BLOG TOUR: The Hidden Eye (The Merseyside Crime Series Book 4) - Malcolm Hollingdrake

The Hidden Eye is the breathtaking fourth novel in the thrilling Merseyside crime series from Malcolm Hollingdrake, author of the best-selling Harrogate crime series.

Antisocial behaviour is on the rise on the streets of Liverpool. Swift and silent, a sinister gang is patrolling the city on electric motorbikes, scouting for opportunities to steal.

DI April Decent and her trusted team of detectives are facing a complex series of crimes including the cold case of a young woman who died almost a year earlier. The perpetrator remains in the shadows, a traumatised past leaving them hell-bent on atonement, hoping to find a way to cleanse their soul of guilt.

‘The Controller’ of the gang pulls their strings, their orders becoming ever more ambitious and demanding, until a robbery goes wrong, and a gang member is arrested.

Can DI April Decent’s trusted police team manage to piece together the fragmented trail of evidence and track down this malevolent puppet master? Can they make Liverpool’s streets feel safer once more?

The Hidden Eye is ideal for fans of Simon McCleave, J M Dalgliesh and Ian Rankin.

 

What did I think?

The Hidden Eye is the fourth book in The Merseyside Crime series but I think you can read and enjoy it as a standalone, however, you will definitely want to read the earlier books once you have read it.

DI April Decent is the main character who links the series together but the crime itself is a self-contained storyline and what an absolute belter it is.  It had me riveted from start to finish as April and her team scour the streets of Liverpool in search of the mastermind behind the latest crime wave.

The city of Liverpool is brought to life and feels almost like a character itself.  I have been to Liverpool, although I'm not familiar with a lot of the places mentioned in The Hidden Eye, but I could easily visualise it in my mind.  

Filled with intrigue and packed with suspense, The Hidden Eye is an outstanding crime novel in a magnificent series.  I love Malcolm Hollingdrake's descriptive writing; he creates such vivid scenes with such carefully considered words and it's a real joy to read his books.  A highly recommended read.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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BLOG TOUR: Edge of the Land (The Merseyside Crime Series Book 3) - Malcolm Hollingdrake

Edge of the Land is the thrilling third novel in the Merseyside crime series from Malcolm Hollingdrake, author of the best-selling Harrogate crime series.

The waterways of the Liverpool docks contain many ghosts and shadows. It’s a place to disappear… a place to die.

Detective Inspector April Decent and Detective Sergeant Skeeter Warlock are fearful for the welfare of a vulnerable young man injured in an attack ordered by drug dealers. Originally questioned at the scene, the young man denies the attack and refuses to co-operate with the police. He soon disappears. Clues to his whereabouts are sown, a cry for help maybe, but he remains elusive.

At the same time, the team are dealing with a spate of deaths in the city. The one thing the deaths have in common: the victims are all homeless and seemingly ravaged by addiction. Initially, the deaths are not considered to be suspicious as there is no obvious connection. Soon the hallmarks of murder are discovered and a hunt for a potential serial killer is on.

Is there a link between the missing man and the deaths? Could he be the vital piece of the puzzle which will solve the mystery behind the brutal murders?

 

What did I think?

Edge of the Land is the third book in The Merseyside Crime Series and it can most definitely be read as a standalone as I haven't read the first two books in the series and I absolutely loved it.

As soon as I turned the first page of Edge of the Land I knew I was in for a literary treat.  Malcolm Hollingdrake's exquisite writing sets such a vivid scene that I felt as if I'd dived head first into the book and found myself in Liverpool.  I've been a fan of Malcolm Hollingdrake's writing for many years now and just when I think he's at the top of his game, he goes and raises the bar again.

The city of Liverpool and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal are almost characters in their own right as they seem to live and breathe throughout the book.  The main characters are so well drawn that I had to keep reminding myself that they aren't real people.  I was sad to leave them when I turned the final page but it has definitely encouraged me to revisit DI Decent and DS Warlock by reading the previous books in the series.

Perfectly plotted and exquisitely crafted, Edge of the Land is a magnificent piece of crime fiction and you'll be hard pressed to find a better one...until Malcolm writes his next book.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Hobeck Books

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