#BlogTour ‘ Judas Horse’ by Lynda La Plante

About the book…

Wild mustangs are difficult to rope, their lead stallion wary and protective of his herd. To capture that special stallion takes time. He is separated, roped, and lead back to the ranch. Once tamed, he is sent back into the wild. And before long, he will lead the entire herd back to the ranch. He is given the name ‘Judas Horse’.

When Detective Jack Warr identifies an informer, the terrified man begins to give details of a massive robbery planned by a team of unscrupulous and dangerous men. These men have already orchestrated many audacious robberies, leaving terrified victims in their wake. And they have already killed to get what they want.

Detective Jack Warr and his team must use their informant as a ‘Judas Horse’ to draw in the unsuspecting robbers, so that they go ahead with the planned robbery. However, one false move, and more blood will be spilled . . .

‘Judas Horse’ is published by Zaffre in paperback on April 1st and I am so pleased to be able to bring you my review as part of the Tracy Fenton organised Compulsive Readers blog tour!

There is a reason why Lynda La Plante remains the doyenne of modern police procedurals,it is due to the consummate skill in which she arranges her characters within the purview of her plot , and then lets them run free.

It allows for a sense of pace and control which, whilst not quite leaving the reader breathless, will make them feel as though they are a part of the aptly named Jack Warr’s team as he investigates the complex web of organised robberies throughout the wealthier residences of the Cotswolds.

Through the use of an informer, Jack hopes to create a Judas Horse situation wherein he can draw out the prinicipal names behind the robberies, and when he realises just how high this crime group goes, he realises not only will he have to bend the rules to keep his informant safe, he has to make increasingly difficult decisions which leaves lives on the line. And in between juggling his responsibility to the populace in upholding the law, he also has to manage his family life as well as how how far he can shake the leaves of his morality tree, without disturbing the roots.

The story flows off the page to grab the reader in its grip and thrust them into the investigation, so many times you read police procedurals and they come across as dry and hesitant, as though the focus on accuracy sacrifices characterisation and accessibility.

But Judas Horse balances plot, characterisation and the kind of speech which you can relate to and dive deeply into. From the brilliantly creepy opener, where 2 boys doing what boys always do when bored, get more than they bargain for in a submerged horse trailer, to the stunning climax, this is a series which is just beginning to get going. I cannot wait to see how Jack Warr and his team fares in future instalments!

About the author…

Lynda La Plante‘s fourteen novels, including the Prime Suspect series, have all been international bestsellers.  She is an honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and a member of the UK Crime Writers Awards Hall of Fame.

She was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2008 and in 2009 was inducted into the Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame. Her novels have all been international bestsellers.

She runs her own television production company and lives in London and Easthampton, New York.

Twitter @LaPlanteLynda @ZaffreBooks @Tr4cyF3nt0n

Links-http://lyndalaplante.com/

https://www.compulsivereaders.com/