The Blurb
A dead celebrity loved by the nation.
A blind detective with something to prove.
When a well-loved celebrity is found murdered at a glitzy art event, DI Matt Fisher is faced with his first big case since being blinded in an acid-attack. Despite most people thinking his return to his old job is an impossible task, Fisher is determined to prove them wrong.
With his guide dog Luna at his side and the assistance of eager yet inexperienced DC Beth Nightingale, Fisher must find a way to see through the lies and expose a ruthless killer.
He’s had his fair share of bad luck in the past but has always managed to bounce back. Can he do it again, or are his days as a detective numbered?
Paid in Blood was published on 11th March 2021 and can be purchased from Amazon UK or Amazon US.
My Review
DI Matt Fisher is still finding his feet after an attack blinded him some months earlier but has learned to manage with the assistance of his guide dog. When a high profile case lands on his desk, Matt is determined to prove to his team, his boss, his son and, most of all, to himself, that he can not only cope, but can bring this case to a successful conclusion. The storyline follows Matt as he leads his team in the murder investigation and, with the help of partner/assistant DC Nightingale, tries to ensure he doesn't miss anything vital.
Matt Fisher is an engaging lead. Dogged and determined, he is desperately trying to find his way in this new darkness he's found himself in. Whilst Handley rightly shows us how capable Fisher is, we also share his difficulties, whether that be simply banging into a table he hadn't realised was there or the depths of his frequent self doubt. We see his frustration, mostly at himself, but also at his co-workers and boss. Talking of DCI Falcon, she should have been out on her ear. She comes across as an absolute horror who, in the real world, would have been dismissed for her bullying behaviour. But back to Matt. The moments that touched me most were when he doubted his ability to be the father than son Josh deserved, and how Josh proved just how wrong his dad was. I loved how Fisher built images in his head for how people looked. He wasn't always correct, right enough. He did the same with the crime scene, and every location he visited, with the help of his 'eyes', DC Beth Nightingale.
I really liked Beth. She's keen and willing, often working late because she needs to run the DI home - no matter how capable he is, that's one thing he can't do! She does such a good job describing scenes to Fisher. I think it becomes second nature to her. This is a big part of my job and it always surprises me how much I miss, how unobservant I am, when I don't have to make that extra effort for someone else. Generally, Matt and Beth make a good team, along with guide dog Luna, of course.
The plot follows Matt and team as they attempt to solve the murder of a glamorous young woman at a fundraising event. I loved the peak into a world far removed from mine - who doesn't like to be a fly on the wall? There are suspects and red herrings galore, but we see just how dogged and methodical Matt can be. As well as using Beth's eyes, he has to rely heavily on his gut feelings. All of this is well described.
I'm not at all sure that, in the real world, a policeman with a disability such as Matt's would be allowed to take such an active role in an investigation, purely because of his new limitations. I might be wrong, of course, but I needed to suspend belief reading this, however, it didn't stop me enjoying the story. Paid in Blood is a well written police procedural with a twist. An engaging damaged and flawed lead character for whom you can't help rooting, a well written supporting cast and a good storyline. A quick and easy read which I enjoyed.
The Author
Susan Handley grew up in the Midlands and now lives in a small village in rural Kent with her husband and two rescue cats, Charlie and Porridge (aka Podge).
As a child, Susan devoured anything crime related: books, films, TV shows and even games (anyone remember electronic detective? – a game Susan professes to have been a whizz at). Although she had dreamt of becoming a pathologist like Quincy (one of her favourite shows growing up), Susan went on to study chemistry and went as far as getting her doctorate in it. Soon, however, she came to the conclusion that lab work wasn’t for her and went on to have a successful career in finance.It was during her time at university, on learning that her mother had finally read the complete collection of Agatha Christie’s classic crime novels, Susan bought a second-hand Olivetti and attempted to write one of her own, intent on giving it to her mother as a Christmas present. Susan readily confesses the end result left a lot to be desired but says it did whet her appetite for crime writing. Over the years that followed, she never stopped dreaming of becoming an author and after many years of writing at night she finally published her debut novel: A Confusion of Crows, the first of her books to feature one-time marine biologist now turned detective Cat McKenzie. She has written a further two novels in the DC Cat McKenzie mystery series. The second, Feather and Claw, sees Cat holidaying with a friend in sunny Cyprus, though things take a sinister turn after a fellow guest is found dead. In the third book of the series, The Body Politic, Cat investigates the murder of a local councillor but it’s the links to a member of her own family that leaves her wondering whether you ever really know anyone at all.
Susan’s most recent novel is Paid in Blood, the first in a new series to feature DI Matt Fisher. DI Fisher was en route to being one of the country’s top scorers in football’s premier league until injury forced him from the pitch and into the police force. And it was working out well, until he put himself between a young woman and a terrorist brandishing a bottle of acid. Now blind, Fisher finds himself fighting to keep his job, so when a beautiful celebrity is found dead at a glitzy art event, he’s determined to figure out who did it and prove he can still hack it as a detective.
In addition to the DC Cat McKenzie series, Susan has published two crime fiction anthologies: Crime Bites (volumes 1 and 2). She has also published a novella set at the height of the Californian gold, The Secret of Snake Pass, which is published under the name S.J. Handley.
When Susan’s not indulging in her love of writing crime fiction she loves walking (the hillier the better), bike riding (the flatter the better) and tending her garden, especially her veggie patch.
Author Social Media Links
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SusanHandleyAuthor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/shandleyauthor
Website - https://susanhandley.co.uk/
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