Elena Forbes – A Bad Bad Thing

‘A Bad Bad Thing’ by Elena Forbes is a crime novel by an author who clearly knows police procedure. A story that has multiple layers interwoven into the narrative.

DCI Eve West has just been suspended from the Force. Her last police operation ended in total disaster, it is looking likely she will be out in no uncertain terms, that is until she is contacted by a man, John Duran one of the many violent criminals Eve has put behind bars. Duran can help her be reinstated but he has a somewhat bizarre request. He wants her to help journalist Dan Cooper of 4Justice, who investigates possible miscarriages of justice. One of his fellow inmates was convicted of the murder of a stable girl, Jane McNeil, ten years ago, and Eve can help Dan get him out. The question is why does John Duran want to help someone clear their name and get out of prison? This strikes Eve as a front for an agenda he is keeping to himself There has to be a reason other than the goodness in his heart! What could it be? She decided to help Dan, as they start digging into the cold case they are met with witnesses claiming they don’t remember. Dan and Eve know with the case being ten years old this may happen. It is only as people begin to die they realise there is someone who doesn’t wish for the case to be solved.

‘A Bad Bad Thing’ is a cracking read. Eve is a woman who has dark secrets in her past as well as at least one colleague who has betrayed her in the present day and she needs to discover which one. Then there is her first love too. He is back but what happened previously? We have a lot of back history and issues around our main character but to all intents and purposes this woman is a tough cookie but that is her front. As the story unfolds we learn more and more about this enigmatic woman.
The drip-feeding of her back story makes for a great page-turner alone.

To conclude ‘A Bad Bad Thing’ is a riveting read with several surprising twists and a main character that brings this book to life amazingly well.

Thank you to Emma of Damp Pebbles Blog Tours and Blackthorn Books for my place on this tour and the copy of the book.