Today is a double whammy, the BlogTour features Binary Witness and Code Runner, book 1 and 2 in the Amy Lane Mystery series, by Rosie Claverton. Read all about the two books, the author and my reviews for both books below.
Binary Witness and Code Runner were initially published by Carina as ebooks only. When Rosie and Carina parted company, Crime Scene Books fell on Rosie with glad cries, published the next two books in the series (Captcha Thief and Terror 404), all the while negotiating with Carina for the rights to the first two - which CSB now have. Both Binary Witness and Code Runner appear now in new editions, and for the first time in paperback and, in the case of Binary Witness, in audiobook.
About the Author
Rosie Claverton grew up in Devon, daughter to a Sri Lankan father and a Norfolk mother, surrounded by folk mythology and surly sheep. She moved to Cardiff to study Medicine and adopted Wales as her home. She then moved to London to specialise in psychiatry. Her Cardiff-based crime series The Amy Lane Mysteries debuted in 2014. Her first short film Dragon Chasers aired on BBC Wales in Autumn 2012. She co-created the ground-breaking series of short films The Underwater Realm. Between writing and medicine, she blogs about psychiatry and psychology for writers in her Freudian Script series, advocating for accurate and sensitive portrayals of people with mental health problems in fiction. She is the co-founder of Crime Cymru, a collective of Welsh crime writers. Returned to her beloved Cardiff, she lives with her journalist husband and brand new daughter.
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About Binary Witness (Amy Lake Mystery #1)
A young woman trapped by her fear.
A serial killer on the prowl.
A woman locked in a darkened flat.
An ex-con hiding from a vengeful gang.
As clubbers in Cardiff are targeted by a brutal murderer, the police turn to unconventional means to catch the killer. Amy Lane, a desperately agoraphobic grey-hat hacker, only at peace with her fingers on a keyboard and her eyes on a screen, can peek into virtual corners in ways DI Bryn Hesketh would rather not know about. But he needs her skills, and turns to her for help. Jason, an ex-con looking to go straight, starts as Amy’s cleaner, but soon becomes much more.
An entirely new edition of the first thrilling story in Rosie Claverton’s stunning Amy Lane mystery series, available in paperback and audiobook for the first time.
Review of Binary Witness
The relationship between Amy and Jason develops gradually, a mutual feeling of disinterest is taken over by a genuine emotional bond. Two people who don't fit into the stereotypical boxes determined by society. Jason, the ex-con trying to stay out of prison, but finding it difficult to move on from his past and the pre-conceived notions people have about him. Then there is Amy, the agoraphobic grey-hat hacker, who is ruled by her fears and anxiety.
What starts out as a simple two hour a day cleaning job for Jason, soon becomes a a need to nurture Amy and keep her safe. One step at a time, day by day, and one small job at a time. Amy neglects herself and her home, so it comes as a huge surprise to Jason to find the police using her hacking skills on really complex cases.
When Amy is asked to help discover the identity of a potential serial killer, the new relationship between the two of them changes from client and cleaner to a crime busting duo. Amy takes care of all the online data gathering and snooping, and Jason becomes the feet on the ground external operative.
I think the premise has so much potential, and I enjoyed the way Claverton approaches mental health issues in such an open way. The majority of people will just tick Amy off as an outsider, the crazy person. There is a lack of understanding of mental health issues in general, and a lot of misconceptions about agoraphobia, anxiety and depression.
Depression is just someone feeling a little sad sometimes, anxiety is merely someone being a wee bit hysterical and how can anyone be afraid to leave their home? Sounds insensitive doesn't it, and yet this is the way people who don't comprehend these illnesses often speak about them. He or she is putting it on, they just want attention. Statements that couldn't be further from the truth.
Claverton has a created a crime fighting tag-team, who are in a sense dependent on each other. Amy needs the support and Jason needs to support. The Amy Lane Mysteries are a great combination of crime with a subtle portion of mental health awareness to go along with it. Both aspects of this series run comfortably beside each other without any attempt to be preachy or inform. It's has a natural flow and ease to it, which is what makes the read and premise work so well. Claverton is definitely an author worth watching out for.
About Code Runner (Amy Lake Mystery #2)
Agoraphobic grey-hat hacker Amy Lane and her sidekick ex-con Jason Carr make a formidable crimefighting team, but when Jason can’t resist investigating a body washed up on a beach, the duo find themselves are in over their heads in a world of drug-smuggling, conspiracy and cyber crime.
When Jason is framed for murder, Amy feels her life crumbling around her. She’s the only one who can prove his innocence and when his time in prison threatens to claim his life, she knows she has to solve the case fast. Can Amy rescue Jason? At what cost?
This entirely new edition of the second thrilling adventure in Rosie Claverton’s stunning Amy Lane mystery series comes with the BONUS AMY LANE STORY Car Hacker.
Review of Code Runner
The agoraphobic grey-hat hacker Amy and her ex-con assistant Jason are faced with a crime, which threatens to break up their team, and to shatter the new found confidence Amy has. She also finds herself separated from the lifeline she has built from her own personal prison and the outside world.
In the second book in the Amy Lane Mystery series Amy and Jason have become a well oiled crime fighting team. Perhaps one with too much success, because Jason finds himself back in prison.This time the charge is murder, the brother of his ex-best friend has been murdered, and Jason is the alleged killer.
Damage may have had it in for Jason, on behalf of his brother stewing away in prison, and he may have been responsible for the majority of the physical injuries Jason has been dealt throughout the last few months, but that doesn't mean he wanted to or did kill him.
Someone has decided to set him up and feed him to the wolves. In prison there is no escaping the revenge of old friends. Meanwhile Amy is willing to do anything, well let's be realistic anything doable within the confines of her safe space, to save Jason.
In Code Runner there are scenes that show the lack of training, sensitivity and understanding the police force have when it comes to dealing with people suffering from mental health issues. Trying to remove an agoraphobic from the confines of their safety net can cause unfathomable trauma and anxiety. It all comes back to not comprehending what it means both physically and psychologically to have to leave their self-imposed or rather anxiety imposed space.
Claverton combines her knowledge of mental health, the medical system and solid, believable characters to create a fast-paced enjoyable read. Amy's well-being and mental health is linked to the fate of the one person, who has managed to help her cope better. At the same time the author doesn't portray Amy as weak, because she isn't. She is a strong, intelligent young woman, who is crippled and held back by her anxiety disorder.
I think this tag-team is incredibly interesting, and the storyline gives the reader a lot of insight into the restrictions of mental health disorders and the discrimination sufferers have to deal with on a daily basis. Definitely a series and an author worth checking out.
Buy Binary Witness (Amy Lane Mystery #1) at Amazon Uk or go to
Goodreads for any other retailer
Buy Code Runner (Amy Lane Mystery #2) at Amazon Uk or g to
Goodreads for any other retailer.
Both Published April 19th 2018 by Crime Scene Books.
Buy Captcha Thief (Amy Lane Mystery #3)
Buy Terror 404 (Amy Lane Mystery #4)
