This is a really gripping crime thriller featuring Robin Lyons, the main protagonist in the author's previous book Critical Incidents. Robin is now a DCI with Birmingham police. A young woman's body has been discovered in a derelict factory, she has been murdered. Shortly afterwards another woman's body is found in an alleyway, the cause of death is the same. Fears of a serial killer become rife within the local community. Robin and her boss, Samir, come under extreme pressure to solve the crimes as soon as possible. Coupled with this burden, Robin is struggling to deal with issues with her family, in particular, her thoroughly unpleasant brother Luke.

The plot is very cleverly executed with plenty of trails to follow. There is a neat link to a cold case which, may or may not, be linked to the current situation. The characters are really well developed. Robin is a flawed character and very human. She knows that she makes mistakes but does her best to rectify them. Her team of police officers have individual, authentic personalities. Robin's brother is vindictive and bitter and Lennie, Robin's daughter is a nicely created teenager. They make a great cast.

There are a number of powerful themes in this novel; exploitation of migrants, racism and the white power movement, knife crime, the insidiousness of the press, the under-funding of public services. They are all handled with confidence and sensitivity. The writing is really engaging and moved the story along well. The ending was good and left a nugget that might form another book. I hope so.

In summary, I really enjoyed this smart police procedural with added family angst.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fourth Estate for an ARC is exchange for an honest review.

I've not read the previous books with DCI Robyn Lyons but would be interested in doing so after reading this one. You don't need to have read the others as everything is explained very well. There are romantic cross overs from her school/student life that Robyn is dealing with as well as the murder of two girls which she has to find out if they are linked or just coincidence.
Her own daughter is a similar age and she is full of angst as to whether she is devoting enough time her whilst trying to solve the cases.
The story keeps you hooked and moves at the right pace to keep you interested.

We meet DCI Robin Lyons in this novel, who has been transferred from London back to her home town of BIrmingham. She is trying to solve 2 murders, 2 girls days apart - are they connected?

Of course she is back in her home town, so there is personal and family drama alongside this dense murder plot and the book is full of stories, tangents and suspense.

I have not read the previous book in this 3 part so I will have to go and do that!

This is a fantastic police procedural novel and Lucie has written a brilliant book.
DCI Robin Lyons has come back to her hometown of Birmingham after leaving the London metropolitan police.
She was hoping for a quieter pace of life with her teenage daughter but when a murder of a young woman is found in a derelict building she knows that life is not going to be that easy.
Her new boss Samir a former lover who broke her heart nearly twenty years before has left her feeling confused.
This book is extremely fast paced and builds up quite quickly.

Risk of Harm is a police procedural featuring DCI Robin Lyons and the West Midlands homicide team, the second in a three part series. Set on the streets of Birmingham amid a knife crime epidemic, rising tension among far right extremists and dwindling police numbers, Lyons, under the leadership of Samir Jafferi and the watchful and unforgiving eye of ACC Kilmartin is investigating the murder of a young woman whose body is found in a derelict factory. Whilst trying unsuccessfully to identify this Jane Doe their investigation is interrupted by the discovery of a second dead woman within close proximity to the first and concern grows around the theory there is a serial killer at large.

The pace is relatively slow to begin with but the author introduces a number of elements for the reader to ruminate over besides the hunt for a presumed serial killer. Lurking in the shadows is the disappearance of a local girl five years ago whose whereabouts are still unknown, a case which may or may not be connected to this current double murder investigation. But that’s not the only cold case that possibly has relevance to these latest crimes and with the usual pressure from the media and from those higher up in the chain of command Lyons and her team are feeling the strain. As the mystery surrounding the murders deepens, and leads are few and far between mistakes are inevitably made before the investigation takes Robin further afield, branching off in unexpected directions. I was left feeling intrigued and mystified by this case that appears to be notoriously hard to crack which is just what you want from a piece of crime fiction. Lucie Whitehouse sets this investigation amid a volatile political climate where tensions are running high within certain sections of the community towards the alleged suspect and general lack of police progress. It’s an element she executes well, this feeling that Robin and Samir are trying to keep the lid on a potentially explosive situation whilst others are keen to hamper them every step of the way. Those intent on inciting racial hatred and violence detracts Lyons from her main job of catching a killer and it’s surprising who these leaders manage to recruit to their cause, not least of all to Robin herself. Loyalties and professionalism become confused and controversial decisions are made as my attention swivelled in all directions not quite sure who or what to concentrate on.

