The Guilty Man

Detectives Lennox & Wilde #1

by Helen H. Durrant

A missing child, drugs, human-trafficking, hangings and two spectacular fires. At the centre of it all, a detective with a mysterious past. The latest novel by author Helen H. Durrant is truly compelling.

In a declining town in the North of England, a man is tortured by a ruthless criminal. The victim’s severed hand is left on his wife’s doorstep.

Meanwhile, Detective Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are involved in the case of a missing child. The little girl, presumed dead, turns up playing happily in a local park. The child’s mother who lives on a notorious estate doesn’t seem to care.

Detective Harry Lennox is battling his own demons, trying to bury a secret from his past with alcohol. He is staying in a rundown campervan on a friend’s driveway. Jess wants to know why he’s living like this, but he refuses to tell her anything.

How do the cases connect and who is trying to drive people out of their homes?

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Procedural, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 29, 2020

Reviews

[Ellie Spencer (catching up from hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an avid thriller reader I really enjoyed this book. It had unique situations that I have not seen in previous thrillers that I have read.

The guilty man follows Detective Lennox and DS Wilde as they work to uncover multiple mysteries currently plaguing their town. Including, a missing young girl and a severed hand.

This book was full of so many twists and turns, it left me on the edge of my seat, desperate to read more. Despite the darker themes within the novel, I felt it was a light and easy read. I loved the complex interplay of good and bad within the various characters, highlighting that they are not mutually exclusive.

The storyline and characters were very well thought out. I loved the relationship between Lennox and Wilde and felt myself deeply connected to the mystery of his past. I thought the ending was amazing, it made my heart stop! I will definitely be searching for more books by this author, and hope there will be more books for me to devour in this series.

I would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was a great journey to be on!
I would recommend this novel to any thriller fans who are looking for something a bit different!

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man is tortured by a merciless criminal. The victim's hand is severed and left on his wife's doorstep. A second man is similarly tortured and his hand removed.

Detective Harry Lennox and DI Jess Wilde are investigating a missing child. The little girl, presumed dead, turns up alive and well in the local park.

Lennox and Wilde believe these case are all connected ... but have no proof. Most people they talk to have nothing to say ... those that do are usually lying.

Lennox is hiding something in his past, causing problems with Wilde. He's drinking too much and living like a homeless person. Wilde is determined to flush out his secrets .. but then she might be sorry later.

It's a mystery chock full of twists and turns ... a real page turner from beginning to end. The cases are complex with plenty of suspects to follow. The characters are deftly drawn and full of surprises. A missing child, drugs, human-trafficking, hangings and two spectacular fires......this is the first of a promising new series and I look forward to seeing the next adventures of these detectives.

Many thanks to the author / Joffe Books / Books n All Book Promotions / Netgalley for the digital copy of this new crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Harry Lennox’s life was a mess, but he didn’t need Detective Sergeant Jess Wilde to remind him of it. Living in a beat-up camper van and being drunk most nights was no life for anyone.

When Jess Wilde told Harry that Lucy Green had turned up, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Three-year-old Lucy had disappeared without a trace. It had been thought with an ongoing and extensive investigation that she could’ve been murdered. A man named Albert Sykes had been arrested and confessed to killing her and was awaiting sentencing. He had been interviewed countless times but refused to say what he’d done with her body.

So when Lucy was found wandering around Cheetham Park by a member of the public the question on everyone’s mind was where had she been all this time.

The Guilty Man is the first book in the DI Harry Lennox/DS Jess Wilde series and what a fabulous start to the series it was. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this book and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Recommended.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE GUILTY MAN is the first book in a new crime fiction series, (DI Harry Lennox/DS Jess Wilde #1 by best-selling author Helen H. Durrant. Having enjoyed her other series, I was looking forward to starting this new series.

