Bloq by Alan Jones

Bloq by Alan Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - On and off for 1 week

Pages - 343

Publisher - Ailsa Publishing

Blurb from Goodreads

A father waits in Glasgow's Central Station for his daughter, returning home from London for Christmas. When the last train has pulled in, and she doesn't get off it, he makes a desperate overnight dash to find out why. His search for her takes over his life, costing him his job and, as he withdraws from home, family and friends, he finds himself alone, despairing of ever seeing her again.

This is a gritty crime novel with some sexual content.



My Review


We open with a callous burial or rather body dump of a young woman by some, what the reader can only deduce, very dodgy criminals. Hello chapter one, Bill Ingram is waiting in a Glasgow train station for his daughter to come home. As the train comes and goes and time ticks on there is no sign of Carol and no contact. Bill embarks on a one man investigation to find his daughter, putting himself in grave danger and having to face the fact that he maybe didn't know his daughter at all.

The chapters are named so we know where we are and which character it is focused on, Carol and the many folk around her or her situation are in London, Bill initially is in Glasgow then hits London for his quest. Carol's timeline jumps back a wee bit to before Aleksander comes into her life and the path that follows after. A story that demonstrates corruption, lies, influence, the darker side of humanity and how some people will go to any lengths to exploit another.

Relationships carve a huge part of this story, the love of a father for his daughter, partners, friendship, criminal loyalties and family. There are some very dark themes in the book too, addiction, abuse, violence, sexual abuse to name just a few. It isn't for the faint hearted, not so much in brutal graphic detail but enough for the reader to conjure the horrors with just enough information for full impact. The book is a bit like an onion, there are so many layers to it, I loved the family bond some characters had and would stop at nothing for their relative.

Lots and lots of swearing featured, I think given one of the central themes and key characters this was a must, for realism, rather than gratuitous. Depending on your background and family ties, I think this book has the potential to pack a punch and strike some emotive chords with some readers. I have read Jones before and I will read him again, 4/5 for me this time!

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Bones In The Nest by Helen Cadbury

Bones in the Nest by Helen Cadbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days on and off

Pages - 351

Publisher - Allison and Busby

Blurb from Goodreads

The second book in the Sean Denton series. A young woman is trying to rebuild her life after prison, but someone is out there who won't let her forget what she's done. Racial tension is bubbling up on the Chasebridge Estate and Sean is drawn back into a web of family and neighbours he'd rather avoid. When a body is found in the stairwell of a block of flats, Sean is right at the heart of the case.



My Review

First off I would like to say if you haven't read the first book in the series you could get away with reading this one itself but I would recommend grabbing the first as it is good to get to know your character(s).

The location goes between York and Doncaster and gives the reader an insight into the locations which in part I could actually see the places I was reading which is always nice, I have been to York once as a child.

It took me a wee bit to get my teeth into this one, not because it starts off slow but we flip between Sean Denton who is now a police officer and a young lady who has not long been released from prison and trying to keep to her parole conditions and re adapt to society after murder. Sean is trying to do his job on his home turf which presents personal and professional dilemmas. A young man is murdered, Sean finds himself in a unique position to aid the investigation however he is limited in his choices due to being "off duty" and in an estate where people will use and abuse anyone who can give them an advantage.

Chloe, our newly released prisoner finds herself also being challenged, trying to reintegrate to society, maintain the conditions of her bail and establish relationships Cadbury highlights the emotive and trying journey Chloe endures. Both characters have arduous paths ahead of them and in stark contrast to their situations they both have similarities. Between the murder, Denton's personal and professional struggles and Chloe's story the story keeps the reader on their toes. Expect the unexpected, estate life, violence, professional and personal struggle, alcoholism and abuse makes for uncomfortable reading at parts but echoes the realism of every day life that some readers will identify with more than others. 4/5 for me this time, I look forward to the next installment of Denton's journey from a rookie cop hopefully to a seasoned officer!

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