My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

The Crossing is a fairly typical British police procedural and is the first in what I hope will become a series. There was a lot of getting to know characters and places, but by the end they were beginning to feel familiar and I didn’t want to say good bye.

DI Louise Blackwell transferred from a large metropolitan police department to a small seaside town eighteen months ago and is still trying to fit in. When two people are murdered, she is put in charge of the investigation. Along with the police work, we are also privy to glimpses into Louise’s private life. For me, these glimpses are what bring this type of book to life; getting to know the people behind the warrant cards.

There are several other things about this book that I really liked. First, the reader knew who the murderer was from the beginning. What we didn’t know was why. Learning his story as the police were building their case, seeing a clever cat and mouse game unfold made for some interesting reading. I also enjoyed the setting. I think I actually felt the cold and almost constant rain of this bleak tourist town during the winter as if the weather were another character.

I enjoyed this book and hope there is more to Louise’s story. At first I did have my doubts about it. I was afraid the backstory concerning her former partner would become too much of a distraction. I think, in the end, it may have added to the book, but I do hope it is resolved soon and not something that is carried on for several books.

The body of an elderly woman found on the beach. The body of a priest discovered in the church confessional. Both murders are committed days apart and seem to be unconnected. Newly transferred DI Louise Blackwell is still reeling from the betrayal that led to her transfer to the small English beach town of Weston-super-Mare. Now she faces pressure to solve the crimes quickly before DI Finch, her nemesis from the past, takes over the case.

Lurking below the surface of the picturesque town is a long buried evil. As Louise and her fellow officers try to find the links between the killings and a long ago accidental church fire, the murderer is already planning more deaths. The well constructed plot leads to an unforgettable conclusion, leaving the reader eager for the next book in this series.

The Crossing is a welcome edition to the English police procedural genre. Weston-super-Mare and its residents come to life in Matt Brolly’s descriptions. Louise’s struggles to retain control of the investigation are real, as is her frustration with DI Finch’s interference. You will read this book quickly and look forward to Louise Blackwell’s next case. 5 stars.

This is the first book in a promising police procedural, featuring DI Louise Blackwell and set in Weston Super Mare. We know who the killer is from the beginning but this never detracted from the absorbing and well written plot. This is a very good crime drama which I have no hesitation in recommending. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This is a grim story of serial killers, stalkers, and a host of unpleasant people that is told far too much by interior dialog. Detective Louise Blackwell does not register as real to me. I did not like the book and did not finish.

4.5 Stars

This is the first book in the Detective Inspector Louise Blackwell series by Matt Brolly.

I’ll tell you one thing, Matt Brolly sure makes it easy to dislike one of his characters. One of Louise’s foils when this starts off is a colleague who made her look bad months earlier and then took the position she was a shoe-in for. Now, he is continually harassing her. What a schmuck! Since this is only book one, and I am sure the struggle between them will not be solved in quick measure. I really can’t wait for the story that reveals this character’s true colors. Most of the police force seem to have blinders on where this character is concerned.

So, when a ritual killing turns up in her new backyard, the higher ups in the police department want to call in those they think are more knowledgable and of course, that team is headed up by Louise’s old nemesis.

With the pressure on, Louise is out to prove to herself and her colleagues that she can solve this complex case. It is a super gripping read. Get ready to stay up late to finish this if you read late in the evening.

Definitely excited by this new series by Brolly. I also enjoy his other series, DCI Michael Lambert. I love finding new to me authors who put out such great work. This is a series I will continue to pick up in the future. So good!

If you love a good mystery suspense thriller or detective fiction/police procedural, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

As a long-time reader of police procedurals, I was interested in this book by an author new to me.
The main character is a female detective inspector who has been transferred to Weston Super Mare after being wrongly accused of a reckless act in her previous job in Bristol.
The plot is interesting in that the murderer is revealed early on in the book and the plot follows the action from both points of view. There are a number of personal insights into the the lives of the police team involved and also a hangover from her previous post in Bristol.
I consider this to be a good addition to the genre and will read the next in the series as well as the authors previous series with a different DI called Lambert

Matt Brolly's new series starts off with a literal bang as he introduces DI Louise Blackwell. The author of the DCI Lambert series plus other stand-alones has given readers a strong female protagonist to follow. Send to CID in Weston-super-Mare after the events in the first chapter, Louise is trying to establish herself with a new team when she's handed her first murder case.

A woman has been found under the pier on the beach, her injuries unusual. This is just the start of a string of unusual murders, and it's soon clear they are seeking someone out for his own kind of revenge.

The killer is known to the reader but not to Louise as the plot becomes more and more twisted until his motive is established. While a life hangs in the balance, Louise tries to navigate around a former team member who is out to bring her down.

A strong opening with a lead character readers will want to follow.

I love Matt Brolly’s work, and this book, the first in a new series is not a disappointment in any way. Set in Weston super Mare, it is an excellent thriller with an excellent plot and well drawn characters. I hope Matt writes another on in this series

I would like to begin by thanking Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this book. I tried to like this book, reread I g chapters hoping I had missed something but I simply did not like this book. The description sounded great and I love murder mystery/police stories but this one was flat. I found nothing to like about Louise or to dislike about Geoff. Perhaps it was the lack of description or details but they were boring and there was nothing about them to make me care. The story didn’t flow well and it seemed like the author had made bulletin points for this book and just put them together without taking the time to create the characters. I see the other series by this author has great reviews and I will certainly give them a read but this one was a miss.

