Mike Hollow https://blitzdetective.com is the author of seven novels. The Blitz Detective: The intricate wartime murder mystery was published in 2020 and is the first book of his Blitz Detective series. The novel was first published under the name Direct Hit. This was the 97th book I completed in 2022.

Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of minor violence, I categorize this novel as PG. The primary character is Detective Inspector John Jago.

Jago is a veteran of the Great War and has been with the police since 1919. It is early September 1940 with Jago now 42. Britain has been at war for over a year. The Luftwaffe has begun bombing London, the Blitz has begun.

A body is discovered in an unmarked van. Jago is called to the scene and recognizes the body. It is a local Justice of the Peace, Charles Villiers.

Before evidence can be gathered, the air raid sirens blare out the warning of approaching German aircraft. A random git by a German bomb obliterates the van and what evidence it might have held.

The death looked suspicious to Jago. He begins to investigate. His focus is disrupted by the assignment to provide assistance to a journalist. This is not one of the regular London crowd, but an American woman, Dorothy Appleton. At first, he considers her a nuisance, but he becomes attracted to her as time passes.

Villiers held a position of power and had his share of enemies. The investigation uncovers secrets held by Villiers. It also divulges criminal attempts to profit from the war. Jago and his partner, DC Peter Cradock, must face danger from more than the German Blitz.

I enjoyed the 7+ hours I spent reading this 328-page WWII-era mystery. I found myself reminded of the BBC TV series Foyle’s War. The novel paints a vivid picture of war-torn London. It is a little slow, but still an enjoyable read. I give this novel a rating of 3.9 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

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I like the idea - and I really enjoy reading books set in this period. But sadly it falls down in the execution. I have four main issues - i know this makes me sound mean, but the more I’ve tried to write this the more annoyed I’ve got
1. Dialogue is really quite stilted - liveable with on its own in a first in series, you hope it’ll improve as the series goes
2. Too much series set up content - a common issue in firsts in series so if everything else is good, forgivable
3. Doesn’t play fair with the reader. I can’t explain in detail because spoilers, but this doesn’t follow the rules about giving the reader all the clues/information you need to solve it.
4. Too many Massive Coincidences. One is already a lot, but this has two and that is too much.
There are also two plot strands left not properly resolved/explained. One feels like it might be deliberate for the next book but two feels like they might be accidental.
A shame.

I was not able to get interested in this book and I did not finish it. The characters and the plot were not able to catch or keep my attention.

I admit that this book first attracted me to not only taking place during the Blitz but it's setting - West Ham and the East End of London, from which my dad hails. I recognise the place names from where he was born and where he lived and grew up - Plaistow, Stratford, West Ham and Upton Park. The fact it takes place during the Blitz also drew me as my dad was 2 to 3 years old during that time and it would have been frightening for a child. But then this book also offers something different...a murder mystery amidst the bombs falling.

But...war or no war, murder is still murder.

Saturday 7th September 1940 and veteran copper DI John Jago has spent twenty years policing the East End of London and his home town of West Ham. Also a veteran of WW1, Jago has seen a lot of death and when war was declared this time round he was glad that his services were no longer required in the Army as he saw enough then to last him a lifetime. But no sooner had war declared than his trusty DS was called back into action from the reserves and Jago now has to puppy walk his replacement DC Peter Cradock, beginning with the all important lesson in football appreciation to watch his beloved West Ham play Tottenham. Three goals down to the visiting team and the air raid siren sounds and play is halted and people scurry to find shelter while Jago and Cradock make their way back to the station.

Lesson number two comes when a call comes in about a body discovered in a deserted van on an East End street. Jago and Cradock head to the scene and are immediately puzzled by the dead man's injuries. He has slashes to his wrists and a stab wound to the chest. Were these wounds self inflicted or a result of something more sinister? Did he attempt suicide or was he murdered? It's puzzling because one could inflict the wrist wounds, but why stab oneself in the chest? And if someone were attempting to make it look like suicide why also stab him in the chest?

Either way, Jago suspects it is more likely the killer was hoping to pass off the murder as a suicide and maybe panicked. He is also surprised to recognise the victim as Charles Villiers, a local Justice of the Peace and magistrate. But before they could call in a pathologist and photographer to process the scene, the raid draws nearer as Jago and Cradock race to take cover nearby. As they emerge from the cloud of dust all that remains of their crime scene is a giant bomb crater obliterating both the body and the van completely and with it all evidence.

