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DS Jo Howe #1
Bad for Good
How far would you go?
The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton's Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption.
The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton's Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2022
43 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Graham Bartlett
5 books62 followersI am a best-selling author and crime and police procedural advisor to fiction and TV writers.
I was a police officer for thirty years and mainly policed the city of Brighton and Hove, rising to become a Chief Superintendent and its police commander. I started writing when I left the police in 2013 and, almost by accident, became a police procedural and crime advisor, helping scores of authors and TV writers (including Peter James, Mark Billingham, Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Ware, Claire McGowan and Dorothy Koomson) achieve authenticity in their drama.
I run online crime writing workshops and courses with the Professional Writing Academy and deliver inputs to Masters programmes at the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia as well as at the Crime Writing Certificate programme at West Dean College.
I live in Sussex with my wife Julie and, variously, my 24yr old triplets!
My debut crime novel, Bad for Good is now on pre-sale on Amazon. It asks the question:
How far would you go?
"The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton's Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption."
The next chapter in the Jo Howe series is published in 2023
Aside from my new fiction career, I have two non fictions to my name, both co-written with 2015 Crime Writer’s Association Diamond Dagger Award winner, Peter James.
The first, a Sunday Times bestseller, "Death Comes Knocking. Policing Roy Grace's Brighton," is an account of what it is like to police one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities, Brighton and Hove. With real stories, drawn from my 30 year career we link the events, incidents and investigations I describe into the fictional world created by Peter in his Roy Grace novels.
The second, "Babes in the Wood," is described as a gripping police procedural with an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, in what became a thirty-two-year fight for justice.
"On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a local park. This devastating crime rocked the country.
With unique access to the officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the investigation as the net tightens around local man Russell Bishop. The trial that follows is one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing – a shock result sees Bishop walk free.
Three years later, Graham is working in Brighton CID when a seven-year-old girl is abducted and left to die. She survives . . . and Bishop’s name comes up as a suspect. Is history repeating itself? Can the police put him away this time, and will he ever be made to answer for his past horrendous crimes?"
I was a police officer for thirty years and mainly policed the city of Brighton and Hove, rising to become a Chief Superintendent and its police commander. I started writing when I left the police in 2013 and, almost by accident, became a police procedural and crime advisor, helping scores of authors and TV writers (including Peter James, Mark Billingham, Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, Ruth Ware, Claire McGowan and Dorothy Koomson) achieve authenticity in their drama.
I run online crime writing workshops and courses with the Professional Writing Academy and deliver inputs to Masters programmes at the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia as well as at the Crime Writing Certificate programme at West Dean College.
I live in Sussex with my wife Julie and, variously, my 24yr old triplets!
My debut crime novel, Bad for Good is now on pre-sale on Amazon. It asks the question:
How far would you go?
"The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton's Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption."
The next chapter in the Jo Howe series is published in 2023
Aside from my new fiction career, I have two non fictions to my name, both co-written with 2015 Crime Writer’s Association Diamond Dagger Award winner, Peter James.
The first, a Sunday Times bestseller, "Death Comes Knocking. Policing Roy Grace's Brighton," is an account of what it is like to police one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities, Brighton and Hove. With real stories, drawn from my 30 year career we link the events, incidents and investigations I describe into the fictional world created by Peter in his Roy Grace novels.
The second, "Babes in the Wood," is described as a gripping police procedural with an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, in what became a thirty-two-year fight for justice.
"On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a local park. This devastating crime rocked the country.
With unique access to the officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the investigation as the net tightens around local man Russell Bishop. The trial that follows is one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing – a shock result sees Bishop walk free.
Three years later, Graham is working in Brighton CID when a seven-year-old girl is abducted and left to die. She survives . . . and Bishop’s name comes up as a suspect. Is history repeating itself? Can the police put him away this time, and will he ever be made to answer for his past horrendous crimes?"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
May 28, 2022
That was a rather dark, grim story, set in Brighton, against a backdrop of escalating crimes and a shrinking police force as budget cuts start to bite. As police take longer and longer to respond to break ins and assaults a private vigilante group takes the opportunity to grow its business. They might be providing a service but it is by no means free and the methods are quite brutal as we see in the opening pages. But worse is to come.
Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe is tasked with finding the killer of Harry Cooke who was the 18 year old son of her boss Detective Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke. Harry was felled by a single, well aimed stab to the heart. There is nothing to go on and task of finding Harry’s killer seems hopeless. Word on the street suggests the killer could have been Marco, a young guy who runs a drug ring in the area. Soon his young dealers are brutalised and Marco is in hiding. Jo Howe doesn’t want to acknowledge it but it does seem like the vigilantes are cleaning up the streets. But how does Harry’s death fit into the narrative? He was a popular boy with a promising sporting career ahead of him.
The vigilante group contacts Phil and offers to find Harry’s killer, for a price of course. He doesn’t want to play this game but soon they put too much pressure on him to refuse. They have information that he really wouldn’t want to be made public. He is being wound in like a fish on a hook. How do they know so much about him?
Meanwhile Jo conducts the investigation as thoroughly as always and ignores certain directives from on high. She has a difficult relationship with some of her senior officers and a few secrets of her own. This all sets the pieces in motion for an explosive finish which doesn’t disappoint. The book reads as very realistic but, in a way, I hope it isn’t as there really was a lot of violence in the story. The detectives are well portrayed as neither all good or all bad, just like most us. I did really sympathise with them though, trying to do a good job in the face overwhelming odds.
My only gripe with this story is that the narrative jumped from one scene to another without any logical break and I was often going “who, what?” After a while, and once I’d ‘met’ all the characters, it wasn’t so much of an issue. Overall, it was a fast paced, interesting story with a fair amount of realism. Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe is tasked with finding the killer of Harry Cooke who was the 18 year old son of her boss Detective Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke. Harry was felled by a single, well aimed stab to the heart. There is nothing to go on and task of finding Harry’s killer seems hopeless. Word on the street suggests the killer could have been Marco, a young guy who runs a drug ring in the area. Soon his young dealers are brutalised and Marco is in hiding. Jo Howe doesn’t want to acknowledge it but it does seem like the vigilantes are cleaning up the streets. But how does Harry’s death fit into the narrative? He was a popular boy with a promising sporting career ahead of him.
The vigilante group contacts Phil and offers to find Harry’s killer, for a price of course. He doesn’t want to play this game but soon they put too much pressure on him to refuse. They have information that he really wouldn’t want to be made public. He is being wound in like a fish on a hook. How do they know so much about him?
Meanwhile Jo conducts the investigation as thoroughly as always and ignores certain directives from on high. She has a difficult relationship with some of her senior officers and a few secrets of her own. This all sets the pieces in motion for an explosive finish which doesn’t disappoint. The book reads as very realistic but, in a way, I hope it isn’t as there really was a lot of violence in the story. The detectives are well portrayed as neither all good or all bad, just like most us. I did really sympathise with them though, trying to do a good job in the face overwhelming odds.
My only gripe with this story is that the narrative jumped from one scene to another without any logical break and I was often going “who, what?” After a while, and once I’d ‘met’ all the characters, it wasn’t so much of an issue. Overall, it was a fast paced, interesting story with a fair amount of realism. Many thanks to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
May 25, 2024
Where to start with this hilarious farce. I mean I'm assuming it was written as farce because otherwise Brighton & Hove is really not a place to go on your holidays/live/drive through.
