Road Closed (A DI Geraldine Steel Thriller Book 2) (A DI Geraldine Steel Thriller, 2) - Softcover

Leigh Russell

Softcover

ISBN 10: 184243344X ISBN 13: 9781842433447

Publisher: No Exit Press, 2010

Synopsis

"COMPELLING" - PETER JAMES * "UNMISSABLE" - LEE CHILD * "A RARE TALENT" - DAILY MAIL

When a man dies in a gas explosion, the police suspect arson. But the case takes on a new and terrible twist when the prime suspect, a local felon, is viciously attacked. As police enquiries lead from the expensive Harchester Hill estate to the local brothel, their key witness dies in a hit-and-run. Coincidence? Or cold-blooded murder?

With so many lives lost already, DI Geraldine Steel must put her problems aside, to protect others. After all, in the race for justice, sacrifices must be made.

"A well-written, soundly plotted, psychologically acute story" - Times

For fans of Peter James, Helen Durrant and Angela Marsons

Look out for more DI Geraldine Steel investigations in Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi, Class Murder and Death Rope

Don"t miss the DI Ian Peterson series: Cold Sacrifice, Race to Death and Blood Axe

About this title

Review:

"ROAD CLOSED is the second book by Leigh Russell, and the second featuring Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel. If you enjoyed CUT SHORT, Russell's first book, you will find this one even more tense and gripping.

Well-written and absorbing right from the get-go, with just the right amount of guess-work for the reader. My only criticism is that it is too interesting and I read it far too quickly!

Work continues to go well for Geraldine. She is good at what she does and is a dedicated member of the murder team. ROAD CLOSED sees her initially involved in a suspicious death that seems to be part of a suspected arson attack but soon turns out to be one of a series that may be connected to a frustratingly long-running spate of thefts in the area. As seems to be increasingly the norm for busy career women these days, Geraldine's personal life leaves a lot to be desired, and there are a few nasty shocks waiting for her fans in this regard. Geraldine takes solace in the fact she has a nice flat, a good job, and the odd bottle of wine to enjoy in the evening. She immerses herself in her work and puts a brave face on it, when a simple day off would surely do her so much good.

Unlike CUT SHORT, the killer is not as immediately obvious to the reader this time round. When the murder team finally start to make progress, they are thwarted by the, strangely coincidental, violent deaths of several of their key witnesses. Tension slowly builds and you start to get an idea of who might be behind the grisly mess as the pace picks up and more people get hurt. The last thirty pages or so tie everything up beautifully, with an exhilarating climax that you don't see coming until it is too late and there is nothing you can do to help but continue to read...

I am an avid fan of this new author and her work. Geraldine is a gifted, strong and likeable character, although her personal life and ability to select rubbish men just makes me sad. I am hoping she will find her soul mate in the next book - but have to wait for ages to find out!" --Amanda Gillies, Euro Crime

"Perfect character building... cleverly written... can't wait for the next one." --bestbookstoread.co.uk

"Well-written and absorbing right from the get-go... with an exhilarating climax that you don't see coming." --Amanda Gillies, Eurocrime

"New star of crime fiction, Leigh Russell's chilling psychological thriller is terrific & terrifying!" --Clem Chambers

"A gripping, fast-paced read, pulling you in from the very first tense page narrative." --Sam Millar, New York Journal of Books

"A rare talent." --Daily Mail

"Impressively dependable" --The Times

"Unmissable" --Lee Child

"A brilliant talent." --Jeffery Deaver

"Taut and compelling." --Peter James

About the Author:

Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English. For many years a secondary school English teacher, she is a creative writing tutor for adults. She is married, has two daughters, and lives in North West London. Her first novel, Cut Short, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award in 2010. This was followed by Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead and Fatal Act, in the Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel series. Cold Sacrifice is the first title in a spin off series featuring Geraldine Steel's sergeant, Ian Peterson.

About this edition

• Publisher: No Exit Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 184243344X
• ISBN 13: 9781842433447
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352