Ashes to ashes by Paul Finch.
This is book 6 of the DS Heckenburg series.
A brilliant read. Great story. I loved Mark's character. Lots of action too. 5*.

It’s always great to discover a new author, especially one that has a great series to catch up on. This book was part of a series, which I haven’t read yet- but it has sparked my imagination to buy the other books. The characters are well drawn and a brilliant if very violent story line. It quickly draws you in and makes you reluctant to put the book down.

Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to have read this gruesome, horrible, brilliant, okay what else can I add.... book by one of the best crime writers around. In this book we meet DS Heck again, and from the start he grabs you at the throat and leave you breathless and exhausted at the end. Brilliantly done, can't wait for the next one!

For the sixth outing of my favourite detective Mark Heckenberg he goes back home to the northern town he was quick to escape from years ago , he is hot on the heels of a killer for hire John Sagan who seems to have disappeared , couple that with an executioner who's weapon of choice is a flamethrower and loads of gangland violence and you have a really dark , entertaining book . Although this wasn't my favourite in the series I still really enjoyed it and liked that we got a glimse into Hecks past and family life . Still a fantastic read and I will eagerly await the seventh outing . Many thanks for the opportunity to read this

One of my favourite authors that I have enjoyed time and time again and he has not disappointed with this one. Excellent read and highly recommended.

I read this book as a stand-alone as I haven't had the opportunity to read the previous books in the series. That is something I will now have to change, this book was brilliant. I cannot wait to get my hands on more of Paul Finch's books.

This is a very fast paced thriller, I couldn't put it down.

Highly recommended!!!

5 full stars from me for this one.

Haven't read any other books in this series, but this reads like a standalone anyway. Good writing style but gut wrenchingly violent. Loved the main character, a guy you would always be able to rely on to save you. Great storyline.

This is one of these quiet stories that keep you captivated. The time, the space, the characters, the voice, it all fits and give a very realistic feel of how life was just 60 year ago. I loved that there was no crying rebellion, the calm acceptance of how life is organised, but how underlying passions do create change in the end. It's one of the books that made me pause the other books I was reading as I was hooked. A wonderful find!

Do you ever get the feeling that you have been a complete and utter donkey? Astoundingly, incomprehensibly stupid? That’s is exactly how I felt when listening to the audio book of Ashes To Ashes when I was left wondering how I have managed to let this series pass me by for so long. I have heard other people raving about it before, bloggers that I trust and respect, but I’ve never got around to reading any of the books until now. This is book 6 in the series about Detective Sergeant Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg but I think that in just one book I have fallen in love with this character and now I am desperately trying to work out how I can go about finding time to go back and read books 1-5.

Like I said. A complete and utter donkey.

So. Enough about my stupidity. What about the book? Well this is quite some book. When Heck and the team are put onto the trail of suspected serial killer known torturer John Sagan, they can only guess as to the level of evil and depravity the man is capable of. To the cost of one of the team they find out just how dangerous underestimating this man is. When he evades capture they are soon able to tie him to two torture murders in Heck’s home town of Bradburn but returning there to capture their target is not going to be easy for Heck as he has a very troubling relationship with the place he once called home. And when another series of grizzly murders starts to take place in the town Heck is to find himself up against a merciless killer that the press have given the moniker ‘The Incincerator’ due to the method he uses to dispatch his victims. Throw in a burgeoning gang war and the scene is set for a deadly showdown.

From the very beginning of this novel the tension is high and the pacing fast and to be honest there are few moments throughout where it ever lets up. Paul Finch sets the scene brilliantly, an underlying sense of menace in even the simplest of actions. From the moment the first two victims are faced with ‘The Incinerator’ you get a taste of what this book is going to be about. The deaths may be violent but none are unnecessarily graphic. the same can be said of the torture inflicted by John Sagan. You are not forced to act as voyeur to the acts of violence but you are left in no doubt as to the severity of what has happened or the cold and calculating nature of the man himself. Even though interactions with Sagan are limited, Finch has created a really unsettling character and the knowledge that he and his pain box are still on the loose, and an understanding of what he is capable of, is enough to creating an underlying and gradually building tension from start to finish.

More intriguing is the character of The Incinerator. You never quite know who this person is and I found myself continually second guessing their motives for the killings. He/She? You are never quite sure as suspicion falls to the gangs of Ship and Shaughnessy, each with their own motives for killing the other in order to gain control of the streets. And suspicion also falls to someone outside the gangs, someone with a personal reason to hate Vic Ship and all he stands for. So is this a simple case of gang warfare or vigilantism taken to the extreme Well… You need to read to find out, don’t you.

