Matching The Evidence Blog Tour, Q&A and Giveaway

I am not sure I can even put into words how excited I am to be closing down this epic blog tour!  A HUGE thanks to Graham Smith and Caffeine Nights publishing for giving me the opportunity of organising this awesome Blog Tour and a fabulous giveaway!  I also want to take this opportunity to thank the amazing #TeamEvans reviewers and the extraordinary Bloggers that were involved in this.  You can find their names and links here.

Mr Smith has asked for space to say a few words- which he refused to allow me to edit (I am blushing and send my own heartfelt thanks right back…..)

GNS Round up
I’d like to take this opportunity to round off the Matching the Evidence #BlogTour by saying a massively heartfelt thank you to all the bloggers and reviewers who’ve taken time out of their busy lives to support me and #TeamEvans.
Especial thanks of course go to today’s host , the awesome Noelle Holten, for her tireless leading of my cheer. Without her drive and enthusiasm for my writing I would never have met so many wonderful supporters.
Thanks to all, you make #TeamEvans Rock

Eeeeeeek!  FINALLY I get to share my review!…But first, a short Q&A with Mr Smith!!

Q&A with Graham Smith

As a well-respected reviewer for Crime Squad, in what ways has your experience reviewing helped or hindered you as a writer?
I believe reviewing beforehand gave me a great set of tools to write. I would recommend that anyone starting to write choose five books and then write a critical review of them which comments on pace, plot, character, theme and how the book made them feel. When you know you’ve got reviews to write, you find yourself reading in a slightly different way and as such learn a whole lot of stuff that can’t necessarily be taught.

How about a little self-promo! What is it about DI Harry Evans and the Major Crimes Team that will draw readers to your books!? Will you be working on any other series of books?
Harry Evans and the rest of the team are a bunch of renegades who collectively do whatever it takes to solve a crime. Evans himself is a dinosaur looking up at the comet and is a circular box of contradictions. I have a different series out on submission and it features an ex Glaswegian called Jake Boulder who finds himself tracking a serial killer in Utah. (By the way #bookjunkies – I have read this series and OMFG!! ❤️❤️❤️) 

I adore DI Harry Evans. In fact, it is no secret I am a HUGE fan! For me, he is a cross between Gene Hunt and Rebus. What do you think it is about DI Harry Evans that has readers hooked? And who is he to you?
I love the Gene Hunt reference as he was certainly one of the characters I drew from when creating Evans. Harry has a tragic back story which I hope endears him to readers. Another quality I gave him was that he’s a good man who is comfortable doing the wrong thing provided it gets the right result.

You are in a bar, in walks Harry Evans and he sits down next to you. How do you think that conversation would go?
It would be mostly me apologising for everything I’ve put him through with a light spot of begging that he didn’t beat me up or arrest me on trumped-up charges.

What are you currently reading?
Streets of Darkness by A.A. Dhand and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

Have you ever considered collaborating with another author? If you could have your pick of any author to co-write with – who would it be and why?
I once co-wrote a short story with a lady from Turkey. It was an interesting process although I’m now much further along the career path and not sure I could give up creative control again.
Given free rein to co-write with anyone I’d choose Dan Brown. Then when we met I could punch him for crimes against writing.

You have your fingers in a lot of pies and involve yourself in many projects including but also outside of your own writing. Can you tell us a little about these and what we might have to look forward to in the next 12 months?
I have my second novel I Know Your Secret coming out on the 6th of October, I’m working on the third novel in the series which has the working title When the Waters Recede, I’m hoping for some good news on Jake Boulder novel but that’s a waiting game. In March I’ll be once again hosting my annual weekend of crime writing-masterclasses (Crime and Publishment) and too say I’m excited about the line-up is an understatement as I’ve been lucky to attract Martina Cole, Tom Harper, Lin Anderson and top UK literary agent Simon Trewin will be listening to attendees pitches.

