t is hard to believe that The Tattoo Thief is Alison Belsham’s first crime book, it is a very impressive debut from an author who has previously written screenplays. I found that I was immediately drawn into the book and the characters and the gruesome murders.

And do be warned that this book is gruesome and doesn’t hold back in describing the murders and crime scenes. This doesn’t bother me but I’m sure that there are some more sensitive readers who might struggle with it.

I really loved the policeman who was trying to solve his first case of being in charge, Francis was a great character and I loved a lot about him. He is the first to admit that he knows nothing about tattoos and so has to learn quickly, lucky for him Marni, a local tattoo artist, is there to help guide him. I was slightly concerned that the book might go for the stereotypical route when portraying the tattoo community in Brighton, but that was definitely not the case here.

I really did love reading this book, I love a book that sucks me in and makes me guess who might have done it. The book is fast paced and well written, the authors research is evident, giving the book a sense of realism. If you love your crime thrillers then you’re sure to love The Tattoo Thief.

The Tattoo Thief  is Alison Belsham's first crime thriller, and won the Pitch Perfect award at the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival.  After reading this book I understand why.  The Tattoo Thief is a fast paced, edge of your seat thrilling read, with a fantastically dark plot and intriguing characters.  The story is narrated by four very different voices; DI Frances Sullivan,  DS Rory Mackay, Marni Mullins and finally the tattoo thief themselves.  All bring a different perspective to the crimes, and all have different personal agendas.

DI Frances Sullivan is newly promoted, and the youngest DI on the force.  The tattoo thief  is his first case and he has a lot to prove especially as his superior officer and his team don't think he is up to the job.  I really felt for his character, not only trying to find a serial killer but dealing with lack of respect at work and having personal problems with his mother and sister.  What I found really interesting was his strong faith and how that both helped and hindered some of his choices with this case.  DS Rory MacKay should have got the promotion to DI, and from the start is against DI Sullivan and undermines him at every opportunity.  It is interesting to see the changing dynamics of their relationship change throughout the book, as Sullivan starts to earn MacKay's respect.  My favourite character was Marni Mullins.  Marni has an air of mystery about her; she has secrets in her past  and has a dislike of the Police and authority in general.  She has a strong personality with an edge and coldness to it, she certainly isn't going to let a killer get in her way.  There was certainly some sexual tension between her and DI Sullivan that made this book even more compelling.  The killer tells their own story in their chapters; their childhood, their motives and their hopes. It was compelling to be inside the killers warped mind.

I found this to have an original plot line, a bit gruesome in parts in the description of flaying a human while they are alive to remove the tattoos from the victims. I enjoyed each of the characters having hidden agendas, all wanting to catch the killer but each wanting something different from the outcome of this case, which get in the way of the investigation.  There are many hold your breath moments, and surprises along the way as expected from a crime thriller, but the inventiveness of the crimes makes this stand out in the crowd.

The Tattoo Thief is a book I won't forget in a hurry. Its dynamic, dark,  disturbing and gripping story makes this book hard to put down, and I read it in one day.  The characters are all multi faceted and bring their own stories to the plot, adding an extra dimension.  This is an exceptional debut thriller and one I can't recommend highly enough; I hope Alison Belsham is going to make a series from theses characters.

What an intro to the book! Someone having their tattoo cut off their body! Shocking! How could someone do that especially if it was an awesome tattoo! Sorry, just a bit protective. lol. I love tattoos and I have two, three really but it was covered up by an awesome one and planning my next one. Anyway, I digress!

The story is told from four different perspectives, Marni, the woman who found the unfortunate soul in a dumpster. Francis, the new promoted DI on his first case. Rory, the officer passed up for promotion, so only a little bit bitter and finally the unknown voice of the killer, planning their next victims. This killer was one sadistic collector of tattoos! (It has not put me off getting another one though!)

I did feel for Francis, as he is newly promoted, it felt everyone was out to get him, Rory in particular. Trying to trip him up and not trust his judgement, not really a team effort. Being the first case too, there is a lot of pressure to solve this case.

I adored Marni, flaws and all, and I was intrigued by her and her story. She is such a strong but complex character and a likeable one at that. Her interaction with Francis was fab, and how their banter and their relationship grew as we moved forward in the book.

