#Blogtour #Review #Guestpost: Rocco and the Nightingale by Adrian Magson @adrianmagson1 @DomePress24/10/2017 Release date - 19th October 2017 Book length - 272 pages Publisher - www.thedomepress.com Book Depository - www.bookdepository.com Amazon UK - www.amazon.co.uk Amazon US - www.amazon.com I want to thank Emily from The Dome Press for providing me with a copy of this book for review. ABOUT THE BOOK When a minor Paris criminal is found stabbed in the neck on a country lane in Picardie it looks like another case for Inspector Lucas Rocco. But instead he is called off to watch over a Gabonese government minister, hiding out in France following a coup. Meanwhile, Rocco discovers that there is a contract on his head taken out by an Algerian gang leader with a personal grudge against him. MY REVIEW ROCCO AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Adrian Magson is a compelling story of lies, murder, and expert detective work set at a time when there were no mobile phones or computers to aid the police force in their investigations. When an unidentified body is discovered in the rural idyll of Picardie in northern France, Inspector Rocco and his team throw themselves into the search for the killer. Unfortunately for Rocco, the Interior Ministry has other plans for him and he finds himself babysitting a foreign dignitary who needs to hide out from his enemies. But Rocco is not one to be dissuaded and as he continues to dig into the murder case, he seems to find more questions rather than answers. But there is so much more to this case than first meets the eye, and it is not long before Rocco finds himself at the centre of it all, as the main target. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel as it really gave me an insight into the in-depth police work that was involved in the 1960's. The characters of this community are intriguing and they make you want to know more about them. Inspector Rocco is a great main character as there are so many sides to him and he keeps so much to himself, but on each page, you feel like he is letting you into his world little by little. The setting really worked for me as this beautiful piece of quiet countryside is not where you would expect to find the criminal underworld but it shows how looks can always be deceiving. ROCCO AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Adrian Magson is the fifth book in this series but can easily be read as a standalone - although when you find such a gripping series as this, I think you should treat yourself to the lot! ROCCO AND THE NIGHTINGALE by Adrian Magson is an absorbing detective story which is thought-provoking and perfect for crime fiction fans that enjoy a puzzle. Definitely worth reading!! Author Bio: Adrian Magson is a British crime-writer, his books often involve conspiracies, and have two repeating main characters - Riley Gavin, a young female investigative reporter, and Frank Palmer, a former RMP (British Royal Military Policeman) now a private investigator. For more information: Website - www.adrianmagson.com Twitter - twitter.com/adrianmagson1 Facebook - www.facebook.com/adrianmagsonbooks/ READ ON FOR A FASCINATING GUEST POST ABOUT SETTING FROM THE AUTHOR HIMSELF... Picardie – a long way from Paris
Actually, it’s not that far – at least, in driving time. A couple of hours or 160 km (100 miles). Imagine London to Birmingham, Liverpool to Hull or Bristol to Plymouth. But in real terms, and back in the 1960s (the era of ‘Rocco and the Nightingale’ and the other books in the series), it’s a whole different world. People didn’t travel as much then, and families stayed together more, even though the 2nd World War and France’s Indochina war (1946-1954) had done much to fracture communities. But why pitch a Paris detective into a rural backwater like Picardie? Because I wanted to explore the different fields (literally, in some cases), and apart from writing 5 London-based crime novels (the Riley Gavin series) and several spy thrillers, I fancied a change. And having lived and gone to school there, it seemed a natural choice. City criminals and crimes have a certain slant; they occur in busy areas, among narrow streets, close and often secretive communities, with pickings close to hand. Banks, shops, payrolls – sometimes even other criminals – all are within reach, and they’re never far from somewhere to use as a bolt-hole. The downside is that there are a lot of police about. It’s different out in the sticks. Police are fewer, strangers get noticed, traffic is far less, sometimes non-existent at certain times of day, and the pickings for organised criminals are slimmer. But crimes, while having a more opportunistic bent, often carry some history. Memories are long, feuds stretch far back, and disputes might arise out of often petty jealousies and perceived slights. But crime is crime, and Inspector Lucas Rocco has been sent to Picardie (see ‘Death on the Marais’) to lend his expertise. In the end, he finds that the countryside, tranquil, slow-moving and seemingly innocent, can hide a multitude of sins and dangers, especially to a stranger. I didn’t want to make Poissons-les-Marais, where Rocco is based, a sort of French Midsomer Norton. Rather, I wanted to reflect the changes going on in France and how they affected rural life, with the spread of crime, echoes of the wars which were still being felt, and how an experienced cop like Rocco, accustomed to dealing with city gangs, got to grips with secretive, even isolated offences, often with few pointers (at least to an outsider like him) towards a suspect. And that’s where Rocco’s local contacts come in, in the form of Mme Denis, his elderly neighbour, and some of the other villagers, especially the local rural policeman, Officer Lamotte. But crime doesn’t come only from within the community; crime drifts in from outside, unbidden, unwelcome, be it Algerian killers, London gangsters, professional assassins (The Nightingale), and even those connected to the state with their own interests at heart. Rocco, out on this rural limb, has to deal with not only orders from the all-powerful Interior Ministry, which likes to shove its fist in from time to time, but a new boss, Commissaire Massin, whose life he saved in Indochina and who resents Rocco’s arrival. And then there’s the criminal not-so-elite but every bit as lethal, who can appear out of nowhere and threaten to tear this community – and his life apart – apart. But he’s not cut off from Paris altogether. He does keep tabs on city events and past contacts, and sometimes, they serve to help him survive when all the pointers are that he might not. I hope readers enjoy this new book in the series, and thank you for letting me in. AM *I want to thank Adrian Magson for taking the time to write such an interesting piece for my blog today. Don't forget to check out all of the other stops along the way on this wonderful blog tour!
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WelcomeHi fellow bookworms. My name is Linda and I'm a reviewer & blogger, wife & mother who loves all things books! Currently ReadingUPCOMING BLOG TOURS
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