Thrilling & Well Written

Storm Deaths by Steve Orme is a thrilling contemporary crime suspense that gripped me from the start.

The action is mainly set in Derby in the East Midlands. A lot of the focus is on the basketball team, the Derby Storm. The author clearly has a vast knowledge of the sport.

As the novel opens, we ‘hear’ from a victim of crime. This begs the first of many questions – who? Where? And why?

As the novel progresses and the body count rises, the reader who is fully engaged, has many more questions.

We see that not everyone’s character is wholly black or wholly white, many are shades of grey. In even the darkest heart, there is a glimmer of light.

All the characters were well drawn and believable. They were an eclectic mix. Back stories were given to some of the characters. Police woman, Tilly’s, story was heartbreaking. The reader understands her motivation for joining the police. Even a minor character stood out for me – the old man who walks his dog at 5am. I could clearly picture him, showing that Steve Orme really thinks about his characters, even those who have ‘bit’ parts.

I thoroughly enjoyed Storm Deaths. It was a well written novel that engaged me from the start. The ending was perfectly poised to lead into the next book – which I am picking up next.

I received a free copy from the author. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON