Mike Lynch is going through hard times. But things get much worse when he witnesses a murder in a lay-by. Snatching the victim’s car in order to get away, Mike soon makes a shocking discovery - the victim’s young daughter and her nanny are hiding in the rear footwell. This is when the real trouble begins.
Mike wants to go to the police, but the nanny, Melissa, wants to delay until the daughter, Charlie, is somewhere safe. Mike agrees to this request before finding out the seriousness of the situation, and just how much danger they are really in.
Who exactly was the man he saw murdered? And who is the man he saw pulling the trigger?
In a situation where nothing is what it seems, Mike will have to fight for his life to protect a woman and a child he doesn’t know. And when the death count rises, he will discover what kind of man he really is.
I'm delighted to be taking part in the blog blitz for Scream Blue Murder today. My grateful thanks to the author, publishers and Sarah Hardy for inviting me and for my advance copy of the book.
I really didn't know what I was letting myself in for when I started reading Scream Blue Murder and just how affecting it would turn out to be! I loved the sound of the blurb and I expected a fast paced thriller. What I wasn't anticipating though was just how invested I'd become in some of the characters' lives, particularly Mike's. I didn't much like Mike at first. He's not in a particularly good place in life, divorced, separated from his daughter and although he is now sober he must constantly struggle to avoid alcohol. After he witnesses a shocking murder his life quickly spirals out of control but gradually another side of his character is revealed and I found myself rooting for him. The relationship that develops between Mike, Melissa and her charge, Charlie is fascinating and really quite touching. Although very much Mike's story, Melissa is a likeable, intriguing character who is also transformed by their ordeal.
The gripping plot sees Mike and Melissa forced to go on the run, thrust together but unsure who they can trust. As Mike reaches out to figures from his past, the body count rises and soon he must not only confront the present danger he finds himself in but also begin to come to terms with former events. I loved this very contemporary thriller where modern surveillance methods mean fleeing from the situation is next to impossible, there's something almost claustrophobic about the knowledge that your every move can be traced. Mike really doesn't know just how much trouble he is in, or what his enemies are capable of, but we, the readers are given glimpses into the plans of those desperate to catch up with our protagonists making the tension almost unbearable as a gripping cat and mouse game is played out where the stakes couldn't be higher. These little vignettes, the cast of suspects, red herrings and complex plot add a cinematic feel to the novel as little by little the shocking truth is revealed. I'm always hopeful that an action thriller will set my pulse racing and Scream Blue Murder is a total adrenaline rush! The creeping sense of dread when it looks as if Mike's plans aren't as foolproof as he thought, the sinister reason for not just the first murder but the ensuing deaths and the high octane final showdown meant Scream Blue Murder is a book I couldn't put down. It's a book that puts the thrills into thriller, dark, intelligent, intense and highly recommended.
Scream Blue Murder is published by Bloodhound Books and can be purchased here. Don't miss the rest of the Blog Blitz, details are below.
About the Author
Tony J Forder is the author of the critically acclaimed crime thriller Bad to the Bone, the first in a series featuring DI Jimmy Bliss and DC Penny Chandler. The second book in the series will be released in 2018, with a third currently in progress.
On 19 September 2017, Tony's dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, was also published by Bloodhound Books. This was intended to be a stand-alone novel, but Tony is now considering the possibility of a follow-up.
On 8 November, Bloodhound Books will publish Tony’s new fast-paced action thriller, Scream Blue Murder. This is the first novel in an intended series, and has received praise from both Mason Cross and Matt Hilton.
Some years ago, Tony won a short story competition judged by an editor from Pan Books. The story, Gino's Bar and Grille, went on to be published in Dark Voices 2, part of the celebrated Pan Book of Horror series. Three further short story sales followed: Book End, published in Dark Voices 4, Character Role, in FEAR magazine, and finally A Grim Story, which featured in A Rattler's Tale. It was the start of Tony’s publishing journey.
Tony is signed to Bloodhound Books for a minimum of four books, but believes there is much more to come.
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