Monday 15 February 2021

Bad People (Tom Nolan 1) - Craig Wallwork

 

THREE MISSING CHILDREN. Over the past three years, the quiet Yorkshire village of Stormer Hill has lost three of its children. No bodies were ever discovered. No evidence found. No witnesses.

THE WRITER. Struggling to find inspiration for his new novel, celebrated crime author, and ex-police officer, Alex Palmer, believes the story of the missing children could end his writer's block, but is he prepared for the story that's about to develop?

THE DETECTIVE. Tom Nolan, a seasoned detective and loner involved in finding each missing child. Nolan is tasked with chaperoning Palmer and walking through each case. But as both men revisit the past, and dig deeper, neither are prepared for the chilling discovery to why the children were taken.

THE BRETHREN. A secret cult. Two men, and a series of brutal and unimaginable murders spanning over seven years with one intention; to show the world that death can be justified if it's for a greater good.


What did I think?

Bad People is such a dark and sinister book that is so full of shocks and surprises that it completely blew my mind.  You might think you have this one all worked out but you'd be wrong.  I love books like this that make me flick back over the pages, scratching my head while reanalysing and re-evaluating everything I missed.  Very well played, Mr Wallwork!

With three missing children in one little village, the village itself seems to cast a sinister shadow.  They are a very close knit community in Stormer Hill and they don't take kindly to an author turning up and asking questions for his new book.  The village really gave me the creeps, it virtually hums with an underlying tension that is palpable.  I would have been making a sharp exit if I found myself in Stormer Hill, that's for sure.

The plot is exceptional and I love how Craig Wallwork leads the reader in a particular direction so you think you have it all worked out until he pulls the rug out from underneath you.  The storyline is quite dark and gory in places and the writing is so vivid that you need to have a strong stomach when reading some scenes.  The vivid descriptions made the whole book play like a movie in my mind and I was so gripped that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page, however, I might have actually been hiding behind the sofa if I was watching Bad People the movie.  

Brilliant from start to finish, Bad People is a deliciously dark and addictive thriller that takes crime writing to a new level.  Absolutely outstanding and highly recommended if you feel brave enough to read it.

Many thanks to Craig Wallwork for providing a review copy for me to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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