Nemesis (Badge and the Pen #1) by Roger A. Price
The Blurb
When psychopath Daniel Moxley makes his escape while being escorted to Broadmoor high security prison, he sets off on a trail of bloody revenge, leaving police forces throughout the north of England floundering in his wake. Moxley’s paranoia has him seemingly selecting victims at random. The only thing they have in common is the gruesome nature of their killings. Police, prison warders and even old ladies have been the target of Moxley’s cold-blooded murder spree. When Detective Inspector Vinnie Palmer is assigned to the case, Moxley decides that he too must die, but not before he has led him from one blood-soaked scene to another. Among his victims is Vinnie’s offsider, Detective Constable Rob Hill, who he discovers has his own dark and destructive secret that rips Vinnie’s life apart. With the help of Moxley’s psychiatrist, Vinnie delves deep into the man’s criminal past and uncovers a history of corrupt police, sexual coercion and gaol brutality. But when Vinnie closes in on Moxley and takes the law into his own hands, he ends up suspended and stripped of his police powers. Determined not to let Moxley escape justice, Vinnie continues his pursuit of the maniac as a private citizen. He teams up with determined television reporter Christine Jones and together they pursue Moxley north to Scotland and back again. But the killer always seems to be one step ahead, leaving a trail mutilated bodies in his wake. Lured on by Moxley’s taunts, Vinnie discovers that it is his own wife – a fellow police worker – who has been an unwitting aid in Moxley’s deadly deeds. As a result, his suspension is lifted in time for him and Christine to gain full police support and finally confront Moxley in a terrifying final encounter. But is it too late? The action-packed and full of gruesome detail, Nemesis is Roger’s first story in the new Badge and the Pen series that features detective inspector Vinnie Palmer.
About Roger A. Price
The author is a retired detective inspector who had been in charge of a covert unit, which received national acclaim for its successes in engaging those who openly sold Class A drugs. Prior to this, he’d been in charge of the C.I.D. at Preston, having first led a dedicated informant unit. He also worked on murders, drugs squads, and the regional and national crime squads, often in covert roles across the UK, Europe, and the Far East, receiving several commendations. A member of the Crime Writers' Association he now writes crime thrillers in novel and script and uses his previous professional experiences to add gritty realism. Represented by SMA Talent.
My Review
This is the first Roger A Price book that I have read and certainly won't be the last. Psychopath David Moxley is on the run and on a vengeful killing spree with DI Vinnie Palmer on his tail. Moxley is not a man to forget people, and he easily makes enemies, including anybody that threatens his liberty. This has repercussions for Vinnie who is the deputy SIO in the hunt for Moxley, and the repercussions going to deeply impact on his personal life forever. This is a shocking fast-paced crime thriller that illustrates the inexorable, merciless mind of a psychopathic killer who has no qualms about killing his friends to get what he wants and has for his enemies the most merciful act is to when releasing them from this mortal coil after a large portion of pain.
