Death Stalks Kettle Street by John Bowen #BookReview @johnybwrites

About this book…

Some accidents are no accident…

Someone is murdering Greg Unsworth’s neighbours and staging the deaths to look like accidents.

Greg knows the truth, but when he’s grappling with OCD and simply closing his front door and crossing the road are a battle, how is he supposed to catch a serial killer?

From the internationally bestselling author of Where the Dead Walk, Vessel and Cold Sweats & Vignettes comes a cosy murder mystery with a difference…

Meet Greg Unsworth, afflicted with OCD, who begins to realize that a series of fatal accidents on his street are in fact a series of murders. After encountering Beth Grue at the scene of one such crime, the two bond over their shared fears and suspicions, and struggles: Beth has cerebral palsy. When the police repeatedly dismiss their concerns, they take matters into their own hands and attempt to discover the killer’s identity and expose him…

My review…

Wow! I absolutely LOVED this book! I’m always looking to be surprised by the books that I read, I like something a little different-a twist on the norm. And this book had it all for me! It’s probably best described as a cosy mystery but don’t be afraid if that’s not your normal cup of tea as is SO much more than that!

As with any good murder mystery, it is the character or characters solving the crimes that can make or break a book. You need a charismatic figure to investigate-like Agatha Christie with Miss Marple or Poirot. But here the cosy mystery is brought bang up to date with the fabulous pairing of Greg and Beth. And I LOVED THEM! I thought these two were both brilliant character creations. Greg has a very severe case of OCD, he is having therapy but it doesn’t appear to be having much affect. Beth has mild Cerebral palsy and becomes involved in the Kettle Street murders after she delivers a library book to one of the victims. When she meets Greg, who seems to have been selected by the killer to receive clues as to who the victims will be, they come together in a  curious alliance to chase down the suspected murderer. With both of them having their own personal obstacles to overcome, the stage is set for one of the most ingenious and innovative “whodunit”s I have read in a long time.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It felt like a perfect storm where everything about it came together to make the perfect mystery thriller. It was intricately plotted and written with a dark humour I found compelling.  I found it totally gripping and unputdownable as I waded through a sea of red herrings and unsympathetic suspects, all the while willing Greg and Beth on to a satisfying conclusion to their detective skills. But did I guess the murderer? I was VERY close……. but NO I didn’t and I loved this book even more for that fact alone!

For any fans of the tv shows Case Histories, Death in Paridise or the Agatha Raison series, Death Stalks Kettle Street will not disappoint. But saying that, this book would itself make a brilliant Sunday night television series-it has an unusual edge that would make fascinating viewing.

This is definitely one of my favourite books of the year so far and I was left quite bereft when it finally came to an end. Just bloody brilliant from start to finish!

My thanks to the author for my review copy of Death Stalks Kettle Street which I have chosen to read and review.

Death Stalks Kettle Street is published on December 9th and is available to purchase at Amazon UK.

Meet the author…

His debut novel ‘Where the Dead Walk’ is an Amazon Kindle Store Top 100 Bestseller, and his second novel ‘Vessel’ a #1 Bestseller in Kindle Thriller and Mystery.You’re welcome to visit his site and sign up for news, promotional discounts and giveaways – and find out how to pick up a FREE book at:

https://johnbowenauthor.wordpress.com

Find him on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/JohnBowenWrites

or contact him directly at:
johnybwrites@gmail.com

or visit him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JohnBowenWrites

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