Cover Your Tracks by Claire Askew

If you know me, you'll know that crime thrillers are one of my favourite genres - between that and YA, that's pretty much me sorted. So when I saw Claire Askew was releasing a new book and there was space on the blog tour, I knew I wanted to be involved - and without further ado, here's my review of her upcoming novel, Cover Your Tracks...

This book has it all: it's a story about a high-flying business man who returns to his home town in Scotland in search of his parents, only to find they've disappeared. As the police dig into where they might be, they start to uncover a list of crimes that only gets longer and longer. Are they connected? Well I'm not giving you any spoilers, so you'll have to find out for yourself. If you like books that keep you on the edge of your seat throughout, then this is one to add to your TBR list.

I love the way Claire Askew creates characters that are so layered, so multi-faceted without being too complex - I love her use of heavy Scottish dialogue for certain characters, and her intricate way of pulling a story together without it ever getting boring. Helen Birch, the DI in charge, is an incredibly likeable character - and while she has her own side plot, this never detracts from the story and only serves to add more depth to her and her actions as she delves into the history of Robertson Bennett and his estranged parents.

From domestic violence to train spotting, gangsters to parental disputes - like I said, Cover Your Tracks has it all. Helen and her partner, DC Amy Kato, follow their hunches to the end - and what an ending. Believe me, this is a twist you probably won't see coming. I know I didn't anyway!

Every small detail of this book is so well thought out. So often you read thrillers and crime fiction where there are sloppy mistakes, things that don't add up, things that have no reason for being there - but Claire Askew has managed to write a book that tells a fascinating story peppered with interesting details that just fit so well. The descriptions of people and places are SO immersive, and the pace of the story fits the plot really well.

Cover Your Tracks comes out on the 20th August, and is available for pre-order now. There are two previous books in the DI Helen Birch series, but you don't need to have read them to appreciate this book and its fantastic storyline... though I'll definitely be ordering them too!

Have you read any of Claire Askew's books or poetry? Let me know your thoughts...