A decent standalone thriller from Paul Finch,traffic cop DS Lynda Hagen comes across a crash where the 2 occupants are found with no ID and no way of telling her who they are and a huge sum of money found at the site only adds to the mystery.It soon becomes clear to Lynda that this no ordinary crash and the 2 occupants are clearly hiding something,trying to convince her boss is hard going and as the case gets more complex the danger rises also for Lynda.I found the book an easy read but a bit unbelievable at times as to what Lynda gets up to even though she is a traffic cop.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys this genre,a decent 3 star read for me.

YOU CAN RUN, YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU'LL ALWAYS SLEEP WITH...ONE EYE OPEN

This story opens with a young man walking his dog, when the dog disappears and then reappears carrying a bundle of cash in his mouth, he wonders where he got it from, and after delving into the undergrowth, where the dog came from, he stumbles upon a smashed up car with a man and woman hanging out of it, barely alive. The police are called and DS Lynda Hagen and Clive Atkins from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit arrive to determine the cause of the accident. When they discover that the coup!e have no ID, the car has fake number plates and they have a huge amount of cash in the car, Lynda is certain this was no normal accident, this couple were running from someone and Lynda is determined to find out who and why. The events that follow uncover a lot more than Lynda expected and she is determined to crack the case.

This is the first Paul Finch I've read, my husband loves his 'Heck' series so I thought I'd give this one a go. The plot is well crafted, it's fast paced and full of action which kept me turning the pages to see where it was taking me next. The story switches between the perspectives of Lynda and Elliott and alternates back and forth to events leading up to and after the crash. If you like a dark and dangerous action packed crime thriller, then is is for you.

I'd like to thank Orion and Netgalley for the auto approval, I will post my review on Amazon and Goodreads.

This is an excellent thriller. Filled with car chases, gangs, violence, murder. all wrapped up at a fast pace with a gritty plot makes it a very good read. I really liked the DS, Lynda, although she was a bit annoying, to be honest, at times! Another great read from Paul finch, which is hopefully, the start of a new series. I would recommend this book to lovers of crime fiction. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A very well written book with plenty of action and some very interesting characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

6th January (Monday)

Alan walked Angus, his springer spaniel dog, over the meadow. He was near the trees when he realised Angus wasn’t around. He shouted, ‘Angus.’ He didn’t come. Alan walked into the trees. There were no paths to follow so the undergrowth was up to his knees but at least it was dry. He shouted, ‘Angus’, as he went. The dog suddenly appeared with ‘treasure’ in his mouth and this time it definitely was! Alan tried to locate where Angus found his ‘treasure’, he moved some holly apart then found a mangled car with two bodies inside!

DS Linda Hagen and DC Clive Atkins got the smash on A12 as they worked for the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) of Essex Roads Policing Division. Clive informed Linda that it seemed there was no obvious collision on the road itself. The car was a Beige Ford Mondeo 2.0 Litre. It went off the dual carriageway at extraordinary high speed so it seems. The side barrier on the East side was flattened like cardboard, then the car went down the slope into the trees. He couldn’t find any trace of another car being involved. There was a male and a female casualty, no ID’s, both had severe head injuries and were taken to Colchester General Hospital.

23 days earlier

Elliot followed the instructions that he wrote down and if he was unsure, Jim had told him to look out for the old silage tower and to keep bearing South. He got to a tall iron gate, flashed his lights and the gate was opened. Two guys met him and checked him out before leading him through a series of passages before meeting Jim Naboth by the cars. He then got introduced to Ray Lonnegan. Jim showed Elliot a car with four paving slabs in the boot, each slab weighed fifty kilogrammes. Elliot thought he could handle the car with the extra weight. The doors were opened for a test drive there and then. He promised to get the car up to one hundred mph. He hadn’t reckoned on the obstacles he had to negotiate but he managed it, it seemed to stun Jim and Ray as they were in the car too! It was good enough to get Elliot a driving job but he didn’t realise what he was letting himself in for….

What were the couple running from? What happened to them on that road? DS Hagen smells something funny about this crash, she wants to stay involved even when Organised Crime takes over. Things really do take a turn for the worst and even DS Hagen couldn’t foresee how the case would progress or the crimes would be more than just traffic related!

An absolutely brilliant read, I loved it. It was a very dark and gritty thriller that turned into a wild roller coaster ride through Essex and Suffolk countryside with great descriptive detail. This was an intriguing thriller as the tale unfolded!

