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D.C.I. Harry Longbridge #3
The Delegate A DCI Harry Longbridge Thriller
Ex Cumbrian G.P. Charlotte Peterson is a vicious serial killer simmering her way through a life sentence in Rampton High Security Hospital. A sycophantic inmate with Mafia family connections had aided her escape to a murderous New York rampage six months earlier, but Charlotte only managed to actually kill one of the remaining enemies on her list. She therefore needs someone on the outside to complete the job – A Delegate.
Recaptured by D.C.I. Harry Longbridge and D.I. Fran Taylor after flying to the U.S., Charlotte pulls the strings of a vulnerable woman with serious historic mental health challenges of her own. The icing on the cake for Charlotte is that the woman concerned is none other than Harry’s wife, Annie. It feels good – very good.
However, despite initially falling into line believing it will help with her own ‘List,’ Annie develops a growing inner confidence and two powerful women begin mentally circling one another. As Annie covertly pushes forwards with her own plans, the Zandini’s increasingly come to the fore in more ways than one - and Charlotte starts to feel distinctly uneasy….
Recaptured by D.C.I. Harry Longbridge and D.I. Fran Taylor after flying to the U.S., Charlotte pulls the strings of a vulnerable woman with serious historic mental health challenges of her own. The icing on the cake for Charlotte is that the woman concerned is none other than Harry’s wife, Annie. It feels good – very good.
However, despite initially falling into line believing it will help with her own ‘List,’ Annie develops a growing inner confidence and two powerful women begin mentally circling one another. As Annie covertly pushes forwards with her own plans, the Zandini’s increasingly come to the fore in more ways than one - and Charlotte starts to feel distinctly uneasy….
400 pages, Paperback
Published November 29, 2022
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 9, 2023
The Delegate is the third instalment in the DCI Harry Longbridge thriller series by Ali Carter. I haven't read the first two and to be honest, I think I would have really benefitted by doing so. However, the author cleverly interweaves the back stories of the characters into The Delegate, and does it with such ease that I soon caught up with what had happened in the past.
This is a complex and tightly woven plot that takes place in two main locations; Cumbria, where Harry Longbridge is based and Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire; a top-security forensic psychiatric hospital where ex-GP Charlotte Peterson is detained.
Harry is officially retired but has been asked to return to work on a case nicknamed 'Operation Bonaparte', an apt name as the case involves the discovery of human body parts found in various locations. It was Harry's dog that unearthed the first one, an arm. Harry's wife Annie is a strange and troubled woman. It is clear that her mental health is declining and recent events have only made things worse. Harry and Annie have a very fraught relationship, Annie is insular and distant, often losing her temper and Harry has sought solace elsewhere. This troubles him, he's a good and honest man, but his feelings are so divided.
As Harry and his team dig deeper into the case, it soon becomes clear that there's a link to ex GP Charlotte Peterson, a local woman who is a sadistic and evil serial killer. Everyone on the case knows Charlotte's history and the tangled web of lives she destroyed, and potential new victims that she may have in her sights. How though? How does a woman who is locked away under the highest security manage to take down her enemies?
The truth is far closer to home than Harry can ever imagine.
Ali Carter has a great skill for character creation. Each and every one of the main players are carefully constructed, with their own stories to tell. Whilst the cast is large, each one is unique and easily recognised.
I was totally caught up in this fast-paced, action packed story. The pacing is excellent and the unexpected surprises are perfectly placed. Ali Carter can certainly write a great thriller and Harry Longbridge is a wonderful lead character.
This is a complex and tightly woven plot that takes place in two main locations; Cumbria, where Harry Longbridge is based and Rampton Hospital in Nottinghamshire; a top-security forensic psychiatric hospital where ex-GP Charlotte Peterson is detained.
Harry is officially retired but has been asked to return to work on a case nicknamed 'Operation Bonaparte', an apt name as the case involves the discovery of human body parts found in various locations. It was Harry's dog that unearthed the first one, an arm. Harry's wife Annie is a strange and troubled woman. It is clear that her mental health is declining and recent events have only made things worse. Harry and Annie have a very fraught relationship, Annie is insular and distant, often losing her temper and Harry has sought solace elsewhere. This troubles him, he's a good and honest man, but his feelings are so divided.
As Harry and his team dig deeper into the case, it soon becomes clear that there's a link to ex GP Charlotte Peterson, a local woman who is a sadistic and evil serial killer. Everyone on the case knows Charlotte's history and the tangled web of lives she destroyed, and potential new victims that she may have in her sights. How though? How does a woman who is locked away under the highest security manage to take down her enemies?
The truth is far closer to home than Harry can ever imagine.
Ali Carter has a great skill for character creation. Each and every one of the main players are carefully constructed, with their own stories to tell. Whilst the cast is large, each one is unique and easily recognised.
I was totally caught up in this fast-paced, action packed story. The pacing is excellent and the unexpected surprises are perfectly placed. Ali Carter can certainly write a great thriller and Harry Longbridge is a wonderful lead character.
February 6, 2023
I haven’t read this author before and this is book 3 in the D.C.I. Harry Longbridge series. It did read well as a standalone, but I do think it would’ve enhanced the read even more if I’d known more of the characters background. However, the book is so good that I am going to go back and read them. As an aside that cover is fabulous! The book starts with a very short prologue. In June 2020 in Rampton high security hospital former G.P. and now full time serial killer Charlotte Peterson has found her Delegate, her name is Annie Longbridge!
