Description
'A tight tale full of twists, turns and surprises that kept me hooked'
When downbeat journalist and would-be novelist Mike Stanhope learns he's inherited a house in northern England from someone he's never heard of, he willingly accepts an assignment that will take him to the area and allow him to investigate. On the alert for clues, he thinks he's found one in the chance sighting of a young woman in an ancient film.
However, Mike soon has more urgent concerns. Suspicions of fraud, a betrayal of trust and the advances of the boss's beguiling daughter form a heady mix, and before he knows it, Mike's job is in doubt and his relationship with his girlfriend is on the line. He struggles to unravel what's happening, but has a tendency wade into trouble that he doesn't always see coming. Gradually he realises he's contending with ruthless people who are determined to keep him in the dark.
With its confident, economical style, its insight into character, its vivid dialogue, and its remarkable pace, Deficit of Diligence fully delivers on the promise of Alternative Outcome, the first book from this distinctive new voice in mystery drama. Like its predecessor, it heaps questions on answers as Mike searches for explanations, but the sure touch and crystal clarity of the prose mean that the focus never wavers, and the warmth of the underlying vision makes for irresistible reading.
Deficit of Diligence works well as a stand-alone mystery, but readers of Alternative Outcome will be delighted to follow the story of its unassuming protagonist, who often has to dig deep to navigate his way through adversity.
From the reviews
"Exciting from beginning to end... "
"The characters are so well written, very believable... "
"It can easily be read as a standalone book. Having said that, it has made me want to read book 1 (and books 3, 4, 5 etc. if and when they are available)... "
"This isn't your typical mystery book where you get all of the answers at the end. There are a number of mysteries going on at the same time and you are slowly fed the answers, with new complications and questions arising as you travel through the book. It works really well... "
"I was predicting outcomes ahead of the chase. Peter Rowlands continued to surprise me right up to the end... "
Mike Stanhope Mysteries
1. Alternative Outcome
2. Deficit of Diligence
3. Denial of Credit
4. The Concrete Ceiling
5. Book 5 due out in early 2020
"... Suspense, adventure and plenty of twists and turns in the plot... "
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