A good thriller, set in Cheltenham with the plotting being centred around prostitution and human trafficking by an Eastern European group of criminals. I found the pace to be slow and steady and the characters lacking in realism but the plotting was interesting. The main character, Thomas, left me feeling quite annoyed at times due to some questionable actions. Overall, a good read but, after a good start, just too lacking in suspense. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I chose Malicious Game because I was intrigued by the dramatic cover picture.

I discovered a great plot with a satisfying finale.

Upmarket Cheltenham feels unusual as the setting for sex trafficking and prostitution activity but the author is confident in his knowledge of the good and not-so good local areas and I found it believable.

Police procedures are well researched, so for people who enjoy the unravelling of complicated crimes as well as whodunits this story is a must read. It will keep you guessing.

I would have liked to get to know the main characters better but it seems to me that this book could be the first of a series.

My advice to potential readers is to stick with this one. Once into the story, I was quickly pulled along by the twists and turns of a continually unfolding situation.