Silenced: A gripping urban psychological crime thriller

by Jennie Ensor

BBNYA (Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award) SEMII-FINALIST 2022!'Brilliant doesn't quite sum up this incredibly detailed, intricately woven story. A beautiful gut punch might be closer!' Samantha Brownley, UK Crime Book Club‘Mind blowingly good, deserves more than 5 stars’ - Donna Morfett ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Just brilliant. Read it!’ Deb Day ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Silenced is the compelling and gritty new thriller by British author Jennie Ensor. A story of love, fear and betrayal, and having the courage to speak out when the odds are stacked against you.A teenage girl is murdered on her way home from school, stabbed through the heart. Her North London community is shocked, but no-one has the courage to help the police, not even her mother. DI Callum Waverley, in his first job as senior investigating officer, tries to break through the code of silence that shrouds the case.This is a world where the notorious Skull Crew rules through fear. Everyone knows you keep your mouth shut or you’ll be silenced – permanently.This is Luke’s world. Reeling from the loss of his mother to cancer, his step-father distant at best, violent at worst, he slides into the Skull Crew’s grip.This is Jez’s world too. Her alcoholic mother neither knows nor cares that her 16-year-old daughter is being exploited by V, all-powerful leader of the gang.Luke and Jez form a bond. Can Callum win their trust, or will his own demons sabotage his investigation? And can anyone stop the Skull Crew ensuring all witnesses are silenced?PRAISE FOR 'With authentic voices, a believable storyline and characters that you can really relate to this is one of my favourite books of the year so far - Gripping, fast paced, poignant and, most importantly, REAL!' LIz Mistry, DI Gus McGuire and DS Nikki Parekh series'...powerful. It's such a taut plot, with brilliantly drawn, nuanced characters. I found myself longing to find out what happened, and the ending is very satisfying. Such an assured, confident book...' Kate Rhodes, DI Ben Kitto series'A savage and powerful novel that exposes the dark underbelly of gang culture, the self-destructive actions of those caught in its web and the shattering consequences for all that it leaves in its wake. Crime fiction at its best.' Ian Skewis, A Murder of Crows‘A crime thriller with depth. It’s heart pounding, addictive and intelligent. It’s rare to come across a rollercoaster read that has heart, but this is it. A must read.’ Barbara Copperthwaite, The Girl in the Missing Poster, The Perfect Friend and Flowers for the Dead'...was wonderfully crafted and the story was in fact, I read it in one fell swoop.' Janet Pole'Mesmerisingly good; Jennie Ensor has written a real stonker of a crime thriller here...this book stayed with me for a long time after I’d finished it.' Linda Huber, psychological thriller author'Wow. Brilliant!' Emma HardyFROM THE BLOG TOUR'A stunning story by this author, her best yet.' Susan Hampson'An absolute tour de force.' Michelle Ryles'A definite YES from me!' The Untidy Bookshelf'A fantastic book.

519 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 7, 2021

About the author

A Londoner with Irish heritage, Jennie Ensor writes emotionally-charged psychological suspense and thrillers, and darkly comic fiction.
She began her writing career as a journalist and loves to tackle controversial issues in her novels: Islamic terrorism, Russian gangsters and war crimes in Blind Side (a thriller set in the year of London’s 2005 terror attacks), abuse and sexual exploitation in The Girl in His Eyes. Not Having It All is a darkly humourous novel about love and relationships, not having children and the perils of family life.
Jennie’s fourth book Silenced published December 2021 with Hobeck Books – a crime thriller with a strong psychological element that ventures into the shadowy world of teen-exploiting gangs and police corruption.
Ms Ensor lives with her husband and an Airedale terrier. She writes short stories and poetry as well as novels, her poem Lost Connection placed second in its category in the 2020 Fish Lockdown Prize. In her spare time (?) Jennie reads widely, sings choral music, practices yoga and cycles the punishing local hills. Evenings, she’s often collapsed in front of a TV crime drama with a bar of chocolate/glass of strong alcohol.
You can find out more about Jennie and her books on her website https://jennieensor.com or follow her on social media.

