So apparently I've missed out with James Oswald - he's completely new to me to the horror of my book club. But it's good in a way because I went into this with no expectations which with the loss of a favourite detective series can be a problem - it almost feels like cheating on an old favourite. With this book, it took a little bit of warming up to Con but very quickly I realised that the writer is great at building a character. Sometimes (especially with female detectives) everything is laid out from the start. She's tough and damaged yadda, yadda but Con is revealed to us more slowly and as a result, by the end, I was really finding her to be very likeable. For me, this was almost a five-star novel but the ending wasn't great for me, but the rest kept me hooked (and awake) through a very long nightshift. I'm looking forward to reading more.

Great thriller with lots of twists and turns. Well written and left me wanting more. Will definitely seek out other books by this author.

This is the first in an exciting new police thriller series featuring DC Constance Fairchild and to anyone who loves strong characters, intriguing plot lines, clever twists and dry humour, then I fully recommend reading this book.

No Time To Cry features the wonderful DC Constance (Con to her friends) Fairchild. A really believable and cracking character with strong opinions, an unusual family background and a determination to find the truth whatever the cost. When she discovers the dead body of her boss and mentor DI Pete Copperthwaite in their undercover offices in London, her life is literally turned upside down. Implicated in his murder, Con is on a mission to find out who killed her friend and why.

This book has so many wonderful characters and I found myself racing through the story thoroughly entertained and loving Con’s approach to life and the numerous obstacles she literally has to jump over to catch the killer. A fast paced and gripping police thriller that will not disappoint.

A really great read. Lots of twists and turns. Solid and well written. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will seek out more books by the author.

A change of hero, in this case a new heroine Constance Fairchild, but otherwise the same high quality storytelling we have come to expect from James Oswald. Good plot, lots of twists and turns but with the good guys winning through in the end.
I suppose we will hear more about Constance Fairchild in the years ahead but I suspect that just as Ian Rankin has never managed to equal Rebus then neither will Oswald create another Inspector McLean.

I wasn't sure to expect when I picked up this offering from James Oswald as I had not read anything else that he has written to date. In the first chapter, the murder of DC Constance (Con) Fairchild's boss is presented to the reader and from there we are taken on a journey involving the underworld and her extended family. Along the way, there is sufficient intrigue to capture the reader's attention, although at times credibility was stretched. Overall, this is a thoroughly good read and has ensured that I pick up a copy of Natural Causes from the Inspector McLean series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a police procedural novel with a difference - the main character is Lady Constance Fairchild (although she keeps the 'Lady' bit a secret from her colleagues, for good reason. She is extremely tough, intuitive and quick thinking, and she can see and talk to the ghost of her dead boss and friend (Pete), while being fully aware that he is not real and is a projection of her subconscious mind.

On the first page Pete is murdered but we soon realise that there is more to his death than a case of an undercover operation gone wrong. We follow Constance (Con) as she investigates both Pete's murder and the case of a missing girl from her home village in rural Northamptonshire.

The book is gritty, sometimes violent and feels very real. There were a few things I didn't like - Con's colleagues were minor characters and could have done with a bit of fleshing out (I didn't get the motivations for some of their actions); also the introduction of a transvestite called Rose, although clearly an interesting character, was suddenly dropped without that plot-line going anywhere. Those are minor points though and did not detract from my enjoyment of this book. I will certainly be following Con's adventures in her new job.

Really enjoyed this story. A solid, well-written police procedural, but really struggled to connect with the main character Con.

I am truly sorry - but this book simply didn't appeal to me. I struggled to get through the first few chapters and although I tried a few times again I did not finish it. I am sure it is a fabulous book - but it just isn't for me.

NO TIME TO CRY
JAMES OSWALD

When Detective Constable Constance Fairchild discovers the dead body of her boss at their undercover base, it's easy to point the finger at a mob hit: he was working to bring down an organised crime unit after all. But for Con it's clear that there's foul play afoot. She suddenly finds herself under investigation and shunned by her colleagues who believe she blew his cover. As she delves deeper she finds that his death is connected to the disappearance of the sister of her childhood friend. When there's an assassination attempt on her own life she's got no choice but to try and solve the case herself. It's a well-worn trope of the thriller genre, but this time it's told from the point of view of the detective, which makes this story all the more exciting. Oswald's latest book certainly moves at the breakneck pace of the Hollywood thriller it models itself on. Following the story through our hero's eyes allows us to keep up close and personal with the action as it occurs, but also shun the violence when the story takes a sinister turn. As with his other novels, Oswald has made No Time To Cry a delicious page-turner that's tightly plotted if a tad audacious at times. But a larger than life set up, with classic pantomime villains and a tough as nails female hero is sometimes the antidote we need in bleak times.

Con is an undercover Detective Constable and is called in by her boss at their safe house/ rendezvous. She arrives to find him dead. Not a simple death but tortured and then executed. It soon becomes obvious she is being blamed.

