Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

In the labyrinthine streets of London, where shadows cling to secrets and danger lurks around every corner, "Horse To Water" gallops onto the scene, leaving readers breathless and craving more. Peter Bailey's gripping police procedural is a rollercoaster ride through the minds of detectives, the heart of the city, and the murky waters of revenge.

DCI David Taplin, a detective haunted by memories he can't shake, is thrust into a high-stakes investigation. The smart money whispers that a bomb—vengeance for a botched police operation—has set the stage for a deadly game. But this isn't just any case; it's the last job Taplin ever wanted. The one that will force him to confront his past, grapple with his demons, and dance on the precipice of sanity.

Bailey masterfully paints Taplin's world—the relentless pursuit of justice, the intricate Rules he follows to mask his autism, and the ticking time bombs scattered across London. As explosions echo through the city, Taplin battles not only the devious mind behind the chaos but also his own disappointed and furious colleagues. The tension escalates, and sanity teeters on the edge.

You have to enjoy and admire Bailey's meticulous research skills; they shine through, lending an air of authenticity to the narrative. The police procedural details are spot-on, capturing the nuances and challenges of true investigative work.

The plot of this novel twists like a serpent, revealing unexpected layers. Just when you think you've unraveled the truth, Bailey throws another curveball. The suspense keeps you guessing until the final page.

DCI Taplin isn't your typical detective. His autism adds depth, making him relatable and memorable. His Rules become a lifeline, but they also threaten to unravel as the case heats up.

Beneath the bombings lies a web of hidden secrets. Bailey peels back the layers, exposing the raw nerves of betrayal, revenge, and redemption.

The middle of the story occasionally loses focus, however, it regains momentum swiftly, hurtling toward a climactic finale.

In "Horse To Water," Bailey doesn't just dip our toes; he plunges us headfirst into the murky depths. So grab your detective hat, hold your breath, and dive in. You won't emerge the same. 🕵️‍♂️🌊

This is a grreat police proceddural book that is full of action. Personally, I am nota bog fan of the genre, but this may make me consider them more. It's worth a read for sure.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for a review copy of Horse to Water, a police procedural featuring DCI David Taplin of the Met.

Taplin is asked to investigate when a bomb blows up DCI Miles Archer’s car, almost taking him with it. Taplin isn’t very interested in anything to do with Archer, the man who stabbed him in the back, but two more explosions mean he can’t ignore it, especially when his investigation leads to a difficult arrest, but is that all there is to it or is there more to the case than is immediately apparent?

I enjoyed Horse to Water, which is an interesting and unusual (for the genre) read with plenty of twists and turns. It is told from Taplin’s point of view and that, again, is slightly unusual as he is on the autism spectrum.

This is a novel of two halves, where the first half is all about finding a suspect and building a case and the second about finding corroboration and uncovering some inconsistencies. I’m not so sure about the second half, because it’s quite messy, asks the reader to believe some highly improbable technological feats and is fairly inconclusive in its outcome and, yet, it’s very clever and quite compulsive.

It seems to me that the novel is as much a critique of the culture at the Met as it is police procedural. I don’t think that the author is saying much that the general public doesn’t either know or understand, in that it battens down the hatches in the face of criticism and will often find a scapegoat if the going gets rough, but the novel lets the reader get up close and personal with the practicalities of it. It’s not pleasant reading.

I liked David Taplin who seems to a decent man and a relatively shrewd investigator. I don’t think his autism is well portrayed and is quite inconsistent, in fact I think it is a mistake to label him as such, when he appears to be socially awkward and has a mild personality disorder.

Horse to Water is an interesting read. 3.5*