The investigative team in this book are all really well developed and strong characters in their own right. Joining the usual SCU crew is DI Katie Hayes of the GMP Serious Crime Division. She is a fantastic character and more than a match for Heck when they are partnered together to investigate The Incinerator. As for Heck. He certainly has a way about him. Often acting outside of procedure and regularly taking on the lone wolf role, you cannot help but like his occasionally gung ho methods. He certainly gets results, even if he does put himself in the firing line to do so. You learn a lot about his past in this book, get a good appreciation of why he joined the force, and the demons that haunt him on his return to Bradburn. He is exactly the kind of character I eat up. I love his fire and his passion for the job. He acts on his instincts, speaks his mind, but all in the name of upholding the law and catching two very violent killers. When his passion boils over, the results can be deadly. Love it.

There are a few really tense and intensive scenes in this book, firstly when Heck is chasing down John Sagan, when he nearly has the sadistic killer in his grasp, and secondly when Heck himself is being pursued by one of the gangs controlling the streets of Bradburn. If you don’t like to see animals get hurt, then you might not like one particular part of the book, but then again, we aren’t exactly talking about kicking the behind of the Andrex puppy here, so while the result may make you cringe, the end probably justifies the means. Think less St Bernard in Beethoven and more Doberman in The Omen. Nasty little poochie.

If you like a good strong lead character, an exciting story and the thrill of a darned good cat and mouse game then definitely read this book. I am off now to go and purchase books 1-5 and then to plan in a good few days to catch up. By the way, I actually listened to the audio book which is absolutely superb and well worth a listen if, like me, you enjoy taking your books to go.

A hot to trot 5 stars from me

Ashes to Ashes is the sixth book in the Heckenburg series of thrillers from Paul Finch and is just as good as the previous five.Heck has to return to his hometown of Bradburn to confront a serial killer who is burning his victims alive and also to confront a gangland feud.If you like fast paced,page turning thrillers this the book to read,another winner from Paul Finch keep up the good work.

Wow! What a book! It is so fast moving I am exhausted. It is a real page-turner, you just have to find out what happens next. I would sincerely hope that policework doesn't often get this exciting. Detective Sergeant Mark Heckenberg is a very intuitive policeman, he doesn't appear to be scared of anyone; throughout the book he keeps avoiding death by a whisker, often because he has rushed into trouble rather than wait for the trouble to rush to him. He is Superman, without the Lycra suit.

The characters are well-written, and with the job they are doing I can understand the way that Heck, Gemma and various of the other police characters remain detached from having much of a personal life. The storyline is intriguing, very fast paced, with lots of frustration for the police. Very well worth reading.

This book had me hooked from the start, it was intense, spine tingling and nerve racking.

I enjoyed it very much and liked the characters even the baddie's were personalities I haven't come across before.

It was a good read though not for the faint hearted. I will look forward to reading more from this series and will recommend to friends

Mark “Heck” Heckenburg is back and I couldn’t be happier. Each book in this series has been a 5 star read for me and Ashes to Ashes keeps that streak going. I think that we have to conclude that Paul Finch writes the books that I want to read.

Ashes to Ashes opens with a fairly gruesome attack, two men are torched to death by a mystery figure wielding a flamethrower. If you have read Finch’s previous books you will know that there is no sugar-coating to be found, Ashes to Ashes will contain scenes which are shocking and potentially disturbing but it makes for gripping reading too.

Heck is in London on the trail of a torturer, however, his chief suspect will flee the city and it is not long before Heck will find himself back in the North West in his hometown of Bradburn. Returning to his childhood haunts will bring Heck back into contact with old friends and family and we get to see in more detail how Heck’s past very much shaped the man he would become.

In Bradburn Heck and his colleagues find themselves stretched between hunting for their torturer (Sagan) and the flamethrower killer (dubbed The Incinerator). To get any clue on their suspects Heck will need to engage and confront the local gangs and this means putting himself in the firing line. Ashes to Ashes keeps the action coming thick and fast, The Incinerator is a chilling character and their pursuit of the potential victims lead to some wonderful moments of suspense.

Ashes to Ashes was an absolute joy to read. If you like a police thriller with a deliciously dark edge then look no further.

Paul Finch is absolutely one of the best crime writers we have. He has a way of pulling you into his story with very clever plot lines. Can't wait for the next adventure with Heck!

