This is a good book to read if you want strong characterisation but a relatively simple mystery. There is some benefit to the simplicity as it means you can dip in and out of the book rather than focus in a single reading. I really liked the setting and the author did a good job in painting the picture.

The evocation of small-town England in 1972 is perfectly done: the right cars, tunes on the radio, wage freezes, strikes and a way of life long since vanished. Drugs are being sold in the local pub and the cinema can only survive by doing bingo three times a week.
The author drops his lead character, a rookie newspaper reporter, Paul Sears, into this time and place and uses his local knowledge to help solve the crimes committed. There's plenty of empathy and all the characters come across as real people. This is a book for people who want a good story and care about the way in which it is told.

I had a hard time getting into this, partly because of the format. I don't usually review if I haven't finished, but since this is NetGalley I feel like I should at least say that it wasn't engaging enough for me to keep reading. This may just be me and I hope others can find it interesting and enjoyable! Every book has a reader!

Following a reporter in the seventies trying to find the truth behind two murders this book is a bit of a mess. There are so many characters introduced at the same time that it is difficult to keep track of who is who and how they all relate to one another... particularly as Paul seems to deem everyone his friend at some point.

The characters fall quite flat, with chapters opening immediately with “he was doing this” or “she was doing that” with no clue as to who it was referring to, this led to me having to reread whole sections to try and make sense of it.

The story lacked tension and not a great deal really happened in it which is unfortunate as the blurb sounded so promising.

This book is a good read, but the main character of Paul can make it hit or miss. It’s an interesting storyline, and it’s straightforward. There isn’t much guesswork, or twists and turns - which is deathly towards building tension.

A personal peeve. The women in this book are accessories not characters. The male characters leer at them. There’s a focus on male-only character’s, and not much else.

2 stars

I'm sorry, but this book was not very interesting. It seemed a jumbled up sort of book that didn't really achieve anything. I was not interested in the characters. They were incomplete somehow and didn't peak my interest.

Paul was trying too hard at not getting anywhere. I didn't really like or understand him.

I want to thank NetGalley and Troubador Publishing Ltd/Matador for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Another classic example of the retiree fiction. This may not be its official designation, but it’s the one I’ve coined and I like it. Essentially, books written by people who’ve taken up writing after retirement, usually from nonwriting related careers. The results traditionally vary. This one came out fine, if fine’s what you’re after.
Fine is a funny word, isn’t it. A heavy lifter, doing triple duty on regular basis. It can denote a superior accomplishment, fine art, the finest things in life, fine ass, etc. It can stand in for complete mediocrity, blandness, nothing to report, as in a reply when someone asks how you are. And it can be used sarcastically or ironically to mean the very opposite, well, isn’t that just fine and dandy.
This book is that second kind of fine. It’s perfectly serviceable, decently written story set in 1972 about reporter investigating some local murders in a small town and uncovering the menacing presence of Italian mafia. The town’s so small that everyone pretty much known each other, has, is or might be dating each other, etc., which creates for an initial confusion of characters. Once you sort it all out, it’s a fairly straight forward story that doesn’t take forever to sort itself out. There’s nothing really wrong with it, it’s just kind of bland and perfectly forgettable. But for retirement fiction it’s pretty good. The author should stick with it and maybe next time intersperse that nice milquestoast Britishness of it all with some genuine excitement.
Since I’m the first person to rate and review this one, I’ll round it up with uncharacteristic generosity. Thanks Netgalley.