‘The Liverpool Killings’ by Simon McCleave

Published by Canelo Crime,
17 September 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-83598-631-8 (HB)

978-1-83598-811-4-(PB)

Llancastell Criminal Investigation Department have finally put to bed a case involving a particularly nasty group of racists calling themselves British Action.  The investigating team, led by Detective Inspector Ruth Hunter, were not unscathed; long hours and the inevitable tension during the operation has taken its toll on all of them and one officer remains in hospital recovering from a bullet wound.  Thankful that the investigation is over, Ruth arrives home feeling the contentment of a job well done.  Her supportive partner Sarah is no less relieved, and the couple settle down to relish the simple pleasure of a warm, comforting fire.  Then her phone rings and what she hears flips Hunter straight back into D.I. mode. 

The brutal change of emotions felt by our intrepid crime fighter is a feature of this fast-moving thriller.  Two key plots drive the narrative.  The first involves a black police officer who is abducted and held hostage by Ian Nesbitt - a British Action activist who managed to avoid arrest when his ‘comrades’ were apprehended.  Nesbitt demands the release of his imprisoned pals in exchange for the officer he is holding, although whether he would honour any such bargain is highly dubious.  The second plot relates to an old feud involving Detective Sergeant Nick Evans and an organised crime group called The Toxteth Boyz.  The Merseyside gang have long harboured a grudge against Evans, now they want revenge.  The threat is credible; it jeopardises Nick and his entire family. 

The novel draws a clear distinction between good and bad characters, but that is not to say they are without nuance.  I found myself empathising with one felon and willing him to stand up to the chauvinistic, merciless Nesbitt.  Such glimpses of hope add another dimension to the tale and draw the reader into a consideration of criminality in a broader sense.  That said, the book is an out and out crime thriller with Ruth, as her surname suggests, being the hunter in chief.  Hunter’s character is intriguing, likeable and intelligent and her second-in-command, Nick, is equally engaging, although their partnership hasn’t always been smooth.  

Ruth Hunter began her career in the Metropolitan Police before moving to North Wales thinking it had to be an easier gig.  Since she arrived in Snowdonia, however, the D.I. has appeared in twenty-three novels – well, you can’t get it right all of the time!  McCleave’s writing is crisp, clear and concise and this twenty-third novel involving his successful sleuth can be read perfectly as a stand-alone – although I am now committed to read not only the entire series, but also the prequels that chart Ruth’s early career. 

The Liverpool Killings bursts with suspense and jeopardy from the get-go.  It starts fast, gets faster and explodes in a nerve-jangling finale. 

Breathless, entertaining, and highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Dot Marshall-Gent 

Simon McCleave is a multi-million copy bestselling author. Before writing crime novels, he worked in television and film. He was a Script Editor at the BBC, a producer at Channel 4 and a Story Analyst in Los Angeles. He worked on films such as the BBC Crime Drama Between The Lines. As a script writer he wrote on series such as Silent Witness, Murder In Suburbia, Teachers, Attachments, The Bill, Eastenders and many more.

www.simonmccleave.com

 

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.