the expense of losing Heck or Lucy Clayburn. There is definitely scope for a series here.
Overall, I am happy to give a whole-hearted recommendation of this book and pleased that my first NetGalley review is deserving of a five-star rating - not something I often give in my Amazon reviews.
This is not the first of Paul Finch's books that I have read, and it definitely won't be the last.
I have to confess I was expecting an addition to either the Heck or Lucy Clayburn range, but One Eye Open introduces a new lead character in DS Lynda Hagen following her marriage to a fellow police officer (now no longer in the job). Lynda's career has not perhaps been as stellar as she might have liked, and her husband could be more supportive.
An armed robbery and its aftermath offer Lynda an unexpected opportunity to get her teeth into a much meatier case than her role in the Traffic division normally allows her when a car leaves the road in suspicious circumstances.
Elliott Wade is a former Formula One driver whose life has taken a difficult path over the past few years, during which he has made some poor life choices, however he very much loves his wife.
I enjoyed this book - the author's writing seems to improve with each new publication. There is some violence which would not be unexpected to Paul Finch's readers, but within the context of the plot it all makes sense - if you're reading this type of book, you will presumably be expecting it anyway.
On the negative side, there are one or two minor plot holes and loose ends which could do with tying up, but nothing that is likely to spoil the reader's enjoyment.
The book is either a stand-alone novel or, I hope, the first of a new series. As such, it would be a great introduction to Paul Finch if you've not read anything by him previously, but also equally enjoyable for his existing readers.
Personally, I would like to read more about Lynda Hagen and her husband - and find out what, if anything, happens with regard to his new career - albeit not at the expense of losing Heck or Lucy Clayburn. There is definitely scope for a series here.
Overall, I am happy to give a whole-hearted recommendation of this book and pleased that my first NetGalley review is deserving of a five-star rating - not something I often give in my Amazon reviews.
September 30, 2020
DS Lynda Hagen - an ambitious, tenacious traffic cop who wants more out of her career. She's bored of routine stops and minor collisions, so when a mysterious crash appears in the middle of the forest, her intuition tells her that this is the big case that could make or break her career, but is it worth the price it comes with?
Elliot Wade - an ex racing driver, caught up with the wrong people at the wrong time, not able to escape the criminal hole he's got himself into, further dragging himself deeper, but is it to the point of no return? Or will his quick thinking (and quick driving) help him get away?
Switching between both Elliot and Lynda's POV, the reader is thrown from one fast-paced scene to another, with graphic descriptions of car chases, fight scenes and gangland warfare. If this gets made into a movie or an episode of the Bill I truly wouldn't be surprised! The characters aren't very likeable, so at points it's hard to fully invest into the storyline, which is why at points I felt myself switching off from the narrative and having to force myself to pick the book back up to finish it. There wasn't anything that stood out too much compared to any other cop crime novel, and I felt myself waiting for the moment when I would be shocked by a twist or surprised by the direction the narrative chose to go in. However, the speed of the action and the multitude of different characters really gave a lot of body to the writing, so much so, that you felt transported into the criminal underworld and the struggle between the law and lawlessness along with the other characters.
I felt the end of the book tied up all loose ends and didn't leave the reader with unanswered questions or confusion - which I loved. Paul Finch writes with expertise and experience, and this definitely has potential to become a series with either the police team or the gangs within the narrative at the forefront of any future investigations. If you love cop novels and are addicted to high speed drama - this is definitely a book for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for my advanced reader copy! 💕
Elliot Wade - an ex racing driver, caught up with the wrong people at the wrong time, not able to escape the criminal hole he's got himself into, further dragging himself deeper, but is it to the point of no return? Or will his quick thinking (and quick driving) help him get away?
Switching between both Elliot and Lynda's POV, the reader is thrown from one fast-paced scene to another, with graphic descriptions of car chases, fight scenes and gangland warfare. If this gets made into a movie or an episode of the Bill I truly wouldn't be surprised! The characters aren't very likeable, so at points it's hard to fully invest into the storyline, which is why at points I felt myself switching off from the narrative and having to force myself to pick the book back up to finish it. There wasn't anything that stood out too much compared to any other cop crime novel, and I felt myself waiting for the moment when I would be shocked by a twist or surprised by the direction the narrative chose to go in. However, the speed of the action and the multitude of different characters really gave a lot of body to the writing, so much so, that you felt transported into the criminal underworld and the struggle between the law and lawlessness along with the other characters.
