3.5 stars. A stand-alone detective story set in Hull during WW2, a city which also had heavy bombing that wasn’t as widely reported. Swift is a one armed detective, having lost his other arm at the Somme, and he works with his deputy who is a bare knuckle fighter - together, they pull in a Carver, a female auxiliary from the records department, letting her get experience of front line policing. Overall an interesting story and characters, featuring the black soldiers and white officers from the US Army who were stationed there during the war.

My only slight niggle was that sometimes Swift was a little inconsistent in personality - sometimes very calm and rational, other times snapping at Weighton or others. And the whole teasing at his backstory having followed him up to Hull then peters out without much explanation. Finally - his horse is grey, not white. They don’t have white horses… anyone with even a passing interest in horses would know this. Especially a former cavalry officer like Swift.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. Apologies for the delay in providing this.

This is a fairly regular detective/crime type of narrative. However it is based around a wartime setting in Hull. There are known facts and the author takes us on a journey through a series of crimes. The central characters are well drawn and believable.
There is unrest and suspicion amongst the black GIs and their white officers who have arrived to help the war effort in the docks. With a lot of historica detail you get a real feel for the times and all its difficulties.

My Thoughts: A well put together historical police procedural story.

We’re following Ambrose Swift and Jim Weighton as they’re thrown in to a case that on the surface looks simple, a dead body outside a shelter that was recently bombed by the Nazis, but on closer inspection it doesn’t look like she was killed in the blast at all.. her heart had been ripped out & it looks professional…

As they follow the leads they soon find that they need a female touch for the possible witnesses, enter Karen Carver, a woman who can really hold her own in any situation.

Bodies keep appearing and the US Military are willing to let an innocent man take the rap to keep the peace!

This is an adrenaline filled fast paced story that will really keep you on your toes. I loved all of the main characters individually but thought they worked incredibly as a team!

Here’s hoping this is the start of a new series for me to get lost in! I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to any of them and felt they had more to give.

Lots of secrecy and lots of mysteries to uncover, this one had me hooked from start to finish

1942. Hull, a city that’s been devastated by the blitz, a desperate place to be, especially if there is a murderer on the loose. This is the situation for former soldier, now police inspector Ambrose Swift.
A sadistic series of murders have been blamed on a black American soldier and things don’t sit right with Swift. So with his two deputies he will try to expose the truth, Even a war will not stop them from finding the killer, even if it upsets the powers that be.
An outstanding book set in the most desperate of times.
The writing is superb, the main character is abrupt and captivating. This is a book that hooked me from the start and didn’t let go until it’s dramatic end, and one I highly recommend.

‘Death in Blitz City’ is the start of a brilliant new wartime series set in the Humber. It was an engaging read that blends history with all the drama required of a brilliant crime read. I loved how much I learnt from reading this book! As I grew up not that far from Hull, Scarborough, I feel as if I should know more about wartime history than I do. Obviously I knew that it was bombarded in the blitz but it was the small things like how the rest of the country wasn't made aware that it was Hull being bombed, rather it was a described as a northeastern town. It's these details that make a historical novel as it provides the authenticity of the period. David certainly has managed to infuse this book with rich historical elements as it manages to transport the reader right into the depths of the story.

DI Ambrose Swift has recently relocated to Hull from London and is faced with a major case as soon as he arrives. After a heavy night of bombing there are plenty of deaths but one body has been found that was already dead before the house was bombed! The poor girl was strangled and mutilated. It's up to Swift, along with his deputies Sergeant Weighton and WAPC Kathleen Carver to figure out what has happened. It leads to the American forces who are working at the docks, institutionalised racism and a whole lot more!

I thoroughly enjoyed this group of characters! Ambrose is the perfect example of a gentlemen's policeman which pairs nicely with the travelling background that Weighton hails from. Plus there is the added dimension of a woman working in the police force in this era. I think maybe Carver is having an easy ride of it in this book compared to real life as Ambrose and Weighton seem ahead of their time with personal attitudes to this situation! I can see the three of them forming a really strong professional team over the coming books and I for one am excited to see what comes next for them.

