Sixteen years ago there was a break-in at a grand house. The first constable on the scene found a hole in the wall, two dead bodies, and a young woman. The wet behind the ears constable was Max Wolfe, the hole had previously contained a safe, the bodies were the security guard and the gardener, and the young woman was Emma Moon. After her arrest she refused to name any of the gang, and was jailed for life for joint-enterprise murder. Now she has been released on licence, still saying nothing about the crime or her fellow criminals. It is well known who the latter are, but no evidence has ever been found. And then they start to die and the suspicion is that Emma is killing them, although how is unclear. DS Max Wolfe is suspected to be on her kill list. Max must investigate of course, but not officially because there is no proof that the deaths are actually murders. Meantime, he is involved in babysitting two trainees, investigating corrupt police officers and the murder of a homeless person.
This, the seventh in a series, purports to be a police procedural but nothing in it is actually correct procedure. Quite a lot of it is political commentary on police corruption and social support for the homeless. Max’s daughter, Scout, is twelve going on thirteen and has a social or humanitarian concern for people living on the street, but is also on the inevitable path to independence from her father. This also takes up some of the story, and also presents an interesting dilemma: would any parent, let alone a single parent, let alone a police officer, allow a child to wander alone around London late at night? All of the cases get solved, and one of them involves an unguessable (because I don’t believe it is clued anywhere) twist. There are also too many repeats, reminders, reprises (for example whenever the two trainees appear we are reminded of their position and its constraints). Overall, the three investigations are good ideas and the writing is sound, but I found all of the repetitive political and social material a major distraction. However, it is the seventh in a series and is clearly popular and will command an audience, so maybe I’m an outlier.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

Murder for Busy People Tony Parsons

4 stars

My first introduction to DS Max Woolfe

I have never read any of the previous 6 books featuring DS Woolfe however this was not a problem as this can easily be read as a stand-alone. I would have liked a little more knowledge of how Max is a single parent to his 12 year old daughter, Scout but it did not detract from the story in this book.

Sixteen years ago a very fresh-faced new Police Constable had arrested his first murder victim, Emma Moon ,and he had never forgotten her or the impression she made on him. He had been called to a house where he found two murdered men and an empty safe. The only person remaining in the house was Emma. She had been sent to prison and had never said anything about the main culprits, the Gatti brothers, in all her years inside. Terry had been her common law husband and they had had a son David, however he had moved on with a new wife and family.

Move forward 16 years and Emma has been released. Her son, David had committed suicide and Emma is out for revenge or so it seems. One by one the people involved in the crime die in suspicious circumstances, all of the accomplices until the only two people left alive are Terry and DS Woolfe.

This was an interesting story with an unexpected ending but I particularly liked the interaction between Max and his daughter. She is on the edge of maturity and has always suffered form her mother leaving her when she was 4 It is obvious how much Max adores his daughter but finds it difficult to communicate with her. This scenario was very well written particularly at the end when Max tries to articulate his feelings for Scout.

I enjoyed this book although I found some of it a little far-fetched and I still have not worked out how the title relates to the book!
!

Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net Galley

Tony Parsons manages (yet again) to combine interesting, believable characters, real-life situations, a plot with cunning twists, and bad-boy colleagues his protagonist, Max Wolfe investigates. His ability to remain compassionate and generous in the face of his daily police encounters whilst remaining principled and detached in his investigations is enviable; his descriptions of his love and fears for his daughter tugs at the heartstrings, especially his closing interior dialogue. The bladder behind my eyes struggled not to leak. Wolfe’s engagement with Emma Moon is intriguing - part guilt, part admiration, part longing – is handled with delicacy; his pursuit of historical criminals, the murderer of a homeless girl, and determination to keep the force clean makes one want to cheer. And there is tension, action, and dilemma aplenty to keep the pages turning.

Was super excited to be given an advanced copy of this book and was looking forward to what Max Wolfe and his daughter Scout were up to.
I felt it was quite a slow burn. the antagonist Emma Moon who has just been released from prison after a 16 year sentence for her part in a robbery with fatalities has always kept her mouth shut and never ratted on her accomplices. Now she is free they are dropping dead and Max who was the one to arrest her doesn’t know if he’s next.
I initially thought I was going to give this four stars as I just wasn’t getting into it how I normally love a Max Wolfe story but then “BAM” and I loved it.
I don’t give five stars often and I certainly don’t give them just because I received an advanced copy. I highly recommend the Max Wolfe series.
Thank you NetGalley & Tony parsons