This is the first Matt Brolly novel I have read and I've now added him to my list of writers to look out for.
As police procedural thrillers go its up there with the good ones.
Tense, well written and absorbing, I did struggle to put it down.
Many thanks

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advance copy of The Crossing, the first novel to feature DI Louise Blackwell, set in the English resort town of Weston-super-Mare.

When the mutilated body of pensioner Veronica Lloyd is found on the beach Louise is keen to get stuck into her first real murder investigation in Weston. When the body of a priest, known to Veronica, is found with similar injuries there is no doubt that they are hunting a killer with an agenda.

I thoroughly enjoyed Mr Brolly’s Michael Lambert series and was looking for to The Crossing. Unfortunately it is more a psychological thriller than a police procedural and not really to my taste. I should underline, however, that my rating reflects my personal reading taste rather than the quality of the novel which has a clear plot and crisp writing. The novel switches point of view between DI Louise Blackwell and the killer who is identified immediately and unambiguously as Geoff Simmons with the odd chapter on a missing person case in St Ives whose relevance is obvious. The only thing missing is the detail behind the motive. I like the hunt in a police procedural and don’t enjoy either reading about a killer’s motivation and actions in the course of the novel or the police’s efforts at catch up. I don’t have the kind of mind that appreciates the nuance of this approach. As a result I’ve finished the novel but it didn’t hold my attention or make me forego other activities to pick it up (my standard for a good book). On the other hand I do think that if this is your kind of reading matter you will be impressed by it and its mixture of procedure, character study, strong plot and action.

Geoff Simmons is, to use a technical term, a nutter with certain delusions. I couldn’t care less about an examination of his motivations or actions as there is nothing fresh that can be written about this type of character. If he interests you I can report that he is well drawn with a certain naivety in his makeup. Louise Blackwell is a character I could come to like if she would drop the paranoia and join the team. 18 months ago her fellow officer lied about his actions, resulting in a promotion for him and exile from the MIT in Bristol to Weston for her. She suspects he is still trying to sabotage her career. As this situation is not resolved in this novel it looks like it will be an ongoing thread.

The Crossing is not to my taste but will surely please many other readers with different tastes.

The Crossing is the first book l have read by Matt Brolly. I enjoyed reading it but felt there was an overload of information about Detective Louise Blackwell. I felt this may have been better spread out over the next few books rather than everything at once. The story was a decent enough police procedural that I followed eagerly. The reader knows the murderer from the start which is slightly different to other books of this genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book

Thrilling story line. Easy read. Looking forward to more from Matt Brolly..
Thanks for the opportunity..

Now based in Weston Super Mare, DI Louise Blackwell is still trying to get back on track after being reprimanded for an incident where a man died. With her partner, Tim Finch giving a totally different version of events, it’s Louise that gets blamed, and misses out on promotion. Her first murder case in Weston is an elderly lady who has been tortured. Next a priest is murdered, and has similar injuries. Her boss trusts her judgement, but Tim, now the DCI in charge of the Bristol based Murder Incident Team, tries to unnerve Louise, and tries to get her thrown off the case.
For me this book was a slow burner, and at times the harassment of Louise by Finch seemed unnecessary. The writing is really well done, very descriptive and the characters well rounded, apart from Finch. The storm scenes were excellent and towards the end, although you know who the killer is, it was still a nail biting ending.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC copy in return for an honest review

Great story, despite the religious over tones kept me enthralled from the beginning to the end. A fascinating story line well worth a read. I look forward to catching up with the authors DCI Lambert series in the future

Great start to another detective series to add to my ‘must read’ list.

I enjoyed the plot and found it engaging, the lost star is due to how the female character is portrayed. I didn’t find her believable in the role and there was a lot of focus on her past which I understand is probably set up for the future novels but it felt too much all at once.

A new Matt Brolly book.

Crack open the book and dive right in, you know it is going to meet or exceed your expectations and this one most certainly does.

The plot is well thought out and is well-developed. Using Weston-super-mare as the setting was different and brought back memories of past holidays.

A very enjoyable read.

Good mystery which gives us inside in the killer's mind. Well written. Heroine gains confidence over the course of the story.

A fast paced police procedural with a well written plotline but for me this book lacks originality; another strong willed female protagonist with a messed up past.

THE CROSSING by Matt Brolly is a police procedural and the first book in the Detective Inspector (DI) Louise Blackwell series. It is set most in and near Weston-super-Mare in England. When the body of an older woman is found on a beach, DI Blackwell becomes the senior investigating officer. As Louise and her team work to identify and capture the murderer there are also personal issues that are weaved into the story line.

While this book is a police procedural, the reader knows who the killer is in the first chapter as some of the chapters are from his viewpoint. The plot is driven by the police working through the clues and the killer’s activities and motivations. There is a lot more going on under the surface. Other themes running through the story line include work relationships, the drive to succeed, corruption, infidelity, loneliness, aging, friendship, family, dealing with grief, and much more. These other themes enhanced the plot.

The characters are compelling, fascinating, and felt three-dimensional. There was enough at stake to keep me engaged throughout the story. The world-building was absolutely fantastic and gave a clear sense of place.
Overall, the plot was creative, absorbing and well-paced. I would recommend it to those that enjoy police procedurals and British crime dramas. I look forward to reading the next book in this series as well as checking out his DCI Michael Lambert series.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and Matt Brolly for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.