LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
Layering gripping crime fiction with a thrilling plot and heartbreaking themes ensures this novel not only captivates, it also hits home with hammer-hard precision. Former SAS officer and Police Inspector Robert Finlay was first introduced in Wicked Game. The writing is such that you really don’t need to have consumed the previous three books in order to thoroughly enjoy and appreciate Crow 27. It stands brilliantly alone in its own right and you can easily start here and return to the others. Finlay heads to an army barracks to investigate military weapons ending up in criminal hands. On arrival at the camp he finds himself paired with military police officer Floria McLaren and begins to investigate worrying claims of bullying. Author Matt Johnson has himself served as a solider and police officer, I’ve heard Matt speak at a Literary Festival and he is quite obviously a man who cares deeply about honour and justice. In this book he highlights the issue of abuse (including sexual exploitation) of soldiers, in the post script he explains how challenging the research and writing of this novel was. He has spoken to soldiers who have experienced horrific bullying and felt a huge responsibility with this novel to write with authenticity and honesty. Crow 27 is fiction, yet steeped in fact, it is hard to read at times but it felt incredibly important that I did. The writing walks a razor-edged tightrope of simultaneously entertaining while leaving you in no doubt that events that the young recruits suffer, have happened in similar circumstances in reality. The pairing of Finlay and Floria is inspired, you can get to know their individual qualities as they develop into a team. The plot itself wormed its way into my thoughts, creating burrows, laying traps, and shocking with intensity. The ending felt right, as though it could have happened no other way, and I sat back feeling rewarded by this read and inspired to further research. Chosen as a Liz Robinson Pick of the Month, Crow 27 feels all too real as it blasts past defences and takes you into an unimaginable world. Highly recommended.
Liz Robinson
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Crow 27 Synopsis
Available in Hardback, Paperback and on Kindle from Amazon.
When Detective Inspector Robert Finlay is sent to a military barracks to investigate a connection to weapons discovered in the possession of London gangsters, he is given strict instructions not to get involved in a suicide enquiry into the recent death of a young, recruit soldier.
The army partners Finlay with Floria McLaren, an ambitious military policewoman who doesn’t believe the death was a suicide. Ellie Rodgers is a traumatised army officer who discovers the existence of a cabal of soldiers who exploit young recruits for sexual and criminal purposes. Jodie Baker is the plaything of a devious and narcissistic training sergeant. Wendy Russell is a senior police officer with an undercover agent gone missing.
What appears to be a routine investigation soon takes on a life of its own as Finlay finds himself in a struggle with powerful forces – both criminal and from the military establishment – who know that, inside the wire, they make the rules.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9798351880174 |
| Publication date: |
20th October 2022 |
| Author: |
Matt Johnson |
| Publisher: |
Independently published |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Primary Genre |
Thriller and Suspense
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Matt Johnson Press Reviews
I thoroughly enjoyed Crow 27. Matt Johnson’s detailed research, in-depth knowledge and ability to tell a brilliant story combine to create an important work of fiction. A must read.” – Johnny Mercer.
“Emergency or armed services, no matter the uniform, if you served or know someone who served you should read this story.” – Chris Ryan MM.
“A gripping read I can thoroughly recommend. I read this book with great interest; it has a real aura of reality and illustrates the difficulties faced by an investigating officer in such circumstances.” – Lord Stevens, former Commissioner, Metropolitan Police.
“Think Where Eagles Dare meets Zero Dark Thirty. A chillingly-real, rollercoaster read.” - Damien Lewis.
“Matt Johnson truly nails it in a twisting, turning and authentic story capturing the culture of abuse surrounding female soldiers. I feel honoured at having had the opportunity to read this.” – Jane MacSorley, Producer, BBC Panorama Documentary ‘Bullied to Death’ and 2021 Audible Podcast ‘Death at Deepcut’.
“From a writer at the top of his game. Johnson is a natural.” – Matthew Hall, Writer of ‘Keeping Faith’ and ‘The Coroner’ series.
“Terse, tense and vivid writing. Matt Johnson is a brilliant new name in the world of thrillers.” – Peter James.
Author
About Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson served as a soldier and Metropolitan Police officer for 25 years. Blown off his feet at the London Baltic Exchange bombing in 1993, and one of the first police officers on the scene of the 1982 Regent’s Park bombing, Matt was also at the Libyan People’s Bureau shooting in 1984 where he escorted his mortally wounded friend and colleague, Yvonne Fletcher, to hospital. Hidden wounds took their toll. In 1999, Matt was discharged from the police with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While undergoing treatment, he was encouraged by his counsellor to write about his career and his experience of murders, shootings and terrorism. One evening, Matt sat at his computer and started to weave these notes into a work of fiction that he described as having a tremendously cathartic effect on his own condition. His bestselling thriller, Wicked Game, which was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger, was the result. Deadly Game once again draws on Matt’s experiences and drips with the same raw authenticity of its predecessor.
Author photo © Biophilic Photography
Click here to read a Q&A with the author about his new book, Deadly Game.
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