Killing the Beasts

DI Spicer, Book 1

By: Chris Simms

Narrated by: Dean Williamson

The Commonwealth Games have come to Manchester and the city is buzzing. Caught in the commercial feeding frenzy is Tom Benwell, an advertising executive. But the pressure is getting to Tom - too many deals to make and too many lies to tell. Meanwhile, his friend DI Jon Spicer is on the fast track, showing a love for the job that borders on obsession.

Then, in the aftermath of the Games, a string of brutal murders shatters the city's newfound spirit. Spicer gets the case. Each victim has been murdered in the same grotesque manner, yet the lack of motive leaves the police utterly baffled. With the race on, both men find themselves caught up in a nightmare where the most innocent action can cost the highest price.

©2014 Chris Simms (P)2020 W. F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Pacy, gripping and original storytelling." (Yorkshire Post)

"The story’s dramatic events are drawn out, gradually building to a page-turning, heart-stopping – and totally unexpected – ending." (The Book Place)

Great Read

This author has you thinking you know what's going on, but you do not. twists and turns like crazy. Loved it!

Okay prose, good reader, silly plot, shallow characters.

Pros: Good, immediate physical language. By far this writer's strong point. Narration was very good. The reader was a master of Northern English accents.

Cons: Almost everything else. The plot was silly, silly, silly. The villain isn't really even one of the antagonists and the two antagonists we do have are shallow when compared to their "screen time." The protagonist is a bland guy with no personality who is constantly fantasizing about cheating on his old lady. Not really worth anyone's time.