The Third Rule

Thankyou to NetGalley, Bloodhound Books and Andrew Barrett for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Third Rule. I really appreciate it.
I have read Andrew Barrett on previous occasions, so when the opportunity came along to read this novel, I jumped at the chance. And I am so glad I did.
This book is a definite rollercoaster ride of twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat, turning pages as quickly as possible, never knowing what is going to be thrown at me next. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a face-paced thriller.

This is the first time I have read this author and WOW from the first page I was hooked.
To get rid of serious crime you have to get rid of serious criminals.
This is a thriller that is fast paced, full throttle until the Last page. The premise of this book was scary and could one day be a reality ?
After all we are about to leave the EUROPEAN MARKET.
I would like to thank the author Andrew Barrett, Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

This book was hard to read, not because of the author’s writing, but because it shows how quickly power in the wrong hands, can become so badly used.

In this novel, we are introduced to a Britain, ruled by a government with omnipresent surveillance and a despot with great power in his hands. Who was it that said, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”?

We are introduced to Eddie Collins a CSI, his estranged wife Jilly, his journalist, drinking buddy, Mick Lyndon, Ros Banford a workmate and friend of Eddie, a Secretary of Justice, and his son.

Around this group the author weaves his story.

Eddie and his wife are grieving the loss of their son who is killed by a careless driver and Eddie is sliding rapidly into alcoholism. Mick is helping Eddie along this road.

And at this time, new government policy is introduced – The Third Rule. This sets out clearly that offenders will be given a chance to reform and rehabilitate. If, after they complete their sentence and are released, they re-offend then they will be given a longer prison sentence, and in the event that they then re-offend, the Third Rule comes into play and they will be put to death. Murderers will be put to death immediately.

When a colleague is shot to death Eddie finds himself the main suspect and is now marked with Rule Three status. We follow Eddie and Mick as they try to unravel the secrets surrounding the deaths, the murders and the machinations of the Secretary of Justice, the man who seemingly holds all the power.

I said it is hard to read, but I recommend this book to all who enjoy a complicated story with an almost hero, and many twists and turns

The UK extricates itself from "servitude" to fight crime.

Eddie lives in a fleabag apartment. He is separated from his wife, Jillian, and only sees his son, Sam (who is 11)at specified times. Eddie works for the West Yorkshire police as a CSI. Ros, Eddie's co-worker and friend, tells him to lay off the booze if he wants to live with Jilly and Sam, again.

At the same time, Henry Deacon is very distracted while driving and runs over (and kills) a homeless man. He flees the scene. While Eddie and Jilly are discussing how late Eddie is to pick up Sam, Henry runs SAM over and flees this scene, too. Henry tries to burn down the Jaguar that he drove in his madness.


To set the tone for the absurdity of the new Rules, Lincoln, a pensioner, is meeting with government official, Sir George Deacon. Lincoln is tired of being governed by fear. His son is in prison and parole is a very rare entity. Sir George tells Sirius, his right hand man, that he wants Lincoln dead. On that same day, Lincoln gets a letter telling him that his son is due for release next month. He was sorry he dealt with Sir George.

Sir George happens to be Henry's father so there is a bit of a cover-up regarding the two fatal car accidents. Otherwise, Henry would be on Rule Three - death by shooting.

Another important character is Mick, a journalist with quite an affinity for booze. He is still very good at his work, but unless he gets a great scoop soon, his star will be falling. His boss wanted Mick to interview Lincoln. When Mick arrives at Lincoln's home, he is dead. Suicide?

Then we have Christopher and Alice - they live together; she a druggie, he an artist. She also has been diagnosed and hospitalized for mental instability. They have a son?

Yes, it all will tie together, neatly. Through fires, people being dragged, pummeled, beaten, and killed, there is a lot of excitement and true adventure. Eddie and Mick go on the run, Christian is possibly in line for a Rule 3,
Harry remains selfish and childish, Alice betrays Christian, and the story goes on. The plot is well thought out - the characters not only come to life but intertwine. A saga that continues to enthrall until the very end!!!

Many thanks to Bloodhound and NetGalley for a great read!!!

Great book, really liked it. If you're a fan of crime, don't miss this one. It's a definite 5-stars from me.

