The Killing Choice by Will Shindler
Published by Hodder & Stoughton
Publication Date 11th February 2021
Genre: Crime, Mystery & Thriller
My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication via NetGalley in exchange for my opinion.
Book Description:
'Leave your daughter with me, or I will kill you both'
It felt like a normal Friday evening before Karl and his daughter Leah were ambushed by a figure in a blank mask. At knife point, Karl is forced to make an impossible choice. Stay and die, or walk away from Leah and take this thug's word that they both will live.
Should Karl trust a villain and leave his daughter with a knife at her throat? Could he ever live with himself if he did?
It's not long before more seemingly unconnected and innocent people across London are offered a deal in exchange for their life. More blood is spilled, more families shattered, and more people are left to suffer with the consequences of their decisions.
DI Alex Finn and DC Mattie Paulsen must hunt for a killer that appears to have no face, no motive and no conscience before more victims are forced to make their choice.
This is second in Will Shindler's Finn and Paulsen series - a British detective series that ranks with Mark Billingham, M.J. Arlidge and Stuart MacBride.
My Thoughts:
Part one of this series which came out last year was one of the stand out novels of the year for me, especially as a debut book, so when I spotted book two I was desperate to be approved. Thank you so much to the publishers for your generosity, I have not been disappointed.
Detective Finn is still struggling with the loss of his wife and often hears her voice advising him on how to get on and live life to the fullest without her. Some days he listens, other days are harder and because of this her best friend has been despatched to try and help get him back in the swing of things again. All this is background though, but helps him understand the lives of Isiah and his 2 young lads who are trying to keep going after losing their wife and mum suddenly. The relationship between dad and the older lad has pretty much broken down and the younger lad is testing the boundaries of growing up.
Finn and his sidekick are called to the brutal murder of a woman in controversial circumstances. Her father allegedly left her in the hands of their attacker in order to get help but things took a horrific turn instead. This is the start of an apparent serial killer spree in London and it needs Finn & Paulsen to get on top of things quickly to stop any further killings.
With knife and drug crime rife in the area Finn needs to follow the clues but is someone deliberately leading them in the wrong direction or is his gut instinct right? Nothing lead me to work out who -dunnit, I was not even close so well was the trail set.
I really enjoyed trying to work out whether this was gang warfare gone wrong, drug dealers crossing over territories or a completely separate serial killer at work. But why does everything keep coming back to the same common denominator on a derailed train?
Great characters, plenty of depth to the plotting and realistic crime scenes all the way. Plus it will make you ask yourself what would you do in that situation?
About the Author:
Will Shindler has been a Broadcast Journalist for the BBC for over twenty-five years, spending a decade working in television drama as a scriptwriter on Born and Bred, The Bill and Doctors. His time on these leading prime time dramas has given him a rich grounding in authentic police procedure, powerful character development and gripping narratives. He currently combines reading the news on BBC Radio London with writing crime novels and has previously worked as a television presenter for HTV, a sports reporter for BBC Radio Five Live, and one of the stadium presenters at the London Olympics. The Burning Men is his first novel.
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