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jennie-Ensor...
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JennieEnsorA...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jennie_Ensor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennieensor/

Reviews

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Silenced” is the second book I’ve recently read, published by ‘Hobeck’ books, that has had me stunned within the first chapter. I truly wasn’t expecting what happened and predominantly set the dark and gritty tone for the rest of this emotionally packed crime thriller. Throughout, I constantly had my heart in my mouth which proved that this thriller had a powerfully poignant and hard hitting storyline. Gritty, dark but sadly all too true to life, “Silenced” isn’t for the faint hearted but is a genuine reflection on how vulnerable young kids are being targeted by gangs for recruitment.

The officer in charge of the case involving the death of Solita Milton is DI Callum Waverley and it is his first major case as an SIO. Fighting his own demons from the unusual death of his father and his difficult relationship with his son Brendan, Callum is forced to admit his psychological issues and secrets, which have frighteningly parallel similarities to Luke, a troubled teenager embroiled in the ‘Skull Crew’ gang’s crime.

It’s clearly obvious that the author, Jennie Ensor has carried out some intense research into the world of violent urban gangs, particularly in North London and how vulnerable teenagers of both sexes are being exploited by gangs, the attractiveness of gang culture and leaving gang life behind. I for one, think differently about the younger members of these gangs now and I believe that the author has succeeded in portraying the inner lives of urban gangs and it’s teenage members. Not forgetting the police striving to close down these violent gangs, Jennie also managed to show life from the side of frustrated authorities, fighting against silence and secrets, fear of betrayal and corrupt officers.

Told from various character voices, enabling their innermost thoughts to be conveyed and to fully get into the mindset of troubled teenagers, I was literally gripped from start to finish with this edgy, frightening and realistic thriller. Excellent work from Jennie Ensor and I’d happily recommend this compelling and brutally truthful book.

Living in North London with an Irish heritage, Jenner Ensor writes psychological suspense and crime thrillers covering controversial topics. “Silenced” is her fourth novel.

Thank you to Rebecca Hobart at Hobeck books for inviting me on this blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest opinion.

#SILENCED - 4.5 stars

[Liz Mistry · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was clear to me from the start that the author put a lot of time into researching for this book and boy did it pay off because I was gripped from start to finish. Written from the point of views of the troubled detective investigating a gang related murder in an inner city London estate and from two vulnerable teens ripe for induction into the gang, this book transported me to another world. It illuminated the pressures, fears and dilemmas faced by disadvantaged teens as they navigate their way in a world where everything is stacked against them.
With authentic voices, a believable storyline and characters that you can really relate to this is one of my favourite books of the year so far - Gripping, fast paced, poignant and, most importantly, REAL!
This story needed telling and Ensor has done a wonderful job of doing so, which is largely to do with her ability to tap into the essence of each character she writes, but is also due to her meticulous research of a topical, yet under-explored topic. It was refreshing (if a little bit unsettling) to be transported into the minds of the teen protagonists, but it was that edginess that made this novel such a fulfilling read.
Silenced offers hard-hitting insight into the world of gangs and the fear they perpetuate in their communities – A complete triumph – well written, fast paced, empathetic and heart-breaking. I loved it!

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A shocking opening sets the scene for Jennie Ensor’s latest novel. Teenager Solita Milton is walking home from school, thinking about what to buy her sister for a birthday gift and her determination to work hard at school, get good grades which hopefully will pave the way to university and her goal of being a social worker.

Investigating the seemingly pointless and random murder of a teenage girl is DI Callum Waverley’s first assignment as acting SIO. It’s a significant case and Callum knows he has to make sure he’s up to the job, despite his recent burn out, plus an incident from the past which he has kept to himself and still plays on his mind, and the troubled relationship with his son who blames him for the break up of his marriage.

The investigation is anything but straightforward. Frustratingly for the investigating team, any residents who might have been witnesses, even Solita’s mother, are too afraid to give the police any information … except for one.

