Can I breathe now!? I mean wow, I feel like I am coiled up right after reading that! Now before I gush about this book, it is the 3rd in the series for Zac Boateng, it can be read as a stand-alone. It follows the events of book one which I have not read. Yet, apart from a couple of references, I didn’t feel like I needed to have read the first one. Saying I had brought the first book after finishing the second one!

So where do I start! The number of times I was led up the garden path was unreal! I mean I started to do a squeal and a happy dance because I was adamant I knew who the Kaiser was WRONG that will teach me. You are thrown off the scent and even though I had my suspicions well let me leave it there, all I can say is well played Mr Merritt well played.

So Zac is back, the family still has an Amelia shaped hole following book one, but this time it’s his son that is in danger! Not going to lie, I was woken up by my daughter at 5am and so I decided to read, my jaw dropped when I was reading this and it made me also give my daughter a huge squeeze.

I could relate to Zac’s behaviour and secrecy because he did not know who to trust, always one step behind, but why? He proved, like most parents would, that you would go to any lengths for your kin when there is the danger. Zac is flawed but he is passionate and he is loyal and he is a family man. All of this ooze out of him every step of the job. Whilst the majority of the book is Zac leading us, it was nice to garner it from other points of view.

We got insights from Kat Jones, a friend of Zac in a tight spot with her own dilemma of whether to help him or not. Connelly, on his team, always there for him trying to find Kofi, Zac’s boy. Kofi also gives us the sad, heartbreaking and harrowing experience of being taken, pretending to be a superhero to get through each minute. Darian Wallace the protagonist from book one, back with revenge on his mind. Susanna Pym, in a new role schmoozing the politicians, whilst leaning on an unknown person to keep tabs on the task force at hand, wanting to frame someone for the cock-ups. Then finally, an unknown voice, could this be Kaiser, watching everything and everyone and knowing things.

I sped through this book is a couple of sittings, I didn’t want to stop. The book is relentless and you find the answers are always just that bit out of your grasp, bit like dangling a carrot in a donkeys face!

I thoroughly enjoyed my second outing with Zac. I felt everything for him and Etta. I loved that this type of book could make you feel so many emotions you just don’t know whether you are coming or going and so many OMG moments too!!

i've been a big fan of this series and can't believe I've actually fallen behind with it. That is put right now as I've just managed to read book 3 and what a read it was.
I love the tormented character that is Zac Boateng. He's a true family man as well as a hard working officer. His family is his world and he will do all he can to protect them.
I actually couldn't turn the pages of this book quick enough. It had me hooked from the word go. Then you start to tell yourself off because you could have read this book so much sooner than I did.
As I say with all books in a series, it could be read as a standalone but you would miss out on so much of the back story that for me it needs reading as part of the series and in the correct order.
This for me was the best book in the series so far, The author knows what his readers and want and delivers it with cherries on top.
​An edge of your seat thriller you really don't want to miss.

This book was not for me. It was a struggle to even finish it
A huge disappointment and one which I won’t be recommending

A great action/ thriller/ mystery all rolled into one good story about a policeman who suffered the loss of a child through murder and has never quite recovered from the loss. As he works through his daily events, he keeps his focus on solving the one crime he cannot allow to remain unsolved. This thread runs through all of his actions. Then, his family is attacked again and he must save them using any means he can. Chris Merritt gives his characters life and a brain that works. They make reading his books very entertaining. While this is not the first book in this series, it can be read as a stand alone, but you should definitely treat yourself and read the first two.

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author, Chris Merritt, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Life or Death in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

What a well thought out and written storyline. The author has provided an action packed thrill ride of a novel with well drawn, engaging characters. I had to stay up into the early hours to finish reading.

Well worth a read.

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was action packed from the beginning. An intense British police thriller with lots of twist and turns. Told from multiple points of views, the author does a great job keeping the pace of the story and taking us on a twisted ride. Zac is a no nonsense detective who is determined to find the man behind the accidental death of his daughter. He is pulled into the underground world and risks it all for justice. Great read.

Life or Death – Chris Merritt

Chris Merritt has written a delicious police procedural with the Detective Inspector Zac Boateng of the Metropolitan Police. This is the third novel in the series and luckily I’ve been there from the start. Although these books can be read as a standalone there are many references to events and people from the past that may leave you with more questions than answers.

