Neil Lawson – Google

Lazy writing. There are occasional flashes of the true Jack Reacher but this story smacks so loudly of a novel knocked out by Lee Child and his brother over a weekend and to satisfy their publisher's targets. If you are a Reacher fan , do not bother. You will be disappointed and irritated. If you have never read a Reacher novel, then if you read this one you won't bother to read any others. It is poor.

The quality of Ian Rankin's prose just gets better and better. No word is wasted. No phrase is unnecessary. The storyline is always compelling and the conclusion never obvious. Characterisation is key too. Always a terrific read. This book though, grabs you immediately and it is a roller coaster of emotions as you race towards the finish always hoping for the best for our beloved main character, but fearing the worst. Anxious now to know where the character next takes us. Don't wait to read it. Start now so that there are no spoilers.

I have to confess that I have never watched any of the previous series. Should I now hang my head in shame ? Having now watched the first two episodes of the current series I realise that I have to start viewing at the very beginning ( after all, it is a very good place to start ). I am devastated that I have somehow missed one of the most outrageously funny and ridiculous series on TV. It is a spoof is it not ? The murder of a prominent Cabinet Minister in full view of the watching world investigated by a washed out Liverpol copper in a raincoat and an energetic and upcoming young detective ably supported by a team of 3 ( yes,three ) outstanding forensic scientists capable of performing a huge multitude of roles far beyond that of a reasonable human being whilst still having time for nookie and their own private investigations. I suspect ( clever use of a word there ) that perhaps they have also been involved in plot development. After 2 episodes I am thoroughly hooked. I am struggling to sleep, constantly agonising whether all of Sam Ryan's smirks and grimaces are evidence of double, treble or even quadruple connivance and involvement in the now multiple murders. Agonising too about the foolhardiness of our main character as she abandons all her principles and attempts to increase her potential jail sentence every 10 minutes of each episode. Truly riveting. Truly incredible. Truly side splitting. Sam Ryan " Live at the Apollo". Can't wait.

I would gladly have switched off or over after struggling for 20 mins to be interested. Yes, Martin Freeman is excellent but the premise of a 'damaged' response officer being allowed to continue working and to be working alone, is simply unsustainable and the developing plot is somewhat staid and predictable. Born and brought up in Liverpool I have an advantage in understanding the accent and the dialogue but I struggled and was having to concentrate very hard throughout. As a character he is difficult to like, or even to be sympathetic towards. I suspect this may change over future episodes but the success of a series is dependent upon viewer engagement. Quite honestly, I am not bothered what happens to him, to the young female addict or to the archetypal drug dealer. Not for me .