Final question…What has been your favourite experience since becoming an author? The ultimate OMFG moment for you….
Without doubt it has to be the launch night for Snatched from Home. My good friend Matt Hilton hosted it and it was awesome to see so many friends and family there to hear me talk about my writing.

Thanks so much Graham!  To connect with Graham you can find him here: Twitter ; Facebook 

And NOW for my review!!   Woohoo!!

Synopsis: 

The Major Crimes Team – Vol 2
Featuring DI Harry Evans
Carlisle United are playing Millwall and the Major Crimes Team are assigned to crowd control as punishment for their renegade ways. Typically, DI Harry Evans has other ideas and tries to thwart the local firm’s plans to teach Millwall’s notorious Bushwhackers an unforgettable lesson.

Meanwhile an undercover cop is travelling north with some of the Millwall contingent. His mission is to identify the ringleaders and gather evidence against them.

Three illegal immigrants have been transported to Carlisle and are about to meet their new employers.

Nothing is as it seems for Evans and his Major Crimes Team as they battle to avoid a bloodbath while also uncovering a far more heinous crime.

My Rating: 5/5 #AllTheStars ⭐️

My Review:

My thanks to Caffeine Nights Publishing and Graham Smith for an ARC of this novella, in exchange for an honest review.

Right #bookjunkies, I am not going to lie – and to be honest, it really is no secret – I adore Mr Smith’s books/short stories – EVERY- SINGLE-ONE! And like Annie Wilkes, I can say that I am most definitely, without a doubt, Mr Smith’s #Number1Fan.

I have read every book and short story this author has ever written and other than Harry Charters, and Jake Boulder (who you all have yet to meet!) DI Harry Evans has got to be one of my ALL-TIME favourite characters!

Set in Cumbria, Matching The Evidence is a novella that picks up from where the superb Snatched From Home leaves off.  It can most certainly be read as a stand-alone, but to really get a feel of the Major Crimes Team – I highly recommend reading this whole series!  Some subtle and not so subtle themes are sprinkled throughout this novella and include: exploitation; cover ups; envy; regrets; loss/grief; tension; anger; football Hooliganism mentalities; racism; tragedy and corruption.

Graham Smith has a way if delivering one strand of a story and then totally taking the reader on a whole new journey.  The synopsis gives you a clue.  All is not what it seems – one minute, we are following the likes of Snecky, Lugs, Pete and Tommy and then BOOM we find ourselves taken in a whole new and thrilling direction!  DI Harry Evans is still at the helm of the #MCT and spots that there is more to the story with these hooligans.  Once again, Evans (with the help of my other favourite character: Lauren)  uses his renegade ways to get the job done.  God I love that guy!

This series is filled with characters I adore!  Even the bad guys – you remember them all, because Graham Smith creates characters that get under your skin and they stay there!  John Campbell – plays by the book…or does he?  Lauren Phillips ….her body and her brain are used to get exactly what she wants.  Chisholm and Bhaki – there is definitely more than meets the eye with these two.  And DI Harry Evans – *sigh* – he is the cop you hate to love.  I really enjoyed meeting Tommy White and the football hooligans – their voices were clear and their characterisation, tight.  You feel every emotion the characters feel and at times, I was so immersed in the story – I could see the police station, the pubs, and the streets all within my head.

Do you know what I love about Graham Smith – EVERYTHING! Characters, plots, pace, themes, setting – the whole friggin package!  Mr Smith’s character’s voices are distinctive; his plot, strands and timelines are concise and consistent; the themes are interesting and unique; and his writing style is intense, gripping and keeps you hooked!!

So this novella gets a triple Hell Yeah recommendation from me as once you read it…you will be begging for the next novel:  I Know Your Secret! – and it..my bookloving friends – knocks Snatched from Home right out of the water!  Grab a copy of Matching The Evidence from the link below, and do yourself a favour and pre order I Know Your Secret!  You won’t regret it!  

Competition UK ONLY: Comment below for a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Matching The Evidence 

[amazon template=iframe image&asin=B01JJ5D1AC][amazon template=iframe image&asin=B01LSVRL5G]