CUT SHORT.

 

CUT SHORT by BD SPARGO. 

Genre ... Crime Fiction, Police Procedural

Publication Date ... 8th May 2024

Estimated Page Count ... 334

Standalone First Book in a series
Order Link: https://mybook.to/XxpklO

Detectives can’t bury their mistakes, murderers can.

DCI Liam Doyle is haunted by the demons from his past and the challenges of the present: a broken marriage, a tarnished reputation, and a troubled young son who needs him. He’s newly moved out of south London – and out of his comfort zone.

When a murdered woman is found at a Lancashire beauty spot in his new patch. Doyle is tasked with finding her killer, along with his new detective sergeant, Anna Morgan.

As the investigation progresses, it becomes clear that things are not as they seem. A clever killer has created a complex web of deceit and is always one step ahead of Doyle … and the bodies are mounting up. Is the past the key to unlocking the present? When the stakes get higher, Doyle’s need to find the killer becomes personal and the detective is plunged into a desperate race against time. Will Doyle succeed before he has another dead body on his conscience?

Played out across the rugged Lancashire landscape, Cut Short is a gripping crime thriller layered with plot twists and sprinkled with humour. This fast-paced novel, the first in a series featuring DCI Liam Doyle, will have readers on the edge of their seats.

If you have enjoyed books by authors such as Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride, JD Kirk and Alex Smith, you won’t want to miss Cut Short. The first in a series that, if this is anything to go by, I have high hopes for.
But first, just to get this, my only gripe with the book, out there. Amongst the scenes and language, some of which are bound to upset/offend some readers, for me personally, whilst fully appreciating the need for this in relation to understanding this one particular character and his actions, I found the detailed animal cruelty incredibly harrowing.
That aside ...
A thrilling, deliciously suspenseful {talk about clinging onto the edge your seat stuff} police procedural with some much needed, well timed humour thrown in for good measure. The who and why made known bit by enticing bit as the killer is revealed as both clever, calculating ... and sadistic.
Character wise, yes, there is the usual getting to know them, their nicknames, their weaknesses, their strengths, their idiosyncrasies and so on but I must admit to taking an immediate liking to DCI Liam Doyle; the glimpses into his home life and his relationship with his neurodiverse son making for an enticing, well rounded and very human character. And then of course there is my favourite character, pathologist, Dr Vedhika Gupta who has, well, an interesting and wonderful manner when it comes to the deceased.
A book that has all the hallmarks of a good tv series, DCI Doyle and co transferring perfectly to the small screen. BD Spargo is definitely a name to look out for.

Fast approaching fifty; without enough money for a sports car, BD Spargo decided to express his mid-life crises by turning to crime ...
Thankfully for pretty much everyone this meant writing crime fiction rather than anything more nefarious. Originally from London, he spent his early career working in television and theatre including on the Ruth Rendall Mysteries broadcast on ITV.

A life changing accident necessitated retraining and a change of direction going on to work in mental health services. This culminated in ten years managing a groundbreaking forensic psychiatric service. He now lives in Lancashire with his family and is getting acclimatised to the rain.
Social Media Links ... https://bdspargo.comhttp://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557017745842https://twitter.com/BDSpargo

With thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for organising a paper copy. One of several bloggers participating in the Blog Tour of this book, agree or disagree with me, all opinions are my own; no financial compensation was asked for nor given; threats of violence towards my favourite teddy bear went unheeded as did promises of chocolate.

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