A high octane grisly violent crime thriller!
If you enjoy reading high octane grisly crime thrillers then this will certainly appeal to you. It is the sixth book in the series featuring DS Mark Heckenburg, (AKA Heck.) Even so, the reader is able to catch up with Heck's previous relationship with his boss, Superintendent Gemma Piper, plus we find out about his old stomping ground in Bradburn where he grew up and why he decided to join the police force.
This novel is not for the faint hearted as the violence is extreme, featuring a psychopathic flame thrower who enjoys killing mercilessly, leaving only burnt skeletons and ashes. Also, there is rival gang warfare involving drugs, prostitution with a good measure of violence thrown in.
DS 'Heck' is a great character as he loves to break the rules. Somehow, he gets away with his non-conformist attitude, where he insists on solo policing, despite numerous reprimands and so he becomes enmeshed in trying to solve the multiple violent crimes in his old home town.
Paul Finch has the ability to shock with ample amounts of carnage and devastation in 'Ashes To Ashes' to thrill all crime lovers with a strong constitution. This was nearly a five-star rating, but some episodes were maybe slightly too drawn out.
Galadriel
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

"Ashes To Ashes:Detective Mark Heckenburg Book 6", written by Paul Finch and published in paperback by Avon on 6 April 2017. 480 pages

John Sagan is a forgettable man. You could pass him in the street and not realise he’s there. But then, that’s why he’s so dangerous.

A torturer for hire, Sagan has terrorised – and mutilated – countless victims. And now he’s on the move. DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenburg must chase the trail, even when it leads him to his hometown of Bradburn – a place he never thought he’d set foot in again.

But Sagan isn’t the only problem. Bradburn is being terrorised by a lone killer who burns his victims to death. And with the victims chosen at random, no-one knows who will be next. Least of all Heck…

This novel, which is by an author completely new to me, was absolutely sensational. Within a few lines of starting to read the story I was hooked in and was absolutely gripped by the storyline and I could not put the book down until the final 480th exciting page.

The author has expertly researched his story and deftly plotted his book. There are a few red herrings to draw the reader to the wrong conclusion before the surprising and very dramatic conclusion. This is the sixth book in the Mark Heckenburg series but as a new reader it didn't matter that I had not read the previous stories as the author fully explains all the back history of "Heck" and the other major characters which is not something every author does I'm sorry to say.

There is a rich cast of authentic, layered characters, who are expertly described by this very talented author. Some of the descriptions relate to an extreme level of violence which could be very shocking to those of a more sensitive nature. The main nasty character is some-one described as the "incinerator" as he uses a flame thrower as his weapon of choice and a lot of deaths by fire occur unfortunately. There are two main gangs of villains fighting against each other in Bradburn and Heck and his senior detectives don't know which gang is using Sagan and which the incinerator, so these points have to be investigated.

As with all good police procedurals the author describes the relationships between the senior officers and how they relate to Heck and also the problems the main character has with the relatives he still has living in the Bradburn area.

Overall I was very impressed with the high quality of Paul Finch's research, descriptions and narrative skills and hope that this is not the last book that I read by him as he has written one of the finest books by a British author that I've read in a very long time. Very strongly recommended.

Best wishes,


Terry
(To be published on eurocrime.co.uk in due course)

This book starts with a bang - with a gruesome double murder followed by a thrilling police chase on foot. Heck is rather a maverick and he finds himself allocated back to his home town in the north to sort out gang warfare. It's a powerful novel with graphic violent scenes of torture which I found chilling. Gangs who believe life is cheap. It needs a strong stomach. It has an easy flowing effortless style with lots of detail. I haven't read any other books in the series but will have to look for them. I shall post this review to Amazon, Facebook and on my blog. Thank you for letting me read it.

I received this book in Kindle form from NetGalley in return for an honest review.. I requested it because I have enjoyed previous books in this series, in particular the lat one, ”Hunted” which I quickly reread to reacquaint myself with the books. But sadly I had to use huge determination to finish this latest book. I’m afraid that this time it turned out to be not my sort of story. For the last quarter I just wanted to over use a red pen on it. I’m thankful it wasn’t a paper copy or I might have broken my firm rule never to deface a book.

This one opens with a blast of a first chapter and then goes on to the sort of chase and shoot out, seemingly unrelated to the preceding chapter, that one normally expects at the end of this type of novel . Anything else, I thought has to be an anticlimax. Not a bit of it. We had so many bodies by the end I’d lost count. There were numerous car chases, two different heart in mouth foot chases down back alleys in the northern town of Bradburn where most of the action is set. There were burned out cars and buildings, not to mention the bodies inside. There was even another fast foot chase down some World War Two air raid shelters. And of course there were shootings, the author keen to show off his knowledge of many different types of guns. How the hero, Sergeant Mark Hecklenburg (Heck), kept getting up and dealing yet more lethal blows and was then ready to move on to the next mad chase or assault must defy medical science. And with all this action the ending would need to be even more spectacular. It was a truly horrific burning and desecration of the local Catholic Church, involving yet more bodies.

