20/20

This is a mindbending thriller. It’s episodic in structure and intriguing at all points. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it.

20/20 is a real thriller! I couldn't read this fast enough! Very well written! Characters were amazing!
I devoured this in one sitting!
Thanks NG Pub and Author

On the first day of her new job, D.I. Eva Harris is called to the scene of a brutal murder at the heart of Surrey society. A shocking crime by a meticulous killer – who escaped with the victim’s eyes.

With the body drained of blood and no forensic evidence left at the scene, Harris’ efforts to find the killer becomes desperate. But as her investigation is complicated by corruption at the heart of the police, she doesn’t know who to trust on her own team.

As the pressure mounts, Eva realises the murder is even more horrific than it seems, and her own dreadful history threatens to be drawn out with it…

Carl Goodman puts the thrill in thriller, in this novel. He writes flawless characters in such horrific scenes. Definitely one of the best reads of the year.

Talk about a bad first day at work! DI Eva Harris is called to a murder scene where the killer has taken the vistms eyes with him for a trophy. Not only that, the body has been drained of every drop of blood. With few clues and less evidence, Eva is left trying to prove herself to a new team she’s not sure she can trust. This is a gruesome thriller with a delightfully conflicted and compromised heroine

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hera Books for an advance copy of 20/20, the first novel to feature DI Eva Harris of the Surrey Police.

On the first day of her new position Eva doesn’t even get to the office before she’s summoned to a murder scene. Irina Stepanov has been drained of blood and her eyes cut out, but with little in the way of forensics Eva knows it will be a difficult investigation, especially when it becomes apparent that Irina is only the first victim.

I thoroughly enjoyed 20/20, which is a multi-stranded police procedural with several twists and turns. It is told mostly from Eva’s point of view which makes it easy to get immersed in and even easier to stay that way, as she is a woman with a past and many agendas.

At 27 Eva is young to be a detective inspector, but she’s a cyber crime expert and only in Kingston’s CID as part of the necessary rotation in departments before returning to cyber crime, at least that’s the cover story. In reality she’s there to discover the identity of the bad cop working for a criminal organisation and hunting a serial killer is not part of the plan. Then there’s the three cold case murders that may be linked to the new ones and why is she trying to hack a hard drive in her own time? All these questions are answered at the end of the novel, but they’re intriguing and attention holding throughout the novel. There is enough going on to keep the reader continually occupied.

The plotting and pacing in the novel are good. There are developments and reveals throughout, just enough to whet the appetite and urge the reader to keep going. I found it to be a compulsive read and really liked the twists at the end, which are clever. I think the motives are different enough to give the novel an edge, but not so different to be unbelievable. On the downside, I think the perpetrators are too easy to guess, although motive is more elusive and I take issue with the way the word psychopath is bandied about, it is not a synonym for psychotic or delusional, and it became quite annoying. There are also a few techie passages that I ignored as I have no understanding of the detail.

I’m undecided about DI Eva Harris and if the author had used the term psychopath to describe her I might have been more convinced. That, however, would not stop me from reading more about her, just to help me decide. More seriously I liked the plotting and all the strands in the novel as it gave me something to think about and ponder and it’s quite exciting and tense in parts.

20/20 is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Thank you to Hera Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

20/20 by Carl Goodman is a dark police procedural thriller starring D. I. Eva Harris, who has been sent to investigate a serial killer who takes away his victim's eyes. If you think that is too much detail, you should stay away from this book, which really goes into graphic detail regarding how the killer murders his victims. If you are the type of reader who enjoys that, keep reading!

Here is an excerpt from an opening chapter that tells us about Eva:

"Eva had expected her first placement as a DI to be in the city, tackling digital forensics and unravelling complex fraud cases. That was what she had trained for, where she excelled. A bit too young to be a DI. Well at twenty-seven maybe that was true, in anything other than cyber anyway, but cybercrime was precisely where DI Eva Harris would have shone... A computer science graduate with a passion for complexity and with a complex background of her own, Eva was more than ready for technical investigations..."