The story is told through the first person perspectives of three of the characters — Callum and two teens, Jez and Luke. All three are believable. I can’t even imagine how the police cope with some of the things they witness, especially with regard to this kind of scenario. It was a case that seemed never ending to Callum and the strain of the investigation, combined with his personal issues, was evident.

I read that Jennie Ensor did tons of research and interviewed ex gang members, so this feels very true to life, with the instances of crime and grooming of youngsters who have lost their way through parental neglect, loss, their need to feel a sense of belonging, or whatever other reason. They are such easy targets for the gangsters to reel in. And once they’re in, there’s no escape without consequences.

Although this is a fairly hefty novel weighing in at all on 500 pages, it didn’t feel like it while I was reading. I was immersed in the story and appreciated the fact it was told from both sides. The police procedural and gangland culture aspects are convincingly realistic. It’s intense, raw, violent, poignant — a very sensitively and well written novel.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silenced is an almighty powerful and hard-hitting story, that is all too close, to how some of the cities and towns of Britain are these days. The Skull Crew rule the streets of North London and cannot be seen to have any weaknesses. Then the daylight murder of a young teenage girl on her way home from school rocks the community, but everyone is staying quiet about the attack. Because if you don’t keep quiet, then the Skull Crew with permanently shut you up.

It isn’t just a story about senseless murder and the fear that a gang can instil into communities. It looks at it from both sides and how recruits are groomed into this lifestyle. There are two young teenagers, that are both struggling at home. Luke, after the death of his mum and, Jez whose mum is an alcoholic. They have slipped under the radar of being vulnerable. Then they find each other.

DCI Callum Waverly is in charge of the case, he has a lot to prove. It is his first appointment, and secondly, he has a hidden past himself. It makes for a page-turning read that never lets up. The fear feels very real, and the situation is like something you will see on page 7 of your local paper because it happens all too often.

What a stunning story this is! Jennie Ensor brings a dash of realism to every chapter, with horrific realistic acts of graphic violence. It is heartbreaking. V, the lead character of the Skull Crew, is terrifying, a man who will follow up on promises. Is anyone brave enough to tell the truth? A stunning story by this author, her best yet, in my opinion, and highly recommended, but do be warned you feel like you are there, and it will stay with you.

I wish to thank the publisher for an e-copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly.

[Emma Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

More detailed review to follow as on the blog tour for this- but WOW. Brilliant.

[Linda Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young girl’s murder has consequences across the community.

What a totally cracking story. I was gripped by Silenced from start to finish because it’s exciting, written with compassion and authority, and brilliantly entertaining too. Silenced has so many layers that it can be read on several levels, giving it a fascinating depth – so much so that I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it. The quality of Jennie Ensor’s writing is so smooth and effective that she manages to permeate the reader’s mind, making them look afresh at the world and question their assumptions about others. I think it’s the natural dialogue that helps makes it so impactful as it is as if the reader is eavesdropping the conversations of real people. Add in the first person narratives that feel as if the characters are speaking directly to the reader, and Silenced really is a powerful, potent and important novel.

Firstly Silenced is a convincing police procedural narrative that completely hooks the reader from the beginning. A fast pace for the procedural element is created by timed or dated entries, short engaging chapters and an underlying sense of menace. Several times I found my heart thumping with tension as I read. I thought Callum was a wonderful character and the way in which his past resonates through his present life makes him all the more convincing. As his character is gradually built and revealed, he becomes increasingly vivid and appealing. Through Callum, Jennie Ensor illustrates the impact of crime on those investigating it with stark clarity.

I was mesmerised and horrified in equal measure by the gangland culture element of Silenced. Here I was presented with a world so far removed from my own that it should feel alien, but Jennie Ensor writes with such authority that I found myself plunged into a world of crime that felt all too real and scary. I was terrified of V, Zom et al, because I believed in them completely.

However, the element of the narrative that I found so compelling, so affecting and so thought-provoking was the exploration of society, of morality, of truth, and of how easy it is for youngsters like Luke and Jez to be sucked into a lifestyle they cannot escape. My heart ached for these two young people even when their actions should have made me abhor them. Jennie Ensor presents the real world with empathy, sensitivity and intense psychological insight. Having read Silenced I feel as if I understand the world better.