Zac is a stubborn, tenacious man with a propensity to keep secrets and work under the radar. In this book we find out more about the team around him, in my opinion there’s nothing worse than there being names thrown in and that we know nothing of their personal sides

If you’ve read the others you will know that Zac lost his daughter Amelia to a gunshot wound purely by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This nearly breaks Zac making his son, Kofi more precious than ever before and then bang Kofi goes missing.

The police stopped a car with two young black men in which leads to a shootout in London where an officer and a participant are killed. The boot of the car turns out to be a gangbangers' idea of a mobile sweetie shop. Operation Pluto is set up to find the
gun-runner who we know only as ‘Kaiser’ and to shut him down. The surviving occupant from the car is arrested (obviously) and during his interviews he gives them information that could help find him but he’s found dead of an apparent overdose while on remand. Zac firmly believes that Kaiser is a relatively senior Metropolitan Police Office who has abused his position to move drugs, guns and money all over the world.

I couldn’t believe what I was reading my heart was in my mouth the whole time and I galloped my way to the finish line. The overwhelming emotion throughout this is his pure love and adoration for his wife and remaining child and that he will/would stop at absolutely nothing to protect/save them.

I’m already wondering when I can get my hands on book four.

Read for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre Publishers

I have read, reviewed and absolutely adored the first two books in the series featuring DI Zac Boateng written by Chris Merritt. I couldn’t wait to grab a copy of his new book called ‘Life Or Death’. Well ladies and gents the wait is now over as ‘Life Or Death’ was released on 23rd January 2019. It really is a stonking read, which I thoroughly enjoyed but more about that in a bit.
What can I say about Zac Boateng? He’s a dedicated police officer, who thinks the world of his little family. There is just him, his wife and his son. He does also have a daughter but she passed away. She was killed and nobody has been arrested for her murder. Boateng is still pursuing the case. He’s a bit like the Incredible Hulk as regards protecting his family. By that I mean that if anybody threatens his family, he will ‘split his shirt’ as it were and go on the rampage. Zac feels that now his son is being targeted and he will stop at nothing to protect him. Zac tries hard to balance his work and home life but sometimes mixing the two is unavoidable. Zac is kind, he is gentle most of the time and he is compassionate towards others. Boateng is determined, stubborn, occasionally headstrong and he is a police officer, who gets results although he sometimes bends the rules ever so slightly. I took to his character from the start and by the end of the book I felt like he was a true friend, who would always have your back.
OMG ‘Life Or Death’ was one hell of a read that at times scared the poop out of me, but then I am a big wimp. Dear oh dear there were times when I didn’t want to turn the page because I feared what was going to happen next, but then I realised that I had to read on if I had any hope of finding out how the story ended. It didn’t take me long at all to get into the story and pretty much by the end of the first paragraph, I knew that this was a book that would prove impossible to put down and so it proved to be. My Kindle wasn’t exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. I just couldn’t stop reading and I finished the book in the space of a day, which is very rare for me. The author has a writing style that entices you into the book and keeps your interest all the way through the story with something new and different happening over every page. I particularly enjoy the fact that this is a crime novel with more than a twist of psychology to explain why people do what they do. I hope that makes sense. Criminal psychology is an interest of mine as I find it fascinating and my fantasy job would be a Criminal Psychologist. I loved the wide range of characters and I particularly liked Boateng. Reading this book was much like being on a very scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride, with twists and turns aplenty along the way.
In my view, ‘Life Or Death’ is the best book of the Detective Boateng series so far. This is one series that just gets better and better. This series needs to be adapted for television and who better to play DI Zac Boateng than Idris Elba? I would definitely recommend this author and this series to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Chris Merritt comes up with next. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This is the third book in the series featuring Detective Zak Boateng and his team and it is certainly the best book of the series. Zak is a family man, with a wife and young son and has never recovered from the death of his daughter and has never given up on the search for her killer. Zak manages to obtain some information out of a witness in custody after a shooting and the death of a police officer regarding Kaiser, the person responsible for his daughter’s death and starts the hunt for her killer. This is made more difficult for Zak as it appears that Kaiser could be a police officer and even a member of his own team. When Zak’s son is kidnapped it becomes a race against time to find Kaiser. This is a fast paced and gripping thriller, the action and suspense will have you totally hooked.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series. A brilliant read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this. It's the third book in the series. It could certainly be read as a standalone but it would be beneficial to read the previous two to get some background information.
Chris Merritt's books are explosive and full-on with action galore! I had it read in two days and would highly recommend it to anyone. Absolutely brilliant!!

