I loved the sound of this book, the first in a new series, and jumped at the chance to be on the blog tour. My thanks to Rachel Gilbey at Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me and to the author for my review copy.
The Blurb
Dr Harrison Lane is everything you wouldn’t expect from a man with a psychology doctorate. For victims, he’s everything they need.
They look, but they don’t see…
As Head of the Metropolitan Police’s Ritualistic Behavioural Crimes Unit, Dr Harrison Lane knows his Voodoo from his Aum Shinrikyo and a Satanist from a Shaman.
Harrison had an unusual childhood, raised by a bohemian mother and one of the native American Shadow Wolves - the elite tracking squad that works with US Drug enforcers. After his mother’s murder, he dedicated his life to tracking down those who hide behind spiritualism and religion to do evil.
Following the discovery of a missing boy’s body in what looks like a Satanic killing, Harrison is called in to help detectives. When a second boy is snatched, it becomes a race against time to save him, and sees Harrison come face-to-face with some dark secrets from his own childhood.
Preacher Boy is the first book in a gripping new crime mystery series from Amazon Top 20 bestselling author, Gwyn GB. Perfect for fans of LJ Ross, JD Kirk, JR. Ellis, JM Dalgliesh, Rachel Abbott, Joy Ellis and David Blake.
Preacher Boy was published by Chalky Dog Publishing Ltd in paperback on 24th April 2021 and as an eBook on 5th June 2021.
Purchase Links
UK
US
My Review
So the first thing to say is that I've fallen in love with Dr Harrison Lane. Head over heels. It's not unusual for me to fall for characters in the books I read - goodness knows what that says about me 😂 - but Harrison Lane is a mysterious, tall, handsome, muscular, rock music loving, Harley Davidson rider - c'mon, what's not to like? A beard and/or long hair would've been a bonus, but I'm not complaining.
Seriously though, Lane is a great character. A serious set of skills, many of which were developed during his unusual childhood. I don't think his unit is a thing in real life but I can't help thinking such a thing might help. It certainly means that Harrison and assistant Ryan get to work on some very unusual cases.
The storyline here is a difficult one as it involves children and religion, both emotive subjects. I think both elements are handled well - having Lane involved gives a fresh spin on religious crime. I thought Sally, mother of the missing boy, was a brilliantly written character. Her desperation seeps out of the pages and I just wanted to give her the biggest hug. I also loved Ryan, Harrison's assistant. He does feature hugely but he beavers away in the back whilst munching away on fast food. I'd like to see a wee bit more of him in future books.
Events move quite quickly and some of the scenes are quite graphic. Which didn't worry me but they're worth mentioning. Given the title, I expected a large religious element to the story and this is certainly the case but it is handled well. As the case and storyline progress the tension rises until an exciting, explosive denouement.
There is a hint of romance here which I'm certainly not against but hope it doesn't become too big a thing in future books, detrimental to the story - I've had to give up on another series I enjoyed for that very reason. But here it's fine. I also like that there is an ongoing subplot around Harrison's early years.
Preacher Boy is an excellent opener to a new series featuring an interesting and enigmatic protagonist, supported by a well drawn cast. The storyline is well thought out and detailed, full of tension and action. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to joining Dr Lane for more adventures.
Gwyn is an Amazon Top 20 bestselling author. She’s a former UK national TV newscaster and presenter, and journalist for national newspapers and magazines. Gwyn became a journalist because all she wanted to do was write and has finally realised her dream of being a full-time fiction author. Born in the UK, Gwyn now lives in the Channel Islands with her family, including a rescue dog and 17-year-old goldfish.
Gwyn launched her debut novel, Islands as Gwyn Garfield-Bennett in 2016, the romantic suspense book rose quickly into the Amazon top 20. Her first crime mystery series, featuring DI Falle, launched with Lonely Hearts in 2017.
Author Social Media Links
Website: www.gwyngb.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GwynGBwriter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GwynGB
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwyngb/
Remember to check out all the other fabulous bloggers on the tour!
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