I'm not familiar with James Oswald but the start of a new detective series is usually a good place to start. This is the first book featuring DC Constance Fairchild (Con). Hearing the story in her voice throughout really draws you in and helps the reader get to know her really quickly and it's good to see a feisty and determined female lead. This is a gritty tale of Con doing undercover work in a shabby part of London, to returning to her station to find a good friend and colleague has been shot dead and she is the prime suspect. Well written, and avoids most of the usual female stereotypes which is pleasing. I found I liked Con a lot and would definitely read more of this series.

This is the first book in a series based around the character of Constance Fairchild She investigates the murder of her boss and the twist and turns keep coming. I liked the character of Connie but some of the story needed more work. Hopefully the series and characters development will improve. The ending was surprising but was predictable.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Detective Constable Constance Fairchild has been part of an undercover operation with her boss. She finds her boss dead in a chair in his office. He’s been shot in the head execution style. Afterwards it seems that someone in the met wants to pin this firmly on Constance. She’s suspended and left alone to deal with everything. She has people trying to kill her at any opportunity.
I liked this book even though it took me a little while to get into the story. This is the first book I have read by this author and I now plan on reading the rest of the series. I would recommend this book to others as it is very good and keeps you guessing at every twist and turn. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read this book in e Vance for my honest review.

No Time to Cry is the first book in the DC Con Fairchild series by one of my favourite authors. I am not sure why it has taken me so long to start this series but as they say better late than never and on the plus side it does mean that I know I have two more books in this series waiting in the wings to be read and I don’t have to wait to read them.
With the book opening with Con finding her boss and friend murdered, she quickly becomes the prime suspect and is suspended from the force. There is clearly something not quite right and you straight away get the feeling she is being hung out to dry by some in the team that for whatever reason don’t like her and resent her being there. None of this sits well with her and despite everyone telling her to leave well alone she does some digging. Alongside this she is contacted by an old schoolfriend to see if she can find out what has happened to her younger sister who has gone missing. Hoping that this will be an easy job and a distraction whilst she is waiting to hear about her career she tackles her past head on in search of answers.
It is this investigation that provides some of the most action along with a dark and disturbing theme. Whilst at times unpleasant to read it is not in your face nor is there anything there purely for sensations sake. Throughout the book we get to learn more about Con, her background and her upbringing that really put her at odds with her chosen profession whilst at the same time making complete sense. I have to say that I really like her. She may be a bit prickly but there is just something that makes her the person you would want in your corner when things got tough.
Despite it being a change from the author’s main series there is a small nod to it that fans will get straight away in the form of one specific character and this familiar face brought a smile to mine as I was reading. The action, pace and interesting characters are something that I have come to love from James Oswald so much so that within 24 hrs I had read the whole thing with only that pesky thing called sleep preventing me from reaching for book number 2 straight away

Never tried this author b4 and i would recommend him and as i really enjoyed this book.

I would certainly b looking for more this author books.

First published back in July 2018, No Time To Cry was the first in a new series from James Oswald. Book 2 (Nothing to Hide) has been released and I understand the third book will be released before the end of this year. Which means I have a couple of months to read Nothing to Hide so I can roll straight into the third book – I absolutely loved No Time To Cry and I know know I don’t want to miss out on the Constance Fairchild novels.

Constance (Con) Fairchild finds her boss Pete Copperthawite murdered in the rooms the police had been using to run an undercover operation. As the most recent visitor to the rooms her colleagues question whether Constance was sufficiently careful to ensure she had not been followed thus blowing Pete’s cover. Pressure mounts on Con and to ensure her safety she takes herself away from work and heads back to her childhoom home.

Not that Con has missed home, she has had a complicated upbringing and her career choice is not one her family could understand. However, a childhood friend has asked Con to help find her younger sister who seems to have disappeared and hasn’t been in contact with her family. As Con digs deeper into the missing girl’s background she uncovers troubling evidence to suggest there is very good reason behind her absence. But this is not information which powerful people will allow to come to light and Con finds herself in even more danger than before.

Fans of James Oswald know he writes a great thriller and No Time To Cry is no exception. I flew through this one in a couple of days and had a huge grin on my face when a cameo appearance from a character in the Inspector McLean books suddenly popped up in Constance’s world.

Annoyed at myself for not reading this book sooner – terrific fun, I need more Constance Fairchild on my shelves.

The 1st book I’ve read by James Oswald and already I’m looking forward to the next instalment of this new series.

This had me hooked from the outset. A strong female lead however not your stereotypical police procedural story. So many twists to keep you intrigued.