In terms of characterisation the author follows the usual trope of overworked, married to the job, in conflict with superiors lead detective which is pretty much standard in this genre. In my opinion it doesn’t matter if you’ve not read the first book in the series (I haven’t) because the author provides ample background details relating to Robin’s personal life to the extent that it threatens to overwhelm and drown out the crime element. I’m all for a well developed backstory. How else can you possibly grow to like/dislike a character if you can’t imagine them as a real life flawed person with problems of their own? Robin is certainly carrying a lot of baggage but there’s too much focus on her and I almost forgot there were murders to solve. As a single mother to 15 year old daughter Lennie she has a strained relationship with her mother and her relationship with brother Luke borders on downright hostile, antagonistic and destructive. Further complicating matters is Robin’s personal history with her now boss Samir and despite his loyalty and support she’s failing miserably to win the approval of Kilmartin. I couldn’t decide if I felt sorry for this woman spinning so many plates in the air or whether I wished she’d get a grip on her personal life and prioritise poor latchkey kid Lennie instead.

Although I’d have preferred less emphasis on Robin and all her troubles and strife they are in context with the rest of the narrative, turning this into a multi layered storyline. It’s well written too, elaborately plotted but I think there’s just too much going on and midway through it loses focus and direction. By the time the author picks up the threads of the main plot again I was beyond eager to discover the identity of the culprit, having reached my own conclusions. I just wanted the author to confirm whether my stab in the dark was correct or whether I needed to go back to the drawing board! On this occasion my lucky guess paid off but the finer details eluded me.

Despite my criticisms I’m keen to revisit this city and catch up with Robin and her team again. Lucie Whitehouse tantalisingly leaves her readers guessing as to what the future holds(on a personal level) for our maverick detective and I for one won’t want to miss out on any future drama.

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

This is a superb book to read and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who likes police/crime/murder books.
This was one of the rare books that just gets better and better. I started off thinking it was another 'ordinary' Detective Inspector (with or without Chief in the middle!) with what I find annoying referrals back to what happened in earlier books in the series that I have not read or not remembered well enough.
I realised fairly soon after this that the book is not like others of this genre where the murders and police investigations are the centre with bits of family struggles thrown in for good measure. Risk Of Harm, to me, inverts this approach and the family struggles of DCI Robin Lyons and two or three characters are forefront with the murders acting as the link that keeps the book flowing so well. For once, Risk Of Harm did become a 'couldn't put it down' book.
I shall definitely look out for the next in the series, I guess, in 2022.
I was surprised to find Lennie listening to the Velvet Underground & Nico's 'All Tomorrows Parties' from 1966 when I was in my late teens. Still the first album was superb at the time and, for me, still is.

I am so pleased that Ms Whitehouse has written another thrilling book with Robin Lyons at the centre. She is such a well written, flawed character and I raced through the pages. There is a lot for her to deal with in this book. Murders, a restless community inflamed by far right nationalists, family tensions and the tabloid press who have taken an interest in her private and professional life.
The plot took some unexpected turns and kept me thoroughly engrossed. It is Robin though that I found most compelling. She is frustrating, brilliant, selfish and self-sacrificing in turn. I felt pity at her brothers betrayal and jealousy, but then annoyed at her benign neglect of her daughter. I really hope that there are more books in this series because I loved reading about her.