Anyway, back to my where to start? The story centres around The murder of Chief Superintendent, Phil Cooke's, son (Harry). Phil, whose wife is dying of cancer and whose other son, Kyle, is an enigma (his words not mine) is utterly distraught so when the Police haven't solved the case in the first half hour Phil goes off his rocker. He is contacted by a group of people who say they can solve Harry's murder and if he pays them a vast amount of cash not only will they do that but they'll also keep his affair with DI Jo Howe from his dying wife. When Phil doesn't bite they tell him they'll also release photos of his beloved son injecting steroids to the media.
It's a lot to take in right? And the worse thing is it doesn't stop there. The Police force in the area appears to consist of three PCs and a LOT of "top brass" who spend their time swanning in and out of meetings and bemoaning the fact that they've no resources.
So here's where the farce starts. The other part of the story is that there are dozens of "scum" going missing. Apparently there is so much crime that the cops are taking weeks to come round and see if they can help and this has given rise to a vigilante group (CSG) who (for a whopping price) will come round, take the scum causing you problems away never to be seen again. And no one's noticed because no one cares - especially not the cops.
There's way more twaddle to get through but if your brain isn't scrambled yet it'll be a miracle. In this book Bartlett gives us - drug abuse, theft, murder, blackmail, intimidation, arson, acid attacks, minced and incinerated bodies, use of a national monument for nefarious means, knife crime, police corruption at the highest level, dwindling police resources, snatch squads, torture, Islamaphobia, vigilantes, nepotism, homosexuality, abject stupidity and a change of PCC that happens within days. (I mention this last because it took months to get the North Yorkshire PCC out of a job).
Scrambled yet? It should be. Mine was. And when I wasn't bewildered or laughing I was ranting at the audio I wasted £8 on.
The story reaches its insane end with an all-out war that rivalled anything from Apocalypse Now. There is a "twist" at the end if you can call because it wasn't much of a surprise.
Suffice to say I won't waste any more money on Mr Bartlett. The characters were unlikeable, the plot ridiculous and so much packed in there that it became utterly nonsensical. I won't even bother to mention the coincidences that were so far fetched that they'd be more at home in an Enid Blyton story.
I try to find something good in every book I read but this one escaped me.
Anyway, back to my where to start? The story centres around The murder of Chief Superintendent, Phil Cooke's, son (Harry). Phil, whose wife is dying of cancer and whose other son, Kyle, is an enigma (his words not mine) is utterly distraught so when the Police haven't solved the case in the first half hour Phil goes off his rocker. He is contacted by a group of people who say they can solve Harry's murder and if he pays them a vast amount of cash not only will they do that but they'll also keep his affair with DI Jo Howe from his dying wife. When Phil doesn't bite they tell him they'll also release photos of his beloved son injecting steroids to the media.
It's a lot to take in right? And the worse thing is it doesn't stop there. The Police force in the area appears to consist of three PCs and a LOT of "top brass" who spend their time swanning in and out of meetings and bemoaning the fact that they've no resources.
So here's where the farce starts. The other part of the story is that there are dozens of "scum" going missing. Apparently there is so much crime that the cops are taking weeks to come round and see if they can help and this has given rise to a vigilante group (CSG) who (for a whopping price) will come round, take the scum causing you problems away never to be seen again. And no one's noticed because no one cares - especially not the cops.
There's way more twaddle to get through but if your brain isn't scrambled yet it'll be a miracle. In this book Bartlett gives us - drug abuse, theft, murder, blackmail, intimidation, arson, acid attacks, minced and incinerated bodies, use of a national monument for nefarious means, knife crime, police corruption at the highest level, dwindling police resources, snatch squads, torture, Islamaphobia, vigilantes, nepotism, homosexuality, abject stupidity and a change of PCC that happens within days. (I mention this last because it took months to get the North Yorkshire PCC out of a job).
Scrambled yet? It should be. Mine was. And when I wasn't bewildered or laughing I was ranting at the audio I wasted £8 on.
The story reaches its insane end with an all-out war that rivalled anything from Apocalypse Now. There is a "twist" at the end if you can call because it wasn't much of a surprise.
Suffice to say I won't waste any more money on Mr Bartlett. The characters were unlikeable, the plot ridiculous and so much packed in there that it became utterly nonsensical. I won't even bother to mention the coincidences that were so far fetched that they'd be more at home in an Enid Blyton story.
I try to find something good in every book I read but this one escaped me.
June 23, 2022
“How far would you go?”
Before I go any further, I am reminded of a phrase popular with so many of our British television news journalists –
“Warning! My following report contains bad language and distressing scenes of violence from the outset”
This is one hard-hitting storyline, but gosh! what an opening gambit, in what I can only hope is destined to be the first in a series featuring the redoubtable Joanne Howe. However, even if this turns out to be a single stand alone novel, it definitely works for me, I just need many more of them please! There is always a debate around whether or not it is more advantageous for an author to write books from the genre in which they have particular expertise, and in this case there is no argument about the authenticity and knowledge the author brings to his storyline, it is the complete police procedural, crime thriller package.
…
So, without further ado, I had better make an attempt at a ‘spoiler free’ potted premise around my reading journey…
Phil and Jo have been work colleagues on the Brighton & Hove Police Force, and personal friends for some years now, although the ‘with benefits’ aspects of their relationship have long since ended, with both of them now holding senior positions and having settled down with their respective partners and families. Cutbacks and staff shortages have made their jobs more difficult than they should have been, so stress levels are running high, as long working hours are beginning to take their toll on regular family life. Phil and his wife Ruth, are experiencing particularly tough health challenges too, which means that their young adult sons Harry and Kyle, have been left pretty much to their own devices in recent times, which Phil will ultimately live to regret with every fibre of his being. Whilst Jo’s husband Darren, is her rock, keeping day to day life for their two young sons on an even keel when she is unable to, because of the rather unsociable hours she keeps.
When a horrific tragedy rocks Phil and Ruth’s world, the downwards spiral begins; only intensifying and gathering momentum, when more heartbreak and sadness heaped upon the remaining family, bring a whole new set of challenges to the equation. At this point, I was quite heartened to be in the position of completely empathising and sympathising with Jo, when necessity takes her to the heart of the medical system and she is forced to go inside the hospital. Her visceral reactions to her physical surroundings and the emotions and feelings engendered, are known to me all too well and were articulated perfectly in this particularly descriptive portion of the narrative. It is good to know that I am not the only Nosocomephobia sufferer around the place.
A broken and vulnerable Phil, finds himself at the mercy of and exploitation by, the unscrupulous, from both inside his own network of colleagues and the wider scope of the criminal underworld, although even he is totally amazed at exactly what has been going on under his very nose and completely off the radar, or is that more of a ‘blind eye’, of those in the highest authority. He pays the ultimate price of experiencing first-hand exactly how easy it is to become caught in the net of corruption, and once trapped, just how difficult it is to find an escape route, without losing everything and everyone he holds dear along the way.
Meanwhile, the members of Phil’s old team, rally round Jo in an effort to bolster him, not knowing how completely damaged and compromised his position really is and with the added, potentially dangerous ignorance, of not knowing that they may not be able to trust or rely one another as much as they might have expected, which might compromise them all and even end up by costing them their lives.
Thanks to the tenacity of Jo’s collective team, and despite the efforts of other outside forces, two high profile cases eventually seem to be colliding, as common factors are rooted out and assimilated, thanks to some rather unorthodox policing methods and strategies, and a stubborn refusal to conform to the normal rules of engagement. It was obvious that eventually the two strands of the storyline were going to be in some way linked by cause and effect, however whilst one of them was pretty much laid out quite early on, there was still a last minute twist I never really saw coming. Whilst the second investigation definitely had me taking my eye off the ball, completely missing the subtle evidence drop, which eventually Jo pounces on almost by accident, despite the ensuing heartache and grief she knows it will cause her personally – So no detective badge for me this time!
