My review is written with thanks to Anne Cater for the invitation to take part, and to the publisher, Wildfire, for my copy of the book through Netgalley.
Detective Constable (DC) Constance Fairchild arrives at the Met Police's base of operations to find that her boss, Detective Inspector (DI) Pete Copperthwaite has been shot in the head. Superintendent Gordon Bailey is determined to frame Con for his murder, and when Con returns home, she finds bullet holes in her mattress. Despite her suspension from active duty, she must work to clear her name and find justice for her friend. Who was responsible for Pete Copperthwaite's death?
No Time To Cry is the first novel in this new series by James Oswald, and thus a perfect time for me to receive my introduction to his work. I signed up to this blog tour on the strength of recommendations from other bloggers, and boy, was I in for a treat! The novel had everything I ask for in a crime thriller: it was creepy, atmospheric and incredibly dark! The villains were on another level, and I found myself seething at them as they thwarted Con's attempts to clear her name. I was desperate for Con to find the answers, biting my nails and gripping the edge of my seat until the culprits were found.
There are many different settings in No Time To Cry, including remote parts of Scotland, London and Northamptonshire. I felt the contrast between these locations really keenly in the way they were described, and I loved the way this contributed to the eerie atmosphere as Con was being followed.
Despite No Time To Cry being the first novel to feature DC Constance Fairchild, I have already developed a liking for her. I think that if she were a real life character, we could be friends. She is determined, she's loyal, she takes risks and she has a great sense of humour. There are some sections of the novel where Con speaks to Pete Copperthwaite's ghost. Although the supernatural elements did not initially appeal to me, they did help me to learn more about Con's relationship with her boss and how her working methods may have been influenced by his leadership. Throughout the novel, Oswald hints at her strained relationship with her family (which is explained to some extent) and her difficult time at boarding school, and I can see that she has quite a colourful past I am excited to see where the next instalments in the series take her!

No Time to Cry is a solid crime thriller. Set mainly in London the plot takes many twists and turns and you find yourself genuinely rooting for Constantine the lead character as she rushes head on deeper into the mystery. The only criticism I would give is when she's sees and talks to one of the dead characters - using them to guide them closer to trying to solve the crime. This is an easy pleasurable read with some clever touches and an intriguing plotline.

A new series from James Oswald which from this opener promises to be packed with plenty of intrigue and excitement. This book really is a page turner and the need to read on a must. A great central character in this novel, with an unusual take 'Con' gives us things to think about. Not perhaps the easiest person to get to know but once immersed in her world you are engrossed. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader occupied and it is a tale genuinely well told.
Would I read another of these novels? - Yes

#NoTimeToCry #NetGalley

WOW! What a fast paced thriller - I couldn't have picked a more perfect book if I had tried. The story of Constance who I instantly liked. I liked the way the author pulled apart her past so you intertwine in the tale. I don't give spoilers in my reviews, so don't expect one - this is a story which you get sucked into very easily.
I hadn't known it when I picked this book but it is #1 in a series, I know which author is now going on my follow list. Brilliantly written, excellent story - I can't wait for more. If you like mystery and thriller reads then don't read anymore reviews, just read this book!

Undercover ops are always dangerous, but DC Constance Fairchild never expected things to go this wrong. Returning to their base of operations, an anonymous office in a shabby neighbourhood, she finds the bloodied body of her boss, and friend, DI Pete Copperthwaite. He's been executed - a single shot to the head.
In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to make sure that blame for the wrecked operation falls squarely on Con's shoulders. She is cut loose and cast out, angry and alone with her grief... right until the moment someone also tries to put a bullet through her head.
.A new series from the author, I’ve loved his DI MacLean series so excited to read this book. The characters are very different but this is still a page turner & I hope there’s more to follow. Con or to give her, her title Lady Constance is estranged from her parents, I found that it took me some time to really warm to her but as the book progressed liked her more & more. A thoroughly good story of murder with twists & turns that kept me guessing to the end
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I was lucky enough to pick up an early copy of this book at Bloody Scotland and to have it signed. A new series by a top class author is always a bit of a squee moment and I’m thrilled to say that D.C. Constance Fairchild does not disappoint.

Set in London with brief forays further north, our protagonist is thirty year old rebel Constance Fairchild. Hailing from a long lineage that I’m guessing dates back to the reformation, Constance (never, ever, Connie) has eschewed the considerable family nest and serious network of connections and now treads her own path as a lowly D.C. in London’s Met.

The story is told through Con’s eyes, in the first person and this lends it both immediacy and poignancy when she first realises what has happened. Her closest ally at work is D.I. Peter Copperthwaite who is both friend and mentor. They are working on an undercover operation to target middle scale organised criminals when Con, called to the operations hub by Pete, finds the door open and Pete shot dead by a single bullet to the brain.

She barely has time to phone it in before she finds herself the object of suspicion. Con is very quickly ostracized by her colleagues, put on suspension by her bosses and is pretty much hung out to dry without so much as an explanation. Professional Standards are called in to investigate and Con is left out in the cold with no-one to turn to. The suspicion is that she has set Pete up for a hit. And when she, too finds herself targeted in her own home, she knows she’s going to have to find out who has set her up, and why.