Overall, 20/20 is a dark detective story that will appeal to readers of the Unsub series, which is my favorite thriller series, or The Jigsaw Man, which came out earlier this year. It is unputdownable. I had to keep reading to find out what happens next. I ended up finishing the book in a few hours. One highlight of this book is Eva, the protagonist and detective. She is such a great character and very easy to root for. I will definitely be reading any future books if the author decides to turn this into a series. If you're intrigued by the description or if you're a fan of police procedural thrillers, I highly recommend that you check out 20/20 when it comes out in June!

This novel is suspenseful and gripping and a terrific page turner! I got so invested in the story that I finished the book in a day. I had my suspicions on the ending but was wrong. Fantastic read, fully recommend it if you enjoy a fast paced thriller with twists and turns galore! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more titles by this author ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Hera Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the first day of her new job, D.I. Eva Harris is called to the scene of a brutal murder at the heart of Surrey society. A shocking crime by a meticulous killer – who escaped with the victim’s eyes.
With the body drained of blood and no forensic evidence left at the scene, Harris’ efforts to find the killer becomes desperate. But as her investigation is complicated by corruption at the heart of the police, she doesn’t know who to trust on her own team. As the pressure mounts, Eva realises the murder is even more horrific than it seems, and her own dreadful history threatens to be drawn out with it.

Plot
The plot was the first thing which drew me into this book. I wanted to know more, instantly. And the storyline built well, from the first moment we were brought straight into the thick of things. Often books take time to introduce characters in a mundane way, but this started with action first. I really enjoyed the overall plot although the pacing of the book began to waver towards the middle of the book but Goodman brought that back rather quickly. One of the downsides for me was the use of medical terminology. While I understand that it was important for the overall story, I felt that some scenes worked really well, and others lacked a little flourish to make it seem fictional rather than educational.

Characters
The main character, Eva, is a strong female lead, who has a strong moral compass but balances between the right and wrong side of the law which only makes her all the more interesting. Sometimes, it’s easy to loose a character with so many things happening in a book, but that didn’t happen with Eva and, just because she was a strong lead, didn’t mean she couldn’t feel an array of emotions, and this was portrayed effectively. The supporting characters were intriguing, there was no “weak link”, and I can’t wait to discover more about them, if there are further books down the line.


Ending
The main downside to this book for me, was the ending. I really enjoyed some parts, but I felt that as the storyline grew and the pressure mounted on Eva, the outcome didn’t reflect this well enough for me. Don’t get me wrong, the main final scene was really good, as was the ‘wrapping up’ chapters but I felt that with all the different things happening in Eva’s life and the cases she was managing, I felt that not all were given the justice they’d deserved.

Similar To
If you love reading gritty, slightly disturbing, murder mysteries or police drama’s then this is for you. During reading it, I couldn’t help but think about tv shows like Line of Duty and Silent Witness - if you like either of those, then definitely give this book a chance.

DI Eva Harris is one hell of a character. 27 years old, a cybercrime specialist who is on rotation to get experience, but she already has a great back story.

Eva is special, in many ways, and if you can get past the fact she is a DI at such a young age you will love this book. Especially if you are a fan of the TV series Line of Duty.

There are multiple strands to this story. One of them is the fact that it’s not a coincidence that Eva is doing a rotation through the Surrey serious crime team. She’s been laced there to find a leak, a bent cop who is feeding organised crime syndicates information on ongoing investigations.

But that is one of the smaller storylines, the main one is the hunt for a murderer.

In the depths of Surrey there is a gated estate where the rich shy away from the public. The estate is the realm of successful business people, footballers, and increasingly rich foreigners.

When the first murder happens on the estate Eva is sent to investigate. A woman tied naked to a chair, her blood drained, her eyes removed with surgical skill.

Evas investigation will lead her to some strange places that may are the domain of the rich and bored. She encounters some tremendous characters.

Along the way the different strands of the story occasionally cross, but never confuse. There is a constant pace that makes the book hard to put down, and then there are the last few chapters.

No spoilers but they are brilliant.

I have to say that Carl Goodman has created one of the best new characters I’ve read for a long time. With her young age, and her tenacity, I can only hope that this is the first in a long series.

At the moment it looks like this book is initially only going to be available as an ebook and audio book, published on the 16th June. I really hope it gets a print run. If it doesn’t, and you haven’t got an ebook reader, it would be worth buying one just to read 20/20

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC.

