Blog Tour: The Harlech Beach Killings (DI Ruth Hunter #2) by Simon McCleave

Today I am excited to join the blog tour for The Harlech Beach Killings by Simon McCleave. The author was new to me, but the premise sounded intriguing and so it was...

A murdered millionaire. A brutal drug operation. Can a detective with a haunted past stop the next assassination?

Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter is still struggling to deal with her stress. So when the body of a businessman washes up on a secluded North Wales shore, the former London cop is anxious to prove she can lead the local investigative team and nail the killer. But as she digs into the dead millionaire’s business affairs, DI Hunter discovers a disturbing link to an infamous Merseyside drug lord…

Tracking down clues alongside a hot-headed partner, she worries his private vendetta could seriously jeopardize bringing the gangster to justice. And between botched raids, tight-lipped suspects, and a slew of cold case murders, she’s sure the criminal mastermind must have corrupt police officers in his pocket...

Can Hunter take down the mobster before he orders a highly personal hit?

The Harlech Beach Killings is the second book in the gripping Ruth Hunter Crime Thriller series. If you like chilling police procedurals, true-to-life characters, and psychological twists, then you’ll love Simon McCleave’s page-turning thrill ride.

Published in digital format by Stamford Publishing on 10th February 2020.

My Review:

4****

Though this book is part of a series, the fact that I hadn't read the others didn't detract from my ability to understand the story. DI Ruth Hunter is a compelling, multi-dimensional character, and I was curious to learn more about her almost immediately. She is a bit of a typical detective - troubled, a little neurotic, eager to prove herself - but she has depth, too, which stops this character from being a mere cliche of a policewoman. The story is grim, and I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil it, but I found it to be quite gripping from start to finish. I also felt McCleave has a talent for creating mounting tension and really setting the scene with his descriptions and elicits a strong sense of place. The plotting was well thought out, and though I guessed a few twists, I was curious to see how it would be solved. I suspect this series will continue, based on the ending, which I found both clever and a little frustrating. Overall, a solid thriller with memorable characters and engaging writing. Recommended!

About the Author:

Simon McCleave was born in South London.

When leaving University, Simon worked in television and film development. He was a Script Editor at the BBC, a producer at Channel 4 before working as a Story Analyst in Los Angeles. He worked on films such as ‘The Full Monty’ and television series such as ‘Our Friends In The North’.

Simon then became a script writer for television and film. He wrote on series such as Silent Witness, Murder In Suburbia, Teachers, Attachments, The Bill, Eastenders and many more. His film, ‘Out of the Game’ for Channel 4 was critically acclaimed – ‘An unflinching portrayal of male friendship.’ (Time Out) ‘The Harlech Beach Killings’ is his second novel. Simon lives in North Wales with his wife and two children.

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