#BlogTour Courage by James Hardy

It's my turn on the BlogTour Courage by James Hardy. 

About the Author

James began writing COURAGE 40 years ago. He resurrected and rewrote the draft following a serious illness. His daughter, knowing he had the passion to write, dropped a notepad on his lap as he lay in a hospital bed and said, 'Now you have the time, write!'

About the book

Joanne Sinclair wants Leroy Martin's help to find a serial killer dubbed the Dorking Devil. The problem is, he's a criminal who spent two years in prison and she's the detective who helped put him there.

The unlikely duo team up to find the man and bring him down and, surprisingly, they make a good pair. But it isn't long before Leroy's past catches up with him, putting them both in grave danger.

Review

Leroy doesn't have to go out of his way to help anyone. The world hasn't been particularly kind or easy to him, but the truth is despite what certain people believe, he is strong enough to act on his base impulses, which is to help others when needed.

That's how he ends up in the midst of a crime being committed and the best intentions end up with the finger being pointed at him, so much for being a saviour and trying to make a difference. His encounter with a beast prowling the area for victims leads him straight into the arms of Joanne Sinclair.

Joanne and Leroy are indeed an unlikely pair, one wonders how much of their attraction is driven by guilt and respectively the desire to be acknowledged properly. Either way something deeper connects them.

It's full of tropes - some slightly unsavoury, and teeters on the edge of romanticising quite a few, even if it's is merely in the name of plot and character. Without those the gritty urban vibe of the story would be more at the forefront.

Hardy delivers urban crime at the core of which is a man who desires something as simple as depth in a relationship, peace and love. When everything else is stripped away, including mistakes and difficult roads taken, that is what remains for the majority of people.

Buy Courage at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Dark Edge Press pub date 14 Jun. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.