Basically it’s a tale of gang warfare with the usual drugs, prostitution and other racquets that will make money thrown in. There are also a couple of super vicious characters hired by each side. The National Serial Crimes Unit, based in London, is sent north to Bradburn to sort it all out. The town, by sheer coincidence, just happens to be Heck’s home town, which of course has very unhappy memories for him. Queue back story. Heading the team is his former girl fiend, Superintendent Gemma Piper and we have to understand that the attraction, though denied, still exists.

Much as I dislike criticising an author’s work, this one was definitely not for me. At times it veered on the barking mad. Hopefully if there is another book in the series it will return to some sort of sanity.

Ashes to Ashes by Paul Finch

John Sagan is a killer for hire and he deals out death with the utmost and coldest violence in his caravan, known and feared by many in London as the Pain Box. DS Mark ‘Heck’ Heckenberg is after him. And his drive to catch him intensifies when one of Heck’s informants narrowly escapes from the Pain Box with her life. But the best laid plans have a habit of going wrong and Sagan dodges Heck’s trap. The rumours suggest that Sagan has fled north, to Bradburn, Heck’s hometown and a town caught in a gangland war. Heck follows but yet more death awaits him, this time in the terrible form of the Incinerator – a masked man who murders with fire.

Heck is not your ordinary detective. Instead, he is a maverick who hovers on the edges of procedure, ready to do whatever it takes to lock away evil, irritating without fail his superiors. Ashes to Ashes is the sixth novel in the series and so we’re familiar now with Heck’s uneasy relationship with his immediate boss in the Serious Crimes Unit, Detective Superintendent Gemma Piper, but new readers will have no problem picking up both their history and the tension. In Bradburn, among a new team of officers, Heck displays his usual disregard for following orders but a grudging respect grows on both sides as his unusual methods are shown to bring results.

I am such a fan of this series and couldn’t wait to read it. These books are always dark and violent but Ashes to Ashes takes this further, not just because of the nature of the murders but also because of the gangland presence throughout the novel. Nasty people walk these pages, some of whom fall foul, as Sagan and the Incinerator trawl for victims. The murders, though, are particularly unpleasant and there were a few pages that I had to skim through. The gangland aspect isn’t something that I find especially appealing in crime fiction and so I can’t say that Ashes to Ashes is my favourite of the series but that’s more my fault than the book’s.

Paul Finch is an excellent writer who has created one of the most successful and memorable figures in crime fiction. Heck isn’t perfect by any means, but he’s a man you’d want on your side, fighting for you. You know he wouldn’t give up. We learn a little more about his background here as he returns to his roots in Bradburn. It leads to self-reflection and doubt. But if ever there was a town in need of saving, in need of Heck, it’s this one.

Other reviews and posts
Hunted
Strangers
‘What seven things you should know if you want to write crime fiction’ – Guest post

Back to being hooked by Heck then – and I STILL need to catch up on the first books in this series – I came in at book 4 and immediately purchased books 1-3 and now after this thrill ride I’m eyeing them up and wondering if I can ignore what I’m supposed to be doing today…

Anyway, in Ashes to Ashes, Heck is about to have to go home – but first he has a massively heart stopping confrontation with a violent dangerous man – Sagan – torturer and enforcer, about to become nemesis, so before you even can take a breath you are thrown around wildly like the plane has just lost pressure. Talk about easing you in gently…or in the case of Paul Finch hitting you over the head with a mallet and dragging you kicking and screaming down the street (you’ll go willingly)

Ashes to Ashes is an electrifying ride, hot hot hot (yes as well as Sagan there is an anonymous someone who has a flame thrower and isn’t afraid to use it) but also a cleverly plotted crime drama and a masterful character piece – Heck’s ongoing personal life is full of intrigue and genuine reality, then you have the investigative side which is never anything less than gripping.

Yes there is a lot of violence and the author pulls no punches – if that sort of thing bothers you just don’t read this – but for me it adds to the authenticity, realistically torture and murder which do sadly happen in life are never going to be prettily puppies and kittens related, so you just have to go with the flow.

And it is a beautifully addictive flow too – didn’t take me long to bang out this read, I could barely put it down once I picked it up, something that happens when I read this author hence I’m somewhat of a fan.

More Heck please. Just for the heck of it…

Recommended.