…
Gripping, intense, powerful and violent. A well researched, multi-layered, textured storyline, relevant and very much ‘of the moment’. Whilst there are few marked chapters, there are plenty of natural paragraph breaks, which at least gives room for breathing space and time to surface for air, before the next gruesome event takes over and sucks you back in. The writing is crisp, punchy, immersive and fluent, and the pace utterly relentless. Together, the narrative and dialogue are compelling, atmospheric and descriptive, so whilst the footprint of the storyline is not huge, it offers a genuine sense of time and place.
Whilst there are many references to colleague shortages and budget cut-backs, which do tend to get a little repetitive, but are well used to set the scene for certain failings during this investigation, overall they don’t serve to distract from the story too much and are indeed, one of the most important challenges of British policing right now. When just two cases can encompass so many different and diverse crimes, many of them with potentially lethal consequences, it is easy to see how an organisation and its colleagues on the ground, are stretched both mentally and physically, to breaking point.
I am also always amazed at just how much we love our acronyms here in Britain. I admit that I had to compile myself a little list of the character names attributed to the initials of the individual groups and departments and their relationships with each other, so that keeping track of quite a sprawling cast of characters, was just that wee bit easier. And boy! did all the characters need keeping careful tabs on, as to a person they all had more of a past history, making them prime targets for corruption and blackmail, than I would ever have thought possible, given the thorough positive vetting procedures we purportedly carry out. It began to look as though the greed, lies and underhand dealings, were a standard part of policing, and that no-one stood in total innocence.
Secrets, lies, duplicitous and manipulative behaviour, you name it, these police officers have it by the spade-load. I have always assumed that there is is a kind of ‘brotherhood’ amongst a force, where they cover each others backs and look out for one another, although absolutely not when there is obvious wrong-doing, abuse of power and position, or corruption involved. I can tell you right here and now though, that I wouldn’t turn my back on any one of this motley crew, for fear of being well and truly stabbed between the shoulder blades.
There really were no winners in this war of drugs, vigilantism, corruption, kidnap, murder and family jealousies.
Before I go any further, I am reminded of a phrase popular with so many of our British television news journalists –
“Warning! My following report contains bad language and distressing scenes of violence from the outset”
This is one hard-hitting storyline, but gosh! what an opening gambit, in what I can only hope is destined to be the first in a series featuring the redoubtable Joanne Howe. However, even if this turns out to be a single stand alone novel, it definitely works for me, I just need many more of them please! There is always a debate around whether or not it is more advantageous for an author to write books from the genre in which they have particular expertise, and in this case there is no argument about the authenticity and knowledge the author brings to his storyline, it is the complete police procedural, crime thriller package.
…
So, without further ado, I had better make an attempt at a ‘spoiler free’ potted premise around my reading journey…
Phil and Jo have been work colleagues on the Brighton & Hove Police Force, and personal friends for some years now, although the ‘with benefits’ aspects of their relationship have long since ended, with both of them now holding senior positions and having settled down with their respective partners and families. Cutbacks and staff shortages have made their jobs more difficult than they should have been, so stress levels are running high, as long working hours are beginning to take their toll on regular family life. Phil and his wife Ruth, are experiencing particularly tough health challenges too, which means that their young adult sons Harry and Kyle, have been left pretty much to their own devices in recent times, which Phil will ultimately live to regret with every fibre of his being. Whilst Jo’s husband Darren, is her rock, keeping day to day life for their two young sons on an even keel when she is unable to, because of the rather unsociable hours she keeps.
When a horrific tragedy rocks Phil and Ruth’s world, the downwards spiral begins; only intensifying and gathering momentum, when more heartbreak and sadness heaped upon the remaining family, bring a whole new set of challenges to the equation. At this point, I was quite heartened to be in the position of completely empathising and sympathising with Jo, when necessity takes her to the heart of the medical system and she is forced to go inside the hospital. Her visceral reactions to her physical surroundings and the emotions and feelings engendered, are known to me all too well and were articulated perfectly in this particularly descriptive portion of the narrative. It is good to know that I am not the only Nosocomephobia sufferer around the place.
A broken and vulnerable Phil, finds himself at the mercy of and exploitation by, the unscrupulous, from both inside his own network of colleagues and the wider scope of the criminal underworld, although even he is totally amazed at exactly what has been going on under his very nose and completely off the radar, or is that more of a ‘blind eye’, of those in the highest authority. He pays the ultimate price of experiencing first-hand exactly how easy it is to become caught in the net of corruption, and once trapped, just how difficult it is to find an escape route, without losing everything and everyone he holds dear along the way.
Meanwhile, the members of Phil’s old team, rally round Jo in an effort to bolster him, not knowing how completely damaged and compromised his position really is and with the added, potentially dangerous ignorance, of not knowing that they may not be able to trust or rely one another as much as they might have expected, which might compromise them all and even end up by costing them their lives.
Thanks to the tenacity of Jo’s collective team, and despite the efforts of other outside forces, two high profile cases eventually seem to be colliding, as common factors are rooted out and assimilated, thanks to some rather unorthodox policing methods and strategies, and a stubborn refusal to conform to the normal rules of engagement. It was obvious that eventually the two strands of the storyline were going to be in some way linked by cause and effect, however whilst one of them was pretty much laid out quite early on, there was still a last minute twist I never really saw coming. Whilst the second investigation definitely had me taking my eye off the ball, completely missing the subtle evidence drop, which eventually Jo pounces on almost by accident, despite the ensuing heartache and grief she knows it will cause her personally – So no detective badge for me this time!
…
Gripping, intense, powerful and violent. A well researched, multi-layered, textured storyline, relevant and very much ‘of the moment’. Whilst there are few marked chapters, there are plenty of natural paragraph breaks, which at least gives room for breathing space and time to surface for air, before the next gruesome event takes over and sucks you back in. The writing is crisp, punchy, immersive and fluent, and the pace utterly relentless. Together, the narrative and dialogue are compelling, atmospheric and descriptive, so whilst the footprint of the storyline is not huge, it offers a genuine sense of time and place.
Whilst there are many references to colleague shortages and budget cut-backs, which do tend to get a little repetitive, but are well used to set the scene for certain failings during this investigation, overall they don’t serve to distract from the story too much and are indeed, one of the most important challenges of British policing right now. When just two cases can encompass so many different and diverse crimes, many of them with potentially lethal consequences, it is easy to see how an organisation and its colleagues on the ground, are stretched both mentally and physically, to breaking point.
I am also always amazed at just how much we love our acronyms here in Britain. I admit that I had to compile myself a little list of the character names attributed to the initials of the individual groups and departments and their relationships with each other, so that keeping track of quite a sprawling cast of characters, was just that wee bit easier. And boy! did all the characters need keeping careful tabs on, as to a person they all had more of a past history, making them prime targets for corruption and blackmail, than I would ever have thought possible, given the thorough positive vetting procedures we purportedly carry out. It began to look as though the greed, lies and underhand dealings, were a standard part of policing, and that no-one stood in total innocence.
Secrets, lies, duplicitous and manipulative behaviour, you name it, these police officers have it by the spade-load. I have always assumed that there is is a kind of ‘brotherhood’ amongst a force, where they cover each others backs and look out for one another, although absolutely not when there is obvious wrong-doing, abuse of power and position, or corruption involved. I can tell you right here and now though, that I wouldn’t turn my back on any one of this motley crew, for fear of being well and truly stabbed between the shoulder blades.
There really were no winners in this war of drugs, vigilantism, corruption, kidnap, murder and family jealousies.
