All Down the Line

Manchester 2017: Cain Bell thinks he has finally found happiness with April Sands, a celebrated chef and the love of his life. But on the night he proposes, April reveals a shocking secret: the man who confessed to killing Cain's daughter in a hit-and-run accident two decades ago was not the real driver. As Cain seeks answers, he discovers April harbours many more dark secrets - one of them ties her to the very tragedy that has haunted him for years. Caught between seeking vengeance and turning the other cheek, Cain must navigate the blurred lines between right and wrong in pursuit of a truth that will either renew or destroy him.

'The pace is impressive, the story unfolds with energy and urgency, especially the opening as Cain's proposal is immediately negated by April's statement, Cain and April are mugged and Cain dumped in the canal, all in the first 10 pp. It's sharp and witty, slick but disciplined and the writing voice is assured and confident. There's an entertaining variety of disparate, colourful characters. Cain's account of his time at Auschwitz is grim and unflinching as he confronts life's horrors full on.'

Martin Fletcher, editor