This is a complex plot and David has not shied away from topics and embraces them head-on - sexism, racism and sexual assault all feature, but are handled with empathy and sensitivity. They all intertwined into a strong discourse both as a look into history but also as a cracking book! I devoured this book in one sitting and stayed up to the early hours to finish it. The pacing was on point and let's just say my heart was pounding during one section in particular!

This is the first book of David’s that I have read but it not going to be the last as I loved this one! ‘Death in Blitz City’ is highly entertaining, tightly and intelligently plotted with actions that grabs you by the throat and superbly formed characters. Loved it!

Hull 1942. DCI Ambrose Swift, a fish out of water after being posted from London to Hull, is called to the scene of a bombed out street where the body of a young woman has been found. She is clearly the victim of something other than the heavy bombardment the city has been receiving during the Blitz, as her body has been terribly mutilated.

When more bodies start to turn up, each bearing the marks of a sadistic killer, Swift and his small team of Sergeant Jim 'Little' Weighton and WPC Kathleen Carver uncover a series of clues pointing to vicious racism targetting the Black American soldiers stationed locally, and to worrying corruption among the authorities. It's hard to bring the guilty parties to justice when there are those that would see an innocent man take the blame rather than risk damaging the war effort, but they are determined to get to the truth, no matter what... even if it means putting themselves in danger.

Death in Blitz City is a highly enjoyable murder mystery set in the city of Hull, during the Blitz. It makes such a refreshing change to see a city other than London as the backdrop for a British war-time adventure, and as Hull was in fact the most heavily bombed city outside London it fits the bill perfectly.

Amid the rubble, Young introduces you to a gaggle of entertaining characters, especially the little team working tirelessly to crack the case in WWI veteran DCI Ambrose Swift, with his prosthetic arm, and troubled history; his larger than life, part-time bare-knuckle fighter sidekick Sergeant Weighton; and the bright young spark WPC Kathleen Carver who is drafted in to help. I will admit to finding Swift a bit of a tricky character to warm to, and his attitudes (however admirable) are a trifle modern given that the book is set in 1942, but I immediately took to Weighton and loved the enthusiastic Carver - and the three of them certainly develop a lovely rapport throughout the story.

The murder mystery element of the book is really rather gritty, with horribly mutilated corpses and the menacing message of 'enemies within', which blends nicely with the underlying fear that characterises a city already living with the horror of German bombing raids. Young holds nothing back about the reality of living in a city during wartime, or the measures that quite ordinary people take in order to survive, and he incorporates some intriguing and far-reaching themes through cleverly conceived plot-lines around the American GI Joes stationed locally, the corruption of local bigwigs, and the perceived necessity to preserve the appearance of good relations between Britain and America. I really liked how this gives you a lot to be getting on with on many fronts - with a complex police procedural that anchors you to the battered shell of Hull; a more melodramatic side with adventurous shenanigans in the local coutryside; and a surprising thread that links the American soldiers over here with the lives they lived at home.

This has the feel of a brand-new war-time police series that could develop into something with real legs, especially if Swift learns to be a bit less stuffy and Weighton and Carver are given more of the limelight. Lots of potential for more absorbing adventures to come!

This is the first book i read by this author and wanted to read it because I loved the cover and some gut feeling told i was going to love it.
I loved it as it's an excellent mix of mystery and historical fiction.
The historical background is realistic, well researched and well done as the descriptions of Hull, one of the characters.
The author delivers a group of great characters and doesn't hide anything of the ugliness existing at the time of the story: the racial discrimination between black and white GI, the prejudices, the hipocrisy.
The plot is well developed and gripping. It's entertaining, melancholic at times.
I hope this isn't a standalone but the start of a series as I loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I don’t often come across crime books set during a war but having watched and loved Foyle’s War a few years ago, this one caught my interest. When you think of either of the two world wars you tend to think of the fighting abroad, bombing of London, etc. What you don’t tend to think of is the people left behind and what is going on in the UK. Despite there being a war on crimes, including murder still happened, in fact the crime rate increased during these years with many crimes being hidden through blackouts and bombings with people which is exactly what the murder(s) tried to do in this book.