May 16, 2022
Missing Line of Duty? Try this for a fix of gritty English policing - it even has Bent Coppers! This debut novel by career police officer and crime writing advisor Graham Bartlett was a pleasant surprise, and has restored my faith in British police procedurals, after one too many formulaic serial-killer-chasing maverick detectives. I’d seen the name come up in the UK Crime Book Club on Facebook, so was pleased to be approved when it came up on NetGalley.
Brighton Superintendent Jo Howe is a talented and hardworking detective trying to balance the workload of diminishing funding and rising crime, with caring for young children and the petty politics of the police hierarchy. When a group of vigilantes start taking criminals off the streets, some believe they should be left to get on with it, but then a promising young footballer is murdered - who happens to be the son of Jo’s boss, and former lover, Peter Cooke. Under pressure to solve the crime, Jo must work out who she can trust before more innocent - and not-so-innocent, lives are taken
This was a tense well plotted thriller with believable characters, plenty of twists and lots of realistic procedural details, which convey the frustration of those on the front line trying to do ever more while hypocritical politicians and the rabid media criticise every move they make. The main character is much higher ranked than the DIs and DSs we are used to in crime fiction, but even she gets continual bollockings from higher-ups who think they know better. The Bad Guys were interesting - I generally like fictional vigilantes, but these brought home just why justice should be left to the professionals - they’re as corrupt as the criminals they claim to be targeting. I hope that this is the start of a series and look forward to reading more of Jo’s adventures - especially if the author can stay away from serial killer plot lines! 4.5 rounded up for good writing and a cinematically breathless final action sequence.
Thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the ARC. My only criticism is that the copy I received was poorly formatted with no breaks between scene or POV changes that made it confusing to read. I’m conscious that this will be fixed for publication but it’s annoying and might deter some reviewers.
I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Bad for Good is published on June 22nd.
Brighton Superintendent Jo Howe is a talented and hardworking detective trying to balance the workload of diminishing funding and rising crime, with caring for young children and the petty politics of the police hierarchy. When a group of vigilantes start taking criminals off the streets, some believe they should be left to get on with it, but then a promising young footballer is murdered - who happens to be the son of Jo’s boss, and former lover, Peter Cooke. Under pressure to solve the crime, Jo must work out who she can trust before more innocent - and not-so-innocent, lives are taken
This was a tense well plotted thriller with believable characters, plenty of twists and lots of realistic procedural details, which convey the frustration of those on the front line trying to do ever more while hypocritical politicians and the rabid media criticise every move they make. The main character is much higher ranked than the DIs and DSs we are used to in crime fiction, but even she gets continual bollockings from higher-ups who think they know better. The Bad Guys were interesting - I generally like fictional vigilantes, but these brought home just why justice should be left to the professionals - they’re as corrupt as the criminals they claim to be targeting. I hope that this is the start of a series and look forward to reading more of Jo’s adventures - especially if the author can stay away from serial killer plot lines! 4.5 rounded up for good writing and a cinematically breathless final action sequence.
Thanks to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the ARC. My only criticism is that the copy I received was poorly formatted with no breaks between scene or POV changes that made it confusing to read. I’m conscious that this will be fixed for publication but it’s annoying and might deter some reviewers.
I am posting this honest review voluntarily. Bad for Good is published on June 22nd.
June 18, 2022
Graham Bartlett used to be a high-ranking police officer in Brighton and Hove and is now an advisor to authors (Anthony Horowitz thanks him in his most recent novel) so is be well placed to write this crime novel set in the city he used to work in. Whereas a lot of crime writers naturally skip over some of the details of policing, Bartlett is perfectly qualified to go into that detail and, although he does, he doesn’t let the story get bogged down with the mechanics of solving crime to the detriment of the story.
However, having finished this, I couldn’t help but feel that Brighton seems a place to avoid. One of my fellow moderators on a Goodreads group comes from there, so that makes me feel more positive because, goodness, this is a very heavy and violent read. One of the real differences between this and many other crime novels, is that the central characters are of higher ranks that most that we are used to seeing. So, we have Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe, Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke and D.I. Bob Heaton among others.
Phil Cooke’s wife has cancer, and he is busy taking care of her and dealing with the demands of work and the never-ending budget cuts. The couple have two sons and when Harry, a promising footballer, is stabbed in a park, he is devastated. He has history with Joanne, who is juggling her career with the demands of being a mother – very different from that faced by most fathers – and also under constant criticism from her superiors.
This has a fairly complex plot, involving vigilantes and an epidemic of violence in the city, as well as a number of characters, so you need to concentrate. That’s fine though, as you will want to find out what happens and I read this fairly quickly, which is always a good sign. The novel balances the story of the crimes alongside an interesting look at the reality of policing and the characters are realistic and well rounded. I received a copy of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
However, having finished this, I couldn’t help but feel that Brighton seems a place to avoid. One of my fellow moderators on a Goodreads group comes from there, so that makes me feel more positive because, goodness, this is a very heavy and violent read. One of the real differences between this and many other crime novels, is that the central characters are of higher ranks that most that we are used to seeing. So, we have Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe, Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke and D.I. Bob Heaton among others.
Phil Cooke’s wife has cancer, and he is busy taking care of her and dealing with the demands of work and the never-ending budget cuts. The couple have two sons and when Harry, a promising footballer, is stabbed in a park, he is devastated. He has history with Joanne, who is juggling her career with the demands of being a mother – very different from that faced by most fathers – and also under constant criticism from her superiors.
This has a fairly complex plot, involving vigilantes and an epidemic of violence in the city, as well as a number of characters, so you need to concentrate. That’s fine though, as you will want to find out what happens and I read this fairly quickly, which is always a good sign. The novel balances the story of the crimes alongside an interesting look at the reality of policing and the characters are realistic and well rounded. I received a copy of the book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
June 16, 2022
4.75⭐️ gore score 2/5
The author is new to me. Up til now he is better known as an advisor to authors on police procedural matters.
A footballer has been killed, who happens to be the son of the Chief Superintendent of Brighton. This makes the case even trickier for Detective Superintendent Jo Howes. The situation becomes even more desperate for her with blackmail, vigilantes and police corruption thrown into the mix.
It’s dark and gritty in places, but generally I’d say mid way on the gore score. The writing style is polished and proficient. The seniority level of the protagonist is a higher than usually found in police procedurals giving the storyline a different base point.
Plot wise there’s plenty going on throughout. The threads have a good complexity are intricately interwoven. The pov’s are varied including both protagonists and antagonists, we get a more street vibe from the county lines drug runner. There’s a good pace maintained throughout with no lag, and it builds up to a full on action finale.
The characters and their back stories are well fleshed, the protagonists have their flaws. Theres a good level of emotion and empathy shown by them. There’s some good attention to detail demonstrated.
I made a list of characters and their relationships as there are a lot mentioned in the early stages of the book. The amount of concentration required is the only reason this isn’t a full fledged rate 5⭐️
There’s snippets of humour running throughout too, but nothing that’s slapstick.
I highly recommend this book, and eagerly await the next instalment.
The author is new to me. Up til now he is better known as an advisor to authors on police procedural matters.
A footballer has been killed, who happens to be the son of the Chief Superintendent of Brighton. This makes the case even trickier for Detective Superintendent Jo Howes. The situation becomes even more desperate for her with blackmail, vigilantes and police corruption thrown into the mix.
It’s dark and gritty in places, but generally I’d say mid way on the gore score. The writing style is polished and proficient. The seniority level of the protagonist is a higher than usually found in police procedurals giving the storyline a different base point.