A not so chance meeting in her local pub with an old school friend, Charlotte de Villiers, turns out to be the reason Con needs to get herself out of London. Charlotte’s sister Izzy has gone missing and as Charlotte is now shacked up with Constance’s brother, Ben, Charlotte asks for Con’s help to find her sister.

Con’s off the books investigation takes her home to Newton Harston, where she stays with the one member of the family she does have time for, her father’s sister, Felicity. But even in Newton Harston she is not safe and when Felicity offers her use of her place in Scotland she takes off leaving a trail of chaos behind her, none of it of her making.

A trail of loose threads is spun together to make a fast and intriguing tale full of verve that goes from the rich and well-connected Edward de Villiers to the murder of a freelance journalist and the disappearance of Isobel de Villiers.

Con is going to have to use her considerable determination and courage to outwit those who are after her and find Izzy, but Oswald has created a bold, witty and courageous protagonist who is not afraid to take chances in pursuit of the truth.

There are some trademark Oswald touches here and there that made me smile, not least the visitor in the cottage in Scotland, but this is still a very different series to his Tony McLean books and its strength lies in the strong narrative arc that makes this book such a great read.

I really liked Con, and I can’t wait to find out what happens to her next. Oswald has left his options open, but whatever she does, I’ll be there, waiting to find out.

Verdict: A great start to a new series from a terrific storyteller.

Rating: 3.5*

I’ve often said that one of my main reasons for reading a series from a writer, apart from a cracking good story of course, is the ability to get to know it’s characters especially the main character(s), the author has the time to bring that insight and depth. With No Time To Cry there is one main character and the reader is immersed in DC Constance ‘Con’ Fairchild. The story is told from her point of view, by her and we are immediately plunged into her thoughts, life and character.

The premise is terrific DC Fairchild is working an undercover operation and is called into the operations base where she finds her boss DI Pete Copperthwaite dead, he’s been shot, executed. DCI Bain attends the scene, even in the initial response to Pete’s murder it’s fast becoming clear that something is seriously amiss. Con is sent home to await a debrief.

She takes a slight detour on the way home to the station to check out the surveillance system in the ops base. What she finds only confirms all her fears and when she comes in for the debrief it’s clear where the blame is being laid. Is Con really a suspect – how could that be? Pete wasn’t just her boss, he was her friend someone she looked up to and respected she could never do such a thing! Surely they know that….

Professional Standards are being brought in and Con’s life and career seem to be going down the pan fast. Then someone tries to kill her.

An old school friend makes contact with Con, asking for help, her little sister Izzy has disappeared. Con’s a bit surprised – why hasn’t Izzy been officially reported missing?

The characters are well drawn, as you would expect from such an experienced author, the story builds pace and tension with plenty to keep you guessing along the way. Some of the characters are not too nice and some of the subject matter may be difficult but there is nothing overly graphic. I liked Con, although the role Pete was given irked ever so slightly, she has an interesting background and a strong spirit.

As the plot thickens we follow Con north to escape the threat in London and get some space to work out what’s going on. There are twists and turns to this elaborate plot which unfold as Con puts the pieces together. Will she find Izzy before it’s too late? Will she clear her name of Pete’s murder and find the real killer? This is a compelling story.

I look forward to reading more of Constance Fairchild.

With thanks to Anne Cater for the invitation to join the No Time To Cry Blog Tour and to Wildfire for a copy of the book.

As an avid fan of the Inspector McLean series, I was excited to find a new series by James Oswald, and this one didn’t disappoint. DC Constance Fairchild is a great character slightly different from the norm but every bit the perfect crime story detective that you expect, and the book is gritty, intriguing, mind boggling and packed full of classic crime thriller goodness.

I have never yet been disappointed by a James Oswald book and look forward to the next.

I loved this new James Oswald series introducing DC Constance Fairchild (Con).She is a feisty, honest ,strong character and she won't stop until she has solved the case .This is a story about undercover police ,corruption,murder with supernatural overtones thrown in what's not to love !! The story races along with twists and turns travelling from London to Scotland and back again to London ,where the story is set ,one of those books which is very hard to put down . This is a brilliant book and I can't wait to find out more about Con in the next book of the series .Many thanks to the Publisher ,the Author and NetGalley for my review copy in return for an honest review .

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this new offering featuring DS Constance Fairchild. It was gritty, very intriguing and a brain teaser, who wanted her out of the picture! I would class as a must read as it kept me hooked!

