I feel sure this is the start of a series and one that will have a lot of keen followers.
I enjoyed the book to a point but it wasn’t one that had me longing to pick up. It wasn’t the plot because that was very good and I liked the characters on the whole too. My criticism is that the back stories and add ons didn’t thrill me but were more a distraction. Perhaps a second book will improve on that.

The body of a wealthy woman is found in the living room of her ultra-modern, ultra-secure Highgate home, surrounded by four strange objects. DCI Tannahill Khan catches the case and discovers that one of the objects is a book on forensics by Dr Laughton Rees, forensic analyst and lecturer at a nearby university. A brutal stabbing in a wealthy home couldn’t come at a worse time, as the Met Police are about to release their annual crime statistics, which show a massive rise in knife crime on London’s streets. It’s also not going to help Tannahill’s investigation that Laughton Rees is the estranged daughter of the Met’s commissioner and that tabloid lowlife Brian Slade seems to have an inside track on what’s going on, and the juicy history that will only help to sell more papers. A missing husband is the prime suspect, but there’s much more to this case than meets the eye.

Simon Toyne has turned out to be a bit of an all-rounder. From his debut, the apocalyptic Sanctus, to his Reacher-like Solomon Creed, he now finds himself in the world of the British police procedural. And it’s everything you would expect from a Toyne novel: smart, dark, funny and very engaging. It opens on a seemingly-impossible crime scene and immediately adds an extra puzzle on top of the usual “who?” and ”why?”: what are these objects placed so carefully around the body? What do they symbolise? And, most importantly, what do they mean for the direction of Tannahill’s investigation and Toyne’s narrative?

Half-Irish, half-Pakistani, Tannahill Khan is a wonderful lead character in this slick, fast-moving story. A man who works too hard and has little in the way of a social life, he’s solely focused on his job and in trying to deal with whatever this crazy case is going to throw at him next. Toyne nails the Irish mother, and the handful of calls that Tannahill has with her during the course of the novel provide some light relief in an otherwise intense story. Laughton Rees watched her mother die, when she was 15 years old, at the hands of a serial killer. She has blamed her father – the arresting officer – for what happened, and hasn’t spoken to him since. Now mother to a teenage girl, Laughton has problems of her own, and getting pulled into an investigation because the killer saw fit to use her book as a sort of guidebook is the last thing she needs. The two fit well together, despite their differences, and make an excellent team. When Laughton is forced to face her past Tannahill is there to offer support and while the sexual tension is high throughout, Toyne manages to keep everything professional.

The other main character is Brian Slade, journalist for tabloid rag The Daily. Slade is permanently dressed for running and is, without a doubt, the least likeable character in the book. Almost a caricature of the sleazy tabloid newspaperman, Slade won’t let anything – including the truth – stand in the way of a good story. Getting information from someone on the inside, Slade always seems to be one step ahead of Tannahill’s team and has no qualms using a pretty woman to sell more newspapers, especially when it gives him some extra, unexpected ammunition against the Met Police and their commissioner. Toyne handles Slade brilliantly, creating one of the most loathsome characters ever committed to paper. No-one is cheering for this man, and we come away from his scenes feeling that we need a shower.

Dark Objects is not your run-of-the-mill police procedural, despite what first impressions might suggest. This is Simon Toyne doing what he does best: messing about with the format and the genre, creating something that transcends what we can expect from this type of story and producing something totally unique and unpredictable. It’s a brilliantly crafted novel and Toyne’s unique voice shines through from the outset. Dark and designed to grip the reader by the throat from the first page, it’s also a story with a very human element – often with a wry and warped sense of humor – that gives us something to hold on to as we descend into the dark depths of this latest creation. If you’re looking for a different take on good old-fashioned British mysteries, Dark Objects should be top of your list. Likewise if you’re looking for a challenge.

A very welcome return for Toyne, who has been missing from the New Releases shelves for far too long.