The story starts with a murder, a body found in an area recently bombed, but something makes it stand out from all the others. This is one of the things I liked about this book, it gets straight into the story, no introductory chatting between characters or anything like that, nope, it takes us straight to a crime scene with the main character Inspector Swift. I liked Swift as a character, he doesn’t take any nonsense but he’s also the type that sees the person and the impact their death has had on family and friends. He wants justice for the person, regardless of who they are and that’s refreshing in a story where there is also judgement and racism from many others. Equally Weighton and Carver were also good characters, between the three of them they made a good team and shared the same sentiments of finding justice for the victim. We get some background of all three characters but I would like to see more, however I’m hoping this is the first book in a series and that more background will come out in future books.

I like historical fiction and this book ticks all the boxes for me. It had lots of details of blackouts, car lights being covered so you could see the road but only just, damage to buildings and businesses by the bombs, lack of road signs as they were removed, etc. The details were brilliant, they really brought to life the impact of the bombing on Hull and how the war affected people’s lives in many different ways. The details and description add to the story, they are perfectly balanced with the police investigation and both work together to give a really solid, well-balanced story that I really enjoyed.

I was really looking forward to reading Death in Blitz City after reading so many positive reviews on twitter. Set in Hull, a city close to my heart, it's set during the Second World War and starts with a really grizzly murder. Although books set in the past aren't my usual read, this is a brilliant well-thought-out crime story.

I haven't read any of David Young's novels before, but if this is an example, then I'll be searching them out. The story follows Ambrose Swift, a nearly posted DI from London and his trusty lieutenant Jim 'Little' Weighton. They're called out to the discovery after a nights bombing when a body is discovered. It's not a victim of the bombing raid, but this is murder. The body of a young woman is found with her heart removed. It's up to Swift and Weighton to find her murderer. A story that goes deep into some very unpleasant areas.

There's a lot to like about this book. Hull is the shining star of it. A beauty of having a recently arrived detective to the city, is the ability to have more description of the various areas. There are references to the various sights, including Thwaite Hall, Hepworths Arcade and Dinsdale's Joke shop, a Hull treasure. The story deals with the harsh realities of the blitz. Hull was one of the cities worst hit by air raids. Often described on the news as 'A Northern Coastal Town' on the news, Hull was decimated in places. (check out Joe Solo's 'A Northern Coastal Town')

Racism rears its ugly head in this book. From the remnants of the Moselyite fascist movement to the segregation and 'Jim Crow' American soldiers. This story is centred on the relationship between the officers and ranks in the US army. It's still unbelievable that the Americans who came to aid the allies get rid of a fascist dictator, had segregation and 'deep south' fascist values. There's also a touch of good old British political scandal.

Although this book is set seventy odd years ago, it's written in a modern style. The stories haven't grown old, but are bang up to date. The author has woven a highly readable, yet intelligent plot into this book. I hope he writes more about these characters. There's high excitement towards the end and just enough suspense, to make this a taut adventure.

A five star read.

I enjoy reading historical crime and love WW2 books. A lot of these deal with the actual war, particularly agents abroad. David Young has taken a different tack and given us a new police procedural series set in wartime Hull. Hull was bombed heavily during the war, a fact not mentioned very much. But this novel is less about the wartime effort and more about crime. The ruins of a bombed out house is the perfect place to hide a body.

It often takes a while to settle into a new series but David Young has set up the team beautifully. Detective Inspector Ambrose Swift is ably assisted by Detective Sergeant Jim Weighton, a Hull man whose bulk and local knowledge prove invaluable to his senior officer. In 1942, women in the police force had menial tasks such as typing, filing and making cups of tea. Swift though, appears to be a progressive man, as he can see the potential in Auxiliary Constable Kathleen Carver and encourages her to take a full part in the investigation. Swift is the most intriguing character of all. A former WW1 soldier who lost his arm in action, he's keen to discover the truth, no matter what the consequences. There's also a mysterious past from his time in London and I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out in future stories.

