Ten years since she was pushed. Now someone is back for the rest...
With tensions between the police and public at an all-time high, a music festival during a heatwave is the last thing DS Alice Washington needs. When she learns that the headline act is infamous rock band The Dolls, appearing for the first time since the lead singer Ris was pushed to her death.
It was an open-and-shut case: Ris's best friend was witnessed committing the crime by hundreds of people. But when The Dolls start receiving death threats, Alice is forced to reexamine the events leading up to Ris's murder. Was it really just teenage jealousy, or is there something more sinister beneath the surface?
As the threats escalate, Alice must race to uncover the truth before someone else gets hurt. Because while Ris's killer has been behind bars for ten years, it's clear someone is still out for blood.
What did I think?
One by One is the second book in the DS Alice Washington series but it can definitely be read as a standalone as it was my introduction to the series and I loved it. Sam Frances is from my local area and there's a good helping of Geordie humour (as well as a Geordie character) throughout the book.
I knew I was going to love this book before I even finished the first sentence of chapter one and I wasn't wrong. Sam Frances' writing is so witty and insightful that I frequently laughed out loud and often said: "that's so true". There's a scene with a banana (it's not what you think) that made me almost choke I was laughing so much. I was delighted to spot a most excellent Bill & Ted reference too and I want to read it again to see what else I might have missed. It's unusual to have so much humour in a crime novel and it really makes this book stand out in such a popular genre.
The crime part of the plot is riveting as the mystery is twofold: what really happened to the lead singer of rock band The Dolls 10 years ago and who is after the rest of the band at their reunion gig. Needless to say, I didn't guess either answer correctly and it's one occasion where I'm more than happy to be wrong.
Gripping, unpredictable and wonderfully witty, One by One is an absolute belter of a crime novel. I will definitely be ordering the first book in the series and I've already got my hands out like Oliver Twist pleading for more. Unmissable and unputdownable; an easy five stars that just doesn't seem quite enough when a book is as exceptional as this.
I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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About the author:
Sam Frances is a British crime thriller author from Tyne and Wear. She writes stories that combine her love of sardonic characters with her background in policing and lives in London with her partner and their wolf pack of pets.
When not writing (or daydreaming about writing or listening to writing podcasts), she can usually be found no more than 9-10 metres from a block of cheese, either in deep conversation with one of her cats, or playing a musical instrument poorly.
Find Sam on IG: @samfranwriter | X: @SamFranWriter
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