Plot wise there’s plenty going on throughout. The threads have a good complexity are intricately interwoven. The pov’s are varied including both protagonists and antagonists, we get a more street vibe from the county lines drug runner. There’s a good pace maintained throughout with no lag, and it builds up to a full on action finale.
The characters and their back stories are well fleshed, the protagonists have their flaws. Theres a good level of emotion and empathy shown by them. There’s some good attention to detail demonstrated.
I made a list of characters and their relationships as there are a lot mentioned in the early stages of the book. The amount of concentration required is the only reason this isn’t a full fledged rate 5⭐️
There’s snippets of humour running throughout too, but nothing that’s slapstick.
I highly recommend this book, and eagerly await the next instalment.
June 20, 2022
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
I never really warmed to this book. There were lots of characters to keep on top of, many of them senior police officers. There was also a big focus on the staffing and budgetary shortages of the police, to the extent that I felt at times as if I were in a budget meeting with them. I'm sure that's very true to life, but I prefer my crime fiction to be more reassuring.
I never really warmed to this book. There were lots of characters to keep on top of, many of them senior police officers. There was also a big focus on the staffing and budgetary shortages of the police, to the extent that I felt at times as if I were in a budget meeting with them. I'm sure that's very true to life, but I prefer my crime fiction to be more reassuring.
May 31, 2022
A somewhat uneven police procedural story. There are some very good parts to this - the way that corruption high up is woven into the story creates for some interesting tensions. However, it doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be a political police procedural thriller or a Hollywood style guns blazing all action thing. I am not sure the Hollywood ending is doing the story any favours in the long run...
The setting is an interesting one for me - Brighton is a place I am familiar with and several of the places mentioned I know reasonably well. Whilst there is crime here it is not exactly the crime capital of the UK. The pressures on policing with regards to budget cuts are definitely a hot topic and the author obviously speaks from a place of knowledge. With regards to corruption in the forces, it is dealt with in an interesting way. The location of the story and its contents do become a bit jarring. There is quite a brutal story buried in here, but it is the firefight at the end that really bugs me. This is an extremely American style piece of action and feels supremely unrealistic in a UK setting.
The first few chapters are somewhat confusing with the POV jumping around a lot. This settles down as the book progresses and the prose becomes an engaging and readable affair. The characters are mostly well written, although I think having Phil Cooke as the Police Chief made some of his later actions less believable and more frustrating. I do feel that if the desire for the Hollywood ending had been reigned in a bit this would have been a very good crime novel.
The setting is an interesting one for me - Brighton is a place I am familiar with and several of the places mentioned I know reasonably well. Whilst there is crime here it is not exactly the crime capital of the UK. The pressures on policing with regards to budget cuts are definitely a hot topic and the author obviously speaks from a place of knowledge. With regards to corruption in the forces, it is dealt with in an interesting way. The location of the story and its contents do become a bit jarring. There is quite a brutal story buried in here, but it is the firefight at the end that really bugs me. This is an extremely American style piece of action and feels supremely unrealistic in a UK setting.
The first few chapters are somewhat confusing with the POV jumping around a lot. This settles down as the book progresses and the prose becomes an engaging and readable affair. The characters are mostly well written, although I think having Phil Cooke as the Police Chief made some of his later actions less believable and more frustrating. I do feel that if the desire for the Hollywood ending had been reigned in a bit this would have been a very good crime novel.
June 24, 2022
Bad for Good by Graham Bartlett
Debut police procedural filled with characters and crimes with a whole lot more going on than one book usually has happening. I had trouble following at first due to the numerous characters and switch in location/group. I then read the end and skimmed the middle to get the gist of the story. I did not warm up to any of the characters and came away not really wanting to see any of the people again though I believe this is probably the first book in a series. I believe that dark gritty books are fine and do enjoy them from time to time, but I prefer a story that has a bit of positive and a reason to want to return to the main character or team and this book did not provide that for me. In the end I felt sad and unwilling to read every word so decided to stop. I am sure many will enjoy this book. Note: as I read Iwrote down words that might give you an idea of why I felt there was a lot to sift through… drugs, thugs, families, cancer, fratricide, torture, kidnapping, crazy police, budget and staffing issues, steroids, pay back, bribery-blackmail, threats, extortion, murder…and then I stopped…
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the ARC – This is my honest review.
2-3
Debut police procedural filled with characters and crimes with a whole lot more going on than one book usually has happening. I had trouble following at first due to the numerous characters and switch in location/group. I then read the end and skimmed the middle to get the gist of the story. I did not warm up to any of the characters and came away not really wanting to see any of the people again though I believe this is probably the first book in a series. I believe that dark gritty books are fine and do enjoy them from time to time, but I prefer a story that has a bit of positive and a reason to want to return to the main character or team and this book did not provide that for me. In the end I felt sad and unwilling to read every word so decided to stop. I am sure many will enjoy this book. Note: as I read Iwrote down words that might give you an idea of why I felt there was a lot to sift through… drugs, thugs, families, cancer, fratricide, torture, kidnapping, crazy police, budget and staffing issues, steroids, pay back, bribery-blackmail, threats, extortion, murder…and then I stopped…
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison & Busby for the ARC – This is my honest review.
2-3
June 24, 2022
Wow! Here's a novel all about crime and it's results - and it is thrilling to the very last!
The murder of a promising young footballer is bad enough, but when he's the son of the highest ranking police officer in Brighton, Superintendent Jo Howe has her work cut out. Little does she know this is only the tip of the iceberg . . .
I can honestly say I never saw what was coming with this one; it is action packed from beginning to end and I was enthralled and gobsmacked in equal measure all the way through. Bad for Good is a very exciting read! There were times when I wasn't sure if I loved or loathed Jo Howe but, no spoilers - I'll let you decide for yourself. I would love this to turn into a series but whether it does or not, one thing is for sure - I shall be following Graham Bartlett's novels from here on in. He not only knows his stuff, he knows how to create a tip-top read which will leave the reader guessing until the last when they can close the book with a sigh of satisfaction. Highly recommended and a full five sparkling stars!
The murder of a promising young footballer is bad enough, but when he's the son of the highest ranking police officer in Brighton, Superintendent Jo Howe has her work cut out. Little does she know this is only the tip of the iceberg . . .
I can honestly say I never saw what was coming with this one; it is action packed from beginning to end and I was enthralled and gobsmacked in equal measure all the way through. Bad for Good is a very exciting read! There were times when I wasn't sure if I loved or loathed Jo Howe but, no spoilers - I'll let you decide for yourself. I would love this to turn into a series but whether it does or not, one thing is for sure - I shall be following Graham Bartlett's novels from here on in. He not only knows his stuff, he knows how to create a tip-top read which will leave the reader guessing until the last when they can close the book with a sigh of satisfaction. Highly recommended and a full five sparkling stars!
March 7, 2022
I think I have just read the first of a fabulous new crime series, written by a new talent in the genre. Gritty, realistic and full of intrigue, I will certainly be raving about Good For Bad.
The descriptions of the under belly of society in Brighton, and the challenges of policing the city, were believable although purely fiction. The book provides a timely warning about cuts to front line policing and the impact of many years of austerity. (I am sure this was my politically aware take on the plot and shouldn't put anyone off the book. It did have a slightly scary dystopian feel to it though..)
Brave, full of passion and the start of what is likely to be a great series about detective superintendent Jo Howe and the challenges she faces. It also takes us on a guided tour of Brighton that made me want to head down the M23 to visit many of my favourite places. I love that city!
If you are a fan of Peter James, Clare MacIntosh or Ian Rankin, this is definitely one for you. I can't wait to read book 2. I think this series will go on and on.
Thank you to the author Graham Bartlett, the publishers and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this excellent novel.