This was certainly a book with plenty of meat to get your teeth into. The Third Rule was a long read at 624 pages, but I just couldn't put it down. CSI Eddie Collins and his journalist buddy Michael (MIck) Lyndon are up against a corrupt government minister for justice who brought about new reforms Rule One full term sentence with no parole for a first offence, Rule Two a longer sentence for a repeat offence, and Rule Three is death sentence for a third offence or first offence of a more serious crime.
Eddie and a young lad called Christian Ledger are both facing trumped up rule 3 charges and it is down to Eddie and Mick to get to the truth past a brick wall of corruption from the justice minister to senior police officers who zealously want to be top of the rankings in subjecting suspects to Rule Three whether there is hard evidence or not.
All sounds a bit weighty but the narrative is laced with dry wit from both Christian and Mick, budding alcoholics, and fellow CSI Ros who is the long-suffering voice of reason for Eddie and keeps his head above water and refuses to let him drown.
I didn't like this book, I loved it, and a big thank you to Bloodhound Books and Netgalley for letting me have an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Third Rule
CSI Eddie Collins Series #1

In England the rules have changed to a three strike s and you are put to death situation. With corrupt policemen, crooked politicians, drug addicts, thieves and murderers running through the story there is a lot going on and many names to keep track of. It is dark and gritty and for me, a bit confusing. I basically picked it up to get the background of Eddie before reading book two in the series and have come away feeling that England as portrayed in this book is not a place many if any would want to live. I had trouble relating to any of the characters in the book and that may have hindered my overall impression.

Did I like the book? Sort of
Will I read another book by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloodhound books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

This is my first time reading an Andrew Barrett book but I have actually got a few more in the series to read having absolutely devoured this one. Honestly, from the first couple of pages you can just tell that this is going to be a brilliant read - it certainly didn't disappoint!

The government is "forced" to introduce a severe code of capital punishment after a wave of terrible atrocities. They design The Rules in an attempt to make England crime-free but they didn't have the desired effect. They claimed The Rules to be infallible, but they lied. Meanwhile, an innocent man, Christian Ledger, is charged with stabbing another to death. As his pleas continue to fall on deaf ears, his final destination is the slaughterhouse. Is the secret he carries enough to save his life? CSI Eddie Collins is no stranger to a dark and difficult life - he has tried to commit suicide once but failed. When he is tracked down by the police for allegedly shooting one of his colleagues, he suddenly has a change of heart and wants to live. Now he's on the governments list too, and he's running. But they are not far behind him... can he outrun them?

"The Third Rule" is a long read at 600+ pages but it didn't feel as substantial as that. I simply couldn't put it down! Everything worked well for me - the story is original and exciting, the characters realistic with flawed personalities and the dry wit throughout the book was another element that I appreciated. The story highlights the danger in allowing a particular set of people to have great power that goes unchallenged. As here, it frequently leads to abuse which is a very scary concept, especially in terms of a government. It's essential that those with power or in powerful positions can be challenged by others and this in turn makes abuse-of-power less likely.

All in all, this is a thriller with elements of politics added in for good measure. It's easy-to-read and engage with and the writing is solid. A well-thought out plot that intertwines and a story in which the characterisation is vivid and appealing. Highly recommended for all crime buffs - this is a thriller that is well worth the time investment.

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

After a wave of violent crime, the British government has introduced the Rules. This is basically a three strikes and you're out mentality, with the third strike meaning that you're put to death. Several of the main characters in the book have hit their third strike and are next on the government's list. This includes Christian and Eddie, a CSI.

I had never read anything from this author before requesting this book and I'm extremely impressed. It's a fast paced and extremely gritty crime read. Given the nature of the story, it's not the easiest read and is quite complex by a long shot but it is a good one. If you're looking for an easy, escapist read, this probably isn't going to be the book for you but I'd definitely recommend it if you like frantic crime thrillers that keep you guessing as to what comes next. My only drawback is that the story is a lot too complex at times and not all of it seems completely necessary to what is happening but it's only a minor quibble. Unlike a lot of complex books, it didn't lose my attention or bore me to tears and I wasn't wanting to stop reading so big thumbs up to the author for producing a book that is dark, complex but never boring!

I had already read the first two Eddie Collins short stores (The Note and The Lift) so I was familiar with the subject and the style of writing. This however is by no means a short story. I found that the pace didn't really pick up until after halfway trough the book and the many characters and strands to the story started to converge on Eddie and Mick and also on themselves. Set slightly in the future there is a new political party in power and some very tough "Rules" have being brought in to deal with murderers and repeat offenders ("if you want to kill serious crime, you have to kill serious criminals)!! Eddie is a CSI hanging on to his job by the skin of his teeth due to his drinking and violent nature, and Mick is a fellow drinker and reporter who is onto the story of his career. Together they try to get to the truth of matters despite government corruption and over zealous police. It is a complex and original story, and definitely recommended for those who want something a bit more challenging.
This is the first full length novel and I am sure I will grow to like Eddie more as I progress through the series.