ALSO BY HELEN H. DURRANT
RACHEL KING
Book 1: Next Victim (2019)
Book 2: Two Victims (2019)
Book 3: Wrong Victim (2019)
Book 4: Forgotten Victim (2020)

THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES
Book 1: DEAD WRONG (2015)
Book 2: DEAD SILENT (2015)
Book 3: DEAD LIST (2015)
Book 4: DEAD LOST (2016)
Book 5: DEAD & BURIED (2016)
Book 6: DEAD NASTY (2016)
Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS (2017)
Book 8: DEAD BAD (2018)
Book 9: DEAD GUILTY (2019)
Book 10: DEAD WICKED (2020)

THE DCI GRECO BOOKS
Book 1: DARK MURDER (2015)
Book 2: DARK HOUSES (2016)
Book 3: DARK TRADE (2017)
Book 4: DARK ANGEL (2018)

THE DETECTIVES
DI HARRY LENNOX began his career in Glasgow, but due to a traumatic incident, transferred to West Yorkshire and then Ryebridge. Harry is single, thirty-five and has a chaotic lifestyle. Currently living on a mate’s drive in a campervan. This is down to his girlfriend throwing him out. Harry’s life is a mess…he is living in a beat-up camper van, little facilities and drunk most nights, and had split up with his partner a month ago.

DS JESS WILDE is thirty and still lives with her parents. She is unattached and keen to progress in her career. She gets on well with Harry. He doesn’t have much time for protocol, and this suits her. She is critical of how he lives. She is about to buy her first property locally.

Detective Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are currently assigned to a case of a missing three- year- old child. But the little girl, thought to be dead, turns up alive in the park.

Another case involves a tortured victim by a ruthless criminal. The victim’s severed hand is left on his wife’s doorstep.

Could both these cases be connected?

This is a fast-paced murder mystery with an array of well-developed characters and possible suspects. The novel centers around a missing child, human-trafficking and drug cartels. A great beginning to a promising series.

Many thanks to the author, Joffe Books and Netgalley for my digital copy.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Guilty Man is the first instalment in the DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde series, set in the rundown town of Ryebridge, Northern England. Three-year-old toddler Lucy Green has been missing for several weeks when Lennox and Wilde are called to Cheetham Park where she has just been discovered wandering around shoeless but, miraculously, unharmed. She appears dishevelled and quite dopey for a child her age, who would usually have bags of energy to spare, and doesn't remember her own name. It's seems quite possible that she may have been drugged during her ordeal. Her mother, Kelsey Green, is a narcissistic sociopath who cares more about using her daughter as a cash cow to sell column inches rather than being relieved she's safe. But she must be questioned before she can be allowed home as Albert Sykes, had confessed to both kidnapping and killing Lucy before he was attacked is prison and is now being kept alive on a ventilator in hospital. Jess and Harry are also assigned the case of Nick Sutton, a notorious criminal, who is reported missing by his wife, Caroline, and when his sworn enemy Andy Marsh vanishes too the police are puzzled by this double disappearing act.

This is a superbly plotted, absorbing and totally riveting read with a plot that grips you early on. It starts off at quite a pedestrian pace in order to introduce the characters but it soon picks up and has you racing along turning the pages. It is a terrifying and chilling police procedural with multiple plotlines, both equally as addictive, and is written in a gritty and gripping fashion to ensure you're engrossed from start to finish. There are many twists and most of them I didn't see coming, especially the identity of one of the perpetrators which really caught me off guard. Durrant takes the time to develop the cast of characters meaning you really care about what happens to them and even the settings are wonderfully described. I am already looking forward to learning more about Lennox and Wilde and seeing them evolve over the upcoming instalments. If you enjoy menacing, tension-filled stories with killer climaxes then give this a try. With kidnapping, people trafficking and murder all taking place against the backdrop of a dead-end town, I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Joffe for an ARC.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a lot of Helen H Durrant books this year and enjoyed most of them but unfortunately this one did hit the spot for me. I particularly enjoy the 'Calladine & Bayliss' series but to be honest all of them are good reads. So with 'The Guilty Man' starting a new series I was keen to read this one hoping for yet another gripping one. Well there were plenty of positive signs, characters with demons and decent plots but maybe it will take another couple of books before I get into this series.

Set in the in the North of England, Detective Harry Lennox and DI Jess Wilde are involved in the case of a missing child. When the little girl, presumed dead, turns up playing in a local park, her mother shows little interest. Another case involving a tortured victim who has his hand severed and left on his wife's doorstep is followed by a similar vicious case.
This book really sets the scene for another series of books so there is perhaps too much going on in such a short novel. Plenty of scope to develop the characters to make this another popular series.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Joffe books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not great; a series that has potential.

I enjoyed the characters but the storytelling varied a little too much. Inconsistency in sophistication of the writing had me stumped. There were times where I wondered if it was the same author throughout.

It was far too easy to guess who was involved, but the ending did leave me wondering. I’ll give the next instalment a go and hopefully the flashes of brilliance are more evident in Book Two.

Points for the succinctness and quirkiness of protagonists.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detectives Lennox and Wilde Thrillers #1

In a town in the nor5hnod England, a man is tortured by a ruthless criminal. The victims severed hand is left on his wife's doorstep. Detective Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are involved in the case of a missing child. The little girl, presumed dead, turns up playing happily in a local park. Her mother doesn't seem to care. Detective Harry Lennoxis battling his own demons trying to bury a secret from his past with alcohol. He lives in a campervan on a friends driveway.

Three year old Lucy Green has disappeared five weeks ago. Albert Sykes had confessed to her murder. But Lucybturns up in a local park alive. A localmdrug dealer goes missing and his severed hand is left on his wife's doorstep. A lot to pack into a book that has less than 200 pages. DS Jess Wilde is n irritating character. Det3ctive Harry Lennox likes a drink. They're a strong combination and hopefully they will grow on me more as the series progresses.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #JoffeBooks and the author #HelenHDurrant for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Guilty Man by Helen H. Durrant is the first in the Detectives Lennox & Wilde series.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Joffe Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


Series Information:
DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are detectives in Ryebridge in Northern England.  They have been working together for the last couple of years, and seem to get along well, but Harry's past is a mystery.  We know his is from Scotland.  Harry just broke up with his girlfriend, and living in a friend's driveway in a camper van.  Jess is living with her parents, but saving for a house of her own.  Their boss is Superintendent Roderick Croft.


My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
3 year old Lucy Green has shown up in a park, after being missing for 5 weeks.  She seems to be in better shape now than when she lived with her rather uncaring mother.  The suspect who confessed to killing her is in custody.

Caroline Sutton appears at the precinct to say her husband Nick was missing.  Nick is responsible for half of the crime in the area, mainly drug dealing.  Caroline specifically asks for Harry, even though she had recently charged him with bullying when he tried to get her to turn her husband in.  The main suspect in Nick's disappearance is his rival Andy Marsh.  There could be a turf war brewing.  However, there seems to be a new player in town.

Meanwhile,   Harry is hiding a past that not even his partner knows about, and it's about to explode.


My Opinions:   
This was a really interesting start to a new series, but it may take me a little to get into it.

A couple of things were dropped, for instance what happened to the man who said he killed Lucy?

The characters....not so sure about them.  I definitely disliked Harry, who is living like a slob, drinking too much, and hiding his past.  Jess didn't fair too much better in my mind, as she was constantly complaining about Harry and his personal habits.  While both may be justified in their actions (in their own minds),  the secrets and the nit-picking got annoying.

The actual plot was quite good, and there were a number of twists, although I had anticipated most of them.

It was definitely a fast and entertaining read, and I will be reading the next (which I already have).


