This is the second book in the series featuring DI Hope, and I think its best if you start there. A lot of references are made to how she got her injuries and scars, but I think I might still have missed some details. This book does however still make for a very good entertaining and solid read, and I can't wait to see if there is some more in the series.
Recommended.

Elaine Hope is tough. And she's not a quitter. And she's determined to find and bring Anton Sracko to justice despite the fact that she's not supposed to be working cases. Her struggle to find a new normal at both work and in her personal life elevates this above the usual British procedural, although it's certainly a well done example of the genre. Her colleagues Bull and Costello are similarly well done. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I did not read the first book but that wasn't a problem. This is a complexly plotted and neatly written good read.

Elaine is such an intense and complex character. This is the second book in the series but the first time I have read this author. I was not disappointed and now I am starting book one to see where it all started. So many twists and turns and shocking scenes that you just may not see coming. I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read this book and write about it.

This is the second in the DCI Hope series, however, my first book! It didn’t disappoint, I love a good detective police procedural read especially one that manages to keep my mind guessing!

DCI is still recovering after being attacked on her last case by Nilo Srecko which has left her both physically and mentally scarred. Revenge is on her mind and she doesn’t believe she will heal unless and until she brings Anto Srecko (Nilo’s brother) to justice as he is the head honcho, the one who calls the shots!

Two-Faced is a perfect name for this book, who can be trusted, who cannot? It sends your mind spiralling….. I tend not to go into too much detail about the story itself as I would hate to ruin it for anyone but for those of you who love a good mystery, I would recommend and I will say that it has a variety of issues at play, secret investigations, money laundering, police corruption and of course murder!!!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of Two-Faced, the second novel to feature DCI Elaine Hope of the Met.

Nine months after being attacked by psychopath Nilo Sracko and killing him Elaine is still recovering from her injuries, both mental and physical, and nursing a desire to bring Nilo's father, Anton, the puppet master, to justice but her off the books investigation isn't getting very far. Until, that is, two of her former team, DC Bull and DS Costello, are assigned to a murder which appears to be a gangland hit on a Serbian. Is there a connection? Elaine's investigation takes her into some strange territory.

I thoroughly enjoyed Two-Faced which is a complicated read with a myriad of interconnecting characters and motives which lead Elaine far from her initial objective of prosecuting Anton Srecko. Despite the murder in the first few pages the novel is necessarily quite slow at the beginning as Mr Ashworth establishes his characters, sows a few seeds and builds a good sense of unease and suspicion but the second half is gripping, compulsive reading with a few unexpected twists and turns. I must confess that it is so twisty in parts that I'm not 100% sure of all the characters's roles, even after re-reading the epilogue.

As this is the second novel I assume that Elaine's injuries are the result of events in the first novel, Souls of Men, which I haven't read. As the salient points are re-capped over the course of this novel I don't feel that I have missed anything although this is a companion piece.

Elaine Hope is an interesting protagonist. She is brave, fearless and resolute in her pursuit of justice as she sees it, obsession as others see it. It's all a matter of perspective and I didn't find myself drawing a firm conclusion. I like the fact that she inspires loyalty in her former team who trust her judgement and I loved her handling of her senior officers who tried to strong arm her - that particular scene is my favourite in the novel. I think I would like to see her working a regular case before drawing conclusions about her personality as in this novel she is not in a normal situation.

Two-Faced is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

This book did not disappoint. It was the second in a series and I've already ordered the first book even though much of the outcome is clear in Two Faced. DCI hope is still recovering physically and emotionally from a brutal assault at the hands of a suspect. Her decision to enter the scene without backup has left her with a mixed reputation at the MET and she's on light duty at a training center. Her unauthorized investigation of the family behind her attack crosses paths with in a murder investigation and some highly secret investigations into money laundering at the highest levels and suspicions of police corruption. She knows she can trust her former team from the murder beat but who else can she trust? A well plotted procedural with a great array of characters and lots of possible outcomes. What's not to like?! Thanks to #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the opportunity to read an advance copy.