"Gallowstree Lane" is the third in the Collins and Griffiths series written by Kate London and although I haven't read any in the series before, I feel this could still work as a standalone if wished. However, the more familiar you are with the returning characters the more I expect you'd enjoy this book and connect with them personally, which I sadly didn't and therefore affected my overall enjoyment of the book.
"'Please don't let me die!'....When a teenage boy is stabbed and killed in Gallowstree Lane, it threatens to derail Operation Perseus, a covert police investigation into an organised criminal network. Detective Kieran Shaw won't allow that to happen but fifteen year old Ryan has other ideas. He's witnessed the death of his best friend Spencer and now he wants someone to pay. As loyalties collide, a chain of events is triggered that threatens everyone with a connection to Gallowstree Lane"
A gritty, police procedural set in London, this is a very realistic and up to date modern story with true to life characters and events. I did feel some sympathy for Ryan and for the situation he and many others find themselves in. Such a young age to be witnessing murder and be involved in gang related activities and sadly no opportunities to escape the inevitable way of life so many young and troubled kids are embroiled in.
Although I can't say I particularly enjoyed the story, as at times I did struggle with parts I found laborious, I can see it has been very well written, thought out and plotted and there's been an obvious amount of research carried out to convey the authenticity of the events. I would still recommend this book to die hard, police procedural readers, I just wasn't overawed with it even after an intriguing and promising start and therefore unfortunately have no interest in reading the first two in the series.
2.5 stars
"'Please don't let me die!'....When a teenage boy is stabbed and killed in Gallowstree Lane, it threatens to derail Operation Perseus, a covert police investigation into an organised criminal network. Detective Kieran Shaw won't allow that to happen but fifteen year old Ryan has other ideas. He's witnessed the death of his best friend Spencer and now he wants someone to pay. As loyalties collide, a chain of events is triggered that threatens everyone with a connection to Gallowstree Lane"
A gritty, police procedural set in London, this is a very realistic and up to date modern story with true to life characters and events. I did feel some sympathy for Ryan and for the situation he and many others find themselves in. Such a young age to be witnessing murder and be involved in gang related activities and sadly no opportunities to escape the inevitable way of life so many young and troubled kids are embroiled in.
Although I can't say I particularly enjoyed the story, as at times I did struggle with parts I found laborious, I can see it has been very well written, thought out and plotted and there's been an obvious amount of research carried out to convey the authenticity of the events. I would still recommend this book to die hard, police procedural readers, I just wasn't overawed with it even after an intriguing and promising start and therefore unfortunately have no interest in reading the first two in the series.
2.5 stars