I’m a huge fan of this author and in my opinion he keeps getting better and better. Life Or Death was no exception as I couldn’t out this book down.

The subject of this book is one of my worse nightmares so I was instantly intrigued and on Zach’s side. His love for his family shines through and it soon becomes very clear that he’ll stop at nothing to save his family. Some of the scenes regarding this were very tense and my heart was in my mouth as I watched it all unfold. I felt so involved in the story that if I could have jumped into the book to help I would have done! I actually found myself dreaming about the events in the book and trying to work out a satisfactory ending, with me as the hero naturally, which is always a sign of a terrific read.

The book is very fast paced and there is always something happening that makes the book impossible to put down. I kept promising myself that I’d only read I’ve more chapter and looked up to find it was midnight. I was totally absorbed in the story and wanted to keep reading as I needed to find out what happens.

This is the third book in the series and while it is probably better to read the books in order you could read this as a standalone as everything you need to know is explained. I can’t wait for the next in the series to find out what happens next.

Huge thanks to Noelle from Bookouture for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you like fast paced, high action and absorbing thrillers then you’ll love this book!

What a prologue!! Zac has got himself into a right pickle! And no! Chapter One is set 8 days previous!!!! How?! Why?!? This start was just not fair!!! I needed to know why Zac was where he was right away, not in 300 odd pages!

This time is personal, Kaiser has taken extra steps to prevent Zac tracking him down. Distraction for the mission, hitting Zac where it hurts. He knows Kaiser is close to home but who can Zac trust? I really didn’t know who was friend or foe; my opinion changed throughout and I didn’t trust anyone!

Kat Jones comes into her own in Life Or Death. She is desperate to help Zac in his mission but will he let her in? Her parkour training sounds amazing. I wish I had the inclination or time to seriously give it a try though I think it might actually break me in the process!!

I can’t not mention Darian Wallace. The nutter from Last Witness is back. He’s not a man to be messed with but he’s no longer calling the shots…how will he cope with not being the king pin and having to take orders from someone else??!

This fast paced dark crime thriller kept me guessing at every turn and looking over my shoulder as no one could be trusted.

This is the third in the DI Zac Boateng series, while it could be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading at least the previous book, Last Witness as certain aspects of the storyline overlap.

This is another tense and emotionally gripping read, the perfect addition to this action packed series!

I do wonder if Chris Merritt enjoys torturing poor Zac! He lost his daughter Amelia in a gangland shooting, now his eleven year son Kofi is in danger. Add to that he’s hunting the ruthless Kaiser. the person he feels is responsible for his daughters death. He’s facing pressure from his boss, bending the rules and trying to keep it together for his wife. How much can one character take???

There was a little political angle in there too, with the introduction of the MP for policing Susana Pym, who’s ambitious and a little underhanded. I think she’d appeal to those people who are fans of BBC drama Bodyguard.

Truth be told, my attention did wander a little in the middle of the book but was brought back with a really explosive and action packed ending.

I’d recommend Life or Death to anyone who enjoys fast paced police procedurals with a gripping storyline.

What the f.......!!!!!!!!! How on Earth am I meant to review this?! Geeeeeezo my poor heart! Zac always seems to grab the short straw really, doesn't he? He certainly doesn't get much luck heading his way, that's for sure!

If you haven't read any of Chris Merritt's previous novels; don't fret. Whilst 'Life or Death' is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. That said, each book has information in the storyline referencing a previous book, so if you don't mind only having the basic information about past events, then yes, these books are fine to read on their own. I, having read all three books, fully recommend all of them to be shunted to the top of your TBR piles, like yesterday. They are THAT good!

So yes, once again Zac finds himself in the firing line. It doesn't seem to matter that his daughter was murdered - someone still wants to make Zac and what's left of his family, to suffer. What a lovely person they must be!

