Deadly Shores is my first introduction to author Kerry Buchanan and the Harvey and Birch series and whilst it was a story full of twists and shocks. I did struggle to read it partly I think because its part of a series and theres a bit of a continuing thread to it. But also because I found the pacing a little on the slow side and whilst plenty happened, the shocks didn't really mean much to me and I wasn't entirely gripped.

Yet, there's no denying it was a well-written mystery, and I liked the characters a lot and I'm sure I'd feel a whole lot differently if I'd read this series from the beginning.

**I was kindly provided with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Set in and around Belfast the two main detectives, Harvey and Birch, are alerted to a drug's run but find only a very small amount when the boat yard is raided. Things spiral from there - murders, people trafficking and seriously bent cops plus someone bright and calculating running the whole show. There is certainly plenty of action and injury but our two detectives persevere against the odds. The can get a bit gung-ho at times but generally the characters work well together. Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Third in this series but easily read as a standalone, Deadly Shores brings Northern Ireland police detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch together again on an investigation that begins with a Christmas day tip-off that drugs are being smuggled aboard a yacht being delivered to a local boatyard. By the time they are able to inspect the boat, the drugs have been removed, but their investigation rapidly identifies a suspect. When the driver of the truck that delivered the boat is found dead in his hotel room and his truck stolen from the boatyard, however, Asha and Aaron realize that this case is part of something bigger. Likeable main characters, fast-paced and action-packed with a twist or two, the author keeps you wondering who Asha and Aaron can really trust.

Deadly Shores by Kerry Buchanan is the third book in the Detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch series. The two detectives are paired for another case involving a shipment of drugs coming into the harbor at Bangor. Soon they have reason to suspect there is much more going on at the harbor than drug smuggling. They must work the investigation very carefully because they have reasons to believe several people from inside the police force have become mixed up in covering up this drug smuggling and human trafficking operation. Asha has been suspecting Patterson of unscrupulous activities, but now she must prove these deceitful actions are part of the smuggling ring.
The final scene at the harbor is so fast paced! I always enjoy Harriet's scenes in the story. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Publication Date: April 19, 2022

I really struggled to get into this but it was an okay read. It was just a bit of a slow read for me and I couldnt really bond with the characters. But I am glad that I read it.

I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

The tip-off comes just as the Christmas roast is being served. Smugglers coming into a boatyard in Bangor.

Detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch are sent in to investigate. It means being pulled away from pulling crackers, but in truth they’re both a bit relieved. Chief Superintendent Yvonne Patterson has been sidelining them lately — and this case could be big.

The illicit cargo is long gone by the time Asha and Aaron arrive, but local man Phil Johnston is caught on the boatyard’s CCTV. The same Phil Johnston who's broken into and planted a brick of cocaine in the boatyard manager’s house.

But before anyone can declare it case closed, the driver who delivered the boat is found murdered in his hotel room.

Harvey and Birch have found themselves caught in a deadly storm. Will they sink or swim?
Phenomenal… I did not want to put it down. I was blown away by this book... brilliant.

I am loving this series, it gets better with every book. I was hooked from page 1 and read it to the end in one sitting. I look forward to reading more in this series

There's a lot going on - police corruption, blackmail, drugs, people trafficking and more. Asher and Birch are working at separate stations, but are bright together again when a tip off comes in, just in time to ruin Christmas dinner. Exciting and pacey.

Loved it, couldn't put it down.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher I read a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Joffe Books for an advance copy of Deadly Shores, the third novel to feature DI Asha Harvey and DC Aaron Birch of PSNI.

