The first in a gripping new crime thriller series set in Yorkshire, for fans of Ian Rankin and Joseph Knox. 'A striking debut' Peter Robinson Wortley, West Leeds. On a Thursday night in February, DS Joe Romano finds himself back on home turf. He's following up on the disappearance of drug-dealer Craig Shaw. It's the start of a case that could make or break Romano's career. Because Shaw is about to go from missing to murdered. While some don't think Shaw's killer should be brought to justice, Romano believes every life counts. But he's running out of time. The killer is ready to strike again. And Romano will be forced to question whether anyone has the right to kill. 'A gritty, uncompromising thriller' Paul Finch 'The twisted big brother to Happy Valley' Michael Wood 'A modern take on the classic police procedural' Russ Thomas 'Breakneck pace, terrific protagonist and a kick-ass sidekick'Neil Lancaster

A gripping read... A fascinating study in dark and evil... The stuff of Great British grit and dark, dark humour … Barlow provides plenty of twists and turns before the truth is revealed. But what is most enjoyable about Barlow's writing isn't his story archs or plotting, but his characters, dialogue and sense of place... Beautifully cinematic… far more cinematic than a McDermid or a Rankin. Crimefictionlover.comBarlow throws in plenty of twists before everything is untangled, since of course nothing in the case is exactly what it seems to be, and he spins the yarn in fast-paced, very readable prose. He also does a good job with the setting, the English city of Leeds, and made me feel like I'd been there. HOPE ROAD is a fine novel, the first in a series, and I look forward to reading the others.Rough EdgesHOPE ROAD: a crime thriller - You can't change your past. But what about your future?John Ray, son of crime boss Antonio 'Tony' Ray, is the straight one of the family. With a successful business and a lifestyle to match, he wants nothing to do with his father's criminal world. But what does that world want with him?A young prostitute is found dead in John's car, and Freddy Metcalfe, his best friend and employee, is framed for her death. Freddy denies everything but it's an open and shut case: he's going down for murder. John sets out to find the real killer.But things get complicated. A stash of counterfeit money was also found in John's car, and the police seem more interested in that than in the dead girl. Then Lanny Bride turns up; one of the north's most ruthless criminals (and an old friend of the Ray family), Lanny is desperate to know who killed the girl. But why? Meanwhile, Freddy is too scared to talk to anyone, even his lawyer.John's police detective girlfriend, Denise Danson, has been warned off the case by her boss. But she doesn't believe Freddy is guilty, and secretly helps John look for the murderer. The problem, though, is that uncovering the shocking truth about the girl's death will force John to confront his own criminal past and risk destroying his future, as well as losing the only woman he's ever loved.A novel set in Leeds, this is the first crime-mystery in the LS9 series. ReviewCrime thriller fans, this novel is a must read.Jersey Girl Book ReviewsI can't wait for the next book. Hope Road is a fast-paced, exciting novel.Preferred ReadingA gripping read... A fascinating study in dark and evil... The stuff of Great British grit and dark, dark humour... Beautifully cinematic... far more cinematic than a McDermid or a Rankin. Crimefictionlover.comBarlow throws in plenty of twists... he spins the yarn in fast-paced, very readable prose. HOPE ROAD is a fine novel, the first in a series, and I look forward to reading the others.Rough EdgesThis book was fantastic!!  A wonderful who-done-it!! I am looking forward to the next book in this series.2ReadOrNot2ReadI loved the story. Little twists and turns and an ending I did not expect. BookettaA wonderful read which I highly recommend. [...] An engrossing story with fascinating and complex characters. The setting is wonderfully portrayed. A tremendously exciting debut and I look forward to more.The Guy with the GlassesVery highly recommended. Exactly the kind of book I love. And I did love it.Meeka's MindJohn [Ray] is a great character.Beth KempI enjoyed it tremendously.Not the Baseball PitcherI don't know when I've read anything quite so visual. Hope Road would make a great [TV] program.Letters from Hill FarmA pretty gripping story. The description of the city was great too. Click's ClanAn intriguing murder mystery from start to finish.Welcome to TweedlingYou'll be curious to find out where Barlow plans to take John Ray in upcoming installments. Nights and WeekendsThis is an intriguing beginning for author John Barlow [...] A strong start. His Futile Preoccupations*L*ooking forward to reading the next in the series.Today I Did This For MeFrom the AuthorI've been thinking about this book for years. Counterfeit banknotes figure prominently in the secondary plot of HOPE ROAD. I've always been fascinated by fake money. How do you spend it safely? Is it really such a bad thing to print your own money (governments do it all the time!). Finally, is there a way of 'passing on' large quantities of fake banknotes without causing financial harm to anyone? In other words, is there a perfect crime with counterfeit money? I think I've come pretty close...

John Ray is called to the scene of a violent murder. The victim is an old associate of John's dad, local crime boss Tony Ray. There's no obvious motive for the crime, but everybody agrees on one thing: don't tell the police.The search for the killer that ensues takes John Ray back to events twenty years ago, and to another, even more heinous crime. It's a gripping search, but also a painful one for John personally, and he doesn't really know what he's looking for. Until it's too late.Plus, he's not the only one looking...

Meet Jack Storm PhD, disgraced ex-college professor and unlicensed PI. Since getting turfed out of Berkeley for violent misconduct, he’s turned his brains and his 250-pound frame to solving crimes. Working out of Los Angeles (and the trunk of his 20 year-old Mercedes Benz), Jack has finally found his true place in life: the gutter. When Jerry Picco goes missing, Jack is called in to help. Picco is the world’s greatest ‘erotic actor’, and his disappearance has come at a difficult time for the diminutive porn star. He’s left a heap of debt, a career in nosedive, and a screen partner with plenty reasons to want him gone. Jack has his own reasons for trying to find him. Apart from anything else, he’s one of Jerry’s biggest fans. The only clues he’s got: a Polaroid of seven little men in the woods, and some story about a princess.For fans of Carl Hiaasen and Janet Evanovich, What Ever Happened to Jerry Picco? is a romp of a noir from prize-winning author John Barlow.