Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

DCI Reece #4

CHASING SHADOWS

Rate this book
Set against the backdrops of Cardiff Bay and the spectacular Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park, CHASING SHADOWS is a fast-paced and twisty crime thriller that would be perfect for readers of Simon McCleave and Rhys Dylan. If you like a great setting and characters so real you think you know them, then start your new binge read now.

Who do you turn to when there's no one to trust?

Sensing his days at the apex of Cardiff's criminal underworld were numbered, Billy Creed put together a file of evidence capable of exposing rogue officers within the South Wales Police. Now that file has gone missing.

When DCI Reece and the team are called to investigate what appears to be a gangland hit on a Cardiff-bound bus, he has no idea the case will leave him questioning the integrity of every police officer he's known and worked with. What he learns of his late father-in-law's career, threatens to shock him to the core.

Reece needs that file. But he's not the only one - and the others are willing to kill for it.

Get your copy now and indulge yourself in a new series of high-stakes crime fiction.

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 19, 2022

34 people are currently reading
13 people want to read

About the author

Liam Hanson

16 books7 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
149 (71%)
4 stars
53 (25%)
3 stars
6 (2%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
29 reviews1 follower
July 1, 2022
As with the previous books in this series, Liam Hanson’s fourth DCI Bran Reece book continues to provide readers with a really enjoyable, well told and interesting plot. Hanson crafts a fast moving and believable story with multiple murders to solve. At the same time as Hanson develops the main plot line, he continues to tell the overarching story of Reece’s life and family, as well as the lives of his very loyal team. This book introduces a new “bad guy”, who is not a guy at all…This adds an interesting new richness to the series.

While the book does continue the larger story, one does not have to have read the previous books to appreciate and understand the plots in the book. If you like well written crime books with likeable main characters, then this book (and series) is for you.
886 reviews9 followers
July 1, 2022
I can't get enough of this series, it really is amazing! The characters have developed beautifully and the storyline is as gripping as ever. Brân Reece is slowly coming to terms with the death of his wife but he will never forget her....you can feel his pain. He has a great team of detectives to work with and they have gelled well over time.
A power first chapter had me hooked and the pace and suspense didn't slow down.
Poor Archie is having a bad day and the days that follow are becoming a nightmare...all because he wanted to prove he is a good journalist and make the big stories and the big bucks. He is beginning to wonder if he has bitten off more than he can chew!
An exciting well written murder thriller. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Alex Jones.
774 reviews16 followers
July 20, 2022
4/5 Very Good.

Chasing Shadows is the 4th book In Liam Hanson’s Cardiff set Crime series featuring DCI Bran Reece and his team.

This thriller again displays the fine crime writing skills of Hanson, as he writes a story of an intrepid if somewhat peculiar young journalist who gets himself wrapped up in a dark world of the Cardiff Crime underworld and finds that police corruption is rife.

Police Corruption stories are very much the flavour of the month lately, I guess much to do with Line of Duty and having read quite a few over the last few months this sits very firmly among the top level of those.

Liam Hanson has not only created a great, steely yet troubled Protagonist but he has layered that with a story for the rest of the cast in particular Jenkins and Morgan and to a lesser extent the affable ‘Ginge’.

There is a strong relationship with Jenkins that helps to add some humour and lightness to the often dark and gritty tale.

The story itself builds slowly, but soon gets into its stride, and as you turn the quick and easy to read words and chapters, the story carries you to a satisfying end.

Bran is a character I took to from the beginning and reading his character arc has been hard in the way that you feel for Bran but maybe there is some light at the end of his tunnel to come.