Oh my god, what a book! This has been an amazing read from start to finish and has stomped its way into my Top 10 Best Crime, Thriller reads of this year.

The main character is Constance, or as she prefers Con and she is a brilliant character. As I got to know her better I discovered that there is a lot more to her than first meets the eye. Yes, she is tenacious, feisty and is never going to be backed into a corner without coming out again fighting, she has a work ethic that means she is like a dog with a bone in regards to discovering the truth. Con is going to have a huge fight on her hands and several times I wondered how this would pan out.

The plot is so dark and does include a subject that may not appeal to all readers, for me it was enough to get a picture of the facts without being overly graphic with the details. Throughout the story, there was that ever-present feeling that absolutely no-one could be trusted, a way to build up the suspense and have the nerves tingling.

The story is set mainly in London but does take in other locations and the characters that associated with them. As for the other characters, I think you will pretty quickly work out for yourselves the ones you like or don’t.

The other locations give a chance for Con to catch the briefest of breathers with family and friends and even here I had them on the “do I trust them?” list. It left me pondering throughout as to how she would ever get through her own private investigations.#This is an absolute belter of a read with its dark and dangerous twisted paths. A story that had me at its very opening lines as that was where the suspense and intrigue started.

This for me is an absolute must-read for anyone who likes suspense-filled, female-led, crime and thriller books. The start of a new series, and I am really excited about this series and seriously look forward to more. This is a book that gets and absolutely highly recommended from me.

A new detective on the block in a police procedural that maybe the foundation stone for a new series. Constance Fairchild (Con) finds herself in an undercover operation that has gone wrong killing her friend and confidante And fellow officer Pete . McLeans link to supernatural kicks in as Pete remains an influence to Con through his spectral appearance to spur her on. The police team being investigated try to pin Petes death on Con and have her suspended. A resilient lady who will not lie down and die continues to be a detective and while suspended tries to find her friends missing sister Izzy. In pursuing this she finds links to the police corruption and ends up in a whole load of hot water and dangerous adventures. An excellent read full of twists and turns .

DC Con Fairchild is building her career in the Metropolitan Police until the day her boss is shot dead. As part of the undercover team Con finds herself in the frame for the murder but when she is targeted the response of her bosses is puzzling. Suspended from duty Con is determined to clear her name and also solve the mystery of a 16-year old girl missing in London. This investigation brings Con into contact with figures from her past and suddenly the dots are joined.
Oswald is a solid writer of police procedurals and I so wanted to like this novel which is the first in a new series. However I found that I didn't really warm to the main character - Lady Constance Fairchild felt a little too 'Dempsey and Makepeace' for me. The plot was tangled but also didn't really make sense, some good ideas were extrapolated too far. Of course it was still an entertaining and enjoyable read but I wanted more.

The first in what is hopefully a new character-based sequence from James Oswald, creator of the DI Mclean series.

This is a fast-paced, gritty, work which is an easy page turner and compelling read. The characterisation is, in general, good, sufficient for the reader to form an image yet not falling into the trap of being unnecessarily detailed. I'd like to think that the lead, Constance (or Con) will develop further as the series progresses - she's certainly been set up very well.

This is one of those stories where belief needs to be suspended in places but, having had some exposure to the subject matter in a professional capacity, not as much as one might think!

A thoroughly gripping read and a book that I would have no hesitation in recommending.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This story begins with the execution of a detective and is found by the main character of the story DC Fairchild, who is blamed for his death and suspended from duty. The story builds from there. Great story telling.

Pacy and action packed from the very first page. Undercover Met detective Constance Fairchild finds her boss and only friend on the force shot dead after being tortured. Con is blamed by her colleagues and suspended. If that wasn't bad enough, she learns there is a price on her head. Also making a welcome cameo is Madam Rose from Oswald's Inspector McLean series. A cracking fab read.

I haven't read any books by James Oswald before, so wasn't comparing No Time to Cry to his other novels and had no preconceived expectations. I enjoyed reading it - well written, fast paced and absorbing. I liked the character of Con but didn't find the other characters as well developed. However, overall this was a great read and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Headline publishers for the ARC.

Full review to come.
I deeply apologize, but life is a handful lately and I'm using all my free time to read, not review. I hope everybody understands.

Enjoyed this book and the fast paced nature of it. It took me quite a while to warm to Con as a character but I really liked her by the end. It's very gritty in the topics it deals with but the characters are mostly believable. I read it in a few hours, which was helped by the fast pace of the plot. This is my first introduction to the author but I'll look out for more from them in the future.

A fast-paced crime thriller that has everything-wealth, murder, corruption, vice, incest, ghosts. In all honesty, I did not enjoy it as much as I expected to. I prefer some of the author's other titles such as The Inspector McLean series which I think is much better. Four Stars.