How far would you go?
The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton’s Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats.
Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption.
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for Bad For Good today. Many thanks to Graham Bartlett, Allison & Busby and Helen Richardson for inviting me to take part in the tour and for my advance copy of the novel.
As the former Chief Superintendent of Brighton and Hove, Graham Bartlett was always going to be able to write an authentic police procedural. Bad For Good is his debut novel and as a long-time advisor to other authors, it quickly became clear that he's really taken on board what a cracking crime thriller needs – this introduction to what I hope will become a series kept me gripped from start to finish.
There are a number of characters in the cast, with Detective Superintendent Jo Howe at the forefront. Although this is the series opener, Jo in particular is a fully formed figure with a convincing home life – and an interesting past that results in personal ramifications for her. She quickly became somebody I was invested in and I enjoyed the interactions she has with various colleagues whom I'm looking forward to being developed further as the series continues.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Phil Cooke is put through the wringer here following the murder of his beloved son, Harry; while he makes some terrible decisions, his anguish was believable throughout and his responses often understandable, if not sensible. The multiple viewpoints also feature some of the antagonists; from the low-level wrong-doers who are almost as much a victim of their circumstances as they are perpetrators, through to the criminals at the top of this unscrupulous food chain. Some are wretchedly pathetic, others truly disturbing individuals, but all are brought to life with the assured authenticity that comes after a career interacting with all levels of society.
There's always a risk when an author knows their subject matter well for the narrative to become bogged down by facts and procedure but that never happens in Bad For Good. Graham Bartlett captures the reality of modern-day policing without it impeding the fast-paced, exciting flow of the storyline. Socio-political pressures have a vital role to play in proceedings and the exhausted frustrations of those who work within the police force are portrayed to devastating effect. Contemporary issues from knife crime and street violence, through to intimidation and corruption impact upon an increasingly complicated investigation which tests Jo to her limits. The rising sense of tension is exacerbated by the brutal acts of violence which are never gratuitous but make it obvious just how dangerous these vigilantes are – for the criminal targets of their ruthless brand of justice, those who attempt to stop them and for all those living and working in the city.
This version of Brighton is unlikely to be welcomed by the tourist industry as Graham Bartlett paints a bleak picture of rampant lawlessness. Perhaps the most chilling aspect of Bad For Good is that it's only too easy to imagine a similar scenario becoming reality. Cuts to the emergency services will inevitably leave gaps for others to exploit, and the terrifying vigilantism that is explored here means this is as unsettling as it is compelling.
Bad For Good is a gritty, compulsive thriller with a pacy, intriguingly complex storyline, excellent characterisation and plenty of scope for further instalments of what I am sure will become an addictive series; I'm looking forward to more.
Bad For Good is published by Allison & Busby. It can be purchased from the publisher's website and from bookshop.org, Hive, Waterstones, Amazon or from your favourite independent bookshop.
Don't miss the rest of the blog tour, details are below.
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