This is an interesting read featuring DI Sep Black, although I struggled with the plotting which left me confused at times! There is a lot of humour throughout as Sep investigates the death of a man who fell from his office window. I just can't put my finger on why it didn't work for me. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A Long Way Down is a bit different from your average police procedural. Sep Black is a DI, but he acts as a lone wolf, bending the rules in order to get results. His newest case both intrigues him and falls under the purview of the team to which he is assigned, the cold case squad. A journalist’s wife is convinced that her husband’s death is related to a case he was investigating- the death of a rich businessmen. As her husband died in a rundown hotel known for prostitution his death was dismissed as a mugging. His widow wants Sep to find the truth and she is willing to pay 50k to get answers.

Unlike many British police procedurals, A Long Way Down is heavy on action - exploding cars, gunfights, chases. Sep breaks rules with impunity, lies endlessly and doesn't worry about injuring suspects. He is charming, handsome and has a winning way with reluctant witnesses. Expect plenty of collateral damage. I can easily see the Sep Black novels being made into a tv series. I loved A Long Way Down. With it’s action, twisting plot and enthralling lead it is a definite winner.

5 / 5

I received a copy of A Long Way Down from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

Based in Leeds West Yorkshire, this is the second book featuring Detective Inspector Sep Black. Investigating the suspicious deaths of businessman Charlie Santiago and Journalist James Boswell, Sep realises that both he and his girlfriend Winnie O'Toole are in danger. Can Sep get to the truth before Mr. Wolf kills him? Plenty of action and thrills. I enjoy the author's work, I've also read some of his Sam Carew series. Recommended. See my full review on the Euro-Crime website..

An interesting twist on a classic murder theme; no one is who you think they are, and no one is as innocent as he / she would like you to believe. I was taken by surprise more than once, and "aha!" moments were plentiful as well. Diabolical and expertly-crafted suspense. Recommended!

3 and 1 / 2 stars

DI Septimus “Sep” Black of the West Yorkshire Police

Charlie Santiago falls to his death from an office window. It appears to be a murder. DCI Wood – a rather lazy and inept individual – is quick to shuffle the investigation off to the cold case squad when it is barely a few weeks old.

Some months later, perhaps a year or so, James Boswell is found dead in a run down and decrepit hotel room. He was a journalist who his wife Sandra claims was working on a big case when he was killed. She further states that he was not at the run down hotel to meet a prostitute, but was investigating the death of Charlie Santiago and the local police department’s somewhat questionable practices. Sandra entreats Sep to look into the cases and prove that her husband James was not doing anything wrong.

Sep sets out to investigate the two cases and whilst following clues and leads, he uncovers some interesting connections between the two cases. When Sep uncovers a more solid link between the two deaths, some serious bad guys set out to do him harm.

What follows is an interesting and adventurous romp around the little city. The book was fairly well written, but the plot lost its way sometimes. I said “huh?” to myself a few times. I don’t know if the author intended it to be so, but it was rather funny in places. Are police officers really that clumsy? Do they really recover from physical attacks that quickly? Oh well… This is my first Ken McCoy novel, and I went to Amazon to look at his other books.

I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House Publishers for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House for a review copy of A Long Way Down, the second novel to feature DI Septimus "Sep" Black of the West Yorkshire police.

Charlie Santiago falls to his death from his office window and DCI Wood is quick to call it suicide. A year later freelance journalist, James Boswell, is murdered in a seedy hotel room and his widow approaches Sep and asks him to prove that her husband was not meeting a prostitute when he was killed. It turns out that James was investigating Charlie's death and possible shady business dealings so Sep now has two cases to investigate and some serious people trying to stop him.

I enjoyed A Long Way Down but I don't think I read the same book described in the blurb. It is described as "hard hitting" and it's true that there is a lot of violence but the plot is too silly to be anything but a comedy - Sep gets knocked down, literally at one point, but like all good action heroes he gets up again to rejoin the fray.

I must admit that I struggled to understand all the ramifications of the plot and how the various characters fitted in, especially the bad guys, but it doesn't really matter as it is a very exhilarating read. If anything the plot detail takes a back seat to a series of action sequences where Sep is attacked, often seriously, but bounces back to fight another day. In fact the first time we meet Sep he is fighting off an attack. It is highly unrealistic but very readable.

A Long Way Down is a high octane, fun read.