The descriptions of the under belly of society in Brighton, and the challenges of policing the city, were believable although purely fiction. The book provides a timely warning about cuts to front line policing and the impact of many years of austerity. (I am sure this was my politically aware take on the plot and shouldn't put anyone off the book. It did have a slightly scary dystopian feel to it though..)
Brave, full of passion and the start of what is likely to be a great series about detective superintendent Jo Howe and the challenges she faces. It also takes us on a guided tour of Brighton that made me want to head down the M23 to visit many of my favourite places. I love that city!
If you are a fan of Peter James, Clare MacIntosh or Ian Rankin, this is definitely one for you. I can't wait to read book 2. I think this series will go on and on.
Thank you to the author Graham Bartlett, the publishers and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this excellent novel.
May 16, 2023
If I hadn't predicted how everything would end up unfolding, I would have been ok with this purely for how greatly gritty it was but, sadly the lack of surprise and the vibes throughout never had me overly enthused.
More than anything else it's just not my style, I'm not into blackmail and a never ending game, chasing ones tail. Especially when I saw the outcome long before it became apparent, and even some of the earlier plot twists did not surprise. I also never gave a shit about the characters, so that didn't help.
I still stand by my earlier comment, when I was debating DNF and went to look at some reviews to be inspired to stay. I understand why so many of the 5 star reviews respond positively to the gritty edge and negative complexities of the police force with all the blackmail, gov cuts, impossible situations etc.
More than anything else it's just not my style, I'm not into blackmail and a never ending game, chasing ones tail. Especially when I saw the outcome long before it became apparent, and even some of the earlier plot twists did not surprise. I also never gave a shit about the characters, so that didn't help.
I still stand by my earlier comment, when I was debating DNF and went to look at some reviews to be inspired to stay. I understand why so many of the 5 star reviews respond positively to the gritty edge and negative complexities of the police force with all the blackmail, gov cuts, impossible situations etc.
August 4, 2022
The authors background lends an authenticity to the story which really centres the readers experience.
I found it slow to get into, and at times unnecessary racial stereotypes set me on edge. I found none of the characters to be particularly appealing. However overall it was a well written cat and mouse game with a satisfactory ending.
I found it slow to get into, and at times unnecessary racial stereotypes set me on edge. I found none of the characters to be particularly appealing. However overall it was a well written cat and mouse game with a satisfactory ending.
March 21, 2022
Bad for Good is an intriguing start to a new crime series by Graham Bartlett. I’ve come across Graham’s name before, especially as he is the advisor to crime writer Peter James, so I was very eager to read Graham’s debut. Graham is a former police officer; I wanted to see how he would draw on his own experiences in this book, and it does feel really authentic.
Graham Bartlett has created a cast of fascinating characters. I really liked Detective Superintendent Jo Howe. She is faced with a complex and high profile case, following the murder of a rising football star, who is the son of the Chief Superintendent, Phil Cooke, which means there is intense media coverage and a lot of pressure. But as Jo tackles with the investigation, corruption is brewing behind the scenes.
Graham Bartlett did a great job of fleshing out his characters. Jo comes across as a person who has worked hard to get to where she is today. I thought Graham did a great job of building her character and I enjoyed finding out more about her. I really felt for Phil. I don’t want to go into too much detail here, as I don’t want to spoil it for you, but even though he is already going through the worst time of his life, following the murder of his son, it is about to become even harder for him. This is where Graham really ups the tension, and I had no idea just what Phil was going to do to try and get out of the problems he was in. It makes for really tense reading and you can see just how much stress this puts him under.
I really wanted to know the reason behind the murder of Phil’s son. I was rooting for Jo to get the truth, especially when Graham raises the stakes for Phil. I felt as though Phil had been pushed into a corner which he couldn’t escape from. Graham delves into some very dark themes and there were some shocking and surprising reveals as the truth behind the murder was revealed. I was utterly gripped as I raced through the final chapters.
The character’s Graham Bartlett has created are ones I would be keen to return to and I’m looking forward to seeing where he progresses next with this series. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next book.
Graham Bartlett has created a cast of fascinating characters. I really liked Detective Superintendent Jo Howe. She is faced with a complex and high profile case, following the murder of a rising football star, who is the son of the Chief Superintendent, Phil Cooke, which means there is intense media coverage and a lot of pressure. But as Jo tackles with the investigation, corruption is brewing behind the scenes.
Graham Bartlett did a great job of fleshing out his characters. Jo comes across as a person who has worked hard to get to where she is today. I thought Graham did a great job of building her character and I enjoyed finding out more about her. I really felt for Phil. I don’t want to go into too much detail here, as I don’t want to spoil it for you, but even though he is already going through the worst time of his life, following the murder of his son, it is about to become even harder for him. This is where Graham really ups the tension, and I had no idea just what Phil was going to do to try and get out of the problems he was in. It makes for really tense reading and you can see just how much stress this puts him under.
I really wanted to know the reason behind the murder of Phil’s son. I was rooting for Jo to get the truth, especially when Graham raises the stakes for Phil. I felt as though Phil had been pushed into a corner which he couldn’t escape from. Graham delves into some very dark themes and there were some shocking and surprising reveals as the truth behind the murder was revealed. I was utterly gripped as I raced through the final chapters.
The character’s Graham Bartlett has created are ones I would be keen to return to and I’m looking forward to seeing where he progresses next with this series. I’ll definitely be looking out for the next book.
April 22, 2023
An audacious yet authentic-feeling crime thriller from someone who knows what he’s talking about. The story involves high level corruption in the Sussex police and a sinister, powerful vigilante group. Jo, the main police character is very relatable and the dialogue is excellent. A tense, fascinating, fast-paced read that compelled me to turn the pages.
August 1, 2022
I understand this is fiction - but there's a difference between that and believable. Bad for Good isn't believable.
July 16, 2023
Slow paced, confusing at times with a lot of characters of insignificance. Basic plot and dull characters.
July 3, 2022
I had seen lots of good comments on this book, and being a lover of crime fiction I thought I would buy myself a copy and see what I thought. Just before picking this one up I had just finished a fast paced Psychological Thriller. So this one had a lot to live up to. But I had seen some of the girls in our @squadpod3 were recommending so had a feeling this would be good.
Initially I found the pace a little slow, but that’s just me, I like to go into a story at 100 miles an hour. However, the slow part was necessary really to get to know some of the main players in the story. Once that was done the pace started to pick up and by the time I had reached part 2 I couldn’t stop it had me completely gripped, finishing it at 4am this morning. I had to know how it was going to end before I could even think of sleeping.
The story is set in Brighton, the crime rates are rising, but the police are so short of officers, something I know we have been hearing for a while now, with budget cuts, a ban on hiring new officers for several years. Because the police are taking longer and longer to attend crime scenes whether that be break ins, assaults, burglary it has given a vigilante group a chance to grow its own business. But this business does not come free to those who call it. The methods of dealing with the perpetrators are pretty gruesome as well as we learn from the start. But this is just the beginning. The opening scene gives an idea as to how this group work, but you have no idea who they are.
Detective Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke, has a lot going on not just at work but also in his home life, his wife Ruth is dying from cancer, he has two sons Harry and Kyle, Harry is on his way to be a professional footballer for Brighton and Hove Albion, Phil is thrilled at this and so proud of his son. Then, he has work dealing with ACC Acers who is demanding he makes more cuts, but how can you cut something when there is nothing left to cut, they are already running on low staff, being called out by the press and the public for the rise in crime.