Nevertheless as he begins his investigations, Jago soon discovers Villiers is not as squeaky clean as his magistrate persona might portray. As a local businessman he appeared to have gained numerous enemies and his marriage was not all it seemed to be either. His widow was far from grieving and neither was his son. But the deeper Jago and Cradock dig, the more they discover about Villiers' printing business and his dodgy operation profiteering from the war effort.

And then a second body turns up just as Jago and Cradock almost become victims of a fire. The second victim had close ties to Villiers and was possibly one of the last people to see him alive the night he was killed.

Added to the investigation at hand, Jago is also given the additional task of accompanying American journalist Dorothy Appleton around the East End and keeping her in tow. At first, Jago appears to slightly resent her presence and argues about whether the stories the news prints are truth, an exaggerated version of or even a played down version of the truth. It is clear he doesn't trust the papers or what they print and his mistrust is evident from the start. However, as he spends more time with the journalist he realises he may have been too quick to judge.

And then he discovers a ghost from his past taking him back to the Western Front in 1917...

The first in the series of the same name, THE BLITZ DETECTIVE is a delightfully straightforward crime novel involving murder and the nefarious dodgy dealings of war profiteering set against a very real and distinctly dark time in British history. Investigating a murder while German bombs are falling around you proves to be a most difficult task but Jago is competent enough to find the villain and bring him, or her, to justice. But also in the background is the shadow of the Great War in which Jago served at the Western Front himself and which still haunts him today. But the shadows of that first war not only haunts our hero but our villain as well as the motivation behind the crimes tells a somewhat sad tale. While the old school coppers may have taken the bad guys into the cells and beaten them round the head with a phone book to get answers, Jago is sympathetic and sincere even if somewhat jaded.

DC Cradock is thrust into the deep end rather quickly but he soon finds his feet and proves himself to be a competent copper, even if he is tad wet behind the ears. The more involved he becomes the more confidence he gains as Jago and previously retired desk sergeant Tompkins enlighten him to the finer points of policing through wisdom and a little humour.

An atmospheric crime novel, THE BLITZ DETECTIVE is a compelling and easy read that will appeal to fans of "Foyle's War".

*previously published as "Direct Hit".

I would like to thank #MikeHollow, #Netgalley and #AllisonAndBusby for an ARC of #TheBlitzDetective in exchange for an honest review.

Set in London during the blitz as idicated by the title. Murder victim found in car after an air raid. Easy read. Quite atmospheric but I felt it lacked depth in places. Characters were easy to follow as not many to follow.

An incredibly atmospheric book, The Blitz Detective transported me right to the streets of London during the war. The details were sharp and brought this book to life. The characters were well developed and interesting, and the murder mystery portion was plausible with an ending I hadn’t predicted. Very good read!

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review. This was a decent opener to the Blitz Detective series - a solid 3.5 stars I think, I just felt that a little more fleshing out of Jago and Craddock would have made it a 4 stars for me. But I’d certainly be happy to read more in this series.

London’s East End in the early years of the Second World War. German bombing raids are increasing on the packed terraced streets and dockyards. Detective Inspector John Jago, working for the Metropolitan Police CID, is faced with the death of a local businessman and magistrate, Charles Villiers, who was found in his car, either murdered or a suicide. Matters complicate when the body and any associated evidence is subsequently destroyed in an air raid and Jago, along with his younger assistant Detective Constable Peter Cradock investigate his death and uncover a number of possible suspects who may have wanted the death of Villiers, an unpleasant and disliked man. A second death (this time definitely a murder) complicates matters, as Jago exposes an unseemly mess of fraud, deception and thorough nastiness.
Jago is a bachelor, and a veteran of The Great War, with the nightly bombing raids on the East End providing some traumatic reminders of the artillery bombardments he suffered on the Western Front in France. There is fine historical background, well researched and presented with lots of fascinating details. The narrative touches upon the role of the bombing on the London population, how they coped, the historical perception compared to the reality, and how criminal lowlife behaviour continued throughout the war. This is a capably written and plotted story, the story progressing in an expert manner. It seems a little unlikely, though, that DI Jago is asked to accompany a female journalist from the United States to help create a positive propaganda image for the transatlantic audience, given that he is at the same time heading up a double murder investigation, and there are a couple of hefty coincidences which stretch the reader’s credibility. Nevertheless, highly recommended and excellent historical crime fiction. There are more forthcoming volumes in the series, and I look forward to reading more about John Jago

