William (Wolf) Fawkes and Emily Baxter have such a complicated relationship throughout the series which only gets worse in Endgame. I kind of love that they don’t have a perfect relationship, they are both flawed which I’m pretty sure almost everyone can relate to.

Finlay is a very dear friend so Wolf knows that he wouldn’t commit suicide and leave his loving wife Maggie. We are taken on one mans journey to prove that his friend didn’t take his own life, add that to the fact that Wolf is being arrested for events which happened during the first two instalments.

I really enjoyed this case overall as it led us to look over Finlays old cases to see if their are any clues there. It took ended up taking a very different path than expected!
Oh boy what a plot twist!

I absolutely loved the first two books, even though this was still an explosive and exciting installment I do feel like it exceeded my expectations. Saying that it really is a good book and I enjoyed getting back to our characters. I definitely recommend this series to those who love police procedurals with original cases.

The third book in the Fawkes and Baxter series, and as this is wrapping up the series you definitely need to read the previous books first to understand the references and characters.

Finlay Shaw has been found in a sealed room, having committed suicide. But is it? Wolf doesn’t believe so, and is willing to give up his freedom to prove his friend was murdered. The team are now back together to help, which causes a lot of tension, but also a lot of humour. The story jumps between current day, and 1970s Glasgow, when Shaw was a young cop.

I loved catching up with these characters again, and I am sad this looks like it will be the final time. I am looking forward to reading whatever Daniel Cole does next however.

Warning – This blog post will discuss books 1 and 2 in the Fawkes and Baxter series, but I will try and avoid any big spoilers! Nobody likes a spoiler – or at least I don’t. Hate them. Anyway…

So, Ragdoll (Book 1) was good. Really good. I thought it was gripping, violent, disturbing and I couldn’t look away. And I loved Emily Baxter who is now one of my all time favourite characters and Wolf, AKA William Fawkes was ok. He was probably better than ok, but Emily was my gal.

And then Hangman (Book 2) was Epic. It had everything about Ragdoll that kept me glued to my kindle the first time around but just had MORE. It was more disturbing, more violent, more gripping and I raced through the pages. The only thing that was missing in Hangman was Fawkes – Wolf, and I didn’t miss him. Emily got in there and got the job done.

So, I went into Endgame with BIG, big expectations. And I wasn’t disappointed.

My very first thought was – Fawkes was back! And as much as I hadn’t missed him in the last book the character tension between Baxter and Wolf added a whole other level to the story. And a splash of humour that was missing from the previous two books.

I do love Emily Baxter – she can be a bit of a badass, but Daniel Cole does a brilliant job at making sure all the characters are unique, memorable, dysfunctional and a real mish-mash of personalities. I loved Edmunds as always. And Andrea.

The writing was great, the pacing was spot on and I couldn’t put the book down. But, as with the first 2 it is not for the faint-hearted.

Endgame was maybe my favourite book in the trilogy (I can’t quite pick!?!), but Cole writes in the author note that he has the bare bones of an idea for a further novel lined up. Yay. So not just a trilogy.

In my opinion, Cole found his writing stride with Endgame and I hope he hurries up and writes the next book. I will be pre-ordering.

Daniel Cole is now one of my favourite crime writers, I tend to stay away from author comparisons, but I think it’s a safe bet to say if you like Chris Carter then you will enjoy Daniel Cole’s writing style.

Highly recommended.

I received a copy of Endgame from the publisher via NetGalley for the blog tour – Thank you!

I am so chuffed to be taking part in this tour – I am, quite frankly, OBSESSED with this series! I had previously adored both Ragdoll and Hangman, but would this third book live up to my expectations??

Phew – Endgame is an absolutely perfect concluding part for this first trilogy: it’s Ragdoll meets The Sweeney meets Suicide Squad plus a couple of wonderful moments of pure farce.

I’d been fortunate to have the time to re-read Ragdoll and Hangman prior to starting this and I’m so glad I did. Reading Endgame felt like reuniting with old friends, finding out what they’ve been up to and hoping they all make it through unscathed. Do yourself a favour and make sure you’ve read both Ragdoll and Hangman before Endgame to maximise your enjoyment (and why wouldn’t you – they’re brilliant!)

There are many references and call backs to the previous two books in the series and it was enjoyable to cross-reference (#booknerd) and to see loops closed or something being resolved that you hadn’t quite realised wasn’t resolved in the first place.

The plot is quite different to the previous two, with less gruesome gore, but Daniel Cole‘s wonderful style and tone remains the same: although I laughed a lot at the first two books, I found myself doing so even more during Endgame. (OMG, the drawings! When you get to them, you’ll know…)

I actually started to feel really sad as I reached 50%, then 66%, then 75% as I did not want this book to end. I already miss the characters and was practically shedding an emotional tear at the end. I CANNOT wait to see what is next for Daniel Cole and the Ragdoll universe.

Huge thanks to Orion for the ARC of Endgame and to Tracy Fenton for the opportunity to join the tour.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to read Endgame. I knew the author by name but had yet to taste his writing. When I opened my proof copy, I was greeted by Daniel Cole himself telling me to read the two previous books in the trilogy to get the full experience of Endgame. I usually prefer to read series in order, but once in a while I ignore the urge to go back to the start. Not this time. So I ran and bought the books.

Two days later, I was back to EndGame, 100% ready, and completely addicted.

Endgame tugs at all the thread left hanging after Ragdoll and Hangman.

*hesitates at the threshold of this review wondering how she is going to talk about this novel without spoiling anything*

You see, series are great because they give you time to explore lives and characters throughout different plots. Your opinion might change during the course of a book. You find yourself becoming more comfortable in the company of protagonists you have time and multiple opportunities to connect to. We all agree on this. Well, the Fawkes and Baxter series takes all of this, wraps it in a ball, and kicks the ball towards the sky. Never have I encountered an author with such a talent for creating a casting so beautifully dysfunctional, so hilariously normal, so tragically human.

All three books are linked. Not by the awful events occurring in them, but by how it influences the characters and pushes them, closer, farther apart, in a macabre dance with death and danger. Endgame wouldn’t be so powerful without the groundwork neatly executed by the two bullets that are Ragdoll and Hangman.

William ‘Wolf’ Fawkes is back. He is not bearing gifts and wearing a Hawaiian shirt. The death of his close friend and retired cop Finlay Shaw has shaken the world he’s left months ago and made Wolf leave the shadows.

A dead body. A Gun. A locked room. If I really loved the mystery, I loved even more the fact that there is more than one locked door in this book!

The impact of Finlay’s death forces the old team to work together again. Wolf reunites with Baxter and Edmunds, and if the dynamics are always on the move, the foundation of their relationships is as strong and loyal as ever. And that’s just what they need as Wolf is convinced his old friend has not committed suicide, despite what the appearances seem to prove.

Wolf is used to launching opened grenades in the nest and annoying people in his (always obsessive) quests for the truth. If he clearly has all the qualities to be the next model for an ad about anti-heroes, he is more than this. Some of us chase butterflies and put them in jars. Daniel Cole captures all the grey of the world and pours it into a character whose blood is anything but red. Wolf is not the bad guy you fall for when your parents say you shouldn’t. Wolf isn’t the perfect partner every cop dream of. Wolf won’t ever win the gold medal for his communication skills. Nope. Wolf is a loner with a cascade of issues and a bit of bad luck.

Baxter? I could write a novel about her! Wait… Daniel Cole already did it! Unique and charmingly rough, I believe I have never met such a great character before. She is not defined by her relationship with Wolf, despite it being a factor in many decisions both take. Emily Baxter is her own woman, and she knows it!

Endgame allows everyone to test their abilities to give back his honour to a dear friend…

But could Finlay have killed himself? Everything points this way. When the digging starts, more proof aggregate and the doubt dwindle by the page! Wolf’s absolute conviction that the old man would never abandon them is the only thing that prevents the case from closure. I’ll admit I questioned his motivation, wondering if he wasn’t simply in pure denial. But…

But a series of events mixed with intriguing flashbacks giving the reader a different insight on Finlay’s life trigger a bloody and cracking domino fall!