As with his Karin Müller series, David Young has weaved in another historical thread. The full picture doesn't become clear until near the end. I genuinely wasn't sure how it was all going to work out. The subtle clues are there but I hadn't spotted them all. It certainly made for a very interesting story and I'm looking forward to reading more about Detective Inspector Swift and his team.

My blog tour post will go live on 14th July.

Being a huge Fan of David Young and his Stasi series, I was saddened when that series reached its conclusion but also aware that the author had a new project in the pipeline.

And here it is, with the introduction of Detective Ambrose Swift. Set again In WW2 times, this time David Young takes his mystery back to the UK, in this quintessentially British story.

A story of Murder amongst the Rubble left by German Bombs, set in Hull, this is an intricately plotted, masterly told tale of the black American GIs stationed in Hull.

Full of corruption and with racism deeply entrenched into the story, it’s dark and morbid at times, whilst showing just how far the roots of racism can spread.

I’m a fan of American History stories , in particular of Thomas Mullen, and there are hints of that here and unusually the Jim Crow rules of the US Deep South are firmly on display here.

The story is paced ever so well, and it’s one of my favourite reads this year. In Swift, Weighton and Carver, David Young has established a new set of firmly admirable characters, and written a quite fabulous historical mystery.

It’s top drawer stuff, and I’m pleased to see David Young back on the shelf.

Superb.

This WW2 historical mystery with its blend of fact and fiction is the latest from David Young, it is set in the North East in Hull, the most bombed city outside of London, but kept a secret to raise morale. Ex-WW1 cavalryman, DCI Ambrose Swift, who lost his arm and wears a prosthetic, has recently moved to Hull from London after the persistent dangers from his last case. He is called to the scene of a public shelter bombed by the Nazis, where amongst the dead is the gruesomely strangled body of a young woman with her heart ripped out. This is to be the first of numerous murders in a complex, and twisted investigation led by Swift, with his team of DS Jim 'Little' Weighton, a huge bare knuckle boxer and the bright, tenacious WAPC Kathleen Carver, a farmer's daughter from the Dales. Their vain and ambitious boss, Detective Superintendent Holdridge is of little help to them, and more often a hindrance.

The victim turns out to be local girl, Sarah Vaughn, a young woman forced by poverty to become a part time prostitute. Sarah had been seeing a black American GI based at the American military base, Archibald Davis from Detroit, the two of them having fallen hard for each other, a relationship met with anger and resentment by many white American soldiers. Hull has welcomed the many black American GIs, but the horrifying murder of Davis creates serious difficulties for Swift, the Americans are less than helpful, instead arresting another black GI that Swift is convinced is innocent. The determined Swift and his team faces numerous obstacles and threats that include being warned off the Americans by the intelligence services and others. Swift must let the Americans deal with matters in their own way, but when it comes down to it, he is unwilling to let a grave injustice go. And why are a Conservative MP and local Labour councillor, with connections to a dockyard thug, taking such an interest in their case?

Young writes an engaging WW2 mystery amidst the background of an America that has huge issues when it comes to race, with the proliferation of white supremacists, and an inescapable feature within the American troops stationed in Hull, as we learn through the characters of Archibald Davis and his best friend, Theophilus Howard. This was a great read, it takes into account the role of women and the social norms and expectations when it comes to the police, Kathleen turns out to be such an incredible asset to the investigation, Swift is determined to keep her and not as an auxiliary, but as a WPC. This novel will appeal to fans of WW2 historical fiction and readers who love complex and intricate mysteries. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Death in Blitz City is the latest book and hopefully the start of a new series by David Young who’s previous “Stasi” series of books were excellent reads.

The book is set in Hull during World War 2 and the author uses both the City and the ongoing war to create an excellent storyline that is very well paced with numerous twists and turns.

All the main characters are well created and have significant scope to grow in future books as hopefully Death in Blitz City becomes the first of a new series.

Recommended.