My enormous thanks to Beck Lewis for sending me a copy of Double Take in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share my review of Double Take today.

Double Take, part one in the Dead Ends series, was published on 10th April 2026 and is available for purchase here. 

Double Take

She did the right thing. Now she’s the problem.

When Esther Butler sees a man with a gun following a woman through the dark streets, she calls the police.

Minutes later, the man is dead.

The police fired the shot.

There’s just one problem.

No weapon is found.

Esther knows what she saw.

So why is her story falling apart?

As the investigation deepens, the truth starts to shift – and the evidence begins to point back at her.

DC Josie Kaminski, newly assigned to Leicester’s most overlooked police team, is tasked with finding the truth. But the more they dig, the less anything makes sense.

And the only witness they have… might be lying.

Or she might be next. 

My Review of Double Take

Esther has seen a man with a gun.

I’ll let you into a secret. I’m not a great fan of novels featuring police procedures, which just goes to illustrate how fantastic Double Take is as I thought it was brilliant. I’ll definitely be reading any  future books in the series.

The writing is razor sharp with short punchy chapters that propel the reader through the narrative. As those chapters became shorter and faster towards the denouement of the story, so my heart rate increased because the excitement level just kept elevating. I thought the direct speech was so good, as it felt natural and the contrast between Esther’s first person account and the rest of the book gave an extra edge. Was Esther a reliable narrator, or was she lying as the police thought? You’ll need to read Double Take to find out. 

As for the plot, it simply races along so that it’s impossible not to want to know what happens next. The strands of the story took me by surprise and I thought the way the narrative was constructed was sublime from start to finish. Indeed, the opening chapter made me so invested in Josie and so loathe Greg that I don’t think I’ve ever formed such strong opinions about character within four pages of a novel before.

I loved the characterisation. Esther intrigues and is the lynchpin of the narrative. She is a complex individual whose rashness is balanced by her intelligence. In addition, the police team is varied and wide ranging, with Beck Lewis exploring the hierarchy, rivalry and politics of policing as well as illustrating how investigations are conducted, so that as well as introducing individuals, there is a sense of another being – the whole team. This makes for fascinating reading and I loved the potential for future stories as I want to know more.

As well as captivating characters and a blisteringly good story, there are themes in Double Take that add layers and depth. I don’t want to spoil the story for others, but Beck Lewis weaves in such features as crime and justice, family, friends and relationships, the power of social media, domestic abuse, control, and PTSD. There are emotional and psychological aspects within the exciting story which give it extra impact so that this is intelligent as well as entertaining writing. 

I’m not sure what I was expecting from Double Take, but what I got was a fantastic read, packed with action surrounding vivid and wide ranging characters. I was drawn in from the very first page and resented any interruption to my reading of the narrative. Double Take is an absolute belter of a thriller and one I recommend completely. I thought it was fantastic.

About Beck Lewis

Beck Lewis, a writer who has spent most of her adult life immersed in stories, believes deeply that stories exist to connect people, to help us see the world through perspectives that are not our own.

She has spent years in writing groups, workshops, conventions, and creative spaces, learning both from established voices and from those taking their first steps. Just as importantly, Beck Lewis spends time around readers. Readers are at the heart of everything she does, because no writer exists in isolation. The relationship between writer and reader is a partnership built on trust, curiosity, and the shared love of stories.

For further information, visit Beck’s website and find her on Facebook and Instagram.