For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGally for the opportunity to read this book. First in a series and I'm looking forward to more. The rapport between Harry and Jess is well done. Slowed down a bit but quickly picked up and finished nicely.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Guilty Man by Helen Durrant is the first book which I have read by this author and by no means shall be the last. I enjoyed the dynamic of male and female detective partners and how you swiftly are taken into the story. I quickly became engaged with the characters and the storyline took many twists and turns pleasantly leaving me uncertain, and hanging at the end of each chapter, determined to read more. I did accurately predict the ending. I appreciate Durrant's no nonsense style of writing, descriptive where needed however entirely focussed on telling the events in an active manner so as to feel you're living them as they play out. Will be sure to purchase the second in this series. Many thanks to Helen Durrant, Joffe Books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Ⓢ Ⓨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fatal overdoses, a double murder, a missing child, a couple of severed hands for good measure and a haulage company whos owners are extremely secretive… but how do they all tie together?

Jammed full of action, with a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. Lennox was a likeable character, and his secret had me intrigued. His sidekick, Jess, was an annoying thing. What a nosy woman!! They worked well together though and I enjoyed this fast paced thriller.
Definitely kept me guessing!

Fab, quick and free read from Prime Reading. Always have to appreciate when an author offers up their work for nothing.

[Books 'n' All Promotions]

I do love Helen's books so I was very excited to hear that a new series was on the way. I was far from disappointed I love intrigue and this book has it in bucketloads.

Harry has a secret, one that he is determined will stay that way. His partner, Jess, is determined to find out what he is hiding but even his ex partner doesn't know. Harry has transferred to Ryebridge to try to outrun his past and having been kicked out by his girlfriend is now living in a campervan on a mate's drive. He is happy to not have any ties.

Harry is a complex character and even after some of his past is uncovered at the end of the book I feel there is still a lot to learn about him and his secrets and I am therefore eagerly awaiting the next book.

Jess, a dedicated detective, solid down to earth character she comes accross as very much a 'what you see is what you get' person but I doubt very much she is going to stop digging into Harry's past until she has uncovered all there is to know about his past.

The case, like the characters, is complex. It begins with a missing child who turns up a few weeks later unharmed wandering around a park with no shoes. Where has she been and why did her mother seen unconcerned at her disappearance and reappearance? Harry and Jess are confused.

In addition to the missing child there are many more pieces to the puzzle that Harry needs to figure out. The story includes people trafficking, sadistic killers, dodgy drugs and Harry is caught right in the middle of the villains and other crime agencies all pulling him different ways and the person it all revolves around is looking very much like his nemesis from the past.

Wow a totally gripping, intriguing read that I couldn't put down. I cant wait for book 2.

Many thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publisher: Joffe Books for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Helen Leecy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I have enjoyed the Rachel King series that I have read by this author and haven’t given her anything lower than four stars before. So, I was really surprised by how terrible I found this new crime series.
For only 208 pages it really dragged, I just felt like I was taking ages to get through it. I think this is because I just couldn’t connect with the characters and there were so many little plot holes it was distracting. The characters jump to conclusions with nothing to back up their thoughts. They then state these thoughts as fact. For example, the guy leaving Bab’s house, they have no idea who this or why he was there but later on it is stated that he lives there and they know who he is. How do they know this, when was this information discovered? This is just one of many examples of inconsistencies. It was very off-putting, and I had to keep going back in the book to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Another factor that added to how long it took me to read such a short book.
The writing felt stiff, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say this was the author’s first-ever book. I’m even wondering if someone else wrote this on her behalf as it was miles away from the standard of her other books that I have read.
Jess is a very annoying character, and I felt like she was just on repeat saying over and over again that Harry needed to sort himself out and save a deposit to buy a house. This was the least of the man’s worries, yet it was all she seemed to harp on about.
The story itself was over-complicated; there was too much thrown at it. There were too many characters to keep track of, and like I have said a lot of the storylines were based on nothing to back them up. They just seemed to be plucked out of thin air by the detectives, treated as fact and then developed on. It was all very bizarre.
The only slight positive I can find was the small twists at the end. I didn’t see them coming, and they were a welcome addition.
So, I’m afraid I won’t be reading any more in this series as I was terribly disappointed.