But then something happens that will change Phil’s life forever, his son Harry is murdered. Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe is tasked with finding the killer of Harry Cooke, he had been stabbed in the heart. But there is absolutely nothing to go on, no evidence at the scene, no witnesses. Word on the street is that a local drug ring leader Marco is to blame but Marco has gone underground for reasons of his own. It starts to look to Jo that there are vigilante’s out there, but it’s something she doesn’t want to believe, and it’s something her superiors tell her to stay clear of as it’s just talk. But where does Harry’s death fit in? He was a popular person with a great future ahead of him. Who would want him dead?
The vigilante group contact Phil and offer to find Harry’s killer for a price, Phil doesn’t want to do this but this group knows things about Phil, things that would end his career, if he doesn’t toe the line things won’t look good not just for him but others in his family.
Once you knew all the players in this, it became very fast paced and gripping, I felt like screaming at some of the characters telling them to listen to what they are being told. It was unclear who could be trusted who is the puppet master pulling all the strings. I will admit I did guess who Harry’s killer was before the end of the book but that didn’t matter, because with everything that was going on towards the end, I was on the edge of my seat, or should I say edge of my bed! There are some great characters in this, some I would like to see again, some I felt such empathy for especially Bob Heaton. They were all believable, relatable. Some nice and some not so nice but that happens in life.
If you like your crime read gritty and dark in places then grab a copy of this you will not be disappointed. The timeline runs from the end of April to the middle of August. Once you get into this you will not be able to put it down. A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read. Engrossing, at times tense, gripping read.
Initially I found the pace a little slow, but that’s just me, I like to go into a story at 100 miles an hour. However, the slow part was necessary really to get to know some of the main players in the story. Once that was done the pace started to pick up and by the time I had reached part 2 I couldn’t stop it had me completely gripped, finishing it at 4am this morning. I had to know how it was going to end before I could even think of sleeping.
The story is set in Brighton, the crime rates are rising, but the police are so short of officers, something I know we have been hearing for a while now, with budget cuts, a ban on hiring new officers for several years. Because the police are taking longer and longer to attend crime scenes whether that be break ins, assaults, burglary it has given a vigilante group a chance to grow its own business. But this business does not come free to those who call it. The methods of dealing with the perpetrators are pretty gruesome as well as we learn from the start. But this is just the beginning. The opening scene gives an idea as to how this group work, but you have no idea who they are.
Detective Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke, has a lot going on not just at work but also in his home life, his wife Ruth is dying from cancer, he has two sons Harry and Kyle, Harry is on his way to be a professional footballer for Brighton and Hove Albion, Phil is thrilled at this and so proud of his son. Then, he has work dealing with ACC Acers who is demanding he makes more cuts, but how can you cut something when there is nothing left to cut, they are already running on low staff, being called out by the press and the public for the rise in crime.
But then something happens that will change Phil’s life forever, his son Harry is murdered. Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe is tasked with finding the killer of Harry Cooke, he had been stabbed in the heart. But there is absolutely nothing to go on, no evidence at the scene, no witnesses. Word on the street is that a local drug ring leader Marco is to blame but Marco has gone underground for reasons of his own. It starts to look to Jo that there are vigilante’s out there, but it’s something she doesn’t want to believe, and it’s something her superiors tell her to stay clear of as it’s just talk. But where does Harry’s death fit in? He was a popular person with a great future ahead of him. Who would want him dead?
The vigilante group contact Phil and offer to find Harry’s killer for a price, Phil doesn’t want to do this but this group knows things about Phil, things that would end his career, if he doesn’t toe the line things won’t look good not just for him but others in his family.
Once you knew all the players in this, it became very fast paced and gripping, I felt like screaming at some of the characters telling them to listen to what they are being told. It was unclear who could be trusted who is the puppet master pulling all the strings. I will admit I did guess who Harry’s killer was before the end of the book but that didn’t matter, because with everything that was going on towards the end, I was on the edge of my seat, or should I say edge of my bed! There are some great characters in this, some I would like to see again, some I felt such empathy for especially Bob Heaton. They were all believable, relatable. Some nice and some not so nice but that happens in life.
If you like your crime read gritty and dark in places then grab a copy of this you will not be disappointed. The timeline runs from the end of April to the middle of August. Once you get into this you will not be able to put it down. A definite ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💥💥💥💥💥 read. Engrossing, at times tense, gripping read.
May 22, 2022
This was a wild ride from start to finish! A gritty debut from a former police officer, we see the lengths people will go to to get what they want. I really enjoyed this story - I thought it was well written & the characters were fleshed out, and it had me on the edge of my seat. At first it feels like there are too many people & too many stories, but gradually, things start to become clearer. As things were getting pieced together, I had to know what was going to happen to everyone, and my jaw dropped at some of the revelations. Blackmail, corruption & vigilantes make this a tense story that I couldn’t put down - I hope Graham Bartlett has more stories to tell!
Thanks to Allison & Busby & NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Allison & Busby & NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2022
4.25⭐
Bad for Good is a dark and gritty police procedural set in Brighton in a time when police forces are shrinking and budgets are being cut. Yet, those in charge and the public still expect the same level of service.
But when it becomes clear that Brighton police are losing control a group of vigilantes step in and offer to take action for a price.
So when DCS Phil Cooke's eighteen-year-old son Harry a promising footballer is murdered, they are willing to step up and help and with plenty of locals believing they have the right idea the Detective Superintendent tasked with catching the killer has her work cut out, especially given her personal history with her boss who is beyond desperate to find his sons murderer.
And with great pacing, lots of believable characters, twists and some violence (which I loved) This was a really enjoyable debut novel by a former detective whose more known for advising other authors on police procedures and that definitely showed with the humour, eye for detail and gritty realism that was prevalent throughout.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
Bad for Good is a dark and gritty police procedural set in Brighton in a time when police forces are shrinking and budgets are being cut. Yet, those in charge and the public still expect the same level of service.
But when it becomes clear that Brighton police are losing control a group of vigilantes step in and offer to take action for a price.
So when DCS Phil Cooke's eighteen-year-old son Harry a promising footballer is murdered, they are willing to step up and help and with plenty of locals believing they have the right idea the Detective Superintendent tasked with catching the killer has her work cut out, especially given her personal history with her boss who is beyond desperate to find his sons murderer.
And with great pacing, lots of believable characters, twists and some violence (which I loved) This was a really enjoyable debut novel by a former detective whose more known for advising other authors on police procedures and that definitely showed with the humour, eye for detail and gritty realism that was prevalent throughout.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
June 30, 2022
I expected good things from this book knowing the author was Ex Police. And it certainly lived up to expectations.
With crime out of control and vigilantes seemingly taking over, Chief Superintendent Cooke is left devastated when his son is brutally murdered. Detective Superintendent Jo Howe is tasked with finding his killer.
With their personal history, blackmail and corruption that's not going to be easy.
A fast paced plot with plenty of twists leads to a dramatic climax in this cracking debut.
I look forward to reading the next one.
With crime out of control and vigilantes seemingly taking over, Chief Superintendent Cooke is left devastated when his son is brutally murdered. Detective Superintendent Jo Howe is tasked with finding his killer.
With their personal history, blackmail and corruption that's not going to be easy.
A fast paced plot with plenty of twists leads to a dramatic climax in this cracking debut.
I look forward to reading the next one.
June 11, 2022
Wow- but this was really, really good. Crackling with authenticity this is a one of the best police procedural I have read for a long time. As an ex-cop, the author understands the realities of policing, the politics and the constraints which they work under.
The excitement is nonstop and the characters well drawn. I read this in one breathless day and really enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.
The excitement is nonstop and the characters well drawn. I read this in one breathless day and really enjoyed it.
Highly recommended.
August 12, 2023
Brutal, especially at the beginning when you're not really expecting it. The inside info gives the story some extra authenticity, which I liked. Some hard messages for those who fund our police service.