Do not make the same mistake I did, and start reading this book when you are eating lunch! Big mistake!

This is set in Brighton and only having been there once it felt like I have been there many times with the descriptive writing used.

This is a debut book, but I feel like I have been reading Alison’s books for years. Her writing is gritty, dark, disturbing, but inviting. She invites you into her world and I was a sucker for every word on the page.

And I just LOVE the cover!

(Sorry for such just a brain dump of ramblings here, but this book is awesome!)

Francis Sullivan is not your average D.I. Intelligent and thoughtful, he is young in both years, at 29, and in experience. He’s just been promoted above another experienced detective, DS Rory Mackay which means he already has a lot to prove and his boss DCI Bradshaw, not the most understanding of men, isn’t exactly thrilled to have a rookie in charge either.

Sullivan knows he lacks experience, but he has family he needs to look after and he needs the promotion. Not much of a drinker, it is the church he turns to when he needs to talk things through.

So besuited Francis isn’t exactly in his element when, in the midst of a Brighton Tattoo convention, it becomes clear that there is a killer about who is selecting victims for their body art.

Written in 4 voices, those of Sullivan, his colleague DS McKay, Marni Mullins a local tattoo artist and the killer, this book is a fast and easy read, albeit a dark and gory one.

Francis knows he is out of his depth in the inking world and the tattoo artists tend not to be big fans of the police and so he is happy to enlist the help of Marni Mullins, a local tattoo artist working at the convention who had called anonymously called in a report on the finding of a body but who he swiftly tracked down.

Marni herself has a troubled background and she is wary of the police for reasons that become clear later in the book. It is Marni who first suggests that what links the victims their tattoos and when it becomes clear that they killer is mutilating them by flaying them alive, Marni commits to helping stop the killer in the midst of her community.

While the investigation proceeds, the reader is treated to a narrative from the clearly very disturbed killer and it is clear that there is a pattern to the victim taking.

I loved this book for its black, creepy and rather horrific story telling. If you don’t like your crime gory and disturbing, this is probably not the book for you.

Graphic and thrilling, this book has a killer to match any of the more gruesome serial killers you have read.

I loved the way that Alison Belsham put the young and blushing DI together with the somewhat harder nosed and more worldly-wise Marni Mullins. The ‘opposites attract’ mantra is here is spades and the odd pairing really works in this fantastic book.

The Tattoo Thief is a brilliantly paced, well plotted read with protagonists you root for and a creepy killer who will make you blanche more than once as you read it.

I loved it and am delighted that there are to be more Alison Belsham books coming the readers way.

Verdict: Gory, gruesome, chilling and totally gripping.

The tattoo thief by Alison Belsham.
Marni Mullins is a tattoo artist. She is at a convention when she takes a break. She gets a coffee and goes to the park. When she goes to put the rubbish in the bin she is in for a shock. There is a body in the bin. Di Francis Sullivan who is newly promoted and on his first day gets the case. Can they find the killer?
Omg an absolutely fantastic read. I loved the story. Very gory and bloody. The killer was very sick. Some characters I liked some I didn't. Omg didn't see that coming. 5*. Recommended.

WOW – This is one gory and gruesome debut and if you have a strong stomach I am pretty sure you will love this book. The Tattoo Thief is the debut novel from Alison Belsham, published by Trapeze and available to buy now and is the first book in a trilogy.

The gory story is narrated through four main characters. The Killer: a really sick and twisted individual who is killing people around Brighton and removing their skin to collect their tattoos; Marni Mullins: a divorced mother who works in Brighton as a tattoo artist and discovers the first victim; Francis Sullivan: a newly promoted Detective Inspector in charge of investigating these horrific crimes and DS Rory Mackay; a slightly disgruntled policeman who was overlooked for the DI position and now has to report to Francis Sullivan.

I personally thought that this was an original and interesting story. Whilst the murders were really graphic and I found myself grimacing every other page, I was utterly engrossed in the fascinating back stories of Francis and Marni as well as the current plotline around catching this sick serial killer.

Without giving away anything, it was great to read about a policeman who had such strong personal beliefs and was thoroughly determined to solve the crime and Marni Mullins – a brilliant, strong and unwavering female lead character with a dark past.

I will definitely be reading the next book Poison Ink when it’s released in Feb 2019.

I've been reading some cracking crime thrillers lately and The Tattoo Thief most definitely fits into that category. Personally, I'm not a fan of tattoos and so I wasn't at all sure the storyline being predominantly about them would suit me but oh my goodness, it absolutely did.

Marni Mullins is a tattoo artist in Brighton. One evening she stumbles across a dead body, one that she later learns has had a tattoo flayed from his body. In reporting the body she couldn't imagine how involved she would later become in the case. The policeman in charge is newly promoted DI Francis Sullivan, a relatively wet behind the ears young man, but with a core of steel and the strength to stand by his convictions.

There are four voices that we hear from in this book: Marni, Francis, Rory - a DS who believes he should have got Francis's job, and the killer - the one who is dubbed "The Tattoo Thief". I really liked this way of telling the story and seeing it from different viewpoints. The killer's voice in particular is chilling.

I loved Francis and I was over the moon to read that he will be in Alison Belsham's next book as I think he has great potential. He was determined not to let police politics get in the way of finding the killer and I admired him a lot. I really felt for him trying to take charge without the respect of his colleagues. Rory was a bit of a pain for much of the story but I think he redeemed himself later on.

I also liked Marni very much. She's feisty and strong and a talented tattooist. I found the tattoo world really fascinating, the way that all the artists had distinctive styles and the different designs. I would quite like to have seen pictures of similar designs to the ones in the book, but actually the descriptions were enough that I could imagine them quite well.

I found this book to be completely absorbing. It's such an intriguing and original storyline. It's quite dark in nature, and graphic, but it's not really that gory. The characters are brilliant too. Also a word for the plot - when it all seemed to be coming to a conclusion rather earlier than I expected, a curveball was thrown right at me and the second stage of the conclusion was entered. Very clever work by the author.

This is the first in a planned trilogy of books to feature Francis, Rory and Marni and I really can't wait to return to Brighton and meet them again. The Tattoo Thief is a debut but you wouldn't know it. It's an assured and fabulous read.

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. I read a lot of crime fiction but I have never read a book where the crime is based around tattooing and it is something I know absolutely nothing about.
There are four points of view, Francis, or to his annoyance Frank, is a new DI who has to prove that he is capable to do the job to everybody. His family and his religion are as important to him as his career. Rory is his bitter and resentful colleague. In some ways he had more experience but he is disloyal and I didn’t trust him or like him that much. Marni, my favourite, is a tattoo artist and is a reluctant participant in the investigation into the murders. She has an intriguing back story and a very annoying ex husband. The final point of view is that of the Tattoo Thief, unidentified for much of the novel. This person is dangerous and very smug but not as clever as they think they are.
I had to feel sorry for Francis, he was aware of what Rory was doing but had no option but to work with him. Their relationship was a strange one and I was left wondering how it will be in further books, I have found out since finishing that there will be a series. I hope that they can become friends and stand up to their bullying superior officer.
I am a little unsure whether a member of the public would have as much knowledge and input as Marni And Thierry did in the novel but it made very entertaining reading. Even if I did work out who was the culprit.
It is quite graphic, with the descriptions of what the tattoo thief did and there was a part that didn’t involve a murder that left me feeling a little repulsed. It was explained and the action wasn’t carried out in the novel thankfully.
The world of tattooing is a fascinating one. It appeared to be very loyal with a lot of respect for each other. Not something I would ever fancy but I can understand why many do.

The Tattoo Thief is one of those books that will really get under your skin…sorry I couldn’t resist! It is true though, I really struggled to put this book down and was walking round my house with kindle in hand permanently. It is a really fast paced, intriguing tale and the action kicks off early doors when Marni (tattoo artist) discovers a mutilated body in a dumpster. After phoning this in to the police anonymously she soon becomes deeply involved in the case as it becomes obvious there is a serial killer on the loose with a penchant for tattoos. Not just any old tattoo, this killer desires the best work out there and has a very specific wish list.