Asha has moved from Lisburn Road to Bangor after Chief Superintendent Yvonne Patterson seems to sideline them. A tip-off about a drugs consignment reunites them when Aaron is sent to Bangor to liaise. When they get to the marina housing the boat the drugs are purportedly in the drugs have gone, but CCTV gives them a lead on a local suspect. Then the driver of the lorry that transported the boat is murdered and it seems that the case is suddenly much bigger than drug smuggling.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deadly Shores, which is an action packed read with plenty of twists and turns. The novel is told from various points of view, so the identity of the criminals is not in doubt and it becomes more about the scale of their activities and how they are going to evade capture versus how Asha and Aaron are going to catch them. I’m not always a fan of the both sides approach, but in this case it works really well and still manages to produce some unexpected twists.

It moves along at a fast pace with developments in every chapter to keep up the momentum and there are several action scenes involving gun fights, explosions and general mayhem. It never stops, so all in all it had me riveted from start to finish.

I like Asha and Aaron who are real have a go detectives. They like getting stuck in and take the consequences in their stride (as Asha’s mother says she’s running out of hospitals to survey) without slowing down. The plot’s fun and so are they, so what’s not to like?

Deadly Shores is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Harvey and Birch #3

The tip-off comes just as the Christmas roast is being served. Smugglers coming into the boatyard in Bangor. Detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch are sent to investigate. It means being pulled away from pulling crackers, but in truth, they're both a bit relieved. Chief Superintendent Yvonne Patterson has been sidelining them lately - and this case could be big. The illicit cargo is long gone by the time Asha and Arron arrive, but local man Phil Johnston is caught on the boatyards CCTV.

Set in Belfast. The pace is steady and the plotline intriguing. There's drugs, a murder and human trafficking. Not everyone seems to be who they say they are. The story is told from multiple points of view. I like Harvey and Birch but they always seemed to miss out getting to the locations in time, it makes them feel more human. There's twists and lots of action. This book could be read as a standalone.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #JoffeBooks and the author #KerryBuchanan for my ARC of #DeadlyShores in exchange for an honest review,

When DC Aaron Birch is called on to assist DI Asha Harvey on a cold snowy Christmas period he was happy to drive to Bangor , Northern Ireland from Lisburn Road police station, .not realising that it would be full of danger. The team have to solve many crimes including drug smuggling, people trafficking and murder in as few days when support staff are at the lowest with people on leave.
This is a fast moving story with many tentacles of crimes , corruption and danger to everyone involved.. A great read that keeps you turning the pages until the end. Totally enjoyable.

Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch are back in the 3rd book in this brilliant series and yet another fantastic read that had me on the edge of my seat all the way through.

Aaron is still recovering from the last case which saw a corrupt group of their colleagues being uncovered and resulted in the death of one of the senior officers and 2 others going on the run. So when Patterson sends them to investigate a tip off at a boatyard they are both relieved that they may be able to get back to what they love. But as the saying goes: be careful what you wish for, the tip off appears to be the tip of the iceberg and the pair find themselves caught up in the middle of a deadly storm - will they sink or swim? At the back of the minds of both of them are the words spoken by Alistair King moments before he was murdered: I am not working alone. Is there another corrupt officer and if so who is it.

This is an adrenaline pumping story with danger lurking in every page as Harvey and Birch find themselves uncovering a web of crimes with all the lines leading up to the very top of the Police Department. Explosive action, corruption, drugs, human trafficking, murder, blackmail .... This story has it all and it is all wrapped up in a very realistic story.

The characters continue to develop and new ones are introduced each bringing something to the story in some cases carrying with them shocks the reader won't see coming.

Absolutely brilliant - 5 stars from me.

A decent read, whilst certainly not falling into the 'un-put-downable' category, coming from an author I hadn't read before and one I will look out other titles from.

An Enjoyable Partnership…
The third in the Detectives Harvey and Birch Mysteries and a smuggler tip off means that Christmas is about to go with a bang at a boatyard in Bangor. The duo are assigned the case which is about to turn into a murder investigation. With well crafted characters, and an enjoyable partnership at it’s heart, this is a quick but intriguing case with plenty of twists and turns. A worthy addition.

| Book Review |
Deadly Shores - Kerry Buchanan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Genre: Thriller
Pub Date: April 18, 2022 by Joffe Books

SUMMARY: Detective Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch are sent to investigate a drug smuggling operation at the boat yard that turns into an investigation neither one could have seen coming. When the boat delivery driver is found murdered in his hotel room, they realize that this case has taken a sinister turn. Not everyone is who they think they are and the detectives are beginning to find out who they can and cannot trust.