Thanks for reading! If you want to see more of my reviews visit www.pinkanddizzy.com

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Guilty Man is the first instalment in Helen H. Durrant's new series set in the rundown town of Ryebridge, Northern England, featuring DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde. I always love to read any crime series from the first book and this one has definitely started with a bang.

Toddler Lucy Green has been found in Cheetham Park dishevelled, shoeless but unharmed, having been missing for several weeks. The three-year-old's mum, Kelsey Green, is a drug addict who doesn't seem concerned about her daughter's safety. Albert Sykes, now in hospital, had confessed to both kidnapping and killing Lucy before he was attacked in prison, so questions need to be asked before Lucy can return home. Jess and Harry are also assigned the case of Nick Sutton, a notorious criminal, who is reported missing by his wife, Caroline, and when his arch-enemy, Andy Marsh, also goes awol, the police are baffled by this dual disappearing act.

Kidnapping, people trafficking, murder and drug addiction all have a place in The Guilty Man. It was an absorbing and riveting read with a plot that gripped me. Although the pacing was something of slow amble at the start as characters were introduced, it soon picked up and I was then racing along to find out what would be occurring next. It was a terrifying and chilling police procedural with multiple storylines that were equally engrossing. With many twists I didn't see coming, I was regularly caught off-guard. Helen H. Durrant has taken time to create her deep and complex main characters and I was rooting for them all the way. A good, menacing, tension-filled story with a cracking unexpected ending, I can't wait to see what treats will be in store when book two is released. I'm very much looking forward to seeing Lennox and Wilde evolve and mature. Very highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley, Joffe books and the author, Helen H. Durrant for the complimentary advanced copy. This is my honest and totally voluntary review.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Guilty Man by Helen H. Durrant was another excellent read. I have enjoyed reading all Helen's books. Helen has a great way of starting her books that will have you hooked within the first few pages.
The Guilty Man is the first instalment in Helen's new series, which is set in a rundown town of Ryebridge, Northern England, featuring DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde and it did not disappoint, I loved it.
I enjoyed reading and learning more about DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde and these are great new characters within this new series. I am looking forward reading the next book.......

I highly recommend all Helen's books. They have all been an excellent read.

Big Thank-you to Netgalley and Joffe books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of The Guilty Man, a thriller set in the fictional Northern town of Ryebridge.

DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde are investigating the disappearance of 3 year old Lucy when they are diverted to investigate the disappearance of a local gangster and contaminated drugs on the local estate.

I quite enjoyed The Guilty Man but it’s hardly the edge of the seat read advertised. It’s slow and somewhat clumsy in its execution with the set piece action scenes seemingly inserted for thrills rather than logical extensions of the plot. In mitigation, however, the last couple of twists are a surprise.

I can’t say that it held my attention or pushed me to keep reading. It’s easy enough to put down and pick up later and I think that part of the reason is the scope of the crimes. Obviously the novel widens from a simple missing persons case and it tries too much in a simple format, leaving no room for nuance or empathy. It’s a series of scenes, not all of which fit together seamlessly.

The characters aren’t particularly likeable either. Harry has a secret past that he won’t talk about and a dysfunctional present that he also won’t discuss. Jess doesn’t do much except moan about Harry’s lifestyle and try to prise his secrets from him. She’s the adult in the room and I actually liked her better than Harry.

The Guilty Man is a solid, if uninspiring, read.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first instalment in the Lennox and Wilde series. We have a troubled main character in Lennox who has a secret past and is determined not to divulge anything about it. By contrast. his partner Jess is a steady pair of hands but is totally frustrated at her partner's drinking and general behaviour.

It starts off with a missing child, and soon evolves into something bigger with someone determined to take over the drugs trade with the discovery of the severed hand of both main rivals. Something in Lennox's background is also coming to the fore. I found this really intriguing and had to keep reading to see what is actually going on with Lennox and what his old life is coming back to haunt him. There are a few twists and a reveal at the end was quite a surprise and not what I could ever have imagined.