The Third Rule is book number one in the upcoming Eddie Collins series. Now I must admit at just over 600 pages long it felt a little daunting as I don’t usually read thick books due to not much time. However, it didn’t take me as long as I thought to finish it.

Firstly, I found the opening to the story very rushed, introducing all the characters and their stories all at once which was a bit overwhelming at first. However, the story then slows into each characters story making it clearer for the reader to understand.

The Third Rule is action packed with drugs, crime, politics and death. I found myself slowly getting absorbed into the story and I was hooked after a while. I raced through it. In the end I enjoyed the story and look forward to the rest of this series.

This is a book that will most likely split the readers views about ‘the third rule’. I do understand the concept of the third rule but I wouldn’t say I was for it as many people can be framed for crime and killings leading to false imprisonment. On the other hand I do believe it would work for certain types of criminals, would deter criminals and as a result we would see the level of crime drop drastically.

I awarded a fair four stars and would highly recommend this book! But I did warn you it was a long book.. Other than that a perfect story I was caught up in. Bring on book two!

This book is rather lengthy and I will be honest in that it is the longest book I have read for quite a while and it did take me a while to get in to the story, but I split the book over a few nights and was soon engrossed in the story.

Eddie Collins is a fantastic character, he has an excellent sense of humour and dry wit and I love that we are not given another book based solely on the various murder investigation teams, etc – whilst I do love those books, this one being based on SOCO and more the forensic aspect is a refreshing change.

I enjoyed the story and it is four stars from me for this one – I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

In a quite near future Britain, a new party has risen to power on a platform of stopping crime. The Rules are simple; break the law in any way, you’re on a Rule One. Three strikes… and you’re out, sent to the newly-built ‘slaughterhouses’ and put to death in a revived capital punishment law.

CSI Eddie Collins, reeling in the wake of personal tragedy, is just trying to get back to work and on with his life. Sent to examine the very car which took his son’s life in a hit-and-run by a vindictive colleague, he suddenly finds something to live for - revenge. But following the evidence, with the help of an old journalist friend, leads down a rabbit hole of corruption reaching to the very top of the government itself.

Author Andrew Barrett is a CSI himself, and it shows in the amazing attention to forensic detail in the story. There are a number of separate narratives and perspectives in the book, enough to puzzle the reader at the beginning, but slowly and surely Barrett pulls the threads of evidence together to finally reach a spectacular climax.

The story is a peculiarly British sort of dystopia; anyone who’s ever been to a council estate in the UK knows that atmosphere of hopelessness and despair, the lethargy and apathy or the residents who see no way out. Eddie Collins is a the antithesis of that despair, drinking to blot out his pain, yet also stalwartly determined to somehow carry on, outraged by the lazy attitudes of police desperate to close cases who don’t care that a Rule 3 means death, sometimes for the innocent.

I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of detailed character description; we never got a clear picture of what Eddie looked like, and his friend Ros who played such an important part was never described physically at all despite being a potential future love interest. (That said, I’d rather no description than an overly sexualised one, so maybe we’ll call that one a draw). I did find it strange that there were no cultural minority characters; everyone has a very English-sounding name and is therefore presumed to be default-white, and considering the ethnic variation found around the UK, and particularly in Yorkshire towns these days, that was an omission glaring enough to notice. It would have been interesting, for example, if Ros was black or from the Indian subcontinent, adding another layer of harassment for her to deal with, and if the artist Christian was also non-white. I find it hard to believe that a party which rose to power with such rhetoric and led by rich white men, wouldn’t have also had a strong position on illegal immigration, for example. Adding racial undertones would have added another layer of depth to the story and made the major characters much more three-dimensional.

The Third Rule is dark and gritty and at times downright depressing, but there’s also that thin thread of hope winding throughout; that yes, there are still decent people in the world who want to do the right thing, and yes, some of them are willing to go to any lengths to defend those who cannot defend themselves. I enjoyed the read despite wishing for more character depth and realistic minority representation, and therefore I’m giving it four stars.

Now although this is the first book in the CSI Eddie Collins series I have read a couple of the later books already but whoa this book is where his essence is really created. Eddie Collins is a pretty mixed up bloke, seen too much in his line of work as a CSI and spent too little time with his family. A drunk, most of the time, that only feels better when he can’t remember. He is at rock bottom, as you could say where he thinks things can’t get any worse but they do. When his drinking is the cause of being an hour late picking up his 12-year-old son for his birthday outing, from his estranged wife, terrible events take what is left of the bottom out of Eddie’s already crumbling world.

