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Spike
It’s 1961 and London’s Aldgate is rocked by two brutal murders... Spike is a crime thriller set in the heart of the 1960s East End still recovering from the ravages of World War Two bombings.
Jack White, a Detective Inspector with a dark sense of humour and a bad haircut, is under pressure to find the killer before he strikes again but he finds himself always one step behind.
A thrilling story that takes in the Kenyan Mau Mau Rebellion and the Special Air Service involvement in the Malayan Uprising, Spike takes the reader on a wild ride with DI White as he tracks the elusive killer.
This is the sixth novel by Stephen Ainley, born in Birmingham, England in the 1950s. The Author served in the British Airborne in the 1970s before emigrating to Australia. He is well-known for his Dennis Bisskit Series and colourful characters. His stand-alone novel, Jessup , marked a darker turn in style, also set in the East End, and takes the reader through the battlefields of France and Northern Africa.
If you love well-constructed, taut thrillers, Spike is a must-read.
Jack White, a Detective Inspector with a dark sense of humour and a bad haircut, is under pressure to find the killer before he strikes again but he finds himself always one step behind.
A thrilling story that takes in the Kenyan Mau Mau Rebellion and the Special Air Service involvement in the Malayan Uprising, Spike takes the reader on a wild ride with DI White as he tracks the elusive killer.
This is the sixth novel by Stephen Ainley, born in Birmingham, England in the 1950s. The Author served in the British Airborne in the 1970s before emigrating to Australia. He is well-known for his Dennis Bisskit Series and colourful characters. His stand-alone novel, Jessup , marked a darker turn in style, also set in the East End, and takes the reader through the battlefields of France and Northern Africa.
If you love well-constructed, taut thrillers, Spike is a must-read.
143 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2022
10 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Ainley
12 books20 followersBorn in Birmingham, UK in 1952. Served in the British airborne in the 1970s before emigrating to Western Australia.
Now...
It’s the Winter of 1963, and Detective Inspector Jack White, with the unruly haircut and matching attitude, is battling ice, snow, and a cold-blooded killer. The Winter of ’63 is the latest standalone crime thriller from Stephen Ainley and, once again, takes the reader back to the post-war unforgettable and unforgiving East End of London.
Spike first introduced DI Jack White. It’s 1961, and London’s Aldgate is rocked by two brutal murders. Spike is a brutal crime novel set in the heart of the 1960s East End, which is still recovering from the ravages of World War Two bombings.
The author’s next crime novel was The Broken Detective, in which the DI struggles with guilt that no amount of alcohol can assuage. A young girl goes missing, and a man’s wife disappears, but Jack’s own demons won’t stop him from investigating.
The Winter of ’63 is the third Jack White novel by Stephen Ainley.
The author was born in Birmingham, UK, and served in the British Airborne in the 1970s before moving to Australia. He is currently re-editing and re-publishing the hilarious Dennis Bisskit Series, filled with family, fun, colourful characters, and disasters. Available now are The Dennis Bisskit Story and, Dennis Bissit and the Missing Masterpiece,
His first serious novel and Amazon Bestseller, Jessup, takes place in 1950 and spans the battlefields of France and Northern Africa, to the East End. Jessup is a heart-rending story of a former soldier with undiagnosed PTSD, with one last chance to turn his life around.
And now comes, The Winter of ’63. It’s the coldest winter in 200 years, so cold in London that people can skate on the river Thames. On one of the worst nights, only two men are unfortunate enough to be out on the streets in the East End, Jack White and the man he finds encased in snow and with an axe wedged in his spine. It’s the unforgettable Winter of 1963.
Join Jack White with his unruly hair and dark humour as he tries to solve these crime thrillers. There are many more to come.
Now...
It’s the Winter of 1963, and Detective Inspector Jack White, with the unruly haircut and matching attitude, is battling ice, snow, and a cold-blooded killer. The Winter of ’63 is the latest standalone crime thriller from Stephen Ainley and, once again, takes the reader back to the post-war unforgettable and unforgiving East End of London.
Spike first introduced DI Jack White. It’s 1961, and London’s Aldgate is rocked by two brutal murders. Spike is a brutal crime novel set in the heart of the 1960s East End, which is still recovering from the ravages of World War Two bombings.