This book was everything that I hoped it would be when I saw it on netgalley. I loved the changing of POVs, it really worked in the overall narrative and the characters felt well-written for their different circumstances. I hope one day we might get to read about Tannahill and Laughton because in a way they felt as though they are bringing a new dynamic duo to the thriller genre.

The crimes included were described in some wonderfully vivid ways at times and with the good pacing, it all just went to create a read that had me desperate to fly through it over a couple of days.

This is exactly what I needed! Gruesome, gripping, uniquely intriguing and with characters you can really empathise with and grow with! Loved DCI Kahn and his soul of gold.

I will read anything this author writes!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A grizzly murder complete with cryptic clues draws together an unlikely duo - A DCI with something to prove and an academic desperate to escape her traumatic past. As Laughton and Tannahill work to crack the case, things start to appear personal with the past and present blurring together. Once you start Dark Objects you will not want to put it down. Clever, witty and a true keep you guessing until the end,

A woman is brutally murdered in a North London mansion, surrounded by a selection of objects suggesting some kind of ritual killer. One of the objects is a text book of forensic studies written by an academic whose mother was in the past brutally murdered. The detective in charge of the case is the the charmingly inclusive Irish Pakistani Tannahill Khan, and he resolves to include the academic in the investigation although her estranged father is his boss. Its an ingenious twisty plot, fast paced and engaging. You won't for a moment suspect who the killer is..

I read and enjoyed Simon’s Sanctus trilogy a few years ago, and this was my first time reading something different by him. I wasn’t disappointed - Dark Objects ripped along at a thrilling pace due to the short chapters and multiple viewpoints.

I loved the main character of Laughton - she had so many layers and was so smart - and DCI Khan was a brilliant foil for her, and their working relationship felt very easy.

The London setting was strong but not overpowering, and the mystery around the deaths of Kate and Mike Miller unfolded at the perfect rate. There was enough intrigue regarding the dark objects left at the murder scene, and the interplay with the journalist Brian Slade, to keep you hooked as well as the family drama concerning Laughton’s father, and their tragic shared past.

I stayed up late last night to finish it after only two sittings. A slick, pacy thriller and police procedural. I am looking forward to this author’s next book.

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

‘One body. Four objects. Zero clues.’ cover tag line,

My thanks to HarperCollins U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Dark Objects’ by Simon Toyne.

A few years ago I read Toyne’s Sancti Trilogy so was excited about his latest: a forensic crime thriller set in London.

A few plot details: a wealthy woman is found brutally murdered in her London mansion. Surrounding her body are posed four mysterious objects. One especially attracts their attention: a book on forensics by Dr Laughton Rees.

Laughton is a forensic analyst, an expert on reading crime scenes. However, she has a golden rule to never work live cases as when Laughton was a teenager she had witnessed her mother’s murder and remains traumatised.

DCI Tannahill Khan, the lead detective on the case, is keen to persuade Laughton to assist him with the investigation. The situation is complicated by the fact that Laughton’s father is the Police Commissioner, though they are estranged.

I found this a well paced and highly engaging crime thriller. I felt that the character development was good, with Laughton emerging as a relatable lead. The ending does allow for the possibility of a follow up or even a series. I certainly would welcome this.

An excellent crime book from an author new to me. The lead character is a half Irish and half Asian detective who works quietly and in a very understated way to solve the murder of an extremely rich woman with the help of a university lecturer who is also the estranged daughter of the police commissioner.
The plot is neatly woven and moves at a good pace and held my interest throughout. The author has his own distinctive style which is refreshing and makes this an excellent addition to the British crime genre.

This the first book I’ve read by Simon Toyne but I hope it is the first in a series for Tannahill and Laughton, so won’t be my last.

I love a good crime thriller and this has everything going for it. Protagonists you can relate to and actually like, a believable crime with plenty of twists and turns topped off with an unexpected but satisfying conclusion, leaving no unanswered questions.

