The Take

Hard to believe this was only the second Joe Faraday book; the characters are already so well formed and the sense of place, Portsmouth, feels completely authentic, as does the characters' frustration with the bureaucratic fixation with targets and political correctness. The plots are cleverly interwoven, leaving you guessing almost to the end as to who did what and to whom. Highly recommended.

For DI Joe Faraday, the funeral of a young colleague, killed in a head-on car crash, is a bitter end to another grim week. And now the seemingly untouchable Detective Paul Winter, master of the scam, has been hurt in a way he could never have imagined. But there’s no time for grief in a CID squad. A disgraced gynecologist is missing, and his caseload of maimed women is a murder-suspect list from hell. It’s an impossible workload, and if that wasn’t enough, the politicians and the suits are about to make Faraday’s life even harder

Second Faraday book (Turnstone being the first), this is an easy read, although I'm still uncertain about this series. Whilst labelled as a "Faraday" book (and who is becoming an interesting and show more enjoyable character), the book gives as much attention to Paul Winter, the police man happy, willing and able to go out on his own for days on end with no recourse as to what he's been doing and how he has got the results he has. There are multiple stories going along and some are given so little relevance (Vanessa's absence from the office could have been explained away by her getting married, rather than murdered in an RTA), and sometimes I wonder why he bothered on some plot lines, when focus could have been placed on the bigger stories. show less

I have read several of this series now although not in order - and I continue to like them at lot (although not a 4 star read, perhaps because they don't rise above the detective genre). The characters have become familiar so it is a bit of a soap opera. I don't know Portsmouth at all, but I am beginning to feel as if I do. A lovely sense of place.

As ever, there are several plotlines: the death of a colleague in a head-on collision, bitter news for the detective who doesn't play by the rules Paul Winter , and testing times for a disgraced gynagologist. Plot and characters are carefully drawn and realised. As ever, a rattling good read, perfect for the wee small hours when sleep seems impossible.

I have read several of this series now although not in order - and I continue to like them at lot (although not a 4 star read, perhaps because they don't rise above the detective genre). The characters have become familiar so it is a bit of a soap opera. I don't know Portsmouth at all, but I am beginning to feel as if I do. A lovely sense of place.

Quite a readable thriller. Given to me when I was in hospital, on my way to the diagnosis, by a woman who couldn't sleep and used to eat books.