Stalkers by Paul Finch.

Stalkers by Paul Finch. 

Avon, February 2013.

Review by Helen Jackson.

Time’s up. You’re Next.

“All he had to do was name the woman he wanted. It was that easy. They would do all the hard work.”
Detective Sergeant Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenberg is investigating the disappearance of 38 different women. Each one was happy and successful until they vanished without a trace.
Desperate to find her missing sister, Lauren Wraxford seeks out Heck’s help. Together they enter a seedy underworld of gangsters and organised crime.
But when they hear rumours about the so-called ‘Nice Guys Club’ they hit a brick wall. They’re the gang that no one will talk about. Because the Nice Guys can arrange anything you want. Provided you pay the price…
Dark, terrifying and unforgettable.’

If there’s anything I love as much as, or possibly more than a good romance, it’s a good crime/thriller novel. I’d seen this advertised on the tube (I think) and kind of knew from the first time I saw the poster that I was going to read it.
Little did I know how much I was going to love it.
The novel gripped me from page 1, where there was a very, very small look into what was going to happen to someone. Small enough to grab my interest.
In the beginning of the novel we see Heck being a very slightly off white police, not quite doing what his superiors would like him to be doing, but not that far away. Then he gets taken off the case of the disappearance of 38 women, but he can’t let it drop, not when he’s finally got a lead. He goes off on his own to try to solve the case, which is where he runs into Lauren.
She shouldn’t be there, he doesn’t want her there, but through a few twists he has her there, and as a reader that likes the MC, I’m glad she was.
It’s quite a gory novel, but nothing that put me off, I’ve read a lot worse anyway (Craig Robertson’s Random anyone?).
I literally couldn’t put it down, I had to pick it up at every opportunity. Sometimes I found myself disbelieving that something was happening, but I think the bit just before the end is brilliant. I was disappointed in the very very end, it didn’t satisfy my want for a clean ending, but I’m hoping that’s to get the reader interested in his next novel. I didn’t need that hook, his next novel is Sacrifice, out in July, and I for one cannot wait.

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.