Briefly, Harry is retired and spending time with Baxter, his gorgeous black labrador (you got me straightaway with a black lab)! His personal relationship with DI Fran Taylor has cooled but when Baxter finds a human arm Harry is brought out of retirement to help with the case. Meanwhile, Annie is regularly visiting Charlotte in Rampton and is totally in her thrall; or at least it seems that way. Charlotte owes a serious amount of money to a family with mafia connections and they want their money back.
This was an absorbing read that I read in an afternoon and evening. Total edge of your seat stuff with multi layers that all come together seamlessly. There are some great characters in the book, I loved Harry and Fran’s relationship and that of the police team but the most brilliantly written relationship was that between Annie and Charlotte. It was really quite disturbing to see their personalities develop and the change in behaviour between the two women as they wrestle mentally for dominance. This was a really good read, dark in places, completely addictive, I couldn’t put it down. Loved it.
Briefly, Harry is retired and spending time with Baxter, his gorgeous black labrador (you got me straightaway with a black lab)! His personal relationship with DI Fran Taylor has cooled but when Baxter finds a human arm Harry is brought out of retirement to help with the case. Meanwhile, Annie is regularly visiting Charlotte in Rampton and is totally in her thrall; or at least it seems that way. Charlotte owes a serious amount of money to a family with mafia connections and they want their money back.
This was an absorbing read that I read in an afternoon and evening. Total edge of your seat stuff with multi layers that all come together seamlessly. There are some great characters in the book, I loved Harry and Fran’s relationship and that of the police team but the most brilliantly written relationship was that between Annie and Charlotte. It was really quite disturbing to see their personalities develop and the change in behaviour between the two women as they wrestle mentally for dominance. This was a really good read, dark in places, completely addictive, I couldn’t put it down. Loved it.
February 6, 2023
"What a tangled web she weaved..."
Well, what a tangled web indeed! This book is twisty, turny and occasionally dark - there are many webs being woven and a few of those overlap brilliantly - this book was gripping! Unfortunately the need to sleep, do life and take the dog on walks interrupted my reading, otherwise I think I could have just sat down and read this in one sitting. I love a crime thriller where you are guessing all the way through; especially when a book is just the right amount of multi layered. There is also a power struggle in this book between some very strong characters, and the tussle was portrayed brilliantly as the power shifted the more I read.
I am going to be bold and say that if you are a fan of Karin Slaughter/ Linwood Barclay you will enjoy this book. It felt hugely readable, I connected immediately to the writing and the characters are really well polished - and although this is book 3 in the DCI Harry Longbridge Thriller series (I am yet to read the previous 2) it was absolutely fine as a standalone: there are references to information from the previous story lines that fill in any blanks without seeming to overly re-visit the previous stories. Other things I loved - the Lake District setting and Baxter (biased as I own a lab who has a very similar bouncy personality).
Right, I'm off to see how I can get my hands on the previous books!
CW: Miscarriage
Well, what a tangled web indeed! This book is twisty, turny and occasionally dark - there are many webs being woven and a few of those overlap brilliantly - this book was gripping! Unfortunately the need to sleep, do life and take the dog on walks interrupted my reading, otherwise I think I could have just sat down and read this in one sitting. I love a crime thriller where you are guessing all the way through; especially when a book is just the right amount of multi layered. There is also a power struggle in this book between some very strong characters, and the tussle was portrayed brilliantly as the power shifted the more I read.
I am going to be bold and say that if you are a fan of Karin Slaughter/ Linwood Barclay you will enjoy this book. It felt hugely readable, I connected immediately to the writing and the characters are really well polished - and although this is book 3 in the DCI Harry Longbridge Thriller series (I am yet to read the previous 2) it was absolutely fine as a standalone: there are references to information from the previous story lines that fill in any blanks without seeming to overly re-visit the previous stories. Other things I loved - the Lake District setting and Baxter (biased as I own a lab who has a very similar bouncy personality).
Right, I'm off to see how I can get my hands on the previous books!
CW: Miscarriage
February 2, 2023
The Delegate is the third thriller in a series of books featuring DCI Harry Longbridge and, like the previous two instalments it will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, and in this case wary about ever looking at online dating again !!!!!
To be honest I found the story lines and the characters of Charlotte and Annie disturbing and totally unlike any others I have ever come across in other novels. The depth to their characters and how Ali develops them psychologically is at once both brilliant and yet alarming. The mental dominance and control between the two women subtly changes as the storyline develops and is very cleverly written to show the mind games and the fear as control is gained, and lost.
I found myself drawn in to the complex twists between various aspects of revenge within the story and torn between not wanting to finish the book and not wanting to put it down as it plays with how you expect the human mind to work. That said I will be looking out for more books written by Ali.
To be honest I found the story lines and the characters of Charlotte and Annie disturbing and totally unlike any others I have ever come across in other novels. The depth to their characters and how Ali develops them psychologically is at once both brilliant and yet alarming. The mental dominance and control between the two women subtly changes as the storyline develops and is very cleverly written to show the mind games and the fear as control is gained, and lost.
I found myself drawn in to the complex twists between various aspects of revenge within the story and torn between not wanting to finish the book and not wanting to put it down as it plays with how you expect the human mind to work. That said I will be looking out for more books written by Ali.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews