#Review By Lou of Moment of Truth By Adam Croft @adamcroft #TheRutlandCrimeSeries #CrimeFiction

Moment of Truth
By Adam Croft

Moment of Truth is the latest book in The Rutland Crime Series. What you get is a compelling mystery and intriguing characters, including an opportunity to delve further into the recurring main characters and a trip to Rutland and abroad. Unearth the Blurb and full review below… Thanks to Adam Croft and his team for sending me an e-book to review.

Blurb

A man is found dead in the judge’s chair inside the Great Hall of Oakham Castle, beaten to death with a ceremonial horseshoe.

As Rutland Police investigate, they discover the victim was a charitable, public-spirited man who only ever wanted to help others. So who wanted to kill him so brutally? And why?

DI Caroline Hills and DS Dexter Antoine are left disoriented and dejected. But the discovery of a shadowy and mysterious figure leads them onto a trail of deep corruption — one that will take them far from Rutland. And it seems their victim wasn’t quite the man he made himself out to be.

Is anyone ever truly innocent?

Review

DI Caroline Hills and DS Dexter Antoine find themselves on another case. Having read previous books in the series, this one is a bit faster-paced and just as enthralling.
There are 2 basic maps, one of Rutland and another of Oakham for readers to get their bearings. Felicia Cooke is the person who sparks off the case as she finds a dead body Oakham Castle, a quite unassuming castle to look at, but with quite an unusual history of horseshoes attached to it. People are in shock by the murder and the ensuing investigation begins in earnestly and swiftly.
As DS Dexter investigates the crime scene, DI Caroline begins talking to the bereaved family, which, initially causes more mystery. The victim has led an interesting and full life and doesn’t seem to be an obvious target to murder at all. That’s just it though, there is much more to this case than meets they eye. Much more to the victim’s life than the surface reveals. There are also revelations about people’s strange movements around the castle. The case has many unexpected turns and even leads them abroad.

This time, more is also explored about Dexter and his personality and how he is keen to work out something personal to him, a darkness of sorts, deep inside and some options he’s considering movin forwards.
The threads that weave the characters together throughout this series are as compelling and interesting to read as the mysteries themselves. In saying that, because the mysteries are complete within themselves, they do work well as standalone books as well.

#Bookreview by Lou – In Cold Blood by Adam Croft @adamcroft #TheRutlandCrimeSeries #CrimeFiction

In Cold Blood
By Adam Croft

Intrigue, emotion and a murder is all expertly played out within the lovely scenery of Rutland. Find out more in the blurb and my review of this atmospheric gripping book. Thanks to Joanne Croft and Adam Croft for gifting me the book for review.

Blurb

Book three in a stunning new crime series from 2m+ international bestseller Adam Croft.

A body is found under Welland Viaduct on a bitterly cold winter morning. But this will be a murder investigation like no other.

As DI Caroline Hills and DS Dexter Antoine begin to unravel the dark secrets in the victim’s life, they find themselves sucked into a web of lies and betrayal.

Rutland Police need to find the killer before it’s too late. But with Caroline’s health failing and their main witness suspiciously missing, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Dark histories, mysterious gifts and hidden secrets abound. But will they discover the truth before anyone else is killed in cold blood?

‘Incredible’ — BBC News ‘A sensation’ — The Guardian

Review

It is a joy to return to Rutland in the latest in the series – In Cold Blood. If you’re reading this on a hot summer’s day, then this book is sure to cool you down as it is set in the freezing, frosty days of winter.

The writing is concise and yet has human interest, emotion, beautiful scenery, humour and of course murder… This continues to be a gripping and enticing series that grows ever stronger and ever intriguing on many levels.