As first books in a series goes, it was a really good read and I look forward to seeing where it goes next.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bland

[Yvonne Simcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant book ..really enjoying Helen’s books

[Kerry Embleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooh

Really enjoyed this book. A DCI with a huge secret and his partner who is fed up that he won't open up to her lead the investigations on 2 seemingly separate cases. It's not until the end that almost everything comes together. The reader still has one unanswered question though.

[Sally Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short audiobook and I thoroughly enjoyed it, debating whether to upload book 2 now or wait.
A horrid tale of drugs, people trafficking and as ever lies. A well narrated story and all the central characters seem nice people even if one of them has a huge past history which is revealed in the epilogue, certainly entices you to find out more. My decision is made as it’s already out on loan.

[Krys · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate to say it, but for a brand new series, this one reminded me entirely way too much of her other works (especially her Calladine and Bayliss series). It seemed nearly ever aspect was the same just with a different name - partners who don't really know much about each other, human trafficking, crime lords, right down to the "rough housing development" that is ripe with drugs and other criminal activities. She even used the same formula of having two seemingly unrelated story-lines going on at once.

Now I get that it's a formula for a reason (and one this author has used to their success many times over), but it made it hard for me to become invested in these characters when every few pages I was comparing them to her other characters. Even the surprising twist wasn't that surprising for me as it was nothing more than what I've come to expect from her.

It didn't help that DS Jess Wilde seems more interesting in Harry's personal life (between constantly berating him for living in a camper van and not having a "proper flat" to telling him to go around to his ex-girlfriend's house for the rest of his things - things he has no place to store because he doesn't have a place to live), she quickly became annoying. Harry was no better, harboring this deep dark secret (or was he? I guess we'll all have to wait and see as it was never proved one way or another in this story), but he has an obvious drinking problem, as well as no qualms about using his friend (I mean seriously, who helps themselves to someone else's clothes when they aren't home because he needs something fancier than what he's got)?

Despite these things, this is the kind of story that will appeal to those who enjoy police procedurals that aren't as straight on as they appear. I also believe that other fans of this author will most likely be able to enjoy this one without making all the comparisons that I did. For me? I will likely continue on with this series, although depending on when the next one is released, I might wait awhile in between readings.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lennox and Wilde Book one in a new series by the author
A thriller that will shake you and set your blood pumping
a Sharp and gritty read
D.S. Jesse Wilde and Detective Harry Lennox are a team, and Harry's life is a bit of a mess as we get to know the two character's.
Three year's old Lucy Green has been found wandering out of Cheetham Park alive she has been missing for five weeks and looks like she has been giving sedatives she doesn't even know her own name, but she had to be questioned, Albert Sykes had admitted to killing the child and was on remand and attacked so was now in hospital on a ventilator, Lucy's mum Kelsey Green wanted to just take her home and was more interested in telling her story to the papers, but was later found after taking a drug overdose, the question is where did they come from.
Rye Bridge is a small northern town and when Marsh and Sutton both disappear and their hands are left on their home doorsteps this cannot get any more gruesome, this is looking like a drug barren on a killing spree around the place, so the investigation goes on.
Wow this book will churn your insides as you read.
its full of twists and turns around all the character's with a slap bang ending.
I hope to get more from these two in the coming reads from this author a good start to a new series.

[Carole Gourlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another brilliant book to add to Helen’s thrillers. I’m always a bit dubious at the start of a new series, but I have to say I liked the characters from the start. Although as the book went on Jess began to irritate me with all her mithering . She was like a dog at a bone! I think she is a good detective, and in her own way I think she cares for Harry.

Poor old Harry, living in his friends campervan, I did feel sorry for him, and he didn’t really help himself, but with all his past lives coming out of the woodwork, I don’t know how he did his job.

As the story goes on, it appears no one is trustworthy and the end is a climax that I had anticipated.

It was a cracking read and thoroughly enjoyable and I hope Helen continues with these characters in future books so that we can find out more!