The first day at her new job DI Eva Harris has to go to the scene of a murder. A psychopath drains the victim's blood and removes their eyes. Eva also has to deal with her past and a corrupt cop.

The plot is very entertaining, it does not decay at any time and the character of DI Eva Harris is very well profiled, so much so that I would love to continue reading her story.
I hope this is the first book in the beginning of a series.

Definitely recommended.

Excellent, this book has elements from all of my favourite genres combined and makes a fascinating and compelling story. The murders are suitably grisly, detailed and science based to capture my interest, as a forensics graduate. The science fiction, that is so close to science fact the edges are blurred, is simply stunning and very believable, which made it ever the more scary. The lead detective is likeable, has a good balance of vulnerability and strength and a good helping of geeky super human intelligence to be thoroughly captivating. There are also deep psychological elements including psychopaths, evil, bent police to make the story superbly dark.
A thoroughly good all round read, very enjoyable, I’d love to see how the characters develop so,please write (lots) more! Thank you.

This was a really intriguing storyline; murder, conspiracy, technological advancements and hidden secrets.
Some parts were very technology centred but once you understood the relvakence to the plot, it all made sense.
This was a really interesting take on a murder investigation in modern times.

20/20 by Carl Goodman is a fast paced, exhilarating and a really exciting read. This is the first book in the DI Eva Harris series, and I can’t wait to see her return.

This is a police procedural novel that is not for the faint hearted. The opening scene is very gruesome, and the police officers who are attending fear they are dealing with a sadistic serial killer. Right from this moment, I wanted to know what prompted the killer to kill their victims in this way. I was desperate to know who they were. I also wanted to know if they were going to kill again.

DI Eva Harris is a great lead character, and I was rooting for her from the start. She herself is in a precarious situation. Eva is a former computer analyst, and her expertise has seen her career fast tracked. I can imagine this would annoy other police officers who have been working in the force longer has, and this does create some animosity. She has been sent to the current team she is working with to gather intelligence; a police officer is suspected of being corrupt. So from the first day she arrives, there is tension. She knows that she can’t trust anyone, and as the reader, I could feel that. It made this book even more tense. It made me wonder if the person who she was looking for knew what she was up to.

The plot is so well structured and cleverly put together. There is lots going on here. Eva is a character who will throw herself into unpredictable situations which may put her life at risk. She is a determined police officer who will see a case through no matter what. She will make sure that the right people are put behind bars. As Eva gets closer to finding out what the killers motives are here, we are introduced to some quirky characters who made me feel nervous. As I was reading, I had no idea how the plot was going to unfold. She is definitely a police officer who you would want to have on your side.

There is a very cinematic feel to this book, and I think it would translate really well to the screen. 20/20 is a thrilling read that will capture the interest of reader’s right from the first page. I can’t wait to see where Carl Goodman takes this series next. This is a must read for police procedural fans.

I’m really hoping that this will be the first book of a series because I absolutely loved it!

DI Eva Harris is a newly minted inspector. She has been fast tracked for promotion and is hoping to make her mark in the cyber crime unit. But first she has to undertake a number of rotations. On her first day in the job she is confronted with the brutal slaying of a wealthy woman whose body has been drained of blood and her eyes surgically removed. Now don’t get squeamish on me, it’s not as grisly as it could have been, you’re not there when it happens. Her boss, DCI Corrine Sutton and her team think it’s the work of a killer who struck four years ago who was dubbed the ‘Eye Slicer’ but Eva is not so sure. Yes, there are some similarities with the previous killings but there are also marked differences.

Either way the killer strikes again and again and yet never leaves any forensics behind. Then the original eye slicer killer strikes again and Eva is now certain they are looking for two different perpetrators. And if that isn’t bad enough, just to complicate things Eva also has a secret mission with the Surrey constabulary. A very senior officer, Superintendent Alistair Hadley, has some sort of hold over Eva and has placed her in Surrey to find out who, in the police force, has been providing tip-offs to Semion Razin’s people. Razin is a serious Russian drug lord who brings in huge quantities of drugs and launders vast amounts of money in the county.