Eddie Collins isn’t the easiest man to like at the start of this book but really he does grow on you as the story goes on and believe me it is a massive a story of over 600 pages but don’t let put you off. This is one of those books that you find yourself picking up every minute that you have spare to the point of you are making time to read and working round that.


There is a pretty cool twist to this story as the crime in the UK rockets, serious measures have to be considered and so the death penalty is brought back with a three strike rule for some crimes like burglary. It’s a fool-proof system, they say. Well not quite if someone is determined to pin something on you it isn’t. There are a few story lines going on to begin with but they all tie together and become relevant as events come to a close. A real ripple effect through the classes from a young troubled girl with a drug problem and mental health issues, to a top politician.

There is every kind of character that you could imagine in this story from the arrogant and untouchable people who think they are above the law to the ones that know no-one wants to listen to them. Eddie Collins seems to be in the thick of it for the most of the story being both the hunted and the hunter. I went from not really like him to weeping for the man, well after 600 pages I had developed quite a connection with him.

A belting story. If you like me have jumped in to the series further down the line do come back to the roots. I feel I really understand Eddie Collins now. If you haven’t read any of this series then it is the perfect chance to start.

This was an excellent police procedural style thriller about a damaged CSI from Leeds (England) which reminded me (in a good way) of the Harry Hole books, by Jo Nesbo, with political conspiracies, police corruption, nasty bad guys, set in the seedy underbelly of a grim city - but set in an alternate reality of a borderline dystopian Britain that did not feel implausible at all.

Originally three short books, this has been re-published as one complete, and therefore fairly long, novel, but this was not a problem as I was rapidly gripped. At the beginning is a link to a free short story called The Note, which is well worth a read - it was initially unclear to me whether this was set before or after the events of this book - it actually doesn’t matter as there are no significant spoilers, but for the record, The Note is set after this book. If you are hesitant about reading the full book, the novella would be a good introduction to Barrett’s writing, and Eddie’s character.

Eddie Collins had a happy life with his wife and child, and a satisfying career as a CSI with the Yorkshire police, until one night when he intervened in a mugging, and sustained an injury and loss of confidence which turned him into a raging alcoholic, cynically enabled by his journalist friend Mick. Barely hanging on to his job, mostly thanks to his colleague Ros, and estranged from his wife Jilly, he lives in a squalid flat and drinks himself to oblivion every night.

Exhausted by endlessly rising crime and the feeling that the villains have all the rights, Britain has exited the EU and elected a hard right Nationalist government who have introduced “The Rules” - the death sentence for third criminal convictions or straight off for murder, and draconian other measures to bring criminals to heel. What’s clever about this book is that initially, a lot of what they propose makes sense - it’s the implementation that becomes seriously wrong.

Henry Deacon is the spoiled middle aged son of a senior government minister, while Christian Ledger is an artist living in a squat with his junkie girlfriend. Their separate stories, and those of other random characters, take a while to intersect, but the threads are gradually weaved into a complex plot. There is a bit too much coincidence linking Eddie to different events, but I can forgive this.

Eddie is a tough protagonist to like - bitter, antagonistic and self-destructive, and exploiting the goodwill of his friends, but gradually he does actually become a hero and is determined to do his job and see right prevail. I enjoyed the scientific details of CSI procedures, which added authenticity without holding up the plot. It’s pretty grim, with a high body count, but a satisfying ending, leaving things open for the rest of the series, which I will definitely be continuing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent reading. Main character is a wreck trying to survive. This is a gritty down and dirty book. I couldn't put it down once I started it. Can't say enought good things about this book. Explains how Eddie became who he is from the beginning. Can understand his following books better.

A re-write of the book by the same name Andrew Barrett shows he continues to improve even when I considered the first book a good read.
In the beginning you have to pay a bit of extra attentions to be able to follow the different characters and not get lost between the various individuals been introduced but it does all come together nicely.
The book deals with corruption in politics and even within the police force.
Shows how easy it is to become an alcoholic after dramatic events in somebody live or as a replacement to the addiction of pain killers. To a point it almost destroys their lives completely. Yes you will shake your head in disgust as why a person can so ruin their lives with been drunk all the time but then you don't know unless you stand in their shoes.
If you are looking for a cozy mystery this book is not for you.
This is a rather a long book by today's standard but worth every page. When you realize what is going on you will not want to put it down.

This is the first book that I've read by Andrew Barrett and I will definitely read the next one.
This book is gripping your attention and keeps you glued until the end.
It is a bit dystopian book that is about England in near future where government corruption is not a stranger and police cases are not always solved as it should but some people are getting third rule death sentence. In the start there are too many characters and lot to details to catch but later it is getting better and better. Main character Eddie Collins is a father that is dealing with loss of his son that makes his life very hard. He is driven apart from his wife, he is drinking a lot and only thing that is keeping him alive is his job, but when he is suspected for murdering a colleague he needs to clear his name before he gets third rule sentence.
It is a little longish book but I enjoyed it reading it...