I jest. They aren't. They are a womble of the cockerel variety!

This book is very, very dark and severely intense. I mean, it has to be given the nature of the storyline and what Zac finds himself up against! Chris Merritt certainly has upped the ante where this storyline is concerned - I am genuinely surprised my heart didn't fall out of my mouth (not possible I know but it felt like it might!!). Even though parts of the storyline made me feel incredibly uncomfortable, the author was very clever in creating a storyline which was so addictive, it didn't seem to matter how uncomfortable or nervous I became, I wasn't able to tear my eyes away until the book had finished. Seriously, I even read some of the chapters through squinted eyes as I was afraid that the inevitable was going to happen! You never know with Chris Merritt - he loves to keep his readers on their toes and raise their heartbeats a tad!!

'Life or Death' had me on tenterhooks the entire way through and, whilst a large portion of the storyline made for quite uncomfortable reading, I couldn't help but be addicted with the phenomenal storyline my eyes were digesting. The characters were utterly brilliant, even the ones which had huge question marks looming over their heads - they helped make the story what it was! Don't get me wrong, I wanted them to get their comeuppance in the most inhumane way possible, but still - beggars can't be choosers.....right? ;).

I cannot recommend 'Life or Death' even more if I tried! Chris Merritt has completely outdone himself with his exceptionally crafted, wonderfully gritted, severely intense, and extremely gratifying novel which, I have to say, is wayyyyyyy more addictive than coffee. This is the book of all books and I for one cannot WAIT to read more from this author!

Life or Death is book three in the Detective Zac Boateng series. Best read in order as contains references to the previous books before. This has to be the best one yet surely? Wow!

Poor Zac has had to face so much in this previous books I didn’t think it could get much worse, oh how wrong was I? Very. Absolutely brilliant. I felt for this guy all the way through, he never gives up, would do anything for his family (literally) and is determined with a plan and his team by his side.

A real page turner that just gets better the more you read. Had my heart racing especially towards the end as its gets brutal and dark! Loved it. The whole story line has to be one of the worst things to ever experience, I wouldn’t be able to cope if it happened to me. I dont want to give too much away as it really is a belter of a book, one you won’t regret buying and enjoy throughally.

Fast paced and cleverly written which keeps the reader hooked. Not the outcome I expected at all. A true shocker to the system. Highly recommend. A well deserved four stars from me.

To be fair I have not read the other books in the series, I was actually unaware it was part of a series. Having said that I can honestly say that I will not be going back to the previous books nor will I read any sequels.
The premise is sound but the execution left me cold.
Zac is a detective in the police and following his daughter's murder years before he is still trying to trace the police officer involved in her death. In between this, another case involving an arm dealer, known only as "Kaiser" is unfolding. As Zac gets closer to unmasking Kaiser and ruining his business, Kaiser is getting closer to Zac's family. Their is also a lot of police department politics involved which bored me a bit and took attention away from any tension that my have built up.
I really battled to finish this book and picked it up and put it down several times. I felt very little for Zac and even less for his colleagues. Without adding in a spoiler I also felt that the way Zac and wife coped with the news about their son was wholly unrealistic - you make dinner together while dealing with that situation?
The novel didn't do it for me, neither as a thriller nor as a police procedural.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an advanced copy of #LifeOrDeath in exchange for an honest review.

This could have been a good mystery-thriller-procedural, but unfortunately the plot is based on several stupid mistakes by the police. That is not very probable, and never something I enjoy reading about.

"Revenge didn't always help."

This third police procedural/crime thriller featuring DI Zac Boateng of the Met Police is quite complex and involves quite a lot of action as he and the rest of the Lewisham team try to solve the case known as Operation Pluto. As you know from previous books, Zac likes to go off on his own and he's still looking for the man responsible for his daughter's death 5 years ago. His partner, DS Kat Jones is trying to keep tabs on him at the behest of DCI Krebs, especially after an informant dies in jail and Zac had visited him shortly before the supposed drug overdose. Then, Zac's son, Kofi, is kidnapped -- but he doesn't tell anyone as ordered by text message and he and his wife Etta try to meet the abductor's demands so they can get their son back. It's all seemingly connected to a criminal man or organization involved in gun dealing that is referred to as Kaiser -- but is this Kaiser connected somehow to the very police who are meant to be hunting him down?