My thanks go to the publishers and Net Galley for the advance copy in return for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Fourth Estate and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Risk Of Harm’ by Lucie Whitehouse in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Two women are found dead their bodies in close proximity. The second woman is identified as Lara Meikle but no one comes forward to name the first woman who they call ‘The Gisborne Girl’ due to being found in the old Gisborne factory. As DCI Robin Lyons and her team struggle to find the killer or killers, they have to deal with racial prejudice and rioting, while Robin has her own family problems. This is going to become a very complicated case for Robin to resolve.

‘Risk Of Harm’ is the second in the DCI Robin Lyons series and is every bit as thrilling as the first. It’s exceptionally exciting and I’ve been glued to my Kindle from page one, learning more about Robin’s private life as well as how she manages the police investigation. I’ve liked reading more about Robin’s relationship with Kevin and Lennie’s burgeoning friendship with Austin. It has an enthralling and convincing story with lots of drama and suspense, and the number of twists and turns have made this an excellent thriller that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading and worthy of five stars. I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Risk of Harm is the second book in the series featuring Robin Lyons, Birmingham detective.
Having suffered a baptism of fire in the first case at her new post, Robin is faced with two female murder victims, one of whom cannot be identified, with cases which may or may not be connected.
Robin is dedicated to finding the killer(s) and ploughs on through a swamp of her personal family issues.
If you like dark, complex police procedurals with as much time spent on the background as on the case, then you must read this series. Lyons is a terrific character with a singlemindedness to her job, forbearance in the face of the dreadful behaviour of her brother and integrity in the consideration of her relationships with boss Samir and her friend Kev.
This I think is my favourite crime series currently, I loved every single word of it.

The is the first time I have read a book from this author so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The blurb sounding interesting enough for me to give it a go and I’m glad I did. It struck me as a good police drama you would see on TV and I didn’t guess the plot at all.

With 2 young females murdered within days of each other, DI Robin Lyons is heading up the cases to find the link. Firstly though, she needs to find out the identity of the first body! Nobody appears to know who she is or where she came from. There were lots of unexpected theories along the way until it all started to unravel as things were pieced together.

There was a great back story going on too, based around family drama, a broken relationship and previous problems in the police force. It all tied together well but there was the odd chapter that felt a bit of a slow read for me. I just prefer fast paced all the way through but that’s my personal preference.

I really warmed to the characters of Robin and her teenage daughter Lennie. Also, the other characters in the story were all very believable.

Many thanks to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an arc. I will definitely read more from this author.

I usually like books set in Birmingham, because I used to live there, and I enjoy the trip down memory lane remembering the places mentioned. I enjoyed this book in parts, but I can't rave about it .I found it to be quite slow, and I know I am an impatient reader, but I just didn't really connect with it. I can only hope other readers enjoy it more than I did.

As both a Birmingham resident and a crime fiction super fan, it was a real treat to read about places I recognised (even if unsettling and gruesome things were happening there!) and I think Whitehouse has really captured the character of the city. This installment was an improvement on the first and I especially enjoyed learning more about Robin's past, particularly the relationships within her family (although at times these aspects got slightly repetitive). Well plotted, well written and satisfyingly concluded. Roll on the next one!

This book rattles along - there’s lots to unravel and subplots running alongside the main storyline of two murdered women. I’m really enjoying seeing Robin and the other characters develop. Good solid police procedural with interesting characters, I will follow the series with interest.

DCI Robin Lyons is back in her native Birmingham after her less-than-comfortable departure from the Met. She might have been reinstated but the whole episode left a nasty taste in her mouth. She was now working for Detective Chief Superintendent Samir Jaffrey - then the man who had broken her heart nearly twenty years before. She and her fifteen-year-old daughter have moved out of her parent's home into a rented house but there's still a difficult situation with her brother Luke who has gone out of his way to make life difficult for Robin since she was a young child. He's married to Natalie, now and has a young child but he's still got it in for Robin.