My thanks to Helen and Joffe publishers for the ARC.

[Dee (readaholic_dee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read all of the other series by Helen H Durrant I had high expectations for this book and I was not disappointed. The story was excellent and the characters grew on me over the course of the book. I particularly like a character with a little bit of mystery! Definitely recommend.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen H Durrant has done it again! With The Guilty Man, her latest nail-biting mystery, she has penned a fast-paced, suspenseful and shocking page-turner I found absolutely impossible to put down.

Detective Harry Lennox is going through a rough patch. His partner kicked him out in the clothes he was standing in and is now living in a borrowed caravan parked on his best friend’s driveway and spending far too many nights wallowing in self-pity and drinking his troubles away. Harry’s personal life might be a complete disaster, but he has fellow cop Jess Wilde to keep him in line and on the straight and narrow work-wise. When he is woken by Jess after yet another night of heavy drinking, Harry is stunned by the news his partner imparts: three year old Lucy Green has been found wandering in the park barefoot after she had been presumed dead. Even more confusing is the fact that somebody had confessed to her murder. Just what is going on here? While Harry and Jess’s imagination had been running on overdrive, Lucy appears to be unharmed and well cared for – something which the poor child hadn’t been used to, thanks to her feckless mother.

In their line of duty, it never rains but it pours. Harry and Jess are just getting to grips with the Lucy Green case when the wife of one of the area’s most notorious criminals turns up at the station and asks for Harry specifically. This is a strange turn of events as the last time Caroline Sutton had crossed paths with him, she had filed an official complaint! But Caroline is beside herself with worry as her husband, Nick has disappeared without a trace. While Caroline knows that Nick is no angel, he would always keep her informed of his movements and her instincts are telling her that something awful has happened to him and she wants Harry to get to the bottom of it! When this case takes an even more sinister twist, Harry and Jess realise that things have just got even more complicated than they initially realised.

As they dig deeper, Harry and Jess cannot shake off this feeling that the Lucy Green and Nick Sutton cases might be connected. Will they manage to get to the bottom of this perplexing mystery? Or will a dangerous enemy go to unprecedented lengths to keep them from finding out the truth?

Make sure you clear you schedule when you start reading a Helen H Durrant crime novel because once you start reading one of her books, putting it down is certainly not an option. The Guilty Man is the latest in a long line of nerve-twisting and jaw-droppingly brilliant thrillers that kept me engrossed throughout and up way past my bedtime. Gritty, hard-hitting, shocking and full of twists and turns you simply won’t see coming, The Guilty Man grips you from page one and keeps you glued to its pages until the final heart-pounding revelation.

Harry and Jess are an absolutely brilliant double-act and I do hope that we will see a lot more of them in the future.

Another unputdownable thriller from a writer at the top of her game, The Guilty Man is another unmissable chiller by Helen H Durrant.

