If you like murder/mystery books then this is one for you. Close to the Edge had me turning pages well into the night. Will you be able to guess what and who did what? That's part of reading mystery novels that gets me and keeps me going. This book managed to keep my interest right to the very last page. That is a bonus and I'm looking forward to more from this author.

The characters are believable and will have you wanting more.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Anna Britton’s Close to the Edge is a riveting addition to the crime thriller genre, offering a blend of intense action, complex characters, and a plot that keeps readers guessing. This novel, the second in the Detectives Martin & Stern series, cements Britton’s reputation as a master storyteller.

The story begins with a dramatic scene at Southampton Crown Court, where DS Gabe Martin and DI Juliet Stern find themselves under attack from an unknown assailant. This explosive opening sets the tone for a high-stakes investigation that intertwines two cases: the hunt for their attacker and the search for a missing student. Britton skillfully weaves these threads together, creating a narrative that is fast-paced and deeply engaging.

Britton’s writing is sharp and evocative, capturing the tension and urgency of police work. Her descriptions of the gritty urban landscape and the procedural details of the investigation are vivid and realistic. The dialogue is crisp and authentic, reflecting the personalities and emotions of the characters.

The protagonists, DS Gabe Martin and DI Juliet Stern, are well-developed and compelling. Gabe’s resilience and determination are matched by Juliet’s sharp intellect and unwavering commitment to justice. Their partnership is one of the highlights of the novel, showcasing a dynamic and believable relationship that adds depth to the story. The supporting characters are equally well-crafted, each contributing to the richness of the narrative.

Close to the Edge explores themes of loyalty, justice, and the personal cost of police work. Britton delves into the psychological impact of violence and the moral complexities faced by those in law enforcement. These themes are woven seamlessly into the plot, adding layers of meaning to the thrilling storyline.

Anna Britton’s Close to the Edge is a standout crime thriller that combines a gripping plot, well-drawn characters, and a richly detailed setting. It’s a must-read for fans of the genre and anyone looking for a novel that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. Britton’s ability to balance action with emotional depth makes this book a compelling read from start to finish.

Chaos breaks out as DS Gabe Martin leaves Southampton Crown Court. Gunshots ring out and she and DI Juliet Stern are hit, the culprit disappearing without a trace. Despite her injuries, Gabe is determined to return to work and, assigned to desk duties, she heads the search for missing art student Henry Garside. As she delves into his case, it becomes clear nothing about the investigation is as it seems. Is Henry’s disappearance an isolated incident? Was the shooting a simple act of retribution – or is there some far bigger and more sinister at play? When Juliet asks for her help in the search for their shooter, Gabe feels powerless to refuse, even if it means meddling where she shouldn't. Increasingly caught between her loyalty to Juliet and her job, Gabe becomes dangerously close to crossing a line...

I was a huge fan of Anna’s first book in this series, ‘Shot In The Dark’ and after a MAJOR cliffhanger ending left me wanting to desperately know what happened next, the wait was finally over! I am pleased to say it was definitely worth it!

Delving straight back into the action, picking up where we left the last book, I thoroughly the writing style and the interlinking additions of police interviews, press/media cuttings, texts etc - this technique is growing in popularity in many titles and I’m all for its inclusion as feel it strengthens the reader involvement.

The strong focus on Gabe’s character in this title is very clever, it was great to learn more from her side of thinking, the relationship with Juliet slightly taking a back seat but with elements allowing both characters to develop throughout. There is definitely more building as to what is happening behind the scenes with Juliet, with the relationship foundations between the two main characters clearly being established in this title.

There were moments when my heart was literally in my mouth (especially the part with Artie🥺) and the tension doesn’t break the whole way through. I would definitely recommend reading the first book in the series, it will work so much better in sequence as there is a lot of information to divulge between the two. There are some obvious unknown elements building up to the next book too - yes Anna, you’ve done it again, leaving us with another cliffhanger to keep us guessing till next time!

And now begins the patient wait for Book 3!

The second in this series, it is perhaps advisable to read the books in order, though if you do read this as a stand alone, it would work too. Why, these detectives take some getting to know, the main two, Gabe and Juliet both have their own problems. Juliet is not as visable in this book and Gabe is involved with other collegues. There is a lot going on here, various investigations that may be linked or not. The book is told mostly from the point of view of Gabe, but also through transcripts,messaging and emails, so you do get to put pieces of the puzzle together yourself, which I always enjoy. There is enough action and the strands of the investigation gradually start to come together with some issues resolved and others not. Definately looking forward to the next episode .
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

I loved Shot in the Dark, Anna Britton’s debut novel and the first in the Detectives Martin and Stern series, so I was slightly worried the second couldn’t possibly live up to my expectations. Fear not! Expectations reached and exceeded.