Atmospheric And Credible.....
The first in The Blitz Detective series takes the reader to September 1940. Normality has gone by the wayside and the Blitz has begun. Crime, however, is rife. When a body is discovered amidst the chaos Detective Inspector John Jago recognises the victim as a local Justice of the Peace. Although he thinks the death suspicious, evidence is sadly lacking. Well researched mystery, both atmospheric and credible.

This is exactly my sort of book
Historically accurate murder mystery.
Loved lots about this - Jago the veteran inspector, trying to be patient with his new constable - Craddock.
The setting of the East End in the Blitz (clue in the title) was spot on and I could feel the fear and liked the nods to actual events, the Savoy Hotel and underground shelters.
Will look for more in the series

Princess Fuzzypants here: The Blitz is hitting London’s East End with all its fury. The bombs are dangerous enough but there is a killer loose and Jago and his new partner are assigned to find him. As they investigate, they discover the business owner/Justice of the Peace Villiers is hardly the paragon of virtue he purports to be. In fact, he is a pompous, cruel man who is deeply involved in nefarious doings. The duo think they have a likely suspect in one of his “associates” in his black market dealings. When the suspect is murdered, it is back to square one.

Was it a family member all of whom had reasons to despise him? Was it someone with whom he worked on his legitimate or illegitimate deals?
Or was it a family member of the young man who discovered his body? There are connections galore with all of them and it is up to Jago to sort through the dog’s breakfast and trip up those who are being less than honest in their interviews.

Then there is the American journalist whom he is asked to assist as she attempts to tell the true story of what is happening to her readers across the pond. It is still going to be well over a year before the Americans join the fight and it is a question still which side will win the hearts and minds. She is a remarkable woman in her own right and the two become friends. Then Jago realizes that she is a link to someone very special from his past.

The unknown connections play very strongly in this story. Some are sweet and gentle ones. Some are bitter and tragic. And what some might have assumed to be the truth, can often be far from it. In the quest for justice, even greater tragedies can occur unwittingly. The truth can be more painful than the punishment. It is all well done and rivets the reader to the very end.

Five purrs and two paws up.

I’ve been drawn to the London blitz since a teen. It seems the ultimate fight between good and evil. Weave in a murder mystery as bloody good as THE BLITZ DETECTIVE and you’ve got me!

It is September 1940 — a perfect late summer day — as German airplanes suddenly fill the London sky. The Blitz has begun. Detective Inspector John Jago and new partner DC Peter Cradock narrowly escape the dropping bombs as they race to Police Headquarters.

As in Foyle’s War, one of my fave TV series, war does not stop crime, especially murder, and the partners are soon tasked with discovering who killed a man found in an unmarked van. Unfortunately, a bomb erases the evidence, making their task markedly harder and the mystery infinitely more compelling.

Written in a spare old-fashioned style, the mystery enwraps you as bombs keep dropping while clues are sleuthed, red herrings scattered, and the truth, which caught me by surprise, finally emerges.

Highly recommended for WWII buffs who love fine mysteries. That’s me to a “T!”

Note: Published previously as DIRECT HIT, this is the first in a repackaged series. I look forward to reading every single one.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 23 Jul 2020

Thanks to the author, Allison & Busby, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheBlitzDetective #NetGalley

It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
The characters are well thought and interesting, the historical background is well researched and vivid.
The author is a good storyteller and I liked the plot, full of twists and turns, and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
As this is the first in a series I can't wait to read the next instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The Blitz Detective is the first book in a new series created by Mike Hollow. It's set in 1940 in West Ham. It wonderfully portrays the time period well, with the constant threat of German bombing raids as the background to a murder investigation. The main characters, DI Jago, Sargeant Tomkins and DC Craddock are intelligent, well formed and interact well with each other, which keeps the story moving along and the reader entertained. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading future books in this new series. I definitely recommend it!

