Book Review - Clean Kill by Nick Everard

 

Clean Kill by Nick Everard revolves around several stories. John Gault whose wife Jenny has recently died of cancer has just started a new relationship with Sarah Hall. The husband of the latter committed suicide a year ago. John has a son Tom who, together with his wife, Emma, has taken over the running of the family farm. John is only fifty-five but has spare time on his hands now. Writing a murder mystery is something he has always wanted to do, and encouraged by Sarah, he begins.

Carl Barrow, a self-made millionaire who made his money through nefarious ways, is described as a wide boy. He has just been released from prison and has been on remand for over a month. His wife Cynthia is displeased when he is released at the trial, and she walks out. A Panorama investigation is shown on BBC, all about Carl's strange acquittal. The programme gives John the idea that his book will be about someone who kills a stranger just because they have heard about them in the news and have come to hate them.

Carl begins to retaliate against the people involved in the documentary. The BBC arrange round-the-clock protection for everyone. Why do the protectors suddenly walk out? How is Carl connected to Sarah's husband's suicide? What lengths will John and Sarah go to get the book written? 

I like Nick Everard's excellent plot and subplots woven into the story. It could have been confusing with so many characters in Clean Kill, but Everard brings them all to life with his descriptions. He has done a great job of mixing several stories without causing any confusion, and I like how the book progresses. I particularly liked how Nick Everard drip-feeds the reader on how the characters tie up. I enjoyed the way John and Sarah dissect every part of the novel John is writing. In chapter thirteen, John and Sarah discuss what gun would be best to use and take an A.410 gun and some old tins of paint up to the spinney. Everard has researched guns thoroughly. 

There is swearing in Clean Kill by Nick Everard. However, it is always appropriate to the character in the story and not used unnecessarily. For example, on page seventy-six, "You have made a friend of mine very angry. You fucked around with his life, so now he's fucked around with yours. Don't do it again, or it'll be worse."

One of my criticisms is that John has only been a widower for two months and had been happily married to Jenny for twenty-nine years prior to her death. I do not think anyone could get over their grief that quickly! The editing lets this great book down as I found several grammatical errors and confusion on page 192 quote, "The cheap new trainers he'd bought for what he termed "the event" were already in the back of the Volvo" it was Sarah who bought the trainers, not John!

I want to rate Clean Kill 4 out of 5 stars due to the errors. I am really disappointed that I had to reduce a star as Clean Kill is an entertaining page-turner with a satisfying ending. This book is an easy read. However, it keeps you on your toes, turning the pages to discover what will happen next and wondering where the story will lead at the climax. 

I would recommend Clean Kill by Nick Everard to adults who enjoy a well-thought-out whodunnit with lots of twists, turns, and surprises. There are mild sexual references, mainly hinted at and left to the reader's imagination, and swearing.  

Thank you to Nick Everard for a free copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review.