On my blog today, I’m delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for the stunning new novel by Dominic Nolan, Vine Street.
BLURB
SOHO, 1935.
SERGEANT LEON GEATS’ PATCH.
A snarling, skull-cracking misanthrope, Geats marshals the grimy rabble according to his own elastic moral code.
The narrow alleys are brimming with jazz bars, bookies, blackshirts, ponces and tarts so when a body is found above the Windmill Club, detectives are content to dismiss the case as just another young woman who topped herself early.
But Geats – a good man prepared to be a bad one if it keeps the worst of them at bay – knows the dark seams of the city.
Working with his former partner, mercenary Flying Squad sergeant Mark Cassar, Geats obsessively dedicates himself to finding a warped killer – a decision that will reverberate for a lifetime and transform both men in ways they could never expect.
MY THOUGHTS
I’m a huge fan of Dominic Nolan’s writing and I couldn’t wait to read Vine Street when I first heard of it. The plot of this novel spans nearly a century and I thought the timelines were weaved together so well. It starts in 2002, when an elderly couple, former police officers, are dealt with a devastating blow when they learn the news that the body of a friend, Leon Geats, who went missing years ago, has been found.
Dominic Nolan then takes us back to London in the 1930s, particularly Soho and Dominic Nolan did a brilliant job in bringing the setting to life. We meet the man whose body is found in 2002 and he is investigation the death of a woman, believed to be a prostitute. Someone is targeting working girls with a foreign accent, and this becomes a particularly tricky case to solve, spanning across the decades. It is also apparent that there is corruption going on in the police force.
I wanted to know what would lead up to the point when his body would be discovered and I wanted to know if this investigation, had anything to do with his death. Geats comes across as a really likeable character and he is someone who you would hope to have fighting your corner if you were ever in trouble. He is a person who will do whatever it takes to get justice. Is it possible that his determination to get justice will ultimately lead to his downfall?
Dominic’s writing flowed really well. There was no confusion at all with the timelines and I liked how we got to see Leon’s character grow over the decades. I became really invested in his story. The mystery deepens even further and the twists which come as the plot begins to unfold were really shocking. It was plotted so well, and everything felt very satisfactory as I was reading.
I deliberately slowed down as I was reading this book, this is the type of book that you want to take your time with, not because it isn’t fast paced, but because it is so well written. The atmosphere draws you in and the setting is so well done. Vine Street is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year and if you are a fan of crime fiction you need to add it to your TBR pile. Highly recommended!
Publisher: Headline
Publication date: 11th November 2021
Print length: 592 pages
Vine Street is available to buy:
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