I have never read anything by Erin Kelly before, but was aware that her books are well received by those in the know. When I got the chance to read this via NetGalley (in return for an honest review) I was delighted. When I looked at the subject matter, I will admit I was not so delighted as on the face of it, it would not have been my choice of reading - 60's gangland is not my genre. However I was drawn in from the beginning and I loved it.

Luke has "escaped" to Brighton to stay with a friend, to avoid an obsessive partner, who refuses to accept that their affair is over. The friend, who works for a letting agency, puts him up short term in a recently empty property that does not appear on the books. Thus starts a mystery that Luke is determined to get to the bottom of, especially when he discovers that the property and the company is owned by Joss Grand. Grand ruled the Brighton gangland in the 60's, along with his lifelong friend Jacky Nye, whose subsequent murder at the height of their reign was never solved. The Joss Grand of the present day however, seems far removed from the Joss Grand of the past, but is he all he appears, and what was the truth of Jacky's murder. Luke seizes the chance to investigate in the hope of resurrecting his journalistic career with a Truman Capote style book about Grand.


While on the face of it, Grand agrees to the idea of the book, it is clear he wants it written on his terms and not on Luke's, who is still trying to uncover the truth about Grand's past for himself. Luke's search uncovers truths that he might wish he'd kept hidden and not just for the sake of Grand's reputation, but for his own safety.

The book was fast paced and very well written, with an eye for detail relating to Brighton of the past as well as the present. Once I'd started it, I just wanted to get it finished to find out the truth. As with all good thrillers, there was a twist and I didn't see coming, or at least not from the direction it came.

I would thoroughly recommend this book and now can't wait to read the titles I've missed. ( )

Luke is a true crime writer and is in search if a story. Whilst stayingbin Brighton he stumbles across Joss Grand a reformed gangland boss. Luke is soon drawn into the mystery of the death of Jacky Nye, Joss Grand's closest friend.

My Thoughts:

I have read all three previous books by Erin Kelly and loved them. This book I didn't love as much. The story was ok but I found that for me it wasn't, gritty enough for its content. I even hate to say that towards the end I was getting quite bored with it.

I was really expecting a lot more knowing that Erin Kelly is a good thriller author. I was expecting a few good twists and turns, and although there was the odd red herring but I found the story becoming predictable and the reasons why a bit thin.

This book was a little bit of a let down and I was disappointed overall as the outline of the story was there with a promise of a good thriller.

I will still seek out further books but this one is the authors weakest so far. ( )