Thrilled to be sharing my review of Robert Scragg’s debut novel What Falls Between The Cracks! My thanks to the author and publisher (Alison & Busby) for an ARC.
About the Book
Did she slip through the cracks, or was she pushed?
When a severed hand is found in an abandoned flat, Detective Jake Porter and his partner Nick Styles are able to DNA match the limb to the owner, Natasha Barclay, who has not been seen in decades. But why has no one been looking for her? It seems that Natasha’s family are the people who can least be trusted.
Delving into the details behind her disappearance and discovering links to another investigation, a tragic family history begins to take on a darker twist. Hampered by a widespread fear of a local heavy, as well as internal politics and possible corruption within the force, Porter and Styles are digging for answers, but will what they find ever see the light of day?
Well OMG what a fantastic surprise this little gem of a debut is!
Set in London, the reader becomes entangled in a story where corruption, betrayal, secrets, loss, cover-ups, threats, fear, manipulation, control and a search for justice are some of the main themes that capture our interest.
BOOM! ? That prologue! I was immediately drawn in and wanted to know more! Told in third person POV you really get a feel for everything that’s happening. I enjoyed the complexity of the plot as it kept me on my toes and helped shaped the backstories which will inevitably come into further play in future novels of this series. The elements of mystery and police procedural gave it a fantastic atmosphere and added to the suspense.
Who do you trust…
Styles and Porter were a fantastic creation – each very different in personality but the banter has them bouncing of each other in a narrative that was engrossing, humorous and very real! This book was full of characters – and you really had to pay attention to them all because despite there being so many, each played a roll in driving the story forward. Well done, Mr Scragg!
We find out fairly early who the bad folk are in this book, however I was never really 100% sure I had the crime solved before that almighty twist that smacked me upside the head! I felt the pace was perfect, slowing down at times to build up the necessary suspense and then speeding up, causing me to race through the pages!
Would I recommend this book? Well hells bells, you bet I would! For a debut, this was an intriguing, intricate, edge-of-your-seat read and I can’t wait to see what is next for Styles and Porter! Congratulations, Robert Scragg – you have a new fan! Let the #AuthorStalking commence! ?? Woohoo!
Grab a copy of this fantastic debut today!
