David J. Gatward – Grimm Up North, Best Served Cold & Corpse Road

Today I am reviewing three books by David J. Gatward for the Random Things Tour. They are Grimm Up North, Best Served Cold and Corpse Road. A series that features DCI Harry Grimm set in Yorkshire.

GRIMM UP NORTH

The first book in the series sees Harry seconded from Bristol to Wensleydale in Yorkshire. He fears for his sanity when he arrives, used to the gritty crime in Bristol he foresees a life of giving out tickets in the farming community there. He arrives and finds the total police presence there consists of two PCSOs working out of a room in the local community centre and his fears seem to be realised. A teenager is reported missing and it’s Harry’s job to deal with it and handle the new Chief Super who ain’t a happy one.

A great introduction to Harry Grimm who is a man with a history and a dark one at that, but who I found a likeable bloke even with his flaws. I was intrigued immediately as I read the first page and was so happy I had the three books together.

BEST SERVED COLD

On to the second book of the series, this instalment sees Harry still in the North, thankfully and investigating what was first thought a tragic accident but turns out to be a lot more sinister. Harry and his team find their days are getting longer as they discover that getting to the truth of the matter means having to go through tons of information to find it. We see them beginning to feel like a team and almost getting to a point that they could even be called friends.
I have to say character development by David J. Gatward is excellent. I feel like they are all people I could actually meet in the street, all the little details like their daily routine and the chit chat with their brews and biccies, love it!

A fabulous chapter in the Grimm Series that is as good as Grimm Up North, with a great plot and the storyline still as strong.

CORPSE ROAD

Number three in the series and well, what can be said…Harry was scared of being bored to death! Well, fear no more! This excellent book gives Harry the case he could do without, for sure! Harry and the team find themselves attempting to flush out a ruthless predator before there are more victims. A killer whose reason for killing and the method used are both brutal and sick.

Harry realises he has to not only rely on his detective skills but also his experiences and skills from when he was in the army.

This is a case that will prove how well Harry and his team are as one, the ability to trust will be tested in this book and we shall see how far they have come from the fledgling group in ‘Grimm Up North’. Everything will be put to the test in this case, but will they prove they can do it?

Three books later and I love this group of people. The beautifully detailed descriptions of the Yorkshire Dales make me happy to not be too far away from them, as I am ‘Up North’ too. The amount I am invested in Harry was pretty clear when I was on the edge of my seat in certain parts of this particular book and definitely had my heart in my mouth. I really like to see the camarderie (in the form of banter of course) that is growing between the team and it’s almost like watching members of your family grow as time goes on. I am hoping book number five is coming sometime soon, I really will need a Harry Grimm fix in the near future.

Thanks to Random Things Tours, David Gatward and Weirdstone Publishing for the copies of the books for my reviews today.