There was quite a bit of back story, but if this is going to be the first book in a series as hoped, that’s to be expected, and apart from that, I found the book utterly unputdownable!

4.5* rounded up.

A tense thriller that grips you from the start. A real page turner with a clever and twisted plot. Such an unexpected ending. A must read book.

A fantastic crime thriller, filled with intrigue and a building plot. I enjoyed the development of the characters, and thought the ending brought everything together.

I thought the writing in this book was excellent - I was gripped from the offset and continued to enjoy the thrill until the end.

4.5 rounded up.

The cleaner goes into the Miller house and finds Kate Miller murdered in a ritual killing. Kate and her husband are very wealthy, but no one knows any details about who they are, or where they came from. As there is a book at the crime scene written by criminologist Laughton, she becomes involved with the case, which has links to her mother's murder years ago. The tale twists and turns as Laughton and investigating officer Tannahill rush to solve the case before the killer strikes again.
Great characters, in depth plot and loads of intrigue! The ending was amazing and full of surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed this superb crime thriller!

A tense and dark crime thriller from the author of the Sanctus trilogy I enjoyed. The two protagonists were likeable and interesting and the ending of the novel was satisfying. Hopefully, this is the first in a series. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

The start of this book had me gripped. For me, the middle was a bit slow but picked up again for the ending.

I get the feeling from the way the main characters have been written that this could develop into a series and I would be interested in reading any follow ups.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The tension starts from the beginning where the cleaner finds the body of her employer in her almost impregnable house. As the husband is missing he is the obvious suspect.I loved the many varied characters and the surprise ending that actually was a surprise. A couldn’t put it down thriller.

A new D I on the block, a good start to a hopefully new series. A well thought-out book with plenty of twists and very good characters. Would recommend this.
I received this book from Harper Collins and Netgalley for a review.

A complex and enjoyable read!
A woman is found dead in her luxury home , and her husband is missing .
The main characters Tannahill and Laughton make a great team although they both have their own issues .
Tannahill is the lead detective on the case and Laughton is a forensic analyst and their partnership works well and I hope they have future cases together .
Laughton has a lot of deep seated issues and once you learn her back story , it becomes understandable.
The writing is excellent and kept me hooked , there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader hooked , and the ending wasn’t one I had envisaged!
Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cleaner shows up at an upscale home to clean and finds the wife dead and the husband missing. There are objects deliberately placed around the body, including a book written by Laughton Rees, the estranged daughter of the head of police. The case is investigated by Tannahill Kahn while journalist Brian Slade gets odd emails from who he presumes is the killer.

I am in the minority because I didn't love this one. I thought it was too slow and I couldn't get into it. There was too much backstory on Tannahill and his feelings about his Pakistani background that didn't add to the story in my opinion. I also thought there was too much detail about Laughton's daughter's struggles at school and her attempts to mitigate them. I wanted more about the murder and investigation, which I thought was kind of boring because there was almost no new evidence being turned up for long stretches. I wasn't super wowed by the ending because who I thought was behind it was behind it. Anyway, I can see where other reviews think this may be the start of a new series because this did feel like a set up with ssssoooooo much backstory on these characters. I may consider reading more if it is in fact a series and the next mystery is more about the mystery and less about the drama in the characters' lives.

When a woman is found murdered in her luxury home by her cleaner, she is surrounded by a selection of apparently random objects and her husband is nowhere to be found.
DCI Tannahill Khan is made lead investigator on the case and when he notices a book by Dr Laughton Rees in amongst the items surrounding the body, he knows making contact with her is going to make the case even more high profile.

This book gripped me right from the creepy opening and didn't really let up! A well-plotted police procedural with great characterisation, this was a very easy to read, fast-paced thriller that I think would make a good first in series. There is definitely more to explore with these characters!

A highly recommended read which was my first by this author, but I will certainly be searching out more.