What on earth???

I had gotten used to the author’s writing as I had devoured his novels in two days, so I thought I would be more difficult to surprise.

Hahahahaha. What a fool.

Surprise doesn’t even cover it. I bumped my head on the roof of the Endgame car every time Daniel Cole took unexpected turns. You better have a steady stomach and a mug of tea nearby because this book is THE DEAL.

Humour, animosity, weird situations, dangerous seconds, brains working overtime… Endgame doesn’t do dark without a spark of wit, neither does it bet on its characters to fly through the pages without sweating. This is a brilliant book with an original tension that is entirely the result of the amazing mind of an author who write the most explosive crime entertainment.

This was a chilling read. I have read the first two books and it was good to see the characters through but it has been left open so they can progress. Gritty and gory !! Loved it #Endgame #NetGalley

Endgame is the last of the Ragdoll trilogy and though it contains all the characters we have come to know and love, as a story I think it works well in its own right and could therefore be read as a stand-alone. To get the most from it though, start with Ragdoll, the first book.

I think Endgame is the best of the three books so far. It has an excellent story arc, starts with a locked room mystery and is full of the irascibility, humour and fast paced action for which the Ragdoll series is known.

Our protagonist Wolf reminds me slightly of Mick Herron’s Jackson Lamb. He has the same lack of respect for rules; the ability to suss out double dealing and match it with even greater duplicity, the foul mouth and the biting wit. The comparison ends there, of course, but Wolf is a larger than life figure that cannot be ignored.

Finlay Shaw an ex-copper, is found dead at his home, by his wife Maggie, with a gun by his side William Fawkes (Wolf) is not prepared to believe that his long term friend would ever commit suicide because he loved his wife too much.

Wolf ropes in DCI Emily Baxter, PI Alex Edmunds and Jake Saunders to look into Finlay’s old cases. Commissioner Christian Bellamy, Finlay’s partner in the early days and long-term friend ever since, joins them in searching out the answers to how and why this happened.

The answer lies in the past and it is soon clear that there are people who will go to any lengths to make sure it stays there.

With Wolf treading a very thin line between being re-arrested and sent to prison, you’d think this would not be a time for Wolf to go round picking fights and complicating his already pretty dire personal life, but that wouldn’t be Wolf. His past actions as well as Emily Baxter’s impinge on this case and as they get into the depths of the investigation there is a tension in the team that is palpable and things get very heated.

Daniel Cole has written a cleverly constructed plot, with great characters and a lot of fast paced and violent action. What makes these books stand out though is the interaction between the characters with all the scathing wit and put downs that make the reader laugh at the same time as they are in the midst of deadly gun battles.

Verdict: Excellent, fast paced entertainment that offers a thrilling ride. Cole’s tight plotting and lively wit make this a sure fire winner. Let’s hope there’s more to come.

I think I have arrived a bit late into this series which seems really, really good. Couldn’t believe my luck when I got the chance to read this great book. It’s mainly set around London and follows the disgraced Detective William ‘Wolf’ Fawkes one last time?
The book starts with Wolf arriving at Maggi’s house in early January to offer his condolences as Finlay Shaw was dead. His death had been declared a suicide. He had been found in a locked room, dead. Wolf took one look round and declared otherwise, but as he was a wanted man, he was unfortunately surrounded by police officers and arrested. Whilst being interviewed he negotiated time to investigate Finlay’s murder and once he made his point, and some restrictions were put in place, he was allowed to get on with it. He got to work with Baxter and Edmunds again and they turned up a lot stuff that nearly got Wolf jailed again and others killed. He had to get another ally as there was there was corruption within the police high up and together they managed to pull it off and get to the bottom of what had happened to Finlay and what Shaw was up to.
This book was brilliant to read, I have not read this author before but I will definitely be reading the other two books in this series! I liked that the chapters gave the date so you knew if you were in the present or the past, as this book used the past to set the story as much as the present, if not more. The writing and storyline drew me into the book from the start. It was very easy to read, very descriptive writing and it felt like you were there in the book with them. Absolutely fantastic, loved it. I found it didn’t matter to me that I hadn’t read the previous two books before hand, in my opinion.