Lots of characters to keep straight and a complicated bit of investigation with red herrings dangled to lead the reader on to the climax and the reveal. The narrative is told from several points of view which adds to the complex construction of the novel but offers a bit of insight into the motivation of some of the characters. I'm sure we'll be reading more about Zac and his mission in future novels. Zac is the typical family man who happens to be a dedicated detective and, atypically for this genre, has a happy home life. He's the quintessential "good guy" whose main focus is to discover more about why his daughter died and who was responsible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this e-book ARC to read and review.

The third book in this series, LIFE OR DEATH by Chris Merritt is an energetic and dangerous game of cat and mouse and I really enjoyed it.

Zac will never give up his search for his daughter's killer and when he gets a sniff of the perpetrator he launches himself into a solitary search for justice and revenge. But Zac has no idea that the net of danger is closing in around him and is much closer to home than he could ever imagine.

Gripping, well-paced, and with characters that will tug on your heartstrings, LIFE OR DEATH by Chris Merritt is a cleverly written crime fiction novel with an edge. You cannot help but feel for Zac and his family and as heartbreak and drama unfold, your heart speeds up as they try to catch the killer in time. This book can be read as a standalone but for a deeper connection to the characters and backstory, I would recommend for readers to read the series in order.

LIFE OR DEATH by Chris Merritt asks the age-old question how far would you go to save your family? So sit back, relax and discover Zac's story.

EXCERPT: Kofi gave a dry cough. 'Um, dear Mum and Dad. I am fine and being looked after.' He broke off and glanced at the man, who scowled and pointed at the letter. 'I can prove that it is Saturday the twenty-fifth of August,' he continued, 'because the headline in the Times is. . .' The man held up the newspaper for him. Kofi read the biggest writing on the front before the man put it back down on the table.

'I have not been hurt,' he said, carefully following the message text again. 'But if you don't obey these instructions exactly, I will be. I want to have all my fingers, so please- -'

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Never forget. Never forgive.

As a detective in the Metropolitan police, Zac is no stranger to murder cases, but this one is different. This is his daughter’s murder.

Years after Amelia died, Zac is still trying to trace the police officer involved in his daughter’s death.

And whilst Zac is prepared to break every rule to find the man responsible, his young and ambitious deputy, Kat, is working on a high-profile case of her own. But she knows Zac is keeping secrets from his team so she’s following his every move.

When one of Zac’s informants is killed, he knows he’s close to catching his man, but before he can act, he receives a call about his son which blows his world apart… And this time, he knows he’ll stop at nothing to save his family.

MY THOUGHTS: I am lucky enough to have been in on this series from the beginning. I have a soft spot for Detective Zac Boateng, a caring and considerate man with a core of steel. But just how much can one man be expected to endure when the safety of his family is constantly under threatand he is unsure just whom he can trust?

I like that some of Zac’s workmates are being developed as characters in their own right, particularly Kat, who plays an important role in this story. I would also like to see a bit more development of Malik's character. Until now, I hadn't realized he was Iraqi.

Merritt knows how to write tension - he had me coiled like a tightly wound spring. He uses his own background as a Psychologist specialising in working with criminals and victims of crime to great advantage.

Life or Death is a good solid addition to a great series. However, I would not recommend that you read this without having read both the previous books in this series, Bring Her Back and Last Witness, as you would miss out on a lot of background information essential to fully understanding this story. Strongly recommended.

😍😍😍😍

THE AUTHOR: As a psychologist who has worked in the NHS with both victims and perpetrators of crime, I write stories that explore why people commit serious offences and how their victims are affected. I try to bring these perspectives together with lots of rich, authentic detail about London and its many communities to let readers discover the city I love.

I always wrote - whether blogs, psychology articles or travel pieces - but it wasn't until 2014 that I began writing fiction. I'd spent several years working as a diplomat in Iraq and Jerusalem before I decided to go back to university and retrain as a psychologist. I completed a doctorate in psychology at King's College London in 2016. Now, when I'm not writing, I work on the Wellcome Trust's African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) at King's College in south London, where I live.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Life or Death by Chris Merritt for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my sandysbookaday.wordpress.com page https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/life-or-death-by-chris-merritt/