Thoroughly recommended 4.5 stars

I haven't read any books by this author, and therefore was intrigued when I glanced at the reviews of this that a number of readers didn't rate this new DC Constance Fairchild series as highly as his previous Inspector McClean series. Not having those as a benchmark, I went in to DC Fairchild's first book with virgin eyes. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.

In fact, there wasn't just 'no time to cry', there was hardly time to draw breath! Constance…or Con…as she likes to be known, is a hard-nosed, feisty, independent, kick-arse protagonist. And she has to use every one of those resources, and more, to prove her innocence when she is accused of wrecking a whole undercover operation that was tragically blown when her boss in charge of it is brutally murdered.

I had a few misgivings about a man writing as a woman, but Oswald does it well. It's hard to dislike Con, not just because she's determined and smart…it's easy to understand why she's a DC…but because she's dedicated to her profession: putting away the bad and badder guys. It's written in first-person POV, which is fine, and in the present tense (sorry, not fine, but a good book makes that just about forgivable).

The book marches along at a cracking pace. The scene is set from the get-go, and then it grips you unashamedly.

One teensy niggle is Oswald's inability to get there's and there are right. 'There's better ways....' There are better ways, please, and too many other instances of this.

Notwithstanding, I'm not only motivated to read subsequent DC Fairchild books, but I'm definitely going to catch up with Inspector McClean too.

Four stars from me.

Good story line and characters that you engage with easily. Moves along at a decent pace also.

Not afraid to have a female lead who is believable in a senior detective role.

I'll look for more in the series.

I have read other books by James Oswald but I really enjoyed this first one of a new series with a female main character. Some humour, plenty of twists, good procedural crime book.

This is a new series featuring a new detective and I can see this going places. I love her youthfulness, and the way she approaches cases. In this book she has to deal with the death of a good friend, a colleague, and helps to discover who the killer is. That was a twist that I didn't see coming! Recommended.

Unfortunately I read this book a while ago and seem to have missed it when writing reviews. - sadly I cant remember enough detail to give a full review.
However, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :-)

Con Fairchild is from a privileged background which she has shunned for a life as a Detective in the Met. Her life turns to turmoil when her partner is killed and she is framed for his murder - while at the same time dodging hitmen as she has a price on her head. She is also involved in trying to find a family friend who has mysteriously disappeared - even though the girl's father doesn't appear to want her to be found. An enjoyable read that will keep you guessing.

Was a bit unsure of this book at the beginning but so glad that I continued. My first book by this author and I was thrilled to read on to discover that the story was brilliantly executed. Detective Constance Fairchild -Con - is suspended from duty after an undercover operation goes wrong, suspected of foul play by her department she is shunned by those she worked with. A ‘chance’ meeting with an old school friend telling of a missing sister brings in more mystery to Con’s life. A dead colleague - her boss -, a missing girl - how is it all connected? Who can she trust and will she get to the bottom of who killed her now ex boss.
Loved the book and will be looking for more from the author.

No Time To Cry is the first book in a new series by James Oswald and oh boy what a cracker it is. Set in London we’re introduced to the main character DC Constance ‘Con’ Fairchild as she finds the body of her boss DI Pete Copperthwaite, he’s not only her boss but a good friend as well, so as you can imagine she’s devastated. Before Con has a chance to find out what’s happening she’s suspended and under investigation.
Con comes from a privileged background but has worked hard to distance herself from that life. She doesn’t have any friends in the police force apart from Pete, so when he dies she finds herself alone and with no one to talk to and mull things over with but that doesn’t deter her and we see how determined and strong-minded she is.
Con is a fantastic character, from the very first meeting I was intrigued by her and after finishing the book I’m even more intrigued. Over the course of the book we find out a lot about Con but I’m really excited to see what else she has to tell us, to find out a bit more about this fantastic character.
No Time To Cry is one of those books that takes you on a journey along with the main character, it was easy to see it play out in my head like a film as I was reading which was particularly disturbing when the bad guys came along, serious shivers down the back with these guys, I warn you.
James Oswald has written a story that had me totally and utterly gripped and unable to put it down. From page one the tension had my blood pressure up and I don’t think it’s come down yet. With a few different threads through out I found it difficult to see how it was all going to come together but it does and it’s done spectacularly well.
There is nothing I can fault with this book apart from it came to an end. Even though it was a satisfactory ending I just wanted to keep on reading, I’d say that was the sign of a blooming good book, wouldn’t you? So roll on book two, I know I’ll definitely be buying it.

