I’m pleased to be welcoming Tony Bassett to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for Not My Valentine, book seven in the Detective Roy & Roscoe crime fiction series. 

The most romantic day of the year turns into a nightmare…

Having returned from a date with her new boyfriend, Lydia is fatally attacked in her home. A burglary gone wrong or a planned assault?

Detectives from Heart of England Police investigate and try to find out more about the victim. She was much loved by family and colleagues. But maybe someone loved her too much.

Attention turns to Lydia’s boyfriend, Roman, when it transpires that he is the son of a local crime boss known to associate with the feared West Side Gang.

DS Sunita Roy believes he is hiding something, but will have to tread carefully – the criminals have connections in the force.

Despite having strong intuition, Roy is struggling. There is something missing from the picture and it could be a secret taken to the grave.

Tony has shared an extract with us today. We hope you enjoy it. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Detective Sergeant Sunita Roy and her boyfriend, DI Tom Vickers, have raced to an address in West Bromwich amid fears that Aiden Pagett, a key witness in a murder case, may have been shot in a drive-by shooting. They are about to discover that the shooting is being investigated by DI Laura McLachlan from a different force, West Midlands Police.

CHAPTER 25

Sunita thrust her warrant card in front of a stern-faced constable standing behind the cordon. ‘DS Roy, Heart of England CID,’ she said. ‘Do you know who’s the SIO here?’

‘That would be DI McLachlan,’ he replied. ‘She’s just over there, speaking to one of the SOCOs.’

They observed a tall, slim woman in a blue-quilted jacket standing halfway along the front path outside Pagett’s home. A white tent covered the front doorway and porch.

As soon as she saw them approaching, McLachlan ended her conversation and turned towards them. ‘Can I help you?’ she asked with a vague smile.

‘We’re from Heart of England,’ Sunita explained, showing her warrant card again. ‘DS Roy and DI Vickers. I was here just a few hours ago in connection with one of our cases.’

‘Really?’ replied the inspector, shaking both their hands. ‘DI Laura McLachlan, West Midlands Homicide Unit.’

‘We’re looking into the Lydia Squires murder in Worcester.’

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