A fine crime thriller from an author who should be getting much more attention, great stuff and I look forward to the continuation of this excellent series.
Profile Image for Alyson Read.
1,166 reviews55 followers
July 31, 2022
All the usual team are here at Cardiff Bay Police Station - DS Elan Jenkins happily in a relationship with forensic pathologist Dr Cara Frost, DC Ffion Morgan and DC Owain “Ginge" Evans. With his knee shattered and best mate Denny Cartwright shot dead Reece’s nemesis, the ruthless Billy Creed, was still running his gangland empire from the Midnight Club but he knew his injury made him vulnerable. The story overlaps with the end of book 3 where Arvel Baines and Billy Creed jointly met their ends. We now see them at their last meeting just before their deaths which was witnessed by someone who learns about the journal kept by Creed listing out details of all the corrupt officers in South Wales Police that he had employed. That particular someone, rookie reporter for the Herald Archie Ives, was hoping to use the information to further his career and match the success of old hand Maggie Kavanagh, and two weeks later he narrowly escaped death in a case of mistaken identity which has sent DCI Bran Reece and his team off on a wild goose chase looking for the killer who calmly executed a recently released paedophile on a Cardiff bus. Billy Creed was worried about a potential hit on him – and now his journal is missing. Archie is on the run, and Billy’s sister, the ruthless Marma Creed, is back home and wasting no time in taking over his empire. Archie knows someone else must have the journal and as the body count rises, it becomes obvious to Reece that someone named in it is prepared to go to extreme lengths to keep the incriminating evidence a secret. Will they succeed or will Reece expose a web of corruption going back years and catch the killer?
This has been one of my absolute favourites series since the very first book was originally published and I can certainly recommend every story where the reader will learn the full background on the wonderful array of characters they contain. The detectives form a really tight knit and loyal team and although Reece drives Chief Supt Alyson Cable to despair at times, she always shows her support for him when it is needed. Still haunted by his wife’s death, it is good to see Reece starting to cope a little better. There is a new and extremely loveable addition in the form of Redlar and it was great to see more of Reece’s long suffering best friend Yanto again. Building on the history of the series, it’s another excellent story, full of great settings, very likeable characters and a clever twisty plot which I can highly recommend. 5*
Profile Image for Lynda.
2,231 reviews122 followers
July 10, 2022
Book 4 in the DCI Reece Thriller series and another brilliant read. Although there is some crossover from the previous books this could easily be read as a stand-alone. I’m a big fan of police procedural and this is a good example of the genre. DCI Brân Reece is a great character, a good old fashioned police officer who is mourning the death of his wife 12 months earlier. Along with his team they are once again finding their case involves local gangster Billy Creed. Really well written with a good plot line I enjoyed this a lot.

Briefly, rookie reporter Archie Ives wants to be an investigative reporter so he has been trying to get some evidence that will open the lid on Billy Creeds crime empire. However, he overhears a conversation about corrupt police officers and is soon on the run with a gunman after him. Meanwhile, Reece and his team are investigating the death of a man shot on a bus.

I love the interaction between the various members of the police team - they are supportive of each other but there is still plenty of banter - a really cohesive team. This is what I like about a series, seeing the characters development. The pace is excellent from the gripping first chapter to the end. A great read, great story and a good ending. Roll on book 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
342 reviews4 followers
July 18, 2022
Archie Ives is having a bad day. First, someone has stolen his seat on the bus, next someone in biker gear gets onto the bus and executes the interloper. Can Archie's day get any worse?? With Liam Hanson behind the wheel ~ you better believe it!!

When DCI Bran Reece's arch nemesis, Billy Creed met his (un)timely end in Killing Time, I wondered what foil the author would bring in to keep Bran on his toes and his choice of antagonist was spot on, Marma Creed may just out gangsta her brother.

This series gets better with every instalment, Liam Hanson develops his characters along with a pulse pounding police procedural thriller. Each member of the team brings something unique to the investigation. Bran has his to-be-expected run ins with authority, but as usual his instincts about how the investigation should be driven forward are spot on. Chasing Shadows sees Bran starting to move on from the death of his wife, and as to be expected, Yanto makes an appearance, grounding Bran like a best friend should.

I received an ARC of this novel from the author, and am submitting my honest review.

You really need to read this series, based in Cardiff, with some great characters and a fast moving plot ~ what are you waiting for??
Profile Image for Donna Morfett.
Author 9 books71 followers
July 20, 2022
I've been a huge fan of this series since I read the first book, and have been waiting what feels like forever for book 4.

It was absolutely worth the wait. We pick up again with the wonderful Brân Reece and his team. The gangster Billy Creed is once again at the centre of the action.

