No Stone Unturned

Out Of The Ashes by Vicky Newham is a fabulous contemporary crime novel that will grip you from the start. It is the second book in the D.I. Maya Rahman series which I am really enjoying.

The novel is set in the Brick Lane area of London. Once it was a thriving community. Now it is run down and in need of redevelopment but it is still home to some elderly residents who love it in spite of the damp and deprivation. The houses and shops hold memories that are hard to let go of.

There are murders and arson to solve. Experts at ICT mean phones and IP addresses are hard to trace. Aliases and broken CCTV merely serve to aid the criminals. Vulnerable youngsters are exploited.

Maya Rahman is a very likable character. She is a strong lead but with elements of vulnerability that connect to her past. She works hard and wants to see justice served. She cares for those whom society refuses to see. No stone is left unturned on her watch.

Interspersed with the main story is the twenty year old mystery as to what happened to Maya Rahman’s father. “The tentacles of the past often reached into the present.” Her father walked out one day when she was twelve and never returned. Her search for him continues.

I am loving this D.I. Maya Rahman series. Vicky Newham is a fabulous new author who writes complex, believable crime dramas that would translate perfectly onto our television screens. I cannot wait to read more in this fabulous series.

I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

JULIA WILSON