Well Eva is not sure she is up to the job, she is so inexperienced. Her boss, Sutton voices her own reservations but tells Eva to give her team a reason to respect her. She might be inexperienced but she is very smart and has her own strengths that help her immeasurably in negotiating the maze that all these cases represent. Nevertheless, a number of attempts are made on her life but she can’t seek support from her team as she thinks it is to do with her secret mission and, until she has a better idea of who the informer is, she is not sure who to trust.


This book gripped me from the start and the pace never let up. The character of Eva is one of the best I have read. She is not dysfunctional, she doesn’t have inner demons, well just the one but it doesn’t control her and she doesn’t indulge in endless introspection. She is different to other police and uses her strengths to her advantage. Her team are loyal and competent and she does manage to gain their respect. The other thing I really enjoyed was that it was not about women being killed because their mummies didn’t love them enough. The rationale for these killings was quite different and it wasn’t all women. This will appeal to those who enjoy police procedurals and thrillers and even mysteries. I will be very keen to read a sequel of this book. I received an advance review copy from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Hera Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book a lot and was gripped by the plot from the start. The main character was interesting and the gritty, disturbing plot was well executed. I would happily recommend this to crime thrillers!

D.I. Eva Harris has more lives than a cat. Seriously, danger follows this woman around every corner!

This is one action packed read. Probably not for the feint hearted of readers but boy, if you want thrills and chills by the bucket load then you seriously can’t go wrong with this book. So many scenes had me hiding behind my hands at the thought of what I had just read yet I was eager to carry on as the excitement built up.

I won’t say too much about the storyline itself but I really enjoyed this particular crime that Eva and the team are working on as when it all comes together with the why’s, it’s something I have never read of in a crime book before so gives this book a particular edge to other’s in it’s genre. There’s also so much more I want to see from Eva especially. We get to know a bit about her but think there is still lots to come from her character and discover.

20/20 is actually a great title for this story. Usually the first book in a series can get weighed down with getting to know the characters but there is no fear of that with this one. We are thrown right into the deep end and the pacing was off the scale as there is never a dull moment with Eva finding herself in the trickiest of situations to say the least. So many heart stopping moments that had me fear for not only the victims but Eva and her team also. A thrilling read that doesn’t let go until the very last page!

Wow! Where to start with this one which is one of the best crime/police procedural thrillers I’ve read in a while! DI Eva Harris background is in cyber crime but she’s now working for Surrey Police and managing her own team. It’s her first day and she hits the ground running when she’s called to a brutal killing. The case grows exponentially when Eva realises that it’s not one case they’re investigating but two with similar MO’s. If that’s not bad enough she’s tasked with an undercover role to try to find corrupt officers feeding information to a Ukrainian major drug baron, Semion Razin.

First of all if your a bit squeamish about eyes (hence the title) there’s quite a bit that focuses (sorry) on that. This is a really exciting, very clever and multilayered novel that has everything I want in a book of this genre. I would describe the plot as high octane, full throttle and high revs throughout as you rarely get a breather and I love that as it keeps you focused and glued to the narrative. The characters are really good especially Eva who is intriguingly complex and she has a dark side as much of her life in the police force has been living on the edge of a very dangerous precipice. I think she’s built of titanium as you can’t keep this good woman down! You also witness her views on justice which are ‘corrective’, believing in natural justice with a soupçon of vengeance! I enjoy how she uses her impressive cyber skills, her intuition and growing sense of leadership to unmask the perpetrators. I particularly like how she used it against those trying to wipe her out and the man trying to make her his marionette. This is a very gritty, dark plot as we have two killers on the loose and both are methodical, skilful and clever, one driven by delusion and the other by finance. The whole thing is action packed and builds to a terrific crescendo and conclusion. I really hope this is the start of a series as these characters deserve more ‘run outs’.

Overall, this is a strap yourself in, take a deep breath as you’ll be going at warp speed. It’s very well written, intelligently plotted with well crafted characters. An excellent read.

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

I really enjoyed this book very fast paced which continues throughout.Great attention to detail showed the author had done a lot of research into subjects covered.
I feel there is potential for a series of books based on the main character DI Eva Harris and her colleagues.
Definitely recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books for this ARC