DS Lynda Hagen has had a long career but is now stuck in a rut, investigating traffic incidents. Hardly riveting cases; until she encounters a case where a man and a woman are found in a car which has been involved in a high speed crash. Neither of them have any ID on them, the car has false number plates and has had all identifying marks removed from the car. Who are they? How did they come to be involved in the crash? Is it more than a straightforward accident?
DS Lynda Hagan is bored at work and at home, could this case be the one to transform her life? Will she be able to solve the mystery?
Such a brilliant, well crafted thriller. The characters are great, I had empathy for those I would not not expect to feel for and rooting for unlikely rogues! The book jumps back and forth in a period of approximately a month to flesh out the story and uncover what has happened and this works really well. A great read.
I would like to see the return to DS Linda Hagen in another book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can tell a writer is at the top of their game when they are able to create a character that is quite unlikable and unsympathetic, yet still makes you come round to her by the end of the novel and that's what I felt about DS Lynda Hagen. I feel that Paul Finch is the master of nuance. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read any of his novels before and am glad I kicked off my Finch reading experience with One Eye Open, which is a standalone.
Written from the point of view of both DS Hagen and Elliott Wade, the villain ex formula one racing driver, One Eye Open is as adrenalin packed and fast paced as a Grand Prix.
The things I loved about this is the way Finch builds up the character layers bit by bit, letting us get to know them in all facets of their life. Having access to Hagen's domestic and professional life softens her rough corners a little, although, she is also quite frustrating as a character - but I'm not going to say too much more about that - you should read it to find out more.

I loved the very different positioning of the main investigator. It was a delightful change to have a highway collisions officer rather than the tired old detective calling the shots.
I loved the way, Finch builds up the characters of the victims bit by bit. interspersing their story with both Elliot's and Hagen's.
If you like fast paced, intelligent and thought provoking thrillers, then One Eye Open is definitely one for you.

An action packed thriller of a book. It has everything, North and South criminal gangs,dodgy coppers,good coppers,terrifying bad guys and a truly evil woman and . I loved every page!
I Hope it is the start if a new series. Thanks to the publisher and,net galley for an ARC.

I absolutely love Paul's writing, and once again he doesn't disappoint. This book grips you by the throat at page one, and you only get to breath again at the last page. This is highly recommended for anyone who loves a great read and doesn't want to loose out!
TB

There has bee a car crash. The two people inside the car have no identification on them, the car had false number plates and there was a lot of cash lying around. DS Lynda Hagen is s Serious Crime Collision Officer. She's been called into investigate the high speed crash. The victims are in a critical condition. Lynda is told to wrap this case up but she wants to get to the bottom of it.

This book is a perfect mix of mystery, thriller, gangland crime and police procedural. I liked DS Lynda Hagen. I'd like to read more books featuring her. She could be little annoying at times but she's also first and determined. The story is told by Lynda and Elliot's point of view. Elliot's story is told from before the crash happened. The pace is fast and the tension builds. There's plenty of twists to keep your attention. The odds were against Lynda from the start but she never have up.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Paul Finch for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced thriller which goes back and forth between New Years Eve and early January. Fortunately this was helped by the dates being shown.
Interesting storyline and surprise ending

This is a great crime thriller.
The book begins with a horrific car crash that leaves both people in the car fighting for their lives.
Lynda and Clive are called to the incident as part of the traffic Police but with the discovery of wads of money, Lynda knows there’s more to this than just a car crash.
The chapters alternate between Elliot who was the driver of the car and Lynda who is determined to get to the bottom of the incident.
We find out the background from Elliot’s chapters and it all comes together when Elliot and Harriet run from the hospital and a killer is after them.
Just when you think it’s all wrapped up it all kicks off again and Lynda is involved way over her head, but won’t let go.
This is a gripping crime thriller that really had me hooked throughout the book.
Thanks to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I was a touch apprehensive about reading this, as I am a massive fan of Finch’s Heck series and didn’t want to be disappointed by this stand-alone. I shouldn’t have worried, though, because Finch stays true to his genre and style and delivers yet another blistering, action-packed, thriller of a read. I couldn’t bear to put it down.

I love that the main protagonist here is a female detective and that there are shades of the maverick Mark Heckenburg about her. A DS in the traffic division, Lynda Hagen is keen to get her teeth into something a bit meatier than the usual RTA. And her chance comes when a vehicle with two critically injured passengers is found in a ditch off a busy main road. Who are they? Why does the car have false plates? And what’s with the huge amount of cash?

The story is narrated from two perspectives and in two timelines: by Elliot, the man in the car, in the lead up to the crash, and by Lynda, post crash, as she tries to piece together the why’s and wherefore’s, while resisting being shunted aside by the organized crime division.

It’s a rollercoaster ride involving sparring gangland criminals, police corruption and more twists than a corkscrew. And it just wouldn’t be Finch without his trademark, heart-pumping action scenes. It’s nerve-wracking, gripping and exhausting — but then, you don’t read Finch for a sedate walk in the park.

