I was grabbed from the very premise of 55, and the Australian setting echoing my beloved Jane Harper favourites, pushed this to the top of my To-Read list. I was not disappointed. Delargy gives you an impossible scenario: two murders claiming the other is trying to kill them. Die-hard crime fiction fans will probably suspect the same one I suspected, but there are so many twists and turns that lead you on to the truth. I often get tired with detective home life tales or backstories, but Chandler's was so unbelievably perfect, even if it did steer me off course from the Heath/Gabriel dilemma. The tension between him and Mitch is nauseatingly brilliant, and Delargy really plays his readers with this tension alongside the mystery of Heath and Gabriel. This is not a book to pick up casually on a train or before bed. Be warned you will be up all night- but that ending is totally worth it!!

Two suspects, one a serial killer, one a victim, but whose who? Mitch and Chandler May no longer be friends but are bought back together in the biggest crime case Wilbrook has seen. However putting your differences aside when your suspects keep escaping and don’t face the past makes things a lot harder than it needs to be. I loved every second of this book, the ending...I have no words, the best ending and makes 55 a standout.

I have fallen, happily, into the deep end with Australian thrillers lately. For me, they are the new Scandi noir and I am loving the change over from a cold, snowy environment to scorching hot murder. Scandi will always be my first love but Australia is where it's at right now so grab a cold beer and 55, my most recent Aussie fix. 55 is a unique twist on the murder mystery police procedural. A man, Gabriel, stumbles into the police station claiming to have been abducted by Heath, who intended to make Gabriel his 55th victim. Next comes Heath who has the exact same story but claims HE is the intended victim and Gabriel the killer. How can Police Sergeant Chandler Jenkins of a sleepy, remote Western Australian town make heads or tails of this? Matters take a turn for the worse for Chandler when childhood friend Mitch turns up to take over the investigation and make Chandler's life rather complicated. What I love about 55 is the fresh feel of the story. It is calm, well paced, not overly agitated or over the top either. Two suspects both with the same story and a search to determine who is who. I haven't read anything quite like it before and, as if that isn't enough for poor Chandler to cope with, he has Mitch coming on the scene, being aggressive in his senior position, pushing Chandler around. We flash back to a time when both lads were equals coming up in the force whilst searching for a missing hiker. They were very different then but what happens to make them change so much? This drama is all about the characters. Chandler and Mitch couldn't be further apart yet you, as the reader, can empathize with them both. The Gabriel and Heath question is pressing but the conflict between Mitch and Chandler becomes the deeper mystery. 55 is a satisfying read. Like the other Aussie thrillers I have read it is laid back but has a strong punch. James Delargy is certainly an author to be on the lookout for as he makes a name for himself in this genre.

I was very happy to receive a proof copy of this book after reading the exciting synopsis and I wasn't disappointed. Set in the quiet outback town of Wilbrook, local police Sergeant Chandler Jenkins leads a quiet life looking after the locals and raising his two children. That is until a young man called Gabriel walks into the station claiming that a serial killer called Heath kidnapped him with plans to make him victim 55, but when Heath arrives claiming its actually the other way around and Gabriel is the real killer, the police don't know what to do. Worse as the state police arrive to take charge, Sergeant Chandler finds himself working with an old friend/enemy who is determined to solve the case his way and claim all the glory. 55 is a glorious twist on the usual thriller with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you reading to the very end. If I had to complain about anything its the fact that the big reveal at the end was a little obvious and I think anyone would see it coming. That's not to say I was disappointed and I would encourage anyone in the mood for a good thriller with a neat twist to give it a go.

I was so excited to read this after reading the premise-two men both telling the same story, claiming to have escaped a serial killer, but which of them is lying? I did enjoy this, but to be honest it didn't quite live up to my expectations, and I have to admit that the ending was very disappointing. However, it was gripping, and the descriptions of the Australian out back were incredible, so I'll certainly be looking forward to reading more from this author. I asked for a proof of this in exchange for an honest review-thank you for my copy!