Killing Rock (A Sullivan and Broderick Murder Mystery Book 3) by @RobertDaws ~ #CrimeFiction Set in Gibraltar @HobeckBooks #TuesdayBookBlog

Author: Robert Daws

Published: July 2020 by Hobeck Books

Category: Crime Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Book Review

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A wealthy family massacred. Unidentified mummified remains. Is there a connection?

Gibraltar is shaken by echoes from its history once again as a serial killer stalks the Rock.

Detectives Tamara Sullivan and Gus Broderick face the most dangerous and elusive murder investigation of their lives, and for Sullivan, it’s about to become all too personal.

Can their relationship endure this latest peril, and will the Rock ever escape its ghosts?

Killing Rock, book three in the series featuring Detective Sergeant Tamara Sullivan and Chief Inspector Gus Broderick, begins in 2005 as a woman, scared for her life, attempts to flee Spain for Gibraltar.

Fast forward to the present and Tamara, who was seconded to Gibraltar from the Met for three months after being cleared of a charge of professional misconduct, was initially less than impressed with the move. Surprised to find she began to enjoy living and working on the Rock, she was delighted when her superior offered her a permanent job with the proviso she took a months leave as per the RGP’s administrative requirements. As Tamara is due to begin her leave, house sitting in Spain for a former police officer and old friend of Broderick’s, human remains are discovered on a redevelopment site in Gibraltar.

‘DC Calbot is at the hospital with Jayden Krupps and Danny Mates. What you have here will dictate whether we bring in all three of the demolition employees for questioning.’

“There’s no chance of them having anything to do with this, ma’am,’ Broderick said. “Looks like murder. Historic by a decade, we think. Once we’ve searched here, it’ll be a question of looking for the people who put up the warehouses in 2005.’

‘Press and media aren’t on to this yet,’ Massetti said. “Let’s hope it stays that way for a while. A body found on land that’s about to be turned into a billion-euro flagship development is not the kind of publicity Gib needs right now. I’m sure you’ll agree.’

While in Spain Tamara meets Inspector Consuela Danaher, the house owner’s daughter, and and can’t help becoming involved in her investigation, which turns out to more dangerous than either of them were prepared for. Meanwhile in Gibraltar, Broderick’s murder case takes a very unexpected and personal turn.

Having read and enjoyed the first two books, I was invested in this series and Killing Rock is a much anticipated return to a wonderfully atmospheric location and clearly defined, engaging characters. Dialogue and relationships are realistic and in keeping with the story.

The well crafted and perfectly paced storyline alternates between Gibraltar and Spain, areas the author obviously knows well, with intrigue and a twisty plot, action scenes and tension, mystery and murder, all coming together in an ending that I wasn’t expecting at all. The writing is vividly descriptive with a definite sense of place, and Robert Daws keeps up the momentum throughout. Looking forward to book 4.

Book links ~ Amazon UK | Amazon US | B&N | Hobeck Books

About the Author

Robert Daws is a British film, television and theatre actor best known for his roles in long running television series such as the award winning Outside Edge, Roger, Roger, Jeeves and Wooster, The Royal, Rock and Chips, Casualty and many other appearances to date.

 

His film work includes Arthur’s Dyke and Land of the Blind with Donald Sutherland and Ralph Fiennes.

Most recent theatre work includes Michael Frayn’s Alarms and Excursions, Diary of A Nobody, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes and Yes Prime Minister in London’s West End.

Many productions for BBC Radio include the returning detective series Trueman and Riley which he co-created with Brian B Thompson.

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