Although this book was well plotted and written, I really struggled with the central character. Surely no-one in the police force is so universally disliked there is not a single person with a friendly smile and comforting shoulder, however badly you may mess up.

I am such a huge fan of James Oswald and his Inspector McLean series I was beyond excited when I discovered he was putting pen to paper to start a brand new series. No Time To Cry is the first book in that series and for some absolutely unknown reason it has taken me far too long to sit down and read it!

No Time To Cry starts as it means to go on, with no holds barred. As Con finds her boss, and friend, dead. Murdered in their base of operations, an office that very few people knew about. Now fans of the Inspector McLean series will know that James Oswald, does not shy away from the shocking, or the gruesome. The opening of No Time To Cry is actually a little tame in comparison to some of the Tony McLean books but hooks you in none the less.

From that point on I simply could not put the book down and breezed through it in a single sitting. Finding herself under suspicion for Pete’s death Con is suspended from the force, trying to decide if she should just quit, like they so clearly want her to, or to stick it out and try and discover what happened to Pete herself and clear her name. Sitting in the pub one night she’s approached by an old school friend, who asks her for help finding her sister who never arrived back after taking the train home from boarding school. With threats on her life Con finds herself heading back to the one place she’d happily left behind years ago – home. The story follows Con up and down the country as she searches for Isobel, and tries to clear her own name, taking in her old school, the village she once called home, and the beautiful countryside of Scotland. James Oswald’s writing will draw you in, leaving you eager to discover new hints as you try and piece everything together.

Constance Fairchild is such a fascinating character, I really enjoyed discovering more about her as the book went on, the differences between her life of choice in the police force, and the one she was born into, that of Lady Constance, daughter of a wealthy landowner. I enjoyed the fact she was independent, determined, she didn’t just lie down and accept the misogynistic attitudes that found her within the police. At the same time I appreciated the fact that she didn’t get everything right all the time, she was a good investigator but not perfect.

I wasn’t sure whether to talk about Pete as if he was a separate character or not – Pete certainly won’t be for everyone and he may even put some people off the book but I loved Pete! Now Pete is found dead right at the beginning of the book but it’s far from the last we see of him. Ghost or Con’s subconscious come to form he pops up from time to time, helping her think – or just prodding at her. I found him to be a great presence in the book. I’m not sure if this will be the end of Pete, but I don’t think I’ll be disappointed if he reappears in the next book.

And then we have Aunt Flick – I adored Aunt Flick! The elder sister of Con’s dad she is the one member of Con’s family she turns to in her time of need, and she helps without blinking an eye. I must say I’m intrigued to find out what happened five years ago the last time they saw one another and argued! Another plus point for Aunt Flick, she knows Madam Rose! For those unfamiliar with Madam Rose, she’s a character within the Inspector McLean novels, and I was so excited when she popped up in this novel, it was like a little piece of home in a foreign country! But back to Aunt Flick, I hope we’ll see more of her going forward.

I had comments about a few other characters but I won’t say anything about them, in case I accidentally give any of the plot away. I’ll just say there are a few I’ll be happy to not see again, and a few I’m hoping will!

Final Thoughts
This is a excellent start to what I am quite sure will be another stunning series from James Oswald. I’m looking forward to finding out what comes next for Con, and seeing if we might just get a visit from another character from his Inspector McLean novels!

A bit late to the party in terms of my review and for that I apologise, however, I have to say that once I got around to reading it I thoroughly enjoyed this first Constance Fairchild novel. Action packed, with intrigue, humour and crimes to be solved. I can only hope that James Oswald is working on Constance Fairchild 2 . Highly recommended.

No Time To Cry is a fantastic start to a new series by James Oswald, an author I’ve heard lots about but have never read until now.

The story starts straight away with one of the most hard hitting openings I’ve read. I felt immediately drawn into the story and the action, intrigued as to what happenned. What follows is a very action packed, dark novel which is quite gruesome in places. Oswald definitely knows how to set a scene and the graphic descriptions made the story seem very real. I definitely found myself holding my breath at times and not just because of the fascinating story line but sometimes to try and process what I was reading.

I loved the main character Constant Fairchild who seemed a very capable, strong police officer. I found I really admired the strength and determination she showed trying to find out what happened against all odds. I was on her side the whole way through the book hoping she would be successful and prove her superiors wrong.

This is the first book by this author I have read, which I seriously can’t believe as I thought the writing and story was superb! I’ve already ordered some more books from him and I’m so excited to read those too.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Jenni from Wildfire for my copy of this book. If you like fast paced, gritty crime novels then you’ll love this book!