REVIEW: I really enjoyed this read. This is the first book I have read by this author but this is the 3rd book in the Harvey + Birch Mysteries. This was another quick read for me - I finished it in one sitting! I love the multiple POV in each chapter - switching POVs holds my attention and I couldn’t wait to figure out what Detectives Harvey and Birch were going to get into next. This book really felt like I was in on an episode of Law & Order or NCIS and I am here for it!! I do feel like it was a slower build but the author did a wonderful job at fleshing out the characters and environments that they were in. There were a couple twists that I did see coming but the main twist, did catch me off guard. 😳 I was expecting the ending to be different — it’s still great, just not what I expected. Overall, I really enjoyed this read!

Read if you enjoy:
Slow burns 🔥
Multiple POVs 👀
Detectives as main characters 🕵🏼‍♂️

Thank you NetGalley + Joffe Books for my digital ARC!! I can’t wait to check out more of Kerry Buchanan’s work!!

I really enjoyed this book, it was written well with a gripping storyline and well developed and relatable characters. It was twisty and unpredictable and left me on the edge of my seat not knowing what was going to happen.

A fantastic crime thriller as we join once again Detectives Asha Harvey and Aaron Birch book three.
I am so loving this series.
This book is full of action, lots of upbeat story lines, with added humour.
After an almighty tip off on Christmas day of cocaine smugglers in the boat yard, Phil Johnston is seen on CCTV and then is found murdered in the hotel.
Harvey and Birch make a great team together.
The author has once again brought the characters alive as you read, that leaves a cracking ending, I loved it right through. 5 stars and more

Dodgy police officers, drugs, human traffickers, murder - this book has it all, plus plenty of action, fast paced drama, suspense and intrigue. It kept me up late into the night and I am looking forward to the next in the series. A very enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Joffe Books for the eARC.
I really liked the previous book in the series, but this one not as much. For some reason the characters of Detectives Harvey and Birch seemed flat.
A tip-off at Christmas warns of a boatload of drugs coming, but when the police arrive, the search only produces a very small amount of cocaine...obviously the rest was dropped off elsewhere.
A young woman drops off a cargo of smuggled young girls meant for a life of prostitution and there follow two murders. It becomes obvious a smart, calculating person is running the show as well as trying to eliminate a rival gang. Harvey and Birch are having a tough time finding the culprit, getting seriously hurt in the process.
It's a good read, but I just couldn't get invested.

3+ stars

A ketch 'Snow Goose' makes it's way in the North Atlantic in terrible weather towards Ireland. Meanwhile, DC Aaron Birch is on desk duty in Lisburn and DCI Asha Harvey is working in Bangor, separated following the escape of two corrupt cops, Aitken and Kenarghan. Birch takes a call from DCS Patterson of a potential drugs haul contained in a boat being transported by lorry to Newry from France. Birch is to work again with Asha, a decision Patterson may regret! What unfolds is an intriguing tale of dark deeds and corruption.

It takes a while for the different plot strands to come together but once they do you understand the depth of the deception and scale. It's full of intriguing twists and turns, it's dangerous, there are ruthless characters and some vivid. exciting scenes especially in a boat yard which I really enjoy. A host of huge lies builds and suspicions grow, nets close in and it starts to unravel for some characters. the finale is exciting, maybe a bit over the top but it is tense. The actual end seems a bit abrupt.

However, despite much to like, the intensity of the plot sacrifices the character development and I only get a superficial view of them although the two central characters are likeable. Oddly too, despite the rapid pace I never really connect with the storyline and it doesn't entirely wow me.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Joffre Books for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.