I was instantly drawn to the two main protagonists, Doug McGregor- dogged reporter, and his police contact DS Susie Drummond, and the relationship that exists between them. I loved the underlying feeling of them both being slightly square pegs in round holes, with McGregor’s incredible self reliance which tends to alienate others, and Drummond’s former misguided fling with a senior officer which has marked her out as an outsider to her police colleagues. However, although their professional relationship alternates beautifully between frustration and spikiness, there is a mutual respect underpinning everything, leading to some intense scenes that alternate between danger, humour and high emotion, thanks to their razor sharp characterisation. I thought the plot was superb, and am always gratified by the exposure of political corruption, and this book takes some incredibly dark turns as the truth behind a young woman’s death at the outset of the book comes to light. Broadfoot captures perfectly the nature of family bonds with their sometimes misguided loyalty, and explores the issue of parental responsibility in both its good and worst forms. Equally, the author uses both the location of Edinburgh, and his own background as a journalist, to add further layers of realism to what is altogether a completely absorbing thriller. Highly recommended.

Thank you to Neil for this review copy of his debut book - Falling Fast. I have read and loved Neil's Connor Fraser series - which starts with No Man's Land but until now had never looked at his original McGregor and Drummond series. Falling Fast is his debut book written more than 10 years ago so I wasn't sure how it would compare to the Connor Fraser series that I and so many others love. Well I need not have worried it is an excellent debut! Even better news of course is that book 2 - The Storm and book 3 - All the Devils are already published so no need to wait around. I also have it on good authority he is writing a 4th in this series. Doug and Susie are excellent characters, I am so invested in seeing how they continue to 'work' together in the next books. The plotting is superb, I was totally addicted to the storyline. The pace and tension ensured that I only put it down for critical tasks to be completed. So my verdict - EXCELLENT. (Hard to believe this is a debut) If you haven't read Neil's books before then come on get them ordered - you will not be disappointed.

The plot is packed full of incident, with plenty of crime and a touch of retribution outside of the law. Hard men are called upon so there is an element of violence, which seems to be pitched at the right level. At its core is the need for and exercise of power and control. Power imbalance being used to manipulate and control is as old as man himself and can be just as damaging as physical violence. As ever lies begat more lies and in this case great lengths are taken to ensure sordid secrets remain buried. As a reader I am happy to read about gruesome, bloody murder, but rape makes me feel uncomfortable within a piece of ‘entertainment’. Illogical perhaps but we are all different. Here it is essential to the story and is handled in such a way the pain and humiliation is clear without being too specific. Rape is not just a sex crime it is also an expression of power. This story driven approach leaves the characterisation a little light, but it is nicely spread rather than centring on the two central ones. The convicted rapist Derek is given a real depth and as the story progresses the reader begins to see him in a different light. This is a story where the players are given few choices or make bad ones, then once in a bad place it is not always easy to get out of. Edinburgh is well used as a setting for crime fiction and here we get a flavour of the place rather than the full travelogue. Instead, we see more of a cross section of the inhabitants from rich to poor. The narrator does an excellent job in capturing these varied voices in a nuanced performance. This is a city of contrasts from the poshest private galleries to the back street massage parlours, and we get to pass through it all. The pacing is nicely judged and the threads come together, making sense once the ‘key’ to the story is discovered, turning the seemingly innocuous to explosive. There are effectively two denouements to the conclusion, both suffused with danger, that are quite satisfying. This is not one of those stories that fizzle out at the end, it delivers on its promises. I suspect that some readers will anticipate the direction of travel, but the journey is an excellent one so enjoy it.