Looking forward to the next one.
Looking forward to the next one.
July 22, 2024
Rip-roaring crime adventure. A little too violent in places. Excellent though.
April 9, 2024
Clunkily written and stretches belief - and can someone tell him about vocative commas and the difference between 'past' and 'passed', please?!
February 13, 2022
What a debut. This is a really well told story with an interesting cast of characters. And some serious twists that you won't see coming. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC - I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys British police procedurals and a good thriller.
March 5, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance copy of Bad for Good, the first novel to feature Detective Superintendent Jo Howe of the Sussex police.
Brighton is stunned when rising football star Harry Cooke is murdered, especially as he is the son of Brighton top officer, Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke. Detective Superintendent Jo Howe is tasked with finding Harry’s killer, but an upsurge in vigilantism and a lack of staff make her job more difficult.
I struggled to get through Bad for Good, despite police procedurals being my favourite kind of reading. On the positive side the author is a former police officer, so the detail and background is credible. On the negative side the novel revolves around a lack of staff due to the austerity cuts that have affected all public services over the past decade. I understand that it is an issue, but the poor, poor pitiful us comes across as propaganda and doesn’t cut much ice in light of recent revelations about the toxic culture and unlawful behaviour.
I didn’t find the novel engaging. It is told from various points of view and jumps from character to character, not allowing the reader any continuity of narrative. It is also fair to say that it is more about the vigilantism than the murder investigation and that doesn’t really interest me. I’m not sure that I found it particularly credible and I absolutely loathed Phil Cooke and his poor decision making, which is an issue as he’s one of the main voices in the novel. I guessed the murderer almost straight away, so the identity isn’t well concealed and that was a disappointment.
I understand that this is a debut novel, so maybe I should cut the author some slack, but I don’t think he has the balance quite right between action and detail. It has plenty of action but it lacks tension and doesn’t have that spark of excitement that draws the reader in and holds their attention. It’s a solid read.
Brighton is stunned when rising football star Harry Cooke is murdered, especially as he is the son of Brighton top officer, Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke. Detective Superintendent Jo Howe is tasked with finding Harry’s killer, but an upsurge in vigilantism and a lack of staff make her job more difficult.
I struggled to get through Bad for Good, despite police procedurals being my favourite kind of reading. On the positive side the author is a former police officer, so the detail and background is credible. On the negative side the novel revolves around a lack of staff due to the austerity cuts that have affected all public services over the past decade. I understand that it is an issue, but the poor, poor pitiful us comes across as propaganda and doesn’t cut much ice in light of recent revelations about the toxic culture and unlawful behaviour.
I didn’t find the novel engaging. It is told from various points of view and jumps from character to character, not allowing the reader any continuity of narrative. It is also fair to say that it is more about the vigilantism than the murder investigation and that doesn’t really interest me. I’m not sure that I found it particularly credible and I absolutely loathed Phil Cooke and his poor decision making, which is an issue as he’s one of the main voices in the novel. I guessed the murderer almost straight away, so the identity isn’t well concealed and that was a disappointment.
I understand that this is a debut novel, so maybe I should cut the author some slack, but I don’t think he has the balance quite right between action and detail. It has plenty of action but it lacks tension and doesn’t have that spark of excitement that draws the reader in and holds their attention. It’s a solid read.
June 10, 2022
Police procedurals usually have a troubled cop, but here we have a whole force-full. Vigilantes are usually killers, but here we have a fully integrated system for snatch, torture and disposal of lowlifes. Cops are usually DS or DI level but here the roster stretches all the way up to Chief Constable Helen Ricks and her budget holder the Police and Crime Commissioner. Stuck in the middle is Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe, the Head of the Major Crime Unit that covers Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Hampshire. Her background was the Brighton and Hove force, which is now headed by Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke, with whom she had had a short affair many years ago. Their lives are now going to be thrown together again, because Phil’s son, Harry, has just been stabbed in the heart by an unknown assailant. The high profile of this killing, and the delicacy of her situation with Phil, mean she is initially not all that concerned by Superintendent Gary Hedges’ concern that a vigilante gang have started operating in the area, taking advantage of the over-stretched and under-funded local force’s inability to quickly respond and deal with minor crimes. Are all these things just coincidence, or is there a giant conspiracy going on? As everything starts to spiral out of control, Jo has to juggle her domestic situation, Phil’s paranoia, the Chief Constable’s meddling, and the increasingly violent activities of the vigilante group.
The style of writing is very strong, with many graphically violent scenes – especially early on. The police procedural details are, reportedly, highly accurate, because the author is a retired Chief Superintendent from Brighton and Hove. I hope the funding and staffing situation is not this bad in reality but exaggerated for plot purposes (the vigilantes could not develop or operate in this way unless the police system was this disastrous). Even allowing for this plot device, it seems extremely unlikely that such a complex vigilante system could ever be developed – it requires dozens of people and the use of publicly visible structures. Frankly, it stretches my “willing suspension of disbelief” to breaking point. In terms of the whodunnit aspect, I worked out the who and why very rapidly, but didn’t believe the motive. As to the other characters, I didn’t really believe in any of them. The ending is OTT, but that seems par for this course. On the positive side, it’s a fast read and quite entertaining if you like a bit of violence and you’re not too fussy about logic.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
The style of writing is very strong, with many graphically violent scenes – especially early on. The police procedural details are, reportedly, highly accurate, because the author is a retired Chief Superintendent from Brighton and Hove. I hope the funding and staffing situation is not this bad in reality but exaggerated for plot purposes (the vigilantes could not develop or operate in this way unless the police system was this disastrous). Even allowing for this plot device, it seems extremely unlikely that such a complex vigilante system could ever be developed – it requires dozens of people and the use of publicly visible structures. Frankly, it stretches my “willing suspension of disbelief” to breaking point. In terms of the whodunnit aspect, I worked out the who and why very rapidly, but didn’t believe the motive. As to the other characters, I didn’t really believe in any of them. The ending is OTT, but that seems par for this course. On the positive side, it’s a fast read and quite entertaining if you like a bit of violence and you’re not too fussy about logic.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
February 9, 2022
A gritty and exciting crime thriller set in Sussex. Having suffered cuts to the number of staff, the Brighton police are struggling to keep on top of the rising crimes in the city. A ruthless vigilante group has stepped in to fill the void but now the violence is spinning out of control.
This is a fast paced, complex and well constructed story. A very thrilling read.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
This is a fast paced, complex and well constructed story. A very thrilling read.
I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review.
August 13, 2022
This was an interesting, rather dystopian view of what might happen in a world where budgets are constantly being cut for policing while demand rises and you have the misfortune to work in the higher ranks. The budgetary issues are real, but I'm rather hoping the outcome here is not! It's unusual to read police procedurals with officers who start so high up in the rankings, as most start with the main character somewhere in the low to middle ranks, even if they eventually rise up through the ranks over a long series of books, but it was nice to get a different perspective for a change.
The main issue I did have was with the clunkiness of a lot of the speech, possibly the author had to write too many formal reports in his previous job which had to be in 'proper' English, but when speaking, people generally contract things such as "we are" to "we're" etc, and it kind of interrupted the flow of reading some of the scenes as I struggled to hear the voices of the speakers tripping over superfluous words.
The main issue I did have was with the clunkiness of a lot of the speech, possibly the author had to write too many formal reports in his previous job which had to be in 'proper' English, but when speaking, people generally contract things such as "we are" to "we're" etc, and it kind of interrupted the flow of reading some of the scenes as I struggled to hear the voices of the speakers tripping over superfluous words.
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