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Splash: Thriller that's got some humor
LIAR. CHEAT. OUTCAST. HERO.Outrageous newspaper reporter Llew Sabler is back – and he’s gone rogue …
Portsmouth. England. Late 1990s. Llew Sabler has it a woman he loves, a job he loves, friends he loves.
But when local crook Rollo Baer dies in a fire, Llew’s law-breaking past catches up with him.
His paper sacks him, his soul-mate Thirza Kirkby disowns him (again) and his grief-stricken girlfriend – Rollo’s daughter, Lucy – is lost to him.
Dazed, Llew drifts into the sleepy backwaters of corporate journalism, and slowly loses the will to live.
But life takes a dramatic turn when his oldest pal, Emdel Black, introduces him to the dark arts of computer hacking.
Together they discover Rollo Baer was killed, who did it, and that the murder is being covered up by crooked Freemason cops.
Dark forces soon gather – first to thwart Llew’s bid to expose the truth, and then to silence him for good.
With his life hanging by a thread, and all seemingly lost, salvation and justice come from a most unexpected source.
Splash is a darkly comic crime thriller full of characters that will stay with you long after the tale is told.
Portsmouth. England. Late 1990s. Llew Sabler has it a woman he loves, a job he loves, friends he loves.
But when local crook Rollo Baer dies in a fire, Llew’s law-breaking past catches up with him.
His paper sacks him, his soul-mate Thirza Kirkby disowns him (again) and his grief-stricken girlfriend – Rollo’s daughter, Lucy – is lost to him.
Dazed, Llew drifts into the sleepy backwaters of corporate journalism, and slowly loses the will to live.
But life takes a dramatic turn when his oldest pal, Emdel Black, introduces him to the dark arts of computer hacking.
Together they discover Rollo Baer was killed, who did it, and that the murder is being covered up by crooked Freemason cops.
Dark forces soon gather – first to thwart Llew’s bid to expose the truth, and then to silence him for good.
With his life hanging by a thread, and all seemingly lost, salvation and justice come from a most unexpected source.
Splash is a darkly comic crime thriller full of characters that will stay with you long after the tale is told.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 27, 2021
About the author
SGM Ashcroft
5 books26 followersSGM Ashcroft was born in 1963 in High Wycombe.
He has been a journalist since 1987, working on local and national newspapers, before an 18-month stint in Beijing in the early 90s as a copy editor on the China Daily.
After a spell in corp comms, he moved into computer magazines, and then on to the BBC. He has been freelance since 2005.
Hack is his debut novel, with a second in the series due out in mid-2021.
He lives with his family in West London.
He has been a journalist since 1987, working on local and national newspapers, before an 18-month stint in Beijing in the early 90s as a copy editor on the China Daily.
After a spell in corp comms, he moved into computer magazines, and then on to the BBC. He has been freelance since 2005.
Hack is his debut novel, with a second in the series due out in mid-2021.
He lives with his family in West London.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 30, 2021
SGM Ashcroft's zero-to-hero hack is back in this crackerjack new novel. Llew Sabler wants to be on the side of the angels but is once again beset by demons, most of his own making. Dark humour runs through these pages like vinegar through fish and chips as Llew delves into murder, drugs, revenge and romance – all through the cracked lens of tabloid journalism. Splash takes us back to 1997 when mobiles are suddenly all the rage and phone hacking is just coming of age. Step up Llew’s best mate Emdel: is he a white hat, black hat, or grey hat? Splash has more shades of grey than a dodgy sex novel. I really enjoyed it.
October 17, 2022
i am really getting in the books of SGM Ashcroft. this was was so good it made me want to read it more and more
a real page turner
a great story , great characters
a real page turner
a great story , great characters
October 25, 2021
Engaging caper
This was book number 2 in the dark humor series and much better than the first book. A real murder mystery presented itself and the hapless characters solved it. Good fun, this one.
This was book number 2 in the dark humor series and much better than the first book. A real murder mystery presented itself and the hapless characters solved it. Good fun, this one.
August 19, 2022
I LOVE this author's stories, this is one of his best. Of course I always think that until I read the next one - each one is better than the one before. What a mind this SGM Ashcroft has, to come up with such "goings-on"! "Dark Humour" is a perfect description. I think I've got all his stories in my Kindle collection, something to really look forward to. I'm not going to describe what this story was about, others on this page have done that better than I could. I just want to give my thanks to Kindle and Amazon for giving me the chance to read such great stories!
December 30, 2021
I’ve read both of SGM Ashcroft’s books in less than 48 hours and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Having never read anything by this author I was pleasantly surprised both by his skills as an author ans how the storyline was so cleverly crafted.
I’m saddened that there are only two books on the series on Kindle Unlimited at the minute but I’m looking forward to more.
Highly recommended
Having never read anything by this author I was pleasantly surprised both by his skills as an author ans how the storyline was so cleverly crafted.
I’m saddened that there are only two books on the series on Kindle Unlimited at the minute but I’m looking forward to more.
Highly recommended
April 23, 2022
Great Read! Loved it!
I really enjoyed Hack but felt the story was a bit disjointed and took a while to get going. Splash was great and better written. Can't wait for another book in this series.
I really enjoyed Hack but felt the story was a bit disjointed and took a while to get going. Splash was great and better written. Can't wait for another book in this series.
July 5, 2022
GREAT!
Every word kept me glued to the next! What a pleasure to read! Waiting for more of the same! Write more soon!😇
Every word kept me glued to the next! What a pleasure to read! Waiting for more of the same! Write more soon!😇
July 25, 2022
another winner
Second book. Outstanding funny great plot and dialogue. Wonderful characters highly recommend. Can’t wait for next one in series excellent
Second book. Outstanding funny great plot and dialogue. Wonderful characters highly recommend. Can’t wait for next one in series excellent
November 19, 2023
Proper page turner. Interesting characters. Lots of twists and turns as well as laugh out loud moments.
January 26, 2023
good fun
First book started me, this was better and impossible to put down.
Highly recommend if you want to pass a day with a smile on your face.
First book started me, this was better and impossible to put down.
Highly recommend if you want to pass a day with a smile on your face.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews