Well written, interesting storyline, captivating... different... maybe too many characters...

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this book.
This is the first book I have read by RW Kay and I liked the writing style as it had a nice pace and was a bit old fashioned which made a change.
I got a bit lost by the Middle East parts and didn't really like those bits as they weren't for me. I felt there were a few too many characters to keep up with and did have to go back a few times, but it was an enjoyable read.
Review posted on Amazon too.

Set in a time when technology was not available to support policing, this is detective work at a slower pace. Interesting to read how that worked in practice!

Who knew that the body of a man found washed ashore would lead to something so dangerous it could possibly start a war in the land of Islam?

It takes a reconstruction artist to put a face to the victim. Once identified, his life is closely looked at. The police find that the man's solicitor had a letter stating that the victim knew he might be killed. The man was a special agent working for President de gaulle ... and the police find a secret safe containing a very expensive, rare portrait of the Prophet Mohammad.

How do they open the safe? And how did he wind up with this artifact? Who does it legally belong to? What lengths will someone go to in order to possess it?

Full of action, well-paced, this is a well executed story with memorable characters. This was a little slow starter for me but it picked up in intensity within a short time. The author obviously did a lot of research and it shows in the telling. This was not in my preferred genre, but it was an interesting and entertaining read.

Many thanks to the author / The Book Guild / Netgalley for the digital copy of PROHIBITED PORTRAIT. This was read and reviewed voluntarily. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

3.5 Stars

I loved the old fashioned feel of this book. The Isle of Man police are seen by the baddies as plodding but they know their stuff and rise to the occasion! I was a bit lost with all the Middle East parts as I know next to nothing about it, but if it's your thing then this would be a great book for you. This had the gentle pace and feel of the 1950s/60s (think Agatha Christie) but with a spy element and a tad more gore! There are a lot of characters to keep up with and I did lose track of who was who at some points, but all in all a great read!

This was a change from the usual police procedural novels of late which rely on DNA and forensics for the breakthrough in the case. Instead, set in the 1960s, good old fashioned sleuthing is used. A slightly slower paced novel than detective novels set in modern times and set in some beautifully described locations including the Isle of Man, this novel felt a little harder to read due to its slower pace. That being said the book's pace seems to match the slower pace of life back then with visits being made in person to places like the bank to see the manager about someone's accounts rather than just tapping a few keys on a keyboard and having everything digitally. A recommended read nevertheless.

I did not love this book. I didn’t hate it either. Just more outside of my own comfort zone. The writing was fantastic, just not for me.