I was sure i'd heard the name Chris Merritt before amongst my reading circle but I know that this is my first time reading a book by him. "Bring Her Back", the Detective Zac Boateng series opener must have eluded me when it was released at the end of March 2018. At that time I wasn't taking such an interest as I usually would in the latest new books due to personal circumstances, this also accounts for the plethora of reviews that I will be continuing to post for many months to come that I was unable to post at the time.

Okay, it's safe to say Merritt has a new fan! This was a majestic second title and was just what I needed in this hot and humid weather to sit, read and chillax for a while. As I always say, I am sure there are various aspects of the returning characters lives that I am not provy too having not read the first one but this works beautifully as a standalone; it is certainly not essential to have been reading right from the beginning of the series. That said, I will be going back to the first in order to catch up on the characters development before the next in the series is released.

Troy McEwen, an old friend of Detective Boateng is found dead is his home in an apparent suicide but Boateng refuses to believe the official conclusion and is adamant he was murdered. He also thinks he could be the killer's next target. He begins his own covert investigation into his friends death and discovers a link to an incident that occurred decades earlier. Things went wrong that day - lives were lost and secrets were kept. Not for much longer it seems! As more and more people who were present on that fateful day are found dead, will Boateng be able to solve the riddle before the killer closes in on him?

This was an epic read. Tense, suspenseful and thoroughly gripping from first page to last. I loved the plot which was taut and intricate but not overly so. The characters were great, I look forward to learning more about them in future books. There were several effective twists and the pace was ideal, in my opinion. Dark and full of intrigue, a simply fantastic novel.

Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Bookhounds for the advanced copies. I honestly can't give this book enough praise… without doubt being added to my top ten of 2018… an absolute must read… I couldn't put it down.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Last Witness, the second novel to feature the Met's DI Zac Boateng.

Zac gets a call from his close friend, Troy McEwen, whom he hasn't seen for a while, asking for a visit and chat about "back then". When he gets to Troy's house he finds him dead from a gunshot wound. The death is ruled a suicide but Zac thinks murder and starts his own covert investigation. As he investigates events overtake him and convince him that the death is linked to an incident in 1998 which he can't bring himself to think about, never mind tell anyone else, and that this secret could be putting him in the same danger as Troy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Last Witness which is a tense, fast paced procedural full of mystery and several good twists. It held my attention throughout and I raced through the pages, desperate to know the details of the 1998 incident. I guessed the killer's identity early on from the way the novel is written, despite Mr Merritt's efforts at misdirection, which incidentally are very good and had me doubting myself a couple of times. This guesswork did not, in any way, mar my enjoyment of the novel as there is so much more to consider. As I mentioned, the 1998 incident (I sincerely hope these vague mentions in this review of it frustrate you and arouse your curiosity in equal measure because reading the novel is the same), which is the root cause of the killer's motivation, is shrouded in mystery until near the end of the novel and makes for a compelling read. There is never a dull moment as Zac and the team are pushed one way then the other as they try to get to grips with a killer who always seems one step ahead. The plotting is skilful, the pacing excellent and the twists unexpected.

Zac Boateng is an interesting character. He has a happy home life, is good at his job and seems like a decent, honourable man but he has a darker side, not just his actions in 1998 but he is still determined to hunt down the man who gunned down his daughter, Amelia, five years ago. This need for vengeance is not explored in Last Witness but it is an essential part of his character and will I'm sure be part of any future novels.

Last Witness is a great read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Excellent story line which was gripping from start to finish. Great characters. I would highly recommend this book.