Princess Fuzzypants here: I enjoy a twisty murder tale that can double back and surprise the reader but sometimes in trying to be clever, the writer can telegraph plot lines. It might have been me but it seemed that every time the author tried to get cagey, I was a few steps ahead and so that greatest satisfaction in the book was reading along to see if I was right. I was.

Don’t get me wrong, it was still a good read and did not flag and I cannot tell you what it was the made me twig so early. We have the daughter of two crime family bosses who have divorced- acrimoniously- but have a truce partly for the sake of their daughter, whom they both love. The daughter seems to be somewhere on the highly performing autism scale and is also a wonderful artist who paints work under pseudonyms. When her father’s fiancée is murdered in her mother’s warehouse, Emma and a mysterious detective named Nightshade are brought in to figure out who is determined to break the peace. There are all sorts of clues that Emma must follow but the arch villain is always a step ahead. Much is at stake.

She is surprised when the nemesis is revealed but I was not. There were a few bits and pieces that added the element of surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip through London on the trail of various clues. And I did enjoy the book. But it lacked the punch that I think was intended. Four purrs and one paw up.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for a review copy of Death in London, the first novel to feature gangland daughter Emma Greco and private detective Nightshade.

Emma’s divorced parents run separate criminal operations in London. When her father’s fiancée is murdered at her mother’s warehouse a gang war looks inevitable. Emma, a neutral, teams up with private investigator, Nightshade, to solve the murder, but it’s more complicated than it first appears as they follow cryptic clues and the bodies pile up.

I thoroughly enjoyed Death in London, which is a tense, exciting thriller that I couldn’t put down. I was so involved I read it in one sitting, staying up into the wee hours to finish it.

Obviously, the plot bears little resemblance to reality, but it’s fun and entertaining, so who cares? It is told from Emma’s point of view almost entirely, so the reader gets close to the investigation and can live it along with her. There is the odd interjection from DS Brennan to provide a counterpoint and that works well as a small note of sanity.

The novel is full of cryptic notes and dead bodies killed in inventive ways. I didn’t even try to interpret the notes, just taking how Emma and Nightshade saw them as gospel, but I did admire the artistic content of the murders. About half way through the penny dropped and I guessed the perpetrator and the motive, but it didn’t matter because there were still clues to decipher, bodies to find and twists to discover.

As I said the plot is inventive but it’s the writing that sets the novel apart. The author has the knack of conveying tension and urgency throughout and it pushes the reader to want to know what’s coming next and it’s all done in a deceptively easy style. I found it very impressive.

The novel is all about Emma, her relationship with Nightshade and a few secrets she holds close. Emma seems to have perfect recall, although it is never overtly stated. This makes her highly strung and, as a result, protected by her parents. Nightshade seems to be able to focus her and make her see clearly. I’m not sure how healthy it is. Still, the reader can’t help but warm to them and root for them when DS Brennan gets a bit heavy handed.

Death in London is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I was wrapped up and taken on a short Lamborghini road trip from the first page by a very spoiled mistress. This author grabbed my attention from the beginning. He is so good at describing everything I could get a picture in my mind of every scene that Emma came upon.. I loved being taken along with Emma and trying to find the subtle clues of the murders, following the murders through her POV. There is a very complicated lifelong friendships that are ever evolving along the way. I definitely would recommend this book for its numerous, well placed, surprising, twists and turn of events.. Loved this one and look forward to reading more.books written by Peter Jay Black. Just a delight. I just gave my personal review for Death in London by Peter Jay Black. #DeathinLondon #NetGalley [NetGalley URL]