The tattoos of the victims are removed while they are still alive so be warned this book is quite graphic and gruesome. As I’ve said before I’m a bloodthirsty soul so I really enjoyed these elements of the story. I also loved the relationship between Marni Mullins and DI Francis Sullivan, never a truer example of chalk and cheese have I seen! Marni is wary of the police due to past life events and Francis is an ardent church loving individual. Their worlds clash and both must bend a little to assist in the case.

Marni Mullins was definitely my favourite character in this book and I’d actually like to know more about her life before her dealings with the tattoo thief. A fiery French ex-husband, time in prison and unresolved issues from her past…there’s another story waiting to be told!

A fantastic debut and I look forward to seeing what is next from Alison Belsham.

Wow...this book totally blew me away! We start off by having a chapter from the killers point of view (which I love in a book as you get in to the mind of why they are doing what they do). The Tattoo Thief is flaying his victims alive by cutting out a piece of work that's significant to him. Once he has taken his 'art' he then kills the victim as they are no longer of use to him.

When local Brighton tattoo artist Marni Mullens discovers a body in an industrial bin outside a tattoo convention she calls it in anonymously. Marni isn't a fan of the police and her dark past makes her fear anything that resembles a spotlight...

Following the call in from Marni we meet a new DI - Francis Sullivan - he's been promoted at an unusually young age. A god fearing man who plays by the book but still has the essential skill of listening to the people he is interviewing. But his right hand man Rory isn't happy about his new promotion. In fact he feels that as a more experienced police officer he should have gotten the job himself.

Working together (despite their many differences) to find the killer, can Marni and Francis/Frank uncover who is committing such unspeakable acts?

I loved this book. In fact as whodunits go this is a cracker. I thought I had it all figured out early on when in fact I was so far off the mark made me enjoy it all the more!

As a tattooed lady myself, I appreciated all of the research that Belsham had done into the art and history that goes into a tattoo. Although there were some pretty good stereotypes sprinkled into the story, I liked that she had worked some of the prejudices that both artists and clients face on an almost daily basis.

The chemistry between Frank and Marni was great - even more so because they couldn't be further from each other's comfort zone if they tried.

This book was fast paced and gripping - if it were to be a series I would most definitely tune in for another instalment.

A cracking 4 star read for me.

I would like to thank Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

I know nothing about the world of tattoos apart from what I see on Tattoo Fixers on the telly. but something about this novel intrigued me as the premise seemed so interesting and new. I don’t understand how someone can willingly undergo a needle just to have a flower or something on their skin. I didn’t even like those billy stampers( Remember them? I feel old)

Anyway, I digress. This is a cracking crime/serial killer which if like me, needles make you shiver, this is going to make you do more than that! As the best thrillers should do. Marni is an interesting character and I was invested in her and her world from the start.

Imagine finding a body in the bin and then be dragged into a serial killer case because you know about tattoos? Imagine someone stealing these tattoos? Made me think of that Roald Dahl story Skin - that made me shiver as this novel does. But in a good way!

I enjoyed the story being told in four voices the events seen through the eyes of four people. Like four eyes tattooed on an arm.....
Francis was a good character but blimey he was thrown under the bus on more than one occasion. Tough as nails though in the stubbornness department so I was rooting for him to get one over on the others and get his case.

Very graphic though this - not sure if I will read anymore of this theme but that’s no fault of the author! I’ll have to practice watching Tattoo Fixers in the meantime to toughen up. I hope her next one involves something softer and nicer like baking cakes ;)

I really enjoyed this story but it won't be for everyone! It is dark, disturbing and is quite graphic in places but for me it all made for a really entertaining story that had me hooked - Marni is a fascinating character!

The book is told from the view point of four characters and I loved getting the different angles from them as the book progresses. They are all excellent characters in their own way and very well developed.

I love that in the book you were able to see inside the killers thoughts, I tried to guess throughout the book who they were only to find out I was wrong - which really helped make the ending much more exciting for me - I'm not a huge fan of predictable books and this one certainly kept me on my toes and guessing - a big hit for me!

Four stars from me for this one - a very enjoyable, gripping story that I will definitely be recommending!!

The Tattoo Thief is a cleverly plotted serial killer thriller.