Samir backed employing Robin despite the doubts of ACC Kilmartin: Samir is convinced that she's the best detective around. Their relationship is that of good friends now - Samir is married to Liz and has two children but Robin is aware that it was Luke who broke up the relationship between her and Samir. She tries to keep the exchanges between them polite for her parent's sake but it isn't easy. Then the body is found.

She'll become known as the Gisborne girl after the derelict works where she was found but Robin and her team struggle to find any way of identifying her. She's eighteen or so years old, twenty at the most and very attractive. Why has no one missed her? Why does no one recognise her? There was another murder - of a sixteen-year-old black boy- on the same day and days later another woman is found stabbed in similar circumstances to the Gisborne girl. Local tensions run high when social media questions why the police have arrested someone (a classmate of the young boy) for the murder of a black boy but don't have any suspects for the murders of two white women - one of whom they haven't even managed to identify yet.

Some police procedurals I pick up and enjoy well enough: I know roughly how it's going to go and I'm interested to see how the author brings us to the denouement. Just occasionally I find myself reading a book that grabs me and insists that I pay attention to what's going on. Risk of Harm was one of these books. It's clever without being too clever for its own good. The solution requires a massive leap but Lucie Whitehouse handles this with aplomb and what happened seemed completely credible. It's helped, of course, by some excellent characterisation.

I completely fell for Lennie Lyons, Robin's fifteen-year-old daughter, who comes off the page pitch-perfect: sometimes she's mature beyond her years and at other times there's the naivety of a child there. You want life to work out for her: you'd like her mother to spend more time with her even when you know that it's not possible.

This was my first Lucie Whitehouse book for quite a while but it won't be my last and I'd like to thank the publishers for making a review copy available to the Bookbag.

This is another fascinating episode base around DI Robin Lyons, a single mother with a complex private and family life.
I first discovered Robin in Lucie Whitehouse’s Critical Incidents and could not wait to get stuck into this follow on story.
Here we find Robin home in Birmingham juggling her job with the human demands of bringing up her daughter, the expectations of her parents and dodging the unfounded sibling jealousy of her brother.
Two young females are murdered within days, each with a complicated back story, are they connected?
Hope you will enjoy this book as much as I have and if you have not read Critical Incidents I would recommend that you do.

I wanted to love Risk of Harm as it was billed as a gripping crime thriller but I found it hard going in places. There’s a lot going on in this novel and it does all interlink at the end however I found there was a lot to wade through to get the actual nitty gritty of the plot. The premise worked well and piqued my interest from the blurb alone but I just found the book overly long. Not one of my favourite books this year. Thank you to NetGalley, 4th Estate and the author for the chance to review.

Unfortunately I found this book very slow and quite hard to enjoy as I kept wishing the pace would pick up. At times I nearly gave it up but plodded on until the end. I was very disappointed with this book. So I’m only going to give it two stars. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Complex thriller with many layers. Who is the murdered girl in the derelict building? Many suspects many twists.

3.5 stars rounded down to 3

Robin Lyons is back in her hometown of Birmingham and is now a DCI with Force Homicide, working directly under Samir, the man who broke her heart almost 20 years ago. When a woman is found stabbed to death in a derelict factory and no one comes forward to identify the body, Robin and her team must not only hunt for the murderer. but also solve the mystery of who the victim might be. Robin and Samir come under pressure from their superiors, the media and from far-right nationalists with a dangerous agenda. Then a cold case begins to smoulder and another woman is found dead in similar circumstances.

The pace is slow and I did not know that this book was part of a series when I requested it. Robin's personal life is complex, her backstory and her strained relationship with her family kind of overshadow the investigation into the murders. The characters are well developed and believable.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #4thEstate and the author #LucieWhitehouse for my ARC of #RiskOfHarm in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in return for a fair, frank, and honest review.

Loved everything about this book. It was fast paced and kept my attention right until the end. This was a book I read in one sitting. I was concerned I had not read the first outing of Robin Lyons, but it did not matter. Definitely looking for more by this author. Fantastic read!