Body Breaker Blog Tour & Review

? HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY, MIKE CRAVEN! ?

Absolutely THRILLED to be kicking off the Body Breaker blog tour today with my #BBFF ByTheLetterBookReviews! Plus, I am attending the launch this evening, so expect lots of pictures!!

Let’s start with a bit about Mr Craven and the book itself!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Although he was born in Cumbria, Mike Craven grew up in the North East before running away to join the army as soon as he was sixteen. After training as an armourer for two and a half years (that’s an army gunsmith to you and I), he spent the next ten travelling the world having fun. In 1995 he left the army, and after a brief flirtation with close protection and bodyguarding, decided on a degree in social work with specialisms in criminology and substance misuse. In 1999 he joined Cumbria Probation Service as a probation officer, working his way up to chief officer grade. Sixteen years later, he took the plunge and accepted redundancy to concentrate on writing full-time, and now has entirely different motivations for trying to get inside the minds of criminals.

Mike’s first DI Avison Fluke novel, Born in a Burial Gown, was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award and was published on 11th June 2015 by Caffeine Nights. Also available is his award winning collection of short stories featuring Fluke and his colleagues from the Cumbrian Force Major Incident Team, Assume Nothing, Believe Nobody, Challenge Everything. Body Breaker, the hotly anticipated follow up to Born in a Burial Gown, is out on May 25th.

In March 2017, Mike signed a two book contract with the Little, Brown imprint, Constable, for his new series starring the National Crime Agency’s Washington Poe, an expert in serial killers and seemingly motiveless crimes. The first Poe book – as yet untitled – will be published in hardback in spring 2018.

Between leaving the army and securing his first publishing deal, Mike found time to keep a pet crocodile, breed snakes, get married, and buy a springer spaniel named Bracken. He lives in Carlisle with his wife, Joanne, where he tries to leave the house as little as possible. Mike is also one third of Crime Ink-Corporated, a trio of northern writers who take writing out for the community and host events such as England’s first Noir at the Bar.

Mike’s first DI Avison Fluke novel, Born in a Burial Gown, was shortlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. He is a member of both the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Association.

Links: Website; Facebook; Goodreads; Author Profile on Caffeine Nights; Twitter

SYNOPSIS:

Investigating a severed hand found on the 3rd green of a Cumbrian golf course was not how Detective Inspector Avison Fluke had planned to spend his Saturday. So when a secretive unit from London swoop in quoting national security, he’s secretly pleased.

But trouble is never far away. A young woman arrives at his lakeside cabin with a cryptic message: a code known to only a handful of people and it forces Fluke back into the investigation he’s just been barred from.

In a case that will change his life forever, Fluke immerses himself in a world of new age travellers, corrupt cops and domestic extremists. Before long he’s alienated his entire team, made a pact with the devil and been arrested under the terrorism act.

But Fluke is only getting started. A voice has called out to him from beyond the grave and he has no intention of ignoring it.

MY RATING: 5/5

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

MY REVIEW:

First a BIG thanks to Darren Laws of Caffeine Nights Publishing for an ARC of this book! I originally beta read this book back in January 2016 and thought the day would never arrive when I could shout out about it’s awesomeness! #DIAvisonFluke is back with a #BOOM!

Cumbria is where it is all happening with DI Fluke and the Force Major Incident Team (FMIT). We are faced with the past, grief, revenge, life changing choices, and a search for the truth.

The prologue instantly grabs you as it is emotive and mysterious – and somewhat haunting, in my opinion. Immediately I had questions that I hoped the rest of the pages would answer….and OMFG, I am not sure I was prepared for the onslaught of action that followed but I immediately knew I would LOVE this book… Starting off fast, the plot races and I was caught up in a journey that kept me guessing. The author then lulls the reader into this false sense of security until #BOOM – the sh*t gets real peeps!!

I wish I could talk about #AllTheCharacters – but that would not leave much for the rest of you readers, so I will share my thoughts on those I love, or who made an impact on me. First off there is DI Avison Fluke – I bloody love that name! I was thrilled to see the author injected Fluke’s wickedly wonderful sense of humour throughout. Fluke is a clever one and he doesn’t mince his words. However, he was also very introspective in this story and I really liked that side of him. Bridie, a hard-ass solicitor and Fluke’s girlfriend, brings out a side to Fluke that I am not even sure he knew existed! #NoSpoilers though!

DS Towler is probably my favourite personality of the FMIT. He is Fluke’s best friend from the old days, an ex para- loyal, strong and quick-witted. The type of guy you want on your side. I actually picture an army tank when I see his name…don’t ask, I think he just comes across this way to me! ?? But boy, do they really set him up in this one…#PoorPoorTowler – I laughed….you’ll see why when you read the book!

Jinx, Twist and Vane are three more characters that had me questioning my reasoning all throughout. Do I trust any of them. Were they involved in Mark Bishop’s murder? Free spirit’s …well, Vane….not so much ? but they all played a key part in moving the story forward and keeping me turning those pages.

I cannot leave out Nathanial Diamond – this guy made my skin crawl! Ruthless gang leader who “owed” Fluke – but can HE be trusted? He helps Fluke out but what price will Fluke have to pay? Damn….I was on the edge of my seat! And finally, “The Choreographer” – well who the hell is this?? Totally intriguing and utterly compelling, wait until you come across this character. There is one more character you may recognise, though they have had a sex change….LOVED IT!

So, #bookjunkies…do I recommend this read? HELL YEAH I do!! Talk about a kick-ass, mind-blowing, are-you-bleeping-serious ending! Why, Mr Craven….WHY are you doing this to me? You had better be a fast writer as you can’t keep us waiting another year for the next book!