Death Ride

This was absolutely fantastic. I 'skim' books quite often and found with this book, I just couldn't do it. I was so engaged with the characters, desperate to find out what happened, I absorbed every word. I felt it all, empathy, sadness, hate, love, every part of the story was described just as it was meant to be.

The whole premise was just fantastic and if this doesn't get made into an ITV drama, I'll eat my underpants.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Death Ride, the thirty-first novel to feature Henry Christie, former Detective Superintendent with Lancashire Police.

On the third day of his village fair, where Henry is working as a steward, 13 year old Charlotte Kirkham goes missing. While hunting for Charlotte he sees an old, unwelcome figure from his past. Henry got Lenny Lennox jailed for 10 years in the 1990s for the abduction of an 8 year old girl. Now Lenny has his own crew and his son, Ernie, was one of the last people to be seen with Charlotte.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death Ride, which has a different take on the standard investigation. It is told from various points of view so there is no secret to the reader about what Lenny and his gang are up to, mayhem might be a good description, just as Henry and PS Debbie Blackstone have no doubt about who they are hunting to rescue Charlotte. Naturally the novel goes past this hunt and turns into something more serious.

I found the novel engrossing in a different way to my usual, where I’m all about trying to identify the perpetrator. I was fascinated by the casual violence and thought processes of Lenny and his gang, because they are all about instant gratification with no long term plan. It seems incredibly stupid, but they get away with so much. I kept trying to work that out, but didn’t get far. The plot becomes fairly intense with unspeakable tragedy shaping a sharp response. As ever it culminates in an action packed finale and a green shoot of optimism.

Death Ride is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I can't think of another modern crime writer who does truly despicable villains quite like Nick Oldham. His years policing the semi-derelict housing estates behind the candy-floss, donkey rides and silly hat persona of Blackpool's seafront taught him that the feral inhabitants thrown up by these estates are not victims of social injustice or poverty; neither are they the product of years of exploitation by cruel capitalists. No. In short, they are absolute bastards, and no amount of hugging by wet-behind-the-ears social workers will make them anything else. In Death Ride, Oldham introduces us to as vile a group of criminals as he has ever created. Led by Lenny Lennox, they are ruthless predators; pickpocketing, catalytic converters, dog-napping, abduction, sexual assault - and murder - frame their lives.

We meet them at a country fair in retired copper Henry Christie's home village, Kendleton - high on the Lancashire moors - where he runs the local pub. While Lenny Lennox serves burgers from his catering van, his son and three other youngsters pick pockets, steal cameras and strip high end vehicles of their valuable exhaust systems. Ernest Lennox, however has gone a bit further, and abducted a teenage girl who resisted his advances, and to cover up his son's stupidity Lennox senior has to take drastic action.

Christie has recently been used as a civilian consultant by his former employers, and his last case ended with him being brutally stabbed and left for dead. When the hunt for the missing girl - Charlotte Kirkham - becomes a race against time, Christie, partly crippled by his knife wounds, is drawn into the hunt. I am reminded of the words of Tennyson in his magnificent poem Ulysses:

"Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

In rather blunter terms, Oldham writes:

"If Henry was honest with himself, he felt the urge to drag Lennox out of the burger van and smash his face again, just for old times' sake, even though he knew he didn't have the physicality to put that desire into action.

The Lennox gang create carnage in Christie's life - and the lives of those he loves - but about three quarters of the way through the book, there is an abrupt change of scene, and we are reunited with two characters from Christie's past - FBI agent Karl Donaldson and ex special forces maverick, Steve Flynn. They say that revenge is both sweet and best served cold. Suffice it to say that Henry Christie enjoys his gelato.

The Henry Christie books have always had plenty of action and their fair share of grit and gore, but on this occasion, be warned. Nick Oldham goes into Derek Raymond territory here, with a dark and  terrifying novel which explores the depths of human malice and depravity. Death Ride is published by Severn House and will be available from 7th March.