I felt the end of the book tied up all loose ends and didn't leave the reader with unanswered questions or confusion - which I loved. Paul Finch writes with expertise and experience, and this definitely has potential to become a series with either the police team or the gangs within the narrative at the forefront of any future investigations. If you love cop novels and are addicted to high speed drama - this is definitely a book for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orion for my advanced reader copy! 💕
July 26, 2020
Oh I do love a good Paul Finch novel and this is an excellent Paul FInch novel. Although billed as a standalone, I can't help wishing that it could be turned into a series, or that we could meet the characters again as I loved this book and really got behind the dynamic new lead character of Lynda Hagen. Who knew life as. Traffic Cop could be so damned perilous?
Lynda is a Detective Sergeant with the traffic team. Her husband is a former Detective Inspector trying to make it as a true crime writer, whose own backstory is dominated by one tragic investigation that has led to a case of career ending PTSD. Along the way to this point Lynda's own career took a kind of diversion (every pun intended) and now there is that sense of the need to find that one career defining case, the one investigation that is more than just a routine road traffic collision and that case has just fallen into her lap. Or, more accurately, off the edge of the A12 ... One car, two passengers, no identification and no clear reason as to why they would have crashed. Until Lynda tracks down a large quantity of cash and bullets embedded in a tree at the crash site. Not your average crash then.
The story is full of more twists and turns that the Suffolk streets and farmland on which the action takes place and is full of threat and tension. Running alongside the present day investigation as readers we are treated to scenes before the accident, filling in the gaps in our knowledge of what happened in the weeks leading up to this dark and potentially deadly night. It is an investigation that brings Lynda up close and personal with the Organised Crime team, and it is very clear that the police are not the only people who want to speak to the two victims. With fast paced action, dramatic shoot outs and an overwhelming sense of threat against not only the couple who were in the car but also Lynda as the investigating officer who won't ignore her own instincts no matter what her commanding officers might say, this book had me completely hooked from the very start.
I love this kind of book and it is something that Paul Finch, with his own experience and understanding as a backdrop to his writing, excels at. You get brilliant characters who are diverse and yet authentic, who vary from the determined and feisty copper to the thuggish and menacing bad guy, but all of whom keep you fixed on the page. The sense of place and the creation of setting is superb and the author has a way of describing things that put you at the heart of the action without lingering on it so long that the tension runs cold. And then there is the pitch perfect pace, be it the scene where one of the characters demonstrates his skill as a getaway driver, where you feel every bump in the road and every hand break turn, or the high stakes showdown in which Lynda finally comes face to face with the true enemy. I could feel my pulse racing and instinctively developed the 'showdown lean' where I find myself sitting forward and closer to the page as I read. And without fail, I am always left wanting more.
Hey - there are loads of Traffic Cops shows on TV. They're really popular. Who says it couldn't work in books too? HInt hint ...
Definitely recommended to fill that devastating gap for heck fans and a perfect introduction to the author's writing for those not yet acquainted.
Lynda is a Detective Sergeant with the traffic team. Her husband is a former Detective Inspector trying to make it as a true crime writer, whose own backstory is dominated by one tragic investigation that has led to a case of career ending PTSD. Along the way to this point Lynda's own career took a kind of diversion (every pun intended) and now there is that sense of the need to find that one career defining case, the one investigation that is more than just a routine road traffic collision and that case has just fallen into her lap. Or, more accurately, off the edge of the A12 ... One car, two passengers, no identification and no clear reason as to why they would have crashed. Until Lynda tracks down a large quantity of cash and bullets embedded in a tree at the crash site. Not your average crash then.
