Nighthawking

Sheffield’s beautiful Botanical Gardens – an oasis of peace in a world filled with sorrow, confusion and pain. And then, one morning, a body is found in the Gardens. A young woman, dead from a stab wound, buried in a quiet corner. Police quickly determine that the body’s been there for months. It would have gone undiscovered for years – but someone just sneaked into the Gardens and dug it up.
 
Who is the victim? Who killed her and hid her body? Who dug her up? And who left a macabre marker on the body?
 
In his quest to find her murderer, DS Adam Tyler will find himself drawn into the secretive world of nighthawkers: treasure-hunters who operate under cover of darkness, seeking the lost and valuable . . . and willing to kill to keep what they find.

I live not too far from Sheffield and it’s a great city. As a family we’ve often popped on the train for a theatre matinee at The Crucible or The Lyceum. It’s my main gig venue too and in my younger days the City Hall and The Leadmill were regular haunts. I like the buzz of the city, the friendliness of the people and the chance to grab a bit of culture so close to home. So, when I was offered a proof of Russ Thomas’s new novel Nighthawking I jumped at the chance to read crime fiction based in the city. I hadn’t read his first Adam Tyler novel, so wasn’t sure what to expect, but I loved being shown this darker, criminal, underbelly of one of my favourite cities. There was a familiarity to the term ‘nighthawking’ too, because I’d recently read Elly Griffith’s latest Ruth Galloway novel The Nighthawks. The term refers to the practice of stealing archaeological artefacts, usually found by metal detector, under the cover of night. As someone who lives in a very rural area, I must admit I was a little creeped out by the concept of groups of men stumbling about in muddy fields in the dark. The archaeological aspect is at the centre of DS Tyler’s latest murder case. As the lead of the CCRU team, he selects cold cases for investigation. However, this case is reopened because the body of a young Chinese student is found buried within the Botanical Gardens. Curiously, she is found with two Roman coins over her eyes. Once she is identified as missing Sheffield University student Li Qiang - known as Chi- DS Taylor is tasked with finding her killer by reviewing the original missing person’s case closed months ago, just two weeks after her disappearance. At his side is DC Mina Rabbanni, a one woman powerhouse of intuition and initiative, but not above taking risks when it might lead to the truth.

In the background are a fascinating mix of possible suspects, from Chi’s own family, to other workers at the gardens, to university contacts and whoever had access to the very rare Roman coins found with her body. Interestingly, one man is both a volunteer at the gardens, but is also part of an amateur metal detecting group. The group’s leader encourages the detectorists in good practice, but a small group have been out detecting late at night and have stumbled on the find of a lifetime. A cache of gold Roman coins, potentially worth six figures if they could sell them on. However, usual practice is for the find to be declared, then the landowner would be due a share of any profits. The men decide to sell, but where would they find someone with the right contacts, knowledge of the black market, and who they could trust? The men split the coins for safekeeping, until they can find a way forward, so how did two of them end up buried with Chi. The team’s digging into Chi’s life uncovers some interesting potential leads. Her sister Juju lives in the city, with a new baby and her fiancé Rob. Ju is grief stricken by her death when they visit to inform her, but her fiancé had been in a relationship with Chi too, suggesting some animosity or tension between the sisters. I was keeping my eye on the fiancé too, because he seemed to pop up far too often and wasn’t always giving the full story. Chi had a complicated love life, including several sexual relationships, but no permanent partner. Also far from the model student, she seemed to be struggling at the university in her study of orchids, but yet religiously volunteered with the Botanic Gardens, suggesting a keen interest. Add to this a father who’s a Chinese diplomat and the pressures start to build.

I enjoyed that Tyler also had a lot going on in his personal life and seemed distracted, much to the concern of DI Jordan, his superior. CCRU is under scrutiny by Chief Constable Stevens - known as the Eel behind his back - and is in the firing line as cutbacks threaten the force. Tyler is still quietly investigating the apparent suicide of his father, and wonders if a local gangster might hold the key. There’s also his own brother’s disappearance weighing heavy on his mind. He’s stuffing up his relationship with Paul, who feels he simply can’t get his attention, even to tell him their relationship is over. Added to this Tyler takes a homeless teenager under his wing and goes out of his way to help him get a roof over his head. Tyler keeps his emotions and worries to himself and isn’t really one to share, but with everything bottled up is his eye on the case as much as it should be? Mina is the stand out character for me, so full of life and enthusiasm for her job, she leaps off the page. With her superior officer often AWOL, she gets her teeth into this case and won’t let go. Her intuition is telling her there’s something wrong with the original missing person’s case. There are barely any notes in the file, normal checks weren’t carried out and many people were not even interviewed. The original investigating officer is on long-term sick leave, but Mina has to ask the question; why was it assumed Chi had run off with a secret boyfriend and with what evidence? It looks like they simply didn’t care, but Mina suspects there may be more to this than a single officer not doing her job.

Somehow, Thomas weaves all these disparate threads and characters together beautifully. Drip feeding the reader information a little at a time and dropping the odd red herring along the way. The pace was perfect, even the minor characters felt interesting and fully rounded ( the new pathologist, Emma, is a real highlight) I would never have guessed what was going on or who was behind the murder, so it was a surprise. I thought Thomas was so clever in keeping those longer narratives bubbling along underneath the surface of the primary case. Tyler’s unexpected meeting with an old gangster - the Ronnie Kray of 1960’s Sheffield - moves the story of his father’s death along a little, ready for the next book. The hints at Mina’s background and it’s possible clash with her work as a police officer is touched upon, but I would be interested to see how that develops. I would also love to see more of her double act with Emma the pathologist. Then there’s the politics of policing, the potential fireworks over Mina’s findings and CCRU’s future going forward. Thomas took me to familiar places but placed them in a completely different light. He showed me the difference between a city as I would see it and as a police officer sees it, and that gap in perception is often what makes personal relationships so difficult. I’m really looking forward to getting to know Tyler better and to enjoying more of such well-paced crime fiction; rich in character, setting and storyline.

This review will appear on my blog this month, link below.

"He can't bear to think of her that way, all cold and dead and wasting away in her grave beneath the rose bushes. He'd always pictured her whole, whenever he thought about her. All peaceful and sleeping. The way she'd looked when he buried her."

On a cold winter night, a nighthawker - a treasure hunter who operates under the cloak of darkness - breaks into Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens to search for treasures buried beneath the flower beds and instead uncovers the arm of a murdered young woman. DS Adam Tyler is called in to investigate, drawing him and his team into the mysterious, tangled web of nighthawkers, hidden treasure, secrets and murder.

Russ Thomas’ debut thriller, Firewatching, was one of my favourite books of last year, leaving me eagerly awaiting its follow up. But with such excitement comes trepidation. Would Nighthawking live up to the brilliance of Firewatching? The answer is, yes. Like its predecessor, Nighthawking is a heart-pounding thriller that had me on the edge of my seat.

Being set in my hometown gives this series a special place in my heart, but that isn’t the only reason I love these books. They are exquisitely written, intricate and action-packed, bringing Sheffield to life not only in terms of the vivid imagery, but the atmosphere. When I first heard that this book would be set in the Botanical Gardens I was delighted as it is probably my favourite place in the city. I even went there just last week and loved how clearly I could picture every moment that happened there. It was a fabulous setting that the author has clearly researched extensively and I know that the Gardens will forever be synonymous with this book for me.

The author has filled this book with a cast of richly drawn, compelling and nuanced characters. The multiple narrators allow him to weave in the human elements of the story and offer us greater insight into their nature, behaviour and motivations, and drawing more empathy from us for certain characters by showing us the trauma and pain they have suffered. I loved being back with Tyler and his team, a realistic bunch who bicker and don’t always work together well. I like that Tyler isn’t your usual affable and charming protagonist. He is someone you warm up to and I think his spiky, zealous nature gives the books a bit of an edge over the ones with a more likeable central character. I was glad to see Mina Rabbani back as she is probably my favourite character. It was great to see her grow in confidence and come into her own over the course of this book and I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store for her next.

Complex, twisty, dark and exhilarating, Nighthawking is an addictive page-turner that keeps you guessing. This can be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading them in order because they are simply fantastic thrillers. My only question after that nail-biting finale is how long do I have to wait until book three?

Complex and twisted, this is a book you don’t want to miss! When a body is found, the police work is to find the killer and the motive. The main problem is that the main detective that should be investigating the case, Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler, is using his work hours to investigate a personal case. This leaves Detective Constable Amina Rabbani, a newbie detective, with all the weight of running the case and with no one to ask for help.
This is not a simple case, there are multiple characters, each one of them with their own baggage and personal situation that will affect the case (directly or indirectly), but it also makes the story more complex and with a human factor. Because it doesn’t matter if the case is easy or difficult to solve, if the people that are investigating it are not there to do it the case will never be solved.
This had been a dark read, full of emotions and personal situations, Tyler seems to be a great detective but he is so obsessed with his father’s case that doesn’t have time for anything else, even if it can cost his work or reputation.
On the other side, Rabbani, she is a good detective and person, and she is covering for Tyler’s absence while she is investigating the case. She is not yet comfortable doing her own investigation alone, but if she doesn’t want to put her colleague’s work at risk, this seems the only option.
And then, there’s Dave, we don’t know who he is or what’s his relation with the case, but he seems to be involved somehow to the case…
This is the second book of the Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler series, you can read it as standalone, but the cases are so interesting that I would start from the beginning!
Ready for the “Nighthawking”?

I got a copy of this book from NetGalley and this review is entirely my opinion. Thank you to the author and the publishing company for this one.

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When I read the first of Russ Thomas' novels, Firewatching, I knew he'd be the kind of author that I would be looking out for and so when I saw this one appear on NetGalley I just *had* to apply for it. And I got it!
I loved this book, and diving back into the characters in it was great fun. Much like Firewatching, Nighthawking kept me guessing the whole way through and I didn't quite guess the twist (which makes for the best kind of mystery novel if you ask me). This was great and I'll still definitely be keeping an eye out for the next Russ Thomas!

Finding a hoard of golden coins must be every detectorist's dream but the reality turns out to be somewhat different. More akin to the 30 pieces of silver in what it brings. Russ Thomas in Nighthawking explores the dilemma of whether to declare the treasure trove or to divvy up the spoils and sell them through a 'fence'. Greed, infidelity and jealousy takes control of events and the body count ticks up. In this detective thriller I found the central bulk of the book the best. The hook (which gave the story its basis) was implausible and the ending, rushed and questionable. However, it was very entertaining and the setting a change from the normal.

I was so excited to delve back into the life of DS Adam Tyler as there were several personal cliff hangers in Book 1 – Firewatching. I am not disappointed. Nighthawking could work as a stand alone as there are some little recaps planted in the narrative however to really get a feel for the main characters and their lives, I would highly recommend reading them in order.
DS Adam Tyler is back although there are a few things niggling at him and keeping him preoccupied from where he’s supposed to be. He’s still searching for answers surrounding his father’s death as well as looking into a cold case that he just can’t let go. I can’t help but like Tyler. He can be a bit of an arse at times however he genuinely cares about people. He is also excellent at making links. The interaction with Cameron (a homeless young man) really showed his more gentle side too.
The main plot of this novel is the body discovered in Sheffield botanical gardens and the involvement of Nighthawkers (people who hunt for treasure illegally). I enjoyed learning about Nighthawking. It’s such a unique thing to build a novel around and it was fascinating and fresh. At first, DS Tyler isn’t interested in the case and leaves his frustrated and inexperienced colleague Rabbani to work with Daley (who is also distracted). But when an incident reignites his interest, it soon becomes clear there is a lot more than just a simple murder to solve.
The plot is clever and intricate and the narration spans across several characters, including the murderer. I enjoyed how I gained different perspectives into both the case, and the character’s personal lives through multiple narrators and gained a deeper insight into each one – allowing me to develop empathy and more understanding behind motives and actions. I enjoy a plot that allows me time to process information and work through my own suspicions as well as giving me an insight into police work that feels genuine.
As a Yorkshire girl, I am also over the moon to see the city represented in novels and enjoyed the LGBQT representation as it’s not common in the thriller genre.
Nighthawking exceeded my expectations and is an in depth, multi-layered police thriller that I highly recommend.

Another episode for DS Adam Tyler and his unorthodox investigation technique. A missing Chinese girl discovered buried in Sheffield Botanical Garden allied with old Roman coins found by a team of metallurgists on an illegal search forms the outline of this switchback tale. Tyler’s search for the truth behind his father’s apparent suicide is in the background and a local gangster has information but of course there’s a price to pay. It all races along to a plausible ending but then there’s a shock finish that leaves plenty of room for more!

Whilst Firewatching was an interesting beginning to the Adam Tyler series, I really feel like Thomas has found his stride in Nighthawking. The two books have both been written in the present tense and this makes the series feel a little different in style and gives the writing a sense of immediacy which kept me engaged throughout the whole novel.

I saw a panel recently in which Thomas was participating and he described the protagonist Adam Tyler as "gung-ho." This is very true, and the other members of his team also have personal issues that mean their minds may not always be focused on the job in hand. I am quite glad that they're not investigating any crimes on my behalf, but it makes reading about them much more interesting! There is always a sense that danger is not too far away and that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Nighthawking is really well plotted and there are a few strands to the story and numerous questions that require answers. I really wanted to find out what the answers were and this encouraged me to keep reading even when I was supposed to be in a Zoom meeting! The plot often turned in unexpected directions and I enjoyed being kept on my toes.

The novel ends on a cliffhanger and I look forward to seeing where the series goes in future

I absolutely adore the previous book in this series. It's one that I devoured in just one sitting. This book definitely hasn't disappointed and I have been so excited to get stuck into this book.

This is a book that has captivated me from the very beginning and has been impossible to put down. I am a huge fan of this author and this is another book that I have devoured this in just one sitting.

I adore the tension which is between the colleagues. That makes this book feel extremely realistic. I have loved revisiting the characters that we loved from book 1 and I NEED more from this author.

I adore how the author has plotted the tension and mystery throughout this book. As a reader, the conflicting viewpoints are interesting because there are times where we know more than the detectives. I have loved how the events weave together and connect.

Nighthawking flows at a steady pace which has allowed me to absorb all information and try and piece together where this one was going. This is completely unique and well-written. I adore Adam Tyler, he is a complicated and complex character. I NEED MORE.

This is a definite five star read and I can highly recommend this series because both books are wonderful. Definitely get them on the TBR.

Enjoyed this one. I felt like there was something missing though, something I needed to love it. Well thought out plot and easy to read.

Firstly, I should note that I was fortunate to obtain an advance reading copy.
I loved the first book - Firewatching - so was eagerly anticipating the further escapades and character development of DS Adam Tyler and newly promoted DC Amina Rabbani in a location I know well - the nearby city of Sheffield.

I read a fair amount of police procedural crime fiction so am always on the lookout for something refreshing in this heavily populated genre. There is also an added 'something' when reading about locations you have some familiarity with which certainly contributed to the overall enjoyment of the second Tyler and Rabbani novel.

As with the first book, the plot is gripping and twisty enough to keep the reader guessing as to the eventual outcome and it centres around the unlikely subject matter of metal detectoring (among other areas that I'll leave alone to save spoiling the plot). The characters have really developed since the first book as well which I particularly enjoyed.

Perfect for fans of a solid police procedural with a robust cast of major and minor characters, a sub-plot that bubbles beneath the surface and plenty of twists to satisfy the inner sleuth - book 3 please!

Detectorists find a cache of precious Roman coins and a body is found in the Botanical gardens. Can these events be linked? How did she die? Who buried her? Who unearthed her?
Can DS Adam Tyler and his team find out the truth and what else is going on within the police force itself? Well written and very enjoyable book with lots of twists and turns. Enjoy the journey.

I really enjoyed catching up with DS Tyler and his colleagues in this second book by Russ Thomas, and being based in my home city of Sheffield made the story even better. I found this plot slightly less convoluted than the first and was pleased to see how the characters had matured. I did find the ending quite rushed, but hope this indicates a third book is on its way to look in more depth at what happened to the protagonists.
Thank you to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance copy of this book

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the arc of Nighthawking by Russ Thomas.

3 stars- This is a second in a series and I havent read the first book in the series either, so i heard it is a follow up from book one so im a bit confused as dont know any of the characters or what there like or knows what happens in book one so to me i read till halfway and didnt continiue as i was mega confused and didnt really know what was going on so if your going to read this make sure you read first one first apart from this it is very well written with good structure to it!

3 stars⭐⭐⭐

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy of Nighthawking, the second novel to feature DS Adam Tyler and DC Mina Rabbani of the Sheffield Police.

A nighthawker (person metal detecting illegally) finds a body buried in the Botanical Gardens. The body is a young Asian woman who was stabbed and then buried months earlier but establishing her identity and why she was killed are more difficult.

I think Nighthawking is a bit of a mixed bag, some of it down to the format, but much of it initially due to the fact that I haven’t read the first novel in the series, Firewatching, which is languishing in my large TBR pile. At the beginning of the novel DS Tyler is largely missing from both the investigation and incident room, carrying out some secretive investigation that the reader only gradually becomes aware of. Maybe the background to it is covered in Firewatching but for a new reader It is incredibly frustrating and not the intriguing hook it’s obviously meant to be. Only when he is warned off does he start to take an interest, meanwhile DC Rabbani who’s as fed up with his secretiveness as this reader is left to investigate almost single handedly.

The narrative is split between various voices on the investigative side and the stories of the group of nighthawkers, one of whom found the body, and the secrets they are keeping. Some of these latter voices are identifiable, some are simply “he”. I can appreciate the thoughts behind this method which keeps the reader informed and allows a contrast between this knowledge and the efforts of the detectives to gain it. I found it choppy and distracting, so I gradually lost interest in the story.

The main plot is interesting and well constructed with strategic reveals as and when necessary. I do feel, however, that it gets slightly lost in the whirl of other things going on.

There is a subplot in this novel that, I assume, will be a running theme throughout the series. Coming late to it, I can understand the basics, the death of Tyler’s detective father and what he was investigating, but I still don’t understand the dynamics of the relationships involved. I would highly recommend reading this series in order as I haven’t and feel lost in this part of the novel. This part of the plot ends in a cliffhanger, which I hate as I’m more of a one and done reader, but I’m not sure that I’m invested enough in the series to care what happens next.

I think the characterisation is strong in this novel. I love Mina Rabbani and her attitude and reactions to events as it seems so natural. Adam Tyler is a bit of a closed book with one overriding obsession, to discover what happened to his father, and that makes him reckless. The politics of policing and the whiff of paranoia it induces are well done and interesting.

Nighthawking is a solid read with an interesting plot but it is one of a series and depends on the reader being up to speed on preceding events to make sense of it.

I requested this book due to its Sheffield setting and I enjoyed this aspect of the book.

But as I hadn’t read the first in the series the first half of the novel was quite confusing with characters and references to incidents from the previous novel with none of the brief summarising of the back story that is usual in ongoing series. This, and the cliffhanger ending is why I’ve given this 3 stars.

Once I’d got going and was into the novel I did enjoy it. But it could have been so much better with just a little more background explanation to begin with. If I’d not been reviewing this book I would have put it to one side unfinished.

This is the second of a developing and interesting series of police procedurals. The main character is flawed but fascinating and the description of Sheffield accurate.

The plot is original and gripping. I will certainly go back and check out the first book. I love good police procedurals and this is an excellent one.

‘He’s a Nighthawker, after all. A trespasser. A thief. He chuckles to himself’
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I wanna preface this by saying I haven’t read the first of the series, and after reading this one, I’m very excited to go back and read the first! I felt a little on the back foot for the first half of the novel as it felt as though there were a lot of character study and background history on people I didn’t currently know, but I feel the first book would add colour to that, which is kinda my fault for reading the 2nd in a series, before the first! Sometimes it doesn’t overly matter if you don’t read a detective series in order, but for this one, I’d recommend it, so buy both haha
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That being said, I loved this book! From I’d say 40% onwards it really picked up for me and I couldn’t stop reading and sped through the final 60% in a single sitting! Knowing Sheffield quite well, it was nice to spend some time there in my head and to know and fully see in my minds eye the places mentioned in the book.
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I loved the idea of the McKenna’s as well, felt very much like a mafia family if you will, and there’s something about those characters that I just really enjoy in tv, film and literature, it’s a world I find so interesting, so I feel it was a nice addition to the story
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Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC, Now I need to order Firewatching to catch up on anything I’ve missed out on!!!

DS Adam Tyler is a well drawn character, as is Mina. I initially went for the novel because of the Sheffield connection, as I am from South Yorkshire, but became absorbed in it for its own merits, and the plot kept me reading it in one sitting, for hours.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC copy of Nighthawking by Russ Thomas.

I feel my review falls in to two parts - the first 40% of the book and the remaining 60%

We meet DS Adam Tyler again, fresh from the wounds & scars of 'Firewatching' (the first in the series)
Firstly, I'll start with my impressions of DS Tyler in the first 40% of the story - I found him to be off-putting, inconsiderate and not really partaking in the flow of the story. For a few days whilst reading, I was slower than my usual pace - to the point I thought I lost my rhythm in reading - but I realised I just wasnt enjoying the flow of 'Nighthawking' thankfully it was due to pick up.

DC Mina Rabbiani is DS Tyler's colleague in the CCRU (Cold Case Review Unit) and also seems to be dealing with her actions in the first book. She seems more confident in her role now, taking more initiative whilst DS Tyler ditches work consistently to follow up on personal business or leads unrelated to the case they are working on.

A body of a young Asian woman has been found in the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield, with staff being on other cases, DC Rabbiani and DS Tyler are tasked with investigating the death of the young girl. The investigation leads them to discovering the identity of the woman as Li Quiang - a student in the local university who was reported missing months ago. Li was found with rare Roman coins on her body, which involves a local Metal Dectorists club who located a bunch of roman coins.

The story moves along slowly until after the 40% mark (in my opinion) when the story starts to come together. DS Tyler suddenly gets more involved and that's where the investigation gathers pace. His partnership with DC Rabbiani is a good aspect of the story, and its fun to see how they drive and annoy each other throughout the investigation and how it throws them all over Sheffield into finding out how Li Quiang died in the Gardens.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The investigation gathered pace and kept me intrigued to finish the book at a quicker pace than I started with. Would be interested enough to go back and read Firewatching.