John Kennedy (29)

The Kill Chain is book 2 in the thrilling D.I. Will Ashcroft Crime series and takes place 2 years after the events in book 1.

Will is back in the north on leave and intends to track down WDC Samira Byrne following their last encounter at the end of book 1

Plunged into a fresh murder case in an entirely advisory role, Will has to balance his search for the 'missing' Samira with the search for a vicious killer whilst continuing to battle with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

John Kennedy show more transports the reader back to the late 1980's to a time of Ecstasy fueled raves, sexism and and racism. For those of us old enough to remember the eighties Kennedy paints a realistic picture of time.

Told from the separate perspectives of Ashcroft & Byrne we see the trials of police work both as an investigating officer and as an under cover drug squad representative. Lifting the lid on the grimy world of low level police corruption and the seedy side of drug dealers and their customers.

This series has introduced us to a couple of excellent main characters who, despite their flaws, are the type of coppers I'm sure we'd all want on the side of law and order show less

Relocated to the Pennines following a traumatic rescue of a young boy in London’s Docklands, D.I. Will Ashcroft is plunged into both a murder and a child kidnapping that will test his skills to their limits.

Set in the mid 1980’s amid large scale racism and homophobia within the community and the local police force, this is a well-researched, and competently written, thriller.

The characters flaws draw you in and the realism of Ashcroft’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and DC Byrne’s show more struggle with old fashioned attitudes towards both women and people of colour, at times, bring your emotion to the fore.

With the inclusion of several red herrings and plot twists, this is a novel that’ll keep you hooked well into the early hours of the morning. show less