The Lock by Andrew Barrett @AndrewBarrettUK @BOTBSPublicity

Posted January 26, 2019 by midnightreview in Uncategorized / 1 Comment

Synopsis:

I’m Eddie Collins, a CSI.

I was finishing up at a sudden death in an old house, waiting for the body snatchers to arrive, when I heard a noise from the cellar. I had time to kill, so I went to investigate.

Turns out I wasn’t the only one with killing on his mind.

This is the story of how I saw a dead man die.

My Review:

This is the second Eddie Collins novella I have read and I am well and truly hooked. If you haven’t read any though, have no fear, this is a true stand alone.

When I read a short story (this took me a little over an hour to read) it is so important to establish characters and settings quickly. This is what Andrew does so very well. You quickly gain an insight into Eddie’s character, I would imagine he’s a bit of an arse to work with. However, there is also something very likeable about him. He’s no nonsense, says it like it is and plays by the book. I loved the subtle humor that Andrew has so cleverly weaved in. It certainly made me giggle in places.

The setting is great, what is creepier that a great big old house with a dead body?! Part of the joy of this book is its intensity. Once the storyline is established the whole atmosphere becomes dark, with a constant feeling of unease. I actually felt my heart pounding during sections of this book. By the end my adrenaline was certainly running. It’s told in first person so you really get a sense of all the players involved.

All in all this is a great book, there’s a mystery to solve and the oh so important twist. If your a crime fan with a hour to kill go grab yourself a copy you wont be disappointed.

About the Author:

Andrew Barrett has enjoyed variety in his professional life, from engine-builder to farmer, from Oilfield Service Technician in Kuwait, to his current role of Senior CSI in Yorkshire.

He’s been a CSI since 1996, and has worked on all scene types from terrorism to murder, suicide to rape, drugs manufacture to bomb scenes. One way or another, Andrew’s life revolves around crime.

In 1997 he finished his first crime thriller, A Long Time Dead, and it’s still a readers’ favourite today, some 120,000 copies later, topping the Amazon charts several times. Two more books featuring SOCO Roger Conniston completed the trilogy.

Today, Andrew is still producing high-quality, authentic crime thrillers with a forensic flavour that attract attention from readers worldwide. He’s also attracted attention from the Yorkshire media, having been featured in the Yorkshire Post, and twice interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds.

He’s best known for his lead character, CSI Eddie Collins, and the acerbic way in which he roots out criminals and administers justice. Eddie’s series is four books and two short stories in length, and there’s still more to come.

Andrew is a proud Yorkshireman and sets all of his novels there, using his home city of Leeds as another major, and complementary, character in each of the stories.

You can find out more about him and his writing at www.andrew-barrett.co.uk