I loved Ragdoll so was eager to read this book. I ended up skimming through some of it., the characters became confusing and I lost the plot easily and couldn’t keep up with it. I finished it as I was interested enough to know the outcome, plus I find Wolf very interesting. 100 pages less and it would have ticked more boxes.

Endgame is the final book in Daniel Cole’s Ragdoll trilogy and while it could be read as a stand-alone I strongly advise you read the whole gripping series. Ragdoll, the first, is uniquely gruesome and clever – I read it with horrified fascination and thought it totally brilliant! I then went on to binge-read the next two, The Hangman and Endgame. I was thoroughly caught up in the lives of the vibrant characters, complex relationships between them and grisly cases they faced.
In Endgame, DCI Emily Baxter again takes a lead role as the team faces the horrendous news of their good friend DS Finlay Shaw’s suicide. The enigmatic Wolf reappears, having been on the run, and the brilliant if geeky Alex Edmunds is now a private investigator. Lovable yet surprisingly brilliant CIA agent Rouche, injured and in hiding, also features in Endgame. And they are all still trying to sort out their increasingly complicated personal lives.
While Ragdoll and The Hangman were fairly gruesome and bloody, I found Endgame to be a calmer read and much less frenetic than the previous two. And I loved it. It’s a humdinger of a story and a fitting end to a great series. I loved Cole’s laugh-out-loud humour which runs through the trilogy and lightens what are otherwise dark and gritty books. (There’s one wonderfully farcical scene in Endgame which takes place in Baxter’s apartment and could come straight out of a Noel Coward comedy.) I also adored the fractious relationship between prickly but appealing Baxter and the frustrating yet fabulous Wolf.
I was delighted to read in Daniel Cole’s letter to his readers that he already has the bones of book four in place and is excited about the fresh direction in which the series is heading. I personally cannot wait!

As with all good book series, it’s always best to start with the first book however this book can still be read as a stand alone but be prepared to want to buy the other two books straight away because your going to love this series.
For me this last book felt a little different within it’s writing style, it was more police procedure than fast paced thriller, likes the others. That being said it still had the humour and the great characters from the other two books.

I didn't read the other books in this series but I surely will as I found this one excellent.
It's gripping, kept on the edge till the last page and it's so well written.
I found the plot well crafted, full of twists and turns, and I loved the fleshed out characters and the humour.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is the last one, the last part of the Ragdoll trilogy, because everything good has an ending and now it’s time for William ‘Wolf’ Fawkes to return and finish what he left… ready?
I have to say that this is a story you have to read from the first book, there are multiple characters and stories involved and without them you’ll feel lost, but they are really worth the read, twisted and original I am sure you’ll love them.
I felt a little bit lost in the beginning with the story, but when I entered to the plot I couldn’t stop reading! Because there are some characters that no matter how much time has passed since you’ve read about them they are always near your heart, don’t you think?
Wolf decides to return when his friend the police officer Finlay Shaw appears dead, everything points that it has been a suicide, but he doesn’t believe it, so he will have to play all his cards to investigate and make his friends help him. Of course not everyone will be happy by his return, but it will be really fun, I can assure you! 😉
I was not surprised with the conclusion of the story, there are some twists and different stories mixed with the investigation, making the story addictive and interesting, the best ending for this series.
I have to say that I’ll miss Wolf, he is the perfect anti-hero that no matter how hard he tries to be bad he has a soft side inside him. Because he has done some bad things but he just wants to discover the truth, he doesn’t believe that his friend has committed suicide, but who would want to kill him? The story will be told between the past; the beginning of Finlay as a police and his workmate. Because something from this past was related to this “suicide”, the only question is what? On the other side we will have the present, the investigation and how the life of all Wolf friends have changed now that he has returned.
Ready for the Endgame?

