Cover Image: Loose Tongues

Loose Tongues

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Member Reviews

Wow. What a great start to a series. Loved getting to know DC Blake. Fantastic storyline although heartbreaking in places

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A good read, really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading more from the author. If you like crime thrillers, this one comes highly recommended.

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A great book as DC Blake starts his new career as a detective. I enjoyed the storyline and found the book well paced and authentic.

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It's DC Sean Blake's first day on the job as part of a task force assigned to find a suspect murdering women. He quiets them by suffocating them, cutting out their tongues and shoving their cell phone down their throat. In the process of trying to arrest the suspect, his new partner is stabbed in the neck multiple times and everyone blames Sean. Sean's mom, Janet is a former patrol officer who was injured on the job. She takes pride in her son following in her footsteps and likes to help him in any way that she can, even if it could end up being detrimental to his career.

Loose Tongues is an action packed crime procedural that is a great beginning to this new series. I enjoyed the suspense that kept me up late at night turning pages when I should have been sleeping. The story was told from Sean, his mother and the killer's perspectives, which added to the intrigue and entertainment. I look forward to future books in this series.

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An enjoyable read. This is a clever murder investigation with an excellent story-line, which keeps the reader guessing. My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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# loose Tongues # Netgalley
Quite a enjoyable book in all. Sean Blake’s first day as a DC was called out with a few of his new colleagues. On going to arrest w criminal named Carhill whilst Sean who was at the back garden it twigged carhill was going to jump onto the trampoline to escape. Sean tried to move it out of the way. Although he could have not foreseen was going to happen. Has carhill it the bottom and ended up on the trampoline. He started stabbing Sean’s Mark with a screw driver. His other colleagues and his superior officer told Sean stop
The suspect. However Sean could see Mark was in trouble he was trying to take some taping from his drab vest. Eventually when it was over paramedics took Mark away Sean back to base . Suddenly Sean found himself on hot water over his senior officers reported back at bout Sean.
Saying he didn’t t help only let his colleagues down. Which was not the case. No he finds himself isolated mostly at work. I hope if this is going to be a series. His colleagues find out the truth. Also if it’s going to be a series. A damned good first book. Definitely worth readingg

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This is the first in what will hopefully be the DC Blake series. DC Blake lives with his mother a former cop who is now in a wheelchair. Blake starts a new job investigating murders of women. Complications abound and he is pushed out of the investigation and then back into it. The ending was rather dramatic. There is also a budding relationship with Magda another cop.

I found this book to be enjoyable and I hope the series continues.

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This is a cleverly orchestrated murder investigation with a brilliant storyline.

Newly appointed Detective Constable Sean Blake heads to work for his first day, to find the office is buzzing with news of a murder. What is extraordinary about this, is that a woman's body was found in her own home, dead and with her mobile phone inserted into her mouth. In quick succession, more bodies are found.

Whilst chasing a suspect, DC Blake and fellow newbie PC Mark Wheeler try to corner a man dropping out of a window. In the scuffle PC, Wheeler is badly hurt, Blake tries to stem the bleeding and the suspect escapes. It is not the best start in the job with Wheeler in hospital and Blake on desk duty.

Janet Blake, once in the police herself, has always had great expectations of her son Sean. She was invalided out of the force after being run over by a man running away. Her brain is astute and she likes to discuss details with Sean, even though it is against all the rules. Janet begins to piece it all together.

The author keeps up the pace of the investigation and keeps the reader guessing. A very good read and a well deserved 5***** from me.

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DC Sean Blake #1

Sean Blake is confined to his desk after botching up his first job which left his partner seriously wounded. It was his first day in the Serious Crime Department. The rest of the team are trying to find and arrest the man responsible for strangling women and stuffing their mobile phones into their mouths. Sean's mum is disabled, she an ex-policewoman. She tries her best to help her son solve this crime but Sean does not like her interference.

This series is set in Manchester. This story is told mostly from Sean's point of view but we also get snippets from the killer. I really liked Sean who is a bit of a mummy's boy. The characters are well rounded and easy identifiable. The plotline is engaging and i was willing Sean all the way to solving this case from his desk before the rest of the team could solve it. The ending was a bit predictable but that did not make me like this book any less. A great start to a new series that I look forward to reading more from.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Black Thorn and the author Chris Simms for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Interesting storyline, a new constable, recently promoted to Detective albeit through outside influence. He gets involved with a bit of a comic tragedy on his first investigation which leads to him being shunned by his colleagues. Alls well that ends well a good read

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Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an unbiased review.
First publication I have read by Chris Simms and will certainly be accessing his back catalogue after this.
Main character is on his first day in the job and things certainly don't start well.
Story centres around a serial killer who cuts his victims tongues out.
Extremely well written and very enjoyable read.
Thanks again.

