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Last Verse: A Harry Stallard mystery: A gritty, fast-paced crime mystery shot through with dark humour
Murder and rock music – the rhythm of life…and death. Wanna dance?
DC Harry Stallard nearly died in a botched undercover operation and, no longer fit for frontline duties, he is confined to an office, reviewing cold cases.
His first one is the suspicious disappearance of Joey Doane, a brilliant musician on the brink of stardom, which is filed as a suicide.
Harry quickly discovers that the original investigation made a breath-taking mistake, and Joey’s family need answers. The problem is, Harry’s not cut out to sit behind a desk, and can’t help reverting to his persona as an undercover officer.
So, he dives into Sheffield’s vibrant music scene, and the more waves he makes, the more convinced he is that Joey has been murdered. Is it drugs or the bitter rivalries within the band? Or is it something far more sinister?
When people connected to the case start turning up dead, the race is on for Harry to discover the truth, before someone very dear to him becomes the next victim.
Perfect for lovers of crime mysteries and popular music alike, Last Verse will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final shocking reveal.
Print length - 374 pages.
Praise for Last
‘Captivated me straight from the start.’
‘Really good balance of seedy, urban darkness and dry humour.’
‘Highly entertaining. I cannot stress enough how much the action scenes impressed me.’
‘Some great twists in what I think is a unique plot.’
‘I hope this is the first of a new series.'
DC Harry Stallard nearly died in a botched undercover operation and, no longer fit for frontline duties, he is confined to an office, reviewing cold cases.
His first one is the suspicious disappearance of Joey Doane, a brilliant musician on the brink of stardom, which is filed as a suicide.
Harry quickly discovers that the original investigation made a breath-taking mistake, and Joey’s family need answers. The problem is, Harry’s not cut out to sit behind a desk, and can’t help reverting to his persona as an undercover officer.
So, he dives into Sheffield’s vibrant music scene, and the more waves he makes, the more convinced he is that Joey has been murdered. Is it drugs or the bitter rivalries within the band? Or is it something far more sinister?
When people connected to the case start turning up dead, the race is on for Harry to discover the truth, before someone very dear to him becomes the next victim.
Perfect for lovers of crime mysteries and popular music alike, Last Verse will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final shocking reveal.
Print length - 374 pages.
Praise for Last
‘Captivated me straight from the start.’
‘Really good balance of seedy, urban darkness and dry humour.’
‘Highly entertaining. I cannot stress enough how much the action scenes impressed me.’
‘Some great twists in what I think is a unique plot.’
‘I hope this is the first of a new series.'
Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2022
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5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 18, 2022
Last Verse: A Harry Stallard Mystery by S. J. Talbot is a fast-paced, suspenseful crime thriller that keeps every reader on the edge of their seats until the end.
Harry Stallard is an ambitious individual who aspires to prove himself as a talented undercover officer. A turn of events takes him out of the action, and he is quickly reallocated to investigate boring cold cases. Soon he finds out that the case he’s been assigned to might be holding some dark, mysterious secrets behind. Utilizing his talents as an undercover officer, he begins to meticulously retrace the steps of the case, finding himself at the center of a series of events that seem to be leading to something more sinister than expected. A rising band member has been missing for months, and strange deaths start to occur as the case is revisited. Drugs, music deals, money… Where could all the clues lead to?
The tension that this book builds is fantastic. From the very beginning, the reader is hooked on the story. This is emphasized by the presence of a highly charismatic main character. Harry Stallard has an interesting way of thinking and seeing the world. He’s confident and quite passionate about his line of work. Once he starts working on a case, he truly immerses himself in it, thus taking the reader with him on this investigative immersion. Stallard is smart and experienced, but he’s not perfect. He constantly finds himself in dangerous situations, making up for a gripping storyline where the odds are not clear to the reader.
After some time, the plot thickens, and the emergence of new discoveries makes the reader want to read faster in order to figure out the truth and motivations of the case. With exciting chapters and new developments at every turn of the page, it’s hard to get bored. The story has fast pacing and is devoured rather quickly by the reader, who is guided by Stallard’s mind and just as eager to get to the bottom of it all.
Last Verse is a riveting and gripping mystery with humorous twists that help alleviate the tension of the enigma that Stallard is involved in. His charisma and dedication will end up being the thing that makes him shine throughout the entire book, making up for an excellent mix of compelling characters and an enthralling plot. There’s no escape: the story is addictive, and one is quickly engrossed in it.
Harry Stallard is an ambitious individual who aspires to prove himself as a talented undercover officer. A turn of events takes him out of the action, and he is quickly reallocated to investigate boring cold cases. Soon he finds out that the case he’s been assigned to might be holding some dark, mysterious secrets behind. Utilizing his talents as an undercover officer, he begins to meticulously retrace the steps of the case, finding himself at the center of a series of events that seem to be leading to something more sinister than expected. A rising band member has been missing for months, and strange deaths start to occur as the case is revisited. Drugs, music deals, money… Where could all the clues lead to?
The tension that this book builds is fantastic. From the very beginning, the reader is hooked on the story. This is emphasized by the presence of a highly charismatic main character. Harry Stallard has an interesting way of thinking and seeing the world. He’s confident and quite passionate about his line of work. Once he starts working on a case, he truly immerses himself in it, thus taking the reader with him on this investigative immersion. Stallard is smart and experienced, but he’s not perfect. He constantly finds himself in dangerous situations, making up for a gripping storyline where the odds are not clear to the reader.
After some time, the plot thickens, and the emergence of new discoveries makes the reader want to read faster in order to figure out the truth and motivations of the case. With exciting chapters and new developments at every turn of the page, it’s hard to get bored. The story has fast pacing and is devoured rather quickly by the reader, who is guided by Stallard’s mind and just as eager to get to the bottom of it all.
Last Verse is a riveting and gripping mystery with humorous twists that help alleviate the tension of the enigma that Stallard is involved in. His charisma and dedication will end up being the thing that makes him shine throughout the entire book, making up for an excellent mix of compelling characters and an enthralling plot. There’s no escape: the story is addictive, and one is quickly engrossed in it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review