One of the reasons I like books of this nature/genre is that it has so many characters and getting a point of view from each. I like getting to know each character like what kind of person they are and learning a little bit about their lives and what makes them tick and getting enough of their background that it will give you an insight into what makes them do the things they do and what makes them the person they are now.


You get a little info from one character just enough to keep you hanging on and then it is on to the next character. While I am reading about one character I have another character’s info hanging out in the back of mind and I am pondering over his/her info while learning more about another character. I am trying to figure out how all these characters lives are going to connect and intertwined.


In The Third Rule the laws have changed. It is everyone’s hope that the new laws will stop some of the crimes. Our main guy Eddie Collins, CSI is separated from his wife she kicked him out because of his drinking. His days are all basically the same. He gets up goes to work does his job then comes home and has himself a few drinks then gets up and does it all over the next day.


When he loses his son in a tragic accident he turns the drinking up a notch or two. All Eddie is concerned with now is finding the person who took his son’s life and to get the justice he believes his son deserves. During his investigation Eddie finds corruption and a lot of cover ups and if he is not careful he may just find himself facing The Third Rule.


The Third Rule is a very intriguing and suspenseful read that caught my attention from the first page and didn’t let go until I had read the last page and even now it still has me in its clutches. It pulls you in and makes you feel as if the characters are real and their lives as well and has you rooting for them over and over. Even the bad characters play their roles well. This is one story I would love to see made into a movie or maybe even a TV series.


The Third Rule is for anyone who likes a good mystery or thriller. Pick up your copy today!

A meaty read that will feed any hunger for gritty crime literature for several days. A feast of good paced action. The first book I have read by Andrew Barrett. The first 600 + page novel I have ever read -this fact is testimony to The Third Rule being a worthy plot to keep my interest.

I would like to thank the Netagelley website and the CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform editions for this partnership.

I was immediately attracted by the blanket, we see inside an abandoned house I would say and by the catchphrase: "Do you have a secret that could save your life?"

History tells us that the government is putting in place a severe code of capital punishment following a wave of atrocities. All this to rid England of atrocious crimes, except that it is a failure. There is Christian accused of stabbing while he is innocent and nobody listens to what he has to say.

As for Eddie after a failed suicide attempt want absolutely live and the police who is looking for him to shoot a colleague.

A book a bit too long but deserves to be known around the world. A captivating, moving scenario and a story filled with suspense and twists. Look forward to reading the next volume.

Andrew Barrett is an exciting new author for me he has written a fast paced thriller which had me enthralled.
The story is based around forensic evidence with Eddie Collins a CSI forensics expert as the lead character. His sidekick Mick Lyndon a veteran journalist with the local paper.
Capital punishment is reintroduced in Britain by the newly appointed Justice Minister with relaxed laws around how much evidence is needed to convict. Known colloquially as The Rules it's mantra is " if you want to kill serious crime, you have to kill serious criminals".
This book has it all excitement, corruption, tragedy, domestic issues, alliegence and if course murders.
Can't wait for the next adventure with Eddie Collins.

I read this book last year when Andy had self-published and I am glad that Bloodhound haven't changed much, if any, of the story line.

This is the first book in the brilliant Eddie Collins series, which introduces us to our damaged hero in a world similar to our own but different enough to make the story really intriguing.

The Third Rule in the title revolves around the Government's new law, which is similar to the three strike rule, in that if you commit three crimes instead of going to prison you are given a death sentence.

Even though this is a long book at over 600 pages it didn't drag too much. Although the way we are taken through the crime scene in so much detail could probably have been edited and shortened it didn't detract from the story and in places made it better as you can tell from these scenes that Andy is a CSI himself and loves the work.

As the story evolves we get to know more about Eddie and his troubled past, which has made him the way he is and the bad place he is in, being an alcoholic and not really wanting to be alive any more, until the interesting case hits his lap and he is left fighting against a corrupt government who have put things in place to convict him of a very serious crime.  This crime puts him straight on the Third Rule meaning he is fighting for his life and to avoid the death penalty.  This part of the story adds an extra level of threat and urgency to the feel of the book.

The start of the book can be quite confusing as we are introduced to a wide range of characters all at once, but this soon settles down and becomes a nice easy police procedural story with a twist.

Overall it is a brilliant read, which leads nicely onto the rest of the series.