Mary-Jane Riley

After Cambridge Beattie's mother expects her to settle down and marry but Beattie has been recruited by the intelligence service and moves to London. 1948 London is still struggling after the war and the Russian's are suspect. Beattie is asked to look into a politician by dating his son but when a woman is murdered Beattie finds herself part of a bigger concern. Joining forces with Corrigan a war hero and private detective, Beattie tries to find who killed the woman.
This is a terrific start show more to a (hopeful) series. Beattie is an engaging character and the atmosphere of post-War London is imagined really well. It's nice to find a feminist heroine who is fighting the patriarchy and working through some quite serious plotlines. However the writing is fairly light so it's not a deep and tense thriller, a difficult balance and achieved with panache show less

This was a fantastic book - it was absolutely compelling reading and I got totally carried away, reading late into the night. The chapters are quite short so just one more chapter very easily became just ten more chapters! There is so much I could say about this book but to do so I'd have to reveal some spoilers so I'm not going to reference the story in my review. This really is an astounding debut that manages to simultaneously create feelings of shock and empathy.

I loved the way it was show more written, it was so multidimensional showing all aspects of the case and leaving no stone unturned. I enjoyed every single page, from the story of the twins' family to the policewoman who found little Harry's body and the effect it had on her own life. There are so many unexpected moments in this book that it kept me hooked throughout and ensured that the pages kept on turning until everything had been revealed.

I wasn't surprised to learn that Mary-Jane Riley has a journalism background. This book is written in true investigative style and both female leads had amazing depth of character. Alex is a journalist writing for magazines, in a similar vein to Mary-Jane Riley, and Kate is a detective inspector but I felt that both characters were well developed, instantly likeable and, most of all, believable.

There are shocks, twists and disturbing scenes - a brilliant psychological read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

I received this e-book from the publisher, Killer Reads, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

Dawn of the Cold War mystery!

Gauloises smoking Beattie Cavendish ostensibly drove ambulances in France during the war. In reality she was a former Secret Operations executive, working with the French Resistance and translating intelligence from Russia, amongst other things.
It’s 1948 and the beginning of the Cold War. Beattie now works with the secretive Covert Operations Service and GCHQ, the Government Communications Headquarters. Her assignment is to find out what she can about the show more opposition conservative cabinet minister, and Shadow Foreign Secretary, Ralph Bowen.
Patrick Corrigan, is an handsome one eyed Irishman, an ex serviceman, a decorated and injured war veteran who is now eking out a living as a private detective. One of his clients is Edwina Bowen who wants him to follow her husband.
It seems the Honorable Member has been frequently the decidedly raunchy and decadent White Pearl Club.
Beattie and Corrigan meet under curious circumstances, a dead body and a break in.
This won’t be the only time.
They find themselves mired in mystery, danger and death.
Beattie suspects one of the various secret government organizations involvement.
A startling post war mystery thriller, complete with a strong female lead, a soulful Irish detective, the Russian mob and other players.

An Alison & Busby ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. show less

Under her guise as a typing trainer, Beattie is sent to the Highlands outside Inverness to investigate the disappearance of a intelligence monitoring station official, she is also told to visit her Uncle Howard. He seems to have disappeared as well and Beattie calls on her friend Corrigan the investigator for help. The station manager is found dead and Beattie's mother tells her that Howard was a German spy. In the fraught politics of post-War Europe, former enemies are now courted as show more friends but there is something else going on and Beattie needs to find out what.

The first book in this series was surprisingly good and this is at least as good. The background at the dawning of the Cold War and involving the nascent GCHQ is fascinating and teh characters are developing nicely. Here more of Beattie's backstory is developed, her wartime work for the SOE and her family's complex relationships. It's a bit of a convoluted plot involving lots of different sides but the action is great and the location in the depths of winter is describer beautifully. I look forward to the next installment. show less