Just read… Shallow Waters by Rebecca Bradley

Shallow Waters is Rebecca Bradley’s first novel, and introduces us to DI Hanna Robbins.

When the naked, battered body of an unidentified teenager is found dumped in an alleyway, post-mortem finds evidence of a harrowing series of events.  Another teenage death with the same MO pushes DI Hannah Robbins and her team on the Nottingham City division Major Crimes Unit to their limits. In a race against the clock, they attempt to unpick a thick web of lies and deceit to uncover the truth behind the deaths. But it doesn’t stop there. When catching a killer isn’t enough, just how far are the team willing to push themselves to save the next girl?

Hanna Robbins, like most modern-day fictional detectives, leads a complicated life. She is trying to solve a difficult murder case (where the arrest of the prime suspect is just the start of a race against time to save the life of an innocent girl), whilst maintaining a difficult relationship with a local reporter. As if that wasn’t enough, her father is trying to persuade her to visit her sister who is languishing in prison. And I don’t know whether it is intentional, but Hannah also has a close friend at the station with whom I think the friendship could develop into something more.

Rebecca has made an assured start with Shallow Waters. It’s a police procedural that deals with the awful topic of child grooming, sexual assaults and murder, but does so very well, without going into too much detail regarding the horror of the subject matter. Characters are realistic and believable, and Hannah Robbins makes a great lead detective. I found it to be a great read.

If you like police procedurals, I recommend that you give Shallow Waters a go – it’s published today.

This review was based on an advanced review copy supplied by the author.