by Rod Reynolds
SYNOPSIS When a young woman makes a distressing middle-of-the-night call to 911, apparently running for her life in a quiet, exclusive beachside neighbourhood, miles from her home, everything suggests a domestic incident.
Except no one has seen her since, and something doesn’t sit right with the officers at Hampstead County PD. With multiple suspects and witnesses throwing up startling inconsistencies, and interference from the top threatening the integrity of the investigation, lead detective Casey Wray is thrust into an increasingly puzzling case that looks like it can have only one ending.
And then the first body appears, and Casey’s investigation plunges her into a darkness she could never have imagined...
Black Reed Bay introduces a breathtaking, powerful and addictive new series, fronted by the fantastic Detective Casey Wray, from the CWA-nominated author of Blood Red City and The Dark Inside.
REVIEW
After hearing a 911 call from a young woman who was running away from someone, scared for her life, Detective Casey Wray and her partner are sent in to investigate. With no immediate leads, she quickly becomes emotionally attached to the case and is determined to help find closure for the family of the (now missing) girl.
As the investigation continues, and is linked with the discovery of several bodies nearby, Casey begins to realise that there are inconsistencies within the case. Certain things just don't add up and it seems like some bits of information that have been brought to light are a little too convenient - and she starts to question whether somebody close to the case has other motives for this information being found.
It was the main character - Detective Casey Wray, that for me made the book stand out from other police procedurals. She is the type of character that you can really champion, willing her on page after page to find the killer and stamp out all of the corruption and secrets hidden within the Hampstead County Police Department. She was confident but at the same time constantly fighting to prove her worth in a male-orientated environment. Even though this isn't the first crime novel to play on that idea, it was done in a way that wasn't clichéd at all, while Casey tried to find her place, and work out where her loyalties would ultimately fall.
Murder, multiple suspects, corruption, backstabbing, motives, suspense, deception, shocking reveals, police investigations, ethics, twists, mystery, politics, flawed characters, addiction, emotion, violence, guns... Black Reed Bay has it all! If you're a fan of crime fiction, you can't ask for more than this!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rod Reynolds is the author of four novels, including the Charlie Yates series. His 2015 debut, The Dark Inside, was longlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger, and was followed by Black Night Falling (2016) and Cold Desert Sky (2018); the Guardian has called the books ‘pitch-perfect American noir ’. A lifelong Londoner, Rod’s first novel set in his hometown, entitled Blood Red City, was published by Orenda Books in 2020. Rod previously worked in advertising as a media buyer, and holds an MA in novel writing from City University London. He lives with his wife and family and spends most of his time trying to keep up with his two young daughters. Follow him on Twitter @Rod_WR.
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours, Rod Reynolds - @Rod_WR and Orenda Books - @OrendaBooks for the opportunity to read and review.
Fiction: Crime / Hard-boiled Mystery / Police Procedural
Publisher: Orenda Books
ISBN: 978-1913193676
Pages: 300pp
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