Today it's an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for Blood Ribbon by Roger Bray. This time the author invites his readers along on a long murderous journey. Everyone has a secret to hide, right?
About the Author
I have always loved writing; putting words onto a page and bringing characters to life. I can almost feel myself becoming immersed into their lives, living with their fears and triumphs. Thus, my writing process becomes an endless series of questions. What would she or he do, how would they react, is this in keeping with their character? Strange as it sounds, I don’t like leaving characters in cliffhanging situations without giving them an ending, whichever way it develops.
My life to date is what compels me to seek a just outcome, the good will overcome and the bad will be punished. More though, I tend to see my characters as everyday people in extraordinary circumstances, but in which we may all find our selves if the planets align wrongly or for whatever reason you might consider.
Of course, most novels are autobiographical in some way. You must draw on your own experiences of life and from events you have experienced to get the inspiration. My life has been an endless adventure. Serving in the Navy, fighting in wars, serving as a Police officer and the experiences each one of those have brought have all drawn me to this point, but it was a downside to my police service that was the catalyst for my writing.
Medically retired after being seriously injured while protecting a woman in a domestic violence situation I then experienced the other side of life. Depression and rejection. Giving truth to the oft said saying that when one door closes another opens I pulled myself up and enrolled in college gaining bachelor and master degrees, for my own development rather than any professional need. The process of learning, of getting words down onto the page again relit my passion for writing in a way that I hadn’t felt since high school.
So here we are, three books published and another on track.
Where it will take me I have no idea but I am going to enjoy getting there and if my writing can bring some small pleasure into people’s lives along the way, then I consider that I will have succeeded in life.
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About the book
When Brooke Adams is found battered, bleeding, and barely conscious, the police are at a loss as to who her attacker is or why she was targeted. Then, PI Rod Morgan turns up convinced that Brooke’s attack is the latest in a string of unsolved disappearances dating back thirty-five years. The police, however, aren’t convinced, leaving Brooke and Rod to investigate the cases themselves. As secrets from the past start unravelling it becomes a maze, deeper, darker, and far more sinister than either of them could have imagined. Will they find Brooke’s attacker before he strikes again, or will that one secret stay buried forever?
Brooke hasn't exactly had an easy life so far, and it seems as if the universe has decided she isn't entitled to her piece of happiness and peace. After finally establishing a home, a group of friends and embarking on a path toward a career, she becomes the victim of a brutal attack. Sheer luck is the only reason she isn't seven feet under, as her attacker intended.
She doesn't start out with the intention of finding the person who tried to kill her, and rather inadvertently is led to the horrific discovery that she is perhaps just one of many more innocent victims, but is convinced to take a closer look by a retired detective. A man who is driven by the need to find someone he believes to be a serial killer.
The investigation is nothing more than closure or a bit of trivia until things start to get personal for Brooke. Her past and the present collide, and put her in the middle of a cold case and a brand new murder.
Bray distracts his readers by pulling them in multiple directions at the same time. If his story teaches us anything at all, then it is to trust no one. No matter how friendly, helpful or polite they may seem. Sometimes the real monsters are hiding behind the most innocent of masks.
It's also a reminder of how many young men, women and children go missing and are never found again. A lot of them falling prey to the murderous deviants haunting our streets. The ones who will forever remain the missing.
Blood Ribbon is a fast-paced crime with elements of a psychological thriller. The main character is unfortunately an example of a perfect victim. The person no one looks for when they disappear, which means nobody knows they are gone. The perfect scenario for a killer, but a nightmare for the intended target.
The killer lurks in plain sight in this read, which is also often the case in real life. They don't have scary faces or come with daunting warning signs as they approach, which is why they and the killer in this story manage to kill over and over again.
It has echoes of Wambaugh, as Bray takes inspiration from certain real life scenarios and mixes them with his fictional killer who has a penchant for hair ribbons. It's a read that will keep you guessing or suspect every single person until the end.
Buy Blood Ribbon at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.
Paperback edition
Publisher: Undertow, Pub. date 10 Aug. 2018
Read my review of Psychosis by Roger Bray
Read my review of The Picture by Roger Bray
Thanks so much for this Blog Tour support Cheryl xx
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