Lynda Hagen is a brilliant character. I love that she’s principled and a bit of a loose cannon and that, like many women who’ve put family before career, she’s still itching to show what she can do. Boy, do I want to see her again in a new case! Mr Finch, I hope you’re listening.

It took me almost all the book to decide that I should give this a 5 star rating and not a 4 star
It's hard for an author to provide the reader with a really good crime story with police, good baddies, bad baddies, violence and comeuppance. What swung the rating for me was the brilliant 'chase' sequences as good as I have read and very good characterisations of the major players.
There are a number of good twists and turns and you are never quite sure what happened and who are the real baddies.
So an excellent read and definitely recommended.
A couple of criticisms from someone who would not know how to start to write a book like this:
1) the ending is good but it really needed a final late late twist with possibly a what will happen next final sentence
2) not sure about the title (I may have missed the reason) but it seemed to relate to one minor character who only participated for 2 or 3 pages

This book is so fast paced it will leave you gasping for breath! A brilliant thriller that is cleverly written both in present day and in the weeks leading up to the crash. All of the characters are believable and ay their part well.

This is definitely an action packed police procedural. It’s starts really well, with a car crash involving individuals with no identification, a car with false number plates and a lot of cash.

What follows is the story of Lynda, a strong female protagonist and DS in the traffic division and her attempts to solve the mystery.
it’s got twists and turns aplenty and if you’re into action with a good storyline, this is for you.

I enjoyed it. Just felt there was a bit too much ‘movie action’ for my taste.

3* good read with thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

Having loved the authors DI Heckenberg series I was pleased to be approved for his new standalone book.

I initially felt this book was a bit of a slow burner - it was good, it just wasn’t thrilling me. It really started to pick up its pace about 40% in. I really liked the main character DS Lynda Hagen, and found her to be feisty, annoying, tenacious and very determined. I enjoyed reading of the small glimpses into her personal life and her working relationships with her colleagues as she investigates a car accident where all is not as it seems. At around half way the book became more of a riveting read. It had plenty of action, lots of surprises, twists and turns (most I did not expect) and the last quarter raced to a nail biting and thrilling ending. If the author writes another book featuring DS Hagen I would definitely want to read it. 4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gangland warfare erupts in the English home counties in this dazzling thriller.
The twists in the plot come fast and furious and the pace never slackens.
The action, the characters, the dialogue are all razor-sharp.
One book that truly does deserve to be described as 'unputdownable'.

DS Lynda Hagen of Traffic Division is called in when a car is found after coming off a busy road into woodland. The car is crushed against a tree and the occupants are barely alive.
Lynda initially believes it’s an accident but the occupants are carrying no ID, the car has false plates and they were carrying a lot of cash. A lack of skid marks on the road shows they didn’t attempt to break when the car went out of control.
Lynda is determined to get to the bottom of what happened but unable to question the car’s driver and passenger she has to look in other places for her answers, This will take her into a dark world she barely knew existed and could well cost her everything.
I am a massive fan of the Paul Finch Heckenburg books so I was excited to read this standalone book. It was brilliant! Great plot, great characters, Just what a good book should be.Can’t recommend it highly enough!

I am a bit of a fan of this author and his series books. This is either a stand alone (which it is billed as) or the start of a new series (fingers crossed), either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
We meet the strange animal that is DS Lynda Hagen. She's an accident investigation officer and is called to the scene of a crash. A car containing two barely alive occupants, fake plates, and a bunch of cash. We then slide back in time to a couple of weeks before the crash and witness the events that led up to that fateful day, all the time switching back to the investigation in the present. This happens seamlessly and the dual timelines complement each other perfectly. It seems that there is much much more to what happened than just a crash as Lynda finds out as she investigates further. Her pleas however do fall a bit on deaf ears so she takes a lot upon herself to progress things.
I took to Lynda right from the off, which really helps me connect with the book in general. She's mostly happily married to a former serious crimes cop and has a family. She made the switch to traffic, and the 9-5 it mostly affords her, for the sake of said family but she still hankers for a juicy case. Which I guess is why sometimes her musings fall on deaf ears. But this time... well, let's just say you're in for a wild ride!
The story is great. Lots to get into, twists and turns aplenty and very action packed. It really does get on with itself with little superfluous waffle or padding. Enough to set scenes and flesh out characters but nothing to distract. It weaves around and about itself, and time, ramping up towards the end to deliver a shocking and fitting ending which left me wholly satisfied.
I wonder if this will remain a stand alone. I feel that Lynda has more to give. Hopefully a follow up might be in the offing or maybe she could crossover into one of the other series... Either way...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.