Close to the Edge picked up right where the first book’s cliffhanger left off and from the first paragraph grabbed my attention and ran, or rather sprinted, with it. I love police procedural novels and having two realistically flawed female lead characters really is turning this series into one of my absolute favourites. The format of focusing on DS Gabe Martin with this second book, interspersed with emails, text messages, forensic reports and phone recordings, makes for an intriguing and fast paced story. There’s a lot going on and plenty of characters to keep you on your toes - I kept flitting between who I thought could be guilty! It really is a ‘page turning’, ‘can’t put down’ sort of a book; I did lose sleep as I kept reading ‘just one more chapter’!

I highly recommend this series and cannot wait for the third book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Publishing for this ARC.

This is the second book in the Detectives Martin and Stern series and one I’ve eagerly been waiting for after the cliffhanger ending of the first book, Shot in the Dark. The story picks up right where it left off, with Gabe and Juliet being shot outside a courthouse.

Gabe becomes frustrated by her injuries and not being able to investigate her own shooting. She is assigned the case of a missing student but finds it difficult to separate the case from her own enquiries into the shooting. Is the disappearance an isolated incident or is there something bigger at play?

All the elements I loved in Shot in the Dark feature in Close to the Edge. The mixed media format, which allows the story to flow and adds different strands and perspectives. The police procedural element, all the evidence is methodically followed and laid out for us, it feels like we are solving the case alongside the detectives.

The real success in this story for me is the development of Gabe’s character and her relationship with Juliet. We learn more about both women’s pasts and gain an insight into the reasons for their behaviours . Gabe’s loyalties to Juliet and her job are tested this time around and we witness Gabe struggling to set boundaries and contemplating her allegiances.

I’m really enjoying this series and this detective pairing and I can’t wait to see what is in store for them.

4.25⭐

This is my first introduction to author Anna Britton and detectives Martin and Stern, and I'll be honest, I did struggle a little.

As this story picks up where the last one left off. So, it was a challenge to get into the rhythm of the writing, story, and characters. Especially as you're thrust right into the thick of things, and clearly a lot of what happens in this book comes from events in Shot in the Dark.

But that didn't stop me enjoying this sharply written, modern police procedural and I appreciated how fallible, real, and in some cases not always likable these characters are.

Not to mention how tense and twisty this story is, and despite my ignorance of the events leading up to the shooting, I was deeply invested in discovering who was responsible and the outcome of this story.

I would happily recommend Close to the Edge to others.

What a gripping read. I was hooked from the first to the last page. Really got into it. Thanks for the opportunity to review

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a great book! I always enjoy a good cop book and this one did not disappoint. I liked the back stories to each character. Great writing style and kept me guessing the entire time.

I have been patiently waiting on this book since THAT cliffhanger at the end of book one so I wasted no time picking it up. Set in Southampton (just down the coast from me) this series follows police detectives Gabe Martin and Juliet Stern. The first book follows them as they investigate the murder of seventeen year old Melanie Pert. Book two picked up directly from the end of the first the fallout from the ending

I really enjoy these books. They are crime novels but told from the perspective of the police. I enjoy this as it gives the reader the chance to follow the evidence alongside the characters. The focus of police procedure coupled with the use of mixed media almost reminds me of episodes of The Bill which I grew up watching. I also like how we see the personal lives of the characters too and how their own experiences shape how they approach their work

Like the first this book laid the groundwork for the next instalment. I am already patiently waiting for book three and eager to see how some of the subplots from this book will play out

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand the delivery or the crime by viewing department emails, texts, and case file details was spot on and made this read very unique. On the other hand, some of the other details were unnecessary and out of the realm of what I enjoy reading. I figured out who it was fairly quickly and wondered why the detectives just took the persons word and didn’t further investigate.

Four stars for presentation but would still tank it three stars overall.

4.25*

Picking up immediately after THAT ending for Shot In The Dark, we are immediately dropped into the investigation into Juliet and Gabe’s shooting whilst also looking into case of a missing art student.

It’s sharply written, fast paced and very much a modern take on the police procedural that builds well from Shot In The Dark. I love the mixed media inclusion and the ending again has got me very intrigued. Juliet was at her worst during this book and I can't help but wonder about what she's got planned for Keith (so deserved!)

Definitely read book 1 before diving in so you get to know our very human and very fallible and flawed detectives, especially as so much of this book is tied up with the events and people from that story.

Roll on Book 3!

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for providing an eArc of "Close to the Edge" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

Two detectives are shot as they exit a court. The story is mostly told by one, DS Gabe Martin but with chapters from DI Juliet Stern's POV as well as text messages between various other police officers, transcripts of interviews and other texts between potential 'bad guys'. The mix worked for me. As part 2 in a series I have no idea about the backgrounds of the two officers and probably missed something important. Neither was a particularly pleasant person, Juliet was non-social to a large degree, had a coercive husband (or maybe he was just fed up with her behaviour) and how on earth she got to DI with a team beats me. Gabe has background clearly and far too much time was spent with her angsting over boyfriend Ollie, her value as a person, her relationship with mother and so on - just boring I'm afraid and added little to the detecting story. Enter a student Henry who vanished just prior to an important art exhibition and turns up later dead and mutilated. Have to admit, by this time I was skip reading, so may have missed how on earth he fitted in. The story was well-written but the two main characters just felt unreal and how on earth they, especially Gabe, was allowed back to work a few days after being shot plus her meddling in the previous case, well, more than unreal. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

An excellent crime procedural that builds on the outstanding debut Shot in the Dark, with enough reminders to allow new readers to jump in here.

The continued use of mixed media works very well but the star is Gabe, desperate to investigate who shot her and Juliet but distracted by a crime family, Juliet’s home life, a hot boyfriend and a dog.

Britton is a wonderful story teller who makes you feel all sorts of feeling about the characters, not always positive… The twists and turns maintain tension throughout and the ending is satisfying, although it does leave you wishing book three was already out!

4*, but only because Gabe finally pulls her head out of the sand, 2/3 of the way gone. But how on earth has Juliet passed psych evals and not been sent for DEI training or plain 'just manners and basic human decency and courtesy' training? The woman has ISSUES, and I don't just mean Keith.

Despite my not having read book 1 - I hadn't realised it's a series - I didn't get lost in this book. The start, with the 2 female detectives having been injured in a shooting, felt reasonable but the book required a LOT of suspension of disbelief. Its events are happening in 2024 UK and there's no way any employer would or could afford to risk an employee who's clearly not physically and mentally fit for work being on her premises, let alone before a psych eval. So that was the first huge suspension of disbelief. The next was Juliet's abrasiveness that screamed red waving flags at some form of neurodiversity or mental health condition. I'm not sure I can place a noun to her, but her personality was about -75 and counting. She came across as closed-off, arrogant, unhealthy, sociopathic, likely majorly on the spectrum and yet no one has suggested that she gets professional help or sees an in-house counsellor? She's not just not a team player, but a downright nasty and unpleasant person. I think if she'd been more present in the book, I'd have likely been put off. Why her colleagues haven't complained about her requires another huge suspension of disbelief.

Gabe broke rules but I understood what drove her and why. I think maybe there has to be a degree of selfishness and 'me, myself and I' if you're a cop at her level or above, but thankfully she began to see the personal and professional errors of her ways and pulled her head out of the sand and made changes. She was, at a couple of points, coming across as Juliet's unthinking minion. To risk what she did and not be down for a disciplinary, was, thankfully, her wake-up call. She's lucky her guy is the guy he seems to be, but ugh, considering sacrificing her dog to close a case, made me dislike her immensely at that point. I mean, Brit and animal lover here - how could she?

The 'reveal' about her sexuality felt incredibly non-seguing and tbh, I wondered why the author felt it necessary to go there. It hadn't really raised its head to any degree and the aftermath was a damp squib. It came across as trying to make the book appeal to a more diverse readership and the LGBTQIA++ community but felt inorganic. and irrelevant, and showed Alice - possibly the most likeable and can-be-counted-on character - as slightly close-minded, which she wasn't. That scene was irrelevant and tbh, needs editing out. It was huge tokenism at its best. I also didn't like that this focus was on an ethnic minority character, either.

The bad guys seemed portrayed as bad guys you'd like to be your mates. Ish. Maybe not close ones but ones who'd splash the cash, know the best places to go and make sure everyone had a good time. Were they believable? Nope. Charismatic? Maybe the T-guy (name's too complicated to recall) but not the others. And for both Juliet and Gabe to even briefly consider his offers - despite their very understandable personal reasons for doing so - made them human and fallible at a time that they'd gotten what they'd been pursuing for so long, and come across as corruptible and unprofessional. And oh, yes, unprofessionalism crops up quite a lot in this book. Thank goodness for Paul and Alice.