The themes of memory, truth, family, loyalty, violence, guilt and justice weaving through Silenced are presented with such dexterity that it is impossible to believe this is a work of fiction.

Silenced it a fantastic book. It’s exciting, enthralling, completely believable and an absolute triumph.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

For most of us, reports in the newspapers and on the television about the fatal stabbing of a young person and possible links with gangland culture feel far-removed from the realities of our day to day lives. However horrified we may feel when we first become aware of the latest senseless loss, how much ongoing thought do we then give to what might have motivated the violence, to the impact on victim’s family, friends and the local community, or to the ensuing police investigation? I cannot imagine that anyone who reads Jennie Ensor’s deeply disturbing, but utterly convincing, novel about the intimidating, terrifying nature of gang culture, the grooming of vulnerable young people and the difficulties the police face when trying to investigate these crimes, will ever again be able to read these headlines without giving thought to the human stories behind them.
The story is told through the first-person narratives perspectives of the three main characters: teenagers Luke and Jez and Callum, the police officer in charge of investigating the apparently motiveless killing of fifteen-year-old Solita. This was an attack which took place in broad daylight, and in view of plenty of witnesses, but the conspiracy of silence within the community, the fear of retribution from members of the Skull Crew, frustrates Callum’s efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. Solita’s mother knows who’s responsible but, not even for her dead daughter, dare she expose them – the gang’s power is absolute. For anyone who has never had to face this level of intimidation, this conspiracy of silence is probably difficult to understand, let alone empathise with but, by giving her three narrators such distinctive, authentic voices, the author enables the reader to live inside their worlds, to follow the thought-processes which determine their behaviour, to gain insights into just how easily vulnerable youngsters can be exploited and to understand how difficult it can sometimes be for people to ‘do the right thing’.
Although Luke and Jez’s reasons for becoming members of the Skull Crew were very different, what they had in common was a sense of anomie, something which made them vulnerable to being ‘expertly’ groomed by unscrupulous adults. Through their eyes I was drawn into the apparent inevitability of the decisions they were making, able to understand how their desperate need to belong, to feel loved and accepted, drew them deeper and deeper into a violent world they could see no escape from. By giving them such powerful voices the author made me care about them to such an extent that, even though I knew I was absolutely powerless to change the outcomes she’d already mapped out for them, I found myself desperately wanting to protect them from their self-destructive behaviour.
Callum’s narrative was equally compelling, allowing me insights into the challenges he faced during the investigation as he attempted to gain the trust of witnesses, to begin to break the gang’s influence on the community (and even on some corrupt members of the police team) and to protect any ‘whistle-blowers’. With his gradual revelations about the extent to which traumatic events from his childhood continue to haunt him, to shape his behaviour as an adult and which have contributed to the fraught relationship he has with his son, I felt similarly drawn into his inner-world. Without going into any detail, it gradually becomes clear that one of the reasons he is able to empathise with Luke’s predicament is because there are certain parallels in their experiences which force him to face some uncomfortable truths. As I want to avoid spoilers, I can’t give the context of one of his observations towards the end of the story … that some people are punished for things they haven’t done, whilst others never are for things they did … but in many ways his reflection encapsulates a theme which runs through this story – that for some people the odds are stacked against them and that true justice is often elusive.
All the time I was reading it was obvious that in order to have written such a multi-dimensional and convincing story which, however horrifying at times, never felt over-exaggerated, the author must have done considerable research into all aspects of this subject. The brilliance of her ability to convey how individuals and a whole community can be so effectively terrorised and silenced meant that as I was reading I found little respite from an escalating sense of tension. It’s not often that a novel engenders such a visceral sense of fear in me, but her portrayals of vicious, sadistic gang members were so convincing that there were moments when I felt terrified of them and could understand why witnesses were reluctant to come forward … it certainly made me question whether I’d have found the courage to do so.
This hard-hitting, hauntingly sad, thought-provoking and totally unforgettable novel would be an ideal choice for book groups … and I think it should be essential reading for police officers and social workers!

