‘Clean Kill’ by Nick Everard.

Published by The Book Guild Ltd,
28 May 2022.
ISBN: 978-1-914471 66-7 (PB)

Despite having been a widower for only two months, John Gault’s well-meaning friends are already inviting him out and, though he appreciates their desire to help, he could really do without it.  However on one such occasion he meets Sarah, an acquaintance from a few years ago.  During the general conversation he is reminded that he had wanted to write.  Though he feels that he is now too old to start, he does express interest in writing a thriller, or perhaps a murder mystery.  Sarah points out, in a mildly combative way, that he will now have the time.

John and Sarah meet again and discuss the non-existent book – he has refined his ideas, now aiming to write the perfect murder.  With her encouragement, he continues to work on possible plots.  As they consider these during their next meeting, Sarah reveals something which makes his efforts to write a crime novel take an unexpected turn.

With the main characters and relationships established, the story moves forward quickly.  Several plot lines combine smoothly together to transform the ideas for the book into something much darker.  Lives are changed forever and, perhaps, a modicum of justice is achieved.  But has John come up with the plot for a perfect murder?

This is an interesting first novel - an entertaining story, with some strong characters, some neat surprises and a thought-provoking ending.
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Reviewer: Jo Hesslewood

Nick Everard is a former Army Officer whose subsequent career has embraced periods in the city, schools adventure travel and recruiting/headhunting. He became Regimental Secretary of The Royal Lancers in July 2021. He is married to Kiki and lives on the Leicestershire/Northamptonshire border close to Market Harborough. They have two grown children.

Jo Hesslewood.  Crime fiction has been my favourite reading material since as a teenager I first spotted Agatha Christie on the library bookshelves.  For twenty-five years the commute to and from London provided plenty of reading time.  I am fortunate to live in Cambridge, where my local crime fiction book club, Crimecrackers, meets at Heffers Bookshop .  I enjoy attending crime fiction events and currently organise events for the Margery Allingham Society.