By James Oswald
Paperback 336 pages
Publisher Wildfire (1st Nov 2018)
ASIN B077TXWR8
ISBN-13 978-1472249890
'Crime fiction's next big thing' Sunday Telegraph
📕My Review
DC Constance 'Con' Fairchild is working undercover when her boss DI Pete Copperthwaite is brutally tortured and murdered by a single gunshot to the head. When Con is blamed for the bungled operation and suspended from her job, she realises someone high up in the police force is corrupt. A botched attempt on Con's life soon follows and realising she's in grave danger, knows her only hope of vindication is to bring those responsible to justice.
📕My Review
This book was my first introduction to the work of author James Oswald. Yes, I know I should have read his Inspector McLean series by now, but you know how it is: life + great books = a humongous reading list.No Time To Cry didn't disappoint. It featured a highly interesting female protagonist who is independent, intelligent, loyal, sassy and brave. Just the sort of person you need in a crisis. Whilst the subject matter won't appeal to everyone's tastes, I thought it was handled very effectively and the story wasn't bogged down by the awfulness of the situation.
The pacing was excellent and added to the growing sense of danger and excitement. This was one ballsy lady who wasn't afraid of putting herself in harm's way if it meant doing the right thing and seeing justice prevail.
Normally I'm not fond of books written in the first person; I find them quite challenging and arduous. However, this book flowed so naturally that by the third chapter I'd forgotten all about it. It certainly wouldn't put me off reading further books in this great new series.
Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable easy read and I'm already looking forward to Constance Fairchild's next investigation.
*My thanks to James Oswald, NetGalley and Wildfire for providing me with a copy of this book.
Barnsey's Books Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
📗The Blurb
Returning to their base of operations, an anonymous office in a shabby neighbourhood, she finds the bloodied body of her boss, and friend, DI Pete Copperthwaite. He's been executed - a single shot to the head.
In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to make sure that blame for the wrecked operation falls squarely on Con's shoulders. She is cut loose and cast out, angry and alone with her grief... right until the moment someone also tries to put a bullet through her head.
There's no place to hide, and no time to cry.
📘The Author
James Oswald is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling Inspector McLean series of detective mysteries. The first two of these, Natural Causes and The Book of Souls were both short-listed for the prestigious CWA Debut Dagger Award. Set in an Edinburgh not so different to the one we all know, Detective Inspector Tony McLean is the unlucky policeman who can see beneath the surface of ordinary criminal life to the dark, menacing evil that lurks beneath.
As J D Oswald, James has also written a classic fantasy series, The Ballad of Sir Benfro. Inspired by the language and folklore of Wales, it follows the adventures of a young dragon, Sir Benfro, in a land where his kind have been hunted near to extinction by men. The whole series is now available in print, ebook and audio formats.
James has pursued a varied career - from Wine Merchant to International Carriage Driving Course Builder via Call Centre Operative and professional Sheep Shit Sampler (true). He moved out of the caravan when Storm Gertrude blew the Dutch barn down on top of it, and now lives in a proper house with three dogs, two cats and a long-suffering partner. He farms Highland cows and Romney sheep by day, writes disturbing fiction by night.
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