[Alyson Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in what I hope will be many of a new series set in the northern town of Ryebridge near Manchester. The story starts with an account of Nick Sutton being tortured. The man who has just amputated Nick’s hand knows that Nick is a ruthless criminal, wealthy and feared in the area. As he begs for his life Nick gets a surprise when he is told whom the man is working for. Meanwhile DI Harry Lennox and DS Jess Wilde have just received word that a three year old child, Lucy Green, has turned up safe and well after being missing for weeks. She is handed back to her mother who lives on the notorious run-down Baxendale estate and who appears to be more interested in getting her next fix than in her daughter’s well being. Something is not right, since a man is already locked up after confessing to her kidnap, and the child is better fed and dressed than when she was taken. It looks like there will be a whole load more investigating to do. Unfortunately good news is swiftly followed by bad news, and Caroline Sutton is at the police station wanting to report her husband missing. She must be desperate since Sutton and arch rival Andy Marsh are both well known villains who have carved up the local drug market between them but recently have fallen out again. The detectives believe they may have a turf war to deal with, especially when a severed hand is left on the Sutton’s doorstep. Nick was involved with other businesses too, and Lennox and Wilde are drawn to a family of thugs who run their business on the Baxendale. Before they know it, events start to mushroom out of control, with an influx of dodgy drugs and sinister unknown faces. Old faces from his past that Lennox would prefer to forget start to make a reappearance and everything threatens to implode for him. Harry is a bit of an enigma. Jess has worked with him for around two years and still knows very little about him apart from the fact that he originally transferred from Scotland, he has just split up with latest girlfriend Andrea and that he now is living temporarily in a mate’s camper van parked outside the house. He drinks far too much, to sleep or maybe to forget how he got the burns to his hands? The more Jess nags at him to talk about his past, the more it annoys him but he might just have to come clean if they are to stop these ruthless killings and crimes that are threatening to take over the town.
This is a smashing start to the series with loads of great story for the reader to get stuck into. It has an exciting plot which is well delivered in lots of threads which are all brought together to make a thrilling ending with lots of clever twists along the way. We begin to get to know the pair of detectives as people as well as police officers, and Lennox’s intriguing past eventually gets revealed a little. I suspect there will be far more to come in future stories and I am looking forward to their next case. 5*

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Helen’s work for a while now. I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘The Guilty Man’ and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the book. I just knew that I would be in for one hell of a read. I was spot on too, as I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Guilty Man’ but more about that in a bit.
The synopsis alone was enough to grab my attention. As soon as I started to read the book I just knew that it was pointless thinking that I would be doing anything other reading for the rest of the day. To say that reading the book became addictive is a massive understatement. The more of the book that I read, the more of the book that I wanted to read. I just couldn’t put the book down just in case I missed a vital clue or two. I had my own questions that needed answering and so I kept turning those pages to see if my questions were answered or not. The book was well travelled as it accompanied me everywhere. I just couldn’t turn the pages quick enough. I seemed to charge through the story and I was most upset when I got to the end. I wasn’t upset because I was disappointed at how the story ended but I was upset because getting to the end of the book meant that I had to say farewell to the characters.
‘The Guilty Man’ is superbly written but then I always find that with Helen’s books. She catches your eye with an intriguing synopsis and then she reels you. Once she has your attention she will not let you have it back until the moment you read the last word on the last page. For me, the story was perfectly paced. The story started with a bang and than maintained a fairly fast pace throughout. There were more twists and turns to the story than you would find on a ‘Snakes & Ladders’ board. I had my own theory as to what was going to happen but I couldn’t have been further from the truth if I had tried. I found this to be a gripping read, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout. I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that’s all thanks to Helen’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘The Guilty Man’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Helen’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

208 pages

4 stars

Three-year old Lucy has been missing for three weeks. She is found in a nearby park, shoeless but in better care than when she disappeared. Her mother Kelsey is a real winner. She doesn’t seem to care about Lucy and is only interested in getting the most money for her story.

At the same time there is a killer on the loose in the northern part of England.

DI Harry Lennox and his partner DS Jess Wilde have been working Lucy's case. They have a suspect who confessed to kidnapping and killing Lucy. He is now in hospital due to an altercation in prison.

Jess and Harry also are assigned the case of Nick Sutton, a criminal type. His wife Caroline has reported him missing. When Andy Marsh, Sutton's main rival, goes missing the plot thickens, as they say.

Kidnapping, people trafficking, murder and mayhem all play a part in this first book of a new series for Ms. Durrant. There are surprises in store for the reader. I must confess I didn't cotton on to the head bad guy until it was revealed in the book.

As usual with Ms. Durrant's books, this one is both well written and plotted. It was eminently readable. And a quick read as well. The tortured Harry was well portrayed and the very snoopy and persistent Jess, mmm...not so much. I'd like to know more about her. Perhaps in the next book, for I hope this will be a new series for this author. Very well done, Ms. Durrant.

I want to thank NetGalley and Joffe Books for forwarding to me a copy of this very nice book for me to read, enjoy and review.