End Game was another fantastic book from this talented author and a fabulous end to a great series.

I thought this was a cleverly written book which somehow manages to be thrilling and funny at the same time! The characters were great to read about and I enjoyed following them throughout the book as they were very likeable. They provided the funny moments in the book with their sarcasm and banter which often had me laughing out loud.

This book gripped me from the start and the many twist kept me glued to the page. The author does a great job with tying up any loss ends so that the ending was very satisfying. I found I both wanted the book to end as I wanted to discover what happens but didn’t want it to as it meant saying goodbye to a hugely entertaining series.

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orion for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

William “Wolf” Fawkes is back! His mentor and friend Finlay Shaw is found dead in a locked room in his house and everyone think it’s suicide. So why Will is risking his freedom to prove that it is a murder? Will knows that Finlay would have never left his beloved wife Maggie so, after managing to postpone his arrest, he is determined to find out the truth about his mentor’s death and he is helped by his former partner DCI Emily Baxter, private investigator Alex Edmunds, Police Commissioner Christian Bellamy, detective Jake Saunders, and “lab boy” Joe.

ENDGAME is fast-paced, twisty, clever, and, above all, entertaining. It is hard to find a thriller that it is both suspenseful and funny, but Daniel Cole somehow managed to do that craftily creating a novel that keeps you glued to the pages. Will’s sarcasm and playfulness and his banter with Emily made me laugh out loud (I think I am a bit in love with him) and I found the other characters beyond likable. They are flawed, sure, but they are charismatic, engaging, and I really hope to read more about them in the future.

The narrative runs smoothly with flashbacks that take the reader back to important moments for the members of the team and their relationships. In Glasgow 1979, we see two friends and partners involved in a drug investigation that it will still haunt them almost forty years later; we read about the very complicated relationship between two other partners and its ongoing complications in the present time. Friendship, love, and loyalties are tested, truths come out, issues and murders are solved.

I am addicted to this trilogy and its characters and, even though I couldn’t wait to see how it ended, it left me wanting more and more, especially after reading the last page. ENDGAME, and the whole Ragdoll trilogy, is a must-read, one of my favourite book of the year!!!

This is a fitting conclusion to the Ragdoll trilogy, if you haven’t read the other two Ragdoll and Hangman then you really need to read them first to gain the back story and character development. It may also be confusing if you try to read as a stand-alone as there are many references to previous events especially at the start where it basically continues on from book two.

This book kicks off with the suspected suicide of Finlay Shaw and Wolfs arrest on visiting his widow. This isn’t as full on action as his previous books it’s more puzzle and police procedure. But there is still the trademark dark humour which my warped heart loves.

Wolfs arrest sees him bargaining information for a spot on the investigation and that in turn takes them back to a case that Fin and his then partner worked on in 1979. The dual timeline really worked and will help the armchair detective readers work out relevant clues. It was great to have the team back together again and Wolf and Baxter’s dynamic partnership although fractious was for me the strength of this book.

Although all ties have now been neatly sewn up and drawn to a wonderful conclusion there are hints on a book four. I for one will be waiting with bated breath.

Wolf is back!! At last William Fawkes (Wolf) and Chief Inspector Emily Baxter are back together, making waves, and working together to solve a mystery that is too close to home.

Detective Sergeant Finlay Shaw has recently retired and is found dead, alone in a locked room. Is it suicide as it appears or could it be murder? We have, what I like to call, the fab five coming together to investigate the death of their friend Finlay – Wolf, Baxter, Christian, Saunders, and Edmunds. They have a puzzle that appears to be solved, but upon closer inspection they see that some of the pieces might not fit quite as well as they first appeared.

In my opinion this book has a much different vibe than the previous two in the series. Ragdoll and Hangman were fast-paced race-against-time mystery/thrillers. I feel that Endgame is not quite as intense and is more of a mystery, police procedural. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t every bit as good, it was just different from what I have come to expect.