There's a killer on the loose, targeting the tattooing community, flaying live victims to slice off (and preserve) their tattoos. I don't know much about the tattooing world, but it seemed authentic and I not only learnt a lot but also found it fascinating, to the point of 'Googling' the art of tattoos. The author has clearly done her research and portrayed tattooing convincingly, including the prejudice of outsiders and the sense of community.

Two strong leading characters here - DI Francis Sullivan (new to his job, young for his job, desperate to prove his worth, not as confident as he could be, Catholic, doesn't understand why anyone would want a tattoo) and tattoo artist Marni Mullins (determined, feisty and slightly 'damaged' with a colourful past). I found myself wanting both of them to succeed, holding my breath in various places, hoping they would be 'okay'. And I loved the interaction between them - two very different people, working together (unofficially) towards the same goal of catching a serial killer.

The Tattoo Thief is a gruesome and graphic in places, detailing the processes involved in flaying victims and preserving tattoos - perfect for my love of gore and forensics/science. The plot moves at a cracking pace, with plenty of intrigue and cliffhangers to keep me turning just one more page, and the serial killer chapters were suitably chilling and creepy.

A great debut, and I look forward to seeing what's next.

Oooh this book was right up my street as a tattoo fan myself with several tattoos and a killer (the tattoo thief) even better haha! This story was bloody brilliant! The story is told through each of the different characters. Written brilliantly…

I must say though that Marni should have been the bloody detective with how much help and researching she did for the police… I felt the police didn’t have a clue without Marni… I suppose that’s all part of the story. Durr.

I absolutely loved it and thrilled I got the chance to read it! I love how the tattoo ‘community’ all kind of stuck together many people still in this era see us as thugs and criminals (we’re not) and it was lovely to see the author not making us out to be the bad guys for once!

I loved the whole story behind the tattoo thief too… Clever. However, I don’t want any of my tattoos being taken thanks! Pretty grim in parts. A well deserved five stars. Highly recommend! I devoured it. Enjoy.

LINK CONTAINS BLOG TOUR Q&A & REVIEW

Well. If you like your crime dark and graphic then this is the book for you.

As to what the book is about, “It does what it says on the tin”. There is a killer selecting people with tattoos and removing them – whilst the person is still alive. Gory enough for you? We’re not talking tiny butterflies here by the way – all those chosen have some amazing body art which someone is obviously desperate to own.

DI Francis Sullivan has been newly promoted at just 29 years of age. His promotion has not gone down well with his colleague DS Rory Mackay who was also hoping to get the post. Tensions between the two simmer with Sullivan’s inexperience being an irritant to Mackay. It doesn’t help that their DCI is a rude ignorant brute of a man who has no time for reasoning or excuses and just wants results. Now.

Set in Brighton, the story is told from 4 perspectives – Francis, Rory, a tattooist called Marni Mullins and an unknown voice, who I took to be the killer.

Marni is a complex character, clearly damaged by past events of which the reader is gradually made aware. Divorced from fellow tattoo artist Thiery Mullins, she is a respected tattoo artist in her own right. She still holds a torch for her ex-husband and even though she resents his interference in her life, she can’t quite let go. It is Marni who discovers the first victim and when Francis approaches her for assistance with his enquiries into the tattooist community, she is conflicted. She wants to help catch the killer but doesn’t want to help the police. There were the inevitable eye rolls from me whenever she went off-piste and ignored advice. How many times do bad things happen when they do that? Some people never learn!

The Tattoo Thief is rather more graphic than the crime thrillers I would normally choose but I really enjoyed this. I can be a bit of a wuss where mutilation of bodies are concerned and there were times when I winced and had to look away at a particularly gruesome description but the story raced along at a pace and kept my interest all the way through. The voice of the killer, is particularly chilling, as are the references to ‘The Collector’.

I particularly liked the interaction between Marni and Francis – partly because they were so very different in personality. Francis was very religious, a regular church goer with family issues of his own. His inexperience in dealing with suspects and witnesses meant for some clumsy interviewing which did get people’s backs up – including Marni’s. However for all her antipathy towards the police there was a connection between the two which I suspect might be explored further.