This time features the unlikeliest named and natured character, Archie Ives. He's a wannabe crime reporter, trying to make his way and break in to a tough gig on the newspaper. I loved him, he seemed like a good guy at heart and even when he had to do something bad to survive, he felt bad. I was absolutely rooting for him to survive

Brân ans his team are investigating the shooting of a man on a bus, a cold blooded execution.

As the story unfolds there are many twists and turns and layers and subplots, and they are all so clever and intricately worked, coming together at the end to a thrilling breathtaking climax.

Once again the interaction between the team was brilliant and the addition of Ginge has been fantastic. Loving his character.

Thereis also the addition of the most gorgeous pup that I want to take home!

Absolutely brilliant, really really enjoyed this. Read it cover to cover in one day.
Profile Image for Dee Groocock.
1,419 reviews58 followers
July 14, 2022
Archie Ives is a reporter who wants to become a crime investigation reporter so he starts to poke around to find evidence regarding Billy Creed’s activities. Not only does he open a big can of worms, he sets off a serious and drastic chain of events.

DCI Reece and the team work well together, but when they realise police corruption is still going on, they have to close ranks.

This is the fourth book in the crime series and they get better each time. There is enough humour to make sure it’s not all doom and gloom. I am liking how we are getting to see more of the teams characters as the series progresses.

An enjoyable police procedural and I cannot wait for book 5.
1,289 reviews
June 28, 2022
Chasing Shadows is book 4 in the DCI Bran Reece series by Liam Hanson. Archie Ives, a journalist who was hoping to become an investigative journalist, has a close call on his Monday morning bus trip and goes on the run. He had been hoping to do an expose on Billy Creed, the crime boss, but ends up caught up in a web of corrupt police officers. Bran, Ffion, Elan and Ginge are back, and it is good to see them and read about their next adventures. This started off a bit slower but then ramped up and was an thrilling read. Really enjoy this series.
Profile Image for Sara.
59 reviews
August 4, 2022
This books are so unbelievably good I just can't say!! I would certainly recommend them heartily to everyone. The main criminal is no more - but we have a new and nastier version to contend with.......and she's pretty vile! I love the style of writing of these books. It's so fast paced that to me it feels almost cinematic but I don't feel that the details are rushed either. Honestly, the main character is a particular favorite of mine but all the characters are really well drawn so have a look. I just feel disappointed now that I have to wait for the next one??!!
Profile Image for Rebecca Charlesworth.
495 reviews
July 31, 2022
Nice to catch up with DCI Reece and the crew, book 4 in the series and have all been great reads. I love the dynamics between everyone in the team and it’s nice to see how they have developed and progressed. I won’t write about the storyline as I feel that’s what the blurb is for, I will say great writing, great storyline and great characters.
91 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2022
They just get better

Throughly enjoyed this book. The series are getting better and better. Excellent storyline, and the cha are getting stronger. Looking forward to the next book.
86 reviews
January 27, 2023
Chasing Shadows

I am loving these stories ,they get better every book. You are a rising star in crime books Liam, for sure !
Profile Image for Holly Reynolds.
497 reviews14 followers
July 19, 2022
I am so fond of the characters in this series and I’m always filled with excitement when I know that I can get my fix of The Murder Squad!

Like the earlier books in this series, Chasing Shadows does not disappoint. It is filled with the usual violent and terrifying murders and the same mystery that we have grown accustomed to.

This books takes us on a journey with Reece whereby we can start to see the cloud of despair at Anwen’s death lifting. This was pleasing to me and I’m so happy to see his demeanour changing.

Also, can’t wait to read more about Redlar!

A fabulous addition to this series.
514 reviews12 followers
December 29, 2022
Yet another great DCI Reece Thriller which certainly doesn't disappoint. Reece is starting to come to terms with the loss of his wife and his bond with his team has developed into an even stronger both in personal and working relationships.
Although this is part of a series it certainly can be read as a standalone.
It is a gripping full of suspense fast pace thriller that has you captured from beginning to end.
The author's descriptive, plot, storyline and cleverly written twists, is so well put together it has you while reading wanting to know what could possibly happen next..
These books just get better and better and I'm certainly looking forward to book 5.
This is definitely a book I would recommend if you like a good thriller.
My thanks to the Author for my copy, this is my honest unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.