#BlogTour Deep Cover by Leigh Russell

 It's a pleasure to take part in the BlogTour Deep Cover by Leigh Russell.

About the Author

Leigh Russell is the author of the Ian Peterson series (Cold Sacrifice, Race to Death and Blood Axe) and the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series: Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi, Class Murder, Death Rope, Rogue Killer, Deathly Affair and Deadly Revenge.

The series has sold over a million copies worldwide. Cut Short was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association (CWA),John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, and Leigh has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. Her books have been #1 on Amazon Kindle and iTunes with Stop Dead and Murder Ring selected as finalists for The People's Book Prize. Leigh is chair of the CWA's Debut Dagger Award judging panel and is a Royal Literary Fellow. Leigh studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English and American Literature. She is married with two daughters and a granddaughter, and lives in London. Follow @LeighRussell on Twitter, Visit leighrussell.co.uk

About the book

When a sex worker dies in suspicious circumstances in York, Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel struggles to remain focused on the murder investigation. She is distracted by her worries about her colleague and life partner, Ian Peterson, who has disappeared. Geraldine becomes close to her colleague, Matthew. She is unaware that Ian is working under cover in London, helping to identify a criminal gang who have been targeting Geraldine. As a second victim is discovered in York, Ian’s life is threatened by a psychopath. If he fails in his mission, both he and Geraldine may die...

Review

In this 16th installment of the DI Geraldine Steel series, the two main characters go in two different directions to combat crime in their own way. Their relationship has hit a snag, although it's fair to say one of them is both more aware and dealing with it with more finality than the other.

Is that why Ian has  more or less disappeared into an avenue of police work that ensures isolation and lack of contact to Geraldine, whereas she is confused by the aforementioned. In fact Geraldine thinks there is something wrong and finds it hard to concentrate on the killer who has a penchant for prostitutes.

In a police procedural of such longevity it's important to shake the status quo up now and again to keep readers engaged, even if that means driving a wedge between two favourite characters. In this case they are quite literally so separate that it's often like reading two crime stories in one. The question is where does the series go from here?  Does Steel need new challenges and a new character to bounce off and interact with? I'm sure the author won't disappoint.

Buy Deep Cover at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎No Exit Press pub date 24 Aug. 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#BlogTour Deathly Affair by Leigh Russell

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Deathly Affair by Leigh Russell. It's the 13th book in the Geraldine Steel series.

About the Author
Leigh Russell is the author of the Ian Peterson series (Cold Sacrifice, Race to Death and Blood Axe) and the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series:Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi,Class Murder, Death Rope and Rogue Killer.The series has sold over a million copies worldwide. Cut Short was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association (CWA), John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, and Leigh has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. Her books have been #1 on Amazon Kindle and iTunes with Stop Dead and Murder Ring selected as finalists for The People's Book Prize.

Leigh is chair of the CWA's Debut Dagger Award judging panel and is a Royal Literary Fellow. Leigh studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English and American Literature. She is married with two daughters and a granddaughter, and lives in London.

Follow @LeighRussell @noexitpress on Twitter, on Facebook, on Amazon, on Goodreads, Visit leighrussell.co.uk, Buy Deathly Affair

About the book
Four dead bodies. But who is guilty in this deadly web of secrecy and lies?
When a homeless man is murdered, Detective Sergeant Geraldine Steel is disturbed by the cold-blooded nature of the crime. With the discovery of a second victim, the police hunt for a killer whose motive is as elusive as he is dangerous.

In an investigation plagued by police scepticism, Geraldine is relentless in her pursuit of the truth. Drawn into the lives of three people caught in a toxic web of love and deceit, Geraldine learns there is more to this case than she had imagined..

Review
This is the 13th book in the Geraldine Steel series, and I would write DI Steel but due to her actions in the last book Geraldine has been demoted. She is finding her feet in this new situation where she no longer takes the lead and has to be the subordinate again. The problem with that is her experience often points her in a different direction than the person in charge wants to go with the investigation.

Geraldine feels there is more to the death of a local homeless man for instance. Something about it just doesn't ring quite right, aside from it being a murder of course. She is also annoyed by the assumptions her colleagues make about the poor man. Throwing theories about that suggest he deserved his death or did something to incur the wrath of the murderer. The lack of general compassion for the victim because he had fallen on hard times.

It's a police procedural crime read. Russell combines it with the tumultuous story of a marriage with consequences and the result is nothing less than tragic.

It's an interesting way to let the complexity of an unfulfilled marriage and controlling behaviour intersect with the murderous intention of someone determined to get revenge. Just when everything appears to be straight cut the reader realises making assumptions is exactly the wrong thing to do when it comes to a crime read.

Buy Deathly Affair at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.Publisher: No Exit Press | pub date 12 December 2019 | Paperback Original | eBook available | £8.99. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at No Exit Press

Read my review of Rogue Killer by Leigh Russell

#BlogTour Rogue Killer by Leigh Russell

Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Rogue Thriller by Leigh Russell. This is a fast-paced police procedural with a killer who leads the police on a merry chase.

About the Author
Leigh Russell is the author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series: Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi, Class Murder and Death Rope. The series has sold over a million copies worldwide.

Cut Short was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association (CWA) John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, and Leigh has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. Her books have been #1 on Amazon Kindle and iTunes with Stop Dead and Murder Ring selected as finalists for The People’s Book Prize. Leigh is chair of the CWA’s Debut Dagger Award judging panel and is a Royal Literary Fellow.

Leigh studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English and American Literature. She is married with two daughters and a granddaughter, and lives in London.

Follow @LeighRussell @noexitpress on Twitter, on Facebook,Visit leighrussell.co.uk, Buy Rogue Killer

About the book
When the targets are random you could be next.
A man is killed in an apparently random attack, and suspicion falls on a gang of muggers. Only Detective Sergeant Geraldine Steel thinks this is the work of a more deliberate murderer. Two more victims are discovered, after further seemingly indiscriminate attacks, and this time the muggers have a concrete alibi. All the while the killer remains at large. When Geraldine finally manages to track down a witness, she finds her own life is in danger...

Review
DI Geraldine Steel is determined to find the killer, and is also enraged by the set of circumstances that create the perfect environment for someone to commit a crime that nearly passes as a group incident. Steel thinks it is more than just the wrong place at the wrong time.

The DI is opinionated, feisty and not afraid to seek the truth where others have already decided on the result of their investigations. She has a nose for crime and a penchant for trouble.

Russell incorporates an interesting view on mental health and culpability. When someone commits crimes, but is seemingly unaware of the consequences or commits them because there is a lack of support in place. Irrational, antisocial or volatile behaviour doesn't always equate to a mental health diagnosis though. If there are no mental health issues and a person commits crimes, especially when they involve clarity and planning, then surely they should be culpable for their actions? Instead of being grouped in as someone who isn't guilty per se by reason of insanity or due to mental health issues.

And why are people who show early or previous signs of severe mental health issues not evaluated sooner? This is often the case with children and young people, who fall victim to an inadequate system and end up harming themselves others.

It's certainly a slippery slope our society sits upon. This is a fast-paced police procedural with a killer who leads the police on a merry chase.

Buy Rogue Killer at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: No Exit Press; Ecopy pub date 21 Mar. 2019. Paperback pub date 23 May 2019. Buy at Amazon com.