Crime Commute Reads- a selection of novella's, short stories and books in parts

There are more and more  crime short stories,  stories in parts and novellas on the market at the minute and I have to say I'm glad of it.  They're excellent for those of us who hate to waste the commute by doing nothing, yet find full length novels too heavy or convoluted for a stop/start read. so get yourself stocked up on these few gritty crime stories by some of my favourite authors.

kindle 59p

Hush Little Baby by James Carol
James Carol's ex FBI agent Jefferson Winter is rapidly becoming one of my favourite heroes.  Hush Little Baby is Carol's  second about Winter's youth and I found it fascinating to see how Winter develops from a talented, enigmatic,damaged young man to the equally damaged but more rounded, more empathetic seasoned serial hunter we find in the Jefferson Winter novels : Broken Dolls and Watch Me (shortlisted for The Crime Warp New Years Honours Award 2014).  In Hush Little Baby, Winter's mentor Yoko Tanaka, takes him under her wing to track down The Sandman (a seriol killer targetting Blonde, single  mother's and their young daughters).  I loved the way we get glimpses of the Winter of later novels whilst seeing the vulnerability of a young man coping with having a serial killer as a father.

The Whispers by Lisa Unger

99p kindle £2.35 audio download

This is the first in 'The Hollows' series of short stories.  In a tragic accident Eloise loses her husband and one of her two daughters.  Waking up from a coma she slowly realises she has developed Psychic powers (The Whispers) that she can put to good use to help solve crime in her community.  This is well written with the promise to deliver more entertaining stories in the series.  If you like cross genre crime fiction this is well worth a read. 

kindle 49p audio download free

Dead Man's Gift by Simon Kernick is written as a three part series and is a joy for the commuter at a reasonable price.  
Part one: Yesterday opens with the murder of an au pair and the abduction of her charge, politician Tim Horton's son Max.  The kidnappers request a strange and horrific fee for the safe return of the boy and realising that he and his wife are being  observed by the kidnappers Horton enlists the help of his brother- in -law, Scope which brings us neatly on to...

Kindle 49p

 Part 2: Last Night
Scope, reluctantly dragged into helping his brother-in-law soon becomes involved in a series of violent events in the company of Horton's mistress Orla . As time runs out and the deadline approaches Kernick moves us on to... 

Part 3:Today

kindle 49p

As Political events unfold and things don't go to plan for the kidnappers   Scope desperately follows the only clue he has and in an adrenalin packed race chases the kidnappers to a suburban village for a showdown.
This mini series is as gritty and fast paced as Kernick's Seige - they yank you into the moment and leave you breathless and desperate for the next part.

Kindle £1.49

Swamp Bones by Kathy Reichs (short story)

In Swamp Bones  Dr Tempe Brennan is on a much needed holiday in the Everglades.  However, when helping her friend (a bird anthropologist) she discovers human bones in the stomach of a Turkey Vulture which has been eaten by a Burmese python. The case is elevated to a Homicide investigation when Tempe discovers chainsaw marks on the bones.

Swamp Bones is full of interesting forensic detail but what really makes it for me is Tempe's sardonic, dry humour. A fascinating and convincing read by the Queen of Forensic anthropology.  

 Kindle £1.15 audio £2.44

The Burning Girl by Lisa Unger  (short story in The Hollows series - release date Feb 26th 2015)

Fourteen years after the death of her husband and one daughter, psychic Eloise is now a psychic PI and is estranged from her second daughter.  When The Burning Girl  appears to her she senses that the young girl is full of rage and that closure is not what she wants.  A scary thought provoking story that is emotionally charged.  if you like some supernatural with your crime then give this a go- you won't be disappointed.

The 45% Hangover by Stuart MacBride(a Logan/Steele Novella).

On the night of The Scottish Independence Referendum McRae begins a night shift as polling closes and as the results come in he is hounded by 'Yes' voter Steele who phones with hilarious updates whilst Logan is trying to find a missing 'Better Together' campaigner.

the opening scene was so hilarious I was nearly incapacitated with laughter- never again will I consider handcufffs in quite the same way!

Fans of MacBride's gritty humour must give this a go - I loved it!

Five Fires by Laura Lippman (short story)

This is a brilliantly crafted psychological thriller about a disturbed young girl traumatised by past events.  The story

Kindle £1.43

starts with a third arson attack, the return to a small community of a young girl with secrets of her own and is told through the point of view of an adolescent deli worker.  Lippman gets right into the minds and hearts of the small community and does a really excellent portrayal of teen angst.  Five Fires is tense with a nifty twist at the end and a damn good read.