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When DC Sean Blake starts his new job things go a little wrong for him. Ostracised from the team he is given basic admin to do while the rest of the team are involved in the hunt for a murderer. Soon his admin leads to decent breaks and a result!

Loved the characters and the heart in this book. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

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This is the first book to feature DC Sean Blake and it's a very promising start by Chris Simms. Sean is a newly promoted DC with the Serious Crime Unit and he has a baptism of fire on his first day on the job. Set in Manchester, the characters are convincing,there are plenty surprises and the pace is steady throughout. Beautiful writing with an interesting plot, I would recommend this book to lovers of police procedurals and I look forward to the next in the series. My thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

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Good police procedural story with a young DC who only got his job due to his mother's connections is involved with the hunt for what turns out to be a serial killer. Initially blamed for an arrest gone wrong he is confined to a desk but with mum's assistance he naturally solves the case. Somewhat far fetched but despite some violent blood soaked scenes a good solid entertaining read.

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This is the first time I have read anything by this author but I will look out for his other books.

The first in a new series and it's a great read.

It gives you pause for thought when you find out how the killer is choosing his victims.

I really enjoyed the plot and Sean is a great character. I loved his relationship with his Mum.

An easy read that will keep you hooked til the last page.

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Loved this book, read it in a day and couldn't put it down. A serial killer is calling on women, gaining access to their homes, killing them and cutting out their tongues. Young Dc Sean Blake has just started out in the department dealing with the murders and goes on to play a vital role in finding the killer.

The author gives us good insight into both the killer and the young detective, which really helps the story along and gives the book depth. You discover what motives lead to the killings and a lot of background into Sean's life and why he joined the police. Good detailed descriptions of locations, settings and conversations make this a real page turner.

Thank you to Net Galley for my copy.

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This is quite good. I like DC Blake and his struggles and his talent. Well written characters and an interesting plot made this a fun (very British) read. I'm new to this author, but I'll check out some of this other work. Recommended.

Thanks for the copy for review!!

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Loose Tongues is an excellent and page clicking thriller from Chris Simms that kept me entertained throughout.

The book is very easy to read and all the better for that.

Hopefully this is the start of a new series

Thoroughly recommended

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New DC Sean Blake, it's his first week on the job in Manchester. And he is caught up in the middle of a series of bizarre killings - women found dead in their own homes, strangled and with their mobile phone in their mouth.

Sean is caught between the need to solve the case, to prove himself and to win round his colleagues after a truly horrendous first day

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Many thanks to the author / Black Thorn / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime drama. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

DC Sean Blake, a rookie with the Serious Crime Unit, has an inauspicious first day. Included with a group of detectives, he is sent to pick up a murder suspect. Unfortunately, the suspect gets away leaving Blake's partner severely injured and Blake being blamed for not doing more to help his partner.

Now confined to a desk job, he is investigating for a string of murders that have no rhyme or reason. Women are being found dead in their homes, their cell phone rammed down their throat and in all but the first woman found, they also are found without their tongues.

The women seem to have willingly let the killer into their homes. There are no defensive cuts or bruises, no one has seen anyone come or go, there is no motive. Even the victims themselves have nothing in common ... old, young, blonde, brunette .. it seems that no woman is safe. Why were these women targeted?

Feeling like he doesn't quite belong, Blake nevertheless puts in the hours needed to pour through CCTV video, looking at telephone records, making endless phone calls. What he finds might be the lead everyone is looking for.

I really enjoy the character of Sean Blake. He's young, but so ambitious. He's been the carer of his mother for many years. She was a policewoman before an accident put her in a wheelchair. He loves his mom and doesn't resent having to take care of her ... BUT ... he also wishes she wouldn't interfere with everything he does .. or doesn't do. Watching their relationship is like peeking through a neighbor's window.

This is a terrific police procedural, convincingly depicting the activities of the Serious Crime Unit. The characters are credible, pacing is steady from the very first page to the explosive ending. I look forward to seeing more of DC Blake in the future.

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