Great crime thriller in which Deceive constable Constance Fairchild is wrongly suspected of the murder of Dective Inspector Pete Coppperthwaite during an undercover operation.
Whilst suspended Constance attempts to clear her name, in doing so she uncovers some long hidden secrets.
This is an intriguing story with lots of twists and turns along the way.
Highly recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley, James Oswald and Wildfire for the opportunity to read and review this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this amazing book

another first for me...and wont be the last...

a slow start to the book but ones that gets you use to the characters and then when it starts it rolls fast and furious...

a sting op goes wrong and blame is put on the fall guy...and from there it leads to all sorts of places...well written and keeps you engaged the entire time as you want to know how it finishes...

loved it

James Oswald's DI MacLean series is one of my favourites so I was very interested to start reading a new series by him. Detective Constable Constance Fairchild is quite a different character. Actually Lady Constance, Con is from a titled affluent family and boarding school educated but has turned her back on most of her family and upbringing and rebelled, joining the Met. Over a decade later she is working under cover investigating organised crime when she gets a message from her boss DI Pete Copperthwaite and arrives to find him tortured and shot dead. Suspicion unfairly falls on her and with help from some unlikely friends and family but no support from her work she soon finds herself on the run with a price in her head. At the same time she is asked by a childhood friend to investigate the disappearance of the friend's sister since the rest of the family are strangely unbothered. Con has to use all her wits and training to prove her innocence and find the missing girl, whilst never quite knowing who to trust. An exciting page turner which hopefully will lead onto a whole new series. Recommended.

Detective constable Constance Fairchild is working with her boss Detective inspector Peter Copperthwaite who is operating undercover. She finds Pete murdered, tortured then shot in the head. Her colleagues and particularly Detective superintendent Bailey believe Con compromised Pete's operation.
Suspended she tries to clear her name as well as trying to find the sister of her Brother's girlfriend. Izzy has gone missing from her exclusive school.
Alienated from her parents she relies on her Father's sister Aunt Felicity for a safe haven. There are many obstacles in Con's way, least of all two ex military men who work for Izzy's father. Can she win through?
The author has written eight Detective inspector McLean books and this seems to be the beginning of a new series. Constance ( or Lady Constance ) to give her correct title is a feisty gutsy young woman but can she overcome so many obstacles?
Recommended as a very different police procedural. See my full review on Euro-Crime website.

I have read quite a few books from this author and I have never been disappointed. I am glad to say that this new release is of the same calibre.
I loved the Inspector MacLean series and this new series with DC Constance Fairchild is definitely wanting me to read more. This is a real page turner, has complex plotting and honestly just kept me thoroughly entertained.
Now I am eagerly awaiting the next in this explosive series.
A really really good crime thriller.
I would like to thank the author James Oswald, Headline and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

DC Constance Fairchild has discovered DI Pete Copperthwaite murdered in the office they were using as a base for an undercover operation. He’d been tortured and then shot in the head. It soon becomes evident that Con wasn’t privy to all the information about the operation and now she finds herself suspended and prime suspect for Pete’s death. Con has to go into hiding as someone has put a contract out on her and they’ve already failed once. An old childhood friend, Charlotte De Villiers, gets in contact with Con - her younger sister Isabel has gone missing and she wants Con to try and find her. A cracking read full of murder, conspiracy, corruption and abuse. Love the Inspector McLean series by the same author and like the cameo by Rose in this one. Love Constance as a character and hope to read more about her soon.

Thanks to Netgalley, Headline and James Oswald for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

it was a very good read, kept me guessing right to the end, would recommend it to all who loves a great story

No Time to Cry is fast paced, multi-layered and it is everything you would expect from a traditional crime thriller. Two lines of inquiry are followed by Constance Fairchild, and both of them are of intense personal interest to her. Both of them pose direct danger to her life. She is the link between them and she has to juggle them as they grow closer to their respective dénouement.
The prose is crisp and unrelenting. Every chapter offers new, nail-biting developments.
The plot and the writing are excellent, but I found Fairchild herself slightly unconvincing. She is a blue-blood lady, which concept instantly brings to mind the proud but tired tradition of aristocrat detectives, such as Inspectors Lynley or Alleyn. Bearing her posh upbringing and public schooling in mind, she speaks surprising like your everyday plod, inclusive of all the wisecracks, street lingo and pungent curses. She is of course not quite on speaking terms with her father – the lord of the mannor, and is condescending about Charlotte, her equally if not richer old school-friend who happens to be her brother’s girlfriend. It all feel a bit incestuous and claustrophobic to me.
Having said that, a cracking fast read, worth a try.

James Oswald's Inspector MacLean series is one of my favourite and I'm glad to say that No Time to Cry is a very good book and the start of what will hopefully be another excellent series of books.

The author by this time using a female lead character ensures that No Time to Cry clearly differentiates itself from his other books however the writing and plot line are still as strong as ever.

DC Constance Fairfield finds her work colleague shot dead but is the one who gets suspended and them framed for his murder. The story then follows the traditional line of Fairfield trying to prove her innocence whilst tracking down the real guilty parties.

There are a number of twists and turns that keep you engaged until the very end and this book is thoroughly recommended

Action packed from the first paragraph to the last page. A real engaging read and the character of Con is so likeable, and I loved the voice of her dead police partner - or is it her conscience? One of those stories where no one is to be trusted, they all have different agenda's. Builds to a climax which is as good the build up. Highly recommended.