Let me tell you a story about a man who decides to write a screenplay. That screenplay will take five years to create and hone, will gather an impressive collection of rejection letters but is one which the writer kept returning to, eager to see how the story will finish. And so the writer turns it into a novel. And that novel sells to 32 territories at the latest count. And will no doubt be one the hits of 2017. So television's loss is the reader's gain. William Oliver Layton-Fawkes, or Wolf as he is known to all but his mother, has recently been reinstated to the police stationed at New Scotland Yard. He returns on the back of a violent episode in his life, and some of his colleagues are still wary of him. He is thrust straight into the thick of things when a body is found. This, however, is no ordinary body. It has been created from the body parts of six different victims. That day, the killer contacts the press. There will be more victims, with the dates they are to be killed. Fawkes and his colleagues are in a race against time to stop the killer before he strikes out everyone on the list. The story starts with a bang. The reader is taken back to 2010, to a high profile murder case, one in which Wolf has a vested interest. Events take a surprising and violent turn and sees Wolf removed from his way of life. The story then sees Wolf reinstated as a detective, returning to work on what looks likely to be a case that will have the world gripped. The story is peppered with humour, I often found myself chuckling over lines, it is light relief that is welcome to counteract the violence that surrounds the case. And what violence there is. Daniel Cole has managed to conjure up some of the most unusual and original forms of death I've read about, each one grisly, each one inventive, and each one drawing the reader further into the story. The characters are all perfectly drawn. Wolf is the troubled detective with his own sense of justice, one which has had serious consequences in his past. He is the lone wolf, working with others when he must, but believing he must sometime act alone for the greater good. Baxter is taciturn, hiding a secret that controls her and unsure of her relationship with Wolf. The interaction she has with her colleagues is great to read, as is the working relationship that develops between her and Edwards, her trainee. Edwards, keen to do well since his transfer from Fraud, is initially naïve but grows as the story develops. Driven, focussed and impassioned he is a great counter-balance to the others. Finlay and Simmonds, both older officers add comedy to the story and balance out the team. This is Daniel Cole's debut novel and he enters the crime writing scene with a bang. I have said before that whether the author is publishing their debut novel or is a seasoned writer in their field should have no bearing on how the book should be received. Deserved praise should be given whatever stage the author is in their career. Great writing is great writing and it this that should be celebrated. And it should be celebrated here. Daniel Cole has written a compulsive crime novel that one is loath to put down. It is the true definition of gripping fiction. The fact that this novel was originally a screenplay is evident throughout. And that isn't a bad thing. The scenes can be easily imagined, there are cliff-hangers at the end of most chapters and the characters and storyline are ripe for adaptation. I could easily see this wowing viewers as well as readers. Enthralling, inventive and compelling, Daniel Cole has created a brilliant cast of characters and a truly gripping novel. I can only wait for more from him with baited breath.

I have a morbid fascination with particularly gruesome crime novels and 'Ragdoll' undoubtedly falls into that category. With an grisly opening that features a body made from six victims, I knew I was going to love it. And I did! Fast paced and full of unexpected twists this is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are wonderful - Wolf is the flawed, unpredictable yet likeable detective. Baxter is his go-to gal, the relationship between them is truly touching and they are going to be a great crime novel duo. I have a soft spot for young Edmunds, new to the crime team this case is a baptism of fire for him, but he takes the bull by the horns and becomes a crucial cog in the Ragdoll case. Full of sharp, witty dialogue Daniel Cole throws in dark humour which just adds even more greatness to his debut and I can't wait to read more.

An outstanding debut from author Daniel Cole. This book is quite simply awesome and will be a sure-fire hit upon its release in early 2017. This is the type of book that makes people sit up and take notice. It oozes quality. It's gritty and real, it pulls no punches and takes no prisoners. I cannot recommend highly enough. I received an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

A book you literally cannot put down. A body has been found that has been made up of SIX other dismembered bodies. The 'Ragdoll Killer' then releases a list of six other victims and the dates of their deaths.. Will Baxter and Wolf figure it out? Who's on the lists?! An utterly gripping novel you won't be able to stop thinking about! EXCITING.GRUESOME.TWISTED.FAST PACED.PURE GENIUS A book to literally give your right arm for!

I picked up my copy of Ragdoll with some slight trepidation. There had been a lot of hype and publicity about both the book and the author, Daniel Cole – and sometimes the reality does not live up to the promotion. But, on this occasion, I am very pleased to say that it did. I thoroughly enjoyed the book as I read it a few days ago – and my mind has returned to it a few times since. That is always a good sign. Ragdoll is an extremely cleverly worked murder mystery. There is one body, but six murders. I’ll explain… The ragdoll of the title is a ‘body’ made up of the parts of six victims clumsily stitched together. It is left for the police to find, illuminated by a single spotlight in a run down flat in Kentish Town. The flat overlooks that of ‘Wolf’, the detective who is going to lead the murder enquiry. Who are the victims, and what is the connection between them? And what is Wolf’s involvement? The killer anonymously passes the names of six further victims he intends to kill, and when he intends to kill them, to news anchor, Andrea – who just happens to be Wolf’s ex wife. Wolf’s name is the last on the list… Her network sets up a special studio with a Death Clock on the wall to match the countdown. Wolf, ably backed up by his partner, Emily Baxter and trainee Edmunds (on secondment from ‘Fraud’ to which he returns at the end of the book, having almost seen his own marriage fall apart under the stress of the investigation) set about first trying to identify the the six victims whose body parts make up the ragdoll – and second protecting the names of those on the list. This is a task in which they fail spectacularly – as one after another on the list is despatched by the killer who seems to have no trouble anticipating the police and penetrating their defences. It is getting very close to Wolf’s turn to die. What is the connection between the six victims of the ragdoll and the six names on the list? Can the police crack it in time? Might it have something to do with a murky and distressing incident in Wolf’s past? No doubt that Ragdoll is a fast moving and exciting page-turner. It is hard to put down. But it is more besides… It is also a very funny book, with lots of black humour. And it is a book where the reader has to suspend belief and just get carried along. Some elements don’t profit from a too forensic examination. For example, Wolf seems to hold great sway over the security managers at two major airports, and an airline itself. And it strains credulity to find his ex-wife as a prominent television journalist. But, so what? The story carries it off. The characterisation in the book is not profound – it is not that sort of book. But the characters work well together – from the sometimes strained (but basically friendly) relationship between Wolf and his ex, to the somewhat strange but close friendship between Wolf and his alcoholic work partner, Emily – to the impact being in the murder squad has on the relationship between Edmunds and his pregnant wife. Ragdoll is an extremely well written addition to the ranks of detective fiction. It is the first book in a series of three, and the television rights have already been sold. Success is thus pretty much assured for Daniel Cole – after years of rejection letters from publishers and script editors. Perseverance can out…