Let’s talk humor. I love Daniel Cole’s use of humor, especially from Wolf’s character. Oh my goodness, he is quite the character! The pictures that appeared about halfway through the book were hysterical. I even got a few odd looks from hubby and had to show them to him to share in my enjoyment. This humor is a common thread that has run throughout all the books in this series, but Endgame is a step above the first two. I really hope he continues to incorporate it in his writing style.

I loved the way this book picked right back up where Hangman left off. I would highly recommend these books be read in order, the character development is imperative for optimal enjoyment!

Thank you to Netgalley & Orion Publishing for letting me read Endgame. Wow, Wow, Wow Daniel Cole you've done it again with the third in the trilogy of The Rag Doll Series. Wolf, Baxter and gang are characters that you just can't but help love.

The thriller is very cleverly written and the story grips you from the off. Although I wanted to know the outcome I really didn't want it to end.

This is definitely a five star read and I highly recommend this trilogy.

William 'Wolf' Fawkes returns following a brief absence from the majority of Hangman; to be the main driving force of the narrative. Fawkes returns following the suicide of former colleague, Finlay Shaw; something does not add up though for Wolf who believes there is more than meets the eye in regards to the suspected suicide.

With his former partner, Emily Baxter and private detective Edmunds; Wolf attempts to solve the case in a race against time as he puts his career on the line while not everyone in the Met wants him back to begin with.

What sets this book apart from the other novels of the trilogy - whereas the opener was a true original concept and plot; the sequel was an action packed female fronted thriller; Endgame is a book less about the end result but how you get there, a tale about camaraderie and fraternity within the police force - the bond forged between the boys (and girls) in blue and the ties that bind them to each other.

While the title may have a sense of finality to it all, hopefully that is not the case and the characters such as Wolf and Baxter can continue to work together and we be able to join them on the ride.

Endgame is the third book in Daniel Cole's Ragdoll series featuring William Wolf  Fawkes and Emily Baxter.  This books follows directly on from the previous book Hangman, with it's shocking conclusion, and follows the consequences of those events.  Finlay Shaw, retired Detective Sergeant and colleague of Wolf and Baxter, is found dead in a locked room after apparently committing suicide. Wolf is unsure and wants prove that he was in fact murdered, so for one final case Wolf, Baxter, Edumunds a former colleague and now a private investigator, and Saunders are back together on what seems an impossible case. This is a fast paced, crime thriller that had me gripped from the beginning with it's compelling plot and engaging characters.
Endgame is an apt title as it maybe the last book in the Ragdoll series, and it ties up many of the loose ends from the previous books.  As well as the investigation into Finlay Shaw's death, there is also the undercurrent of the consequences from the Hangman investigation, which is still sending ripples through the police department.  Whilst looking at Finlay's death they look at his previous cases and there are chapters that look at his early career with his partner Christian Bellamy, now the Commissioner, in the 1970's.  My only complaint would be that I thought the plot jumped around a bit, in time and character focus which left me having to check back quite a few times. The different threads of this book did however keep my attention and added to the suspense of the plot.
It was great to see Wolf back, even if he was in custody for his actions in the previous book. There was a lot of tension between Wolf and Baxter, in the form of mistrust and the sexual tension that has underpinned their woking relationship in all three books. Baxter is under a lot of pressure in her personal and professional life, trying to do the right thing by everyone but as usual not taking care of her self. I love her sarcasm, strength, intelligence but also her sense of the doing the right thing the can put her at odds with Wolf.  The reuniting of the team, and their very different personalities, their interactions, add a sense of reality, drama and occasionally a touch of humour that can only come from people who know each other well.
Endgame is deliciously dark and exciting thriller with a twisted and devious killer as its heart.  Full of tension, action, and twists and turns, this book had me hooked until the last page. As a crime thriller this worked for me on every level; detailed procedure, a seemingly impossible crime, characters that rub off each other adding a sense of reality and an intelligent and evil killer.  An. intense, chilling and brilliant read.