‘Drawn To Murder' by JJ Sullivan

Published by Mandrill Press,
6 December 2021.
ISBN: 978-1-91019430-0 (PB)

Twenty years before the events depicted in Drawn To Murder began, Rita and Jamie, both sixteen at the time, made their way to Batterton’s local recreation ground.  Each hoped that the other would be there, but their dreams of youthful romance were shattered when three older boys grabbed Rita and subjected her to a brutal sexual attack.  Jamie, who saw what the older boys were doing, was too afraid to intervene and left Rita to her fate.  Then, when the poor girl returned home, her parents decided not to report the incident to the police.  They wanted to avoid others learning about what they considered was their daughter’s shame! 

Rita’s desire for revenge has grown as the years have passed.  She is now an artist and in an unhealthy relationship with Deborah who is controlling and nurtures her girlfriend’s obsession.  When meticulous planning enables the couple to kidnap one of the attackers, they mete out a punishment to fit the original crime.  It isn’t pretty and soon triggers a complex investigation during which Rita and Deborah are always one step ahead of the police.  

The book’s compelling third person narrative deftly weaves together a series of complex threads at the heart of the tale.  Focus shifts between the killers and the detectives and to further complicate matters a sassy investigative journalist, Bernadette Spence, gets involved.  She’s hoping for the scoop of a lifetime and almost gets more than she bargained for.  

The characters in the story are varied and engaging, though not always likeable.  Indeed, some of Rita’s assailants express regret for their actions, but they don’t invite sympathy.  The burden Rita carries from the moment of the attack reinforces a sense that this is not, for her, an historic crime, and a key theme in the novel focusses on the enduring psychological damage of such trauma.  Rita is the primary victim, but Jamie’s entire life has also been overshadowed by what happened on that fateful day twenty years earlier.  He still regrets, and blames himself, for not going to Rita’s assistance, and the experience led him to train as a police officer.  Now PC Jamie Pearson, he longs to make amends for his inaction.  Instead, he too finds himself drawn into the case – and into danger! 

DI Susanna David exudes competence as she oversees her team, and she turns on a dime as the case twists and turns.  The police procedural aspect of the novel includes some love interests, but all those involved need to beware dangerous Deborah who has her own agenda when it comes to deciding who needs to be eliminated! 

J.J. Sullivan’s gritty thriller is the first in the Batterton Police series.  I’ll be interested to see how the team of detectives are tested by future cases. 

Drawn To Murder will appeal to readers who enjoy fast moving crime fiction with psychological overtones, a touch of romance and no punches pulled!
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Reviewer: Dot Marshall-Gent 

JJ Sullivan writes contemporary fiction as John Lynch, historical fiction as R J Lynch Right now, there are two series in JJ Sullivan's name: the Batterton Police procedurals and the Claire Tanner female sleuth series

Dot Marshall-Gent worked in the emergency services for twenty years first as a police officer, then as a paramedic and finally as a fire control officer before graduating from King’s College, London as a teacher of English in her mid-forties.  She completed a M.A. in Special and Inclusive Education at the Institute of Education, London and now teaches part-time and writes mainly about educational issues.  Dot sings jazz and country music and plays guitar, banjo and piano as well as being addicted to reading mystery and crime fiction.