Death Rattle by David Jewell
The Blurb:
When a body is found stabbed to death in a notorious Newcastle upon Tyne gay cruising area, Detective Inspector Jack Slade of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team lands the enquiry. What appears to be a robbery gone wrong takes a dramatic turn when the identity of the victim is revealed.
Slade is unexpectedly drawn into a dark underworld of which he has no experience. Forced to seek help from people on the fringes of the Newcastle Gay scene, Jack finds himself embroiled in a dark and gritty world of sexual exploitation, missing teenagers and murders.
When his unorthodox methods result in the death of a suspect, Slade finds himself suddenly on the outside, shunned by his colleagues and himself a suspect in a homicide.
Wondering if he has been set up to fail from the start, and not knowing who to trust, Slade must uncover the hidden truth about the murders before he himself becomes a victim
Not a novel for the faint hearted ‘The Death Rattle’ is a dark and hauntingly realistic tale of corruption, sex and murder set against the background of a tough Northern city.
This debut novel from crime writer David Jewell will keep you guessing right up to the final page.
About David Jewell:
David Jewell is a North East based award winning writer and the Producer and Director of the UK Television series Write on. His recent documentary programme ‘From Pit To Parliament’ featuring the controversial politician Ronnie Campbell
was in 2020 Nominated for a Royal Television Society Award.
With thirty one years police experience rising to the rank of Inspector he has worked at the sharp end of some of the toughest areas of The North East, receiving several commendations.
His writing captures the voices and attitudes of a tough working class Northern city, and the often black humour of those characters who Police it.
In his debut novel ‘Death Rattle' he introduces Detective Inspector Jack Slade and brings a new dark and gritty realism to the Crime Writing genre.
My Review:
I am so excited about this debut author, and considering the large amount of reading I get through within the crime writing genre, it's quite something to have to say that this has to be the best I have read this year.
Detective Inspector Jack Slade believes he has been set up as a fall guy for a sensitive case involving the murder of an off duty police officer found in a gay cruising area. As if his paranoia wasn't bad enough coming under close scrutiny from the Assistant Chief Constable at the Command Block of Police Headquarters, because of the potential for the adverse publicity from the press, Inspector Mark Burton from Professional Standards was invited to oversee the investigation, someone with whom Slade has crossed swords with in the past.
Author David Jewell, has not chosen an easy topic for his debut book, involving the plight of very young disadvantaged teenagers being used and abused as rent boys. However, he has approached so many delicate issues within this story with great sensitivity, which is evidenced in the characterisation of Slade, a somewhat maverick cop with a big heart.
In a nutshell this novel will take your breath away. I real hope that this is going to become a series, because I want to see more of Jack Slade and his sidekick, Detective Sergeant Dave Anderson, and his awful Superintendent Parker.