Sean Taylor and wife Ciara are out on a walk with their daughters Millie and Mia at Seaton Meadows. It is idyllic with a viaduct, that has caused more arguments and debates over what to call a particular stretch over it than a viaduct probably should, in a display of classic, witty human nature. Not all is well as their daughters discover a body and Caroline Hills is back on the case and the continuation of her cancer treatment ensues. The writing of this is raw and real and people who have been through or going through chemotherapy will be able to relate to the side-effects and those, like me, who have seen it, will be able to also relate to what it can do to a woman too. There’s a real sense of love and support from her family, which is lovely to see and gives a ring of calm when reading about this part of her life. This doesn’t make the book heavy at all, it is a bit of realism to a life situation that is wrapped into the work of the police as they solve the murder. There is also some light-hearted humour within the story, which is terrifically written and keeps everything being bleak.

Amie Tanner is an intriguing character, suspect and a bit unnerving; who works for a design company and keeps you guessing and keeps you reading to find out more about the business. As the case into the murder continues, there’s some smart phrasing and questioning from Caroline as she digs deeper to reach the truth and question Monique more about an affair and finances.

Soon a whole case starts to build as does the intrigue in the series that just continues to draw you into each atmospheric crime at Rutland. Not quite at the murder count as Midsomer Murders, which is just as well. as Rutland is the smallest county in England, but if you like Midsomer Murders, you’ll most likely enjoy this series too. There’s some lightness weaved into tension in the scenic landscape, where there is a nice nod to Gardener’s World and the officer’s also have some life outside work too and of course everthing you’d expect in a police procedural crime fiction book, where not all is as what it seems and it isn’t all as serene as you may presume, when a body turns up.

There’s emotion, intrigue that creates a certain involvement for readers.

#BookReview by Lou of – On Borrowed Time (The Rutland Crime Series) by Adam Croft – The Second in the Rutland Series @adamcroft #CrimeFiction

On Borrowed Time
The Rutland Crime Series
By Adam Croft
Rated: 5 stars *****

On Borrowed Time is the second book of the Rutland series by Adam Croft that enraptures and brings crime and health together exceedingly well. It is overall, an exceedingly good read with a new crime being committed and a seemlessly continuation of the thread of personal lives of the main characters.
Thanks to Joanne Croft (and Adam Croft) for inviting me to review for them and for sending me an e-copy of the book.
Read further for the blurb and full review.

Blurb

Each morning, the first train of the day leaves Oakham station and thunders through a tunnel under the village of Manton. But today the driver sees something that changes his life: A dead body hangs in the tunnel’s exit.

DI Caroline Hills knows this isn’t a suicide. It’s murder. And when a second apparent suicide appears in Rutland, Caroline uncovers a shocking link: the victims knew each other.

As Rutland Police fight to catch the killer, a group of friends is left with an even more shocking realisation. One of them is the murderer. And one of them will be the next to die.

Review

Gary Stoddart likes his early shift and how the land and skyscapes are over the East Midlands countryside on any ordinary morning. This wasn’t to be an average morning though as on his journey, there is a man found hanging at a train tunnel that goes under Manton. The mystery then begins to unfold as to who he is and whether it was suicide or something more grizzly, like murder!

Caroline is now in her treatment stage for cancer. There’s a realism about it and is well-written in a matter-of-fact way during the “work chat” with the usually formidable Arnold, who reacts in a natural way in wanting to know things, but trying not to be totally insensitive, but also asking only half questions outright.
The contrast between the working and private life and living in a small area, is nicely done. It’s a new case, but her private/personal life continues naturally from the first book with her illness – cancer encroaching on her further and treatment beginning. It’s emotional, but also shows strength of character, which really suits this book.

Caroline and Dexter end up on the new case together. There’s the murder to solve, but also a joviality to the atmosphere between the two colleagues, which makes this very pleasant and brings some humour, but with only a partial number plate and a poor CCTV picture, they certainly have their work cut-out to catch the killer. There is also the press who get all over the story, which becomes pretty heated.

The book then gently twists and turns, with some startling moments, before wrapping up and leaving a question unanswered at the end and more that can explored and may well leave many readers (including myself), wanting more.
The good news is that book 3 is due to be published in 2021.