Book Review: The Pier by Matt Brolly

     Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge ,from Amazon UK Books via #Netgalley for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own

Synopsis:

DI Blackwell will do anything to keep her niece safe. And the bomber knows it.

When a local school is the target of a bomb threat, DI Louise Blackwell finds herself embroiled in her most personal case to date. Not only is her niece among the terrified pupils—there’s also a chilling note hidden under the device: Next time you won’t be so lucky, DI Blackwell…

The explosion of a nearby caravan offers a connection…and a suspect. But when he hangs himself after interrogation, leaving another note promising more carnage, Blackwell fears there’s an accomplice.

Could Tim Finch, a former DCI on remand for attempted murder, be pulling strings from prison? He certainly seems set on bringing Blackwell down, if only to derail the case against him. Or could the devious nephew of Max Walton, the serial killer Blackwell shot and killed, be seeking revenge on behalf of his uncle?

As the threats escalate and pressure to solve the case mounts, Blackwell is sucked into a series of horrific events that reach a chaotic and terrifying crescendo on Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier. Can she stand firm against a rival hell-bent on destroying her—or will she fall into the killer’s deadly trap?

Review:

This is the 5th book of the series, and it doesn't disappoint! In this books, points from the past (and previous books) are coming back into play all at once. Louise also has to juggle a new threat that she doesn't now is legitmate, or if being used a ruse by one of the other supsects from her past. She is being judged by too many people without all the information, but should they know the whole truths? Or will those truths cause more harm if they all come out? Much like a classic cat and mouse game, this book does a great job of tying up some loose ends and offering Louise a chance to move on from the shadows that haunt ehr. While it can be read alone, it is better to now the backstories, if possible.

About the Author:

Following his law degree, where he developed an interest in criminal law, Matt Brolly completed his Masters in Creative Writing at Glasgow University. He is the bestselling author of the DCI Lambert crime novels, Dead Eyed, Dead Lucky, Dead Embers, Dead Time and Dead Water and the Lynch and Rose thriller The Controller. In addition, he is the author of the acclaimed near-future crime novel Zero. The first novel in the Detective Louise Blackwell crime series, The Crossing, was published in 2020. Matt also writes children’s books as M. J. Brolly. His first children’s book was The Sleeping Bug. Matt lives in London with his wife and their two children. You can find out more about him at www.mattbrolly.com or by following him on Twitter: @MattBrollyUK.