BOOKSTAGRAM TOUR: The Deadly Mooring (DCI Jack Mason Crime Thriller Series Book 8) - Michael K Foster

The deeper you dig, the deadlier the game ...

Deciding to put his past behind him, DCI Jack Mason is finding it difficult to conceal a secret from his partner. Sent to investigate a Tyne River cruiser fire, emergency services have unearthed charred remains. While authorities suspect arson, Mason holds a different view.

Caught in a web of deceit and brutal homicide, the one person who can help this seasoned detective lies gravely ill in hospital. Going it alone won’t be easy. This cunning predator, a master of disguise, has a long history of targeting law enforcement.

Will Mason trust his own instincts? And what secrets do people take to the grave?

Lives are at stake, and time is fast running out.

The Deadly Mooring is the eighth book in the DCI Jack Mason crime thriller series. If you like complex female protagonists, fast-paced action, and dark mysteries, then you will love Michael K. Foster’s latest novel. Fans of Peter James, Ian Rankin, J.R. Ellis, Frieda McFadden, and Alex Smith will not want to miss this book.

 

What did I think?

I've read the first five books in the DCI Jack Mason series so I've missed a couple as The Deadly Mooring is book eight.  You can definitely read it as a standalone though as it contains its own crime storyline but it's just the characters' personal lives that have moved on.

It's so sharply plotted and meticulously researched that i felt as if I was part of Mason's team as they simultaneously investigate a murder, a missing person and an art theft.  It sounds like there's a lot going on but the reader knows they are all linked together and I loved being privy to both the perpetrator's and the investigator's thoughts.

You may think from the cover that it is set in South Shields, but the characters don't set foot in the coastal town and it's mostly set upriver in Newcastle and Gateshead.  I do love books set in my local area as I feel like I'm walking in the characters' footsteps or sitting in the passenger seat of their vehicle.  

Whilst the crime part of the plot kept me riveted, I loved the developments in Mason's personal life and it was good to see profiler David Carlisle once again.  This really is a brilliant crime series and I am eager to not only read more but to catch up on the instalments that I have missed.

Incredibly fast-paced and completely compelling, The Deadly Mooring is a fantastic crime novel that I couldn't put down.  Very highly recommended. 

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the LBT Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Hackney Central (DCI Jack Mason series Book 5) - Michael K Foster

Walk these streets at your peril!

When newly appointed Detective Sergeant Jack Mason steps through the doors of Hackney Central Police Station, he is tasked with his biggest nightmare. A pensioner lies dead, his flat has been ransacked, and no one is willing to talk.

But why pick on a vulnerable old man?

No stranger to London’s East End, Mason is under no illusion that the chance of finding the killer is slim. Gripped by notorious drug gangs, knife crime runs rife, and nowhere appears safe.

With time rapidly running out, it soon becomes clear that he’s dealing with a version of justice terrifyingly different to his own. . .

You’ll be hooked from the start by this gripping crime thriller. There’s tension, suspense, and a plot full of twists and turns. Why not find out more about Jack Mason’s early career, and order your copy today.

The series in order:

The Wharf Butcher (Book 1)

Satan’s Beckoning (Book 2)

The Suitcase Man (Book 3)

Chameleon (Book 4)

Hackney Central (Book 5]

What did I think?

Although Hackney Central is book five in the DCI Jack Mason series, it is actually a prequel novella so can most definitely be read as a standalone.  If, like me, you've read the first four books in the series then it's a glimpse into Jack Mason's past when he was a DS in London.

Jack Mason is a character I already know and love but I loved reading about his past when he was about to become a father for the first time whilst investigating a gang related crime.  The impending birth of his daughter doesn't mean that Mason has one eye off the ball; far from it, he's as determined as ever to bring the murderer to justice.

With a fast-paced and gripping plot I absolutely raced through this novella.  Although I love reading about places I know in the North East, I enjoyed going back to Jack Mason's roots in London.  We also get to read about his first introduction to criminal psychologist David Carlisle who also appears in the North East based books and plays an invaluable role in helping Mason solve crimes.  Reading about Mason's past felt like flicking through an old photo album; it didn't need to fill in any missing blanks as there are none: what you see is what you get with Jack Mason.

The storyline is very intriguing, especially when Mason has a run in with a local gang leader at the start of the book.  The victim had a valuable watch stolen and Mason knows that this is the key to solving the crime.  The writing is so vivid that I felt like I was following the clues along with the police and I was on the edge of my seat as the net closed around the killer.

Hackney Central is a fabulous novella and not only a great addition but also a great introduction to the amazing DCI Jack Mason series.  I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to all. 

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

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About the author:

Michael K Foster has been writing crime thriller novels since 2006, all of them based in and around the North East of England. His bestselling debut novel, 'The Wharf Butcher,' was released in 2015 and offers a unique insight into this rugged landscape. He has now written four full-length novels featuring the hard-hitting DCI Jack Mason and local criminal profiler David Carlisle. 'Chameleon,' the latest book in the series, was released in June 2019.

Michael was born in Plymouth, England. After ten years' service in the British Army, he moved to Newcastle where he gained a master's degree. A former Magistrate, he now writes full time and lives with his family in County Durham.

If you would like to find out more about Michael, he can be found at:

https://www.michaelkfoster.com

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