[Jenny McClinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an E-ARC copy of ‘Silenced’ by Jennie Ensor from the publisher Hobeck Books in return for my honest review. This is a new author for me, and I will be looking at other books released.

A teenager is stabbed near a council estate on Effra Lane, there are plenty of witnesses, but no one can give any details that will help find the killer.

In an area where gangs, drugs and violence are everywhere anyone who knows anything is scared to come forward, as they know what will happen if they do.

Will anyone come forward?

Jez and Luke are two teenagers that live near this estate, they start a friendship and soon both are brought into the terrifying gang life.

Callum is allocated the case as the senior investigating officer, and soon he is finding the case frustrating but feels there is need of urgency for it to be solved. When he finds a skull model in his car his anxiety creeps in and brings back memories of his own past that he has kept hidden.

Is someone from the team playing a practical joke, or is this a warning from The Skull Crew?

What follows is an intense look into gang life and county lines, where everyone involved is scared for their lives.

Will Callum manage to find the murderer? Will the teenagers manage to escape gang life?

This book follows three main characters Luke, Jez and Callum and tells the story from their point of view.

I have only been aware of County Lines the last few years after learning about it in Safeguarding training for my job. This must have been going on for a long time but now it seems to be affecting teenagers all over the country. It is terrifying that teenagers and I have heard younger children are being groomed into becoming part of gangs and taking part in the violence and criminal behaviour involved.

This book takes you into this horrific world and the fear felt by the characters is felt by the reader due to the authors great writing.

I heard the author talk about this book, on her book launch and the research she did visiting these types of areas herself. I must admit I would not feel brave enough to do this myself, so it took a lot of courage, but it added to the realness of the story.

It is a great read and is intense throughout, as you delve further into the characters’ lives.

Overall, an intense crime thriller which has a very current feel, and takes you into the terrifying world of gangs and county lines.

[Donna Morfett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another of those books where I'm not even sure where to begin. It feels like my words won't do this justice.
Silenced is about London gangs, and their impact on the community, members family and friends, the police and schools.
It is told in the first person from the points of view of Callum, the cop, Luke and Jez.
It starts off with the brutal seemingly senseless murder of a young girl on her way home from school.
All the characters are great, relatable, flawed, but deep down good.
Callum is carrying guilt for an incident in his childhood, trying to run an investigation under a DCI who can't stand him and trying to parent his son after his split. I'm sure many parents can relate to trying to get the work/life balance right and frequently failing and will share the guilt.
Jez (Jessamine) is possibly the most complex, her mother is an alcohol, absent father, already mixed up with the gang. She is pretty and talented but needs somewhere she feels she belongs.
Luke is a good kid until his mother dies, then goes off the rails. His story shows how easy it can be to get sucked in.
The peripheral characters are brilliant, the families, the teacher Isobel, the gang members. Its quite a large cast of characters yet you feel like you know each one.
There are so many little moments that stand out, and really bring this story to life, making the characters seem real.
The action is constantly intense, as the investigation ramps up and the gang increase their hold. The ending is explosive and gripping.
The research that went into this must have been phenomenal and at times heartbreaking. If even just 20% of it is true the gang culture in this country is a massive issue.
This is a rare book that made me forget I was reading, I couldn't put it down. I can also see, and would love to see this on the screen.

[Linda Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant

Mesmerisingly good; Jennie Ensor has written a real stonker of a crime thriller here. When a schoolgirl is murdered on the streets of London, the case is given to DI Callum Waverly, his first as chief investigating officer. The action switches back and forth from police procedure to the plight of Luke and Jez, still children when they are sucked into the alien environment of the Skull Crew gang.

Jennie Ensor must have done a tremendous amount of research to create such a convincing world for her characters. Police procedure is one thing, but to me, far more impressive is the way we are taken right into the world of Jez and Luke, the two teenagers. We see events through their eyes, how the shocking incidents that stack up are inevitable – expected, almost, we come to accept their judgement, we care about them. There’s one very chilling scene quite near the end, where DI Callum Waverly meets Jez for the first time, and suddenly we see her through his eyes, the eyes of the real world. At this point I began to suspect what direction the end of the book might take.