The story is full of more twists and turns that the Suffolk streets and farmland on which the action takes place and is full of threat and tension. Running alongside the present day investigation as readers we are treated to scenes before the accident, filling in the gaps in our knowledge of what happened in the weeks leading up to this dark and potentially deadly night. It is an investigation that brings Lynda up close and personal with the Organised Crime team, and it is very clear that the police are not the only people who want to speak to the two victims. With fast paced action, dramatic shoot outs and an overwhelming sense of threat against not only the couple who were in the car but also Lynda as the investigating officer who won't ignore her own instincts no matter what her commanding officers might say, this book had me completely hooked from the very start.
I love this kind of book and it is something that Paul Finch, with his own experience and understanding as a backdrop to his writing, excels at. You get brilliant characters who are diverse and yet authentic, who vary from the determined and feisty copper to the thuggish and menacing bad guy, but all of whom keep you fixed on the page. The sense of place and the creation of setting is superb and the author has a way of describing things that put you at the heart of the action without lingering on it so long that the tension runs cold. And then there is the pitch perfect pace, be it the scene where one of the characters demonstrates his skill as a getaway driver, where you feel every bump in the road and every hand break turn, or the high stakes showdown in which Lynda finally comes face to face with the true enemy. I could feel my pulse racing and instinctively developed the 'showdown lean' where I find myself sitting forward and closer to the page as I read. And without fail, I am always left wanting more.
Hey - there are loads of Traffic Cops shows on TV. They're really popular. Who says it couldn't work in books too? HInt hint ...
Definitely recommended to fill that devastating gap for heck fans and a perfect introduction to the author's writing for those not yet acquainted.
April 12, 2023
Here’s the health warning. If don’t like violence, don’t bother with this one. We have it in spades. First from an Essex gang, and then an even nastier London mob specialising in torture and shootings. If they get their hands on you, you’ll talk pretty sharpish but you won’t live.
Between the violence, there’s a good story with engaging characters. There’s DS Lynda Hagen, a detective, now in traffic as she wants regular hours to look after her two children, and her husband Don, retired two years from the police service, depressed, and failing to write the book about his time as a cop. But Lynda wants it both ways. She wants to impress Don with her detective skills, and catch the baddies, never mind she is in traffic. Actually, the Series Collisions Investigation Unit, so she not directing traffic or handing out parking tickets, but not many villains come her way.
Then a very serious accident gives her a chance to show her prowess. A car left the highway at high speed, smashing through the barrier, and ploughing into woodland. By the time Lynda gets there, the male driver and female passenger are close to death in a mashed up vehicle, and shipped immediately to intensive care, both unconscious. Will both, or one of them, live to tell their tale? Neither have ID, and it turns out there’s lots of money in the wreckage. And why such high speed? Were other cars involved? Her sidekick thinks she is making too much of of it. For him, it’s a nasty accident. They happen. Her boss takes some convincing that there is more to this than a run of the mill car crash.
Lynda must find out who the driver and passenger are. What happened to them? But that is detective work, she’s in traffic. How long has she got before the case is taken out of her hands, either as a crime or written off as joy riders too in love with speed?
But no spoilers, it’s quite a ride.
Between the violence, there’s a good story with engaging characters. There’s DS Lynda Hagen, a detective, now in traffic as she wants regular hours to look after her two children, and her husband Don, retired two years from the police service, depressed, and failing to write the book about his time as a cop. But Lynda wants it both ways. She wants to impress Don with her detective skills, and catch the baddies, never mind she is in traffic. Actually, the Series Collisions Investigation Unit, so she not directing traffic or handing out parking tickets, but not many villains come her way.
Then a very serious accident gives her a chance to show her prowess. A car left the highway at high speed, smashing through the barrier, and ploughing into woodland. By the time Lynda gets there, the male driver and female passenger are close to death in a mashed up vehicle, and shipped immediately to intensive care, both unconscious. Will both, or one of them, live to tell their tale? Neither have ID, and it turns out there’s lots of money in the wreckage. And why such high speed? Were other cars involved? Her sidekick thinks she is making too much of of it. For him, it’s a nasty accident. They happen. Her boss takes some convincing that there is more to this than a run of the mill car crash.
Lynda must find out who the driver and passenger are. What happened to them? But that is detective work, she’s in traffic. How long has she got before the case is taken out of her hands, either as a crime or written off as joy riders too in love with speed?
But no spoilers, it’s quite a ride.
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