Tuesday 19 April 2022

Fatal Trade (DC Mel Cotton Crime Series Book 1) - Brian Price

 
Fatal Trade is the first, gripping DC Mel Cotton crime thriller from the brilliant Brian Price.

Glasgow, 1999

Reaching the point of no return, Martina is ready to make her move. After years of being the victim, it’s now time to turn the tables.

Mexton, 2019

The small grey-haired woman grimaced as she entered the police station, dragging a tartan shopping trolley containing her husband’s head.

‘What are you useless buggers going to do about this?’

DC Melanie Cotton’s fledgling career is about to take an interesting turn. Freshly transferred to CID, Mel is excited by this disturbing and mysterious case – her first murder investigation as a detective.

She’s determined to make her mark.

But as she discovers, there’s far more to this case than a gruesome killing, and Mel’s skills and courage are about to tested to the limit.


What did I think?

Fatal Trade is a very good debut from Brian Price.  It has one of the most unforgettable openings I have ever read - just look at that innocuous cardboard box on the cover and open the book to find out what is in it.

It's DC Mel Cotton's first murder investigation and it's going to take her down some dark and dangerous paths.  Paths that twist and turn just like the intensely gripping plot as we flashback to the past and discover a chilling story that shows revenge is indeed a dish that's best served cold. 

I really enjoyed this novel, it's brilliantly written and the twists and turns of the plot really kept me on my toes.  It's very dark at times as it delves into the seedy underworld where you can buy anything or anyone for the right price.  As with many tales of revenge, I found myself rooting for the offender and hoped that their abusers would get their comeuppance.

The characters are beautifully drawn and brought to life through Brian Price's vivid writing.  There are such varied members of the police team that there are some I loved (obviously including the main character of Mel) and some I really disliked.  I'm looking forward to catching up with them again as the series progresses.

Fatal Trade is an excellent start to a new crime series; it's dark, entertaining, and feels so very realistic that I was completely immersed in the story from start to finish.  

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon

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