I would like to thank mike hollow, Allison & Busby and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

As the name suggests, this is set during the bombing of London in 1940. DI Jags and D.C. Cradock have a struggle on their hands, to solve a suspicious death, when the body and crime scene have been destroyed in a bomb blast. Further air raids disrupt their investigation, and hamper their enquiries into whether it’s suicide or murder.

The Blitz Detective is a gentle, enjoyable story, moving along steadily, similar to the character of DI Jago himself! The fate of his new hat, damaged beyond repair in an air raid, made me chuckle, and his general demeanour is pleasant and likeable. The interaction between him and his subordinate Cradock, worked well throughout and hopefully the pair will appear in other stories, either still in the Blitz or afterwards.

Good story, with the historical details of the air raids and the lives and losses of the general population of London adding interest. Lookzing forward to reading more Mike Hollow books in the future.

Reading this was like stepping into the film noir. So beautifully written. The characters took a while for me to really engage with them but the plot was well paced. A nice change from contemporary settings.

I’m pleased to share my review for The Blitz Detective by Mike Hollow, published by Allison and Busby last week. Thank you to the publisher for a digital review copy via NetGalley – my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift. This book was published previously as Direct Hit (The Blitz Detective).

Synopsis:

Saturday 7th September, 1940.

The sun is shining, and in the midst of the good weather Londoners could be mistaken for forgetting their country was at war – until the familiar wail of the air-raid sirens heralds an enemy attack. The Blitz has started, and normal life has abruptly ended – but crime has not.

That night a man’s body is discovered in an unmarked van in the back streets of West Ham. When Detective Inspector John Jago is called to the scene, he recognises the victim: local Justice of the Peace, Charles Villiers. The death looks suspicious, but then a German bomb obliterates all evidence. War or no war, murder is still murder, and it’s Jago’s job to find the truth.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this crime fiction / historical fiction book. I must admit that I was initially drawn to the book after reading the synopsis because the victim’s surname is Villiers and I am employed by the social mobility charity Villiers Park Educational Trust.

An older detective is working with a young detective to solve a murder of a local businessman and magistrate, complicated by the evidence being destroyed by a German bomb. I enjoyed the criminal investigations and also the historical details – 1940’s London was brought to life.

I look forward to reading more of the books featuring DI Jago – a number of the other books by Mike Hollow in the series are being republished by Allison and Busby over the next few months.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me an ARC copy! I was excited to read this as I both enjoy historical fiction and was excited to read my first book by Mike Hollow.

With that being said, this book really delighted me with its great interweaving of vivid historical setting, well paced plot, and enjoyable characters. It took me a few chapters to get fully immersed with the characters but the atmosphere soon caused me to be sucked right in!

I would certainly recommend this book and am excited to read the next one in the series!

In the midst of the Blitz, the dead body of a JP is found. A JP with a shady connection maybe? That's what DI Jago and DC Cradock are about to find out. And as if that weren't enough for the beleaguered Inspector, there's an American journalist following him around, looking to "improve international relations".

Hollow has done his research well and brings this era of war-torn London to life for the reader. The Blitz Detective is filled with bits of history, right alongside the twists and turns and red herrings of an intriguing police procedural. Part One of a series, and reworked from the originals, Blitz Detective will keep you on the edge of your seat as you work along with the DI to solve this one.

What I particularly enjoyed about Hollow's narrative was the way he interspersed the trajectory of the investigation with the bits and pieces of the "normal" daily lives of the Londoners dealing with a World War in the back yards. A good read, I have no doubt you will enjoy.

This historical mystery is set in London in 1940. Inspector Jago and Constable Craddock are called to the scene when a man is found dead in a van. The pair barely have time to discover cause of death and the victims identity before the van is destroyed by a bomb.

This mystery had good pacing, interesting characters, and plenty of suspects. Jago's experiences in WW1 (where he read Jane Austen in the trenches!) inform the kind of detective he is today. The difficulties of investigating a murder during the Blitz added a layer of tension and confusion that really added to the story.

There are themes of justice, truth, duty, and loyalty. I really enjoyed The Blitz Detective and look forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alison & Busby for sending me a copy for review.