Crimson Dragon

Really enjoyed this one. Full Murder in Common review here: https://murderincommon.com/2022/05/08/stephen-collier-crimson-dragon/

I would like to thank Netgalley and Matador for a review copy of Crimson Dragon, a stand-alone thriller set in Hong Kong and the south seat of England.

A raid by the Met in London’s Chinatown goes disastrously wrong with several dead. A year later all the members of the firearms team are dead except the leader Sergeant Brian Gibson. In Hong Kong Inspector Mandy Lee is investigating the murder of Andrea Ventress Gibson and the disappearance of her husband, Brian. When she is sent to the UK to pursue her investigation Mandy teams up with traffic cop, PC Ed Roberts, who has his own troubles after the arrest of a hacker.

I enjoyed Crimson Dragon, which has an interesting and well thought out plot with some unexpected twists. The author is a former police officer and it shows in his knowledge of procedure and the terminology he uses, but this novel is not a police procedural per se, more an international thriller with the Hong Kong link.

The novel is all about the plot. There are quite a few murders and neither of the protagonists come out of the investigation physically unscathed, so danger is ever present, but the question is why? That answer unfolds over the course of the novel and is slightly underwhelming, given what has gone on before. I can’t say why without spoilers, but it doesn’t seem in keeping with the criminal’s business. This is a minor quibble as the journey to get to that reveal is eventful and interesting.

I have rated this novel at 3.5*, because I liked the idea behind the plot and think that the twists and turns are well conceived. I think, however, that the execution lets it down. All the elements are there, but it lacks the tension and excitement of a good thriller so I didn’t find it absorbing or compelling. It is a bit wordy so lacks the sharpness that would make it gripping.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It has everything I like in a book - good writing and a well thought out plot line, likeable characters who just grow on you the more you read, plenty of twists and lots of action to keep you entertained. The author grabbed my attention from the first page and held it all the way to the last. The characters just jumped out from the pages and I could picture some of the scenes in my mind when reading, and found myself rooting for the main characters throughout. The book raced to a thrilling conclusion, with all loose ends tied up and the ending sets up the next book nicely. I’d definitely read another book with these characters and hope there is more to come from this author. If you like police procedurals, a story that is action packed and full of surprises then this is for you and I’d recommend it.

I really enjoyed this read, it was well written with a gripping storyline and well developed characters. I also really liked the setting.It was twisty, unpredictable and compelling. I couldn't put it down.