Book Description:
A mutilated body apparently washed up on a windswept beach…
A violent criminal gang preys on moped riders across the area…
A teenage girl is desperate to escape sexual exploitation…
It’s a tough introduction to Merseyside for Detective Inspector April Decent, who’s just arrived from her native Yorkshire. Together with new colleague Skeeter Warlock, Decent quickly discovers there’s a sinister link between them all, one that will bring them face-to-face with some uncomfortable home truths.
Catch as Catch Can is the first in the Merseyside Crime Series from Malcolm Hollingdrake – bestselling author of the Harrogate Crime Series.
My Thoughts:
Being a fan of another crime series by this author, I was very excited when I heard he had a brand new one coming out. It’s very different which I loved as there is always that concern that you may start to compare the two but they are both outstanding reads in their own rights.
This crime series is set in Liverpool of which the author sets the scene and drew me straight in. I thoroughly enjoyed my first introduction to Detective Inspector April Decent as well as the other characters in her team. April isn’t anyone’s fool and I loved how she dresses down one of her colleagues after a sexist remark early on. I knew from that instant that this was a woman who I was going to enjoy reading about. What I particularly like is that there isn’t just one strong female character in this book, another stand out character for me is Skeeter. I have a feeling that things will never be dull with her around!
There is a mix of crimes within this story. The author ensures there was plenty going on and I enjoyed how the story alternates between the criminals and victims as well as the team working together to solve the cases. The author doesn’t go into a great deal of detail with the main characters backgrounds which I appreciated. Sometimes the first book in a series can be bogged down with the introduction to the characters and their backgrounds. I liked how the author focuses the attention on the crimes and kept the pace strong and steady.
Catch As Catch Can is a fantastic start to a new crime series. It’s left me very excited as to the possibilities of where the author will go with the characters. There is a definite darker edge from the author’s Harrogate series and I’m really enjoying seeing this newer side. A gripping, page turner of a read!
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