Deftly Drawn..
The thirteenth in the Henry Christie series of mysteries finds the retired detective with a missing persons case on his hands following the disappearance of a young girl from a country fair. Christie soon finds himself drawn into a breathless race against time - one which has terrifying blasts from the past. Another pacy instalment in this series with well crafted characters and a deftly drawn plot.

I still have to find a Henry Christie's mystery I didn't like. This one wasn't one that kept me guessing and turning pages.
Mr Oldham delivers another solid and gripping story and it's always a pleasure to catch up with Henry Christie
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

A brilliant read that had me hooked right from the beginning, I couldn't stop reading. It was unpredictable, mysterious, compelling and left me wanting more.

Henry put Lenny Lennox in prison but now he's out- and his gang of various relatives is wrecking havoc in their small village. Henry steps in when 13 year old Charlotte goes missing at the fair even though he's meant to be running his bar and not policing any more. And then some of his old buddies arrive. This is told from several perspectives and while the reader knows who did it, not all of the voices do (especially Henry, at least at first). It's a complex and rewarding read in a slim volume. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It might be the latest in a long running series but be assured that it will be fine as a standalone.

I only read the previous book from this long time series but I got so hooked up into the story and characters that I knew I had to read Death Ride asap.
Just like the previous one, it’s a rollercoaster ride with the main characters battling an old desire to find justice at every corner of their lives. Taking part to the village fair, a missing girl is his new case that will definitely make for some interesting encounters with the past.
The story It’s on a shorter side regarding the page number but I found it perfectly balanced with great writing, fast paced plot and intriguing characters and twists. It can definitely be read as a stand-alone but I think you would want to go back and know more about the main characters and what drives them in this journey.

Thrilling story that many readers will enjoy

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

When former Detective Superintendent Henry Christie is volunteering at his local country fair, a teenage girl goes missing and he is soon drawn into the investigation. Matters are complicated when he recognises a man from his past who he arrested for abducting a child, and the last person seen with the missing teenager was this man's son.

The title says it all - this is a complete rollercoaster ride of a book!

This is the 31st book in the Henry Christie series, but the first that I have read. I didn't feel like I was missing out by joining the story at this point because Nick Oldham gives you all the information you need to understand who's who and what is going on in their lives. I even found myself getting emotional over the characters that I had only just met because their stories were written in such a compelling manner. I was really rooting for Henry to save the day.

The plot was incredibly fast-paced and had me racing through the pages to get to the end. There were plenty of times that I could feel my heart racing during particularly tense scenes. I could perfectly picture the countryside setting, it felt like the ideal contrast to the chaotic action that was going on in the story.

I really hope that there will be more books in this series because I am officially hooked.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

It's a bank holiday and Henry Christie retired policeman is helping out the Kendleton Country Fair. There is a missing young girl which soon escalates into a missing person.
Henry is still recovering from being stabbed. He has cooled his relationship with widow Maude Chrichton. He believes it was her son , annoyed at their relationship who attacked Henry.
Detective sergeant Debbie Blackstone is still around, but now back in uniform after some upset. His adopted daughter Ginny is still running the Tawny Owl pub/restaurant with her partner.
When Henry thinks he recognises the man who is running the burger van. Very quickly violence breaks out. These books are often violent but this one takes it to a new level.
Kidnapping, dog napping and terrible violence that brings Henry's world crashing down. Henry does not know how he can recover, but it takes Steve Flynn to come to the rescue.
Henry is definitely one of my favourite crime fiction characters. I hope I can encounter him for many years to come.
Very highly recommended.

I learned from this book that starting at the 31st installment of something is probably not the best idea. While I think the book is good on a stand alone perspective, I believe that had I been following this series or at least read a few more books in the series, I would have enjoyed it more.

The author creates excellent palpable tension and the story was engaging. I can see why he has published 30 prior books in the series.

This is another excellent, well written mystery from the author. featuring retired detective Henry Christie. Set in the picturesque Lancashire moors and filled with interesting characters and clever plotting, Lenny is a truly despicable character! I absolutely recommend this read. It's a dark, gritty read with a brilliant finale. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

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