The author’s next crime novel was The Broken Detective, in which the DI struggles with guilt that no amount of alcohol can assuage. A young girl goes missing, and a man’s wife disappears, but Jack’s own demons won’t stop him from investigating.
The Winter of ’63 is the third Jack White novel by Stephen Ainley.
The author was born in Birmingham, UK, and served in the British Airborne in the 1970s before moving to Australia. He is currently re-editing and re-publishing the hilarious Dennis Bisskit Series, filled with family, fun, colourful characters, and disasters. Available now are The Dennis Bisskit Story and, Dennis Bissit and the Missing Masterpiece,
His first serious novel and Amazon Bestseller, Jessup, takes place in 1950 and spans the battlefields of France and Northern Africa, to the East End. Jessup is a heart-rending story of a former soldier with undiagnosed PTSD, with one last chance to turn his life around.
And now comes, The Winter of ’63. It’s the coldest winter in 200 years, so cold in London that people can skate on the river Thames. On one of the worst nights, only two men are unfortunate enough to be out on the streets in the East End, Jack White and the man he finds encased in snow and with an axe wedged in his spine. It’s the unforgettable Winter of 1963.
Join Jack White with his unruly hair and dark humour as he tries to solve these crime thrillers. There are many more to come.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 3, 2023
ALL KILLER NO FILLER!! Cut from the same cloth as Jessup, with slightly more humorous banter. Spike is a creative, fine tuned, rollercoaster ride of a novel that blew me away. It moves between an assortment of different settings and times - keeping me completely enthralled. Spike is full of engaging characters with relatable motives and personalities.
I loved Stephens dive into the analytical mind of DI White, a character that I couldn’t help but root for. I loved the hilarious chemistry between Mr Crutchfield and Pliers. Every time I thought I could predict what was coming, Stephen would throw in a plot twist and leave me astonished. In the final pages, Stephen lures the reader into a false sense of security before delivering a devastating ending
You won’t find anything as refined, well researched and creative as this historical / crime / thriller / comedy extravaganza! Read it NOW!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2022
Another brilliant read from Stephen Ainley. A dark and intriguing tale that kept me turning pages and left me wanting more. If you’re looking for a gripping detective story, fast paced, well researched and filled with interesting characters, this is it. Highly recommended. One of the best books I’ve read this year.
December 12, 2022
Another great read from Stephen Ainley; a serious crime thriller infused with the author's trademark sense of humour!
In 1960's London, a woman emerges from the tube station and gets shot by a sniper; before long another body is found in nearby offices. What's going on? That's what DI Jack White is taxed with discovering - and it's not going to be easy. With very little to go on, it's not an easy task . . .
I'm a big fan of this author's work; I have laughed and giggled through his series of Dennis Bisskit books and found his more serious novel, Jessup, very touching. Spike lived up to his reputation and was a fantastic read with plenty going on and kept me glued to the pages right through until the very last. With some unexpected twists and turns and some super lighter moments along the way, I really enjoyed reading about - and getting to know - Jack White. I'd rather enjoy getting to know him better! Another great addition to the Stephen Ainley collection and one I heartily recommend. 5*.
My thanks to the author for my copy of his novel; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.
In 1960's London, a woman emerges from the tube station and gets shot by a sniper; before long another body is found in nearby offices. What's going on? That's what DI Jack White is taxed with discovering - and it's not going to be easy. With very little to go on, it's not an easy task . . .
I'm a big fan of this author's work; I have laughed and giggled through his series of Dennis Bisskit books and found his more serious novel, Jessup, very touching. Spike lived up to his reputation and was a fantastic read with plenty going on and kept me glued to the pages right through until the very last. With some unexpected twists and turns and some super lighter moments along the way, I really enjoyed reading about - and getting to know - Jack White. I'd rather enjoy getting to know him better! Another great addition to the Stephen Ainley collection and one I heartily recommend. 5*.
My thanks to the author for my copy of his novel; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.
December 12, 2022
Meet DI Jack White, solving crime in 1961 London witn his partner DC, Campbell. Gruesome murders, random shootings, but how are the events linked? It's 17 years after the end of the war, London is still clearing up the mess. Can the DI solve the murders? Check it out, well written and easy to read. Enjoyed many books by this author. Highly recommended 👌
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews