Hurt by Brian McGillowayMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - 6 days
Publisher - C& R Crime
Blurb from Goodreads
Lucy Black must protect the young and vulnerable . . . but can she protect herself?
Late December. A sixteen-year-old girl is found dead on a train line. Detective Sergeant Lucy Black is called to identify the body. The only clues to the dead teenager's last movements are stored in her mobile phone and on social media - and it soon becomes clear that her 'friends' were not as trustworthy as she thought. Lucy is no stranger to death: she is still haunted by the memory of the child she failed to save, and the killer she failed to put behind bars. And with a new boss scrutinizing her every move, she is determined that - this time - she will leave no margin for error.
My Review
Detective Sergeant Lucy Black is our main character, a young girls body is found on railway tracks and Lucy must identify it. Lucy is haunted from a past case and won't let this one go. When another body turns up Lucy knows she is on the right track and like a dog with a bone she won't let it go.
This story covers some dark areas, murder, paedophilia, vengeance and some built up rage. Lucy seems to be the kind of cop who acts like you, the reader, would want to act. Punish the bad guy, ignore the strict rules of the law, do what it takes to punish the bad guys. Her actions as a police officer as questionable to say the least however I imagine most readers will be rooting for her.
I have never read this author before and to be honest I think if I knew more of the back story I would have enjoyed it much better. It is clear she has major issues with her mother, who is also the assistant chief constable. There are some clues as the why she behaves like the bad behaved teenager in almost every interaction with her mother but in the place of work I felt this should have been reprimanded. Maybe knowing more of the back story it is understandable but for me it did annoy me at times as she is an officer and this is her boss.
There is a fair amount of action within the book and the story, whilst dark doesn't go into too many horrific details although there is enough for you to know exactly what is going on. This was a good introduction to a new author, to me, and I think I would pursue more of his work but maybe start from the beginning and work my way through. 3/5 for me this time, thanks so much to Lucy Zilberkweit at C & R Crime for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available to buy now, from all good retailers in e copy & print.
Great commentary Lainy!
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of an obsession about reading books in order. I would find that not knowing a backstory that one was supposed to know too frustrating. Black sounds like an interesting character in some ways. I understand that there was one book before this one. Do you plan to read it?
Yes, so many books and so little time, thanks for the review, very helpful.
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