With the Deepings Literary Festival from May 23rd to 26th 2019 fast approaching and Tony J. Forder as one of our Read Dating authors on Saturday 25th at the library from 2-3.30 PM in a free event, I thought it was about time I got round to reading one of Tony’s books.

Tony has been a regular feature here on Linda’s Book Bag and he has become someone I now consider a friend as we have met several times. I was lucky enough to ‘stay in’ with Tony J Forder to discuss Scream Blue Murder in a post you can read here and am delighted finally to be reviewing that book today.

Other posts include a guest piece from Tony about The Cold Winter Sun imperative you will find here, an inspirational post about becoming a writer here when Bad to the Bone was published, and Tony also told us about writing outside his comfort zone here and he allowed his characters Bliss and Chandler from The Scent of Guilt to introduce each other here.

Published by Bloodhound Scream Blue Murder is available for purchase here.

Scream Blue Murder

Mike Lynch is going through hard times. But things get much worse when he witnesses a murder in a lay-by. Snatching the victim’s car in order to get away, Mike soon makes a shocking discovery – the victim’s young daughter and her nanny are hiding in the rear footwell. This is when the real trouble begins.

Mike wants to go to the police, but the nanny, Melissa, wants to delay until the daughter, Charlie, is somewhere safe. Mike agrees to this request before finding out the seriousness of the situation, and just how much danger they are really in.

Who exactly was the man he saw murdered? And who is the man he saw pulling the trigger?

In a situation where nothing is what it seems, Mike will have to fight for his life to protect a woman and a child he doesn’t know. And when the death count rises, he will discover what kind of man he really is.

When you can’t identify the victim, how can you find the killer?

My Review of Scream Blue Murder

Mike is having a bad day and it’s about to get worse.

I am kicking myself that it has taken me so long to read Tony J Forder. I thoroughly enjoyed Scream Blue Murder because of the fast pace and the super exploration of the murky worlds of criminals and those in high office. There’s a scary presentation of just how far corruption can reach and I think reading Scream Blue Murder has opened my eyes to the potential for underhand behaviour in many levels.

I was fascinated by the way Scream Blue Murder considers that we never really know ourselves or how we might react until we are put under pressure. It was this gradual uncovering of Mike’s character and the background to his personality that really interested me, even though there is a cracking, fast paced plot to retain a reader’s attention without this added extra intensity. I felt Mike was a man with depth and breadth whom I thoroughly appreciated getting to know. I’m now desperate to read the next book to find out more. In amongst the violence and corruption that rattles through this story is the balance of Charlie’s innocence and her positive impact on the jaded Mike. I felt this element added humanity and depth to an already enticing read.

That said, it would be unfair not to praise the fabulous plot too. It is so exciting and thrilling that I found myself holding my breath as my pulse raced. I genuinely had no idea what would happen next or how Mike’s problems might resolve themselves – or if indeed they would at all. Tony J Forder knows exactly how to keep the reader guessing and their heart rate elevated. I couldn’t tear myself away as I simply had to know what happened next.

I’m concerned that Scream Blue Murder might prove to be one of those quiet books that never gets the recognition it truly deserves. I’ve read so many books that have huge success, such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and in my opinion, Scream Blue Murder is far better, more believable, and more exciting. I really recommend it and would love to see it snapped up for television. If this is the quality of Tony J Forder’s writing then I need to read all his books as soon as I can. Cracking stuff!

About Tony J Forder

Tony J Forder is the author of the critically acclaimed, best-selling crime thriller series featuring detectives Jimmy Bliss and Penny Chandler. The first three books, Bad to the Bone, The Scent of Guilt, and If Fear Wins will be joined by a fourth in the series in 2019.

Tony’s dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, was also published by Bloodhound Books. This is a stand-alone novel. Another book that was written as a stand-alone was Scream Blue Murder. This was published in November 2017, and received praise from many, including fellow authors Mason Cross, Matt Hilton and Anita Waller. Before it had even been published, Tony had decided to write a sequel, and Cold Winter Sun will be published in November 2018.

Tony lives with his wife in Peterborough, UK, and is now a full-time author.

You can follow Tony on Twitter @TonyJForder, visit his website and find him on Facebook. You an also come and meet him in person at the Deepings library on 25th May!