Tainted by David Evans
Wakefield Series #4
Published by Orchard View Publications
Publication Date: 7th February 2019
Genre: Crime/Police Procedural
316 pages
Having been part of the blog tour promotion of David Evans' previous 3 titles in the Wakefield series back in November last year I was excited to see that the publication of book 4 had soon come around. Fortunately Caroline Vincent of Bits About Books kindly allowed me the privilege of featuring my thoughts about Tainted, the latest outing of DI Colin Strong and his journalist friend and unofficial assistant Bob Souter.
Book Description:
A botched attempt to extort money has tragic
consequences.
An
embarrassing DNA match to an unsolved rape and murder twenty years before means
DI Colin Strong has to use his best diplomatic tactics.
Simultaneously,
journalist Bob Souter is tasked with writing about that same case to re-focus
public attention. Will the newspaper’s actions help or hinder the police?
Meanwhile,
Strong’s team has two separate murder enquiries to run.
With their friendship
under duress, will Souter and Strong be able to work together? Find out in
TAINTED – book 4 in the acclaimed Wakefield Series!
My Review:
David Evans takes us straight into the action in this latest instalment in the Wakefield series of books. Marcus Weaver has driven to a remote spot in a deserted car park for an illicit rendez-vous with an unnamed lady when they are disturbed by activity outside their vehicle. Weaver gets out of the car to investigate, never to return. It's not long before a lone dog walker makes a shocking discovery and DI Strong and his team are on the case.
Meanwhile Bob Souter, journalist, is tasked with doing a memorial piece for the Yorkshire Post regarding the unsolved murder of a 14 year old girl back in 1982. The hope is that the public may be reminded of events back in the day and come forward with new information which didn't seem relevant at the time.
Another strand of the plot running alongside these events is the apparent kidnap of young woman Felicity Barrett. Nobody has reported her missing, however her husband Andy and stepdad George Brannigan are dealing with a ransom demand in their own way.
There's certainly a lot going on in this book, and I have to say I think I may have struggled to follow who's who and how they connect had I not have read the previous books in the series. It's not impossible to read as a standalone but I think a reader would be get more out of this book if you're more invested in the background of the characters.
There's a great feeling of authenticity regarding how much technology has moved on in helping police being able to solve investigations in the twenty plus years represented in this book - certainly forensic techniques and specifically DNA testing and the knowledge which we now have are so advanced compared to back in the 1980's. Where we still have the 'old school' officers with their encyclopaedic knowledge of local criminals and their networks, working closely with the tech-savvy youngsters we see the advantages of experience combining with fast moving minds. This is a great book to reflect on this meeting of policing techniques to get to the truth.
As always the personal lives of the officers and the journalists are ticking along in the background of the crime aspect of the story. It's a great balance as it keeps the characters real without taking over the main theme of the book. The great friendship between Souter, the journalist, and Strong, the detective, has clearly had its tests along the way yet it is obvious how the two still have a great respect for one another personally as well as professionally. Once again their two pronged attack to solve the case is invaluable.
This is a great book to demonstrate the past and the present colliding, with tragic facts being exposed which should have been shared long ago. Time is a healer in some respects yet in other ways we are reminded that the truth will out eventually.
I love that there are still opportunities for this series to continue, yet there aren't any loose ends left dangling frustratingly at the end of the book. I would definitely recommend reading the Wakefield series to any lover of a British police procedural.
Meanwhile Bob Souter, journalist, is tasked with doing a memorial piece for the Yorkshire Post regarding the unsolved murder of a 14 year old girl back in 1982. The hope is that the public may be reminded of events back in the day and come forward with new information which didn't seem relevant at the time.
Another strand of the plot running alongside these events is the apparent kidnap of young woman Felicity Barrett. Nobody has reported her missing, however her husband Andy and stepdad George Brannigan are dealing with a ransom demand in their own way.
There's certainly a lot going on in this book, and I have to say I think I may have struggled to follow who's who and how they connect had I not have read the previous books in the series. It's not impossible to read as a standalone but I think a reader would be get more out of this book if you're more invested in the background of the characters.
There's a great feeling of authenticity regarding how much technology has moved on in helping police being able to solve investigations in the twenty plus years represented in this book - certainly forensic techniques and specifically DNA testing and the knowledge which we now have are so advanced compared to back in the 1980's. Where we still have the 'old school' officers with their encyclopaedic knowledge of local criminals and their networks, working closely with the tech-savvy youngsters we see the advantages of experience combining with fast moving minds. This is a great book to reflect on this meeting of policing techniques to get to the truth.
As always the personal lives of the officers and the journalists are ticking along in the background of the crime aspect of the story. It's a great balance as it keeps the characters real without taking over the main theme of the book. The great friendship between Souter, the journalist, and Strong, the detective, has clearly had its tests along the way yet it is obvious how the two still have a great respect for one another personally as well as professionally. Once again their two pronged attack to solve the case is invaluable.
This is a great book to demonstrate the past and the present colliding, with tragic facts being exposed which should have been shared long ago. Time is a healer in some respects yet in other ways we are reminded that the truth will out eventually.
I love that there are still opportunities for this series to continue, yet there aren't any loose ends left dangling frustratingly at the end of the book. I would definitely recommend reading the Wakefield series to any lover of a British police procedural.
The Wakefield Series
#1 TORMENT Getbook.at/Torment
#2 TROPHIES Getbook.at/Trophies
#3 TALISMAN Getbook.at/Talisman
About The Author
David Evans is a Scots-born writer who found his true love
as well as his inspiration for his detective series, in Wakefield. Having
written all his life, in 2012 he decided to go for it – successfully as the
next year, in 2013, he was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger Award.
The Wakefield Series became an
International Bestseller in June 2017 with success in Canada and Australia as
well as the UK.
Early 2018 Disposal was published, the first book
in the Tendring Series, a new
detective series, set in north Essex in the 1970s.
Now, the
first three books in the Wakefield series have been republished by Orchard
View Publications with brand new covers – Orchard View Publications also
publishes the fourth book in the series, TAINTED.
David Evans on Social Media
Author
Website: http://www.davidevanswriter.co.uk/
Amazon Author Page: author.to/DavidEvans Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/davidevanswriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEwriter
Amazon Author Page: author.to/DavidEvans Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/davidevanswriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidEwriter
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