Ledston Luck: Sometimes the past is a trap (CSI Eddie Collins Book 4)

What a gritty and gruesome thriller! I’m in shock after reading this captivating crime novel with a twist. Meet Eddie Collins a foul-mouthed no-nonsense CSI with a heart of gold. He is not good at socialising and has trouble facing facts even when they stare him right in the face. However, in his work he is simply the best: he gets his teeth into a case and does not let go until the crime is solved.In 1984 the people in Ledston Luck experience hard times: the miners were on strike and eventually the mine closed in 1986 causing poverty in Ledston Luck. Then there was Divine Wright who loved her dad right up to the moment she killed him. She had wanted to confide in someone who “had the power to end it all” but could she trust him? We are transported to the present day, where CSI Eddie Collins is his usual charming self and about to tag along with his junior colleague James. For James. Detective Inspector Benson is also present.James, on starting to process the scene, finds the crime scene booby trapped but it is too late for him. His life ends in that moment, killed by a shotgun, the blast of it knocking Eddie out. The shock of James being killed makes Eddie furious. He must get back to the investigation even if he is not allowed to work the scene. Regardless of rules and orders from his superior Jeffery, Eddie is strong headed and determined to investigate. We, the readers, know Eddie excels at his job and is the best CSI there is.There is no way in hell Eddie is asking nicely or follows any rules but his own. Furthermore, he is not afraid to use violence if someone stands in his way. He knows that the case is very complicated as the male body must have been murdered decades ago. There is a simmering anger inside Eddie, bound to come out: a colleague is hurt and Eddie is obliged to attend therapy, something he detests. Eddie knows he will find closure is by bringing James’s murderer to justice. In order to do that, he needs to examine the crime scene properly and discovers another body.Eddie feels this urge deep inside that forces him forward: it is why he excels at his job but it is also the cause of what others regard as Eddie’s anti-social behaviour. In the meantime, we have no choice but to witness domestic violence. Divine is desperate for someone to break the chain of violence perpetrated by her abusive father.What a great read! It is gritty and gruesome and just plain terrible to read sometimes! Eddie Collins is one hell of a CSI even if he can be irritating and argumentative. I loved reading about Eddie, found him both endearing and yet wanted to shake him sometimes. When it comes to interacting socially and him missing the obvious, that made me smile. Ledston Luck is my introduction to Eddie Collins and I look forward to reconnecting with him more!

I have long been a fan of Andrew Barrett's writing and this new book has done nothing to alter that.I love that the main investigator in these books is a Forensic Investigator and Crime Scene Examiner but I am not sure that I would like Eddie Collins in person, he is gruff, defensive, prickly, occasionally downright obnoxious and utterly obsessive about his work. Is he arrogant or is he just right that there is no-one who can work out the detail of a crime scene like he can? Given the evidence in this book, I suspect the latter (with a touch of the former). Nothing escapes Eddie's eagle eyes and he is pretty good at putting the pieces together but he does also have some luck where he wouldn't expect it. Eddie has such a knack for getting himself into trouble, it is almost predictable but when he displays his rarely seen compassion and care it has an unexpectedly positive outcome. Andy's writing really brings his characters to life, they are congruent and make you care about them, even if you are not sure that you like them. He really has a way with words and there is a great contrast in the descriptions of scenery and events. He can write a picture of a grim industrial landscape, fed by deprivation and defeat which makes the reader feel the need to shake the grit from their clothing but then comes up with the memorable beginning to chapter 7"Autumn didn't so much descend on West Yorkshire as barge summer out of its way in the course of a single week; eager to load trees with copper and paint cobwebs silver with a cold dew. It was sudden, like turning a page, yet the early nights were stealthy bastards, creeping up on you like the wrinkles that weren't there the last time you looked."Being a senior Forensics Officer, Andy knows exactly what he is talking about and explains the evidence clearly but without making it a checklist. The reader knows from a very early stage who has committed the crimes, but what else is there to know? The reader may also guess at other truths, but Andy saves some secrets for the end. Knowing who isn't the whole answer and you need to read to the very end to know the whole truth but be prepared for surprises along the way.I loved this book partly because it is set very close to home, but mostly because it is so very well written and sticks to the hands like glue until it is finished!

This was originally published and purchased by me when it was entitled Ledston Luck and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now it has been updated and re-released as No Time To Die it is even better still. As a CSI himself, Andy has the ability to make the reader feel as though they are observing the scenes and participating in the investigation. As a member of Andrew Barrett's Advance Reader Team I received this latest publication in exchange for an honest review. The Eddie Collins character is one you either love or hate. He is a rough diamond who takes his job as an investigating detectibe and CSI very seriously, doesn't care who he upsets in his quest to discover evidence that will convict the guilty and provide justice for those who have been wronged. He has suffered loss, had problems with alcohol, is abrasive and outspoken but has a soft heart and will go all out to protect those he loves. Finding the truth and the evidence is more important than his own safety. I love this character because he has integrity, a good heart and an ability to find evidence and solve crimes where others fail. This book can be read as a stand alone or as part of a series and it will keep you gripped from start to finish. Just when you think you have all the answers, the story tasks another turn. It has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. I thought Ledston Luck was good but this is amazing.

The ups and downs and the speed of the story as it thunders from one har raising section to the next. I can’t recommend this series of books enough to anyone who likes exiting plots, twisting and turning from one bloodcurdling scene to the next. How do you sleep at night Mr. Barrett?