I have never read a book from from this series before, however it was easy to jump into.
Emma moon was with a group of people who committed a robbery that went wrong, and she was the only one convicted.
She has been released from prison, while she was in prison the people she done the robbery with moved on with their lives with the proceeds of the robbery.
There's the storylines of Emma Moon and the ones she committed the crime with disappearing, Max Wolfe and his relationship with his daughter and also his work in uncovering corruption.
Great Story
#netgalley #MurderForBusyPeople

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book-really enjoyed it, particularly the style of writing which is quite different for this genre. I love a good character and will definitely be picking up some more of the Max Wolfe series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read any of the Max Wolfe series to date but I don't think that impacted my experience of this book. Of course, a bit of context around Max's relationship with his daughter, ex-wife and other appearing characters may have helped the 'getting to know you' part of the book but I felt this worked as a story in its own right perfectly well. However, I did find Max a bit difficult to visualise, From the description, I couldn't really tell his age or appearance so I guess reading his other stories would have helped here.

I read an advance copy so there remained a few typos and other distractions (changing character names) which I am sure will be tidied up before publication. However, I was more confused by trying to work out which was the main story here as there seemed to be multiple subplots going on. The Emma Moon plot was, I thought, exciting and compelling. Emma is a well-defined character, and her backstory with the Gatti brothers is intriguing. I was really engrossed in this storyline - and then it all finished a bit abruptly for me, with Max taking actions I didn't think were right for his characters, albeit the little I know of him. Then there were subplots with his daughter, as well as others - though no plot spoilers here! They just didn't gel together that well for me so I ended up a little disappointed at the end, and I couldn't work out how the title was relevant either. Perhaps just me reading on a bad day! However, I like the character of Max and may well give one of his other stories a go.

This is the first Max Wolfe book that I have read. It wasn't the usual police caper. Rather than just narrate a plot line, this was written from the perspective of Wolfe and how it affected him emotionally. A lot of the book is about his relationship with his daughter, Scout, who is twelve. I certainly would't let my twelve year old child out til 10 pm unaccompanied. It can be a bit slow at times, but it is so well-written that I couldn't stop reading. I will certainly look out for this author again.

The story is based on when rookie policeman Max Wolfe arrests a woman, Emma Moon at the luxury house where two men have been found murdered and a safe stolen. She never admits who was responsible for these terrible crimes and spends many years in prison as a result. Fast forward to when she is released and Max is now a vastly experienced officer. Will Emma ever admit her role and those of others? Max finds the body of one of the men involved on that fateful night. He has died from an apparent heart attack but is that the truth or is something more sinister going on? This was a decent enough story that was an easy read but for me I felt events were a little too convenient. For example Max stumbling across the aforementioned body. In the middle of London. Further into the book other characters seemed to appear from nowhere as though London is a small rural village where you can’t help but bump into people you know. My other concern is for Scout, Max’s daughter. A single parent who loves her and is proud of her but what sane person would let their 12 year old wander the streets of London (or anywhere) late at night and on their own without any checks or supervision. He’s a policeman and with that comes the knowledge of how dangerous this behaviour must be. It’s absolute madness and even when a girl is murdered nearby Scout is still left to her own devices. I found this unnerving throughout and detracted from the main story. I hadn’t read any Max Wolfe books before now and I understand they are best sellers. However, as a stand alone book I felt this was too contrived.

How this book stands out is with short chapters and a straightforward narrative.
This does not mean that the plot is simple or the story easy to guess.
It does mean that the reader is not easily confused.
I loved the characters and I liked the storyline, and appreciated the various insights into policing and life in London.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I found the story a little slow to start but once it got going it hooked you in. Many storylines cleverly woven together along with the family drama of teenagers and their fathers! Current story including armed police bought this right up to date.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for the advance copy of this book.

Having read all the DC Max Wolfe series I was really looking forward to reading this book and it didn't disappoint. Whether reading this as your first Tony Parsons novel or having read all in the series the book is a definite page turner. I was hooked from the start with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end.
The story was well written and for those who have read all in the series it was great to catch up on the relationship between Max and his daughter Scout and Stan the dog. Although as Scout becomes a teenager their relationship is a bit more strained than in previous books.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Highly Recommend.

This story intrigued me and having never read a Tony Parsons book before I now know that I must have missed out and have to go back and seek many more from his collection. A woman is released from prison after serving 16 years for a crime that she probably didn't commit, but she kept quiet for those who did. Nevertheless, many of the people involved are now being hunted down and killed and it's the original policeman that arrested her over 16 years ago that gets to interview her and perhaps finds out too much about her as he investigates the new murders. The twists are impossible to guess, but I do wonder if he should have allowed his almost teenage daughter to become as involved with potential murderers as he did. You'll find out when you read this outstanding book and although everything is wrapped up at the end you'll still be thinking that many of these characters could have made different choices and their outcomes might have been better and they may have still been alive. Of course, as is standard in all these police books these days, the policeman has to fight all those above him to get his way and you wonder if they are involved in any of the deception, while Max, the lead character, also fights some dodgy police officers during the course of this novel. Excellent story, very well written, I look forward to more by this writer.

