Brendan Foley has worked to balance the responsibilities of a demanding job and a troublesome family. He’s managed to keep these two worlds separate, until the discovery of a mass grave sends them into a headlong collision. When one of the dead turns out to be a familiar face, he’s taken off the case.
Iona Madison keeps everything under control. She works hard as a detective sergeant and trains harder as a boxer. But when her superior, DI Foley, is removed from the case, her certainties are tested like never before.
With stories of the Warrington 27 plastered over the news, they set out to solve the crime before anyone else. The local constabulary is small and under-funded – Brendan knows they can’t crack this case alone, and he’s not letting a rival force take over. Not with the secrets he fears are lurking. Their investigations lead them into the murky underworlds of Manchester and Liverpool, where one more murder means little to drug-dealing gangs, desperate to control their power bases.
But as Madison steps into the ring for the fight of her life, the criminals come to them. It’s no coincidence that the corpses have been buried in Foley’s hometown. The question is, why? Foley might not like the answer....
Introducing a gripping new crime thriller, perfect for fans of Clare Mackintosh, Ian Rankin and Line of Duty.
I need to start this review by apologising to Rob Parker as I read Far From The Tree months ago and it's taken me far too long to write this review. However, the fact that I can remember it so clearly is testament to what a cracking thriller this is - I listened to the audiobook and loved it so much, I treated myself to a gorgeous signed limited edition copy from Red Dog Press.
This is the first book in a trilogy and it certainly hits the ground running. An audacious robbery is swiftly followed by the discovery of a shallow grave. However, Rob Parker isn't content with the police having to figure out the identity of just one body - this is a mass grave and there are twenty-seven bodies here. The visceral descriptions of the various states of decay the bodies are in make it clear that they weren't all killed at the same time and although undoubtedly stomach-churning, the graphic account of the appearance of the victims helps to demonstrate just what a disturbing case this is for all involved.
That's particularly true for Detective Inspector Brendan Foley who is in charge of the case that will see the glare of publicity centred on Warrington and its small police force. However, the shocking identification of one of the bodies brings an intensely personal element to the case for him. Foley is a superb character; authentic, conflicted and determined - something which becomes even more obvious after he is taken off the case. Family and what it means lies at the heart of Far From The Tree but this isn't a heartwarming tale of a family coming together despite the odds. The relationship Foley has with his father and brother is complex and becomes even more complicated as the book progresses and he is forced to confront what they might be involved in as the secrets he has kept for so long threaten to destroy everything he has worked for.
Iona Madison is put in a difficult position when Foley is removed from the investigation but although she doesn't have an especially close relationship with her superior officer, she is forced to examine her own conscience and perhaps follow her instinct rather than the rules. I loved Madison, she's tough, uncompromising and although she has a more vulnerable side which sees her considering letting her guard down, there is never any doubt that she is somebody you wouldn't want to upset.
The characterisation is excellent throughout with the largely working class cast never less than entirely authentic. They are not pitied or patronised but neither are the crimes perpetrated here glamorised. The excellent audiobook captures the grit of the novel perfectly, allowing the superb natural flow of the dialogue to be appreciated properly. The characters became real people; some I cared about, others I feared but I believed in each of them. Brilliantly narrated by Warren Brown, I listened to Far From the Tree on my way to and from work and almost keeled over walking up the hill as I forgot to breathe!
The first-rate sense of place deserves praise too, I loved the description of the police station built on the site of converted Victorian baths where access to the open-plan bullpens sited in the drained pool area are via two sets of steps at the shallow end. Meanwhile, the vivid Warrington setting sings with the edgy energy of a town caught up in the bitter rivalries of its larger, more famous neighbours.
The various strands of the novel are cleverly interwoven with the tension rising relentlessly until the brutal, bloody conclusion which is as moving as it is shocking. That's perhaps what makes this outstanding thriller so memorable - yes it's a dark, gritty story about vicious gangsters but it exudes love, warmth and dry wit too. From Foley's fears for his family to the often black humour which features throughout, the Warrington 27 might be an extraordinary case but nothing about Far From The Tree feels fake and it radiates real life from start to finish. Taut, honest and utterly compelling, this is a terrific introduction to the Thirty Miles Trilogy, I absolutely loved it.
I have the next book, And Your Enemies Closer on pre-order ready for its audiobook publication on 6th January 2022 and I can't wait to find out what happens next!
Far From the Tree is available as an audiobook and can be purchased from Audible , it is also published by Red Dog Press as an ebook, paperback or hardback. Order directly from their website or from Waterstones or Amazon.
About the Author
Rob Parker is a married father of three, who lives in a village near Warrington, UK. The author of the Ben Bracken thrillers and the standalone post-Brexit country-noir Crook's Hollow, he enjoys a rural life on an old pig farm (now minus pigs), writing horrible things between school runs. Rob writes full time, as well as organising and attending various author events across the UK - while boxing regularly for charity. Passionate about inspiring a love of the written word in young people, he spends a lot of time in schools across the North West, encouraging literacy, story-telling and creative-writing. He is also a co-host of the For Your Reconsideration film podcast, and a regular voice on the Blood Brothers crime book podcast.
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