#BlogTour Too Many Heroes by Jan Turk Petrie

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Too Many Heroes by Jan Turk Petrie.

About the Author
Jan Turk Petrie lives in the Cotswolds, S.W. England. She is the author of the fast paced Nordic thriller series: the Eldísvík novels. All three of these novels are set in 2068 in a fictional city state just below the arctic circle.

'Until the Ice Cracks' - the first of the trilogy was published in July 2018. Volume Two - 'No God for a Warrior' was published in November 2018. The third and final volume - 'Within Each Other's Shadow' was published in April 2019

The ebook boxset - The Eldísvík Trilogy was published in August 2019. Jan's fourth novel - 'Too Many Heroes' - a gripping new post-war thriller set in the East End of London was published in August 2019. She is currently working on her fifth book - 'Towards the Vanishing Point.'

A former English teacher with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Gloucestershire, Jan has also written numerous, prize-winning short stories.

Follow @TurkPetrie on Twitter, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit janturkpetrie.com, Buy Too Many Heroes

About the book
Where can a wanted man hide in a country full of returned war heroes?
It’s 1952 and Frank Danby has been looking over his shoulder for the last ten years, forced to lead an itinerant life, getting work wherever he can while trying to keep one step ahead of the police.

Returning to London, he finds a job in an East End pub, where he becomes entangled with Grace, the young and beautiful wife of the landlord. Then the law comes knocking. Facing a justice system prejudiced against him, Frank must find a way to escape the gallows.

Too Many Heroes is a gripping period thriller, exploring love, belonging and betrayal in a country still recovering from WW2. A must for fans of the post-war novels of Philip Kerr, Kate Atkinson and Sara Sheridan.

Review

Frank wants to be able to make a living without attracting a lot of attention. He wants to stay under the radar - way under the radar. Living a normal life isn't possible when you're technically a criminal. What's worse, in the eyes of many people being a deserter is the ultimate betrayal to all of those who fought and lost their lives in the war. Hiding away instead of supporting his fellow soldiers - there is no excuse for that and it is simply cowardice.

There is no consideration for the fear someone like Frank might have felt or guilt he may have burdened himself with. The why doesn't matter to the country. So Frank lives like a nomad.

He doesn't expect to meet someone like Grace and feel an instant connection. Unfortunately she has a husband and isn't in a position to embrace the attraction she feels for the wanderer. The clandestine relationship ends in tragedy for the two of them.

It's historical crime fiction set after WW2. The author lets the story and the tension between the characters develop slowly and gives the reader glimpses, via flashbacks, of why Frank is in such a precarious position. They tell a tale of torment which he carries within him on a daily basis. A side of him he is reluctant to share with the world for fear of judgement and disdain.

I would have liked the author to explore the topic of desertion and perhaps even conscientious objectors a little more, aside from the information in the appendix. In another story perhaps? The trauma and permanent psychological scarring of people who are or were involved in war or combat is underestimated, and even in our day and age the support for veterans is severely lacking.

Buy Too Many Heroes at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Pintail Press; pub date 23 July 2019. Buy at Amazon com.