The Third Rule by Andrew Barrett

The Blurb

Looking for your new favourite CSI mystery? Then discover the unmissable The Third Rule today.

Propelled by a wave of atrocities, the government introduces a severe code of capital punishment. They designed The Rules to rid England of serious crime, but they failed. They said The Rules were infallible, but they lied.

Christian Ledger, an innocent man and a talented artist is charged with a fatal stabbing. Christian is heading for the ‘slaughterhouse’ because no one will listen to his pleas. Is the secret he carries enough to save his life?

CSI Eddie Collins, a reluctant hero with one failed suicide attempt behind him, suddenly wants to live when the police hunt him down for shooting a colleague. And now he’s on the government’s list too, and he’s running. But they’re getting closer by the minute…

About Andrew Barrett

Hi everyone, My name is Andrew Barrett and I live and work in West Yorkshire. My work focuses on the world of Scenes of Crime Officers (SOCOs or CSIs). I try to offer a unique insight into this often dark landscape; after all, I've been doing it as a career for over twenty years. Thanks for looking, Andy

My Review

This was certainly a book with plenty of meat to get your teeth into. The Third Rule was a long read at 624 pages, but I just couldn't put it down. CSI Eddie Collins and his journalist buddy Michael (MIck) Lyndon are up against a corrupt government minister for justice who brought about new reforms Rule One full term sentence with no parole for a first offence, Rule Two a longer sentence for a repeat offence, and Rule Three is death sentence for a third offence or first offence of a more serious crime. Eddie and a young lad called Christian Ledger are both facing trumped up rule 3 charges and it is down to Eddie and Mick to get to the truth past a brick wall of corruption from the justice minister to senior police officers who zealously want to be top of the rankings in subjecting suspects to Rule Three whether there is hard evidence or not. All sounds a bit weighty but the narrative is laced with dry wit from both Christian and Mick, budding alcoholics, and fellow CSI Ros who is the long-suffering voice of reason for Eddie and keeps his head above water and refuses to let him drown. I didn't like this book, I loved it, and a big thank you to Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for letting me have an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.