The book is fiction; these characters don’t exist. But there must be countless Lukes and Jezes on our streets, in our schools, and many Solitas, the fifteen-year-old who was stabbed to death in the first chapter. There’s a sense of inevitability all through the book; these children have just too much working against them to be able to join the real world without serious help, help that Callum Waverly struggles to provide.

Silenced is a haunting, heart-wrenching and thought-provoking book that stayed with me for a long time after I’d finished it.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good entertaining read. It starts with a seemingly senseless murder of a teenage schoolgirl which develops into an in-depth study of the consequences of that murder on both the local community and the detective investigating. Written in first person narratives there are three main characters. Callum is the investigating detective who has real issues from his past whilst Luke and Jez are youngsters quickly sucked into a culture they are unable to escape from. An amazing police procedural with elements of a psychological thriller.

Briefly, DI Callum Waverley is investigating the murder of a teenage girl stabbed on her way home from school. But no one is willing to help the police. The area is ruled by the Skull Crew and no one dares speak out. Luke and Jez are teenagers who run with the gang and Callum wants to get them to trust him. He needs their help. When an elderly woman who tried to help the police is murdered Callum needs to step up the investigation.

The book features many aspects of gangland crime which makes for uncomfortable reading but it is essential to the storyline. The nature of the characters is scary but all too believable. Whilst we know who the killers are early on in the book it does not spoil the reading as there are a number of inter-woven plots which the author develops with empathy. The climax to the story is frightening and clever in many ways and leaves one with a sense of the impossible in dealing with such culture. A brilliant read and I hope this isn’t the last we see of Callum ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[H.M. Holten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silence Like a Cancer Grows
Luke, Jez, and Callum get caught up in gangland, each from his or her position. Callum as a police officer and SIO, Luke as a reluctant gang member, and Jez as a giddy young woman. Each have problems and secrets to deal with, Jez’s mother is an alcoholic, Luke’s mother is dead, and his stepfather tends to become violent. Callum carries a troubled past and relives it in his nightmares.
In the opening chapter a young girl, Solita, gets murdered – a horrid and apparently senseless murder. This happens on an estate that serves as headquarter for the Skull Crew. Nobody wants, or dares, to give evidence about this murder – ‘Snitches get stitches quickly turns into ‘Ditches for snitches’.
Ms Ensor brings her cast to life. She handles police procedures as well as gangland culture in a convincing and realistic manner. The casual way lost youths get groomed and brought into a gang is spine-tingling and intense in Ensor’s prose. Her use of the gang argot brings the shady characters to life.
Silenced is about guilt – the guilt we all carry about in our baggage. It also speculates on how youth gangs function, and how they can take over an entire community. A poignant novel about peer pressure, about secrecy, and about role models, violence – and – money.

[Carole Gourlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book sums up the lives of youngsters and adults on estates where drug dealers ply their trade. I found it a very well written and a descriptive book, and the author obviously knew her subject well.

However, whilst I thought the book was excellent, and having read the prequel, I can understand how the youngsters get themselves mixed up, through boredom, unemployment etc and my heart goes out to them, but the drug dealers are absolutely ruthless. These children (as most of them were) didn’t stand a chance of escape and it made me feel very sad.

When a young girl gets knifed to death on her way home from school, no one will say anything, obviously people did see what had gone on, but they were too terrified to speak to the police, and for the repercussions later.

The police themselves either through lack of funds or whatever appeared to be walking through treacle, still despite their best efforts no one would come forward. I did think in this instance, the police were a bit gormless, and not really on the ball, but probably that’s how it is if everyone clams up.

The characters were likeable, and authentic, hard hitting and it was just a very sad story.

My thanks to the author and Hobeck Books for the ARC.

[Joe Singleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy UK gangland crime fiction and police procedural fiction then you will really enjoy this book, It is a big read with some complex situations and characters but the main characters will take your hand and lead you through the story with all the action and suspense along the way.