I did feel quite sorry for Francis. His lack of experience made him a marked man in some quarters and some people had no hesitation in throwing him under a bus if it suited them. However he had a stubborn nature and wouldn’t go away quietly. He wants to prove himself by solving the case any way he can. In that respect he and Marni were well matched.

The Tattoo Thief was an intriguing and tension filled read from beginning to end. I’m interested to see how the characters of Sullivan and Mullins develop and will definitely be reading more of this series.

The Tattoo Thief is a really great crime thriller. It’s got some interesting characters, a grisly killer and some decent twists. While it’s still a bit formulaic, it’s an enjoyable read!

Buzz!!! Buzz!!! and the tattoo machine inks another person having given their consent to the tattooist to make their mark. However, there is a thief about who steals tattoos off people, leaving them for dead.

This crime thriller is set around Brighton and in her debut novel, Alison Belsham gives the case to newly promoted DI Francis Sullivan. What is nice about this police procedural, is that there are separate chapters from the point of view of the 4 main characters. DI Francis Sullivan and DS Rory Mackay give their view as the case progresses plus you also get chapters from tattooist Marni Mullins and the bad guy who is stealing the tattoos from the victims.

I enjoyed reading The Tattoo Thief and liked all the bits that Marni told the reader about her job as a tattooist. Most crime thrillers dwell on the job of the police officers and it was very nice to have detail about a very different day job. This gave The Tattoo Thief added value. Characterization of Francis, Rory and Marni was good and I liked the chemistry that built between the 3 of them.

I thought the plot of The Tattoo Thief was okay but found the ending with all it’s racing action disappointing. Getting the location of where the bad guy may be living, chasing there page after page followed by more charging around was rather tiresome and lacked a WOW! factor compared to finding the first victim in the beginning. The final chase for the bad guy did not grab me at all, although the thought of Marni naked did brighten my mood.

I liked The Tattoo Thief and thought the beginning, the structure and the character development and chemistry to be good. For a debut novel Alison Belsham has done very well and I think her book is a GOOD read that gets 4 stars from me.

An interesting subject for a debut novel. The story works well. Interesting characters and a face paced plot. Would read more from this author.

This one has been on my list to read for some time after hearing about it getting pitched at Bloody Scotland, so really pleased when I spotted it on here. Well worth the wait. Great interplay between our leading policeman and Marni, interspersed with some gruesome scenes from the POV of the thief themselves, woven together with great skill. Great read!

I think the only thing I can say about this book is “wow”. From the very first few pages it had me gripped, so much so I devoured the entire thing in a day. Those who know me know that I am not always the fastest reader, but every now and then I come across a book that I just can’t put down and everything else has to wait….including sleep. The Tattoo Thief is one of those books.
Having been newly promoted to Detective Inspector over a more experienced colleague, Francis Sullivan is handed the investigation into the death of a man whose body is found dumped in some bins near to a convention centre. When another body is found he is not sure if the cases are connected or if they have multiple killers on the loose. To add to this his investigations are sometimes hampered by his DS who is still smarting over being passed over for the promotion that he believed should have gone to him and an uncooperative witness.
The story is told from four different viewpoints throughout however I found that far from confusing the story it somehow seemed to enhance it. I loved the main characters as despite any faults they may have you could still relate to them. I think my favourite has to be tattooist Marni. She is a feisty person, who due to events in her past has a total distrust of the police. That being said however she has a chemistry with DI Sullivan and her sense of doing what is right overtakes this and she eventually ends up assisting them in solving the case by giving them valuable insights into the close knit tattoo community. The antagonistic relationship between DI Sullivan and DS Mackay running throughout the story will resonate with anyone has ever felt they were passed over for promotion. Even though he is sure that he could do a much better job than Sullivan, Rory Mackay eventually realises that maybe they could get much further and solve the cases working together than against each other.

The Tattoo Thief is certainly not a book for those looking for easy reading, especially with what the killer subjects their victims to whilst they are still alive. Thanks to Alison’s way with words I know that I certainly won’t be able to look at a pool of Koi Carp in quite the same way again. This is the first novel by Alison Belsham and boy what a way to begin her career as an author. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.