When a commuter discovers a mutilated corpse on the Prague Metro, Captain Jiri Hofschnadir of the Criminal Police is called in to investigate.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, newly-weds ex British cop Lawrence James and forensic psychologist, Jessie Sandersen are on honeymoon after their frantic efforts to capture the Australian serial killer known as The Dingo.
But wherever James and Sandersen go, trouble is never far behind.
As the body count rises in Prague, Sandersen is called in to help track down the serial killer dubbed The Dark Angel.
In a game of cat and mouse, James and Sandersen will be pushed to their very limits.
But can they catch The Dark Angel before it’s too late?
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog blitz for Dark Angel by PJ Nash today. Many thanks to the author, Bloodhound Books and Sarah Hardy for inviting me and for sending me a copy of the ebook.
Dark Angel is the second book in P.J. Nash's James and Sandersen series following The Hunt for the Dingo which I reviewed earlier this year. In this sequel, Lawrence James and Dr Jessie Sandersen are married and on their honeymoon in Hong Kong. However, their holiday is put on hold when James spots a photo which he thinks may lead him to a familiar adversary. Meanwhile, in Prague the police are on the hunt for a vicious murderer who is leaving their victims horribly mutilated. When the evidence points to the killer being a woman, the Czech police call on Sandersen to help, knowing she has experience working with female serial killers.
Dark Angel has a complex plot with multiple narrative strands. The story switches between Hong Kong, Prague and Melbourne with some scenes also set in London and brings back some familiar faces alongside some new characters. I particularly liked the interplay between the Czech cops, Jiri and Jezek, and the friendship which develops between Jiri and James. I've read a few police procedurals where cops from different countries work together and there often seems to be some animosity or at least a bit of posturing to score political points first, so it was refreshing to come across a novel featuring a more postive relationship. James and Jiri clearly respect one another, even if that means they crack jokes at the other's expense. Although frequently a grim book featuring visceral crimes, there is some lighthearted humour laced throughout the pages, providing a welcome break from the horrors perpetrated.
The race against time to stop the serial killer is thrillingly tense; parts of the book are told from her perspective and are truly chilling. The punishments she dishes out to her victims are harsh and disturbing. However, Dark Angel isn't just about the chase, it also looks at what may drive a person to extreme crime. Can evil acts be excused if the perpetrator is also a victim? And if a person knows immoral or illegal acts take place but does nothing to stop it, does that make them complicit and therefore as guilty? Faces from James and Sandersen's past appear to torment them once again and there's a fascinating exploration of the need for law enforcement to investigate organised crime and the drug trade and the suspicion that perhaps just maintaining the status quo is the best they can hope for. There will always be the demand for drugs and so there will always be those willing to supply them - and removing a leading gangland figure will result in an increase in violence as others bid to take their place.There are also further intriguing snippets from James' past as we learn more about what made him the man he is today.
Dark Angel can be read and undoubtedly thoroughly enjoyed as a standalone but characters and storylines from the first book have a large part to play in this novel and though P.J. Nash does a superb job in bringing new readers up to speed I do feel it is best read after The Hunt for the Dingo in order to really appreciate the clever plotting across the two books.
This is a dark and violent book; the body count is high and there's a constant sense of danger with the feeling that no character can be considered safe. The ambitious, clever plot demands concentration from the reader but in return they are rewarded with a nail-bitingly exciting thriller with strong characterisation and a tantalising conclusion which suggests more trouble ahead for the newlyweds. I can't wait to see what the future holds for them!
Dark Angel is published by Bloodhound Books and can be purchased here. Don't miss the rest of the blog blitz, details are below.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, newly-weds ex British cop Lawrence James and forensic psychologist, Jessie Sandersen are on honeymoon after their frantic efforts to capture the Australian serial killer known as The Dingo.
But wherever James and Sandersen go, trouble is never far behind.
As the body count rises in Prague, Sandersen is called in to help track down the serial killer dubbed The Dark Angel.
In a game of cat and mouse, James and Sandersen will be pushed to their very limits.
But can they catch The Dark Angel before it’s too late?
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog blitz for Dark Angel by PJ Nash today. Many thanks to the author, Bloodhound Books and Sarah Hardy for inviting me and for sending me a copy of the ebook.
Dark Angel is the second book in P.J. Nash's James and Sandersen series following The Hunt for the Dingo which I reviewed earlier this year. In this sequel, Lawrence James and Dr Jessie Sandersen are married and on their honeymoon in Hong Kong. However, their holiday is put on hold when James spots a photo which he thinks may lead him to a familiar adversary. Meanwhile, in Prague the police are on the hunt for a vicious murderer who is leaving their victims horribly mutilated. When the evidence points to the killer being a woman, the Czech police call on Sandersen to help, knowing she has experience working with female serial killers.
Dark Angel has a complex plot with multiple narrative strands. The story switches between Hong Kong, Prague and Melbourne with some scenes also set in London and brings back some familiar faces alongside some new characters. I particularly liked the interplay between the Czech cops, Jiri and Jezek, and the friendship which develops between Jiri and James. I've read a few police procedurals where cops from different countries work together and there often seems to be some animosity or at least a bit of posturing to score political points first, so it was refreshing to come across a novel featuring a more postive relationship. James and Jiri clearly respect one another, even if that means they crack jokes at the other's expense. Although frequently a grim book featuring visceral crimes, there is some lighthearted humour laced throughout the pages, providing a welcome break from the horrors perpetrated.
The race against time to stop the serial killer is thrillingly tense; parts of the book are told from her perspective and are truly chilling. The punishments she dishes out to her victims are harsh and disturbing. However, Dark Angel isn't just about the chase, it also looks at what may drive a person to extreme crime. Can evil acts be excused if the perpetrator is also a victim? And if a person knows immoral or illegal acts take place but does nothing to stop it, does that make them complicit and therefore as guilty? Faces from James and Sandersen's past appear to torment them once again and there's a fascinating exploration of the need for law enforcement to investigate organised crime and the drug trade and the suspicion that perhaps just maintaining the status quo is the best they can hope for. There will always be the demand for drugs and so there will always be those willing to supply them - and removing a leading gangland figure will result in an increase in violence as others bid to take their place.There are also further intriguing snippets from James' past as we learn more about what made him the man he is today.
Dark Angel can be read and undoubtedly thoroughly enjoyed as a standalone but characters and storylines from the first book have a large part to play in this novel and though P.J. Nash does a superb job in bringing new readers up to speed I do feel it is best read after The Hunt for the Dingo in order to really appreciate the clever plotting across the two books.
This is a dark and violent book; the body count is high and there's a constant sense of danger with the feeling that no character can be considered safe. The ambitious, clever plot demands concentration from the reader but in return they are rewarded with a nail-bitingly exciting thriller with strong characterisation and a tantalising conclusion which suggests more trouble ahead for the newlyweds. I can't wait to see what the future holds for them!
Dark Angel 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
After studying history and working in PR for a few years, he was running a second hand bookshop, when wanderlust and destiny in the form of his future wife took him to Prague.
During his time behind the counter in the shop and travelling on trams between English lessons he wrote his first crime novel, The Hunt for the Dingo featuring maverick British expat cop , Lawrence James and and his hunt for a serial killer in Australia. On his return to the UK, he drew on his Bohemian adventures to write his second crime novel featuring Lawrence James and his co-investigator, Dr Jessie Sandersen. He currently lives on a narrowboat with his wife Clare and grumpy cat, Lulu.
In his past life P.J. Nash was a Special Constable for the Warkwickshire police.
Nash is also a member of the CWA and International Thriller Writers.
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