Not only is this a great work of fiction but it is also bringing into the light many aspects of society that get swept under the carpet so to speak. Think of issues like gangland crime, child grooming, county lines, how witnesses to crime become too scared to speak to the police and how the police officers deal with this throughout their working lives and how it affects them.

This is the first book I have read by Jennie Ensor but I will definitely be looking to read more. She has brought new life and action into the UK crime genre.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don’t know where to start with this review. If I could give it 10 stars I would. So relevant, insightful, heart-wrenching & real - I’m worn out.

The book starts with the murder of a teenage girl. In broad daylight. On her way home from school. No one is talking.
Written from the perspective of the troubled detective leading the investigation, this book delves into the gang culture permeating an inner city London estate.
The depth of research is evident as you are drawn in to the young lives of gang members who feel the world is against them & crime is the only path left to follow. Listen to their stories; their background. Don’t judge.
This is not an easy read, you are constantly on alert & the edginess of the characters & plot give you no respite. But despite all that, you have to read it. Just brilliant.

[Karen Eisenbrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tense thriller and police procedural throws back the curtain on gang life, and the danger to teens in stressed families who are looking for somewhere to belong.

Callum Waverley is a burned-out detective whose wife has left him. His teenage son blames him for the breakup. Callum’s much-needed break is interrupted when a 15-year-old girl is brutally murdered in broad daylight and no one will admit to seeing anything. Callum returns to lead the investigation, a frustrating affair that doesn’t help his stress level one bit. He is also haunted by events from his past. We also get the POVs of 16-year-olds Luke Delaney and Jess Robbins. Luke’s mother has passed away and he lives with his half-sister, whom he loves, and his stepfather, with whom there is tension. A formerly good student, grief has left Luke unable to concentrate. When Jess befriends him, he grasps at this crumb of companionship. She’s a formerly privileged girl trying to keep up appearances while living with an alcoholic mother. She can’t resist the gifts and attention of a gangster boyfriend and falls into doing jobs for the gang. Soon Luke is enmeshed with the gang, too, and discovers it is nearly impossible to get out alive. The leaders demand total loyalty and use fear and violence to intimidate an entire housing project into turning a blind eye.

All three point-of-view characters were sympathetic and believable. I was sincerely troubled by their bad decisions and hopeful when things seemed like they might turn around. The gang’s threats and action were terrifying. The case stretched out from July through February into March—a long, wearing stretch for Callum that felt realistic. Maybe the most startling thing was the story is set right now, in the middle of masking and vaxxing and thinking about COVID. This is the first novel I’ve read that includes that background. It felt immediate and added one more concern to everything else. This is a tense, well researched thriller—not for the faint of heart!

I received an advance-review ebook from the author.

[Poppy Marlowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis:
**********
A teenage girl was murdered on her way home from school, stabbed through the heart. Her North London community is shocked, but no one has the courage to help the police, not even her mother.
It’s DI Callum Waverley’s first major case as a senior investigating officer – can he break the code of silence that shrouds the case?
This is a world where the notorious Skull Crew rules through fear. Everyone knows you keep your mouth shut or you’ll be silenced – permanently. This is Luke’s world. Reeling from the loss of his mother to cancer, his step-father distant at best, violent at worst, he slides into the Skull Crew’s grip. This is Jez’s world too. Her alcoholic mother neither knows nor cares that her 16-year-old daughter is being exploited by V, the all-powerful leader of the gang.
Luke and Jez form a bond. Is it friendship, love or fear that brings them together? Can Callum win their trust, or will his own demons sabotage his investigation? And can anyone stop the Skull Crew from ensuring all witnesses are silenced?

Gangs are such a part of the mid-size city I live in (London, Ontario, Canada) so I cannot imagine what it is like living in the real, large, London and dealing with their gangs and crime. DI Waverly has a job set out for them dealing with said gang and its trickle-down effect on Luke and Jez.
Expertly crafted and utterly readable, I will continue to recommend it to my readers and book clubs alike.
#shortbutsweetreviews