It's intriguing enough, though, and the Keith red flags were glaring enough for me to want to read the next book in the series.

ARC courtesy of Canelo and NetGalley for my reading pleasure.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Gabe and Juliet are both hit by gunshots- the culprit is missing. Gabe returns to work to find Henry, the missing art student. Where is Henry? Who is the shooter? Why? Grab this book for the answers!

This is book 2 of Detectives Martin and Stern. We begin where both DI Juliet Stern and DS Gabriella Martin have been shot outside Southampton Crown Court following the trial of Karl Biss. The villain has disappeared without a trace. Both are ok and Gabe, being Gabe, goes back to work the next day and she tries to get herself assigned to the shooting case but with no luck. However, there has been a young student, Henry Garside (19) studying at the Solent University, reported missing. DS Martin along with Police Constable Alice To are assigned to investigate his disappearance. Although, what is the connection to their shooting? Is it down to their investigation of a local crime family? Did they get too close for comfort? This is an unputdownable read with lots of twists and turns with a few red herrings thrown into the storyline. All the threads are woven to a dramatic conclusion. Like the first book, we end with a little surprise!! When is book 3 out please?

Close To The Edge by Anna Britton is the sequel to the highly praised debut novel, Shot In The Dark and takes off immediately after the events at the end of the first book. I hate spoilers in reviews but it is going to be impossible to describe the events in Close To The Edge without reference to the events at the end of Shot In The Dark. If you haven't read the first book I'd suggest you stop reading this review now and go and read the book now.

I was shocked by the shooting that happened at the end of the first book and I'm sure I echoed many readers when I thought "You can't leave us hanging like that". We join DI Juliet Stern and DS Gabe Martin in the aftermath of the shooting. Both have survived and are in hospital, Stern is the more seriously injured of the two.

The reason for the shooting is the backbone of the story. Is it retribution for the case they've just closed or are they getting too close to the organised criminal gang they are investigating? Added to the mix is the disappearance of a university student.

Gabe refuses to take time to recuperate, you can feel her frustration at being sidelined. She is desperate to uncover who is responsible for the shooting but also feels guilty that the investigation is pulling staff and resources from the missing persons case. Gabe can't shake the feeling that everything is connected.

While Gabe tries her hardest to insert herself into the investigation we hear little from Stern. Juliet has issues closer to home to deal with. The behaviour of Stern's husband raised quite a number of red flags for me. We know that Juliet is self-contained, doesn't suffer fools gladly and is determined to keep her private life private. Much of this is simply her personality but we now see that there may be something darker lurking in her home life.

The sense of menace and danger pervades the story, I really did fear for the safety of some of the characters. You get a real sense of what it must be like for the police knowing that by simply doing their job they could be putting the well-being of family and friends in jeopardy.

Refusing to be intimidated leads Gabe to a tense showdown and we discover how the different threads are connected. The author does manage to give the reader some happier moments towards the end of the story but then, just as she did at the end of the first book, throws in a closing page that has you desperate to know more.

4.5 *

Did I stay up until way past midnight to finish reading Close to the Edge? Yes. Regrets? None.

Close to the Edge hit every mark I had hoped for it to achieve! Compared with the first installment in the book-series, it is very evident Britton is more comfortable with her writing; pacing, character development, plot, evidence presented in different forms of transcripts and screenshots of messages. All of these form a very unique (or; Britton-esque) manner of storytelling.

I also want to commend Anna on creating a book-series that would almost require to read the books in order to fully immerse into the character developments and personalities.

Well done, Anna! I cannot wait for book three.

It was great to be back in the world of Gabe and Juliette with the second book in this police procedural series. My favourite part is the multi-media approach to telling the story - the texts, phone calls, articles, forms, emails, interview transcripts etc. It’s such a good way of progressing the story effectively and really makes you feel like you’re part of the story. It’s also a great way to incorporate some red herrings into the storyline…

The overall plot and mystery surrounding Juliette and Gabe’s shooting and the other case being investigated was intriguing and clever, with a good amount of redirection and twists to throw you off the scent of what was really going on. And I felt like this came to a good conclusion at the end.

I also love that this series is set in Southampton and surrounding areas - which is my home turf! Reading about the local towns, University and other locations, like Ocean Village Marina, makes it really realistic for me.

The character development in this one was spot on. I really enjoyed Gabe’s POV and I felt such an emotional attachment to her. Her and Ollie’s relationship is beautiful. And Juliette’s side story was powerful… without giving away any spoilers, the way this was entwined into the main plot line was clever.

I was hooked from the outset and binged this one! I really recommend for anyone who loves this genre.