I couldn’t put this one down, really really good.

I enjoy the way this author brings the lives of the characters in to the investigations-it feels more real.

Can read as a stand alone but I’d recommend the series as it it really good and you get more from it that way.

I absolutely adore Tony Parsons’ writing style, it just clicks with me and I could quite happily read anything written by him!

This is the first book I have read in his Max Wolfe series and it won’t be the last. I really like Max, his daughter, Scout and the relationship between them; the single father and the almost teenager. A very tricky balance that Max manages well.

The plot was excellent; a woman released from prison after 16 years, who was a young Max’s first arrest. You know what they say? You never forget your first! And it appears that applies to young coppers too! The woman took the heat and did the time for the man she loved and now that man’s associates are dying. Is she to blame or was she innocent all along?

5⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Tony Parsons and Random House, Cornerstone for an ARC in return for an honest review.

I love this author’s books, they are good and keep you enthralled all the way through with twists and turns. This one is no different with great characters and setting. Why would someone keep quiet about a robbery/murder and do the time for someone else? Keep reading as it is really good the way it all comes out.

When Max Wolfe stumbles across a dead body while walking his dog he doesn't immediately realise that he is going to be dragged back to his early days as a police officer and one of the greatest unsolved crimes of the past twenty years.

I vividly remember reading Man And Boy by Tony Parsons back in the 1990s and to this day it still remains one of the most emotive books I've read. I've read a few others by the author but was very surprised when I realised I'd not read any of the Max Wolfe series, despite The Murder Bag having been on my TBR pile for years.

When I was given the opportunity to read and review Murder For Busy People it was the author's name, along with the quirky title, which persuaded me. There's always that moment when you realise you're about to embark on a book in a well-developed series, book 7 in this case, and you haven't read any of the previous books. You question whether you will get the best from the novel having no idea of the backstory. I'm pleased to report that the novel works well as a standalone and has enticed me to read the series from the beginning.

While walking his dog early one morning, Max discovers the body of another dog walker. He immediately recognises the man as a getaway driver who was involved in one of the biggest robberies of the past twenty years when a safe and its contents were stolen. What makes the case memorable for Max is that only a week out of his police training, he was the first officer on the scene. Max arrested a young woman, Emma Moon, the only person to be convicted of the robbery in which two men were killed. Sixteen years on, Emma Moon has been released from prison and those alleged to be involved in the crime alongside her begin to turn up dead.

Max Wolfe is definitely a maverick, so while he's a police officer this isn't a police procedural. Wolfe strikes out on his own to find out how the members of the gang are dying, particularly as many of them have given up their criminal past and settled down. He's tenacious, refusing to back down. When he stumbles across a group of corrupt officers we discover how relentless he truly is.

The novel covers some extremely timely themes such as police officers using their powers to arrest women and the challenges of being an armed officer. We also see Max struggling with his personal life. His ex-wife who walked out on her family ten years earlier has made contact with their daughter, Scout. As a pre-teen Scout is pushing the boundaries and Max is finding it difficult to balance allowing her some independence alongside protecting her.

The different threads within the novel work well together, allowing us to see the different sides of Wolfe. The characters and the setting really made you feel as if you were right there in the east end of London. Throughout the story, the big riddle is what was stolen from the safe? The conclusion gives us the answer, but it's a frustrating one.

I enjoyed the twists and two storylines. It kept me guessing. Conflicted personal life bringing up a 12 year old daughter alone is not the norm for murder squad male detectives.
The arresting officer 16 years ago to an infamous female criminal who was convicted under joint enterprise. Released on licence back in to the community, stirs up the press interest especially when members of the original gang take their own lives. Past bumps up against the now, along with a murder close to home that starts off a different investigation.

A great read and one which keeps you wondering as to how many people are involved in such an awful crime and were happy for others to take the blame. The side story being that the police aren't always as they seem which has been played out in real life of late!

Max Wolfe's first arrest as a rookie cop was of Emma Moon.16 years later she is released from prison and the bodies start to mount up as members of her old gang start to be killed .she has not given anybody up in her prison years but is this her payback? Max, now a detective tries to investigate but he doesn't always get the help he needs from colleagues .He wonders if he is going to be a target because of the arrest.Max also needs to sort his daughter Scout out , she is trying to help the homeless volunteering at a soup kitchen and even at one time letting them in to their home for a party. Max arrives home and is not impressed by what he finds . Scout's volunteering is putting her life in danger but she doesn't know it .A well written novel with many twists along the way.