#BlogTour ‘See No Evil’ by David Fennell

About the book…

Two men are found dead in London’s Battersea Park. One of the bodies has been laid out like a crucifix – with his eyes removed and placed on his open palms.

Detective Inspector Grace Archer and her caustic DS, Harry Quinn, lead the investigation. But when more bodies turn up in a similar fashion, they find themselves in a race against time to find the sadistic killer.

The hunt leads them to Ladywell Playtower in Southeast London, the home to a religious commune lead by the enigmatic Aaron Cronin. Archer and Quinn suspect Cronin’s involvement but his alibis are watertight, and the truth seemingly buried. If Archer is to find the killer, she must first battle her way through religious fanatics, London gangsters – and her own demons . . .

My huge thanks to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Readers for the blog tour invite, and publishers Zaffre for my gifted review copy of David Fennell’s second novel, ‘See No Evil’

David’s first novel was an absolute triumph of characterisation, plot and tension , so I anticipated more of the same in book 2 of his Grace Archer series.

However, I was wrong.

What I got was so much more than that. It was a subtle, nuanced discussion of grief, the complex natures of family dynamics, and the essence of wanting to belong.

In the absence of parents, Grace has her grandfather, who is slowly succumbing to dementia.

In her policeman father’s murder, she has trauma and grief to last a lifetime.

In her kidnapping at the side of her father’s grave by a serial killer of children, she has enough horror to fill several lifetimes of nightmares.

And yet, her hope for humanity and need to stand up for those subjected to the vagaries of criminal intent means she is castigated and subjected to enforced therapy.

Her crime? Trying to hold accountable 2 police officers who manhandled an innocent woman. Their reward? Time off -paid,of course-for ’emotional distress’ whilst Grace has to attend regular sessions, or risk her job, her life, her livelihood.

Her juggling act of a life adds this ball to the melee as she frantically crosses London again and again, tracking down the seemingly ritualistic killer who is taking ‘an eye for an eye’ as a Biblical command, rather than an allegory.

Oh, and one of the suspects linked to this spate of murders happens to be related to the gangland boss who killed her father. And is just about to be released from jail….

Smart, clever, resourceful Grace is put under extreme pressure within, and without of , her profession.

She is the linchpin of the novel, it’s moral compass and her allies in this create a wonderful team that can cover pretty much anything that can be thrown at them

That is, up until now where personal and professional boundaries begin to blur….

Outstandingly different and remarkably assured for a sophomore series entry, I love the way David writes his female lead as a real person, and not a conduit. Grace is a firm favourite in my canon of female detectives!

About the author…

David Fennell was born in Belfast during the Troubles. Writing was his escape from Northern Ireland’s smothering political unrest.

As a boy, he read Sherlock Holmes, Ian Fleming and Tolkien; books he still loves today. He left school at 16 and trained as a chef at Rupert Stanley College. With youthful dreams of a new life, he left Belfast for London in 1985 with £50 in one pocket and a dog-eared copy of Stephen King’s The Stand in the other. He worked in bars and restaurants and later worked as a writer in the software industry.

David has played rugby for Brighton and was awarded the 2009 Player of the Year for the veteran’s team. He loves to cook and is learning to box. He lives in Brighton with his partner and their two dogs.

Twitter @DavyFennell @Tra4cyF3nt0n @ZaffreBooks

Links-https://www.davidfennell.co.uk/